DRAGONLANCE@

AGEOF MORTALSCAMPAIGN, VOLUME ONE

..........
KEYOF DESTINY
CHRISTOPHER COYLE AI@ D i m c T o ~... . . . CHRISTOPHER
COYLE

t3 . . . .
DEVELOPMEIIT CAMBANKS
COvEKAKiST ....... JEFFEASLEY
A D D ~ T ~ O I ID
AELS ~ G I I SEANMACDONALD ~ ~ T E ~ O R A R T ~ .S. .T S ERIC K I M
ERICVEDDER
EDi r o .~. . . . . . . . . . . . ELIZABETH
BALDWIN JIMZUBKAVICH

......
PROOFR~AD~IIG JESSICA
BANKS CAKOGRPPHERS
.... ED BOURELLE
CLAYTONBUNCE
PKO~ECTMAIIAGER.. JAMIECHAMBERS RONNIE
RAYCUSTER
SEANMACDONALD
.
G R P P H ~DES~GIIEK
C KEVIN
T. STEIN CRAIGZIPSE

S P E C ~ A LT'HAITKS: Weldon Chen, Renae Chambers, Richard Connery, Christy Everette,

Sean Everette, Matt Haag, Harry Kaiserian, Kevin Lamb, Ed LeClear, Luis Fernando De Pippo,
AndrC La Roche, Amanda Valentine, ClarkValentine, Trampas Whiteman, Scott Williams

This d20 System@ game accessory utilizes mechanics developed for the new Dungeons &Dragons@ game by JonathanTweet,
Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison.

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 TABLE
OF COITTEITTS

Introduction ............................................................................ 3
Wherein the tale is told and the foundation is set for adventure.

Chapter One: Finding the Key ................... 4

Wherein the heroes discover an ancient secret hiding in plain sight.

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds ............ 37

Wherein the heroes journey through the deserts of Khur.

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple ..................59

Wherein the heroes relive a night of betrayal from the distant past.

Chapter Four: Across Sand 8z Sea .............. 89

Wherein the heroes survive dangers of the open desert and ocean deep.

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender ................ 105

Wherein the heroes brave the dangers of the Desolation.

Chapter Six:The Peak of Malystryx ........... 127

Wherein theheroes confront a powerjkl servant of a slain dragon overlord.

Appendix One:Monsters 8z Magic ............ 148

A collection of creatures and enchantments both good and evil.

Appendix Two: Characters 8z Creatures ..............161

An assortment of potential friends and foes.
 Introduction
ey of Destiny is the first part of a heroic The war between the dragons and the elves lasted for

K DRAGONLANCE® adventure campaign that crosses

Ansalon from coast to coast. While the world is still
readjusting to the death of three Dragon Overlords and the
return of the gods, the characters find themselves
350 years, before the gods of magic stepped in and gave the
elves five magic stones that enabled them to capture the
spirits of the first chromatic dragons. The dragon stones
granted the elves victory and the mighty elven kingdom of
embroiled in events that will shape the world to come. And the Silvanesti was born.
it all begins with a tiny, unassuming music box. Following the war, Silvanos wed the young and beautiful
elf maiden Quinari. Though theirs was a political marriage
Encounter Levels: Key of Destiny is designed for a party made to solidify the elven houses beneath a single crown,
of four characters, who begin the adventure at 1st level. By the two slowly grew to love one another. Quinari’s beauty
the end of Key of Destiny, the characters will have overcome was said to have been unrivaled by any other elf maiden, a
a major milestone, gaining enough experience to advance beauty that even dragons respected. Quinari’s beauty was
nearly to 7th level. only rivaled by her grace, her wisdom, and her kindness. It
was her compassion and kindness during the Dragon War
Preparation that led her to be revered by the metallic dragons. Quinari
In order to run this adventure, you will need a copy of the moved amongst their wounded, singing soothing melodies
three d20 System core rulebooks and the DRAGONLANCE as she called upon E’li (Paladine) to heal their wounds. Her
Campaign Setting. This adventure begins six months after kindness prompted the metallic dragons to form an
the end of the War of Souls. Familiarity with the informa- alliance with the elves, and they named her the Dragon-
tion in the Age of Mortals sourcebook will greatly enhance Singer.
your campaign. Some of the spells, classes, and creatures One night, beneath the light of the moons, Gloranthia,
found in the Age of Mortals book are used in the adventure. the leader of the gold dragons, sought out Quinari private-
Complete statistics for any creature from the Age of ly, finding the elven woman weeping silently over the body
Mortals can be found in the individual entries in the of a young copper dragon who had died because of
Appendix; however, alternatives from the d20 System core wounds suffered during the previous day’s battles. That
rules are provided with each entry. Several NPCs in this night, Gloranthia took Quinari into her confidence, reveal-
adventure have base classes or prestige classes found in ing one of the greatest secrets of dragonkind to the young
other books, but all pertinent abilities and statistics are elven woman—the location of the legendary Dragons’
included in the NPC entries in Appendix 2. Graveyard.
Text that appears in shaded boxes is information for the From that night forward, Quinari became the secret
players, which you may read aloud or paraphrase as appro- guardian of the metallic dragons, using her magic to sweep
priate. Any text found in sidebars contains information away the bodies of the fallen, taking them to the Dragons’
pertinent to running the adventure, such as background Graveyard, where she could ensure that they would remain
information or things for the Dungeon Master (DM) to unmolested. After the war, Gloranthia once more
keep in mind. Monster and NPC statistics are presented in approached Quinari. With regret, Gloranthia cast a spell
abbreviated form in the encounter entries. For standard upon the elven woman, removing the
monsters, full monster statistics can be found in the knowledge of the Dragons’
Monster Manual or the DRAGONLANCE Campaign Graveyard to ensure the sanctity
Setting, while the statistics for any new or of the mystic site.
unique creatures can be found in Appendix 1 As the years went by,
and Appendix 2. Silvanos and Quinari ruled
Silvanesti wisely, creating a
Background kingdom unrivaled on Ansalon.
It all begins with a tiny music box. The two began to build a family
In the Age of Light, the elf Silvanos as well when Quinari bore
gathered together the leaders of the great Silvanos his first son,
elven houses, the Sinthal-Elish. Unifying the Sithel, the first prince of
fractious houses, Silvanos leads his followers the Silvanesti. Each night as
away from the ancestral homeland of the Quinari rocked her son in
elves in order to build a new kingdom. The her arms, she gently sang
forest the elves choose to be their new him to sleep. Quinari often
home is already occupied, thus igniting sang the same melody to her-
the spark that began what historians record as self when she was alone, or
the First Dragon War. when her mind wandered.

Introduction Q 3
Slowly, this melody became incorporated into the subcon- who have their own theories about the key’s purpose. This
scious of the Silvanesti people, who never realized the true small child’s toy holds the key to either a great treasure, or
magic held within the music. to open a pathway for a great evil to enter the world
At almost two thousand years of age, Silvanos passed
away. With great ceremony, the first Speaker of the Adventure Synopsis
Silvanesti was buried in a crystal tomb. Quinari died soon In chapter one, the adventurers begin in the town of
after. Her sorrow at the passing of her beloved was too Pashin, where the characters come into possession of
great. As the grieving Silvanesti prepared their queen for the elven music box that holds the key to an ancient
burial, the golden dragon Gloranthia appeared during the mystery. The characters must solve this mystery before
funeral. To the elves’ amazement, Gloranthia gently it is too late. Unfortunately, the characters are not the
explained that Quinari was a hero to the dragons, although only ones interested in the key. In a city of Dark Knights
her accomplishments were unknown to the elves. and criminals, it’s up to the characters to escape the city.
Gloranthia promised the elves that Quinari would be Once the characters escape the city, they head into the
interred in a place of great honor, a place sacred to the desert of Khur, and head for the ruins of an ancient city
gods of light. It is said that E’li himself appeared, assuring that might hold answers to the key’s purpose. In the ruins,
the elves that their queen would be honored for all time. the characters discover the truth behind an ancient betrayal
Touched, the elves allowed the dragon and the god to take that led to the city’s ruin, as well as finding an unexpected
their queen. E’li wrapped Quinari in a shroud of woven clue that will take them out of Khur and into one of the
starlight, gently placing her upon the back of the bowed most dangerous realms on Ansalon—the Desolation.
dragon. As he gazed once more upon the assembled As the characters leave the ruins of Hurim and head for
Silvanesti elves, E’li smiled gently and told them, “When Ak-Khurman, they are unaware of the forces surrounding
there is great need, the keys of Quinari shall open the portal, them, forces that are watching their every move in an intri-
allowing one to return from the Sanctuary of Spirits. The cate game of khas. As they cross the Burning Lands, they
path, however, shall not be easy, for if evil were to open the discover that the Legion of Steel-held city of Ak-Khurman
portal and enter the Sanctuary, then great darkness would isn’t as peaceful as it seems on the surface. Chartering a
befall the world.” With that, E’li and Gloranthia carried course across the Bay of Balifor, the characters land in Port
away Quinari’s body, disappearing into the night. Balifor, the infamous port town which suffered greatly dur-
In the years to follow, Sithel ordered the construction of ing the reign of the red dragon Overlord, Malystryx. Here,
a beautiful tower, the Palace of Quinari, in honor of his they will find an experienced guide willing to take them to
mother. Many among the Silvanesti discussed and debated the ruined city of Kendermore, where the characters hope
the meaning of E’li’s words, particularly puzzled by what to discover something more about the Key of Quinari.
he meant by the “Keys of Quinari.” After many centuries In Kendermore, the characters discover that kender pil-
though, the words of E’li faded into obscurity. grims to the ruined city have been disappearing, captured
Thousands of years later, as the Silvanesti fought hard to and taken prisoner. Will the characters brave the dangerous
rid their beloved kingdom of the taint of Lorac’s volcano known as the Peak of Malys? If they do, much
Nightmare, a small, delicately crafted music box of silver awaits them: a horrific plot that could endanger the region,
and crystal was discovered in the chambers of the dead an artifact long since believed lost to the world, and the
Speaker. When the lid of the music box was opened, it unravelling mysteries surrounding both the Key of Quinari
revealed a tiny elven maiden beautifully carved from wood. and their destiny.
As a haunting melody played, the wooden figure danced
smoothly. A slip of paper was included in the box. The
paper read, Quinari’s Key.
Many of the ancient texts of the Silvanesti were lost in Encounter Numbering
the devastation of Lorac’s Nightmare, but the eldest among To easily correlate encounters and locations with the
the Silvanesti could remember stories told to them that provided maps, areas in this adventure have been divid-
Quinari’s Key would open the way to something incredible, ed into distinct sections. For example, the seven loca-
if only one knew where to use it. Unfortunately, the knowl- tions described in the town of Pashin are numbered P1
edge of the key’s true use had been lost. The music box, through P7. The areas in the adventure are:
known as Quinari’s Key, was passed down to the daughters
of the ruling family, a curiosity of a long ago time. When P Pashin D Delphon
Queen Alhana and her husband, Porthios, were declared PS Pashin Sewers DU Delphon’s Undercity
Dark Elves and cast out of Silvanost, the music box KH Khur F Flotsam
remained within the kingdom. When the Dark Knights AC Ant Colony DE The Desolation
conquered the Silvanesti, most of the treasures of the capi- H Hurim K Kendermore
tal and the people were seized. When the minotaurs KK Khuri-Khan PM Peak of Malys
appeared and the Dark Knights retreated, most of those
treasures disappeared. The descriptions for subrooms listed by letter within
Now that Quinari’s Key has left the protection of the these areas are found in the text for the nearest main
Silvanesti Forest, its presence has been noticed by those numbered room.

4 Q Introduction
 Chapter One
Finding the Key
ashin, like many other villages, towns, and cities both the crisp, sharp scent of winter and the dis-

P across Ansalon, has undergone many changes over

the last few decades, culminating with the recent
arrival of Dark Knight refugees from Silvanost.
tinctive mixture of refuse, horses, and countless
cook fires.
Passing through the gates of the town, you see
the people already beginning to close up their
As one of the few permanent settlements in Khur, Pashin is shops, workers heading either for home or into
a major trading center for the Khur nomads and the ogres one of the many taverns for food and protection
of Blöde. It has survived raids, wars, floods, famines, and from the sharp bite of the winter night. You feel a
two Cataclysms. It has been a haven for criminals, a major strange chill, neck hairs prickling, as if someone
outpost for the Green Dragonarmies during the War of the was watching you.
Lance, and now serves as the last bastion of the Dark
Knights who occupied Silvanesti during the War of Souls.
The people of Pashin come from all walks of life, drawn If the heroes enter town and glance down an alleyway, a
to the neutral haven that Pashin represents, where few ques-Spot check (DC 12) allows them to notice a shadowy figure
rapidly disappearing down the alleyway. The characters can
tions are ever asked and the only real law is “the strong sur-
vive, but the sly thrive.” chase the figure, if they so desire. If they don’t follow the
This town, near the border of ogre lands and the newly figure, have the characters make another Spot check every
so often to notice that the figure seems to be stalking them,
minotaur-occupied Silvanesti Forest, is an unlikely place for
a band of heroes to come into possession of an ancient key always staying just out of sight, hiding in the shadows.
with a destiny that could forever change the world. The robed figure leads the characters on a merry chase
through many back alleyways, heading deeper and deeper
Adventure Start – Movement in the Shadows toward the heart of the town. Have the characters make
Current Date: 12th day of Aelmont (Winter) periodic Spot checks to make sure they keep track of the
Phases of the Moons fleeing figure, who always seems to manage to stay one step
Solinari: Waxing Crescent (between 18 and 1 on the ahead of the party. If you decide to run any random
moon tracking chart). encounters along the way, the figure seems to stay close
Lunitari: High Sanction, Full (position 10) enough to observe the group, but otherwise does not inter-
Nuitari: High Sanction, Waxing Gibbous (position 7) fere with the party.
The introduction presented below assumes that the char- The figure leads the characters to one of the oldest build-
acters have completed The Sylvan Key mini-adventure from ings still standing in Pashin, the Five Dragons (P5). As the
the DRAGONLANCE Campaign Setting, and that they have characters emerge into the square before the Five Dragons,
returned to Pashin. If the characters did not return to they cannot see the figure anywhere, as if it had disappeared
Pashin, or if you did not play The Sylvan Key, then you may into thin air. The chase from the edge of town to the center
need to write your own beginning to the adventure, or you of town takes about an hour.
may wish to have them come across it If the characters decide to head into
through one of the random encounters. the Five Dragons, you may begin the
When you are ready to begin the adventure from there. If not, allow the
adventure, read or paraphrase the fol- characters to explore the town a little
lowing text aloud to your players: bit, but give them fleeting glances of
the mysterious figure from afar.
he sun is setting over the town of
T Pashin. Already, the silver moon
Solinari hangs high overhead, a wax-
The Town of Pashin
In the Mikku region of Khur, about
ing crescent, while the full red moon 35 miles north of the border of the
Lunitari, begins its ascent in the east- Silvanesti Forest, lying just off the
ern sky. The air begins to cool almost Thon-Thala River, lay the town of
immediately as the sun sinks below Pashin. With the former elven home-
the western horizon; the cold south- lands to the south, and the ogre king-
ern breezes causes the temperature dom of Blöde to the west, Pashin is an
to drop swiftly. You can see your odd amalgam of cultures.
breath in misty bursts as you exhale, Pashin was founded centuries before
while every inhalation brings with it the Cataclysm as a border outpost for

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 5

Istar, enabling trade between the north and south. It the Silvanesti Forest toward the end of the War of Souls.
remained a small outpost until gold was discovered in the Dark Knight refugees, escaping the Forest with everything
riverbed of the Thon-Thala River, approximately twenty that they could carry, spilled into Pashin, establishing
years before the Cataclysm. At that time, the town began to themselves as the new dominant force in the region. The
swell rapidly with foreigners as people sought to make Mikku tribes were unhappy at this development, as were
their fortune panning for gold in the river. When the the citizens of Pashin, but the sheer number of Dark
Cataclysm struck, the riverbed shifted and steel, not gold, Knights in the town, nearly half of the current population,
became the cornerstone of trade. enabled them to take control quickly and thoroughly.
Following the Cataclysm, the town became a ghost town The other residents have begun to mount a resistance.
only visited by outlaws and bandits looking for a place to That half consist of outlaws, some elven refugees, Khur
lie low. Over time, the strongest of these bandits estab- nomads, and others, even the odd ogre from Blöde can be
lished themselves as bandit lords, creating a rough set of seen walking the streets. Pashin also serves as a waystation
laws and enforcing them with force and guile. When the for ogre merchants and caravans traveling through Khur,
Dragonarmies swept across Ansalon, the entire region of so many groups are represented.
Khur fell under the rule of the Green Dragon Highlord.
Pashin (Large Town): Nonstandard; AL CN; 3,000 stl
Pashin capitulated quickly to the rule of the limit; Assets 352,500 stl; Population 2,351; Isolated (human
Dragonarmies, becoming a major center of operations for 96%, kender 2%, elf 1%, other 1%).
strikes against the Silvanesti to the south. On orders from Authority Figures: Emilian Togh (Mayor of Pashin), N
the Dragon Highlord, a large defensive barricade was built, male human Nbl4 and General Dogah (Commander of the
surrounding the entire town, with strategic watchtowers Dark Knights in Pashin), LE male human Ftr5/Knight of
placed at every corner. When the Dragonarmy failed in Lily 6.
their conquest of the Silvanesti Forest, they retreated to Important Characters: Cael Kiergard, LN male human
Pashin where they prepared for a second concentrated Ftr6/Steel Legionnaire 3 (Leader of the Legionnaires in
attack. The defeat of the Green Dragon Highlord, Salah of Pashin); Shaylin Moonborn of House Mystic, CG female
Khur, by a band of rebels lead by a Solamnic known as Silvanesti elf Wiz6/White Robe Wizard 4 (the elder of the
Morgan di Kyre, caused the Green Dragonarmies to dis- elves in Pashin); Klaudia Lorn, N female half-ogre Mys3
perse. Pashin soon reverted to its prior lawlessness. (an agent for the Legion of Steel, runs Old Omar’s
Pashin would remain relatively lawless, as its citizens Oddities, a small apothecary in the Merchant District);
preferred, until the minotaurs came to conquer and occupy Captain Whyndam, LN male human War1 (Togh’s cousin,

6 Q Key of Destiny
Whyndam is the newly-appointed captain of the recently- proof, yet allows for some air circulation. The buildings
formed town watch); Kaybrin, LG male human War2 remain cool during the summer and warm during the win-
(Whyndam’s lieutenant, he’s an experienced veteran who ter. Most buildings are only a single story high, though
has taken Whyndam under his wing to help keep the more than a few are built to accommodate second and
younger man from being overwhelmed). even third floors. Very few buildings in Pashin have base-
ments or cellars, as the water level causes them to become
Features of Pashin unstable during the spring months. There is a small sewer
Before the unexpected influx of the Dark Knights, Pashin network that allows rainfall to run off and not accumulate
had a population of around 1,200 people. Since the Dark in the streets. Given the wide variety of cultures the resi-
Knight retreat from Silvanost the occupancy of the town dents of Pashin have come from, the interiors of the build-
has nearly doubled, causing the small town to rapidly swell ings are as varied as the people who call this town home.
both in population and in crime. Although the leaders of Next to Khuri-Khan and Delphon, Pashin is one of the
the Dark Knights are trying to maintain discipline among only Khurish settlements of any worthwhile size for traders
their own troops, as well as to impose a sense of order on and merchants to travel through, enabling the people of
the chaotic nature of Pashin, they have found that things Pashin to partake of goods from across Ansalon. The horse
are rapidly coming apart. The number of deserters has market of Pashin is second only to that of Khuri-Khan’s.
increased drastically since the death of the Dark Queen. This is one feature that keeps drawing merchants to the
The elven refugees who lived in Pashin have gone under- city, despite having to cross the Plains of Dust, the mino-
ground, fomenting anarchy. The bandit lords who once taur-occupied Silvanesti Forest, Onysablet’s New Swamp,
ruled the city are paying lip service to the Dark Knights, all and the ogre kingdom of Blöde in order to purchase one of
the while looking the other way while their people riot in the legendary Khur stallions.
the streets, pick fights with the Dark Knights, and steal the
spoils the Dark Knights looted from Silvanost. City Streets
Throughout the city there are numerous artesian wells The main streets in Pashin are cobblestone, made of the
that provide a constant source of clean water, tapped from same sun-baked bricks as the buildings themselves. The
the waterbeds deep underground. The artesian wells them- streets are laid out to allow more-or-less easy access
selves are all of dwarven craftsmanship, stretching more through the town and to major sections within the town,
than fifty feet below the surface. such as the Lord’s Manor, the Bazaar, and the Horse
Market. Given the lack of any stringent city planning, how-
Outside the City ever, there are numerous side streets and alleyways
Pashin lies in a large valley between two mountain ranges: throughout the town. These alleyways can cause anyone
the southern-most arm of the Kalkhist Mountains of Blöde unfamiliar with the town to become lost rather quickly.
to the west and the Badland Range in the east. The moun- On each side of the main streets are gutters for refuse.
tains provide a shelter against most of the wind coming Most of the alleys and side streets also have gutters that
from the coast, as well as the scent of Onysablet’s swamp. direct water spill-off back toward the main streets. These
The region is arid, with sparse, tough grass and few shrubs. gutters provide a crude system of navigation, as all gutters
There are signs of vegetation in the higher altitudes where eventually lead back to one of the primary roads through
the soil is richer. the town.
The town is about two miles away from where the
Thon-Thalas River splits into two tributaries, one that Politics in Pashin
winds into the ogre kingdom of Blöde, while the other Before the coming of the Dark Knights, the primary politi-
continues north, cutting a swath through the Khur bad- cal structure of Pashin was basically that of a bandit-aris-
lands. This provides the inhabitants of Pashin with easy tocracy. Technically part of the Khanate of Khur, and pay-
access to trade routes along the river, and also makes it per- ing regular tithes to the Khanate, Pashin has remained a
fect for smuggling; a common profession among the city’s neutral border town ever since the dispersal of the Green
inhabitants. Dragonarmies following the War of the Lance.
With the addition of the autocratic Dark Knights to the
Buildings in the City political structure of Pashin, things have changed—at least
Pashin is a ramshackle town with a startling variety of dif- on the surface. Mayor Togh seems little more than a figure-
ferent buildings, ranging from the solid construction remi- head, content to hide behind the walls of his manor, while
niscent of Solamnic architects to the sprawling, meander- the General of the Dark Knights exerts almost complete
ing designs of the gnomes. In the last six months, an political and military control over the town. Secretly, how-
entirely new section has been added to the town, called the ever, both Mayor Togh and General Dogah have sent
Dark Knight’s Enclave. envoys to the Khan in Khuri-Khan, calling for assistance.
The vast majority of buildings within Pashin are made Mayor Togh wants his town completely free of Dark Knight
of sun-baked clay, gathered from the riverbed and formed influence, while General Dogah wishes to seize complete
into small blocks. The outside of the buildings are covered control over the town as a Dark Knight outpost and
with a thick paste that, when dry, is surprisingly water- “embassy city” for the Knights of Neraka.

Key of Destiny Q 7
 Gathering Information in Pashin
For characters attempting to use their Gather Information skill in Pashin, below is a basic list of what information
can be gained, depending upon the DC of the roll.

DC Information
10 In the last few months, the population of the Dark Knights has nearly doubled, while the elven
population has drained to almost nothing.
15 With the addition of yet more Dark Knights to the population of Pashin, there has been an
increase in the underlying tension in the city. Pashin was once the headquarters of the Green
Dragonarmy, and suffered greatly at the hand of the Dragon Highlord, Salah. Pashin’s population
is not happy about being put into a similar situation again.
20 The mayor of the town has closed himself away in his manor; he will not see anyone for any rea-
son. Meanwhile, the leader of the Dark Knights, General Dogah, has taken a more active role in
the leadership of the town, although it seems he is pursuing his own private agenda.
25 The Legion of Steel used to be very active in Pashin, which served as one of their outposts in the
region. At about the same time that the elves first appeared in Pashin, the Legion began to pull
back. By the time the Dark Knights arrived, most of the Legion had apparently left for Ak-
Khurman, the center of all Legionnaire activities in the area.
30+ There are elves still in Pashin; they have taken to disguising themselves as lepers in order to hide
from persecution at the hands of the Dark Knights.

Pride and Prejudice in Pashin

Because of the current political climate in Pashin, one Dwarves: The people of Khur respect the gruff,
thing to keep in mind when running encounters and industrious nature of the dwarves. Even the Dark
playing NPCs is the reaction individuals might have Knights cannot truly dislike the dour dwarves. Dwarven
based upon race. These modifiers apply particularly to characters receive a +4 circumstance bonus on all
Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidation, and Charisma based skill checks dealing with the residents of
Perform skill checks. Pashin.
Humans: Khur is a region dominated by humans, but Elves: Elves are not particularly liked in Khur, but
more than a few non-humans find their way to the with the Dark Knight occupation of Pashin, they risk
deserts. open persecution if they are not careful. Elf characters
Ergothian: In Khur, Ergothians are greeted warmly, receive a –6 circumstance penalty on all Charisma based
for they are typically merchants bringing strange and skill checks while dealing with the residents of Pashin.
exotic goods from the other side of the continent. Kender: There are few places in the world where
Ergothians receive a +2 circumstance bonus on all kender are truly welcomed and Pashin is not one of
Charisma related checks while in Pashin. them. Kender receive a –6 circumstance penalty on all
Nerakan: Although the Dark Knights are not truly Charisma based skill checks while dealing with the resi-
welcomed in most regions of Khur, with their political dents of Pashin.
and financial control over Pashin, they have gained a Minotaurs: Before the minotaur occupation of the
strong foothold in the area. Nerakan characters receive a Silvanesti Forest, minotaurs were a rare sight in Pashin.
+2 circumstance bonus on all Charisma related skill Given that Pashin is now home to both the elves and the
checks dealing with residents of Pashin, increasing to a Dark Knights who were forced out of the forest, mino-
+4 bonus if the character clearly displays some sign of taurs are now a most unwelcome sight on the city
being a Knight of Neraka. streets. Minotaur characters receive a –6 circumstance
Solamnics: In most places in Khur, the Solamnics are penalty on all Charisma based skill checks when dealing
respected for their codes of honor. However, Pashin is a with residents of Pashin.
city almost completely dominated by Dark Knights and Ogres: Pashin is one of the few primarily human
mercenaries. In Pashin, Solamnics receive a –2 circum- cities where ogres are actually welcomed. Ogres receive
stance penalty on all Charisma based skill checks while no bonus, but also have no penalty to Charisma-based
dealing with the residents of Pashin. If the character is skill checks when dealing with residents of Pashin.
clearly a Solamnic Knight, the penalty increases to –4.

8 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 The Dark Knights of Pashin
Although they consist of nearly half of the population, Never a large group, mainly placed here as an embassy
the Dark Knights only firmly control one-quarter of the to the Khur nomads, the members of this organization
town of Pashin. Theirs is the south side, where they have been forced to abandon their homes and assume
established their enclave. Here, the rule of the Dark new identities, while trying to maintain their tenuous
Knights is absolute, with constant patrols and a firm chain of contacts and informants. Now, they are seeking
martial law.Outside of this area, the Dark Knights have to infiltrate the Dark Knight Enclave, to weaken it from
slowly gained control over the eastern portion of town, within.
the Gold District, where the wealthiest inhabitants of A few Qualinesti and Silvanesti elves had been too
Pashin have established their homes and businesses. weak to go to Sanction with their respective rulers to
The Guild District in the northern section of town save Silvanoshei during the War of Souls. Instead, they
and the Merchant District in the western section of had volunteered to be left behind. Their mission was to
town remain outside firm Dark Knight control, which is bedevil the Dark Knights occupying Silvanost and keep
just as the inhabitants prefer it. Unfortunately for the them occupied. When the first minotaurs landed, many
townspeople, the Dark Knights have continued to of these elves were killed before they realized what was
increase in numbers. Combine this with the wealth they happening, but the survivors quickly fled up the Thon-
have brought with them from Silvanost, and they are Thalas and into the only area where they could possibly
slowly but surely encroaching on those districts that do hope to find any solace—Khur. They established a small
not wish to fall under the iron-grip of the Dark Knight refugee camp outside the walls of Pashin, waiting for
Enclave. their people to return from the north so they could take
The Dark Knights are actively petitioning the Khan back their forest. Without the aid of the Solamnics,
of Khur for the right to permanently settle in Pashin, however, the rulers of the elves decided it was too risky a
promising to bring the lawless city into line and donate task. Those in Pashin who could make the journey slow-
a portion of all city profits to the Khanate as its rightful ly rejoined their brethren, but those left behind had
share. There has been no word from the Khanate one nowhere else to go when the Dark Knights themselves
way or the other about the petition, which is making were chased out of Silvanost. The elves hid themselves in
both the Dark Knights and the natives of Pashin very the poorest district of the city, disguising themselves as
nervous. lepers, before the Dark Knights ever realized that they
The greatest problem facing the Dark Knights cur- were there. Now, the elves have established a “leper
rently, however, lies in the stagnation and entropy of colony” in the sewers, from which they strike subtly
their membership. With the Dark Queen dead and the against the Dark Knights, seeking to regain what was
other gods returned to the heavens, many of the order stolen from them—their heritage and their pride.
have lost faith. Some have succumbed to the blandish- The Mikku tribe of Khur nomads has always been
ments and temptations of other gods, searching for a made up of raiders, enjoying music and dance, as well as
deity to replace their own fallen goddess. Others who having a more-than-healthy appreciation for the posses-
joined the orders after the disappearance of the gods, sions of others. With the wealth that the Dark Knights
whose only Visions were inspired by the dictates of the have brought with them out of Silvanost, they have
Order’s mystics and sorcerers, have lost faith altogether. become too tempting a target for the Mikku nomads to
This has left the Knights of Neraka in a state of chaos as resist. The fact that they are striking against a group just
more and more members of the knighthood abandon as wicked as the Green Dragonarmies that once occu-
their posts and turn their backs on the Orders forever. pied their homeland makes the sport all that much
sweeter.
The Rebel Factions of Pashin Unfortunately, none of the three factions work well
There are actually three distinct rebellious factions in together, for each has individual ambitions and goals,
Pashin: the Legionnaires, the elven refugees who left which often run contrary to one another. It is this that
Silvanost when the Dark Knights assumed control over has prevented the three rebellious factions from shaking
their homeland, and the Mikku rebels who do not wish the Dark Knights out of Pashin.
to see any portion of their realm fall once more under
the tyranny of the Dark Knights.
The Legionnaires operate covertly out of Pashin, hav-
ing gone underground when the first major contingent
of Dark Knights arrived from the Silvanesti Forest.

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 9

Martial Law Back Alley Encounters
With Pashin currently under control, at least overtly, by the Condition Encounter Chance
Dark Knights, General Dogah has tried to establish martial Early Morning 5% per hour
law over the city in an attempt to curb the city’s innate law- Mid-Afternoon 10% per hour
less atmosphere. Unfortunately, he did not take into Evening 25% per hour
account the unwillingness of the Khur tribes to once more Nighttime 40% per hour
submit themselves to a tyrannical yoke—they all remember Back alleys +10%
the dark days of the War of the Lance when the Green
Dragonarmy ruled their land with an iron grasp. Back alleys are all the secondary roads throughout
Unfortunately for the Dark Knights, their presence in Pashin that create a maze of twisting paths that often
this town has not exactly been accepted with open arms. A lead in on themselves.
large number of the population settled in Pashin to avoid
stringent laws and persecution. There have been quite a few City Encounters
public displays of unrest since the Dark Knights arrived Day Night Encounter*
and assumed control of the town. The Dark Knights have 01-10 – No Encounter
been pretty quick to put down any unrest that could 11-15 01-10 Street Entertainer
potentially grow too large. With the wealth that many of 16-25 11-20 Drunken Ogre
the Dark Knights brought with them, bribery has calmed 26-45 21-30 Kender Pickpocket
some of the unrest. Threats and intimidation have quieted 46-55 31-45 Street Toughs
a number of other possible insurgencies. 56-75 46-65 Swarm of Rats
Regular patrols go out into the town, walking the street 76-85 66-75 Lepers
and keeping an eye out for trouble. Their routes are pre- 86-95 76-85 Legionnaire Rebels
dominantly around their headquarters and the outskirts of 96-100 86-100 Dark Knight Patrol
the city. They have learned that the northern and the west-
ern sections of town do not appreciate their presence. * These encounters are one-time only encounters. If the
same result is rolled twice, and if it is daytime, there is
Random Encounters in Pashin no encounter, if it is nighttime, there’s a 50% chance
While in Pashin, there’s a chance that the characters may it’s a Dark Knight patrol and a 50% chance of no
wander around, instead of heading in the direction that encounter.
they need to go. A good way to help guide the characters is
through the use of random encounters.
Once per hour in the city streets, there is a chance that a harassing and jeering the acrobats. During the encounter,
random encounter might occur. The chance of an Stallion stumbles, dropping Grace into the crowd. The
encounter varies, determined by the character’s actions crowd turns Hostile and begins to harass the unfortunate
while out in the city. kender, thinking that this is all part of an elaborate ploy for
Many of these random encounters can actually provide a “handler” to steal them blind. The characters may try to
the characters with beneficial aid later on in the adventure, save the acrobat, using a number of different methods:
depending upon how the characters deal with the situation. * Diplomacy: Changing the crowd’s reaction to
This creates the feeling for the characters that their actions Unfriendly will cause the crowd to disperse in 1d4 rounds,
have consequences. Even something that seems minor and Indifferent will cause them to disperse in 1 round, while
inconsequential at the moment could later provide an changing the crowd’s reaction to Friendly will cause them
important clue or assistance where it is least expected. to instantly cease their attack and help the acrobats, giving
the acrobats 6d6 cp, 4d6 sp and 2d6 stl, half of which the
Street Entertainers (EL varies) acrobats will gladly share with the characters.
Given the wide variety of individuals who find their way to * Intimidation: The characters may attempt to intimi-
Pashin, there is a startling diversity of performers who date the crowd with a successful Intimidate check against
roam the streets or have set themselves up on corners in an opposed roll of 1d20 + 7 [number of people in the
order to entertain for a few coins. crowd (7) + crowd’s average Wisdom modifier (0) +
When a street entertainer is rolled as a random crowd’s average modifier against fear (0)]. If successful, the
encounter, the type of entertainer can vary, depending crowd will react as if the Friendly result on a Diplomacy
upon whether it is day or night. check (see above) had been gained.
* Fighting: The characters can attempt to fight the
Acrobats: A troupe of acrobats has staked out a corner crowd back, preferably using non-lethal means. The crowd
of one of the squares. These three acrobats (a female consists of 7 1st-level Commoners (3 hp each). If the fight-
afflicted kender named Grace, a female half-elf named ing turns ugly (lethal means are used), or if the fight lasts
Blythe, and a burly male Khur nomad who identifies him- for longer than five rounds, there is a cumulative 25%
self as Stallion) perform a wide variety of tricks, but the chance each round after the fifth that a Dark Knight Patrol
crowd doesn’t seem impressed; indeed they are busy will show up to try and break up the fight.

10 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 Regardless of how the characters resolve the situation, if
they successfully aid the acrobats, award them XP based What Dove Knows
upon the EL given above. The acrobats may also provide
the characters with important information about the town Dove, having lived in Pashin for the last five years,
and its inhabitants (see the sidebar What Dove Knows and being a courtesan for the last two years, knows
below for a guideline of information the characters can quite a bit about the goings-on in and about
gain from the acrobats). Pashin. She can provide the characters with any of
XP Award: Award the characters full experience for the the information found in the Gathering
encounter if they use Diplomacy or Intimidation to stop Information in Pashin sidebar above, as well as the
the brawl before it begins. following details:
Courtesan: As the sun sinks below the horizon, the
ladies of the night begin to walk the street, looking to make U The elves in Pashin have gone “under-
their living. The courtesan, a pretty half-elf who introduces ground,” keeping an eye out for any of
herself as “Dove,” approaches the party, offering her servic- their brethren captured by the Dark
es to the character with the highest Charisma score, or the Knights.
strongest looking character. Just as she propositions the U The Dark Knights keep a constant patrol
character, there’s an angry shout as three brutish looking around the city, sending out regular
thugs step out of an alleyway. patrols in order to keep an eye out for
The three goons work for Dove’s “employer,” a half-ogre raiders—both Khur nomads and poten-
known as Blackbird, who runs a tavern known as the tial minotaur incursions.
Wounded Crow (P4). They have been sent out to get their
boss’s cut from each of his girls. Dove protests that she has- Dove will not reveal any information that may
n’t yet earned what she needs to pay off Blackbird, hiding potentially endanger her life, although she does
among the characters in hopes that they can help her. The know a few things that may be of interest to the
party can deal with this in a number of ways: characters. She will only reveal the following
* Diplomacy: Using Diplomacy, the characters can information if she is pressed (a successful
attempt to talk to the thugs, who are Hostile. The key lies Diplomacy check with a DC of 20), charmed, or
in giving the thugs the money that Dove owes Blackbird. similarly convinced:
She currently owes Blackbird 25 stl, which typically takes
her a week to earn. Unfortunately, she’s had a bad week U One could possibly contact the Legion of
and hasn’t been able to earn anything. If the characters give Steel through the half-ogre mystic that
the goons 25 stl, they will leave Dove alone for the next operates the store Old Omar’s Oddities in
week. Out of gratitude, Dove will gladly help the characters the Merchant District.
learn their way around town, providing them a handy U There are rumors that the elves are suf-
informant on various topics (see sidebar on What Dove fering from a strange affliction, a disease
Knows for details). that requires them to wear heavy robes.
* Intimidation: The characters can attempt to threaten
the thugs, getting them to back off for the night. The thugs
can be chased off with a successful opposed Intimidate take a day or two to determine what happened to the goons
check against a roll of 1d20+2 [the number of thugs (2) + depending upon if or how the characters dispose of the
the thugs’ average Wisdom modifier (0) + the thugs’ modi- bodies. Blackbird will retaliate for the attack on his men.
fiers against fear (0)]. If the intimidation is successful, the  Blackbird’s Goons (2): 12, 9; see page 161.
thugs will back off for now, returning to their boss at the Treasure: If the characters manage to take down
Wounded Crow (P4) and reporting what happened. Dove Blackbird’s goons, they’ll find that the goons are carrying a
will warn the characters about Blackbird’s anger, warning heavy purse of money (125 steel pieces and 2 small garnets
them away from the Wounded Crow (P4). If the characters worth 25 stl each).
are unwary, there is a chance that if they remain on the XP Award: Award the characters full XP for the
streets, any successful roll for a Random Encounter will be encounter if they use Diplomacy to deal with the goons. If
an attack from Blackbird’s men. If the characters go to the they use Intimidation, award them only one-half the XP
Wounded Crow, they could have to deal with Blackbird points for the encounter.
himself, which is inadvisable at this point (given that
Blackbird is more than a match for a party of 1st or 2nd Drunken Ogre (EL 3)
level characters) and something that Dove will stringently In this encounter, as the characters are walking by, a furi-
warn the characters against. ous bellow (sounding much like the call of a wounded
* Fighting: The characters can jump Blackbird’s goons. bull) echoes out of an alleyway. Just as the characters turn
Dove will be grateful for the respite for the evening, but she to see what’s going on, an enormous ogre comes barreling
will explain that it’s only a temporary measure and that out, arms swinging as he attacks. The ogre is too drunk to
they may have made a serious enemy in Blackbird. It will be reasoned with either through Diplomacy or

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 11

Intimidation but the characters can choose whether to sub- it’s pointless to try and Intimidate a kender (kender, being
due the ogre or not. The ogre is drunk (and is chaotic evil immune to fear, cannot be intimidated). Rowan’s reaction
to those using magic to discern alignment), and killing will be the same as if the party attacked him. He will use
someone on the streets, even in self-defense, is sure to draw whatever it takes to get away, including darting through
the attention of the Dark Knights, something most people alleys, shouting that he’s being attacked (not that any one is
want to avoid (see Dark Knight Patrol below). willing to help a kender, but it can cause confusion in a
 Garthak, the Drunk Ogre (1): hp 45; see page 161. crowd), and try to escape into the sewers.
Tactics: The ogre is unarmed (allowing an Attack of * Attacking: If Rowan is attacked, he will use hit-and-
Opportunity for characters not caught unaware) and is run tactics. If he’s being held or restrained, he attacks in an
drunk (suffering a –4 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, attempt to break free (or use an Escape Artist check to
damage rolls, armor class, and saving throws). wriggle free, as appropriate) and then run off, trying to
Treasure: +1 large hide armor (worn by the ogre), 550 stl escape. Use the tactics for Intimidation above. He will not
in assorted gemstones (5 hematites worth 10 stl each, 4 give the items back unless he is stripped of his possessions.
bloodstones worth 50 stl each, 3 red garnets worth 100 stl  Rowan Whispertouch: hp 5; see page 161.
each), and 15 sp in a pouch around the ogre’s waist. The Treasure: In his many pouches, Rowan has the typical
rest of the ogre’s possessions are in his room at the kender array of small bric-a-brac along with the equipment
Wounded Crow (a masterwork great club, 250 stl, and listed in his character entry in Appendix 2. He is also carry-
other assorted personal equipment). ing two potions of cure light wounds.
Development: If the characters subdue the drunk ogre, Development: Later on, as long as the characters did not
he will be picked up by a Dark Knight patrol and brought attack Rowan, the kender could end up in the Dark Knight
to the prison camp of the Dark Knights (P7c). Later on, if prison camp (P7c), providing them an ally that can help
the characters end up in the same prison camp, the ogre them escape.
remembers that they did not kill him and could provide XP Award: Award full experience points for defeating
some much needed muscle for the characters to make their Rowan if the characters use Diplomacy to talk him into
escape. giving their items back. Award only one-half XP if the
XP Award: If the characters subdue the drunk ogre characters try to intimidate or attack Rowan.
instead of killing him, award them full XP for the
encounter (EL 5), instead of using the EL listed above. Street Toughs (EL 4)
The back roads of Pashin are not always the safest of
Kender Pickpocket (EL 1) routes, as evidenced by the number of muggings that occur
As the characters are moving through the crowds, a kender in the town. As the characters are passing down one partic-
is cheerfully whistling to himself as he bumps right into the ularly dark alleyway, they find their way blocked by three
center of the party. Of course, the irrepressible young large ruffians. The ruffians want the party to hand over
kender manages to find quite a few things as he does so. their possessions or else “suffer the consequences.” Two
Allow each character to make a Spot check against Rowan’s more ruffians appear behind the characters, blocking their
Sleight of Hand (1d20+9) to see if they notice what Rowan way out, while the sixth ruffian is perched on top of a
has “acquired,” or notice the slight brush of his stray hands building with a crossbow.
as they discover new and interesting toys.  Street Toughs (6): hp 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 5; see page 161.
From each character, Rowan will have “borrowed” a sin- Tactics: There are 2 more street toughs than there are
gle trinket: a ring, a small pouch, a dagger, etc. There are PCs (the 6 listed above assume the standard party size of
several ways to recover the items: four player characters). Unless the characters fight back to
* Diplomacy: The characters may attempt to talk to back, the ruffians have effectively flanked the party, . The
Rowan, asking him to give back the items he found. ruffian on top of the building is perched about 15 feet up
Rowan’s initial reaction is Indifferent. On a Friendly result (+1 to melee rolls, but +0 with ranged attacks) with cover
(DC 15), Rowan will give back that character’s item, (+4 AC against melee and ranged attacks). (See rules for
exclaiming with absolute sincerity that he was just trying to attacking from higher ground and cover in Chapter 8:
keep the item safe from pick pockets. On a Helpful result Combat of the Player’s Handbook.)
(DC 30), he will give everyone their items back, using the Treasure: Between the various street toughs, they have
standard array of kender excuses (“I found it laying there 105 stl, 194 sp, and 75 cp among them, which they have
in the mud and didn’t want it to get dirty,” “Oh, you gathered while working the alleys. Their other possessions
dropped this a few blocks back, just wanted to make sure it are fairly ragged and not worth much, though the crossbow
got back to you safely,” or “Wow, I had a [type of item] just bolts could easily be scavenged.
like that, but you can have it if you really think that it’s
yours!”). At your choice, with a Helpful result, Rowan Swarm of Rats (EL 2)
might also give the characters a few other things from his As the characters are passing by one of the “secret”
pouches, just because they seem like “nice folk.” entrances into the sewers (as indicated on the map of
* Intimidation: The characters can threaten Rowan into Pashin), have the characters make a Listen check (DC 15).
giving back their items, although they should realize that Anyone who successfully makes the check hears a strange

12 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

sound like a combination of loud rustling sickness. If the characters are still in the
and bubbling, rolling water. Suddenly, the alleyway, the lepers immediately spot
ground seems to erupt (the secret hatch them. When they notice the fallen body
of the sewer entrance is violently on the ground, the lepers draw slender
opened) as a swarm of rats surge out of blades from their robes, prepared to
the hole. The characters are caught in avenge the death of their fallen com-
the surge and must deal with the swarm. rade. If the characters have already
The bubbling sound continues to mount dealt with Aranol, it’s fairly easy for
until three rounds after the rats first them to point out the true assailant. If
emerge, at which point a geyser of boil- Aranol escaped, the characters can
ing hot water explodes upward from the attempt to deal with the lepers in a
exposed sewer entrance. Anyone within number of ways:
10 feet of the exposed sewer entrance * Diplomacy: If the characters
must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or have weapons at the ready from deal-
take 1d4 points of damage from the ing with the assailant, or seem to be
scalding water. going through the robes of the fallen
 Swarm of Rats: 13; see Monster elf when the elven lepers come into
Manual page 239. the alleyway, the elves are immediate-
ly Hostile and attack. Characters
Lepers may attempt to explain that they are
As the characters are traveling past a only trying to help. If the characters
darkened alleyway, they hear a strangled fight defensively or drop their weapons,
scream. If they rush to investigate, they see a figure clad in give them a +5 circumstance bonus on any Diplomacy
black leather, holding a curved knife and standing over a checks. If there is an elf in the party, add another +5
fallen body. A black cowl hangs low, concealing the bonus.
assailant’s face, and black gloves cover the assailant’s hands. * Intimidation: Enraged by the death of their comrade,
The body on the ground is dressed in heavy robes of the elves are hungry for vengeance. However, they are not
coarse linen. A gauze veil hangs in tattered shreds over the stupid. If it looks like the party is too powerful to deal
fallen figure’s face, revealing a delicately featured face. with, or if the characters succeed with a resisted
Characters can make a Spot check (DC 12) to realize that Intimidation check against 1d20+4 [number of elves (3) +
the fallen figure’s face is clearly elven. average Wisdom modifier (1) + modifiers against fear (0)].
The characters have stumbled into the middle of an old If the Intimidation is successful, the elves will flee swiftly,
quarrel. The cowled assailant is Aranol Nightblade, a heading for one of the hidden sewer entrances so they can
Silvanesti dark elf who has been hunting down the elf now report back to the Leper Colony (PS3).
lying at his feet, Wyllin Swiftfox, whom he blamed for hav- * Attacking: If the characters do not convince the elves
ing had him cast out of Silvanost. Now that the deed has of their innocence, the elves attack to kill. However, if it
been done, his vengeance sated, Aranol will try and put as seems they are overwhelmed, they will retreat rapidly,
much distance between him and the alleyway as possible, heading for the sewers, where they hope to lose anyone
as quickly as possible, but the characters could prove an chasing after them.
impediment to that.  Elves/Lepers (3): hp 2; see page 162.
 Aranol Nightblade: hp 14; see page 162. Development: If the characters manage to stave off the
Tactics: When the characters arrive, the assailant spots angry elves, offering proof that they were only there to help
the characters, unless they are using stealth, at which point but had arrived too late, they will have made contact with
you will need to roll an opposed skill check (Listen +, Spot the underground elven resistance. The elves ask the charac-
+). If the assailant notices the characters, he attempts to ters to keep their secret, saying only that they were a family
neutralize the most visibly threatening character (a wizard- who had stayed in Pashin waiting to see if other friends or
looking character in robes and carrying a staff, or an enor- family had managed to find their way to this town. They
mous armor-clad individual wielding a massive blade) by do not allude to the other elves hidden in the colony in the
using one of his tanglefoot bags. He will then attempt to sewers. If the characters push for more details, the elves fall
flee, pulling a potion of jump out of a pocket in order to back on stoic silence, moving to pick up their fallen com-
spring to the rooftops and escape. rade, expressing their need to move the body before any
Treasure: There is no real treasure beside the equipment Dark Knight Patrols show up. At this point, you can have
the assailant is carrying. If the characters check the body of one of the elves suddenly gasp, whispering that he can hear
the fallen elf, they will find that the elf is only carrying a Dark Knights approaching. If the characters provide a dis-
silver shortsword and a belt pouch holding only 5 stl. traction (either offering or accepting the task after being
Five rounds after the characters discover the corpse and asked), the lepers will be in the characters’ debt, which may
the assailant, three more linen-robed lepers burst into the be handy if the characters end up captured and thrown
alleyway, moving with a speed that belies their supposed into the Dark Knight prison camp (P7c).

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 13

 XP Award: If the characters defeat Aranol and avoid  Jacob the “Peasant”: hp 8; see page 162.
fighting the elves, award them full experience for the Treasure: If the characters take the medallion to Old
encounter. If they offer (not if they are asked) to distract Omar’s Oddities, they will find that Jacob has sent one of
the Dark Knight Patrol (see below), you can choose to give his sons there already to leave a package with Klaudia,
the characters XP equivalent to a +1 EL. which she will give to the characters in exchange for the
medallion. The package contains 200 stl pieces, a master-
Legionnaire Rebel (EL 1) work chainmail shirt, and a masterwork longsword.
There’s a considerable amount of unrest in Pashin but a Klaudia will explain that Jacob has decided to do less field-
sort of uneasy truce has kept the unrest from exploding work and spend more time behind the scenes.
into open warfare in the streets. Some individuals are not Development: The characters will have made an impor-
completely adverse to that. tant contact with the Legion of Steel through the half-ogre,
While the characters are walking down the street, they Klaudia Lorn. This provides benefits if the characters are
hear a loud commotion. Suddenly, a figure comes barreling captured and end up in the Dark Knight prison camp
out of a building. He’s dressed like a simple peasant, with a (P7c), as well as later on in the adventure.
heavy cloak to ward off the cold. A Spot check (DC 10) XP Award: Even though this is a non-combat encounter,
reveals a longsword strapped to his side and the flash of a award the characters appropriate XP for helping the hap-
chainmail shirt hidden under his jerkin. less rebel.
Seconds after the “peasant” runs out of the building, it
explodes in a fiery conflagration. Have the characters make Dark Knight Patrol (EL 3)
Reflex saving throws (DC 12) to avoid the flaming debris Although technically the Dark Knights only control their
or take 1d4 points of damage. The peasant is thrown off of enclave (P7), they inhabit almost one-fourth of the city
his feet, crashing into the midst of the party, having been and make up almost one-half of the total population.
caught by the blast (damage taken is reflected by the stats Because of this, the Dark Knights have established their
below). own patrols of the city, believing (probably justly) that the
The “peasant” groans, looking up at the characters and City Watch could care less about what happens to them.
asking for their help. He quickly explains that he’s a free- The youngest, lowest-ranking members of the enclave
dom fighter and that he destroyed a warehouse used by the typically form Dark Knight Patrols. Many of them are
Dark Knights to store munitions (he’s lying; the warehouse squires, some barely old enough to shave, but all of them
was empty and had been set up as a trap to catch any are still Dark Knights. A typical patrol consists of three
rebels. A Sense Motive check (DC 15) will reveal that he’s low-ranking knights plus a more experienced patrol leader.
stretching the truth). He also begs the characters to help For the most part, their purpose is to maintain order, to
him get away, as there is already a crowd gathering and it keep an eye out for anything that might endanger the Dark
will not be long before a Dark Knight Patrol or the City Knights, and to make sure that the presence of the Dark
Watch shows up. He will offer the characters 200 stl to help Knights is felt throughout the city.
him get to the Five Dragons (P5). Each member of the patrol carries a sounding horn,
Allow the characters to slip the “peasant” (who will keep which can be used to alert other patrols of a problem. The
refusing to give his name until he’s back at the Five patrols have not been officially accepted into the ranks of
Dragons safely) through the back alleyways. Occasionally, the Knights of Neraka, but they each wear black chain
have them roll Spot and Listen checks (DC 15) to see if shirts and dark blue tabards with a black lily embroidered
they notice that they are being shadowed. The characters over the left breast.
are being followed by the “peasant’s” two sons, who were If the Dark Knight Patrol is a random encounter, they
watching to see what happened and now are just following approach the characters with a scrap of parchment, show-
to make sure that the characters do not rough him up or ing them a fairly detailed sketch of two individuals: one is
turn him in. that of a rugged, middle aged human male with dark hair
If the characters stage a trap for their shadows, they find and eyes (Cael Kiergard, Leader of the Legionnaires in
that their followers are two teenage boys, who look both Pashin) and the other is that of a beautiful, fair haired, and
angry and a bit scared at what’s going on. Over their pale-eyed elven woman (Shaylin Moonborn, leader of the
father’s protests, they explain that their father has started elven underground).
working for the Legion of Steel, despite their mother’s  Dark Knight Patrol: hp 9; see page 162.
protests. She sent the boys to keep an eye on their father,  Dark Knight Patrol Leader: hp 16; see page 162.
who’s got more heart than he has brains. The boys offer to Tactics: If engaged in combat, at least one patrol mem-
take their father home, who reluctantly agrees. The “peas- ber attempts to sound his horn, alerting other nearby
ant” takes a medallion shaped like a starjewel (the symbol patrols of trouble (see Dark Knight Horn Alerts sidebar).
of the Legion, much to the Silvanesti elves’ disdain) and The primary objective when dealing with criminals (or
gives it to the characters. He tells them that if they take the those they view as criminals) is to acquire captives who can
medallion to a place called Old Omar’s Oddities (P6) in the be interrogated for information. The Dark Knights know
Merchant District and tell the half-ogre Klaudia they were that there is unrest, and are always looking for more infor-
sent by “Jacob,” they will receive their reward for helping. mation in order to stamp out resistance.

14 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 Treasure: Patrol members are only carrying the posses- inherited the position upon his father’s passing. He calls
sions listed in their entries in Appendix 2. himself “mayor” to keep himself seen as less of a threat by
Development: Attacking a Dark Knight Patrol can cause disassociating from any title that makes it seem as if he
problems for the characters for as long as they remain were a military leader instead of a civic leader.
within Pashin, as the Dark Knights will hunt down and Generally speaking, the characters should have little
stamp out any threat to their already tenuous position. reason at this point to approach the mayor for any reason.
Escape is typically the best option, and trying to avoid If they are being hunted by the Dark Knights, it is certainly
Dark Knight Patrols is certainly possible, but it gets more plausible they may seek out the mayor for sanctuary. They
difficult the closer the party gets to the Dark Knight will find the gates firmly barred and the guard Unfriendly
Enclave (P7). toward the characters. Successful Diplomacy checks (DC
25) or an opposed Intimidate check against 1d20+4 [level
Sites in Pashin (3) + Wisdom modifier (1) + modifier’s against fear (0)]
There are hundreds of buildings in Pashin, ranging from may net the characters a Friendly reaction from the guard.
the simple huts found in the older sections of town to the He will not allow the characters entrance to the mayor’s
grand structures found in the Gold District. Only a few manor, he will offer the characters some “cryptic” advice: If
buildings are described for the purpose of this adventure, you need to get out of town without being noticed, it’s usually
but feel free to add other specific locations if needed for a good idea to go ‘underground.’
your campaign. The guard is referring to the sewers, which run beneath
the entirety of the town, including secret passages that lead
P1. Mayor’s Manor to caves outside the town.
 Mayor’s Guard: hp 8; see page 163.
ituated near the center of town lies a good-sized Development: Harassing the mayor’s guard, or sneaking
S manor, at odds with the general architecture of
the rest of the town. The front entrance to the
into the mayor’s manor, are not the best way for the char-
acters to make allies in town. Currently, the mayor has
manor is faced by a low wall, about ten feet high, pretty much barricaded himself in his manor, allowing the
crafted of the same sandstone with which much of Dark Knights control over his town. He has sent messen-
the rest of the town was built. Atop the wall, barbed gers to his cousin in Khuri-Khan; however, he is unaware
spikes create a deterrent to those who might wish that all of his messengers have been waylaid by the Dark
to climb over. A pair of heavy, wrought iron gates Knights, leaving him besieged in his own town.
provide access to the inner bailey.
Through the iron gates, you can see a lush gar- P2. The Bazaar
den, a rarity in this parched, dry land. Pomegranate
trees provide some shade, even during these cooler t the southern end of town, just outside the
months when the leaves have fallen, while fragrant
jasmine provides relief from the usual city smells.
A South Gates, is the bazaar of Pashin. While it
does not compare with the legendary Grand Bazaar
The manor building itself faces the open of Khuri-Khan, it nevertheless boasts a startling
square at the town’s heart, with two buildings variety of booths and goods from across Ansalon.
meeting in the center to form an ‘L’ shape. The The bazaar is roughly divided into two distinct
outer walls of the building are wooden slates, with areas, each dividing the great field outside of town
thick windows covered by iron grates. Stone gar- in half. The eastern half of the field is the bazaar
goyles leer down from each corner of the building, proper, while the western half is dedicated to
silent sentinels weathered by the sun and elements. Pashin’s horse market.
As you approach the gates, a swarthy warrior Tents of every shape, size, and description cre-
dressed in the voluminous green robes of a desert ate an almost dizzying array of colors that gleam
nomad comes to attention on the other side of the brightly beneath the light of the desert sun. At
gate. The gleam of scale mail armor is visible night, the colors become muted and faded, like a
beneath the loose cowl of the robe, and the wicked- moonlit field of wildflowers.
ly curved blade of the warrior’s guisarme glints as During the day, the bazaar is filled with people,
he brings it to bear. creating a confusing mix of voices and sights.
“State your business.” Minotaurs, elves, ogres, and dwarves haggle prices
with humans. Khur nomads brush shoulders with
nobles from the far side of Ansalon. Kender dart
This building is the home of Pashin’s mayor, Emilian gleefully, or skulk sullenly, among the crowds and
Togh, a canny noble who can trace his ancestry from both both are given wide berths.
the current Khan of Khur and from the one-time Dragon At night, the vast majority of the bazaar closes
Highlord of the Green Dragonarmy, Salah of Khur. Mayor down; only a few glowing torches provide small
Togh’s father was the last lord-governor of Pashin and he islands of light in the darkness of the evening.

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 15

 Some figures move furtively in the darkness, dart- roguish manner, and a tendency to flirt with any pretty face
ing from one island to the next, making it seem as passing by.
if they were out on business best left to the cover of Halthorne the Wise: A true oddity, even in the bazaar,
darkness. Halthorne is a mad gnome (LN male gnome Clr12). Said
It is said that nearly anything can be found in to have been struck blind by gazing upon Chaos during the
Pashin’s bazaar, whether or not the item in ques- Chaos War, it is said that Reorx took pity upon him before
tion is legal or not. It all depends upon who you the gods disappeared, granting Halthorne a strange ability
ask, and whether you can afford the price. to see designs that others cannot see. Whether this is true
or a legend created by Halthorne himself is unclear, but
Halthorne does seem to possess an uncanny ability to see
Once the sun sets, most of the bazaar’s tents close busi- the future. A powerful mystic during the Fifth Age, when
ness, to reopen once more at the first light of morning. the gods returned, Halthorne was granted a vision of
Only a few tents remain open, and typically only those out Reorx, causing the old gnome to happily turn to serving
on specific business are allowed entry into those tents. his god once more. Friends with Father Micah, Halthorne
At the bazaar, most goods found in the Player’s prefers to stay in his simple tent in the bazaar, where he
Handbook are available for purchase, although they will be sells small trinkets. If the characters decide to try and either
marked up by 20% for weapons and armor and by 15% for sell the silver jewelry box that they have discovered, or have
other goods and services. A successful Diplomacy check it appraised, the merchants will point the characters toward
(DC 15) will reduce the markup by 5%. Characters looking Halthorne’s tent.
to sell goods can look to sell weapons and armor at 85%
total value and other goods and items at 75% of value. A small, almost non-descript tent stands near the
successful Diplomacy check (DC 15) increases the values to
90% and 85% respectively.
A heart of the bazaar. The khaki tent is stained by
exposure to the elements. The front flap is pushed
There are a number of different tents that the characters open, revealing a small, wizened figure. A gnome
may seek out in the bazaar: by appearance, although an odd one by most stan-
Alika the Bowyer: Alika (NG female half-elf Exp5/Rgr2) dards. Completely bald, his skin is almost the same
has set up a tent near the far western side of the bazaar. color as the tent that frames him. His eyes seem to
Here, she displays a fine selection of bows, crossbows, stare straight through you; visible cataracts have
arrows, and bolts of her own design. Her composite and turned them a strange shade of gray. The tiny fig-
masterwork shortbows are famous throughout the area, ure smiles, revealing perfectly white teeth, as he
which she sells at 125% value. wheezes softly, “Welcome, I have been expecting
Blackaxe the Weaponsmith: The gruff and dour hill you. You are seeking answers, I see. Unfortunately,
dwarf, Gargin Blackaxe (LN male dwarf Exp7/Ftr2) oper- the answers you seek will only lead you to
ates his tent near the center of the bazaar. Here, he sells a hunt for yet more answers. Your path is a
wide variety of weapons and armor crafted by his clan. long one and only you can find the
His goods are of good quality, even a few final answer.” The old gnome’s smile
masterwork pieces that he’s willing to widens slightly, “Seek out the elves,
sell for 200% value, if he can be they will provide the first answers and
talked into selling them your next questions.” The gnome turns,
(Diplomacy DC 15, DC quietly disappearing back into his tent,
25 reduces the selling allowing the flap to close with a
price to 150% masterwork soft whoosh.
value).
Brannik the Horsemaster:
An unusual sight in Khur, Even if pressed, Halthorne will not provide
Brannik is a centaur (CN male any more answers. Instead, he will seem
centaur Ftr7), originally from once more to be a more typical gnome,
the Plains of Dust. A close speaking quickly and rapidly as he tries
friend of the Mikku to tempt the characters into purchasing
tribe, he acts as their some small trinkets or keepsakes.
agent in Pashin. He oper-
ates the largest corral in P3. Temple of the
the western portion of True Gods
the field,
where he will buy, sell, learly one of the most ancient
or trade
horseflesh. He has an
C buildings in Pashin, this temple
has stood since before the
extremely discerning eye, a Cataclysm. It bears the cracks in its

16 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 white washed facade like a proud warrior carries who wished to worship or to learn. Many of Father Micah’s
his scars. The sprawling building is a strange mix- students became skilled mystics, trained at the Citadel of
ture of architectural styles, the result of being Light, and returned to Pashin so they could use their skills
rebuilt time and time again. Two wings flank the at healing in the temple.
northwestern corner of the central square of town, Now that the gods have returned, it seems as if Father
while a larger wing veers off to the northwest from Micah’s faith has been rewarded. The temple has seen a
where the two smaller wings meet in the middle. resurgence of individuals seeking to approach the gods.
The front of the building is decorated with a Father Micah welcomes all.
mosaic of colored tiles, the azures, ambers, and
glittering amethysts creating geometric designs. P4. The Wounded Crow
The tiles are chipped, and some are missing entire-
ly, but the patterns are still oddly beautiful, simul- his tavern seems to consist of three separate
taneously peaceful and orderly, yet implying both a
sense of randomness and unease lying just below
T buildings, located on a corner just outside the
district that has been claimed by the Dark Knights.
the surface. Two smaller buildings flank the larger, central
Sandstone steps, worn smooth with time and building. The buildings have been painted black
the passage of countless footsteps, lead upward and the few windows have been tightly shuttered. A
between twin columns: one of pale, polished set of wide, double doors lead into the central
alabaster, carved to resemble a beautiful human building, with a large stone statue of a crow with
woman; the other carved of dark, rough alabaster, wings outspread, an arrow piercing its left wing,
to create a massive, powerful, and brooding human leering over the door like a gargoyle.
man. With their arms held over their heads, the two Inside, the Wounded Crow is a sprawling com-
columns support a lintel decorated with a frieze of plex of small rooms and half-hidden niches, dimly
sculpted images of the Khur gods. lit by flickering candles on the walls. Grisly tro-
The massive wooden doors are wide open, phies, from the head of a black bear to the stuffed
inviting any to enter. body of a small wyvern, have been placed promi-
nently throughout, seemingly more for aid in iden-
tifying location instead of out of any sense of artis-
If the characters went through the events in The Sylvan tic value.
Key, there is a chance that they require healing or desire to A woman dressed in a low-cut blouse and skirt
speak with one of the acolytes at the temple. slit clear up to her sides sashays up to you. Her
The worship of the gods in Khur is not the same as it is painted lips are curled invitingly, her brown
in many other areas of the world. The Khur nomads have eyes wide and ingenuous as she gazes out
always been a deeply spiritual people, even when from beneath shaggy blonde bangs. “Well,
the gods were not present following the hello there. Welcome to the Wounded
Cataclysm or the Chaos War. They viewed such Crow, how can I help
periods as trials, of the gods stepping back so ya?”
that their children could learn to walk on their
own. The temple houses shrines to all the
Khur gods, even to the two gods who no
longer stand in the heavens. (For more
information on the relationship between
the Khur nomads and the gods, see The
Gods of Khur in Chapter 2.)
The master of the temple is Father
Micah ib’n-Gar (N male human Clr7), a
wizened old Khur who was an acolyte of
Zivilyn during the Chaos War. When
the gods disappeared, he continued
preaching the ways of the gods,
proclaiming that the gods had
cast Chaos out of the world and
had taken up the hunt through
the heavens to ensure that
Chaos was truly defeated.
He kept the temple open
throughout the years,
welcoming anyone

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 17

 What Blackbird Knows
Blackbird knows more about the goings on in Legion of Steel in Khuri-Khan, whose members are
Pashin than nearly anyone else in the town. He’s also eager to see the Dark Knights ousted from the
completely self-serving and a loathsome individual, town.
he realizes that money talks. Each steel piece the Helpful (DC 40): It is believed that the elves are
characters give him if Gathering Information or hiding in the sewers, although where they have hid-
using Diplomacy, gives them a +1 circumstance den themselves is unclear. Rumors say that there used
bonus on one roll for information. to be an ancient shrine to Morgion in the sewers, a
Blackbird knows all of the information from the shrine that was cleansed following the War of the
Gathering Information in Pashin sidebar above. Lance.
Additionally, through his various contacts and from The following modifiers apply to any attempts
his Hunting Birds, Blackbird also knows everything to use Diplomacy upon Blackbird (the modifiers are
that Dove knows (see What Dove Knows sidebar), as cumulative):
well as the following information:
Indifferent (DC 15): Mayor Togh is terrified of Modifier Race or Class
the Dark Knights, which is why he’s been hiding in -10 Elf, Kender, Gnome
his manor for the last few weeks. By now he’s proba- +0 Half-Elf, Human, Ogre
bly sent messages to his distant relative, the Khan of +10 Minotaur, Half-Ogre
Khur in Khuri-Khan, but odds are that the Dark -5 Knightly type
Knights have intercepted the messages as they (Solamnic, Nerakan, or
already have agents in Khuri-Khan, petitioning the Legionnaire)
Khan for the right to permanently establish them- -10 Robed Character (Monk,
selves in Pashin. Mystic, Sorcerer, Wizard)
Friendly (DC 25): Togh’s not as big a coward as -5 Cleric, Rogue
he seems to be. He’s been purposefully distracting +0 Bard, Ranger
the Dark Knights by sending messages to his distant +5 Noble, Sailor
cousin, the Khan; he’s also made contact with the +10 Barbarian, Fighter

The Wounded Crow is one of the most infamous tav- doesn’t know the answers, he can usually direct the charac-
erns in all of Khur. It has been said that each year more ters to someone who does.
deals have been made, and more mercenary bands hired, in If the characters have come to the Wounded Crow in
the Wounded Crow than in all the bars and taverns in order to discuss Dove with Blackbird, then his initial reac-
Palanthas combined. This reputation is not too large an tion will depend upon how the characters dealt with his
exaggeration. goons. If the characters attacked his goons and are con-
The Wounded Crow has stood for more than one hun- frontational, Blackbird will be Hostile, otherwise his initial
dred years, and an individual known as Blackbird has reaction will be Unfriendly.
always run it. There have been many “Blackbirds” through-
out the years, as the tavern has passed from one individual P5. Five Dragons Inn & Tavern
to another. The current Blackbird (CN male half-ogre
Ftr5/Rog4) inherited the Wounded Crow from his uncle ominating the northeastern corner of the
just a year ago.
A large, unusually cunning half-ogre, Blackbird has
D town’s central square is a building that looks
almost as old and weathered as the grand temple
quickly expanded the business of the Wounded Crow by that stands across from it.
having a number of girls, who he refers to as his Hunting Three stories high, the building is shaped like
Birds, walk the streets and bring back potential clients to an “L,” with the two wings flanking the central
the Wounded Crow. The girls also act as his eyes and ears square. The bottom floor of the southern wing is a
throughout the town, reporting gossip and news that stable, while the tavern itself is located in the
Blackbird can then turn around and sell to the highest bid- northern wing. Double doors lead into both the
der—often the Dark Knights. The one rule that Blackbird tavern and the stables, their heavy wood carved
will not break, however, is that anything that happens at with five dragons’ heads. The dragons seem to have
the Wounded Crow stays at the Wounded Crow. There are been each painted a different color—red, blue,
numerous private rooms that offer complete privacy, even black, white, and green—but the paint is old and
from the Wounded Crow’s staff. flaking, revealing what seems to be different colors
Blackbird, perhaps more than many in Pashin, is an entirely beneath—gold, copper, silver, bronze, and
excellent source of information—if the price is right. If he brass.

18 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 The rest of the building is built of the same room is a general purpose room, where deliveries are made
weathered sandstone as the majority of the town. and picked up.
Its narrow, open windows are covered with leather Rooms at the Five Dragons are simple but comfortable,
flaps to keep out most of the weather and sun. costing 5 sp per night for two people per room. The larger
rooms, situated on the third floor, are nicer and slightly
more expensive, costing 2 stl per night for two people per
Built during the time Pashin was an Istarian outpost, room. Boarding a horse at the stable costs 1 sp per day,
years before the Cataclysm, the Five Dragons was originally which includes grooming and feeding. Carriages and wag-
a military barracks. After the fall of Istar, the soldiers aban- ons can be kept safe in the alleyway behind the stable
doned their posts. One soldier stayed behind and converted where one of Emaline’s children keeps a constant watch for
the barracks into an inn. Since then, the inn has been thieves for 5 sp per day. Guests are given special chits along
passed down from father to son to daughter. Currently, the with their room keys. These chits allow them to sit at the
Five Dragons is run by Emaline Yaseth, N human female communal tables in the common room for a meal. Paying
Exp5/Mys2, a Khurish woman of middling years, with guests receive one chit good for either lunch or dinner for
iron-gray hair, sparkling black eyes, and a kind face. each night paid. Alcohol is purchased separately.
Possessing a minor gift for healing, she welcomes any to
stay at her inn, unless there is pure evil in their hearts (she A. Stables
will not allow any of chaotic evil alignment to stay at her The entire bottom floor of the inn’s southern wing is a
inn; if she believes someone may be evil, she will use her small stable used to temporarily house the patrons’
ring of heart’s path to check their auras). mounts. Two larger stalls are situated in the northeast cor-
Despite the name of the inn, the Five Dragons is a sur- ner with two smaller stalls built adjacent to the southern-
prisingly welcoming and cozy place. It is a favorite of many most large stall. A small closet houses various grooming
merchants and travelers. tools and fresh hay is piled against the southwestern wall.
The two small doors leading into the Five Dragons are During the day, two young stableboys, N human males
the primary access into the building, particularly by those Com1, can be found taking care of the stables and mounts.
who are not stabling their horses or wagons. The south- At night one boy stands watch, ready to sound the bell in
western room is the front desk, where rooms can be pur- case of an emergency. The stableboys are grandchildren of
chased for the evening. The front desk is manned at all Emaline’s, kept busy to keep them out of trouble. 1 sp will
times by one of Emaline’s daughters. The southeastern see a horse stabled, brushed down, and fed for a day. The

1st Floor 2nd Floor

3rd Floor

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 19

young boys are surprisingly good hagglers, realizing that if The doors to each room can be locked and are made of
they don’t get the silver piece, they won’t get the sweets that heavy wood. Small-paned glass windows look out, provid-
their grandmother makes each evening. ing light during the day. Beeswax candles are set into
sconces on the walls, providing illumination at night.
B. Common Room
The common room takes up most of the rest of the first P6. Old Omar’s Oddities
floor of the Five Dragons. The common room consists of
three long wooden tables, with long benches on either side. small, innocuous building, this tiny store sits
Two fireplaces are kept burning at all times, filling the
room with light and the smell of sweet burning wood.
A off the beaten path in a back alleyway deep in
the Merchant District. A simple wooden sign hangs
Rushes cover the hardpacked floor, swept up regularly to over the door with the words Old Omar’s Oddities,
keep the room clean. At these tables, guests place individual carved in Common, surrounding the symbol of a
orders, which are brought out by one of Emaline’s sons. hand holding a skull.
Anyone can sit down at one of the long tables and eat Inside, the store is little more than a shack with
until they are full for 1 sp for lunch or 3 sp for dinner. a single large room up front and a purple curtain
These communal tables are loaded down with simple, fill- demarcating an entrance to a second room in the
ing food, and for the price, the tables are also kept filled back. The walls of the front room are lined with
with people from all over town. shelves that are stacked with countless jars, con-
A bar divides the common room from the back kitchen, tainers, and books.
where Emaline’s eldest son, Alak, N human male Ftr5, Str A rather large woman sits in a chair grinding a
20, Wis 15, a big strapping brute with sharp eyes and a sur- foul smelling substance into a fine paste while con-
prisingly wicked sense of humor, serves as the barkeep. sulting a book next to her on the table. She appar-
ently has some ogre-blood in her, if the yellow tint
C. Kitchen to her skin and the small tusks emerging from her
The large kitchen of the Five Dragons is set in the back of lips are any indication. A tiny bell announces the
the second floor. The wide, open room has large windows opening of the door causing the half-ogre woman
that help to keep the room cool while the fires are going. to look up and smile, revealing pointed teeth. She
One large closet sits on each side of the kitchen. They pro- offers a friendly, “Hello, can I help you with some-
vide storage for food and supplies. The kitchen is manned thing?” Her Common is clearly enunciated and her
by a staff consisting of Emaline’s sons, and is run by tone pleasant despite her deep, rumbling voice.
Emaline’s husband, a middle-aged, barrel-chested,
Ergothian sailor-turned-landlubber named Jemson Yaseth,
CG male human Sailor5. Klaudia Lorn is a female half-ogre and apothecary. She
runs this tiny shop, offering her services as a minor healer,
D. Upper Bar while secretly acting as an agent for the Legion of Steel
Up a flight of wooden stairs lies a slightly more private operating within Pashin.
area, where four round tables are arranged to provide a Characters can purchase minor potions and alchemical
modicum of privacy, away from the general hubbub that goods from Old Omar’s Oddities at standard market price.
usually fills the common room. A wood railing trails the The following goods are available:
edge of the upper floor, enabling customers to look over Alchemical Goods: Any of the alchemical items from
into the common room below. Typically this floor is used Table 7-8: Special Substances and Items from the Player’s
by individuals wishing to dine separately from the com- Handbook.
moners. These patrons are required to pay 1 stl per person Potions: 50 stl—cure light wounds, endure elements, hide
to sit up here. from animals, hide from undead, magic stone, pass without
A hallway in the southeast corner of the room leads far- trace, protection from good/evil, remove fear, shield of faith
ther back into the inn leading toward three small rooms +2, shillelagh; 100 stl—bless weapon; 300 stl—aid, delay
and the stairs up to the third floor. poison, lesser restoration, resist energy (cold, electricity, fire),
shield of faith +3.
E. Bedrooms Miscellaneous: candles, healer’s kit, holly and mistletoe,
There are ten simple bedrooms and three large bedrooms ink, inkpen, jug (clay), oil, paper, parchment, sealing wax,
in the Five Dragons, all are located on the inn’s third floor. soap, spell component pouch, torches, vials, (blank) wiz-
The small bedrooms are ten-foot by ten-foot cubicles, with ard’s spellbook.
narrow beds. Though not very large, the beds are comfort- If the characters are looking to contact the Legion of
able and the linen clean. The larger rooms are ten-foot-by- Steel, they find Klaudia close-lipped, unless they prove they
fifteen-foot, with larger beds. Each room has a chamberpot are not a threat to the Legion. If the characters encountered
that the maids empty each morning. All of the maids, like Jacob the “Peasant” (from the Legionnaire Rebel random
all the other workers at the Five Dragons, are family. The encounter), then the Legion symbol they provide will gain
current maids are Emaline’s daughters-in-law. them instant acceptance as Klaudia hands the characters

20 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

their reward from Jacob (200 stl pieces, a masterwork side of town, all the while proclaiming that they were only
chainmail shirt, and a masterwork longsword). Otherwise, seeking to establish a Nerakan Embassy. Secretly, General
the characters must attempt Diplomacy (DC 25; Klaudia is Dogah decided it was time to claim Pashin for himself.
Unfriendly the moment any one starts asking about the Without the protection of their patron goddess, the Dark
Legion), an opposed Intimidation check against 1d20+6 Knights would be helpless prey to the Khur nomads (who
[Klaudia’s level/HD (3) + Klaudia’s Wisdom modifier have no love for the Dark Knights).
(3)+resistance to fear (0)], or some other method to get the Now, the Dark Knights in Pashin number almost one-
information out of her (such as charm person). for-one with Pashin’s residents, greatly outnumbering any
The Legion in Pashin is divided into several small cells other single group. Already, political control of the city has
with each member only knowing up to five other members. begun to swing toward Dogah; the Mayor Togh retreats to
One member from each group will occasionally drop off his manor, hiding and praying for help from the Khan.
information covertly in a coded scroll to Klaudia, who then The enclave is divided into two compounds, a larger one
drops off the scrolls at a location that varies from day to where the main buildings are, and a smaller compound
day. All Klaudia really knows is that the main body of the where the Dark Knights have constructed their own private
Legion in Pashin has gone underground and remains oper- prison for political prisoners and the occasional trouble-
ating underground as information gatherers. The Legion some Dark Knight (or so they claim).
sends the information back to their headquarters in Ak- The three buildings within the primary compound are
Khurman once a month. all of similar construction. The outer walls are made of fit-
If the characters profess any interest in joining the ted stones, much like the barricade surrounding the entire
Legion of Steel, Klaudia tells them that she cannot help compound, with only small, arrowslit windows to provide
them; they would have to travel to Ak-Khurman in order air circulation. The inner walls of each building, like the
to pursue such an objective. floors and ceilings, are made of thick wood planks.
The largest building, situated against the northern wall,
P7. Dark Knight Enclave serves as the primary headquarters for the Dark Knight
When the Dark Knights first retreated to Pashin, they leadership. The smaller building along the western wall
claimed the abandoned headquarters of the former Green serves as the enclave’s smithy and armory, while the small-
Dragon Highlord. Disorganized and disarrayed, the Dark est building against the southeastern outer wall is the stable
Knights seemed destined to forget their discipline in the for the officer’s horses. A large courtyard in the middle of
chaotic and wild taverns of the town. Then General Dogah the primary compound serves as a gathering place for the
showed up. Quickly, with the help of a few court martials Dark Knight platoon commanders when they are called
and public beheadings, General Dogah seized control over before General Dogah.
the Dark Knights in Pashin, reestablishing order.  Outer Wall (Reinforced Masonry): 2 feet thick, hard-
Within two months of his arrival following the return of ness 8; hp 180; AC 5; Break DC 45; Climb DC 15.
the true gods, General Dogah and his men had rebuilt the  Outer Gate: 2 inches thick, hardness 10; hp 60; AC 5;
abandoned buildings as well as torn down a section of the Break DC 28; Open Lock DC 30 (Good lock, if locked).
city’s wall. They constructed a private gate between their  Building Walls (Superior Masonry): 1 foot thick,
newly built enclave and their encampment on the eastern hardness 8; hp 90; AC 5; Break DC 35; Climb DC 20.

Dark Knight Horn Alerts

The Dark Knights have created a reliable way of com- Characters with appropriate Knowledge skills
municating with one another over distances, alerting (knighthoods, etc.) can identify the above calls with a
one another of trouble, calling for assistance, or for Knowledge check against a DC 10.
sending short messages quickly. Notes Meaning
The horns used by the Dark Knights are distinctive. One long note All clear
Carved from the horns of a rare breed of bighorn sheep Two short notes Enemy sighted
found only in the mountains surrounding Neraka. The Two long notes Call to arms, prepare
horns are typically gathered from the remains left Three short notes Enemy engaged
behind by the juvenile dragons learning to hunt. The One long, one short Enemy retreating
horns are treated with special oils and bound by silver One long, two short Trouble, send assistance
rims. Each Dark Knight is taught the horn alerts as part Two long, one short Retreat, regroup
of their squirehood.There are many other specific notes Two long, two short Dragons approaching
and calls besides those that are listed above. Feel free to
add other calls as necessary.

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 21

 There are assigned guards present at all times during The door to Valke’s office is not kept locked, as there is
both day and night. The guards are stationed at regular little in there besides a desk and basic supplies (pen, parch-
intervals on each of the four watchtowers, with roving ment, ink, candles, and the like). The door to Dogah’s
guards walking along the enclave’s outer wall and the top of office, however, is always kept locked because of the valu-
the city wall. One guard walks along the top of the outer ables contained inside.
wall, clockwise, completing a circuit of the compound in  Dogah’s Office Door (Good wooden door): 1 1/2
15 minutes. Two guards walk the outside of the outer wall, inches thick, 5 hardness; hp 15; Break DC 16; Open Lock
counterclockwise, completing a circuit every 20 minutes. DC 30 (good lock).
The location of sentries, who are relieved every four Inside Dogah’s office, there is little other than a desk
hours (at Dark Watch, Early Watch, Second Watch, High and chairs; however, beneath Dogah’s desk there is a hid-
Watch, Tenth Watch, and Last Watch, see page 196, den trap door (Search DC 15 to locate). The trap door is
DRAGONLANCE Campaign Setting), are indicated on the map. heavy iron, covered by a thin veneer of wood, enabling it to
 Dark Knight Sentry: hp 11; see page 163. blend in with the rest of the floor. The trap door is locked
and protected by a poison gas trap, which triggers unless
A. Dark Knight Headquarters the proper key is used. The key is worn on a chain around
The primary building in the enclave serves as the head- Dogah’s neck. The trap door opens up into a small, 5-foot-
quarters for General Dogah and his contingent of Dark by-5-foot-by-5-foot niche, in which the majority of the
Knights. Made of simple but sturdy construction, this Dark Knights’s treasure is kept (50 steel bars worth 100
building is the only two-story building inside the com- steel each, 15 leather bags holding 100 steel pieces each, 20
pound. A smaller, square building is attached to the larger small bags holding 100 silver each, and 50 small pouches
building, serving various functions such as a bathing house holding 100 copper each).
(a popular building in the hot, dusty Khurish badlands).  Trap Door: 1 1/2 inches thick, 5 hardness; hp 15;
 Headquarter Door (Strong wooden door): 2 inches Break DC 16; Open Lock DC 18.
thick, 5 hardness; hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 25  Poison Gas Trap (Brown Mold): CR 2; mechanical;
(if locked). touch trigger (opening the trap door); automatic reset; 5-ft.
The first floor of the building consists of an L-shaped cold aura (3d6, cold nonlethal); Search DC 22; Disable
hallway (P7A1), with stairs leading up to the second floor. Device DC 16.
A small room (P7A2) serves as an office for General The stairs leading up to the second floor emerge into a
Dogah’s second in command, Commander Leorin Valke, large meeting room (P7A4), where General Dogah holds
LE male human Ftr5/Knight of the Lily 3, who is in charge larger planning sessions with his commanders. A single,
of Dark Knight patrols operating outside of Pashin. The heavy wooden door leads back into Dogah’s personal
other, larger room on this floor (P7A3) is Dogah’s office. chambers (P7A5).

22 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

  Dogah’s Chamber Door: 2 inches thick, 5 hardness;  Weapon Room Door: 1 1/2 inches thick, 5 hardness;
hp 20; Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 25 (if locked). hp 15; Break DC 16; Open Lock DC 18.
 Poison Needle Trap: CR 2; mechanical; location trig- The second door leads to the armor room (P7B3). Here,
ger; manual reset; Atk +17 melee [1 plus poison, needle); the Dark Knights keep the black-lacquered chain shirts and
poison (blue whinnis, DC 14 Fortitude save resists (poison chainmail that they wear. There are five sets of each suit of
only), 1 Con/unconsciousness]; Search DC 22; Disable armor, plus five bucklers and five light steel shields (dark
Device DC 17. blue shields with a black lily). Any armor and shields, along
General Dogah is currently not in the enclave; he’s out with other miscellaneous equipment taken from the char-
with his lieutenant investigating recent reports of minotaur acters (and from Rowan or Garthak) is found lying on a
incursions in the vicinity. As such, most of his equipment table in this room.
along with many of the more powerful weapons and  Armor Room Door: 1 1/2 inches thick, 5 hardness; hp
equipment owned by the Dark Knights have been taken 15; Break DC 16; Open Lock DC 18.
with them.
Dogah’s room is sparse. There are a few small pieces of C. Prison Camp
artwork—taken from Silvanesti—in the room. These are The Dark Knight prison camp rests within the secondary
minor pieces; most of the more expensive pieces have compound. A small building is surrounded by a barricade
already been sold to make money to pay for the enclave of spike-studded wooden beams, 15 feet high and roughly
and its soldiers. 35 feet wide by 45 feet long. The walls dissuade people
There’s a chest at the foot of the neatly made bed. The from climbing them (the DC to Climb the barricade is 20),
chest is made of heavy oak, with thick iron bindings and a inflicting 1d4 points of damage unless the individual is
heavy iron lock (Open Lock DC 25). The lock has the same properly geared. The only entrance through the barricade
type of needle trap found on the chamber door, giving is a single iron gate in the center of the western wall.
anyone searching or attempting to disarm the trap a +2 Inside the gate there is a single structure, a square build-
circumstance bonus if they found/disarmed the first trap ing of solid stone with ten feet of bare ground between the
successfully. building and the barricade. A heavy iron door, locked from
 Poison Needle Trap: CR 2; mechanical; location trig- the outside with a heavy lock, provides access.
ger; manual reset; Atk +17 melee [1 plus poison, needle); One guard is stationed at the prison camp gate at all
poison (blue whinnis, DC 14 Fortitude save resists (poison times (when there are prisoners, which is most of the
only), 1 Con/unconsciousness]; Search DC 22; Disable time), while another guard is assigned to patrol the outer
Device DC 17. perimeter of the camp.
Treasure: Inside the chest Dogah has his few personal If the characters are in the Dark Knight prison camp
possessions consisting of three sets of simple clothing, one because they were captured, and they had encountered
set of fine clothing, four Dark Knight tabards, as well as a either Garthak, the drunken ogre, or Rowan Whispertouch,
few minor valuable weapons belonging to the Dark the irrepressible kender, then they will find the NPC here
Knights: a masterwork silver longsword of elvish design, in the prison camp. The NPC has been roughed up and
with a delicate silver blade, an ornate golden hilt, and the thrown into the camp along with the characters.
name Alaria ka’al (Silver Dream) inscribed in elvish on the  Barricade Gate: 2 inches thick, 10 hardness; hp 60;
blade; a +1 iron dagger, with a heavy pommel wrapped in Break DC 30; Open Lock DC 28.
black leather; and a masterwork heavy mace.  Prison Door: 2 inches thick, 5 hardness; hp 20; Break
DC 25; Open Lock DC 25 (from outside only).
B. Armory
The design of the armory is similar to that of the Dark Prophecy & Immolation
Knight’s headquarters. Only a single story, unlike the head- This encounter occurs when the time comes to move the
quarters, there are no windows. The armory door is iron, story forward or spur the heroes to action.
heavily locked, and barred to prevent theft.
 Armory Door: 2 inches thick, 10 hardness; hp 60; ou notice a small figure standing in the shad-
Break DC 30; Open Lock DC 28.
The armory door opens to a narrow hallway (P7B1)
Y ows of an alleyway looking out into the street.
A gnarled hand clutches a heavy, black robe tight
with two doors, one opposite the entryway and one at the around the neck. The cowl of the robe is thrown
far end of the hall. The door opposite the entry leads into back to reveal a face so gnarled by time and worry
the weapon room (P7B2). In the room, there’s a wide selec- that it’s almost impossible to determine whether
tion of weapons gathered by the Dark Knights. There are the figure is male or female, although the figure
no magical or masterwork weapons in the room (these are does appear to be human. Stringy white hair hangs
stored in Dogah’s office for special missions). If the charac- in around the human’s face and its pale eyes are
ters’ weapons were taken from them, they will be stored in completely white with cataracts, rendering it blind.
a chest at the back of the room. If either Rowan or Garthak A stench assails the senses, that of decay and
are captive, their weapons will be stored with the charac- age. Most passersby are avoiding the figure in dis-
ters’ gear. gust. Some few are throwing copper pieces at the

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 23

 figure’s bare feet, thinking this blind old crone is
just another beggar in the streets. Skill Checks
Suddenly, those blind eyes turn your way and
the figure lets out a shriek loud enough to rival a If the party makes use of skill checks or a detect magic
banshee’s. Throwing herself toward your group, spell to decipher the cryptic message, use the following
she collapses on the ground at your feet. Slowly, guidelines.
painfully pulling herself up, the crone gazes up at
you, her blind eyes open wide with a disturbing
intensity. She reaches out, grabbing the leg of one Knowledge (Arcana):
of the characters with fingers like talons. With a DC 15: Similar to the known death throes of
low, deep moan her eyes roll back into her head draconians, although not identical.
and she begins to shudder as if in the grip of a DC 20: The crone seemed to bear similar
fever. Words begin to pour from her lips in a low, characteristics shown by individuals
whispery hiss: possessed by an outsider or spirit.
“The stars are set into motion, a plan both cun- DC 25: Some individuals that have been pos-
ning and divine; beware of specters in the night, sessed by an outsider (a demon, devil,
beware of unseen designs; the key you hold, others or other such creature) are unable to
desire; protect yourself from obsession’s FIRE!” The physically withstand the energies,
last word is torn from the crone’s lips with a scream eventually collapsing and immolating.
as she throws herself backward. Her body is sud- Though such occurrences are rare
denly wreathed with blue-white flames that crack- enough to be considered myth.
le and dance around her body before exploding DC 30: A possessing spirit or outsider could
outward, catching you in a backlash of ghostly- purposefully burn out its host body,
hued flames. flooding it with arcane energy until it
immolates and destroys itself.

All characters within 5-feet of the crone must make a Spellcraft:

Reflex saving throw (DC 12) or take 1d6 points of fire DC 20: A sorcerer or wizard who has cast a
damage. Within seconds, the body of the crone is dust. spell far beyond their normal ability
You can allow the characters to make skill checks to see can often be caught in a backlash of
if they pick up any information. magical energy, which causes their
Development: This encounter provides the characters bodies to immolate with eldritch
with a vital clue that there is something strange going on, flame.
something involving the mysterious “key” that they possess. DC 25: It is possible for a spellcaster to use
It also leads directly into a confrontation with the watch. magic jar to possess a body, forcing
the “innocent” to act against its will.
Confrontation with the Watch (EL 3) DC 30: Similar to a victim under the effects of
an immolation spell (see New Magic),
s the wind kicks up a swirl of ashes, there is a a spell used by Black Robe Wizards
A loud outcry from the crowd that gathered
about the spectacle, “They killed her! Call the
before the Chaos War, often as “poetic
justice” against someone who had per-
watch!” The cry is picked up by other members of secuted a wizard, or even an innocent,
the crowd until it echoes throughout the streets. as a witch.
In the distance, from not all that far away, you
hear two, long blasts from a horn. It sounds as if the Spot
watch, or the Dark Knights, are not all that far DC 30: As the body immolated, an insubstan-
away. You have only a few moments before they tial bluish mist poured out of the
arrive. crone’s mouth and eyes.

Detect Magic
The characters have a number of options here: they can Reveals a strong aura of necromancy
run, they can attempt to face the watch and explain what and a moderate aura of evocation sur-
happened, or they can fight. rounding the “remains” of the crone.
If the characters choose to run, they find the crowd A see invisibility spell, or similar abili-
parts for them, afraid of getting in the way of those who ty, will reveal the translucent shape of
unleashed a horrifying magic on a poor, defenseless an ethereal figure disappearing in the
woman. The characters have about a minute lead time on distance.
the Dark Knight patrol who were not all that far away

24 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

when the call was taken up by the crowd. Play this chase Development: If the characters are captured or surren-
out tightly, with the characters running through alleyways, der, proceed to the next encounter. If the characters man-
ducking and dodging around crowds, and all the while, the age to elude capture, go to Into the Darkness Below.
sound of the horns closing in on them. The characters will XP Award: Award experience for an EL 2 encounter if
find that the inhabitants of Pashin turn a blind eye when the characters manage to successfully elude capture.
the Dark Knights are involved, not wishing to involve
themselves in the conflict. Captured By Dark Knights
If the characters surrender or are subdued, they are
escorted to the Dark Knight Enclave, where they are placed he Dark Knights gather your weapons, binding
in a holding cell (P7c), pending a hearing before the com-
mander of the Dark Knights, General Dogah.
T your hands together behind your backs with
iron manacles. Escorting you through the streets of
 Dark Knight Patrol: hp 9; see page 162. Pashin, the patrol takes you south, until you are
 Dark Knight Patrol Leader: hp 16; see page 162. standing before the iron gates of the Dark Knight’s
Tactics: The patrol is assigned to try to peacefully compound on the edge of town.
resolve any situation they find themselves in, although if The guard standing watch by the massive iron
they find themselves pressed, they will use deadly force. gates unlocks them, swinging the heavy doors open
The Dark Knights use intimidation and a show of force before the patrol takes you into the compound. The
to encourage enemies to surrender. As each patrol can compound itself is enormous. Most of the area is
easily call for reinforcements, it’s not difficult for a small open ground. Two stone buildings stand, one on
group to be quickly overwhelmed. the far side of the compound, directly opposite of
Dark Knight reinforcements (another patrol) will arrive you; and the other building is to your left. A small-
ten rounds after combat is initiated with another patrol er walled section within the compound, with
arriving every five rounds after that. This does give the spiked iron bars and a heavily guarded gate to indi-
characters some time to deal with the first patrol and try to cate a prison stands in the opposite corner of the
escape. However, if the characters kill any of the patrol compound.
members, the Dark Knights will be much more focused in The patrol guards herd you toward the prison
their pursuit of the characters and will favor more direct compound. Once more, the gates are swung
methods of dealing with them—dead or alive. This can opened by the guard standing watch and you’re
make for a more intense adventure, so you may decide to pushed inside and taken to a small stone building
allow the characters to escape the initial encounter and to sitting in the middle of the fenced in area. Inside,
deal with a single Dark Knight patrol while on the run. the building are bare dirt floors and heavy stone
Alternately, the characters may decide to arrange an walls, hardly larger than about twenty feet by twen-
ambush for the first patrol that happens upon them. You ty feet, with a ceiling about half that tall.
should continuously have the characters make Listen Your manacles are left on as the door of the
checks (DC 10) to hear the approach of more patrols by tiny building swings close with a sudden, final
the sound of horns coming closer and closer. clang. The patrol leader glares through the small
If the characters decide to run, barred window set into the
the patrol will follow, but they are a door, growling in a low voice,
few moments behind, following “The General will decide
rapidly. As they chase the charac- your punishment in the
ters, they will continuously sound morning. I’d get a good
the horn, summoning other Dark night’s sleep if I were you. It
Knight patrols in order to try and will probably be your last.”
surround the characters. The easiest
way to elude the Dark Knights
would be for the characters to head Once the patrol leaves the char-
into an alleyway, looking for an acters in the prison camp (P7C),
abandoned building or someplace give the characters the opportunity
else to hide. to rid themselves of their mana-
Treasure: The only treasure that cles.
can be gained by this encounter is  Manacles: hardness 10; hp 10;
the equipment carried by the Escape Artist 25; Break DC 21;
patrol. Characters that take equip- Open Locks 20.
ment from fallen Dark Knights After they remove their mana-
should be reminded that they are cles, allow the characters the
on borrowed time—another patrol opportunity to examine their
could happen along any moment, a predicament and look around their
possibility that presents great peril. prison. (Note: If the characters are

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 25

unable to remove their manacles, allow Naelathan time in Without waiting for any questions, or offering
the following encounter to cast open/close upon the mana- any answers, the elf begins to leave. He pauses only
cles, enabling the characters to slip free. If Rowan briefly, closing his eyes as he pulls something out of
Whispertouch is present, he can attempt to Open Locks. If an inner pocket.
Garthak is present, he can attempt to break the manacles). “Ast menyem bunyikan orang!” the elf ’s voice
The walls are stone blocks carefully fitted together with rises and falls as he chants in the language of magic,
thick mortar holding each stone firmly in place. There are causing shivers to run up and down your spines.
no openings in the ceiling, and no windows except for the Suddenly, whatever it is he holds in his hand begins
small barred window set into the door. As the characters to glow with silvery radiance that explodes, caress-
talk, or look around their prison, have them make a Spot ing you with a whisper-soft touch, like walking
check. Any result greater than a 20 will reveal that there is through spider webs.
someone, or something, else in the prison building with Opening his hand, the elf turns and looks at
them. Whoever it is does not seem to be visible. If the char- you. “Stay close and you will remain hidden from
acters make any indication that they sense someone else is sight. Be silent now, we must sneak past any
there, or once you feel that the characters have exhausted guards.”
their options for the moment, proceed to the next
encounter.
This encounter can be used either if the characters man-
Into the Darkness Below aged to elude the Dark Knight patrol, or if they have been
captured. If they were captured, the elf, who does not pause
sst,” comes a low, harsh whisper, “over here.” for introductions, will have used his magical cloak to sneak
“P Out of the shadows emerges a black-robed,
into the compound to break the characters free. While
another group of elves are creating a distraction and
black-cowled figure. Pushing back the hood, a del- diverting the attention of the Dark Knights.
icate elven face is revealed. Golden hair, cut ragged The elf is Naelathan Shadowdark, an agent of Shaylin,
and short, frames a face that would be beautiful, if sent to retrieve the characters because she wishes to speak
not for the intensity of the elf ’s features. Pale blue
eyes gaze at you coldly, appraising you for a few
moments before he speaks, “If you want to get out
of here, follow me.” Sewer Encounters
As the elf turns away, you hear an explosion in Condition Encounter Chance
the distance. A soft chuckle escapes the elf ’s lips, his Carrying Lights 6% per hour
head turning so that you can see a smirk on his No Lights 30% per hour
profile. Stealthy 10% per hour
Causing a ruckus 415%
“That will be my friends causing a distraction.
Let’s not waste their efforts, no? You’ve been afford- If the characters do anything, such as getting into
ed an opportunity not given to many...you’ve been a fight, arguing loudly among themselves, or the
summoned to see Shaylin. Let us not keep her wait- like, they are more likely to draw attention to
ing.” themselves, thus increasing the likelihood of a
random encounter.

Encounter
d100 Encounter
01-20 No Encounter
21-45 Dire Rats
46-65 Monstrous Spiders
66-85 Goblin Thieves
86-95 Ghouls
96-00 Lepers (Elven Scouts)

* All of these encounters are one-time only encoun-

ters. If the same result is rolled twice, and if it is
daytime, there is no encounter.

26 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

with them. Rumors of the item in the party’s possession “Quickly now. I will go aid my brethren and
have reached her ears and she wishes to verify their veraci- make sure that the foul knights do not follow.” The
ty, as well as gauge the personality of the characters. elf waits for you to head down into the sewers
If the characters are in the Dark Knight prison camp, before pulling up the rope and moving the panel
then their gear has been taken from them and placed with- back into place, leaving you to the darkness below.
in the armory (location P7B2 and P7B3). Naelathan will
quietly lead the characters to the armory, where he stands
watch until they retrieve their gear. Naelathan will quietly The symbol Naelathan wrote is an elven sigil meaning
ask the party to hurry up, before the Dark Knights return. “the path is clear” (ael ura ki in the Silvanesti tongue). Any
character that speaks Elven can identify the sigil. Naelathan
he elf leads you to a non-descript location near was instructed to escort the characters to Shaylin; however,
T one of the numerous artesian wells of the city.
He crouches down, quietly indicating you to do the
he does not trust them. Instead, the characters have to earn
his trust. The sewers of Pashin aren’t a death trap, but they
same. He speaks softly in a harsh whisper that car- are not safe either. The characters must work their way
ries to your ears, but no farther. through the sewers and find the hidden elven colony (PS5).
“Head toward the southern area of the sewers. If Rowan or Garthak are with the characters, at this point
There is a hidden passage there. You will know it by they go their separate ways, unless you think that the char-
this symbol...” The elf quickly sketches the follow- acters need their help in the sewers.
ing symbol into the dirt: If the characters were rescued from the Dark Knight
As soon as he believes that you have commit- Enclave, then they will be in location PS1 (Beneath the
ted the symbol to memory, he quickly sweeps his Enclave) below. Otherwise, choose a location by checking
hand through the dirt, obliterating the image. He the corresponding sewer entrance between the map of
continues to scratch at the dirt, revealing a small Pashin and the sewer map.
iron ring, which he twists and pulls upward, sliding
aside a concealed panel to reveal an entrance head- The Sewers of Pashin
ing down into the sewers. He uncoils a rope from Although the sewers of Pashin are not very large, they are
his belt, letting it down before securing it to the still fairly dangerous. The characters need to be on their
edge of the artesian well with a grappling hook and toes and ready for anything while they are searching for the
looking back at you. leper colony (PS5).

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 27

Sewer Features Random Encounters in the Sewers
The sewers of Pashin were constructed centuries ago, when If the characters enter the sewers for any reason (either to
the town was first built as an Istarian outpost. Following contact the underground elven resistance movement or to
the Cataclysm, the sewers were repaired, as the high water escape Pashin unnoticed), the chance for random encoun-
table of the soil forced a need to control the rising water ters increases dramatically; however, entirely different con-
levels to keep buildings from sinking into the soil. ditional modifiers can also help or hinder the characters.
The sewers are absolutely dark with very little light fil-
tering down from the few visible sewer grates in town. Dire Rats (EL 3)
This has an effect upon character vision There’s a loud squeaking sound as suddenly the
(darkvision functions, but low-light vision characters are attacked, en masse, by a
is ineffective without a light source). group of seven starving dire rats. The rats
The sewers consist of wide tun- will be direct in their attack, driven by
nels, with five-foot wide walkways hunger.
on either side of the tunnel  Dire Rats (7): hp 6, 6, 5, 5,
and a fifteen-foot wide, 5, 4, 4; see Monster Manual
five-foot deep gully run- page 64.
ning through the center
of the tunnels. The ceil- Monstrous Spiders,
ings of the tunnels curve Hunters (EL 2)
up to form an arch over These monstrous spiders
the center of the gully. are hunters ranging out
Typically, water and refuse from the nest located in an
washes down from the unstable chamber (PS3). The spi-
roads above, guided ders crawl along the ceilings,
through narrow channels dropping down upon unsuspecting
to wash into the gullies. The prey and attacking. Have the charac-
typical water level during the ters make a resisted Spot check
winter and spring is about three feet high, while in the against the monstrous spiders’ Hide check (1d20+11),
summer, the water level is only one-half to one foot deep. modified by darkness (see above).
Around each of the artesian wells are chambers that  Small Monstrous Spiders (4): hp 5, 4, 4, 3; Poison
allow the water to pool and be channeled to the north, bite, DC 10, 1d3 Str initial/secondary; see Monster Manual
where the water and refuse eventually run-off into one of page 288.
six termini. The termini are covered by iron-grates, which
are periodically cleaned (about once every five years), as Goblin Thieves (EL 2)
they gather the larger refuse while allowing the water to A small group of goblin thieves have made their home in
plunge down through passages cut deep into the earth. the sewers (PS 2). In this encounter, the characters run into
The water running through the sewers is heavily tainted. two goblin thieves that have just come back from a job—
Anyone who drinks or ingests the water must make a stealing food from the bazaar. Flush with their success, they
Fortitude saving throw (DC 16), or else come down with are gibbering to one another, already having gotten into
blinding sickness. one of the bottles of dwarven spirits they stole. Have the
Blinding Sickness: Ingested, Fortitude DC 16, incuba- characters make a Listen check (DC 12) to see if they hear
tion period 1d3 days, damage 1d4 Str. Note: Each time the the goblins before they run into one another at a junction
victim takes 2 or more damage from the disease, he must in the sewer.
make another Fortitude save or be permanently blinded. At first sight of the characters, the goblins shriek and
Walls: The walls of the sewers have been hewn from attempt to flee back to their lair where they can regroup
solid sandstone, crafted by the dwarves centuries ago. with their comrades. The goblins will only fight if they are
 Hewn Stone Walls: Minimum 3 ft. thick, hardness 8; cornered, seizing upon any opening for an escape.
hp 540; AC 3; break DC 50; Climb DC 22.  Goblin Thieves (2): 7, 5.
Floors: The floors of the sewers are all relatively smooth Treasure: In addition to the equipment in their entry,
flagstone, which is slick in places. Characters walking or the goblins are also carrying their spoils: 1 day’s worth of
moving at their normal movement rate are fine, but any- good food, 2 days of common food, a week of poor food, 3
one attempting to run or charge along the walkways must bottles of dwarven spirits (treat as fine wine), 15 sp, 5 stl, a
make a Balance check against a DC 12 or fall into the gully. fine pearl necklace (worth 50 stl).
Ceilings: Ceilings in the tunnels range from between 10-
feet high along the edge of the walkway to 23-feet-high in Ghouls (EL 2)
the center where the arched ceilings meet. The ceilings in Two ghouls haunt the sewers, scavenging whatever live
the various chambers are typically 25-feet-tall. meat they can find from the constant supply of rats and
those unlucky souls that come down into the sewers unpre-

28 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

pared to deal with the ghouls. The elves have learned which ing from the center of the water and heading
areas the ghouls tend to scavenge and the ghouls have through the ceiling—apparently artesian wells.
learned to avoid the elves and the shiny weapons they wield A single tunnel leads out of the chamber,
(as well as the immunity that elves possess against ghoul although it almost immediately branches off, lead-
paralyzation). ing either to the west or to the north. About twen-
If the characters encounter the ghouls, the ghouls would ty-five feet down from the junction, each tunnel
be hiding beneath the sewage water. Have the characters has an iron portcullis drawn across the entire pas-
make a resisted Spot check against the ghouls’ Hide check sage, with small, locked gates along either walkway.
(1d20+6) to see if they notice the ghouls; otherwise the
ghouls catch the characters by surprise.
 Ghouls (2): hp 13, 12; see Monster Manual page 118. This chamber has not been accessed by the Dark
Tactics: The ghouls are smart enough to use hit-and- Knights in months, not since they built the portcullises to
run tactics. They will try to attack the weakest or smallest prevent anyone from using the sewers to access their
character first, seeking to paralyze the character, then grab enclave. They never really counted on people escaping from
them up and run away, heading for their ghast master, the enclave.
located in the Ghast Lair (PS4).  Iron Portcullises: 2 inches thick, hardness 10; hp 60;
AC 5; Lift DC 25; Break DC 28; Open Lock DC 25.
Lepers (Elven Scouts) (EL 2) If the characters enter the water or seek to investigate
Two elven scouts dressed in the garb of lepers regularly the water by probing it with staffs or the like, then there is
patrol the sewer, keeping an eye out for interlopers. If this a 75% chance that they disturb the dire rats that have built
encounter is rolled, have the characters make a resisted a nest around the artesian well pillar.
Spot check against the scouts’ Hide check (1d20+5), or a
Listen check against the scouts’ Move Silently check uddenly, you hear a strange chattering sound as
(1d20+5) to notice the elves shadowing them.
The elven scouts will not interfere with the characters
S dozens of gleaming red eyes suddenly flare to
life in the water. The water begins to bubble and
unless they approach the colony (PS5), at which point they froth as rats, the size of cats, erupt from beneath.
emerge from the darkness and confront the characters with
bows drawn and ready to fire. They demand to know why
the characters are down here. If the characters mention A nest of dire rats has made their home here, in the
Shaylin, they must convince the elves that they were sum- chamber beneath the Dark Knight Enclave. Their small,
moned and are not in league with anyone to hunt down sleek bodies are able to easily slip through the iron
the leader of the elven refugees. Describing Naelathan helps portcullises that have been installed on either passage lead-
the characters convince the elves, who will then allow the ing out of the chamber.
characters to continue without hindering or helping, unless Creatures: The dire rats here are protecting their nest.
the characters need help finding the colony. Most of the dire rats are fairly young (hence the lower
average hit points).
 Lepers (Elven Scouts) (2): hp 7, 5; Initial Reaction:  Dire Rats (12): hp 7, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3; see
Unfriendly; see page 162. Monster Manual page 64.
Tactics: If the elves are attacked, they will each be able to Treasure: Hidden in the murky sewage water is a small,
fire one arrow at a target, selecting any character that seems waterproofed pouch, dropped here years ago. It requires a
most a threat: a heavily armed warrior, a character that Search check (DC 20) to locate the pouch. Inside the
seems like a wizard (the stereotypical robes and staff, etc.). pouch are two steel vials (potions of cure light wounds),
Treasure: Only what the elven scouts are carrying. masterwork thieves’ tools, and three amethysts (worth 120
XP Award: Do not award the characters any experience stl each).
if they attack the elves. If the characters talk their way out
of a fight, grant the characters experience points appropri- PS2. Trash Pit (EL 3 or EL 5)
ate to an EL 1 encounter.
his enormous chamber seems to be a gathering
Sewer Description
There are other locations where the characters can stumble
T place for much of the refuse that finds its way
into the sewers where it has collected into large
into trouble. These locations are detailed below. piles clustered around the pillar in the center of the
chamber. The refuse seems to have dammed the
PS1. Beneath the Enclave (EL 4) water, causing it to flow up and over the walkways
around the edge of the chamber.
ou see a chamber that’s fairly large by the look As you eye the towering mounds of trash, you
Y of things, being more than seventy-five feet by
seventy-five feet squared. The center of the cham-
suddenly hear a loud belch that echoes strangely
through the tunnels, followed by the sound of
ber is dominated by a wide pillar of stone, emerg- high-pitched cackling. Sounds like gully dwarves…

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 29

 The chamber is enormous, almost one-hundred feet Filth Fever: Injury, Fortitude save DC 12, incubation
squared, with a fifty-foot square artesian well pillar in the period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex & 1d3 Con.
center of the room. There, among the piles of trash, a Among the refuse, the characters can find the following
group of goblins have set up camp. At first glance, the gob- items, depending on the result of Search checks. Only one
lins will indeed seem like gully dwarves, a ruse that they item can be found by each person per hour of searching
often pull off by keeping themselves heavily swaddled in (have the characters make a Fortitude check to see if they
clothing and reeking of refuse. Upon noticing the charac- contract filth fever for each hour of searching).
ters (make an opposed Listen check at 1d20+4 for the gob-
lins against any attempts to Move Silently), the goblins will Search
hop up and start gibbering trying to get close to the char- DC Item
acters in hopes of surprising them. The characters can 10 A bracelet of twisted silver (35 stl value)
make a Spot check at DC 12 to notice that the “gully 12 A silver Medallion of Faith (Kiri-Jolith,
dwarves” have dull red eyes. Hiccep attempts to cozy up to valued at 55 stl)
a character in the hope of launching a sneak attack. 15 Masterwork short sword (in a rotted
If the characters draw their weapons, or show the gob- leather sheath).
lins that the ruse is up, then the goblins draw their 18 A gold chalice inlaid with turquoise (85
weapons and attack wildly. stl value)
If the characters encountered the goblin thieves (from 20 An ivory scroll tube (25 stl value), with
the random encounter above), and they managed to escape three sheets of parchment (scroll of
back to the lair, then all of the goblins will be here and detect snares and pits, 1st level caster;
ready to fight, hiding in the refuse and hoping to spring scroll of alarm, 1st level caster; and a
out and ambush the characters. Make a resisted Spot check scroll of cure moderate wounds, 3rd level
against the goblins’ Hide check (1d20+7 for the two caster).
thieves, 1d20+5 for the young goblins, and 1d20+9 for 23 wand of light (3rd level caster, 23
Hiccep) for the characters to notice the goblins, otherwise charges, activation word “shirak”
the goblins catch the characters flatfooted. inscribed on the wand)
Creatures: This trash pit has become the home for a 28 A shriveled elven hand bound with gold,
small group of goblin thieves. Finding it far easier to lair in on a golden necklace (a hand of the
the sewers than to deal with the prejudice and difficulties mage).*
posed by living in a predominantly human city, the goblins * Note: A character wearing a hand of the mage will have
are quite comfortable in their underground home. As the a –6 circumstance penalty on any Charisma-based check
elves do not wish to be bothered, the two groups have yet when dealing with elves.
to openly encounter one another. Currently, there are three
younger goblins present, while two of the more experi- PS3. Unstable Ceiling (EL 3; EL 4 with ceiling
enced goblins have gone out to get supplies. Hiccep, the trap)
leader of the ragtag group, is here as well.
 Goblins (3): hp 7, 5, 4; see Monster Manual page 133. hile the walls and ceiling of the sewers seem
 Hiccep, the Goblin Thug: hp 9; see 163.
Tactics: Hiccep is a bully, but he’s not stupid. He will
W to be in fairly good repair, a tribute to the
ancient dwarven craftsmanship, it seems as if the
exhort and use his whip to snap at his minions’ heels, forc- walls and ceiling of this chamber are cracked and
ing them to fight the party. If things are looking bad for the rubble is strewn around the walkways. As a matter
goblins, he makes a break for it, hoping to lose the charac- of fact, it seems as if the only thing keeping the ceil-
ters in the tunnels and escape into the town above. ing from collapsing is the complex network of thick
Note that if the characters encountered the goblin spider webs that almost completely fills the room.
thieves above (or if you think that they are having too easy The webbing is so thick that progress through this
an encounter), then the two goblin thieves are here as well. chamber is difficult. There are narrow crawlways
Treasure: Buried in the refuse, located in a moldy that one could use to pass through the room.
leather bag, is the various treasure that the goblins have
gathered over the last few months: 320 cp, 230 sp, 98 stl, 11
pp, 2 masterwork daggers, potion of resist energy (fire), The spider webs have managed to stave off a consider-
potion of endure elements (electricity), and a potion of mage able amount of damage to the walls and ceiling.
armor. It requires a Search check (DC 15) to locate the bag. Unfortunately for the characters, the webs are habited. The
If the characters truly wish to explore the pile of refuse, network of webs holds a nest of spiders. There are numer-
they can find a few other items of value hiding in the ous egg sacks among the webs, filled with developing spi-
garbage, however, there is the risk of contracting filth fever, ders. Fortunately, the last brood has already long since
given the squalid conditions. Anyone searching through the moved on, but there are still a few spiders in the webs.
garbage for more than a minute must make a Fortitude Large cocoons are attached to the artesian well columns
save (DC 12) or contract filth fever. in the center of the room. These cocoons are egg sacks, but

30 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 PS3. Unstable Ceiling

also contain the desiccated corpses of the spiders’ latest vic- Characters breaking through webs have a 25% chance
tims that the newly hatched spiders will feed on. The for each five-foot space they clear to also cause the ceiling
southernmost cocoon on the eastern column contains a to collapse. Any loud or violent explosions (such as that of
body of a creature larger than most, an unfortunate ogre a fireball or a sound burst) has a 2% chance per point of
who stumbled upon the webs after a recent hatching. The damage done to cause the ceiling to collapse as well as hav-
ogre’s equipment still remains in the room (see treasure ing any other side effects (such as setting the webs aflame).
below).  Webs: Escape Artist DC 16, Break DC 20, hp 14.
The webbing creates a problem for characters attempt-  Collapsing Ceiling: CR 2; special; destroyed webs
ing to move through the webbing by hindering movement trigger; no reset; Atk +12 melee (2d6, bricks); multiple tar-
(treat as dense undergrowth, which greatly restricts move- gets (all targets within two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search
ment: each 5-feet of movement counts as 10-feet instead). DC 20; Disable Device DC – (None).
Alternately, the webbing is not difficult to climb, and is Creatures: A Medium-sized monstrous spider that
strong enough to easily support most Medium-sized and resembles an oversized black widow has recently given
smaller creatures (treat the webs as if they were spun by a birth to a small swarm of spiders. Most of the younger spi-
Huge spider, see below). ders have already left the nest (such as the monstrous spi-
If the characters use fire to destroy the webbing, they ders from the random encounter above), although there
will discover that they have unleashed a conflagration that are still two left here with the mother.
will endanger everyone in the room. Even a simple torch  Small Monstrous Spiders (2): hp 6, 4; see Monstrous
causes the spiderwebs to catch fire. Each round, more and Manual (web-spinning spider) page 288.
more of the webbing will burn away. All creatures within  Medium Monstrous Spiders (1): hp 11; see
the area of the flaming webs will suffer 2d4 points of fire Monstrous Manual (web-spinning spider) page 288.
damage. The fire spreads quickly. First, five square feet of Treasure: A masterwork greatsword lies concealed
webbing burns away. The next round, all adjacent squares beneath the murky sewer water (Search DC 20 to locate the
ignite, and so on. Within 3 rounds, the ceiling over that sword). In a belt pouch on the dead ogre’s belt (within the
area has a 50% chance of collapsing. Each round after that, cocoon), there are also 3 garnets (110 stl/each), 73 stl, and
there is an additional 5% cumulative chance that the ceil- a ceramic jar containing oil of magic weapon.
ing collapses. Within 10-12 rounds, all of the webs in the Unfortunately, if there is a fire, the items in the pouch will
chamber are consumed by flame, and if the ceiling has not be destroyed. If there is a cave-in, there’s a 75% chance that
collapsed yet, it will at that point. rocks will cover the greatsword.

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 31

 Note: If the ceiling collapses, this will have an effect on Creatures: This area is the lair of a ghast. A hideously
the streets above! All the buildings, and the cobblestone bloated and obese creature, it sits upon a pile of half-eaten
central street, in the area indicated on the map will col- corpses, gorging itself eagerly upon the remains. If the two
lapse, as if they had been targeted by an earthquake spell. ghouls are present, they will be fawning at the ghast’s feet,
begging piteously for food, tidbits of which the ghast will
PS4. Ghast Lair (EL 3; EL 4-5 if ghouls are occasionally toss out to watch the ghouls fight over the
present) gristle.
 Ghast: hp 29; see Monster Manual page 119.
fter following the tunnels for awhile, you even- Tactics: The moment the characters are within 10 feet of
A tually notice that the area ahead seems to open
up into a large chamber. There’s a strange smell in
the ghast, they must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or else
be sickened by the ghast’s stench for 1d6+4 minutes.
the air, made even worse by the typical stench of Sickened characters suffer a –2 penalty on all attack rolls,
the sewers. At first, the stench is difficult to distin- weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and abili-
guish, but all too rapidly, to your horror, you real- ty checks. The ghast will viciously attack those not visibly
ize that what you smell is rotting, decaying flesh. sickened. If the ghouls are present, they will attack the sick-
As disgust raises the bile to your throat, your ened characters, seeking to bring them down quickly.
ears catch something. A whisper, as if someone Treasure: Among the grisly remains of the ghast’s vic-
were talking to themselves, “Yessssss. Sssssssweet. tims, there are a few treasures that can be scavenged. A
Sssssucculent…musssssssst have more! MORE!” platinum ring, inset with a gleaming sea opal (worth 250
The last word echoes down the tunnels, followed by stl), a silver medallion inset with a large amethyst (worth
a cascade of hideous cackles. “Sssssslaves! Bring 195 stl), bracers of armor +1, and a +1 bashing shield.
ussssss more! More sssssssweeeeetnessssssss!”
PS5. Leper Colony
There are two separate entrances into the leper colony of
This little-used, out-of-the-way corner of the sewers has the elves, one from the east and one from the west. Both
become the lair of a terrible ghast who slinks out of the are marked by the symbol shown to the characters by
sewers at nights to catch unsuspecting prey. As the sewers Naelathan. If the characters are looking for the symbol, it
are also a handy place to stash bodies, the ghast does not requires either a Search check against a DC of 20 or a Spot
need to travel out often. Instead it sends out check against a DC of 24. As the symbol is inscribed in
its two ghoul-slaves to retrieve the car- Elven on the secret doors themselves, any elf receives
rion. the typical +2 racial bonus and may make the
If the characters approach, check merely by walking within 5 feet of the pas-
deciding to investigate, read sage (if they are walking
them the following: along the proper walkway, they are within
the requisite 5 feet) instead of having to
he chamber is large, actively search for it. Silvanesti elf characters
T with a large stone plat-
form against the southern
receive an additional +2 circumstance
bonus, as the doors have been
wall raised above the sewer redesigned recently in a fashion unique
water. A flickering greenish to the Silvanesti
light seems to dance elves. (Note: Half-elves receive a +1/+2
eerily above the water, racial bonus on their Search checks.)
casting the entire cham-  Secret Door (Stone): 4 inches
ber in an almost hypnotic thickness, hardness 8; hp 60; Break
pattern of rippling emerald light. DC 28; Open Lock DC 28. Note:
The platform seems to be covered with refuse Opening the secret door only requires the characters to
and debris, scattered out from a large, central trace the sigil with their finger and speaking the elven word
mound. As you approach, the rotting stench of “Ael ura k” (the path is clear).
decay grows stronger and stronger. The mound Once the characters successfully open the door, read
suddenly shifts and two crimson eyes glare like them the following:
sullen coal from a desiccated face. Its slash of a
mouth twists upward into a rictus grin, revealing ith a silent whisper, a portion of the
rows of sharp teeth. “Yessssss,” it hisses. “More
sssssweetnessss! SSSSSSSWEETNESSSSS!” With
W stonewall swings in revealing a long, narrow
passageway that leads to a set of stairs. The stairs
uncanny speed, the bloated creature springs for- lead down, deeper into the earth.
ward, bringing with it a wave of putrid air that hits The stairs continue for about fifty feet, open-
you like a fist. ing into an enormous room that seems to have
been carved out of the earth hundreds of years ago.

32 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 Soft radiance, apparently from small dancing ever to return and find that their duties had been left unac-
globes of light, creates the illusion that the ceiling complished. When the gods once more began to work
high overhead is a starlit sky. through their followers, the Zhakar that remained in
Instantly, the people who have taken up resi- Pashin gladly embraced their returned god, agreeing to join
dence in this ancient chamber note your presence. forces with the Dark Queen’s Green Dragonarmy.
As swift and soft as the night wind, word spreads Following the War of the Lance, when the Green
through the press of bodies, through the tiny city of Dragonarmy was mostly cleared out of Khur, a group of
tents and lean-tos that have been arranged in the Khur nomad shamans hunted down the secret temple,
chamber. Weapons glint in the soft light from driving out the Zhakar and purifying the temple. Then,
above like fireflies in the dark. without any apparent reason, they closed up the hidden
A tall, slender figure separates from the crowd, temple and left, never revealing to any what they had done.
gliding forward without apparent effort. Shrouded The secret temple remained empty throughout most of
in white gossamer robes, her silver-white hair a the Fifth Age, until around the time that the first elven
nimbus that tumbles down her bared ivory shoul- refugees from the Silvanesti Forest began to find their way
ders, this woman seems more a spirit than a crea- to Pashin. One among their numbers, a rebellious young
ture of flesh and blood. Pale blue eyes openly gaze Silvanesti named Naelathan, who had avoided becoming an
at you, and though the elven woman’s face is that of outcast dark elf through sheer luck, found himself explor-
a young woman in the bloom of youth, her eyes ing the sewers. In his investigation, he found the secret pas-
hold a sadness and depth that belies her apparent sages leading into the abandoned temple. He kept his dis-
years. covery to himself, until the word that the minotaurs had
“Greetings,” she murmurs softly, her voice struck and the first sighting of the Dark Elves approaching
barely above a whisper as she draws to a halt a few Pashin spread through the town.
feet away from you. “I am the Lady Shaylin Quickly, Naelathan went among his people, most of
Moonborn of House Mystic. It was I who called whom had taken to living in the abandoned buildings in
you.” A small, bitter smile briefly crosses her face, Pashin, and urged them to go underground. Many rebelled,
an expression that seems unnatural upon her beau- particularly the Qualinesti among them who still had
tiful features. She turns slightly, her slender hand nightmares of their time underground escaping from
rising slowly to indicate the rest of the chamber, Qualinost. Finally, however, Shaylin Moonborn, a respected
and the gathered elves huddling together, all eyes and gifted member of House Mystic, lent her voice to
upon you. Naelathan’s, and overnight, it seemed as if almost every elf
“Welcome to our humble home.” She gazes in Pashin had disappeared.
back at you once more with pain-filled eyes as she Ceiling: The ceiling of this massive chamber is more
nods her head, “Please, you must be tired. Follow than 75 feet tall, painted a matte black that causes it to feel
me, I will show you someplace you can rest and I even higher than it really is. The elves have used their redis-
will answer your questions.” covered magic to constantly keep small glowing orbs of
light (treat as dancing light orbs) dancing in stately patterns
that form the familiar constellations of the Gods of Light
If the characters agree, Shaylin, CG female Silvanesti elf in the nighttime sky. Particularly alert characters may even
Wiz6/White Robe 4, escorts the characters to an area in the notice that the constellation of E’li (Paladine) is included
northern section of the colony, where a small tent has been among the falsee heavens, even though he is now mortal.
set up. As the characters look around, feel free to use the Walls: Like the rest of the sewers, the walls of the cham-
information below to fill in any details. Shaylin answers ber are of hewn stone. Also painted black, they once bore
any question about why the elves are down here and how many symbols of Morgion’s faith, but now they are bare.
this chamber came to be, but she will not tell them why she Some of the most spiritual of the elves have begun to paint
sent Naelathan to save them. Once they reach her tent, she delicate scenes or design mosaics to honor the returned
shows them inside. Gods of Light.
The leper colony is an enormous chamber, built in  Hewn Stone: 3 ft. thick, hardness 8; hp 540; Break DC
secret long ago by dark dwarves, at the bequest of their 50; Climb DC 22.
dark god, Morgion. The temple to Morgion stood in secre- Floors: The floors of the chamber are smooth flagstone,
cy beneath the town of Pashin, allowing Morgion to spread created by a pattern of tiny black tiles carefully fitted
his diseased grasp throughout the region. Even when the together. Together with the black walls and ceiling, this cre-
Istarian architects arrived to construct the sewers and the ates the illusion that the chamber is much larger than its
town, Morgion drew a cloak of shadows about his temple given dimensions.
as his followers clouded the minds of the architects, Currently, there are more than three hundred elves
enabling the temple to continue to exist secretly. crammed into this tiny living space. They regularly send
Even after the Cataclysm, a small contingent of Zhakar out small groups, dressed as lepers, to appropriate goods
remained within the temple, loyal to the last demands of from the town above as they plan their next move. Many
their missing god and fearful of his divine wrath if he were want to leave, to sneak out of town through the secret pas-

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 33

 What is wrong down here? high priests, who betrayed his people to a ruthless ogre
Shaylin: We do not know. Even House Cleric has warlord. The temple fell and the valley in which it was
been unable to determine what affliction has stricken us. built was deemed cursed and avoided by the Khur
Some believe that it is an after-effect of the Shield. If so, tribes. When the Cataclysm struck, the valley was
it is our just reward for falling prey to the blandishments believed to have been forever sealed. We now believe
of Cyan Bloodbane and for turning to Mina and the that what happened to the ‘shattered temple’ was an
“One God” for help. omen of the Cataclysm. However, now there are por-
tents that the valley has opened once again.
Do you know what the ‘key’ is?
Shaylin: Not truly. Legend speaks of a ‘key’ that How can we escape the town?
appears when the need is great. All that is really known Shaylin: We know of a secret passageway, built during
is that the ‘key’ must unlock something very important, the War of the Lance as a way to smuggle people out of
something lost since the Age of Dreams. town, as well as to smuggle goods in while the Green
Dragonarmy occupied the land. Once you are ready, one
What are the ‘shattered ruins’? of our guards will take you to the passage.
Shaylin: In the ruins of Hurim, there was once a tem-
ple built to honor Paladine and the Gods of Light.
Legend speaks of a great betrayal by one of the temple’s

sage that leads to the mountains (PS6), but Shaylin and smoke escapes flame.” She sighs softly, looking
many of the other leaders want their people to stop run- down at the glowing fire for a few moments before
ning. They want to stay here, to keep an eye on their for- she continues. “All I have been able to remember is
mer homeland and to be ready for the chance to reclaim that it involves you. All of you.” She looks up, pierc-
what they have lost. ing you with her gaze.
Suddenly, her eyes go distant, color draining
ou reach a good-sized tent, the delicate silk from the two orbs until they seem a pure, solid
Y stained by exposure to the sewers. Tears in the
fabric have been carefully mended, giving the tent
white. Her voice falls into a sing-song pattern as she
murmurs, “There is a pattern, you cannot see.
an odd sort of dignity. Brushing aside a panel, Instead you must set your spirit free. Take the key to
Shaylin invites you into the tent, quietly following. the shattered ruins, through the sands and over the
The interior of the tent is simple and sparse. It dunes. Seek the answers in the sands of time, search
is illuminated by a flickering flame sitting in the your souls and find the sign.”
center of the tent. The flame gives off a little heat With a shudder, the elven woman’s head snaps
and light but there is no smoke. A small chest lies up and she draws in a long, harsh breath, only to
off to one side with a leather backpack leaning end up coughing violently. Wearily rising to her
against it. A small bedroll is neatly rolled up and set feet, she looks at you all once again.
atop of a pillow. The delicate smell of crushed jas- “I am tired and must rest soon. Please, rest for
mine fills the tent, a welcome reprieve from the now and we shall speak later.”
fumes of the sewage and waste.
Inviting you to sit down, Shaylin’s fair cheeks
are brushed with a crimson hue and her gaze low- Allow the characters time to rest. Feel free, as well, to go
ers as she softly admits, “I am sorry that I cannot ahead and award them the experience points they have
show you true hospitality while you are here, but earned up to this point. If the characters wish to go out
I’m afraid what little we have is carefully rationed.” and talk to the other elves in the town, they will find the
Shaking her head, she gracefully sinks to the elves withdrawn and mistrusting of strangers. Even other
ground, tucking her legs beneath her as she con- elven characters will find that the elves of Pashin are stand-
templates you one by one. offish.
“You are wondering why I summoned you Characters making a Gather Information check (DC 15)
here, are you not?” Shaylin tilts her head, patiently can discover that there seems to be a strange affliction
waiting for your answer before she continues. “It is among the very young and the very elderly elves, a subtle
because I have seen…” Now a tiny furrow appears sickness that resists even the divine power of mystics and
between her eyebrows. “I have been having dreams true clerics alike. No one knows how the sickness spreads,
for the past few nights, dreams that are most dis- and they are actually afraid of spreading the sickness to
turbing to me. I wake shivering and filled with outsiders. This is yet another reason that the elves have
dread, but the details of the dream escape me as found solace in disguising themselves as lepers, never real-

34 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

izing the divine irony of their decision (see the sidebar Shaylin offers Naelathan a soft smile before she
“What’s Wrong With the Elves?” for more information). turns back to you. “Naelathan has helped us great-
There are a few other elves in the hidden colony that the ly and now he shall help you. And so shall this…”
characters might either seek out, or need to speak with, Shaylin pulls a small ivory scroll tube from a pouch
before they leave. These NPCs are not described in great around her waist, presenting it to you. She then
detail, only the information provided below to help in case clasps her hands together, bowing as she speaks
such an occurrence arises. gently, “Your journey will be long and difficult, but
Angelyn Starsinger, NG female elf, Clr8 (Mishakal): an remember that the gods never present us with
elderly elf, Angelyn was a cleric of Mishakal before the problems that we cannot resolve. Do not doubt
Chaos War. She keenly felt the loss of her goddess, but con- your own strengths, and remember that it is better
tinued offering her skills to tending the ill. When Mishakal to light a single flame than to curse the darkness.”
returned, Angelyn rejoiced, even though now the elves are As Shaylin turns away, Naelathan gives your
stricken with a terrible disease that she cannot treat. She group another of his smirks. “Come on, time’s
believes it is because she is not strong enough, she is too wasting. Let’s get you out of town before you cause
old to fight the disease openly. If you want to give the char- any more trouble.”
acters the side quest of seeking out a cure for the elves of
Pashin, she’s a good NPC to use to approach the characters
for help. She can also lend a hand in treating any wounds Inside the scroll tube that Shaylin gave the characters
they might have picked up. will be a parchment map that shows the characters the
Clearbrook, LG female elf, Rgr10: Clearbrook is one of location of Hurim. Naelathan then escorts the characters
the Silvanesti kirath, the sacred guardians of the Silvanesti through the sewers, without incident, until they reach the
Forest. She guided many of the others out of the forest secret passageway (PS6).
when they were forced out. She is angry and bitter by the
knowledge that the minotaurs have now laid claim to the PS6. The Secret Passageway
forest. If the characters need bows, arrows, or if they want
to find out something about the lay of the land, Clearbrook he somberly dressed, mordant elf known as
is the elf with whom they would speak.
If there are other NPCs that the characters need to
T Naelathan runs swiftly through the sewer tun-
nels, until he stops along one of the eastern walls.
speak with, you will need to generate them yourself. For Holding up a hand, he makes a fist, quietly indicat-
the scope of this adventure, the time that the characters ing a halt.
spend in the sanctuary should be relatively brief. Running his hands along the wall, he seems to
After awhile, once the characters gather back at the tent, be murmuring quietly under his breath. With a
Shaylin returns to meet with them once more, ready to grunt of satisfaction, he locates the correct switch-
answer any questions they might have. es as a section of the wall suddenly pivots. Turning
Once the characters’ questions are answered, Shaylin toward you, Naelathan sweeps a deep, sardonic
will tell them that they have a few more hours to prepare bow, indicating the opened passageway.
themselves before they are escorted to the secret passage- “Follow the passage, it should be clear. Once at
way out of the sewers. If the characters question why they the far end, you will enter a tunnel that will lead
are being “pushed out,” she will explain that although the you about five miles out of town. I’d say it’s been a
characters are not unwelcome, because of the strange sick- pleasure, but then it hasn’t been, has it?” With a
ness afflicting the elves, they should not stay for too long. mocking chuckle, the elf rises and spins about on
Plus, she is afraid that by helping the characters, the Dark his heel, and without a sound, disappears.
Knights may begin to increase their hunt for the elves to The path ahead is dark, the tunnel rocky and
drive them out of Pashin. clearly not of the same craftsmanship as the sewers.
If the characters need any basic supplies, the elves will
provide most of what they need (no alchemical, master-
work, no large or exotic weapons, or items valued at more The passageway was built during the War of the Lance, a
than 100 stl). Once the characters are ready, Shaylin sum- little over fifty years ago, to facilitate smuggling while the
mons their guide, Naelathan. Green Dragonarmy occupied Pashin. The walls are solid
rock, jagged and about ten feet apart, although they can be
haylin stands as a familiar, black-clad elf as narrow as five feet in some areas. The ceiling arches
S approaches. Bowing her head, Shaylin softly
murmurs to you, “I believe that you already know
about twelve feet high, with the sandy floor occasionally
broken by small pits and fallen rubble. The passage is clear-
Naelathan. He will guide you to the passageway ly not of dwarven craftsmanship.
that leads out of the sewers and out of Pashin.” The path twists and turns through the earth, eventually
Naelathan offers you a faint smirk before turn- leading outside to the rear of a small cave. A concealed
ing and bowing with respect toward Shaylin. “I door, much like the one in the sewers, hides the entrance
shall guide them safely, Lady Shaylin.” but it can be opened easily from within.

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 35

 What’s Wrong With the Elves?
Although the colony was cleansed of Morgion’s influ- ing the disease. It can be transferred to any other elf,
ence following the War of the Lance, now that Morgion including elven player characters. Any elf who comes
has returned with the other gods, he is both amused and into contact with another elf infected with sunblight
offended that the elves have chosen to masquerade as must make a Fortitude check (DC 20), or become
lepers and inhabit his former temple. infected by the disease. If the check is successful, the elf
Morgion has laid a curse upon the elves, a slow, wast- does not need to make another check for 24 hours; this
ing disease that changes them into lepers, appropriate explains why almost all of the elves in the colony have
for their disguise. This sickness has already taken root become infected; over time, even the hardiest of individ-
within the characters, but it has only just begun to man- uals can become infected.
ifest itself as a slight paleness explainable by the absence Sunblight: Contact; DC 18; Incubation 3d4 weeks;
of sunlight below. Damage 1d3 Con*. Note: If an individual suffers 2 or
The disease is known as sunblight. It causes the skin more points of Constitution drain, they must make
to slowly lose pigmentation and the eyes to become sen- another Fortitude save or else be permanently inflicted
sitive to light. Magic cannot detect this disease (nor can with light blindness.
it be cured magically), unless the spellcaster is at least Light Blindness (Ex): Abrupt exposure to bright light
18th level. Eventually, all those who are infected with (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds an individual
sunblight find that their eyes can no longer handle for 1 round. In addition, he takes a –1 circumstance
bright light and their skin is susceptible to sunburn. penalty to all attack rolls, saves, and checks while operat-
All of the elves that live in the colony have been ing in bright light.
infected by this disease, although most are still incubat-

There are no encounters in the passageway, but if you Once the characters have emerged from the passageway,
decided to end your last session with the characters resting they have effectively escaped Pashin and the eyes of the
in the elven sanctuary, then you might want to throw a Dark Knights for now. Give them some time to get their
random encounter at them (for a run-in with dire rats or bearings and prepare themselves for the journey ahead.
monstrous spiders, use the statistics given in the Random Once you think they are ready, move to the next chapter!
Encounters in the Sewers above). Otherwise, the characters
are just about ready to begin the next leg of their journey.

Into the Wilds of Khur

fter passing through the twisting tunnel, you

A eventually see the end of the passageway.
Although you can hear the squeaking of rats, and
brushed your way through more than a few spider
webs, your path is relatively clear. There’s a wall at
the end of the passageway, but you can clearly see a
door that must lead out into the cave.
Going through the door, you step into a small
cave that has apparently been unoccupied for many
a moon. The door closes behind you, blending
itself into the rocky wall at the back of the cave.
Looking out, you can see the rising sun coming
over the horizon. It seems that you managed to get
out of Pashin unscathed, but the path ahead surely
holds many more dangers.

36 Q Chapter One: Finding the Key

 Chapter Two
The Mystery Unfolds
y the time the characters leave Pashin behind, they it entirely possible to freeze to death in the middle of the

B should be around 3rd level. By the time they reach

the Shattered Temple, they should be around 4th or
5th level. If the characters are of lower levels, you should
either lower the difficulty of the encounters, or you should
desert. Except for the banks of fog that roll in during the
hours before dawn, the only threat that strikes the land
during the summer are the sandstorms that can scour flesh
from bone.
throw a few more random encounters their way to help During the winter months, from H’rarmont to
boost their experience levels. Mishamont, as winds from the Khurman Sea grow colder,
clouds become more common in the sky, tempering both
The journey from Pashin to the ruins of Hurim and the the heat of the day and the coolness of the night.
Shattered Temple is about 70-75 miles away. Odds are that Occasionally, the clouds release their rain but the parched
the characters do not have horses or any other form of sands and the tenacious desert plants quickly absorb the
transportation, so the journey will average between 3 days life-giving fluid. Sometimes, if the rain is particularly
to 5 days. This does not include any delays, such as heavy, flash floods will occur in the gullies and craggy
encounters, resting, exploring the Ant Colony, or the like. mountains, sweeping through with startling ferocity.
The path to Hurim is a relatively straight shot northeast
along the base of the Harikas Mountains; it doesn’t have Desert Features
any major impediments, except for the natural hazards of The landscape of southern Khur is diverse, teeming with a
the desert. startling array of wildlife. As the characters will be traveling
Current Date: 15th day of Aelmont (Winter) through this territory, a few of the more important details
Phases of the Moons that may come up in play are explained below.
Solinari: High Sanction, Waning Gibbous (Position 3).
Lunitari: High Sanction, Waning Gibbous (Position 19). Fauna
Nuitari: Low Sanction, New (Position 3). The vast majority of the natural fauna occupying the desert
The above date and phases of the moons are approxi- consists of smaller animals and creatures, who do not
mated, although you are encouraged to keep track of both require as much sustenance as larger creatures might.
for the purposes of pacing the adventure and for the possi- Termites, ants, wasps, and locusts occupy many of the areas
ble affects the moons may have on spellcasters. between the sand dunes or along rocky areas where
plantlife accumulates. In turn, these insects are fed upon by
Southern Khur other predators, such as scorpions, snakes, spiders, and the
The southern region of Khur, from the borders of the many types of lizards and birds that live in the region. In
Silvanesti Forest to the northern terminus of the Thon- the valley between the two branches of the Thon-Thalas,
Thalas River, is a rocky, inhospitable region. Vast dunes of there are elephants, cheetahs, and other large mammals
sand, multi-hued pillars of jagged stone, and the tall peaks that survive in the fertile region.
of the Harikas Mountains dominate the landscape. Except Larger, monstrous creatures also dwell in the deserts and
for a particularly fertile region between the two northern badlands of the southern region of Khur. From giant vari-
arms of the Thon-Thalas River, the land is arid and dry. eties of various insects and arachnids, including the dan-
Cool winds blowing in from the Khurman Sea make the gerous ankheg and the reclusive trap door spiders, to more
coastline more hospitable and create rich deposits of intelligent creatures, such as the occasional blue or bronze
plankton. As the winds sweep through the Harikas dragon—although many of them went into hiding or were
Mountains, they interact with the warm, dry inland air, killed while Malystryx ruled the region—or the gorgons
producing enormous fog banks during the early morning that cause havoc in the craggy valleys of the Harikas
and late evening hours. This fog provides much needed Mountains.
water to the creatures that live among the rocky dunes.
During the summer months, from Chislmont to Flora
Hiddumont, temperatures in southern Khur during the There are numerous species of plantlife that have managed
day can reach highs of more than 105ºF. Clouds burn away to not only survive, but thrive in the desolate landscape of
just before sunrise, revealing skies of an almost painful Khur’s desert. Despite the low, tough desert grasses and
blue. As the sun sets, the clouds begin to gather once more shrubs, there is a surprising amount of wildlife, particularly
like slender threads across the nighttime sky. A famous in rocky regions where the sand dunes have yet to encroach
bard once described a Khurish night sky as “a polished bowl and around the natural springs and oases that dot the land.
of obsidian, dusted with a glittering spray of diamond dust.” Small groves of hardy teak and fig trees also break the
At night the temperatures can reach freezing levels, making monotony of the landscape.

Chapter One: Finding the Key Q 37

 Broad-Leaf: The broad-leaf is truly an unusual plant. air. They grow along dry areas that receive a considerable
The elves call it Vaelithia Ooras, “the Living Fossil,” because amount of dew, providing them with plenty of sustenance.
certain plants are known to have lived for more than 2000 Living stones are non-poisonous and are supersaturated
years. Two broad leaves (hence the name of the plant) grow with highly concentrated proteins and minerals. If eaten
from the ground with a surpris- raw, they can help stave off
ingly small root system. The dehydration and starvation,
leaves enable the plant to although they are a poor
absorb moisture from the near substitute for real food.
daily fogs that sweep across the Eating a fistful of living
desert, distributing the water stones is roughly equivalent
throughout its root system (the to drinking 1 gallon of water.
reverse of how most plants Shimmerweed (EL 1-3): A
work). rare, beautiful, and danger-
Showing characteristics of ous plant, shimmerweed
evergreens, the broad-leaf grows in small patches
remains green throughout the throughout temperate
year, and produces small blos- regions of Ansalon. A strange
soms during the late winter, variety of wildflower, at first
which ripen into berries during glance they resemble dande-
early summer. The berries are lions. However, closer
poisonous to humans, although inspection reveals that the
many of the smaller animals petals of the plant are in fact
and birds of the forest have no crystalline in nature.
problems digesting the berries. Shimmerweed is typically
Characters wise in the ways of found in patches of 6d6
the wild may make a Survival plants, each of which is actu-
check (DC 15) to realize that ally connected beneath the
the berries are poisonous. soil by a fine root network.
Broad-Leaf Poison: Ingested Individual shimmerweeds
DC 12; 1 Con initial, 1d3 Con generally average between six
secondary; price 100 stl. and eighteen inches in
Quiver-Tree: The quiver-tree height.
is a rare sight in the desert. It is During the day, the plants
one of few trees that grows resemble common weeds
along rocky areas. Capable of with their petals closed up
reaching more than 25 feet tall, the quiver-tree consists of a and concealed. At nighttime the petals open up to receive
single broad trunk with deep roots. The fibrous nature of the moonlight that provides the plants with energy.
the tree enables it to retain water, easily distributing it Unfortunately for creatures in the vicinity, as the moon-
throughout the tree. At the top of the trunk, slender light infuses the petals, they begin to radiate an almost
branches grow straight up, covered with oblong leaves sim- hypnotic glow. The more individual shimmerweeds there
ilar to that of aloe and possessing the same healing charac- are in the patch, the more intense the radiance. Those wit-
teristics (when used to treat burns or sunstroke, it grants a nessing the spectacle must make a Will saving throw (DC
+2 circumstance bonus to Heal checks). During the winter 10+1 for every 2 shimmerweeds in the patch) or else
months, between Aelmont and Rannmont, tiny yellow become fascinated by the display. Fascinated creatures
flowers bloom among the leaves. stand or sit quietly, taking no actions other than paying
The branches of a quiver-tree are relatively hollow and attention to the fascinating effect, for as long as the effect
Khur nomads often use the branches, hollowing them out lasts (typically lasting for 1 round per shimmerweed in the
to create quivers for arrows and javelins, hence the name of patch). It takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reac-
the plant. tions, such as Listen or Spot checks. Any potential threat
Living Stones: Although they resemble small, rounded like that of a hostile creature approaching, allows the fasci-
pebbles, split down the center, these tiny “rocks” are actual- nated creature a new saving throw against the effect. Any
ly plants. About the size of a child’s fist, the petals of the obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting
plant have developed an almost calcified appearance. At a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the fascinated crea-
nighttime, during the cooler months of winter, the petals ture automatically breaks the effect. A fascinated creature’s
of the flower separate, allowing a tiny flower to emerge. ally may shake it free of the effect as a standard action. As a
The density of the plant’s petals enables it to retain mind-affecting spell effect, elves and half-elves receive their
water very easily. These tiny plants often grow clustered bonus to saving throws to resist the effects. In Silvanesti,
together, resembling a pile of polished rocks. The plants do entire fields of shimmerweed were purposefully sown to
not have any roots, gleaning all of their moisture from the create natural deterrents to predators and enemies.

38 Q Key of Destiny
 Those who break free of their fascination remain daz- remain stationary, or DC 15 Swim check to move 5 feet in
zled and unable to see well because of overstimulation of any direction. However, if the check is failed by 5 or more,
the eyes (suffering a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Search the character slips deeper into the sand and begins to suf-
checks, and Spot checks) for one minute afterward. Many focate (see page 304 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for
intelligent creatures hunt near shimmerweed patches, rules on Suffocation).
catching their prey by surprise as they remain helplessly
fascinated by the strange blossoms. Stealth and Detection in the Desert
Shimmerweeds are extremely sensitive to sunlight, or In general the maximum distance in desert terrain at which
any other bright light source (such as that of even a light or a Spot check for detecting the nearby presence of others
flare spell). The sudden exposure of the light will overload can succeed is 6d6×20 feet. Because of the rolling dunes of
the delicate flowers, causing them to shatter into a fine the desert in Southern Khur, however, maximum distance
dust. is 6d6×10 feet. For each random encounter, or encounter in
When a patch of shimmerweed reaches full growth (34- the open, the distance at which the two groups (the NPCs
36 plants), it begins to form a seedpod at the heart of the and the party) can Spot one another is annotated.
patch. The seedpod takes 2 weeks to develop and when The desert imposes neither bonuses nor penalties to
complete, is a spherical, rainbow-hued crystal approxi- Listen or Spot checks. The scarcity of undergrowth or
mately 4 inches in diameter. Once fully formed and other elements that offer concealment or cover makes hid-
charged with moonlight, the seedpod will explode, sending ing more difficult.
out fragments of the seed as far as 50 feet. Only a few of
the larger portions of the seedpod (typically between 1d6 Dangers of the Desert
in number) are viable and take root, reaching maturity in The desert of Khur is a rugged, dangerous, land where
8-9 months. nature can be harsh and unforgiving and many dangerous
Shimmerweed seedpods are used by spellcasters crafting creatures roam the territory.
magical scrying devices, such as crystal balls. The petals of
the flower, when ground into a fine powder are used in the Dehydration
creation of inks and other materials that relate to light or In hot climates, characters need two to three times as much
hypnosis. water than normal in order to stave off dehydration.
Characters can go without water for 1 day plus a num-
Sand Dunes ber of hours equal to their Constitution scores. After this
Sand dunes are enormous hills of sand that are created by time, characters must make a Constitution check each hour
the action of wind upon loose sand. The dunes shift and (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of
move with the wind currents. Sand dunes can move hun- nonlethal damage.
dreds of feet within a week, and depending upon the pre- Characters who have taken nonlethal damage from lack
vailing winds, they can migrate over time, engulfing any- of water are fatigued. Fatigued characters cannot run or
thing in their path. When given enough time, sand dunes charge and take a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity.
can even completely engulf settlements and towns, hiding Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes
them beneath their mass for decades, even centuries, until the fatigued character to become exhausted. Exhausted
the sand dunes migrate again. characters move at half speed and take a –6 penalty to
Desert Quicksand (EL 2): Because of the shifting nature Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an
of the sand, it’s possible that gaping holes will appear. exhausted character becomes fatigued. Nonlethal damage
These holes are filled with an extremely loose layer of sand from thirst cannot be recovered until the character gets
and dust. These areas are very similar to the quicksand water—not even magic that restores hit points (such as
found in marshes and can be dangerous to unaware crea- cure light wounds) heals this damage.
tures. Creatures approaching a patch of desert quicksand at
a normal pace are entitled to a Survival check (DC 10) to Heat Exhaustion
spot the danger before stepping, but creatures charging or During the day, the temperature in the desert can easily
running don’t have a chance to detect a hidden patch reach more than 100º F. Prolonged exposure can rapidly
before blundering into it. A typical patch of quicksand can wear down a character, potentially falling to heatstroke.
be anywhere from 10-20 feet in diameter and 5-50 feet Characters in very hot conditions (above 90º F) must
deep. The momentum of a charging or running character make a Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15, +1 for
can carry him or her 1d2×5 feet into the patch. each previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal dam-
With desert quicksand, the pull can be inexorable, as age. Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any
the weight of the trapped creature displaces the sand. As sort take a –4 penalty on their saves. A character with the
more sand is shifted and added above the creature, the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and
more pressure is exerted downward, making the descent may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well
quicker each round. Moving through the sand is possible, (see Survival skill in the Player’s Handbook). Characters
each round requiring a DC 10 Swim check to simply reduced to unconsciousness begin taking lethal damage.

Key of Destiny Q 39
Southern Desert Encounters chance), once at dusk (30% chance), and once at midnight
(25% chance). If an encounter occurs, roll a d% and con-
d% Encounter EL sult the following chart to determine the type of encounter.
01-04 Sandstorm +1
05-15 Medium Monstrous Scorpions 3 Sandstorm
(3, see Monster Manual) Line of Sight Distance: Reduces visibility to 25 ft.
16-25 Ankheg (see Monster Manual) 3 An unexpected sandstorm strikes the area, catching the
26-35 Minotaur Expedition* 5 characters in its path. The characters can find shelter fairly
36-45 Locust Swarm 3 easily (Survival check DC 15), but while they are seeking
(see Monster Manual) shelter, other creatures are taking advantage of the storm to
46-55 Centaur Band* 3/6 hunt. Roll again on the table above.
56-65 Black Riders* 5 The sandstorm lasts for 2d3 hours, increasing the EL for
66-75 Giant Ants 3 any encounter by +1. For effects of sandstorms, see
(4, see Monster Manual) Dangers of the Desert above.
76-85 Giant Eagles 4
(2, see Monster Manual) Minotaur Expedition
86-95 Draconian Deserters (3, see DLCS) 4 Line of Sight Distance: 120 feet.
96-100 No encounter If this encounter is rolled, the characters encounter a
small expedition of minotaurs that have been sent as a
* Unique encounter. Do not use the same encounter scouting party from Silvanesti. Their mission is supposed
twice; either roll again or treat as no encounter. to be circumspect, so they will not engage the characters
unless they believe that the characters have spotted them. If
A character who takes any nonlethal damage from heat the two groups engage, the minotaurs will seek to take the
exposure now suffers from heatstroke and is fatigued. characters out quickly.
These penalties end when the character recovers from the
Minotaur Scouts: hp 8; see page 163.
nonlethal damage taken from the heat.
Minotaur Leader: hp 21; see page 164.
As it is currently wintertime, the temperature only Tactics: The minotaurs attack fast and hard. The scouts
reaches dangerous levels for about 2 hours (from 1 hour unsling and use their longbows to whittle down the charac-
before high noon through 1 hour after). If the characters ters before engagement, aiming for any visible spellcasters
seek shade or shelter during these hours, they are spared first. Once the characters are within engagement distance,
from the effects of heat exhaustion. they drop their crossbows and draw their swords.
The leader of the minotaurs waits for the characters to
Sandstorms come close. Instantly using his Rage ability (see Powered-
A sandstorm reduces visibility to 1d10x5 feet and provides Up Statistics), he chooses to engage the strongest looking
a –4 penalty on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. A sand- character.
storm deals 1d3 nonlethal damage per hour to any crea- Treasure: The minotaurs are only carrying their equip-
tures caught in the open, and leaves a thin coating of sand ment and only what they need to survive off the land.
in its wake. Driving sand creeps in through all but the most
secure seals and seams to chafe skin and contaminate car- Centaur Band (EL 3 or 6)
ried gear. Line of Sight Distance: 1 mile
If this encounter is rolled, the characters come across a
Random Encounters small band of impetuous young centaurs, led by a centaur
While traveling from Pashin to Hurim, there is a chance known as Gildedmane. The centaur youths will want to
that the characters stumble into a random encounter. Roll play with the characters for awhile, running through the
three times for a random encounter—once at dawn (20% party’s camp (or through the center of the group) at high

Counting Coup
Counting coup is a psychological attack, even though target’s Wisdom bonus [if any] + target’s modifiers on
it requires physical contact. It is practiced by many of saves against fear [if any]) against your Intimidate
the human nomad tribes (primarily among the desert check, or be demoralized (see Intimidate: Demoralize
and plains nomads), as well as other nomadic Opponents in the Player’s Handbook). You receive a +2
humanoids, such as the centaurs. situational modifier to your Intimidate check. If you roll
When attempting to count coup, you must make a a natural 20 on your touch attack, you instead receive a
successful touch attack against an opponent. If the touch +5 circumstance modifier to your Intimidate check to
attack is successful, the target must make a modified demoralize your victim.
level check (1d20 + target’s character level or Hit Dice +

40 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

speed, whooping and hollering, trying to count “coup” by serious trouble, for the young centaur is the chieftain’s son
touching the characters with open hands before darting off. and heir. Killing Gildedmane will set an entire tribe of
Treat this as a charge-and-overrun attempt, provoking an plains centaurs against the characters, which considering
attack of opportunity; defenders have option to avoid. If a they have a considerable distance to cross in Khur, could
defender attempts to block, the defender must make a prove to be a large problem.
resisted Strength or Dexterity check (whichever is higher) The centaurs are armed with longbows and spears and
against the centaur’s Strength check (with a +4 bonus will used them if they are pressed.
because of Large size and a +2 bonus from charging). If the Treasure: Only the equipment that the centaurs are car-
defender loses the resisted check, he or she is knocked rying.
prone, and the centaur has counted “coup.” If the defender XP Award: If the characters deal with the centaurs,
wins, they may attempt to trip the centaur instead (a resis- without it devolving into bloodshed, award them experi-
ted Strength check against the centaur’s Strength check, ence as if the encounter was an EL 3. If the characters do
with the centaurs receiving a +4 bonus for having four end up attacking and killing the centaurs, award them
legs). Each centaur will only make one such attempt at experience as EL 6, but dock half experience from any
counting coup, moving straight through the group, in one characters who are not evilly aligned.
side and out the other.
Counting coup in this way is a game played by many Black Riders (EL 5)
younger centaurs who like to test both their bravery and Line of Sight Distance: 1 mile
their daring, while honing their skills as warriors. Once, the Black Riders of Khur were a band of
Touching an enemy with a bare hand in such a freedom fighters, united behind an enigmatic
way shows that the warrior could very Solamnic Knight who fought against the depreda-
easily have killed the enemy if tions of the Green Dragonarmy during the War of
he had so desired. Among the Lance. After the Dragonarmies were defeated and Khur
younger centaurs and Khur redeclared independence, the Black
nomads, it’s a game, but Riders were disbanded. Now a cunning
among the elders of both, it can bandit lord is determined to resurrect
be considered an insult that sparks the band, using the reputation of the leg-
off a “coup war.” endary Black Riders to create his own army.
The centaurs are not trying If this encounter is rolled, the characters are
to attack the characters, and if assaulted by a group of desert nomads wearing
the characters seem ready to heavy black robes with black scarves wrapped
make an attack of their own, around their faces and flowing black,
you may want to have the cowled cloaks. The Black Riders are look-
characters make a Sense Motive ing to rob the characters of whatever
check (DC 10) to realize that the wealth, possessions, and supplies that
centaurs are not acting Hostile. they have.
If the characters retaliate vio-
Black Riders (4): hp 6; see page 164.
lently, however, the centaur
Black Rider, Leader: hp 22; see page 164.
youths will swiftly return the
Light Horses (4): hp 21, 19, 19, 17; see Monster
violence. Manual.

Centaur Youths: hp 26; see Monster Manual.
Light Warhorse (1): hp 22; see Monster Manual.

Gildedmane: hp 31; page 164. Tactics: The Black Riders are riding Khur horses, swift,
Tactics: If the characters engage the centaurs in combat graceful, intelligent horses raised by the Khur nomad
they will find the centaurs to be formidable opponents. tribes. This could give them an advantage over the charac-
Instead of merely trying to count coup, the centaurs will ters, if the characters are on foot, and odds are that they
attempt to trample the characters (receiving one free hoof are, unless they barter for horses from the Mikku Tribe, or
attack on a successful overrun attempt) before putting somehow convince the centaur youths to convey them to
some distance between themselves and the party. They will the Ruins of Hurim. Luckily for the characters, only one of
use their superior speed to get out of range of enemy the riders is both experienced in fighting on horseback and
arrows or magic. Unless any of the centaurs are killed, they riding a horse bred for battle.
will then, slowly but surely, begin to harass the characters Treasure: Only the equipment that the Black Riders are
from afar, pelting them with arrows, causing landslides, carrying.
laying misleading trails, etc.. If the characters do kill any of
the centaur youths, either accidentally or on purpose, the Giant Eagles
centaur youths will take a more aggressive stance in their Line of Sight Distance: 2 miles
harassment of the characters, attacking to kill, laying dan- A mated pair of giant eagles is out searching for the dra-
gerous natural traps, and the like. On the off chance that conians who have stolen their precious eggs. Spotting the
Gildedmane is killed, the characters may find themselves in adventurers, they will swoop down to interrogate them,

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 41

asking them questions about whether they have seen any Tactics: The two draconians are little more than grunts,
draconians in the area, or not. (If there is a baaz draconian and their combat tactics reflect that. They attack and gang
in the party, the giant eagles will attack without any ques- up on the most threatening individual present. They will
tions!) If the eagles are attacked, they will viciously retaliate attempt to attack from above, taking advantage of their
while attempting to get away to continue the search for gliding ability to leap from a cliff overhead, looking to
their lost eggs. catch the characters flat-footed.
If the characters offer to help the giant eagles discover Treasure: Other than the weapons and armor the draco-
what has happened to their eggs, the giant eagles will nians are wearing (all of which bear the camp marks of the
explain that, while the male was out hunting, a strange Dark Knight mercenaries), the draconians are carrying lit-
baaz draconian approached and lured the female away tle of value. However, the draconians have stashed their
before disappearing. When the pair returned to their nest, gathered loot in a small cave not too far from where they
the eggs were gone. The giant eagles have been out hunting hunt. Characters with the ability to Track can make a suc-
for the draconians, but have had little luck despite a few cessful Survival check (DC 21) in order to find the cave.
fleeting encounters (the draconians have realized that the Within the cave, the characters will discover a crude camp,
eagles are hunting for them so have restricted themselves to along with the majority of the draconians’ possessions:
hunting at night). The eagles will tell the characters to approximately 350 stl, 4 bloodstones in a small leather
sound a whistle once they have discovered the eggs, giving pouch (worth 75 stl each), a silver wine bottle of elven fili-
the characters a pinion feather from the male’s wing (see gree (worth 125 stl; the fine wine has long since been con-
feather whistle, in New Magic Items). sumed by the draconians), a snood (an elegant net used to

Giant Eagles (2): hp 26, 23; see Monster Manual. style a woman’s hair) of interwoven golden threads inset
Treasure: The giant eagles have no treasure per se, with small chips of amethyst (worth 145 stl), and an ivory
though if the characters retrieve their eggs and return them scroll tube imprinted with the symbol of Mishakal (worth
safely, they will give the characters 2 more feather whistles. 10 stl) with a scroll containing the spells bless and lesser
XP Award: If the characters kill the giant eagles, only restoration (both cast at 5th level of ability).
award them experience for an EL 2. If they agree to help If the characters encountered the giant eagles earlier, or
the giant eagles and recover the draconian eggs, grant them if you plan for them to encounter the giant eagles, then the
full experience points for an EL 4. characters will also find two giant eagle eggs in the cave.
They were planning on taking the eggs to Khuri-Khan in
Draconian Deserters the spring to sell them for a hefty profit (giant eagle eggs in
Line of Sight Distance: 1/2 mile good condition are worth about 2500 stl each). The eggs
The characters come face to face with a pair of baaz dra- are kept warm beneath the ashes of a banked fire (Search
conians that deserted the ranks of the Dark Knights in check DC 18 to discover).
Pashin. They have been hiding out in the Harikas
Mountains for the last few weeks, preying upon the rare The Path to Hurim
passing traveler or lone nomad, and
scavenging for food. he sun begins to set in the west, casting
Spotting the party, they
figure they have found
T the desolate landscape before you in the
crimson shadows of evening. According to
easy targets. the map that Shaylin gave you, it seems as
Alternately, the char- if the ruins of Hurim lie somewhere to
acters may have agreed the northeast, a path that leads directly
to help the giant eagles along the foothills of the Harikas
to hunt down their lost Mountains. There is a narrow path
eggs (see previous that leads from the cave’s mouth to
encounter). If so, they the foothills.
will need to track
down the baaz cave,
where they will find The characters’ trek to Hurim has
the two deserters. You only just begun. Once they leave the cave,
can allow the characters they still have a journey of approximately
to make Move Silently or 70-75 miles northeast, which will take
Hide checks, but with the the characters between 3-5 days of walk-
baaz draconians’ blindsense ing to get there: 3 days for characters
ability, it is nearly impossi- with a speed of 30 ft. (most unencum-
ble to catch them unaware. bered Medium characters), 4.5 days for

Baaz Draconian characters moving at 20 ft. (most unen-
Deserters (2): hp 19, 17; see cumbered Small characters, Medium
DLCS, page 217. characters wearing medium or heavy

42 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

armors, etc.), or 5 days for characters moving at 15 ft.
(encumbered characters). Remember to keep track of the nce in the camp the sounds of music and con-
date and phases of the moon, though unless any of the
characters are Wizards of High Sorcery, this is not impor-
O versation grow louder, and suddenly you
emerge from rows of brightly colored tents into a
tant yet. cheerful gathering of nomads, talking, singing,
dancing, eating, and generally having a good time.
Meeting the Mikku As your presence is noticed, a few individuals
turn from their entertainment to gaze at you with
n the distance you begin to make out the sounds curiosity. Like wildfire, however, silence begins to
I of laughter, of voices raised in conversation and
song. The scent of an open flame, carrying savory
spread as more and more of the nomads turn to see
the new arrivals. Almost to a man, the nomads are
odors of roasting venison, tickles your senses. bronze-skinned, with flowing dark hair and dark
You can spot the source of the noise. Situated eyes, many of the men sporting mustaches to rival
in a dry gulley is a large nomad encampment. any of those found among the ranks of the
Bright, colorful tents are spread like a field of wild- Solamnic Knights. One could very easily feel a bit
flowers, their colors vivid even in the dimming out of place among these people, if not for the wel-
light of the setting sun. The camp seems to be coming smiles found on many of these people’s
arranged in concentric circles, with the largest tents faces.
at the heart of the camp, ringing an enormous bon- One figure quickly detaches himself from the
fire. gathering, a rather tall, burly man dressed in a
Although you can see some figures moving in flowing caftan of indigo, trimmed with black
and out of the tents, and hear the occasional odd leather. His long, flowing mustache is liberally
bark from a dog, it seems as if most of the campers streaked by silver, as is his thick mane of black hair,
have situated themselves in the camp’s heart, where but he carries himself with the energy of a much
a celebration is apparently being held. Scantily-clad younger man. A crimson scarf is wrapped around
figures wrapped in billowing scarves in gem-like his head, pinned in place by a rather gaudy medal-
hues dance about the bonfire, accompanied by a lion of a large golden bear with ruby gemstone
boisterous cacophony of dozens of instruments eyes. His dark eyes gleam brightly as he offers a
playing a raucous tune. wide, welcoming grin. “Greetings, my friends,” he
booms out in thickly accented Common,
“Welcome to our celebration! I am Alakar the
As the characters are traveling, they come across a small Silent, chief of this merry tribe.” He roars with deep
band of the Mikku tribe camping in a gulley. A circle of laughter at the irony of his name before continu-
tents is arrayed about a central campfire. The tents are ing, “Please, join us! Eat, drink, be merry, for on the
large, made of durable leather and canvas, and patterned morrow we all may die!”
with bright designs. Despite his rather morbid exclamation, the
This group of Mikku tribesmen is a band of performers imposing figure does seem sincere, for as he claps
who have traveled the length and width of Khur in their his hands sharply together, scantily-clad dancers
journeys. Jugglers, acrobats, and experts at horsemanship, with white smiles and little else, sweep forward,
they are camped here for the evening in preparation to inviting you to join in the festivities.
head to Khuri-Khan for the annual Khur Festival. It is still
a few months away but many groups arrive early in the sea-
son. The characters are indeed made welcome,as long as they
The warriors stationed around the camp keep watch for do not show any signs of hostility. Wary characters may
intruders, so unless the characters approach stealthily, they attempt to make Sense Motive checks (DC 15), but all they
will be noticed. Otherwise, have the characters make can sense is a sincere welcome and friendliness radiating
opposed Hide and Move Silently checks against the war- from the man and the people around him. The Mikku are
rior’s Spot (+1) and Listen (+1) skills. As long as the char- a tribe that enjoys the pleasures of life, even if they are also
acters do not seem intent upon attacking the camp, they rogues and bandits. Even if the characters know of the
will actually be welcomed quite heartily, for the Mikku Mikku reputation as thieves (an appropriate Knowledge
tribe is well known as one of the most gregarious of the check (DC 12), the Mikku make sure to offer the characters
Khur nomad tribes (see the Sidebar: The Tribes of Khur in salt with their meals. Known as the bond of salt, it is a ges-
Chapter Three for more details about the Mikku). ture made by a host to a guest to signify that, as long as the
If the characters approach peacefully, either searching guest remains with the tribe, they shall not be harmed by
for guest’s rights or sanctuary, they will be openly greeted any member of the tribe. The bond is made each evening
by the warriors, who escort them to the camp’s heart to and is good until the next evening. As long as the guest
introduce them to Alakar the Silent, NG male human (i.e., the PCs) does not abuse the tribe’s hospitality the
(nomad), Ftr5/Brd4, the leader of this Mikku tribe. bond is offered every night.

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 43

 Alakar will go out of his way to ensure that the char- Shattered Temple, although they will refuse to enter
acters feel welcome, spending time getting to know the valley itself.
them, asking them questions and answering any ques- As the characters mingle with the Mikku, there
tions they may have for him. The characters will are a few other NPCs whom they may seek out.
find this “barbaric nomad” to be rather intelligent, While these NPCs are not given great detail in the
knowing a considerable amount of informa- Appendix, pertinent information is included
tion, particularly about Khur, the nomad below:
tribes, and perhaps not too surprisingly, Asmara, CG female human (nomad),
about the Shattered Temple and the Mys9: The tribe’s eldest member,
Ruins of Hurim (see the What the Asmara is also the tribe’s seer. Chosen
Mikku Know… sidebar). as a young girl because of her strange,
The Mikku tribe makes a great prophetic gifts, she has lived for more
encounter to allow the characters to than sixty years. Which is long enough
rest up in relative safety, as well as to to see the return of the gods during the
discover a large amount of informa- Age of Despair, the Chaos War, the
tion on the area. They can also guide Dragon Purge, and the War of Souls.
the characters to the Valley of the Although she is a mystic, she retains a

What the Mikku Know…

The Mikku tend to range far more widely from their Three. He will particularly relish any opportunity to
own territory than most of the other Khur nomad launch into legends about the patron god of the Mikku,
tribes, having contact with many outsiders. Of particular Kensin the Sly, the clever and charming roguish god of
interest to the characters are what the Mikku know the Khur (believed by many to be an aspect of
about Khur, what they know about Hurim, and what Branchala).
they know about the Shattered Temple.
Alakar the Silent, the leader of the tribe, received his …About Hurim & the Shattered Temple
name ironically, for he is a friendly and gregarious story- Hurim was once an Istarian Outpost, established as a
teller always ready with a hearty laugh and a tale. Feel religious retreat for the faithful who wished to get away
free to embellish upon the details given below, playing from the fuss of the capital city in order to commune
up the loud, boisterous chief. more privately with the gods.
It was built in a quiet valley, far from any other town
…About Khur or city as a place away from civilization where the
The history of Khur and the Seven Tribes, devout could find solitude. Of course, over time, more
Alakar knows the tale of Khur (presented in of and more people began to travel to Hurim, pilgrims
Chapter Three) by heart, as it is one of his favorite tales. searching for peace or meditation and petitioners
In summary, however, before the Cataclysm, Khur was searching for answers and prayers. In time, a grand tem-
seemingly endless grassland, divided from Istar by a ple was built for the priests living in the valley, and a
dangerous desert. The Khur tribes were numerous but small village sheltered close at hand. Despite the differ-
divided into small family groups. When the Cataclysm ences between the religions of the Istarians and the Khur
struck, the Southern Courrain Ocean swept violently peoples, to the priests of the Temple of the Golden
through the grasslands in what the Khur nomads call Sands, as it came to be known, was a refuge. The spiritu-
the Drowning, creating the Khurish Sea and killing al Khur, who are passionate about their gods, were as
countless families. Into this chaos, a single great warrior welcome as any who followed the teachings of the
arose, Keja, uniting the tribes and forging Khur into a Kingpriest.
Khanate. Unfortunately, upon his deathbed, the nation Unfortunately, on the Night of Betrayal, the dying
splintered into seven tribes, each led by one of Keja’s priests called upon their gods to lay a curse upon the
sons. And thus, the Khur tribes were formed: the “true” valley. From that day forth, no tribesman who stepped
Khur, Fin-Maskar, Hachakee, Mayakhur, Tondoon, foot within the valley lived past another full cycle of the
Weya-Lu, and the Mikku. silver moon (or so the tribesmen say). During the
Drowning, a landslide sealed the valley, and the area is
The religion of Khur, largely avoided.
Alakar will gladly explain the religious beliefs of his
people, detailed in the Gods of Khur sidebar in Chapter

44 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

deep, abiding faith in the gods of Khur and sees no conflict who may be awake (i.e., standing Watch) to make a Listen
in having a power that relies upon her own sense of self. check (DC 15) to hear someone quietly approaching, or if
Asmara can be used as a plot device, providing you with they are all asleep, have them make the check at DC 20
plenty of opportunities to lay groundwork for side plots (unless a character has the Alertness feat, in which case use
and foreshadowing the adventures to come. Her predic- DC 15 instead) before reading them the following:
tions are typically of a personal nature, wrapped in a riddle
that the person must figure out on their own. A little plan- s the moons sink lower and lower in the night
ning in advance will allow you to craft individualized
prophecies for each of the characters. A few possible
A sky, approaching the hour of Early Watch
[Note: 4 am], you hear a strange rustling at the
prophecies that can be tweaked to apply to specific charac- entrance of your tent. With a whisper of sound, the
ters follows: tent flap is swept open, and a small, shadowy figure
“And one shall stand upon the back of nature’s builders, glides inside on silent feet.
walk across a floor that lives, and speak to a voice that is one
above the many…” (Hinting at the phalanx ant colony in
the Peak of Malys, Chapter 5.) There is little light at this hour, thus characters with
“A figure of fire and damnation, forged from dragon’s either low-light vision or darksight will automatically
blood but seeming Abyss born, stands guard over a weapon of notice that the figure seems to be that of a young Khurish
light long thought lost…” (Hinting at Sindra and Huma’s girl, not even in her teens. Otherwise, characters must
Lance, Chapter 5.) make a Spot check (DC 12) to notice that the figure’s shad-
“The dead are restless. Spirits, driven by ancient jealousies ow seems like that of a young child.
and conflicts, fight in a graveyard over the soul of one If the characters are all sleeping, and none succeed at
believed forever beyond reach…” (Hinting at Lothian, their Listen checks to awaken, they will wake from the
Kayleigh, and Soulburn. See Epilogue & Appendix.) sound of the young girl’s voice.
Malat, CN male human (nomad), Bbn7: A blustering,
swaggering, powerful figure, Malat is the tribe’s warleader ou hear the soft, lilting sound of a young girl’s
and Asmara’s grandson. Sometimes a bully, always a brag-
gart, he can nevertheless be quite charming when he puts
Y voice, speaking softly, yet loud enough for you
to hear her words clearly.
his mind to it. During performances (and during raids…), “You must hurry…the winds carry the voices
Malat acts as the tribe’s primary strongman (Str 20). He’s of many spirits, and they are crying for help. You
known as the “Minotaur” both for his sheer size, his obsti- must keep the key safe, otherwise all will be lost.”
nacy, and for the thick, hooded, bullskin cloak that he The girl’s voice is a soft monotone, almost as if she
wears (a cloak of the bull, offers a +2 enhancement bonus to were chanting. “In the temple of the betrayed, you
AC and deals an additional 2d6 points of damage on any must find the shard of light. It shall lead you on the
successful charge attack made by the wearer, when the path you have been chosen to walk.” The young
hood is pulled up). girl’s blue eyes seem to glow softly in the dimness
Malat makes an interesting foil for the party members. of the night, oddly bright against her otherwise
He can be charming around female characters (particularly dark features.
elven women), while he can also look to sport around with Before you have a chance to respond or to
the more obvious fighter-type characters. If the characters question the young girl any further, she quickly
act out, Malat would be one of the first to leap into a brawl rises to her feet and disappears out of your tent.
(although he wouldn’t fight to the death, unless pushed to Suddenly, you hear a high-pitched whistling sound
an extreme…such as the characters drawing blades on as the leather flaps of your tent begin to shake wild-
Alakar or Asmara). ly. A violent whirlwind tears through the opening
of your tent, sending you tumbling back as it whirls
Strange Visitors in the Night (EL 4) around, picking up small objects and flinging them
Once the characters have settled themselves in the camp in every direction.
and enjoyed the entertainment provided by the Mikku,
they’ll be allowed to pitch their own camp (or be provided
with a spare tent or two in which to rest) within the pro- Just as the little girl disappears, two Medium air elemen-
tective boundaries of the encampment. The celebration tals attack the characters (one attacking each group, if the
will last late into the night, until the hour of Darkwatch characters are separated). The attack is quick and violent.
(midnight). While the characters are resting they will Keep the pace swift, as the air elementals will only remain
receive another strange visitation. for 3 rounds before dissipating.
If the characters are sleeping in different tents, or if they
Air Elementals, Medium (2): hp 26, 23, see Monster
are sleeping outside, alter the below text to reflect the cir- Manual.
cumstance, either selecting the tent where an elven or mag- Tactics: The air elemental attack is more of a distrac-
ically-attuned character is resting. Allow the characters tion, meant to throw the characters into a bit of chaos.

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 45

They both start in their whirlwind forms, seeking to sweep accident during the earthquake almost a moon
up Small characters. ago.”
XP Award: If the characters manage to defeat both air
elementals in the 3 rounds that they remain, award them
full experience points. Otherwise, award them XP for EL 2. At the character’s prompting, Alakar will reluctantly tell
them that his daughter was born with the same gift Asmara
Startling Revelations had. She was beloved by the tribe; her death was a tragic
accident caused by a landslide during the earthquake, the
s the savage winds dissipate, you hear the camp same one that opened the way into the valley of Hurim.
A around you roused to activity with people
rushing to see what’s happening. More than a few
Alakar will ask the characters what Uleena told them.
Once they tell him, he will admit that he doesn’t know any-
are barely clad, as if they had been disturbed from thing about the shard of light, but since it seems that they
slumber, but all of them are carrying weapons of have been chosen by the gods to search it out, he and his
some sort. tribe will ensure that the characters reach the valley safely.
Alakar pushes his way to the front, using his Alakar will instruct the characters to finish their rest and
size and his loud voice to force himself through the he and Malat will stand guard for the rest of the night.
milling group that has surrounded you. His The following day, Alakar and his tribe will help the
swarthy face is flushed, his eyes glittering as he characters load their equipment and loan them horses as
looks you over. the tribe escorts them the rest of the way to the valley of
“Are you all right, my friends?” his deep voice Hurim. Those characters who cannot ride will be carried
is concerned. “What is going on?” double on horseback or ride in one of the vardos (wagon-
homes). The journey from the encampment to the valley
will take approximately a day and a half.
As the characters explain what happened, Alakar listens
with concern. Asmara also approaches, tending to any The Ruins of Hurim
wounds the characters may have taken during the battle. If
they describe the young girl, read them the following: fter journeying across the foothill-badlands of

smara suddenly looks up, a strangled gasp

A the Harikas Mountains, Alakar and his tribe
turn to head toward a valley. You can see signs of
A coming from her tiny body as her piercing eyes
stare at you. Stepping forward, she asks in a soft
numerous rockslides, including the one that had
apparently sealed the valley long ago. Now it seems
voice, “Did she…did she have blue eyes?” as if a path has opened once more.
Without waiting for an answer, she turns to When you are about a mile away from the
Alakar, whose features have grown pale as he stares entrance to the valley, Alakar pulls up his horse,
at her in disbelief. “Was it Uleena?” holding up a hand to halt the car-
the burly figure whispers, his eyes avan.
searching Asmara’s for answers. Alakar says to you,
Lifting a hand to her “Through those two
throat, Asmara turns once cliffs is Hurim.” He
more to look at you, her waves his arm to indi-
eyes distant as she falls cate the recently cleared
silent, concentrating on path ahead. “We cannot
something beyond the go any farther, for it is
mortal veil. After a few forbidden by our gods to
heartbeats, Asmara slow- enter such a place. I
ly nods her head, tears would similarly advise
starting to gather in her you to avoid the valley,
eyes as she trembles. “Yes, but you have been
it was Uleena.” marked by the
Alakar slowly walks gods…your destiny
forward, resting a gentle awaits.”
hand upon the seer’s He gives each of you
shoulder as he looks at a back-pounding hug, as
you with suspiciously Malat and a few other
bright eyes. “Uleena was tribesmen approach,
my daughter…a young carrying extra water-
seer learning from skins and bundles of
Asmara. She died in an dried food and supplies.

46 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

 Alakar directs Malat and the others to bury the Hurim was built in a small valley in the Harikas
supplies beneath a small outcropping before turn- Mountains, not far from a tributary of the Great River of
ing back to you. Pointing to the north, he says, “We Khur (which would later become part of the coastline for
will make our camp about a day’s journey north of the Bay of Balifor and the Khurish Sea). There, sheltered
here. There is an oasis, with a citrus grove. We will from the scorching desert sands and the deadly winds, a
stay there for one week. Please, my friends…when small conclave of priests established a temple far from great
you have completed what you must do in the val- Istar, hoping that they could find purity and truth in isola-
ley, come seek us out.” tion.
Alakar nods his head toward where Malat and Over time, the temple grew from a simple shrine to an
the others buried the supplies, “You will find a store enormous and grand construction as more and more pil-
of food, water, and other supplies that await your grims from across the continent traveled to find solace in
return. We have also included a small map to show the peaceful valley. Khurish nomads would travel to the
you where we will camp. May the gods watch over valley regularly to receive the blessings of their gods, for
you, my friends...I hope that we shall meet again Hurim was the only permanent settlement in the region
soon.” (predating Khuri-Khan, which would not be founded until
after the Cataclysm). Before the Cataclysm, many of the
Khur people were separated from Istar by a nearly impassa-
Before Alakar leaves, allow the characters time to ask ble stretch of badlands, separated from the west by the
any more questions that they might have regarding the val- ogre-dominated Khalkist Mountains, and by the Silvanesti
ley or the Shattered Temple, although he knows very little Forest to the south.
beyond the legends of his people.
Current Date: 20th day of Aelmont (Winter), assuming Features of Hurim
a 5-day journey between Pashin and the Ruins. Otherwise, Hurim fell before the Cataclysm, brought low by the
adjust accordingly. betrayal of one of the Temple’s High Priests and the allied
Phases of the Moons: ogre armies from Blöde. Blood stained the golden sands
Solinari: Waning, Last Quarter (Immediately following crimson, as nearly every one of Hurim’s 2,000 inhabitants
Position 16 on the chart). were either ruthlessly slaughtered or dragged away as
Lunitari: Waning, Waning Crescent (Position 17). slaves. The inhabitants did put up a valiant resistance,
Nuitari: High Sanction, Waning Gibbous (Position 1). despite being caught unprepared by the merciless invasion,

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 47

almost as many ogres died in their assault that night. either taken by the surviving ogre horde or have fallen prey
The Khur nomads declared the valley a cursed place. to the depredations of time and the elements. The charac-
When the Cataclysm struck, surprisingly little damage ters could spend weeks sifting through the rubble of each
occurred within the valley, but the entrance to the valley building in the vain hope of finding something useful, but
was blocked by a massive landslide of rubble and debris. it is beyond the scope of this adventure to describe all of
A few weeks ago an unexpected earthquake struck the the ruins. Feel free to create your own encounters or locales
entire region, causing the accumulated rubble to shift, as needed by your adventuring group.
opening the way into the valley and once again revealing  Building Walls, Masonry: 1 foot thick; hardness 8; hp
the ancient pictographs which speak of the valley’s curse. 90; AC 3; break DC 35; Climb DC 15.

The Ruins of Hurim and the Curse The Valley Cliffs & The Gorges
The entirety of the valley and ruins of Hurim, including Hurim stands entirely within a valley formed where differ-
the Shattered Temple, are indeed cursed. The power of the ent mesas and peaks converge. Surrounded on three sides,
curse varies, depending upon the location within the valley. with only one entrance to the valley proper (not consider-
Outside of the temple, throughout most of the valley ing entering the valley from above), the staggered cliffs rise
the area is treated as if under the effect of a desecrate spell. between 60-95 feet above the ground, casting the valley in
Every Charisma check made to turn undead within this constant shade.
area takes a –3 profane penalty and every undead within The cliffs are sheer, with striated ribbons of sandstone,
the area gains a +1 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage quartz, red clay, and basalt. Along many of the cliffs, there
rolls, and saving throws. An undead creature created within are signs that construction of massive statues of the gods
or summoned into the valley gains +1 hit points per HD. had been started but were left incomplete, the carvings
The atmospheric effect that this creates is coldness in the worn and weathered. The cliff ’s face is not easy to climb,
air, a constant fog hovering just off the ground, and shad- primarily due to the sheerness of the walls (Climb DC 30).
ows that appear blacker than they should. A consecrate spell Two large gorges were created in the valley when the
can be cast to temporarily create a haven against the dese- Cataclysm struck. The western gorge, the larger of the two,
crate effects, centered upon the caster. Protection from evil, is about 30 feet deep, with sharply slanted walls. The bot-
magic circle against evil, and similar abjuration effects will tom of the gorge is filled with rubble from the cliffside that
also temporarily neutralize the effects of the desecrate upon it cuts into. Climbing down into the gorge (and out of) is
the affected individuals. not all that difficult compared to scaling the cliffs (Climb
Within the boundaries of the valley, all Necromantic DC 20). The bottom of the western gorge levels out.
spells are cast as if the spellcaster were 1 level higher. This The smaller gorge, in the northeastern part of the valley,
stacks with the effect of Nuitari upon Black Robe Wizards, ripped through a number of small buildings that fill much
granting a +0 level at Low Sanction, a +1 level at waxing or of the crevice. The small gorge angles sharply, although this
waning, and at +2 level at High Sanction (currently, if you does allow for fairly easy navigation of its walls (Climb DC
are going by the proscribed dates, Nuitari is at High 15).
Sanction, granting a +2 effective spellcasting level to Black
Robe Wizards for the effects of casting, but not memoriza- The Fallow Fields & The Wild Orchard
tion). As an isolated community, Hurim was completely self-suf-
The effects of the curse differ slightly inside the ficient. Taking advantage of the natural springs in the area,
Shattered Temple. Some areas within the temple are under the priests patiently cultivated both large fields along the
the effects of a permanent guards and wards, while other eastern side of their valley,
parts are either consecrated or desecrated. These areas are and a mixed orchard on
indicated both upon the map of the Shattered Temple and the western side of the
in the individual area descriptions. Canny players may valley. Unfortunately,
quickly realize that, while sometimes the curse can be a as neither has been
hindrance to them, it can also be used against creatures in actively tended for hun-
the area. dreds of years, they
have both gone
Buildings wild.
The majority of the surviving buildings in Hurim are craft- The fields to
ed of sandstone, quarried from the valley when the temple the east are fal-
was being built. Stone blocks, each about 1 foot cubed, are low. They had
stacked in staggered rows atop one another and reinforced once been
by clay to form the walls. plowed and
Most of the remaining buildings are filled with debris turned in
and rubble with the skeletal remains of many who were preparation
slaughtered here still clearly visible. The vast majority of of the
the possessions once owned by Hurim’s inhabitants were upcoming

48 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

planting season, but they were never seeded. The ground in Encounters in Hurim
the area is soft, uneven, and treacherous. In the near-per- Day
petual twilight of the valley, mushrooms and fungi have d% Encounter EL
flourished, filling the air with a rich, pungent scent. Weeds 01-04 Rust monsters 5
and scraggly trees also compete with the assortment of (2, see Monster Manual)
molds and fungi for soil and moisture, many of the plants 05-15 Ogre Skeletons 5
hardy enough to survive the lack of rain. 16-25 Human Skeletons 5
The orchard in the west is filled with an assortment of (12, see Monster Manual)
trees, ranging from olives and figs to pomegranate and 26-35 Ogre Zombies 6
even oranges. Once the various fruit-bearing trees were (2, see Monster Manual)
kept separate, in neat rows, but over the last few centuries 36-45 Human Zombies 4
they have grown wild. Their branches have tangled togeth- (5, see Monster Manual)
er, creating a thick, dense canopy as they struggle for the 46-55 Dust mephit 3
sunlight necessary for them to survive. (see Monster Manual)
56-65 Krenshar pack 3
Encounters in Hurim (3, see Monster Manual)
For the most part, the valley of Hurim lies silently beneath 66-75 Kender Nightstalker* 4
its curse. However, the necromantic energies flowing 76-85 Hyena pack 5
through the outer valley are powerful enough to create (5, see Monster Manual)
restless dead. 86-95 Stirge flock 4
During the day, most of the valley’s unnatural denizens (8, see Monster Manual)
are not active. There is only a 10% chance per hour that a 96-100 No encounter
random encounter occurs during the daylight hours.
At night, when the moons are overhead, the entire valley * Unique encounter. Do not use the same encounter
is covered with a sinuous, cold fog that floats above the twice, either roll again or treat as no encounter.
ground. There is a 25% chance per hour that a random
encounter occurs during the hours of darkness.
Note that the EL of any encounter with an undead is Night
increased by +1 because of the effects of the desecrate curse d% Encounter EL
upon the valley. This adjustment is already included in the 01-04 Wights 6
listed ELs below. (2, see Monster Manual)
05-15 Ogre Skeletons 5
Kender Nightstalker 16-25 Human Skeletons 5
A young kender nightstalker, one of those rare kender gift- (12, see Monster Manual)
ed (or cursed) with the ability to commune with the spirits 26-35 Ogre Zombies 6
of the dead, has found himself drawn to the ruins by an (2, see Monster Manual)
unheard voice that has been haunting him. 36-45 Human Zombies 4
If the characters run across Shroud, as he’ll proudly (5, see Monster Manual)
introduce himself, they’ll find him casually holding a skull 46-55 Shadows 6
and looking at it seriously as he talks to it, asking it all sorts (2, see Monster Manual)
of odd questions and generally being a kender: What hap- 56-65 Monstrous Scorpions, Medium 4
pened here? Do you know my Aunt Ashe? What’s your name? (4, see Monster Manual).
Scuttles? Hey, Scuttles, have I told you about the time that my 66-75 Kender Nightstalker* 4
Aunt Ashe talked to the spirit of Fistandantalus? She said that 76-85 Bat swarm 2
he was a skull, just like you, ‘cept he had all his teeth, and... (see Monster Manual)
Alternately, Shroud could show up at any encounter 86-95 Stirge flock 4
where the characters may find themselves threatened of (8, see Monster Manual)
being overwhelmed by any undead and lend a hand. If the 96-100 No encounter
PCs need an extra hand, Shroud can very easily tag along
for the duration of their stay in the valley, providing assis- * Unique encounter.
tance when necessary, although he should not constantly
be saving the characters. He should be used as back-up,
running back and forth between wounded individuals to
Thanator “Shroud” Grave-Eyes: ; hp 27 see page 164.
provide them with assistance, or to help deal with any Notes: Shroud is not the stereotypical kender. Although
incorporeal undead that are threatening to overwhelm the he is a true kender, he doesn’t randomly borrow stuff from
party. anyone he meets. Instead, he seems to pick up little
Shroud can be encountered anywhere within the valley mementos, like small pieces of headstones, little slivers of
or within the Shattered Temple. bone, grave dust, even the odd skull.

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 49

Ogre Skeletons fog that creeps across the ground. A mesa pillar
As the characters pass through a large, clear area filled with towers high above the fog, with a dark watchtower
skeletal remains of humans and ogres, the ground beneath perched atop the mesa, looming ominously over-
their feet erupts (allow the characters a Listen check DC 17 head.
to notice the faint rumbling, otherwise they are caught flat-
footed) and 2 ogre skeletons attack, each wielding massive
greatswords and wearing rusting breastplates. The symbols on the canyon walls are warning glyphs in

Ogre Skeletons: hp 26; see page 165. the language of the Khur nomads. A Decipher Script check
(DC 15) reveals that to any who are unable to speak
Sites in Hurim Khurish.
The following section details the valley of Hurim, exclud- Just as the characters get their first look at the interior
ing the plateau of the Shattered Temple that begins of the valley, allow them to make a resisted Spot check
Chapter Three. All areas are under the effects of desecrate, against a Hide +8 or a Listen check against a Move Silently
which effectively increases the EL for each encounter with +8. Those who succeed at their Spot or Listen checks
undead creatures by +1. If the characters find a way to notice a pack of mountain lions lurking on the cliffs above,
neutralize the effect of the desecrate temporarily, feel free to preparing to strike. If the characters fail their checks, then
still award them XP for the indicated EL. the mountain lions will attack en masse.

Mountain Lions (4): hp 19, 18, 17, 16; see leopard
RH1. Valley Entrance (EL 6) entry in Monster Manual.
Tactics: The mountain lions are starving, and mad with
oward the canyon you see the high, sheer walls hunger and their proximity to the valley. They will attack
T of the mesa cliffs on either side. There is evi-
dence of numerous landslides and collapses, yet
swiftly and violently, using the terrain to their advantage.
Terrain: The mountain lions strike the characters when
you can make out painted symbols that have faded they reach a steep, uphill slope. Characters moving uphill
and been repainted many times over the centuries. (to an adjacent square of a higher elevation) must spend 2
A supernatural breeze that doesn’t stir your squares of movement to enter each square. Characters run-
clothing, but seems to penetrate your flesh and ning or charging downhill (moving to an adjacent square
strike deep into your bones, passes you. Up ahead a of lower elevation) must succeed on a DC 15 Balance check
dusty valley stands shrouded in a strange, nebulous (base DC 10 check, modified by +5 because of the dense

What Shroud Knows…

As a nightstalker, Shroud knows a considerable amount places left untouched. Like this... or like this one place
about undead, particularly about spirits. Unless the that I visited just last month, you see, I was...!”
characters try and chase him off (which they may, given
that he is a kender), they’ll find Shroud more than will- Why does the valley seem so cold? Why are the spirits
ing to communicate—perhaps far more than they want so strong here?
to know! “The curse on the valley bound the spirits of the
Generally, you can use Shroud to provide the charac- ogres within. Unfortunately, over time, the presence of
ters with some clues about the valley and the Shattered the undead has caused the valley to become a cursed
Temple. He knows about the twisted dryad in the Wild place. Here, the barrier between the living world and the
Orchard (“Woo, you don’t wanna go in there, ‘less you spirit world is very thin, which allows the spirits of the
wanna meet this crazy woman with leaves for hair, thorns restless dead to draw upon the energy of the otherworld
for claws, and a mean streak wider than the Blood Sea!”) and grow stronger. Some magics do temporarily ease the
as well as about the Guardian’s Tower (“There’s a couple curse, at least for a little while…like spells that ward off
of shadows up there that seem pretty intent on guardin’ evil, or that cleanse the taint of death away, but they
something. They don’t like to talk, though, and they chased only last so long. You know, that reminds me of some-
me outta there right quickly!”). thing my Aunt Ashe once told me…she found this ring
that would allow her to…”
Why are there spirits here? Didn’t all the spirits leave
following the War of Souls? How can the curse on the valley be lifted?
“Not all the spirits left. The spirits in this valley are “I dunno, honestly. I’m still learnin’ all ‘bout the
under a curse...a curse laid upon them by one of the fall- curse in the first place! However, I think it has somethin’
en gods. Even though he no longer resides in the heav- to do with bringing the traitor to true justice, ‘least that’s
ens, his strength still lingers... particularly in ancient what old Scuttles was telling me.”

50 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

rubble) upon entering the first steep slope square. ment, but it is covered with scree—a field of shifting grav-
Characters who fail this check stumble and must end their el. Scree increases the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by
movement 1d2x5 feet later. Characters who fail by 5 or 2 on a gradual slope, as well as increasing the DC of Move
more fall prone in the square where they end their move- Silently checks by 2.
ment. A steep slope also increases the DC of Tumble checks A random encounter on the plateau should take such
by 2. Tthe dense rubble also causes the DC of Balance and considerations into account.
Tumble checks to be increased by +5 (cumulative with
other penalties), and the DC of Move Silently checks RH2B. Land Bridge
increase by +2. Remember, this also affects the mountain
lions! he narrow land bridge slopes up toward the
If any character, or the mountain lions, critically fumble
an attack, they must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 15),
T larger plateau upon which rests the dark tower.
No more than 10 feet across at its widest, it is cov-
or else tumble down the slope, triggering a small landslide. ered by loose sand gravel that makes the climb a bit
If the saving throw is successful, no damage is taken; other- more difficult.
wise the creature or character suffers 3d6 points of damage
and is buried. Buried creatures take 1d6 points of nonlethal
damage per minute. If a buried character falls unconscious, The land bridge is a steep slope covered with scree.
he or she must make a DC 15 Constitution check or take Characters moving uphill must spend 2 squares of move-
1d6 points of lethal damage each minute thereafter until ment to enter each square of steep slope. Characters run-
freed or dead. A buried character can be freed with a suc- ning or charging downhill must succeed on a DC 10
cessful Break check (DC 18). Balance check upon entering the first steep slope square.
Characters who fail this check stumble and must end their
RH2. The Guardians’ Tower movement 1d2x5 feet later. Characters who fail by 5 or
more fall prone in the square where they end their move-
erched atop the pillar mesa in the center of the ment. A character that stumbles must make a second
P canyon leading into the valley of Huirm is a tall
watchtower.
Balance or Tumble check (DC 10) to avoid rolling off of
the bridge and falling to the ground below.
The mesa actually consists of two stone pillars, The DC of Balance and Tumble checks on the slope is
the smaller one rising about 25 feet above the increased by 5 (DC 15 total) because of the scree, which
ground, while the larger rises up sharply to about also increases the difficulty to Move Silently checks by 2.
75 feet. A bridge of stone arches between the two If a character falls from the bridge, he or she will take
pillars, while a rough-hewn stairway allows one to 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet that they fall. The
ascend the stone pillars from the northern side. bridge is 25 feet high near the small plateaus (RH2A), 50
feet tall in the middle, and 75 feet tall toward the large
plateau (RH2C).
In case the characters wish to explore the guardians’ If you wish to use a random encounter here, use flying
tower, the area has been broken down into smaller descrip- creatures (such as the
tive areas for ease of reference. swarm of bats or
stirges), who will
RH2A. Small Plateau have the greater
advantage as the
top the stone stairs is the first, small plateau. characters will
A Only a little more than 50 feet wide, the
ground is rough and uneven with evidence that
have only limited
room to move as
some of the ground has been destabilized by recent long as they
earthquakes. While the ground feels secure beneath remain on the
your feet, the rocky surface could prove to be bridge.
treacherous if care is not taken.
To the south, the ground begins to rise, creat-
ing a narrow land bridge that arches up toward the
higher mesa. The bridge is narrow, perhaps 10 feet
across. A single wrong step could send one falling
to the ground, crashing into the jagged rocks that
have accumulated beneath the bridge.

The small plateau has a gradual slope, leading up to the

land bridge. The slope isn’t steep enough to effect move-

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 51

52 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds
RH2C. Large Plateau cated areas easily while a Medium or larger character who
steps on a piece of treacherous floor will cause the flag-
ou come upon an area of level ground, surpris- stones to collapse.
Y ingly free of much of the rubble that seems to
have accumulated elsewhere. Built in the center of
 Treacherous Floor: CR 1; mechanical; location trig-
ger; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 10 ft. deep (1d6, fall); Search
the plateau is the watchtower. DC 24; Disable Device 20.
Standing about 50 feet tall, the edifice of the
tower is of solid basalt, giving the tower a darkness RH2D. The Tower’s Murder Room (possible EL
even in the desert sun. At nighttime, or when the 4)
shadows of the canyon walls are cast upon the
plateau the watchtower becomes a dark shadow. hrough the open doorway,
Signs of age and weather are clear in the tower’s
outer façade, with large cracks streaking across the
T you see a strange series of
rooms. A hallway, 10 feet wide
stone, loose rubble piled along and 30 feet long, leads to a small
the tower’s walls. The tower doorway. The ground is littered
slopes in slightly from the base with skeletal remains, most of
to the parapets atop the build- which have disintegrated into
ing. dust. However, a few large
The only visible entrance skulls, and even complete skele-
into the tower is a single door tons buried in the dust lend a
that has long since been torn clue to the invaders who died
down and turned to dust. on the Night of Betrayal—
Along the first floor of the ogres by the size of them.
tower, arrow slits are equally As you begin to pick your
spaced apart around the entire way through the littered hall-
perimeter. Each upper floor has way, you feel a strange chill run
two open windows, altogether down your spine, as if some-
providing a view of every direc- one is watching you.
tion.

The first floor of the tower is

Standing 75 feet off the divided into a long entry hallway
ground, the large plateau over- that leads into numerous small
looks the entire valley. From here, rooms. Along the hallway there are
one can pretty much see in every direction, from arrow slits carved into both walls.
the Wild Orchard (RH3) and the fallow fields, to the Path Designed to force any invading army
of the Gods (RH5) and the Temple Plateau. to break up and slow down, the mur-
Doors: All of the doors on the first floor, unless other- der hall served its purpose well on the
wise indicated, were battered down during the Night of Night of Betrayal. Throughout the
Betrayal. Since then, they have either petrified or deterio- tower are scattered the skeletal remains of both the human
rated away. defenders and the ogre invaders with the highest concen-
The trapdoors in the ceilings leading up to the other tration (at least upon first inspection) being the first floor
levels have all been petrified. They are as hard as stone and of the tower.
are not easy to lift. They are also located fifteen feet off of Give the characters a chance to make resisted Spot check
the ground, requiring some effort to reach them. against a Hide check (if it is nighttime, the Hide check is
 Trap Doors: 2 inches thick, 8 hardness; hp 40; Break +12, while it’s only +4 during daytime). Those who suc-
DC 25, Stuck DC 28. ceed against the check notice a flickering movement of
Walls: The outer walls of the tower are of hewn stone, shadows through the arrow slits along the western wall,
while the inner walls are superior masonry. although no matter how sharp their hearing (or how suc-
 Hewn Stone Outer Walls: At least 3 feet thick, hard- cessful a Listen check they score), they can hear nothing.
ness 8; hp 540; AC 3; bread DC 50; Climb DC 22. If it is nighttime when the characters are in the murder
 Superior Masonry Inner Walls: 1 foot thick, hardness hall, a shadow will pass through the wall (from the second
8; hp 90; AC 3; break DC 35; Climb DC 20. room from the south) and strike at the closest character
Floors & Ceilings: Unless otherwise indicated, the floors standing there.
of the watchtower are flagstone, held up by hewn timbers. Creature: One of the shadows “living” in the basement
Many of the timbers are brittle and dry, making certain will attack the characters, lured out by the sound of move-
areas (indicated upon the map of the guardian’s tower) ment and the sense of living creatures close at hand.
treacherous. Small characters are able to walk over the indi-
Shadow: hp 19, see Monster Manual.

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 53

 Tactics: Remember that the watchtower is located with- The second floor is divided into three rooms: two small-
in the area affected by desecrate. er chambers, divided by narrow walls, and a larger room
The shadow will take full advantage of its incorporeal with access doors in the ceiling all leading up to the third
nature, seeking to strike at characters with hit and run tac- floor.
tics: passing through one wall, striking a character, then There are two sections of the floor that are particularly
passing through another wall as quickly as possible. It will weak on this level. One is just outside the door of the
continue to do so, seeking to lure the characters through northwest chamber, and one is along the center of the
the connecting rooms of the murder hall. The shadow will southern wall of the primary chamber. If characters enter
concentrate its attacks on a single character, in order to slay the primary chamber from the northwest, allow them a
the character and spawn another shadow. Spot check (DC 20) to notice that the floor is weak before
If it is daytime, the shadow will only strike once before stepping through the door.
retreating to the basement below, well away from the sun- Once the characters safely pass in to the primary room,
light that weakens it. read them the following:
Treasure: Any equipment and weapons the skeletons
once had has long since been ruined by exposure to the n the main chamber of the second floor, you can
elements. I hear the creaking of the wood planks beneath the
stone as they groan in protest. Your footsteps kick
eeper into the tower you notice that the trail of up small bursts of dust and sand. Skeletons lay scat-
D skeletons begins to shift slightly, and more and
more you see smaller skeletons mingling with the
tered across the floor, their flesh long since picked
clean.
larger skeletons of the ogres. Overhead, two small trap doors lead upward
The doors have been battered down, torn off to the tower’s third floor, although they are at least
their hinges and splintered, leaving only fractured fifteen feet up.
remains that have long since petrified. Along the
walls you see where attempts were made to break
down the stone. There are no holes in the walls Once the characters are in the room, allow them an
large enough for anyone bigger than a kender to opposed Spot check against 1d20+14. Those characters
squeeze through. who succeed notice that in either corner of the room, along
the southern wall, there lies a large, cocoon-like nest.
If any of the characters fall through the floor, the inhab-
The murder hall continues farther back before splitting itants of the nest will immediately swarm out of their nest
off to either side in a series of smaller rooms. All of the and attack. If the characters enter the room quietly, have
doors have been broken down, a trail of skeletal remains the stirges make a resisted Listen check (+4) against the
(with fewer and fewer ogres but more and more human character’s Move Silently checks; otherwise the characters
skeletons) leading through the halls. In some areas, the may have the opportunity to catch the stirges flat-footed.
walls have been broken, but not in any area large enough Creatures: A flock of stirges has made their nests on the
for any creature Medium size or larger to squeeze through. second floor of the tower with three stirges in each nest.
At the northern end of either hallway, the characters will
Stirges (6): hp 7, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4; see Monster Manual.
find trap doors in the ceiling (15 feet up) that lead to the Tactics: The stirges attack in swarms each seeking to
next floor. There are also hidden trap doors in the floor, latch on to the closest victim in order to feed. As the stirges
concealed beneath bones and sand. Characters may locate can fly, they will utilize their flight to attack from above,
the secret door with a successful Search check (DC 23). much like insects. If one deals 4 points of Constitution
Both the hidden trap doors lead into the basement damage, it will attempt to fly out one of the windows to
(RH2H). escape, as will any stirge who is battered or chased away.
 Hidden Trap Door: 4 inches thick, 8 hardness; hp 60;
Break DC 28; Open Lock DC 28. RH2F. Third Floor

hrough the trap door there is yet another small

RH2E. Second Floor

he second floor of the tower has support beams

T room, no more than fifteen feet by fifteen feet.
The door leading out of the room, unlike the ones
T holding up the floor. You can see that the floor
has rotted through in some areas, while it has pet-
on the other floors, is still standing and is closed.

rified in others. Narrow windows provide some

natural light, but the illumination only reveals cob- Both the doors on the third floor are still standing. They
webs thick in the rafters and piles of sand that have have been warped and are difficult to get through,
accumulated over the years. although not quite as difficult as the trap doors have been.
In the western room, the floor in the northeastern cor-
ner is treacherous and could easily give way.

54 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

  Warped Doors: 2 inches thick, hardness 6; hp 30;
Break DC 23; Open Lock DC 25. he spectral guardian appears once more,

hrough the doorway you see a room only

T although this time, there is a sense of peace
upon his features as he looks at you.
T slightly larger than the one you are in now.
Oddly, it seems completely barren of any bodies,
“Thank you. Truly, you have been sent by the
gods to answer a prayer long ago uttered in desper-
except for a single skeleton slumped against the ation. Please, take what were my possessions as a
northern wall, a loaded crossbow propped on its small token of my gratitude. Behind my body, you
lap and a gleaming longsword resting upon the will find a secret compartment… in there, you will
ground close at hand. Suddenly, a faint glow begins find a journal that I kept, a journal that may pro-
to infuse the skeletal remains and a ghostly image vide you with some help in the Shattered Temple.
suddenly rises to its feet—a swarthy human war- Be careful, my friends…the shadow of an ancient
rior, clad in translucent armor reminiscent of an evil still hovers over the temple.”
ancient Istarian warrior wielding a ghostly blade. The already translucent figure begins to grow
Stepping forward, away from its body, the more and more faint, fading away as if being swept
spectral warrior brings his sword up , gazing at you into the currents of an invisible river.
with hollow eyes burning with light as he whispers “Farewell… may the gods watch over you.”
in a deep voice that echoes oddly in the room,
“What brings you here?”
Along the center of the north wall, behind the
Guardian’s body, there is a secret compartment (DC 20 to
The ghostly warrior was the commander of the locate). The compartment is both locked and trapped, and
guardians in life. In death, he stands as a guardian still, it has not been touched in hundreds of years.
only this time he is bound by the vow he made with his last  Secret Compartment: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp
breath, “to live on until the day that the spirits of his men 60; Break DC 28; Locked DC 28.
find peace.” Most of the Guardian’s men found peace in the  Poison Gas Trap: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger;
afterlife, but a few have lingered on as shadows, bound in manual reset; gas; multiple targets (all targets in a ten foot
death by their rage at the slaughter of their comrades. Over by ten foot area immediately before the trap); never miss;
time, even many of those shadows have faded, leaving only onset delay (2 rounds); poison (ungul dust, DC 15
the two that now dwell in the tower’s basement. Fortitude save resists, 1 Cha/1d6 Cha plus 1 Cha drain);
Allow the characters a chance to explain their presence Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 16.
in the valley. If they are upfront and direct about their rea- In the compartment, the characters will find a small
sons, and if those reasons are truly just (explaining the iron chest, which shows remarkably little sign of rust or
quest that led them here, etc.), the Guardian will respond decay. Inside the chest there is a leather pouch that crum-
with equal candor. If Shroud is with the characters, he will bles upon being touched, spilling forth 250 Istarian gold
keep quiet for as long as possible, but at the first opportu- pieces (which are pretty much worthless now, except to
nity, he will start pestering the spectral minion, asking collectors of Istarian antiquities), a leatherbound journal
numerous questions about ghosts, spirits, the valley, (which contains notes about the Shattered Temple and the
favorite foods in life, and other such nonsensical queries. Night of Betrayal, see Handout), 2 potions of neutralize poi-
If the characters act hostile, the Guardian will respond son, a potion of remove disease, and 2 potions of cure moder-
with equal hostility. As his obsession is to remain “alive” ate wounds.
until the last of his men have found peace, he gains a +2 Creatures: The only creature on this floor is the spec-
morale bonus on all skill checks, ability checks, attack rolls, tral minion known only as the Guardian (a male human
or saving throws. 4th-level fighter in life).
Depending upon how the characters approach the
The Guardian (Spectral Minion, Ftr4): hp 26; see
Guardian, they may either ask what keeps his spirit bound page 165.
here or you may choose to have him ask the characters for Treasure: The Guardian’s equipment is still in good
their aid. He will ask the characters if they could go into repair, even though it has languished on his skeleton for
the basement of the Guardian Tower, where they will find more than 300 years. The skeleton is wearing a +1 breast-
the restless spirits of two of his men that have lingered, plate, and although the light crossbow on his lap has dete-
trapped by their own hatred and rage in the darkness. If riorated, the quiver at his side is filled with 10 silver bolts
the characters agree to put them to rest, he will thank them and 10 +1 bolts. Near at hand, the Guardian’s longsword is
for their assistance and offer to reward them upon their a +1 shocking burst longsword of blue-tinted steel that has a
return. He will then return to his body and fade away. lightning bolt motif etched into the blade (the sword is
If the characters successfully put the spirits of the two known as Kiss of the Desert Sky).
shadows to rest, and return to tell the Guardian of their XP Award: If the characters defeat the shadows in the
accomplishment he will manifest one last time. They expe- basement they will help put the spirit of the Guardian to
rience the following: rest. Award them full experience points for the encounter.

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 55

RH2G. Roof reach. In the basement, the shadows are definitely at an
advantage as long as it is dark, which enables them to blend
he roof of the tower has been scoured bare by in and Hide very easily.
T the harsh desert winds, the stones worn
smooth by the years. From up here, one can clearly
Note that if the characters have already dealt with one of
the shadows, it may be injured or already defeated.
see across the entire valley. Skeletons of human Remember to adjust the EL of the encounter to reflect that.
warriors lay scattered across the stones picked clean You can also choose to have a few skeletons animate and
by various scavengers until little remains but the attack the characters if you believe that the encounter is
bare bones yellowed by time and the elements. going too easily for them.
Treasure: The equipment of the two guards who died
down here has since become worthless.
During the Night of Betrayal when the ogres invaded
the valley, many guards stood upon this roof and fought to RH3. The Wild Orchard
the death. Now, it stands as a solemn memorial to the
brave warriors who died trying to defend their people. his massive grove has grown wild over the
There is nothing of interest upon the roof, except that
the roof does provide a possible setting for a random
T years, a strange growth considering the lack of
life found throughout the rest of the valley. The
encounter. branches of various fruit-bearing trees have knitted
together high overhead to create a dense canopy
RH2H. Basement that prevents any sunlight, what little reaches the
valley anymore, from penetrating to the forest
s you open the trap door leading into the base- floor.
A ment, you are greeted by a blast of cool air and
the scent of dust, death, and decay. The darkness of
In the moist darkness of the undergrowth, var-
ious molds and fungi have grown wild, filling the
the basement is absolute, pitch black and cold… a air with the rich, almost heady, scent of yeast.
wall of shadows that holds something even darker As you begin to move deeper and deeper into
within. the grove, feel as if something is watching you.
Something inhuman. Something that does not
want you here.
The basement of the Guardian Tower is a single, large
room with four pillars supporting the structure above. The
ceiling is ten-feet tall, making it a bit smaller than the other The orchard is a place filled with life, although much of
floors of the tower. The walls and the floor are of hewn the life is twisted and a mockery of the natural cycle of
stone. Scattered throughout the room are the bodies of ten things. However, the grove is the one place in the valley
human skeletons. that no undead or spirits will enter. The presence of the
In this room, ten Guardians died of dehydration and dryad and her vital life energy has actually created a barrier
starvation, trapped in the room after the Night of Betrayal. that has not only prevented the spirits from entering, but
Because of the curse, and their own rage and hatred, the actually prevents the desecrate effect from fully functioning.
ten Guardians became shadows and haunted the valley. In the orchard, there are three small hot springs, each of
Over time, the shadows faded until only two now remain. which is fed by an underwater spring. The three springs
There is no communicating with the shadows. Even form a rough triangle, at the very center of which lies the
Shroud, if he’s present, cannot get anything from the shad- oak tree of a dryad. Unfortunately, among the horrors of
ows except for a sensation of unending hatred and rage. the Night of Blood, the Curse, the Cataclysm, the War of
The moment anyone steps into the basement, both shad- the Lance, the Chaos War, and the War of Souls, the once
ows will attack, utilizing the darkness to their advantage. lively dryad who watched over the grove has been driven
Remember that the area is affected by the desecrate effects, mad.
which may make the shadows difficult to defeat. If the characters continue to head deeper into the
Creatures: Two shadows dwell in the basement, the spir- orchard they will encounter the dryad the moment they
its of two Guardians who died trapped in the basement reach, or pass between, any of the hot springs. Read the fol-
while their allies fought the ogres up above. lowing:
Note that if the characters have already dealt with one of
the shadows in the encounter on the first floor, then there n the orchard you detect a new scent rising in the
will only be one shadow down here. Otherwise, both shad-
ows can be found in the basement.
I air, a scent that smells vaguely like sulfur. The air
becomes a bit heavier and humid, perspiration

Shadows (2): hp 19, 17; see Monster Manual. breaking out across your forehead as you suddenly
Tactics: The shadows will make the most of their incor- see a strange figure separate herself from the trees.
poreal nature, striking in passing, hiding within the sup- A delicate looking woman stands there, and at
port columns, the walls, and the floor, while striking out of first glance, she seems elven, although almost

56 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

 instantly you begin to notice other things about her RH4. The Dry Spring (EL 5, night only)
as well: her flesh is dark and knotty like tree bark,
with a thick, sickly looking moss spreading across his was once a deep, natural spring fed by an
her limbs. Her fingers end in long, thorn-like claws,
and her hair crackles in the breeze like the dead
T underground river, but the flow has long since
been sealed by fallen boulders and the spring has
leaves of winter. Her eyes glow with an unnatural dried up, leaving a bed of cracked dirt and parched
incandescence as she snarls like a feral wolf, speak- sand.
ing harshly in the Common tongue, “Be gone, now, The ground is uneven and rough, with jagged
or your flesh shall be flayed from your body and my rocks sticking out of the ground, looking far too
pretty flowers shall drink of your blood as your much like a graveyard for comfort. You begin to
bones are ground into the earth beneath my feet.” notice that some of the jagged rocks aren’t rocks
after all, they’re the half-buried remains of people
who must have drowned before the spring van-
If the characters do not immediately leave, or if they ished.
start acting hostile, the dryad will immediately attack.
Creatures: The only way to truly defeat the dryad is to
deal with her tree. The oak can be dealt with in one of two This vast bed of dried sand used to be a natural spring,
ways, if the characters can find it (requiring both a success- fed by an underground river. Many people died in the lake
ful Survival check DC 20 and a Spellcraft check DC 15 to as the ogres made sport of tossing prisoners in before the
identify it). Curse swept across them as well. The same night that the
The characters can chop down, or otherwise destroy the Curse swept across the valley, the rocks on the cliff over-
oak tree. The oak tree is Huge, with an AC of 3, a hardness head tumbled into the water, cutting off the flow of the
of 10, and 65 hit points (to cut down). Of course, the underground river.
dryad will do anything in her power to prevent her tree Now, the area serves as a pathetic mass grave, filled with
from being destroyed. the corpses of many who died that night. During the day,
Alternately, if a character casts consecrate, lesser or there is a thin mist that rises from the center of the dried
greater restoration, remove disease, or a similar beneficial lake. At night, the mist thickens until it seems as if the
spell upon the tree, allow the dryad to make a Fortitude entire dried basin is filled with a lake of eerie, greenish mist
saving throw against DC 10 + spell level + spellcaster’s that glows with an incandescent radiance. Unfortunately,
casting modifier (such as Intelligence for a wizard charac- also at night, a wraith manifests within the mist crying out
ter, Charisma for a sorcerer, or Wisdom for a cleric or mys- a phantom song of hatred and pain. Sensing the presence
tic). If she succeeds on the saving throw, she will be of the characters, the wraith will immediately attack,
released from her madness. although it will not stray more than ten yards away from

Assassin Vines (2): hp 30, 27; see Monster Manual. the edge of the basin.

Twisted Dryad: hp 15; see Monster Manual. Creatures: A single wraith haunts the basin, the spirit of
Tactics: The dryad uses her speak with plants ability to a wicked human thief who happened to be caught in the
direct the assassin vines toward those who may prove to be crossfire on the Night of Betrayal. As the ogres captured
the greatest threat: druids, wizards, etc. She will use entan- him, they threw him into the lake along with many of the
gle to try and keep anyone from rushing her, then call upon rest of those who surrendered, wanting to see if “cowards
her charm person and suggestion spell-like abilities to try could float long enough to beg for their freedom at dawn.”
and turn ally against ally. If pressed, she will retreat using The thief was one of the first to drown. Now, centuries
tree stride to escape, but as long as the characters remain in later, his restless spirit senses living creatures and he wants
the orchard she will bedevil them constantly. vengeance…even if it isn’t against those who killed him.
Treasure: Over the years, the dryad has acquired a small
Wraith: hp 32; see Monster Manual.
hoard of treasure that she keeps buried beneath the roots
of her tree: 3 potions of cure moderate wounds, 2 potions of RH5. Path of the Gods
barkskin +3, an oil of daylight, three silver daggers, and a
ring of swimming. To find the hoard the characters must ear the heart of the valley, a natural formation
make a Search check (DC 20) to locate where she has hid-
den them. Alternately, if the characters release the dryad
N of the earth has created a gently sloping rise
that leads to a plateau. On top of the plateau, you
from her madness, she will gladly give them everything she can make out the shape of the Shattered Temple,
has gathered. flanked on either side by colossal stone statues both
XP Award: If the characters free the dryad from her of which seem to have fallen prey to time and the
madness instead of killing her award them full experience elements.
for the encounter, plus a bonus award of +1 EL. The walkway leading up to the plateau is wide,
easily one hundred feet wide and six hundred feet
long before it reaches the plateau, which is itself at
least fifty feet high.

Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds Q 57

 Spaced equidistantly apart on both sides of the the temple, and they haven’t already explored the
rise you can see that there were once ten large stat- Guardian’s Tower or the Wild Orchard, you can use Shroud
ues, carved of a rare, pure white marble which isn’t to gently coax them along because he wants to “show them
indigenous to this area. Five statues are on each something really interesting.”
side, and seem to have faced one another, although As the characters crest the top of the rise, they will feel a
now none of the statues stand tall anymore, for all noticeable difference in the air. On top of the plateau, the
of them have been knocked down and defaced desecrate effect that fills the rest of the valley is cancelled.
many, many years ago. Now, all you can see are Even though the statues of the gods have been destroyed,
traces of a foot here, a leg over there, half a hand- there was enough sacred energy imbued within them to
some face sticking out of the sand, a marble sword provide some bolster against the negative energy of the
half-buried in the stone, and other such artifacts Curse. The plateau provides the characters a relatively safe,
that lend evidence to the glorious works of art that quite place to rest before continuing into the Shattered
they once must have been. Temple itself to confront what destiny has in store for
The path between the fallen statues looks them.
rocky, and the footing doesn’t seem to be all that
safe, but nothing but rock, stone, and distance sep-
arate you from the temple above.

This natural walkway was once

known as the Path of the Gods, for
the walkway was guarded by the
“lesser” gods of light (Solinari at the
bottom, Branchala, Majere, Habbakuk,
and Kiri-Jolith), leading to the Temple,
which itself was flanked by the Father
(Paladine) and Mother (Mishakal) of the
Gods. During the Night of Betrayal, ogre
mages gleefully used their most destructive
magics to level the statues, shattering the
morale of the enemy and bolstering the brav-
ery of their own people, who were afraid to
pass beneath the watchful gaze of the Gods of
Light.
If the characters haven’t run into Shroud
yet, allow them to do so here, where they’ll
find him picking among the fallen statues,
looking for mementos. For the Shattered
Temple, Shroud provides an excellent guide. He
can communicate with some of
the spectral flickers found
within the temple. Don’t use
Shroud if there is already a
player character who
specializes in spirits.
The focus should
always remain with
the PCs being the
key characters to the
adventure. Shroud is
just provided in case
characters get into a
situation where they
need help.
Additionally, if you feel
that the characters
need a bit more experi-
ence before heading in to

58 Q Chapter Two: The Mystery Unfolds

 Chapter Three
The Shattered Temple
he Shattered Temple was once the largest temple Below ground, the temple stretches more than 80 feet

T dedicated to the Gods of Light in southeastern

Ansalon. Once it was constructed, pilgrims came
from miles around to pay homage at the temple and to
speak with the prophets who dwelled within the valley.
down. Each floor is approximately 15 feet tall, with 5 feet
of solid stone dividing each level. Steep staircases connect
each level of the temple.

Unfortunately, one of the temple’s high priests turned his Features of the Shattered Temple
face from the light and embraced the darkness. He struck a The following features are common throughout the
deal with the Lord of Undeath and betrayed his people to Shattered Temple unless specifically indicated otherwise.
the ogres of Blöde. In a single night, almost every living Doors: The doors in the Shattered Temple, particularly
creature within the valley was slain and the valley itself was on the first four levels, are neither locked or stuck unless
cursed, a curse that lingers almost 700 years later. otherwise noted. Interior doors come in one of three types,
either strong wood doors hewn from hardwood gathered
from the orchard, carved stone doors hewn from sand-
Architecture of the Shattered Temple stone, or iron doors inset with ancient symbols. Some
The Shattered Temple is divided into two general sections: doors are trapped or possess special qualities. They are
the temple above ground and the temple below ground. noted in their entries.
Built in the desert, constructing the temple partially under-
Strong Wood Door: 2 inches thick, hardness 5; hp 20;
ground enabled the clergy to keep the temple cool even in AC 5; break DC 25; Open Lock DC 30 if locked.
the heat of summer.
Stone Door: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp 60; break
The craftsmanship of the temple is dwarven, built by DC 28; Open Lock DC 28 if locked.
dwarven clerics of Reorx and Shinare as a favor to the
Iron Door: 2 inches thick, hardness 10; hp 60; break
priests of Hurim. Dwarven characters will be able to recog- DC 28; Open Lock DC 28 if locked.
nize the craftsmanship, and although it does not compare Walls: There are three types of walls within the
with the architecture of the dwarven cities, it is still of a Shattered Temple: the exterior walls of the two levels above
quality unseen in human lands since before the fall of Istar. ground, the exterior walls of the levels below ground, and
There is only one entrance leading into the Shattered the interior walls. The walls above ground are reinforced
Temple. This was both a blessing and a curse when the masonry, the exterior walls below ground are hewn stone,
Shattered Temple came under siege on the Night of and all of the interior walls are superior masonry. The
Betrayal. Though it limited the number of ogres invading outer walls of the levels below ground are carved directly
the halls of the temple, there was no way that the priests from the solid sandstone of the earth. Breaking through the
within could escape. They could have easily walls is not impossible, but would be similar to
sealed themselves within the temple, and mining solid stone, requiring proper tools and time
were in the process of doing so, when they to work.
were betrayed by one of their own.
Reinforced Masonry: 5 feet thick,
The majority of the temple is construct- hardness 8; hp 900; AC 33; break 45; Climb
ed of carved sandstone blocks that were DC 15.
perfectly shaped and fitted by skilled
Superior Masonry: 1 foot thick,
dwarven craftsmen. The temple is hardness 8; hp 180; break 35; Climb DC
shaped like a pyramid, providing 20.
increased stability and Floors: The floors of the
support for the various levels. Shattered Temple are all smooth,
Great care went into the plan- polished flagstones, though they
ning, design, and execution are now covered with dirt,
of the final temple, as it was grime, skeletal remains, and
meant to be a symbol of the debris. In most areas,
gods presence even in the des- unless otherwise indicated,
olate wilderness of Khur. assume light rubble is on
Above ground, the tem- the ground, increasing the
ple is about 35 feet tall and DC of all Balance and
65 feet wide at the base, Tumble checks by 2.
with 2-1/2 foot tall steps lead- Ceilings: Ceilings of the
ing to a dais at the top where a flame Shattered Temple are 15
is kept constantly burning. feet high. Each level of the
 The Night of Betrayal
The Night of Betrayal happened at sundown of the 22nd only Chemosh truly reaped aught that night, as many of
day of Sirrimont, 280 years before the Cataclysm, almost those who died rose again as the restless dead.
700 years ago. Many scholars consider the Night of Word of the Night of Betrayal spread throughout the
Betrayal to be one of the Signs of Doom, the portents tribesman of Khur, carried upon the wings of dreams
given of the eventual fall of Istar, revealed centuries and visions. A group of shamans arrived at the valley
before the Kingpriest drew down the wrath of the gods. entrance two days later, and though they did not enter
A powerful and charismatic priest of Mishakal, whose the valley itself, they cast many prayers to ease the spirits
name has since been struck from the stories and legends of the dead into the next life, and marked the valley
of the tribes, stood as the temple’s High Master, second entrance with warnings of the curse within. Since that
only to the temple’s High Priest. By all accounts a pious time, no Khur nomad has stepped foot within the valley.
and dedicated cleric, as he grew older he felt his body Many spirits that wandered the desert at night are said
slipping out of his control, and even his most fervent to have come from the cursed valley, and many who
prayers to his goddess could not ease the inevitable died near the ruins found their souls drawn toward a
decline of aging. Slowly, bitterness and a sense of betray- place where the barrier between life and death had been
al toward his goddess led the priest to the Shrine of worn thin.
Darkness within the temple, a shrine where the evil gods When the Cataclysm struck, the valley entrance was
were honored (as were all the gods honored in the tem- sealed as the canyon filled with boulders and debris,
ple as a sign of piety). No one is certain what happened closing the cursed valley for more than 400 years. The
that night but it became obvious later that the priest Khur were greatly relieved, but their greatest shamans
struck a deal with Chemosh, the Lord of Undeath, who foretold that there would be a time when the valley
promised the priest immortality. would open once more releasing an ancient evil upon
Chemosh cloaked the priest’s soul, answering his the world.
prayers so that none in the temple were aware of the
transformation the priest had undergone. Only The War of Souls
Mishakal knew she had lost one of her favored children, When the Great Storm hit Ansalon, announcing the
but before the goddess could act, the priest struck a deal return of the Queen of Darkness, Takhisis, the spirits of
with the shamans of Blöde, allowing the ogre hordes to the dead were drawn in to her web. Many of the weaker
pour into the valley and slaughter the unsuspecting spirits within the Ruins of Hurim were also drawn into
inhabitants. As the priests of the temple tried to aid their the River of Souls as the Dark Queen used them to gath-
beleaguered followers, the Betrayer struck from within, er magic and power for her schemes. At the end of the
killing the High Priest in the Shrine of Light and using War, those spirits were released and carried upon the
his blood to desecrate the shrine to weaken the power of River to their next life.
the gods of Light. He then unleashed the minions of However, the veil between life and death in the valley
Chemosh from the darkest pits of the Abyss. As the is very thin, and the power of the curse, even though it
blood of the priests of light spilled upon the temple is almost 700 years old, is still powerful enough that
floor, they called down a curse upon the invaders that many of the spirits were unable to leave. Those that were
washed over the ogre hordes and struck them down strong enough and possessed of dark sentience (such as
where they stood. The Betrayer was driven into the tem- many of the intelligent undead within the ruins) pur-
ple’s catacomb where he sought refuge from the divine posefully stayed within the relative safety of the valley.
anger of the gods in the shelter of death. It was in the When the War of Souls ended, and the gods of Krynn
catacombs that a young acolyte, armed with a vision returned, Chemosh once more turned his eyes upon the
given to him by the goddess Mishakal and wielding a world and began plotting once again. It was he who
holy blade of divine light was able to strike down the caused the earthquake, opening the valley to the world,
Betrayer, though it cost him his life. In a single night, and it is he who keeps a sharp eye on what happens
hundreds of people, both innocents and ogres, died and within.

60 Q Key of Destiny
Key of Destiny Q 61
temple occupies a total height of about 25 feet, including
the stone floors and ceilings, except for the two levels above Shattered Temple Encounters
ground. The levels above ground are 12 feet tall, with 3- d% Encounter EL
foot thick ceilings. The temple was built primarily for 01-04 Medium Monstrous Spiders 3
humans, which was a disadvantage to the ogres as they (3, see Monster Manual)
invaded the temple, though it did little to affect the results 05-15 Allip 3
of the Night of Betrayal. (see Monster Manual)
Stairways: The steep stairs connecting each level are 16-25 Carrion crawler 4
hewn from solid stone and polished smooth, like the floors (see Monster Manual)
of the temple. Characters moving up steep stairs must 26-35 Falling Floor2
spend 2 squares of movement to enter each square of 36-45 Vargouilles 5
stairs. Characters running or charging down steep stairs (2, see Monster Manual)
must succeed on a DC 10 Balance check upon entering the 46-55 Rust monster 5
first steep stairs square. Characters who fail stumble and (2, see Monster Manual)
must end their movement 1d2x5 feet later. Characters who 56-65 Kobold Zombies 4
fail by 5 or more take 1d6 points of damage and fall prone (8, see Monster Manual)
in the square where they end their movement. 66-75 Green slime 4
Steep stairs increase the DC of Tumble checks by 5. 76-85 Human priest skeletons 3
Torches: Certain areas in the Shattered Temple, includ- (9, seeMonster Manual)
ing all of the open hallways on levels 2, 3, and 4, as well as 86-95 Ogre zombies 5
the Grand Hall (ST27) on level 5, have torches set into the (2, see Monster Manual)
walls at staggered 10-foot intervals. These torches are 96-100 No encounter
enchanted so that when any living creature passes within
10 feet, they automatically activate an effect similar to con-
tinual flame, illuminating a 10-foot radius. The con-
tinual flame will automatically snuff itself Not every location has flickers, though you can
out 1 minute after a living creature choose which ones you want to reveal, and even add
leaves the area of effect. The torches additional flickers along the way. Sometimes, the
only function as long as they remain flickers can actually provide clues to the
attached to the walls. If they are players about their present location,
removed, they instantly fall dormant while others are merely there for atmos-
until they are replaced (the magic is phere.
an effect built into the temple itself and
is not part of the actual torches). Encounters in the Shattered
Temple
Spectral Flickers In the past few weeks, since the entrance to the
One unique quality of the Shattered Temple is Shattered Temple was opened, a few denizens of the
the spectral flickers that linger within its desert have found their way into the valley. Many
halls. These “flickers” are after images of have been killed and have joined the ranks of the
the Night of Betrayal scenes that play out restless dead, while others have found refuge
night after night. These flickers occur within the Shattered Temple itself.
randomly and sporadically revealing the Random encounters within the Shattered
horror of the last night before the tem- Temple should be few and far between, as the
ple fell. temple is still inhabited almost solely by the
Although these images are spectral spirits of the restless dead who died on the
in nature, they are not truly spirits or Night of Betrayal. There is only a 10% chance
ghosts. They are effectively translucent per hour of any encounter happening, and it
illusions, like a mirage, that do not interact with their sur- should be an encounter suitable to location the
roundings. They cannot they be affected by outside forces. characters are exploring. No random encounters occur on
You can use the spectral flickers to give the characters a levels 5 or 6.
glimpse into the history of the temple. Scattered through-
out the chapter are optional sidebars marked “Flicker” that Falling Floor (EL 2)
you can read aloud to the players to give them a sense of As the characters pass over a section of floor, it gives way
the unfolding story as they move deeper into the temple. beneath them, sending them tumbling down to the next
You can either have all of the characters witness the flicker, level (this random encounter should not occur on levels 5
or you can choose a certain character, or characters, to or 6). This may send the characters into the midst of
experience the spectral flickers as fleeting images, like day- another encounter, depending upon where you have the
dreams. floor fall away.

62 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 Treat the falling floor as a camouflaged pit trap. Outside the temple, all is calm and silent, almost as if it
 Falling Floor: CR 2; mechanical; location trigger; were completely detached from the rest of the world, or
manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 20 ft. deep (2d6, even from the valley below. There is no wind. There is no
fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5- sound of bird cries or other animals. Indeed, it almost
ft. squares); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 19. seems as if the plateau is frozen in time. Sounds here travel
very well (allow a +2 natural bonus on all Listen checks), if
Green Slime (EL 4) you are planning on having any random encounters here.
A patch of green slime about 10-feet by 10-feet wide has
grown upon the ceiling. Allow the characters a Spot check A. The Fallen Monuments
(DC 15 if they are in a lit area, DC 25 if they are in a dark To both the east and west side of the temple, there were
area) to notice the patch before they walk beneath it. Green once colossal statues: one of Paladine and one of Mishakal,
slime requires a DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check to iden- respectively. Carved of pale marble, they stood as benefi-
tify the patch as green slime. cent guardians to the tower. They were the first casualties
When any living creature walks beneath the patch it will of the battle waged upon the plateau. The combined mag-
drop from the ceiling and attempt to feast. ics of the ogre mages destroyed the statues, reducing them
A single 5-foot square of green slime deals 1d6 points of to mere rubble. Now all that remains are scattered rem-
Constitution damage per round while it devours flesh. On nants spread across the entire plateau. Oddly, each frag-
the first round of contact, the slime can be scraped off a ment still holds a spark of divine energy, so that when the
creature (most likely destroying the scraping device), but rest of the valley was cursed and desecrated, the statues’
after that it must be frozen, burned, or cut away (dealing remnants sheltered the plateau and the temple.
damage to the victim as well). Anything that deals cold or The holy energy imbuing the fragments of the statues is
fire damage, sunlight, or a remove disease spell destroys a not enough to provide any further use.
patch of green slime. Against wood or metal, green slime
deals 2d6 points of damage per round, ignoring metal’s B. Crystal Spring
hardness but not that of wood. It does not harm stone. The crystal spring behind the temple is a mineral spring.
The temple’s healers used it as part of their therapy for
Key to the Shattered Temple patients brought to their care. The spring’s properties were
This chapter details the Shattered Temple in depth, corre- not magical or supernatural, merely a side effect of the
sponding to the maps of the Shattered Temple. warm water and the natural minerals within.
The edge of the spring is shallow but it quickly drops off
ST1. The Plateau about thirty feet in, reaching a depth of more than 75 feet
against the wall of the canyon.
ou soon see a gauntlet of fallen monuments The spring serves as a home for a water naga and her
Y on the plateau of the temple. The plateau itself
is hundreds of feet across, with the temple situat-
“pets,” a gang of water mephits. Her lair lies in a series of
caves deep beneath the surface. The naga, who calls herself
ed fifty feet away from the path leading up from Opalescent, will not bother to leave her spring unless it is
the valley below. On both sides of the temple two threatened. However, she may be curious about the charac-
enormous statues have fallen to the ground, creat- ters if they approach, as she has not seen living humanoids
ing equally large piles of white rock scattered in the valley for many centuries. She’ll send out her
across the plateau. mephits to keep an eye on the adventurers.
Before you, the temple rises from the ground, Alternately, if the characters discover the naga’s presence
sitting upon a raised promenade of weathered (Survival check, DC 17) along the edge of the spring, they
sandstone. The temple’s outer façade is staggered may seek to entreat her for help or advice. With a success-
like a terraced pyramid, the base of which is over ful Diplomacy check (against a resisted Sense Motive check
60-feet wide, rising to a height of more than 30- +3), the characters may influence her to give them some
feet. The stones have been placed to form a natu- advice or information concerning the Shattered Temple.
ral platform at the flattened top of the ziggurat. The water mephits will not attack the characters,
At the four corners of the promenade, it though they may choose to occasionally harass them from
appears as if four obelisks once stood equal with afar. If the characters attack the water mephits, the mephits
the height of the temple. Now the obelisks have will defend themselves while seeking to escape.
been reduced to rubble, with only small glimpses  Opalescent: hp 59; see page 165.
of glorious frescos in the stony refuse.  Water mephits (2): hp 14, 12; see Monster Manual.
At the far side of the plateau from the path  Water mephits (2): hp 20, 17; see Monster Manual.
there you see a large, and surprisingly clear,
spring. Steam can be seen rising off of the water ST2. Outside the Temple
to twine serpent-like into the sky above, though The outer portion of the temple is divided into three
even the gentle sound of the water on the rocks is distinct areas: the promenade, the outer temple, and the
almost lost in the echoing silence atop the plateau. temple’s apex.

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 63

A. Temple Promenade The top of the temple is flat, an apex where the priests
of Paladine ritually lit a fire every night, providing light
ou see that a raised promenade surrounds the even on the darkest of nights.
Y temple proper. The surface of the promenade is
covered with loose rubble and debris, mostly from
A low wall surrounds parts of the apex, standing about
2-1/2 feet high. The wall around the firepit is 1-foot tall.
the shattered remains of the four obelisks that once The firepit is empty, the ashes within have long since
stood at each corner. cooled and hardened into a rock-like substance. Barely visi-
Beneath the sand and stones, you can see that ble in the hardened morass (DC 18 Spot check), one can
tiny colored ceramic tiles once created an enor- make out charred and splintered bones of victims the ogres
mous mosaic upon the ground. However, the col- had tossed into the sacred fire.
ors have long since faded, and the tiles are chipped
and broken, obfuscating the original design. ST3. Temple Entrance

small landing serves as the entrance to the

The temple’s promenade is where large gatherings were
typically held. They were purposefully held out in the open
A temple. The landing is not very large with
barely enough room for three or four people to
so that the people could look up to the gods in the heavens stand there at a time.
and watch the nightly flame being lit. In the center of the temple’s wall, an entrance
The promenade itself rises about a foot off the ground, leads back into an antechamber. Two statues once
being 105 feet on each side. A single step is centered upon stood on either side of the doorway, but all that
the western side directly before the stairs leading in to the remains of them are lower legs of what were once
temple. apparently humanoids of some sort, for some time
ago they were reduced to rubble.
B. Outer Temple

he outer walls of the temple are terraced, with The doorway leading in to the temple is about 10-feet
T each succeeding level smaller than the one
before, creating a roughly pyramidic shape. The
high, surrounded by a marble edifice. The doorway is
open. The temple had always had an open door policy for
terraced stones are weathered, ancient, cracked and individuals entering for worship.
crumbling in places, although there are hints of the The two statues that once flanked the door were smaller
temple’s former grandeur. versions of the colossal statues that once flanked the tem-
A stairway sits in the center of the southern ple, but like the colossi, they were destroyed on the Night
wall, leading up to a small platform and doorway of Betrayal. As the characters stand upon the platform, they
that apparently opens into the temple’s interior. On witness the first spectral flicker.
the eastern and western sides, similar stairways lead
clear to the top of the temple, where another plat- loud shout rises on the air, piercing the calm
form serves as the temple’s apex. A night with an alarm. “Ogres!” Suddenly, the
sound of heavy booted feet, followed by the echoing
roar of blood thirsty warriors, drowns out the sound
The outer walls of the temple are sandstone blocks, of the alarm as a horde of ogres begin to tear their
closely fitted together. Each terrace is about 2-1/2 feet high, way up the temple steps. One burly ogre, his tusks
with 2-1/2-feet of open space, creating broad steps. The gleaming wetly with crimson blood, leads the pack,
staircases cut into the temple are recessed, each about 1- pausing long enough at the temple entrance to swing
foot high and 1-foot wide. his massive club and shatter the statue of the smiling
The walls show some wearing and disintegration, but goddess of healing with a single, mighty blow.
the overall integrity of the walls is still very good. Bending over, he lifts the cracked marble head of the
goddess from the ground and hefts it over his head,
C. Temple Apex releasing a booming warcry that is quickly picked up
by the other ogres, creating a thunderous roar in the
t the top of the temple you see a small area no valley…
A more than 15-feet by 15-feet. The apex is
where the high priests must have once addressed
the gathered pilgrims that stood upon the prome-
nade. At the center lies a squared fire pit with the ST4. Antechamber
interior scorched black from flames that have long
since expired. small antechamber is open before you. Four
From the height of the temple’s apex and its
plateau you can see out across the entire valley.
A pillars stand in each corner of the room, pro-
viding support for the heavy ceiling overhead. Two

64 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

more statues lie in shattered remains upon the The antechamber is not large, no more than 15-feet by
floor on the left and right sides of the chamber, 15-feet, forcing the characters to move single file down the
ground into a fine dust beneath the heavy tread of stairway. There are no torches on this level, so the only
booted feet. A stone stairway on the wall opposite light in the room comes from what the characters bring
the entryway leads farther down into the temple. with them, or what natural ambient light comes in through
In this room you feel a strange coolness, much the open doorway.
at odds with the weather outside. The air is dry and
chill, with small swirls of breezes moving past you, Second Floor
carrying the faint scent of decay and the coppery The second floor of the temple is at ground-level. This level
tang of blood…even though such scents should served as the public offices of the clergy, where they could
have long since faded away. meet with individuals and give private counseling.
This level was thoroughly ravaged by the ogres, the walls
shattered in some places and all the doors were torn off

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 65

their hinges, except for one: the door to ST8, the High torches. Mockingly, he places the tip of his spiked club
Master’s Locutory (the office of the Betrayer). A locutory is on the young man’s outspread arm, preventing the
a room where monks and priests converse, such as small thrashing priest from bringing his spiritual weapon
meeting rooms or cells. to bear. “Kiss your god goodbye, little man,” the ogre
growls before raising his club overhead and bringing
ST5. Hallway it down swiftly toward the priest’s head…

ou emerge from the stairway facing a wall. As

Y you step off the bottom stair, a torch suspend-
ed on the wall suddenly bursts into cool, blue
The open doorways lead either to the empty locutories
(ST6) or to the High Priest’s Locutory (ST7). The closed
flames providing a flickering illumination that doorway leads into the High Master’s Locutory (ST8). The
allows you to see the hallway. door seems to be a heavy wood door, much like those
Around the corner of the stairway you see that found in other portions of the temple. However, closer
the stairs have led you to a small hallway, about 15- inspection will reveal that the door isn’t quite a door.
feet wide and more than 30-feet long. Three door- The door is a mimic, a monstrous shapeshifting aberra-
ways are on both sides of the hall, but the doors to tion that was brought to the temple with its master, the
five of the six rooms stand wide open, having been aranea who calls herself Anasana (see ST25). She set the
torn down more than an age ago. mimic to guard this door, for she has been using the High
A thin layer of reddish dust covers the floor, Master’s Locutory as her private sanctum as she explores
kicking up small clouds of powder with each step. the temple.
As the dry, coppery scent assails your senses, you The mimic will not attack unless someone tries to break
realize with a growing sense of unease that you are down the door, at which point the mimic will try to defend
treading upon all that is left of those individuals itself. Anyone examining the door will notice that some-
who fell to the ogre hordes. thing seems a bit off if they make an opposed Spot check
At the southern end of the hallway, another against the mimic’s Disguise check (1d20+13). Though the
stairway leads farther down into the temple. mimic resembles the other doors in the temple, its body is
much harder and rougher in texture and there is no key-
hole.
This hallway is where the slaughter truly began, as the The only creature on this level is the mimic. It will fight
ogres caught the first wave of defenders mostly unpre- to the death to defend itself and to protect the doorway
pared, and the young acolytes died quickly beneath the (and the room within).
wave of ogres pouring into the temple.  Mimic: hp 52; see Monster Manual.
As the characters emerge into the hallway proper, anoth- The mimic will attempt to grapple two separate oppo-
er spiritual flicker assails them. nents and crush them, using them as living shields against
any other opponents nearby. Alternately, the characters can
young human, Khurish by the looks of him, attempt to parlay with the mimic (once they realize that it
A dressed in loose white robes holds forth his right
hand while his left hand grasps the silver medallion of
is a living, intelligent creature, instead of a mindless mon-
ster) with a successful Diplomacy check. The mimic is
Paladine around his neck. Indifferent to begin with. If the characters attempt to batter
“Paladine, hear my word, grant me use of your down the door (before realizing that the door is a crea-
holy sword!” ture), its reaction is Unfriendly. If the attack continues, it
A glowing blade of silvery light springs into becomes Hostile. Adjust the difficulties of the Diplomacy
being in the young priest’s hand, which he holds check accordingly. The mimic will not allow anyone into
before him with determination, if not skill. the room with anything less than a Helpful reaction. It will
An ogre turns the corner from the stairs and the offer the characters Anasana’s location on a Friendly result,
young priest leaps forward, the silvery blade leaving a telling them she can probably be found in the library
glowing trail of light in an arch as he shouts, “In below.
Paladine’s name!”
The ogre cruelly laughs as he brings up a booted ST6. Locutories
foot, kicking the young man in the stomach. These simple rooms have nothing in them except for the
The young man gasps, his breath ripped from his shattered remains of simple wooden benches. Each room is
body as he falls backward. The ogre follows the young 10-feet by 10-feet, with plain stone walls and floors. Here
man’s fall, however, planting his foot squarely in the and there, skeletons are scattered on the floor, their bones
center of the priest’s chest and bringing his massive covered by thin layers of flesh that have become desiccated
weight to bear the ogre slowly crushes the life out of and dry, filling the air with a sharp, leathery scent.
the young priest.
The ogre leans forward, his eyes glowing crimson
even in the flickering blue light of the illuminated

66 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

ST7. High Priest’s Locutory (EL 2) minions here to protecting her discoveries.
The creatures guarding the interior of the lair are a tan-
nce this room must have been a rather nice, gle of spiders (three swarms) and two medium monstrous
O comfortable room, but now it’s nothing more
than shambles. Cobwebs decorate the corners of
spiders.
 Monstrous Spider: hp 13, 11; see Monster Manual.
the room and phantom winds cause the webs to  Spider Swarm: hp 10, 9, 8; see Monster Manual.
dance like wisps of silk. A large bench and desk lies Burning the webs to harm the creatures guarding the
in splinters along the far wall, the once-fine velvet room is a viable option for the players; however, doing so
cushions upon the bench now little more than rot- will most likely destroy much of the treasure found within.
ted tatters stained with grime and dust. The non-magical treasures are pretty much destroyed,
The fresco that decorated the walls were unless otherwise noted, while the magical treasures are
apparently besmirched and befouled with dark allowed a saving throw (bonus to save indicated for each
streaks of grime and substances probably best left treasure).
unanalyzed, smeared over the faded colors. There are three sacs along the walls, which Anasana
uses to store the objects she has discovered within the tem-
ple thus far. She has only been exploring for three days,
The High Priest’s Locutory is a room 15-feet by 10-feet, focusing primarily upon the upper four floors (she is
designed to allow the High Priest a private place to listen to unwilling to delve into the lower levels).
the confessions and prayers of noble or important pil- Sac One (located in the northeastern corner, upper):
grims. The most delicate of the three sacs of treasure, this sac con-
Beneath the ruins of the desk is a patch of gray fungus, tains numerous small books and scrolls. Contained within
a poisonous fungus that thrives in dark, cool areas. If dis- this sac is: a matching set of books titled Rituals and
turbed (such as by moving aside the fragments of the Prayers of the Kingpriests vol. 1 & 2 (valued at 200 stl
desk), a 5-foot square of this fungus will burst forth with a together or 75 stl/each, describing the rituals performed by
cloud of poisonous spores. All within 10-feet of the mold the Kingpriests to honor the Gods of Light), a scroll of com-
must make a DC 13 Fortitude check or be dealt 1 point prehend languages, a scroll of divine favor, 2 scrolls of cure
Constitution damage. Another DC 13 Fortitude save is light wounds (all at caster level 1st), and a scroll of lesser
required 1 minute later—even by those who succeeded on restoration (at caster level 3rd). The items in this sac will all
the first save—to avoid being dealt 1d2 points of be destroyed if the webs are set on fire.
Constitution damage. Fire destroys gray fungus and sun- Sac Two (located in the southeastern corner, upper): In
light renders it dormant. this sac, Anasana has stored more durable goods; However,
 Fungus Spores: CR 2; mechanical; touch trigger most of them would still be destroyed in a fire. Two silver
(moving the desk); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft by chalices inlaid with mother-of-pearl triangles (100
10-ft area); never miss; onset delay (1 round); poison (DC stl/each), a carved ivory statuette of Mishakal (25 stl), a
13 Fortitude resists, 1 Con drain/1d2 Con); Search DC 15; medallion of faith—Habbakuk (priceless, will not be
Disable Device 15. destroyed in a fire).
Sac Three (located in the southwestern corner, suspend-
ST8. High Master’s Locutory (EL 5) ed): This sac holds some of the more exotic items that
Anasana has discovered. Although nothing major, she
n this room you are instantly struck by a strange wishes to check them out in more thorough detail later on:
I dichotomy. It seems to have been recently
cleaned, the debris on the floor swept neatly to one
a large blue-white feather bound in silver (a swan boat
feather token, +8 bonus to saves); long, slender wand of
side and the walls scrubbed clean. However, thick blue-tinted quartz (a wand of cure light wounds with 12
cobwebs fill most of the room from floor to ceiling. charges, caster level 1, +3 bonus to saves); 2 ceramic jars
filled with a sweet smelling oil (oil of bless weapon, +3
bonus to saves); and a small buckler crafted of surprisingly
As the characters enter the room, allow them to make a light, flexible silver-gray wood (acts as a darkwood buckler,
DC 15 Spot check to see if they notice that the cobwebs are will be destroyed in a fire).
very specifically and strategically placed—creating a ham- Each of the sacs holding treasure, of which there are
mock hanging from one corner, shaped to fit an average three, are covered with a contact poison (to which the spi-
sized human, as well as small bag-shaped sacs that are ders and Anasana are immune).
secured to the walls and suspending from the ceiling.  Sac Smeared with Contact Poison: CR 1; mechani-
This locutory has become the lair for an aranea, a mys- cal; touch trigger (attached), manual reset; poison (carrion
terious shapechanging spider-woman, who has come to crawler brain juice, DC 13 Fortitude save resists, paraly-
explore the recently open ruins. As such, she has stored sis/0); Search DC 19; Disable Device DC 19.
many of the more interesting items that she has found in
the ruins in this room. And, besides the mimic she has
tasked with guarding the door, she has also set a few other

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 67

Third Floor B. Storeroom B

he third floor made up the common area of the s you enter the room, your foot disturbs some-
T temple, where the clergy ate their meals, and
where the laymen who served the temple resided.
A thing on the ground. A leg is laying across the
open doorway you see the rest of the body huddled
The laymen were individuals who had dedicated in the corner of the room.
their lives to the temple instead of any one god. The body is odd in the fact that it looks far
more recent than the majority of the bodies in the
temple. The scent of blood is still fresh in the air.
Suddenly, the body slumps over, and a swarm
ST9. Main Hall of insects suddenly bursts from every gaping orifice
of the corpse, swarming toward you eagerly on
rom the stairway you notice that once more the thousands of scuttling legs.
F torch on the wall bursts into illusory blue
flames, spilling pale blue light across the dusty
floor. The air is cool and filled with the now famil- The body in the corner is that of a half-elf that was an
iar scent of decay and death. This time, however, associate of Anasana. He ran afoul of a nest of centipedes
there’s a new scent as well, a mustier, earthier smell. that had burrowed their way into the chamber through a
crack in the outer wall, falling prey to the ravenous beass.
The same centipede swarm that killed the half-elf and
Once the characters travel down the steps to the third feasted upon his remains now swarms for the characters.
level, they’ve gone underground. Dwarven characters will  Centipede Swarm: hp 31, see Monster Manual.
automatically detect this fact. Most of the half-elf ’s equipment remains untouched by
Like the level above, the slaughter of the temple’s inhab- the centipedes, although this depends on how the charac-
itants on this level was pretty thorough, the doors battered ters deal with the centipede swarm. A 3rd-level rogue in
down and corpses scattered everywhere. Over time, the life, the only items the half-elf has that may be of interest
corpses have turned to little more than skeletal remains, to the characters are a set of masterwork lockpicks, a
leaving dust and the scent of decay. matching set of daggers whose blades are curved slightly
with alternating waves of black and silver metal (master-
ST10. Cellariums (Storerooms) work daggers whose blades are a mixture of silver and cold
The first two rooms accessible on the level were con- iron), a wand of find traps (5 charges, 1st-level caster), and
structed as storerooms, where the food and basic supplies a roughly sketched map of the first four levels of the tem-
for the temple were kept. The storerooms are nearly identi- ple (drawn by the half-elf as he explored the temple). On
cal, being 15-feet by 10-feet. Recessed shelves and cubby- the map, there are places marked with big red ‘Xs’ to indi-
holes line the outer walls abutting them, while hooks hang cate where the rogue discovered traps that he couldn’t
from the ceilings and from the inner walls. bypass (the trap before the stairway leading down and the
trap on the door of ST20: the High Master’s Chambers),
A. Storeroom A and a question mark pointing to the secret passage leading
into ST26.
s you look in to this storeroom, you see human
A skeletons collapsed upon the floor where they
must have once been suspended from hooks in the
ST11. Servants’ Quarters
These four chambers are each 10-feet by 10-feet, with small
ceiling. The body of a larger skeleton lays half in the cots that have been destroyed. The bodies of the laymen are
doorway, as if someone had struck it from behind still in the rooms, scattered across the floor. There is noth-
and it collapsed forward onto the floor. ing of interest in the rooms, unless you decide to let the
Even through the open doorway, you can see characters have a random encounter.
small bursts of your breath revealed by the coldness
that to permeates the walls of the room. ST12. Lay Priest Chambers
These two chambers served as the rooms for the lower
ranking priests who served as the head of the laypersons,
This storeroom was once used to store goods that need- acting as cooks and in charge of procuring supplies and
ed to be kept cool, the priests magically kept the room cool goods for the entire temple. While their abilities as priests
through metal poles that were treated with permanent chill were not the greatest, they were chosen for their other
metal. Touching the cold metal poles flesh to flesh deals skills, and served the needs of those picked to work for the
1d4 points of cold damage, just as if a person was affected temple.
by the icy effect of a chill metal spell. When the ogres attacked, the two lay priests put up a
The food that was stored in this room has long since valiant defense, barricading themselves and those laypeople
spoiled, although the containers are all still sealed. who had managed to get there, in the kitchen (ST15).

68 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 The chambers themselves are both identical, being 10- ST14. Refectory (Dining Hall)
feet by 15-feet, with simple cots that were shredded and
crushed by the attacking ogres, then burned, with the his large room was obviously once a place
priests’ possessions thrown into the flames. T where the clergy must have gathered for meals.
However, the long tables and benches have been
ST13. Brewery & Buttery broken into pieces and piled against two addition-
These two chambers on the third level housed the brew- al doors that must have led into the kitchen.
ery, where the clergy brewed a rich, heady ale, and a but- The floor of this room is covered by numerous
tery, where they made butter. small, skeletal remains of rodents, as well as a
strange, yellowish residue that seems to have
A. Brewery (EL 2) cleared away some of the dust in a path to the door
on the left, ending at the heavy pile of wood.
he door to this room was torn off its hinges,
T revealing a long, narrow chamber kept dark
and dry. The two outer walls of the room were When the ogres crashed into the refectory, they discov-
carved with cubby holes, where wooden casks were ered that the doors to the kitchen had both been magically
stored. The casks were all shattered, spilling the sealed (by divine lock, see New Magic in the Appendix).
contents upon the ground, staining the flagstones a Unable to break through, they decided to block the doors
dark brown. so that the people hiding inside would not be able to get
In the chamber a biting coldness sets in your out. Then, an ogre mage cast cloudkill in the room, allow-
bones, seeping through your clothing and your ing the toxic fumes to seep through the doors and kill
flesh, as if the heat from your body was being those hiding inside.
drained away. Moving aside the wooden barricades isn’t difficult, just
time consuming. The doors leading into the kitchen, how-
ever, are still magically sealed by the divine lock.
This room is 20-feet by 10-feet and filled with a rich,
Kitchen Doors: 2 inches thick, hardness 5; hp 20; AC
yeasty scent, even after all these years. 5; break DC 35 (25); Open Lock DC 30 (0). A knock spell
The yeast in the ale that was spilled upon the ground, will temporarily neutralize the divine lock for 10 minutes
over time, became brown mold, thriving in the dry, dark (the number in parenthesis indicates the normal door).
chamber and drawing upon the natural heat of the area.
Sharp-eyed characters may be allowed a Spot check (DC he trail leading through the dust was made by
15) to notice the many smaller skeletons of rodents and the
desiccated bodies of numerous insects and spiders on the
T an ochre jelly that has made its way into the
temple from the orchard outside, hunting for
ground just inside the door. Otherwise, the moment any rodents and other small prey. It slid through the
character steps into the room, they suffer 3d6 nonlethal debris and under the kitchen door, where it is now
cold damage. at, devouring the remains of the bodies of those
 Brown Mold: CR 2; mechanical; proximity trigger that died within.
(entering the room); automatic reset; 5-ft cold aura (3d6, A group of ogres barge into the dining hall,
cold nonlethal); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 16. See bursting through the open doors in a small group.
Dungeon Master’s Guide. Tossing aside the long tables they rush the back doors
with axes raised. A particularly brutal looking ogre
B. Buttery swings his axe with a mighty grunt, but as the axe
Like the brewery, the buttery room is 20-feet by 10-feet. meets the door he’s suddenly thrown back by a loud
The door has been torn down. The butter and breads that explosion of flame. The flame licks hungrily from a
were stored here have long gone bad, the bread as hard as sigil that blazes to life upon the door, leaving the ogre
stone, the butter solidified and congealed. This room was smoking and groaning on the floor.
also kept cool by the similar permanent chill metal poles as As his comrades laugh cruelly at his pain, anoth-
found in ST10B. er ogre tentatively approaches the door, gently prod-
There is nothing of interest in this room, unless you ding at it with his barbed club. When he doesn’t get
want the characters to have a random encounter here. blasted, he begins to try and batter down the door
Alternately, if you do not think the characters will be able himself, but each blow of his club seems to be repelled
to bypass the trap leading into the High Master’s Chambers before it even strikes the door. Others push him aside,
(ST20), you can have a section of the floor in the north- each trying to batter down one or the other door, but
eastern corner of the room be the collapsing floor, spilling each meets a similar lack of success.
the characters into the room below. Suddenly, another ogre enters the room, but this
one seems very different from the others. With deep
blue skin and a thick mane of white hair, and gleam-
ing eyes of pale indigo, his entrance causes the other

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 69

 ogres to stand aside. Instead of heading for one of the Fourth Floor
doors, the blue-skinned ogre strides toward the wall This floor housed the living quarters of the clergy assigned
between the doors. A guttural growl escapes his lips as to the temple. This is where the majority of the priests
one of his hands begins to crackle with a black nim- spent their time when they were not performing their
bus of dark flames. With a single, mighty punch, he assigned duties or out in the valley, performing assorted
knocks a hole into the wall. A loud cry comes from chores.
within the other room, the sound of a surprised The majority of the fighting between the ogres and the
shout, but the ogre just smirks. Weaving his hands in priests of the temple took place on this level. Many of the
the air, he points a finger toward the opened hole and doors have been destroyed, while other doors remain firm-
utters another deep, guttural phrase in the language ly sealed through the use of divine lock spells. The standing
of magic. doors bear the scars of repeated attempts to break through
From the tip of the ogre’s clawed finger, a ser- them.
pentine tendril of sickly yellow mist streaks forward The priests on this level put up a valiant fight, taking
into the other room. Moments later, more shouts out a large number of ogres, but unfortunately it was not
come from within, followed by the sound of coughing enough, especially once the Betrayer had struck and dese-
and choking as the tendril thickens into a thick, poi- crated the Shrine of the Sun, weakening the power of the
sonous mist. priests as he summoned forth the powers of Chemosh.
Gesturing to the other ogres, the blue-skinned
ogre barks orders at them in the harsh ogre language. ST16. Main Hall
Instantly, the ogres scramble, breaking apart furni-
ture to pile it against the doorways, trapping the hap- n this stairway you notice that for once you
less victims inside... victims who are now screaming
with the hollow rattle of death in their shrill cries...
O are not greeted by a torch flickering to life.
Instead, you are greeted by inky darkness and cool,
still air filled with a musty scent.

ST15. Kitchen This large hall opens up into four wide areas with pillars
supporting the ceiling overhead. The floors of the hall have
he open door reveals the backroom. A little been swept clean by the presence of a gelatinous cube that
T over half the size of the outer room, there are
small shelves on the walls and two large ovens with
was summoned by Anasana when she first arrived in order
to keep any other (living) predators that may be dwelling
chimneys cleverly constructed to vent the smoke within the ruins from bothering her. She has had a few
outside through small tunnels in the ceiling. run-ins with undead creatures within the temple (which is
The reek of carnage spills out of the room, why she has not gone down to the lower levels), but has
coming from the numerous bodies on the floor. managed to keep them at bay with her magic.
They are covered by a thin layer of yellowish slime. The torches on this floor have all been “swept away” by
The slime seems to be slithering over the corpses, the gelatinous cube, leaving the floor in darkness (unless
stripping what little flesh remains from the bones. the characters provide their own means of illumination).
Suddenly, the slime seems to contract, a pseudopod You can choose to have the characters encounter the
forming and lashing forward as the slime uncoils gelatinous cube anywhere that you’d like. Unless the char-
itself in an attack! acters have light, or darkvision, they will not notice the
presence of the gelatinous cube without a Listen check (DC
20). Even with light or darkvision, noticing the gelatinous
The ochre jelly is hungry, as it always is, and it simply cube requires a DC 15 Spot check. A particularly devious
attacks to feed its hunger. way of using the gelatinous cube would be to have the
 Ochre Jelly: hp 69; see Monster Manual. characters run into it in one of the smaller hallways on the
The possessions of those who died within this room, east or west side of the library (ST25).
primarily the equipment the two lay priests had armed Before many of the doorways, characters may notice a
themselves with, remains here with their bodies. However, line of blue-green powder on the floor (DC 15 Spot check
some of the equipment has been destroyed by the ochre to notice). The powder has a faintly acrid scent to it,
jelly. All that remains are two masterwork silver light although a taste test (for those characters “brave” enough
maces, an ivory tube scroll case (containing a scroll with 3 to test it) reveals a salty taste. A successful DC 18 Craft
3rd-level divine spells at 5th-level ability: cure serious (Alchemy) check will reveal the powder to be a rare sub-
wounds, magic circle against evil, and remove disease), and stance known as oozebane, a concoction that oozes and
pearl of power (1st-level) as an earring that has tumbled slimes leave behind. Other similar creatures will not touch
onto the floor and rolled into a corner of the room. it because it dries them out. Intelligent characters may real-
ize that this indicates the presence of an ooze on this level.
They may also realize that this powder can be used against

70 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

such an ooze. A handful of the powder (two handfuls is scorched remains of numerous ogre skeletons, which have
enough to create a 5-foot long, 1-inch wide line in front of been picked clean by the spiders that have made the magi-
each doorway) acts upon an ooze like holy water on cal web their home. Sharp-eyed characters may note that
undead (a direct hit deals 2d4 points of damage to an ooze, the skeletons are wearing armor that seems to have been
while any ooze creature within 5 feet of the burst area scorched (DC 19 Spot check).
receives 1 point of damage from the burst). Every doorway Characters trying to press through
on this level, and one before the stairway leading down to the webbing find themselves
the fifth level, has this powder crossing the doorway (40 entangled and unable to
doses total). One dose of oozebane is worth 5 stl. move farther without
The presence of the gelatinous cube in the hall is due to spending 1 round and making
Anasana, who summoned it through her magic. It remains a successful DC 20 Strength
in the hallway because it is too large to pass check or a DC 25 Escape Artist
through the doors (and because of the check. Once loose, the character
oozebane powder in each doorway). remains entangled, but may
 Gelatinous Cube: hp 54; see move through the web very
Monster Manual. slowly. Each round devoted
There is one trap in the hallway, to moving allows the charac-
not including the one in the ter to make a new Strength
High Master’s Chamber check or Escape Artist check.
(ST20), which activates when The characters move 5 feet
the door is opened. The trap for each full 5 points by
has a glyph inscribed invisi- which the check result
bly upon the floor before exceeds 10.
the stairway. Stepping The strands of the web
upon the glyph will are flammable. Any fire—a
cause it to activate. The torch, burning oil, a flaming
glyph is part of the temple’s sword, and so forth—can set the
natural, magical defenses. It automatically resets webs alight and burn away 5 square
every 24 hours. The magic in the glyph continues to be feet in 1 round. All characters within
strong despite the passage of the centuries. Noticing the flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the
faint image of the glyph inscribed on the floor requires a flames. The magical webs automatically reform in 10 min-
DC 28 Spot check. The gelatinous cube does not activate utes.
the trap, as only living humanoids walking over the symbol The spiders that have made the webs their lair will
will cause the glyph to activate. attack any creature moving into the webbing. If the charac-
 Glyph of Warding CR 4; spell; spell trigger; reset (24 ters burn through the webbing, the spider swarms will be
hours); spell effect (glyph of warding [blast], 5th-level cler- killed (award the characters half-experience for the
ic, 2d8 acid, DC 14 Reflex save half-damage); multiple tar- encounter).
gets (all targets within 5 ft.); Search DC 28; Disable Device  Spider Swarm: hp 10, 9, 8; see Monster Manual.
DC 28. The ogre skeletons trapped in the webbing are still
equipped, although their weapons and armor have been
ST17. The Stairs Down (EL 2) ruined by the flames that killed them.

ooking down the stairway you notice that thick

L strands of web completely fill the doorway
from floor to ceiling.
ST18. Infirmaries
There are two rooms on this level of the temple that
served as infirmaries. This is where the priests of Mishakal
Barely visible within the webs, you can make could treat patients suffering from serious illnesses, as well
out shadowy skeletons propped up against the as as a place to teach the healing arts to those who were
walls. The skeletons seem too large to be human, interested.
apparently ogres that were killed in the stairwell. Both infirmaries are similar in design, being “L” shaped,
You also notice that the webs seem to be filled with doors at either end. Three cots are in each room.
with countless tiny spiders. There are shelves built into the walls where various medi-
cines and herbal concoctions were stored. All of the jars are
shattered, their contents spilled upon the floor and long
The stairway is protected by a permanent web spell from since crumbled to dust or evaporated, leaving only faint
the guards & wards spell that was activated by the High stains upon the ground.
Priest before his death. Like most of the other rooms, the doors to the infir-
These webs fill the stairway from top to bottom. maries were destroyed by the marauding ogres.
Trapped within the webs, the characters can make out the

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 71

A. Shadowy Infirmary (EL 5) The two ogres continue to approach the bed,
laughing evilly as they converge upon the helpless
s you enter this room, you feel that the air is young man...and the last thing you hear is a scream
A preternaturally cold and the shadows on the
walls seem to lurk and shy away from the light. The
filled with pain and rage…

chamber is ‘L’ shaped, with a doorway at either end.

A few empty beds are overturned, although Play the ghost as part of the flicker, having it attack at
you can make out a skeleton with a shattered skull the tail end of the images. The ghost is the tortured spirit
half-buried beneath one of the broken cots. of the young man who was killed by the ogres while dying
Another skeleton lies on the floor in the middle of of an affliction even the powers of Mishakal could not
the room, a staff lying not far from its outstretched cure. In life, the ghost was a human male Clr3 (of
hand. Mishakal), but his last moments were feverish and filled
with blood and pain, causing him to return with no mem-
ory except of his last moments.
A ghost lurks in this room, unwilling to venture beyond  Ghost of Young Priest: hp 19; see page 165.
the doors as this is where it died. The ghost is that of a The ghost wishes revenge, but in its feverish delusions,
young priest who was a patient being tended by a priestess it sees any living creature that enters the infirmary as an
who died trying to protect him. As the characters enter the ogre. The way to permanently relieve the spirit of the ghost
room, read them the description of the spectral flicker, and is actually fairly simple. All it requires is the application of
as the last scene fades away, the ghost will attack from the a remove curse or a remove disease spell to be successfully
corner of the room, where he hovers invisibly over his body cast upon him. The ghost is allowed to make a Fortitude
(allow characters a resisted Spot check against the ghost’s saving throw to resist the spell being cast upon him; how-
Hide check: 1d20+9). ever, if it is successful, the torment on his face will instantly
ease. Read them the following:
uddenly the room is illuminated by softly glowing
S torches on the wall. A young priestess, wearing the
blue robes and silver holy symbol of Mishakal, tries to T he spectral figure of the young priest suddenly
halts his attack as the pain and torment upon
gently soothe a young man thrashing on one of the his face eases. He blinks slowly, as if he was coming
cots as she glances nervously over her shoulder. out of a dream. His hands reach up, gently touch-
Suddenly, there comes a pounding upon the ing his face as he turns to face you.
door, as something large tries to batter through the The figure speaks, his voice a soft, whispery
barred entryway. Her face turning pale, the priestess sound that somehow fills the room, “Thank
takes a deep breath, stands up and turns around, you...the gods indeed must have sent you.”
reaching out to pick up a quarterstaff near at hand. The young priest stretches out his hands as he
Closing her eyes, she whispers a prayer and her staff turns his eyes to the heavens. “Light bringer, gentle
begins to glow with a soft blue radiance. healer, goddess wrap these heroes in your embrace,
The door suddenly explodes, an enormous axe erase the suffering from their face.”
splintering the thick wood. The priestess screams, but A blue nimbus surrounds the ghost, an aura
the sound is nearly lost by the answering roar of that steadily grows stronger and stronger, until it
determination from the ogre bursting into the room. bathes you in a soothing warm radiance. You feel
The priestess rushes forward, her face twisted in your aches and pains fade away, until all you are left
determination as her staff swings a brilliant blue arc. with is a comforting warmth. As the light fades, the
When it connects with the ogre’s shoulder, he lets out image of the young priest has disappeared, leaving
a howl as a burst of radiance knocks him backward you in a room that no longer feels as cold or as
out of the room. oppressive as it did only moments before.
Just then, the other door bursts open, causing the
priestess to jump and turn to face this new assailant.
Grasping her holy symbol, she begins to mutter As an additional reward for easing the ghost’s suffering
another prayer. She doesn’t notice that the first ogre and allowing him to journey along the River of Souls, the
she struck is rising to his feet. A gout of blood bursts ghost’s last prayer will completely rejuvenate the characters:
from her lips, the glow fading from her staff as she they will be completely healed of all damage they have suf-
topples forward—a bloodstained axe embedded in fered, cured of diseases or poisons, just as if a heal spell had
her back. been cast upon them.
The young man on the bed groans loudly, draw-
ing the attention of the two ogres as he tries to pull B. Infirmary
himself out of bed, clutching at the medallion of faith This infirmary chamber is identical to the other in appear-
hanging around his neck. He begins to chant, but his ance, although there is no ghost in this chamber, and there
words are broken by a wracking cough. are no skeletons on the ground.

72 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

ST19. High Priest’s Chambers tected by the Dark Gods.” The symbol is non-magical, so
will not radiate if a spellcaster uses detect magic upon the
his room is surprisingly spartan, although you door, although the door frame itself will radiate strong
T can tell that this room must have once
belonged to an important person in the temple.
abjuration magic (the trigger to the symbol of pain trap).
The door to this chamber activates the trap once it is
Bookshelves are set into the walls, though the opened, unleashing a symbol of pain that blazes to life on
books have been torn from the shelves and shred- the wall facing the door, affecting any individual who steps
ded, leaving brittle paper flakes upon the floor. The into the room.
ceiling was once covered with a beautiful fresco of  Symbol of Pain CR 6; spell; spell trigger; no reset;
a platinum dragon, but now only traces of it still spell effect (symbol of pain, 11th-level cleric, DC 19 Fort
remain. It seems most of it was defaced by blades save negates, -4 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, skill
dragged across the ceiling. checks, and ability checks for 1 hour after leaving area of
A simple cot once lay against the far wall, but effect); multiple targets (all targets within room); Search
it was hacked to pieces, as was the simple chest that DC 30; Disable Device DC 30.
lay at the foot of the bed. In the southeastern cor-
ner of the room, there is an armor rack perched Once the characters enter the room, read them the fol-
precariously against the wall, where a suit of once lowing. Include the italicized text at the beginning of the
stunning ceremonial plate mail apparently became entry if the characters unleash the symbol of pain trap.
a target dummy for the ogre invaders. It bears
many wounds—deep indentations from where s you push open the door, a brilliant flash of
heavy clubs were used repeatedly and long scars
from where axes and blades tore through the deli-
A crimson radiance nearly blinds you as a strange
symbol burns to life on the far wall. Waves of magical
cately hammered platinum plates. energy emanate from the symbol, waves that seem to
seep deep into your body, causing your blood to boil
and every muscle in your body scream in pain.
The contents of this room were thoroughly sacked by The room itself seems to have been untouched
the ogres, though destruction was the primary intent. At by the ogre invaders, although the effects of the
the time of the ogre invasion, the High Priest had been led passage of hundreds of years have wrought their
below by the Betrayer, where the Betrayer assassinated him. own destruction. The simple cot in the corner has
The room is 15-feet by 15-feet, perfectly cube shaped. mostly disintegrated, the wooden frame crumbling
Like most of the other rooms on this level, the door was and falling in upon itself while the leather mattress
destroyed by the invaders. has hardened and dried out, the feathers inside
The ceremonial armor of the High Priest was a suit of completely turned to dust.
full plate mail covered with prayers to Paladine and a plat- A wooden chest, which has apparently petri-
inum dragon on either shoulder plate. There is also a plat- fied over the years, lies at the foot of the ruined cot.
inum triangle on the center of the breastplate. Once, it was You notice that the ceiling is decorated with a beau-
divinely enchanted; however, the destruction wrought tiful mosaic in soothing shades of blue and indigo,
upon it by the ogres removed all the enchantments. depicting the goddess of healing, Mishakal. But, the
longer you look at it, the more you begin to notice
ST20. High Master’s Chambers that the goddess’s image seems...off. Instead of
golden hair, her hair seems to be the sickly yellow
nlike most of the other doors on this floor, this of bone, and that her pale face seems almost skele-
U door seems to have been left completely alone.
Not a mark mars its surface; however, even through
tal, with her eyes sunken in dark sockets and her
lips twisted into a smile that is all too like the rictus
the dust and cobwebs covering the door, you notice grin of a skull.
that there’s a faded reddish sigil on the door.

After the trap is either bypassed or goes off and the

The door to the High Master’s chambers has been magi- characters are inside the room, the characters will experi-
cally sealed by a divine lock, as well as being protected by a ence another flicker. Note that if you choose to have the
magical trap. A symbol was painted in blood on the door, a characters fall from the room above (ST13B), they will not
mark made by the Betrayer to indicate which room the set off the trap when they come into the room, or when
ogres should not enter. Nor did they. The High Master’s they exit the room, although they will still experience the
chambers were left untouched by the ogres. flicker.
Any character capable of reading Ogrish can read the
symbol, as can any character casting comprehend languages rather distinguished, coldly handsome middle-
or succeeding at a DC 18 Decipher Script check. The sym-
bol is one used by the ogres to mark a place as being “pro-
A aged man, with pale skin, piercing black eyes,
and white-blonde hair, stands in the center of the

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 73

 room, apparently lost in thought. His body is lean, personal chest at the foot of the ruined cot has petrified,
almost to the point of gauntness, and the pointed giving it the hardness of stone and sealing it shut, prevent-
goatee on his chin gives him an almost sinister air, ing easy access to whatever remains within.
particularly when combined with the intent expres-
Petrified Chest: 2 inches thick, 40 hp; hardness 8;
sion upon his features. break DC 28; Open Lock DC none.
He’s dressed in pitch black robes, trimmed in If the petrified chest is opened, it releases a burst of
sickly yellow, with small ivory skulls decorating the white powder, unless the characters speak the same phrase
hem. His hand is wrapped around the medallion at they overheard the Betrayer utter before he opened the
his neck as he gazes off into the distance. Suddenly, he chest. You may choose to allow the characters to make a
nods his head and speaks, his voice a low, whispery DC 18 Intelligence check to recall the phrase, unless you
tone. feel that one of the characters would have recalled it (or
“Yes, Chief Korblak, tonight is the night,” he says they purposefully choose to remember the phrase spoken).
aloud, although his words are not directed to anyone This phrase neutralizes the trap.
present. “I shall take care of the high priest and the The white powder is dust of sneezing & choking. It fills
temple’s defenses. All you and your horde need worry the entire room. Any character failing a DC 15 Fortitude
about are the guardians.” save immediately takes 2d6 points of Constitution damage
The figure falls silent once again, apparently lis- immediately. In addition, those failing a second DC 15
tening to the response from the Chief Korblak he’s Fortitude save (even if they succeeded on the first one) 1
speaking with. He abruptly shakes his head, “No, you minute later are dealt 1d6 points of Constitution damage.
need not allow any to survive. You may take as many Those who succeed on either saving throw are nonetheless
prisoners as you want from the valley, but all within disabled by choking (treat as stunned) for 5d4 rounds.
the temple must perish. My master demands it and  Dust of Sneezing & Choking: CR 5; magic device;
your Queen has agreed with his demands, as your touch trigger (opening the chest); no reset; spell effect (poi-
shamans have told you.” son, special, see above); multiple targets (15-foot radius;
Tilting his head to the side, the figure...the fills the room) Search DC 29; Disable Device DC 29.
Betrayer...once more listens to the ogre chieftain’s The bookshelves lining the walls of the room are filled
response, a small smirk twisting his lips. with religious manuscripts for the various gods. They
“You may keep whatever you treasure you find. would be a virtual treasure trove, however, most of them
Such things do not matter to my master or myself. have rotted and the pages will disintegrate at the slightest
Now, I must go and prepare for the evening’s...events. touch. Inside the chest lay the remains of the Betrayer’s
When you have cleared the temple above, meet me in personal possessions (those that he was not carrying on his
the Shrine of Darkness on the lowest level. There you person on the Night of Betrayal).
will receive the reward promised you.” In the chest they will find the rotted remains of four
The figure releases the medallion from his grip, robes, all of which were the white and blue robes of a priest
revealing a silver medallion emblazoned with a grin- of Mishakal. There are also a few other personal effects,
ning skull. Glancing down at himself, the priest including an ivory figurine of the goddess that has yel-
smirks once more, “Time to put on my last disguise.” lowed with age (worth 25 stl), a set of tarnished silver brac-
Spitting out a guttural chant, the black and copper ers bearing the symbol of Mishakal upon them (worth 50
robes begin to bleed their color away until the figure stl as a set), and an ivory scroll tube sealed with wax that
is wearing robes of pristine white, trimmed with royal contains a scroll bearing two spells, cure critical wounds and
blue emblazoned with the symbol of Mishakal in sil- death ward (both at 7th-level casting level). However,
ver thread. Waving his hand over his medallion, the beneath these possessions, the chest has a concealed com-
skull seems to melt, reforming itself until it creates the partment (DC 20 Search check to notice), which has sealed
Light-Bringer’s infinity symbol. itself shut due to the petrification of the wood (2 inches
Moving over to the chest at the foot of his bed, he thick, hp 20; hardness 8; break DC 28). Within this com-
spits out another guttural phrase as he opens the partment lay a few more possessions, which the Betrayer
chest. Leaning over, he pulls out a black-bladed dag- desired to keep secret from others:
ger. The blade seems to twist and writhe like a snake; A tome, bound in human skin (which has the consisten-
the hilt is an ivory mask resembling a grinning skull. cy of old, dried out leather), with vellum pages. The tome
Tucking them among the folds of his robes, the priest is filled with the unholy rites of Chemosh, including a spe-
stands and turns toward the door, walking toward cialized commune spell that allows a cleric to directly com-
you with purposeful strides as the image fades away... municate with the deity Chemosh (note that casting this
spell is an evil action). [The book is valued at 1,500 stl for
the commune spell alone, although finding a buyer may
Once the flicker fades, the characters can peruse the prove difficult as these infamous tomes are deemed
room. cursed.]
Like the High Priest’s chambers (ST19), this room is rel- A skull-shaped black candle (a candle of invocation-neu-
atively sparse, a simple chamber 15-feet by 15-feet. The tral evil).

74 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 A block of sickly-sweet smelling amber incense (incense A gray ooze has slithered up through the waste pipes
of meditation). leading to the room. It has been confined in the room by
Three ceramic casks, sealed with wax (each containing the oozebane dusted across the doorway. Anasana is
one dose of unguent of timelessness). unaware of the ooze, as it has only recently come up
through the pipes and she has been busy in the library.
ST21. Senior Priest Chambers The gray ooze is starving; it has been unable to feed for
These four, small personal cells are 10-feet by 10-feet and the two days since entering the temple. It has not yet slith-
were for the senior priests who were in charge of the ered back the way it came, as it can sense the tiny life forms
acolytes. The small cots and desks in the rooms were lurking in the temple, from the aranea to the rats that con-
destroyed, as were the doors to these rooms. stantly move about the level.
The priests who once lived in these chambers died  Gray Ooze: hp 31; see Monster Manual.
defending this level against the ogres. Leading the inexperi-
enced acolytes the priests were slaughtered, although they B. Female Garderobe
took almost as many ogres with them to the afterlife. This garderobe is nearly identical to the male garderobe,
There is nothing of interest in these rooms. with the exception that no gray ooze has entered the cham-
ber. There is nothing of interest in this chamber.
ST22. Acolyte Dormitory
These larger dormitory rooms are 15-feet by 25-feet in size. ST25. Library
They were for the young acolytes who lived in the temple.
Each room held six cots and chests for the acolyte’s use. As ddly, the doors to this inner chamber seem
with the senior priests’ chambers, these rooms were ran-
sacked and the doors battered down.
O completely intact. The strong wooden door
seems as good as new, with no sign of any scarring
There is nothing of interest in these rooms. or even the debilitation of time and rot.

ST23. Priest Chambers

These two chambers are equal in size to the personal The doors to the library have been magically repaired by
chambers of the High Priest and the High Master (15-feet Anasana, through the liberal use of mending spells. The
by 15-feet in size). The rooms housed four mid-ranking doors are solid, and she keeps them locked when she’s
priests (in each room) whose duties involved taking care of within (which she will be when the characters decide to
the shrines below. The doors were battered down and the check out the library).
rooms ransacked, leaving nothing of value within the Like the other doors, the doors leading to the library
rooms. had been destroyed and the room ransacked, but Anasana
The priests who were in these rooms were down below, decided that if she was going to spend time going through
tending the shrines, when the ogres attacked. Their duties the library, checking to see if anything of value survived,
kept them down there, where they met their fate at the then she wanted the additional protection the doors might
hands of the Betrayer. offer (she figured that she would hear anyone trying to get
through them).
ST24. Garderobes When the characters open the door to the library, read
Two garderobes were constructed and placed on each side them the following:
of the stairway—one for the male priests who served the
temple and one for the females. Both rooms are 10-feet by ou see that, though the door itself has been
15-feet in size, with water pumps high on the outer wall,
small holes in the floor for draining, and two lavatories.
Y repaired, the interior of this room has not
received the same treatment. Wooden tables have
Water was piped in from the spring in the valley and been destroyed and tossed aside, except for a single
waste was disposed of through a series of pipes that one in the middle of the room, a table at which a
ensured that waste would not pile up and cause problems. person is sitting.
The individual is sitting at the far side of the
A. Male Garderobe table facing you. The woman seems of Khurish
descent, dressed in a long, flowing caftan. A delicate
s you step in to the room, you see that the floor wisp of a veil covers her lower face, held in place by
A is covered with a puddle of water. The water
seems to be rippling, as if drops of water were
ivory combs at her temples. A number of books are
set off to one side of the table and a scroll is on the
falling from the ceiling...but a quick glance up table before her.
shows that the ceiling is completely dry. Before you “Well, it seems as if I am not the only one
have a chance to investigate further, the water whose curiosity has been piqued by the temple’s
begins to bubble, tendrils rising up to lash out at reappearance. Welcome, fellow explorers. I am
you! Anasana.” Her voice is warm and heavily accented
and her tone seems sincere.

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 75

 What Anasana Knows
Anasana has thoroughly explored the upper levels of it does require that the cleric contact their deity.]
the temple but she refuses to go below. She went to the
base of the stairs (the web does not impede her in her What are the Tears of Mishakal?
spider form), but the sacred guardians alone were “The tears of Mishakal is an artifact from the Age of
enough to give her pause, as was the sensation of utter Dreams. It is said that they were two teardrops that fell
evil permeating the lower level. However, she is willing from Mishakal’s eyes when the first murder occurred. I
to answer what questions she can (with a DC 15 believe that they are ‘tear-shaped’ diamonds, suspended
Friendly or DC 30 Helpful reaction). from a silver chain. Legends say that the tears have the
The characters may attempt to use Sense Motive power to ease the spirits of the dead and grant them
checks on Anasana, so allow the characters a resisted roll peace. Unfortunately, the tears have not been seen since
against her Bluff check (1d20+4). The results of the the Age of Dreams. Some believe that the tears were sep-
Bluff check will be indicated following each answer. If arated, and that one of them was corrupted by
there is no indicated result, then she was not stretching Chemosh, but I have not been able to find any evidence
the truth. of their existence or to verify the information.” [Anasana
is speaking the truth, as she knows it. The tears of
Who are you? Mishakal will play an important part in the next adven-
“I am an explorer, a wanderer. I am a follower of ture, Spectre of Sorrows.]
Chislev, so I travel to unusual locations that
are...impure. Though I am not a cleric, I do have some What lies below?
magical talents. If I find anything of interest, I contact “Below are the shrines...from what I have gathered,
some old friends of mine. Unfortunately, I do not there were three shrines, one to honor each of the pan-
believe that Chislev’s touch can help this place. It would theons, with the largest of the shrines honoring the
require the tears of Mishakal, at the very least, to cleanse Gods of Light. In the Grand Hall is where the final
the touch of death from this valley, and the tears have pitched battle between the ogres and the temple’s priests
been lost since the Age of Dreams.” [Anasana is not occurred, although by that time, the Betrayer had
lying, per se; however, she is skirting the issue to avoid already murdered High Priest Kennoth and unleashed
revealing her true nature.] Chemosh’s minions. If you go below, you will find that
some of the temple’s guardians are still...active. Living
What brought you here? statues that obey the last order given to them—defend
“I heard that the entrance to the valley had been the Shrine of Light from any who do not belong in the
opened. I believe that it was a sign from the gods that temple.”
the valley’s curse had been lifted. Unfortunately, I dis-
covered that I was wrong, but by that time, I was already What have you found here?
here...so I decided to take a further look.” She laughs “I have managed to save a few books, mostly dealing
softly, “I must admit, when my curiosity is aroused, I with religion during the height of Istar’s glory. They are
can be as tenacious as any kender...” scholarly tomes, for the most part, although I have dis-
covered a few items of true interest, at least to a collector
What are these strange after-images we are witness- of stories like myself.” [True, to a point. Anasana has also
ing? discovered a few magical scrolls, but she will not share
“You have experienced them as well, then. I believe those with the characters unless they succeed on a DC
that these images are the emotional and spiritual 30 Helpful Diplomacy check, or otherwise impress upon
imprints left by the terror and faith of the people within her their need for them.]
the temple that night. They are harmless, and they seem
to provide a rare insight to what happened here. I’m There are many other questions that the characters
sure that a priest of Gilean or Zivilyn would probably be could ask Anasana. Feel free to provide them what infor-
able to glean more from these images, but I cannot be mation they might require, or that you feel that they
certain.” [Anasana is correct, as far as she knows. A might need, but she does not know the full story of what
priest of Gilean or Zivilyn, with their powers of divina- occurred on the Night of Betrayal.
tion, would probably be able to glean more from these
memories merely because of their connection to their
gods. What this information might be is up to you, but

76 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 77
 The chamber is shaped in an equal-armed cross, with
bookshelves lining all of the walls from the floor to the n elderly priest wearing gold scale armor with
ceiling.
This chamber once held the vast collection of the tem-
A a brown surcoat over it, comes around the cor-
ner of the hallway holding a large, hooked, battle-
ple’s sacred manuscripts. The ogres were quite vicious in axe. He glances over his shoulder, growling out,
destroying what they could find, pulling the books off the “Come on, they’ll need our help! We’ll help these
shelves and lighting a bonfire in the center of the room. ogres meet their goddess personally...”
Scorch marks can still be clearly seen on the floor and the Two younger-looking priests follow after him,
ceiling is stained with soot. Anasana has been very carefully wearing the same garb as the first. One of them
going through the remains, liberally using her mending moves past the elderly priest, heading out into the
spell to try and repair everything she can find, although hallway, while the other hesitates.
there truly isn’t much remaining. The elderly priest reaches out, clasping the
Anasana is the only creature in the room. Her initial youngster on the shoulder. A faint smile parts the
reaction will be Indifferent, as long as the characters do not bearded face of the elder man as he says, “Don’t be
threaten her. She will not revert to (or reveal to afraid, my son. Our compatriots need us. They will
the characters) her natural spider-form look to us for courage. We must buy High Priest
unless she needs to make a swift getaway Kennoth and High Master Caeldor time
(her speed as a spider is almost twice that to call upon the temple’s defenses.
of her speed as a humanoid). She wears Now, come! If we die, we shall
the form of a Khurish woman as she is die with honor and Kiri-Jolith
of Khurish stock, her father a noble will guide us to his hall in the
from Khuri-Khan who never knew Dome of Creation.”
the mother’s true nature. With an encouraging push, the
 Anasana: hp 35; see page 165. elderly priest follows the last young
Anasana is not the type to fight to man, heading out of the hidden
the death. Her spells are mostly armory and toward the battle ahead...
defensive in nature. She will choose to
cast fog cloud to attempt to blind her
foes, transforming into her natural There is a small hallway that leads back into
form, and escaping out one of the other the armory. The hallway twists twice, 10-feet
doors. each time, before emerging into the armory.
On a Helpful reaction, Anasana will
offer the characters the treasure she his room must have once served as an
has found in this room, including a
number of scrolls that had been pro-
T armory for the temple’s priests. The walls
are lined with racks for armor and weapons but
tected from the fire by the scroll tubes in which they had most of them are empty. While those weapons
been sealed. remaining seem to still be in good condition, they
would require some repair work.
ST26. Armory (EL 4)
Detecting the secret door leading into the hidden armory
requires a DC 25 Search check. There are a few salvageable items in the chamber,

Armory Door: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp 60; break though some of them would require a good deal of time
DC 28; Open Lock DC 28 if locked. with a whetstone or a professional weaponsmith.
Just within the doorway on the ground is a pressure Otherwise, the chamber is bare, as the priests took out
plate that activates a trap and unleashes a lightning bolt. what they could when they were fighting with the ogres.
The lightning bolt travels in a straight line from the wall There is a hidden panel in the center of the back wall,
facing the secret door, striking the wall beside the southern detectable with a DC 23 Spot check. The panel opens easi-
door into the library. Observant characters may notice a ly, revealing a small niche. Unfortunately, the niche is
faint hint of a scorch mark on the wall beside the southern empty, except for a small black bead in the back corner,
door (DC 18 Spot check). half-concealed beneath a thin layer of dust and spider webs
 Lightning Bolt CR 4; magic device; proximity trigger (DC 15 Spot or DC 15 Search check).
(alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (lightning bolt, 5th- Of the salvageable equipment in the room, characters
level wizard, 5d6 electricity, DC 14 Reflex save half dam- will discover a masterwork silver warhammer, a master-
age); Search DC 28; Disable Device DC 28. work small steel shield, and four vials of holy water sealed
Once the characters enter the armory, they will be con- in small, steel vials. The black bead in the corner of the
fronted by another flicker. niche is a bead of force.

78 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

Fifth Floor The Grand Hall was the central meeting place for the
This level served as the true heart of the Temple of the priesthood, where they gathered for their daily devotions.
Golden Sun, where the shrines to the gods stood. It was also where the last line of defenders gave their lives
Although the High Priest of the temple was struck to protect the sanctity of their temple from the ogres. They
down, he managed to activate some of the temple’s defens- never realized there was a traitor in their midst until it was
es before he died. Two of those defenses include the perma- too late. With the lifeblood of High Priest Kennoth on the
nent guards & wards protecting this level and the level altar, the Betrayer desecrated the Shrine of the Sun and
below and the activation of the sacred guardians. unleashed demons from the Abyss, demons sent by
None of the doors on this level were broken by the Chemosh to attack the temple from within.
invading ogres. Some of them are protected by arcane locks Caught between the ogres and the demons, the last
(as indicated on the map). Most of the doors of solid iron, defenders of the temple fell...all except for one young
treated with an alchemical formula that has protected them acolyte, who found refuge in the Sacred Shrine (ST38).
from natural rusting (they can still be affected by magical Once, there were 12 sacred guardians that defended the
rusting, such as the effects from a rusting grasp spell, a rust grand hall, but most of them were destroyed before the
monster, or a touch from a gauntlet of rust), while the ogres pulled back.
secret doors leading to areas ST34 and ST35 are solid stone  Sacred Guardian of Mishakal: hp 41; see page 166.
made to resemble the walls.  Sacred Guardian of Paladine: hp 41; see page 166.

Iron Doors: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp 60; break The sacred guardians will attack the characters, unless
DC 28 (38 if arcane lock); Open Lock DC 28. someone presents a medallion of faith dedicated to one of

Secret Stone Doors: 2 inches thick, hardness 10; hp the Gods of Light, as if they were attempting to turn or
60; break DC 28 (38 if arcane lock); Open Lock DC 28. rebuke undead. It does not count against the character’s
turning attempts.
ST27. Grand Hall There is no treasure in this room, except for the
weapons that the statues are wielding. The sword is a Large
rom the stairwell you can see a massive under- +1 longsword and the quarterstaff is a Large +1 quarterstaff.
F ground hall. Pillars are evenly placed through-
out the hall, supporting the mosaic ceiling over- As the characters approach the door to the Shrine of the
head. The mosaic is still intact, and although some Sun (ST31), another flicker strikes them.
of the colors have faded, you can make out the
images of the gods in their glory. The same mosaic The hall is suddenly filled with the sound of clash-
is on the floor, reflecting the images overhead. ing weapons, as the valiant priests of the Temple
Although there are no torches, a soft, diffuse form a living wall against the ogres pouring into the
light radiates from the pillars, illuminating the hall. Over the din of steel striking steel, you can hear
entire chamber. The columns are covered with soft- numerous voices rise in prayer as the priests call upon
ly glowing religious symbols. The illumination also their gods for help.
reveals the scattered remains of skeletons, both the “Lady of the Blue light, fill us with your holy
larger skeletons of ogres and the smaller skeletons might!” cries out one young priestess, whose body
of the priests who died defending their temple. suddenly begins to glow with brilliant blue light as
Mixed in among the skeletons, you can see large she slams her quarterstaff across an ogre’s chin.
chunks of rubble spread about haphazardly. “Kiri-Jolith, I beg you to listen as you fill your
Suddenly, from the faint shadows from the far enemies with fear!” an elderly priest in golden chain-
side of the chamber, you hear heavy footsteps. Two mail points his medallion toward another ogre, who
tall figures step into the light. One of the figures is suddenly drops his club as he runs shrieking for the
wearing tarnished silver armor, replete with a plat- stairs.
inum triangle glowing softly upon the breastplate. “Our Lord of the Blazing Sun, Paladine the
The figure appears to be masculine, although Platinum One,” begins an earnest chant by another
carved from stone that seems to be cracked and priest, but a vicious blow from an ogre’s club slams
weathered. A massive sword is gripped in its hands, into the priest’s shoulder, sending him crashing into a
blazing with a brilliant, pure white light. column, where he slumps to the ground lifeless.
The other figure is feminine and slightly short- Suddenly, the statues along the walls of the hall
er than the other. She is wearing similarly tarnished burst into movement, joining the fray as they are
silver armor. A blue infinity symbol glows on her imbued with divine energy. The priests of the temple
breastplate and she grasps a similarly glowing cheer as the ogres begin to fall back, but just as sud-
quarterstaff in her hands. denly as the statues move forward, the doors of the
As one, the two living statues move forward, main shrine burst open…and out of those doors
purposefully bringing their weapons to bear as they comes something torn from a world of nightmares.
prepare to confront the intruders to the shrines... A swarm of skeletal insects streaks out, carried
on a powerful burst of wind. As the insects swarm

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 79

 over the priests and ogres, the air fills with shrieks The strands of the web are flammable. Any fire—a
and cries as the unholy insects strike with a relentless torch, burning oil, a flaming sword, and so forth—can set
fury. Into this chaos, two figures emerge from between the webs alight and burn away 5 square feet in 1 round. All
the temple’s doors. Walking side by side and unaffect- characters within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire
ed by the powerful gust of wind coming from behind damage from the flames. The magical webs automatically
them. The two figures appear to be humans but they reform in 10 minutes.
are wrapped almost entirely in a shroud of wickedly
barbed chains that coil and writhe about their bodies. ST29. Shrine of the Night (EL 0/EL 6)
An aura of absolute evil surrounds the two, an aura
so strong that even the heartiest ogres seem to shrivel s the door to this chamber swings open, you
in their presence.
The two unholy creatures suddenly spring into
A are greeted by a chilling breeze and the sickly-
sweet scent of decay. An oppressive darkness fills
action, their chains lashing out around them like every corner of the room, though you can see with
striking cobras tearing through flesh, bone, and the relative clarity, as if you were gazing into a shadowy
animated stone statues of the temple with equal ease. cavern.
As the carnage escalates, a last figure walks out of the The floor, walls, and even the ceiling of the
shrine, a gaunt human man wearing the sickly-yel- chamber are of polished obsidian, smooth as glass
low trimmed black robes and skull mask of a priest of and covered by a thin layer of dust. Three statues
Chemosh. He turns to quietly close the doors of the stand along both the southern and eastern walls,
shrine behind him, turning his back on the carnage as flanking a single, larger statue in the corner of the
he heads for the room to the northwest… shrine. Despite their age, the statues seem to be in
relatively good shape: Nuitari, Zeboim, Sargonnas
along the eastern wall, with Hiddukul, Morgion,
and Chemosh along the southern wall. The Queen
ST28. Prepatory Room of Darkness, in her guise as the Dark Mother,
stands head and shoulders above the other statues,
our view of the chamber within is obscured by staring down her nose at any who dare enter her
Y a rolling cloud of sickly looking yellow smoke.
Tendrils of smoke slip out toward you, filling the
shrine…and staring down at the large skeleton lay-
ing face down on the ground below the dais.
air with a foul odor.

This shrine is unhallow, the entire room is covered by

The two prepatory rooms are nearly identical in every the effects of a magic circle against good (evil creatures
way, mirror images of one another. Both are permanently within the room gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a
filled with a stinking cloud effect, the stairs clogged with +2 resistance bonus on saves against any attack from a
permanent webs. These stairs lead down to the Hall of the good creature; attempts to possess or to exercise mental
Dead (ST37). Unlike the webs in the stairs leading to the control over evil creatures are blocked; good summoned
Fifth Level (ST17), there are no spiders or skeletons in creatures cannot enter the room, and they cannot be sum-
these webs. moned within the chamber). Additionally, all turning
Both prepatory rooms are filled with a permanent stink- checks made to turn undead take a –4 penalty and turning
ing cloud effect. Living creatures entering the cloud become checks to rebuke undead gain a +4 profane bonus (spell
nauseated if they fail a DC 17 Fortitude save. This condi- resistance does not apply to this effect).
tion lasts as long as the creature remains within the cloud Once the characters have fully entered the shrine, they
and for 1d4+1 rounds after they leave. Any creature that experience another flicker.
succeeds on its save but remains in the cloud must contin-
ue to save each round at the beginning of the turn. If the The door to the shrine slams open as a large ogre
stinking cloud is dispersed by a strong wind, it will reform limps into the room. His dark blue skin bears
in 10 minutes. numerous wounds, crimson blood flowing liberally
The webs fill the stairway from top to bottom. down his face and staining his matted mane of white
Characters trying to press through the webbing find them- hair. He closes the door behind him with a grunt,
selves entangled and unable to move farther without pressing his hand against the door and uttering a gut-
spending 1 round and making a successful DC 20 Strength tural phrase that causes the door to glow with scarlet
check or a DC 25 Escape Artist check. Once loose, the light. Turning around, he slowly limps toward the
character remains entangled, but may move through the statue of Takhisis, where he collapses on the ground,
web very slowly. Each round devoted to moving allows the kneeling before the statue of the Queen of Darkness
character to make a new Strength check or Escape Artist with his forehead resting upon the cool floor.
check. The characters move 5 feet for each full 5 points that “My Dark Queen,” the ogre growls softly, in a
the check result exceeds 10. voice that manages to echo throughout the chamber.

80 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 “In your name, we have brought down this temple of ST30. Shrine of the Evening
the accursed light….but we have been betrayed.”
The ogre leans up, his face twisted in pain as he’s he door opens to reveal a large chamber, appar-
suddenly wracked by a hacking cough. Spitting out
blood, the ogre holds up his hands in supplication to
T ently once a shrine to the Gods of Balance, if
first impressions are accurate.
the goddess, “Please, my Queen…hear me. Avenge The floor of the chamber is a rich, reddish hue,
your children! Do not let this slight against your with countless ceramic tiles placed carefully to cre-
name rest easily!” ate designs that twist and turn upon themselves,
Suddenly, the statue of the Dark Queen moves, creating geometric patterns. The same tiled pat-
her eyes opening and blazing with the bloody glow of terns are on the walls and ceiling of the chamber.
the setting sun. “I have heard your plea, my child. I Except for the thin layer of dust and cobwebs
am disappointed in you. You should have anticipated throughout the chamber, this shrine seems to have
betrayal, but you were blinded by conceit. So you will been spared the attack of the ogres.
die here, like your warriors, who you led gleefully into Three statues stand at each hand of a larger
death’s embrace. But, as I am forgiving, whom truly statue in the back corner of the room, a statue of a
loves her children, I will tell you that your death will studious looking man holding open a book as he
not go unavenged…though vengeance shall not come gazes directly ahead, the god Gilean. The statues on
from my hand.” Gilean’s left are Lunitari, Chislev, and Zivilyn, while
The arm of the goddess moves forward until her the statues on his right are Sirrion, Shinare, and
hand hovers over the ogre gazing up at her with the Reorx.
blind loyalty of a zealot. “Now, my child, rest. I shall
ensure that your soul does not fall into the hands of
the Betrayer. No, you shall serve me in the afterlife, This chamber is dedicated to the Gods of Neutrality. As
where you will atone for your mistakes.” such, it is protected by a permanent sanctuary spell. Any
The indigo eyes of the ogre roll up in his head, a creature attempting to attack another, even with a target
soft sigh slipping from his lips as he falls forward. spell, must make a DC 20 Will saving throw. If the save
That last gasp echoes as a thin tendril of grayish mist fails, the opponent can’t follow through with the attack,
snakes upward to the goddess’s hand. Wrapping her that part of its action is lost, and it can’t directly attack that
fingers tight around the ogre’s soul, she draws her creature for as long as they remain within the shrine. Those
hand back, moving back to her former position, when not attempting to attack remain unaffected. This effect
suddenly she pauses, turning her head until she is does not prevent creatures within the room from being
looking directly at you! A smirk twists her coldly attacked or affected by area or effect spells. If a creature
beautiful face, those hellfire eyes seemingly staring attacks another while in the shrine, they are not protected
deep into your soul as the goddess gazes across the by the sanctuary effect any longer.
barrier of time, through the barrier of death, and sees If the priests had sought refuge in this shrine, they
you standing there. would most likely have been spared, but they could not
“Yes, vengeance shall not come from my hand . allow the ogres to deface the Shrine of the Sun, nor could
…but from yours!” they have expected to be attacked by the demons unleashed
by the Betrayer.
This shrine is probably one of the safest areas to rest in
As long as the characters do not seek to deface the the entire temple, as no creature may attack while within
shrine, they will not encounter any monsters in this cham- the shrine (without succeeding on the Will save). Priests
ber. However, if they do try to destroy the shrine (destroy- dedicated to one of the Gods of Balance will find that if
ing the statues, etc.), they will find that the shrine is well they meditate and pray for 8 hours within this chamber,
protected, and doing any damage to any of the statues they will receive the benefits as if they had used incense of
(including the statue of Takhisis), will activate a flame strike meditation (prepares all spells as though affected by the
trap. Maximize Spell feat, though all spells are prepared at their
Flame Strike CR 6; magic device; touch trigger normal level, not at three levels higher).
(alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (flame strike, 9th-level
cleric, 9d6 fire, DC 17 Reflex save half damage); Search DC ST31. Shrine of the Sun
30; Disable Device DC 30.
The ogre mage chieftain’s skeleton on the floor before he heavy double doors leading into the cham-
the statue of Takhisis is the only potential source of treas-
ure in the room. The armor and weapon wielded by the
T ber are made of solid iron, standing strong and
gleaming brightly beneath the thin veneer of dust,
chieftain has long since rusted away, as has most of the rest without any traces of rust upon them. An enor-
of his equipment, with the exception of two rings: a ring of mous relief of a blazing sun covers both doors.
protection +1 and a ring of minor spell storing (currently
holds only a magic missile spell as 9th-level caster).

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 81

 The doors into the Shrine of the Sun are protected by Behind this altar, set into a recessed wall, is an
an arcane lock effect, making them difficult to enter. Allow enormous statue of a kindly looking, but stern fea-
characters to make a DC 18 Listen check as they approach tured, bearded man, gazing down upon the altar
the door. Those who succeed will hear the sound of a with a small smile. The marble statue is dressed in
strong wind coming from the other side of the door. ornate armor, with a platinum triangle set upon its

Shrine Doors: 2 inches thick, hardness 10; hp 60; breastplate.
break DC 38 (arcane lock); Open Lock DC 28. As you approach the altar, you notice some-
Once the doors are opened, the characters will find thing else…collapsed upon the floor at the base of
themselves facing a gust of wind effect. This effect will the altar is a skeleton, dressed in the tattered
extend 10 feet pass the door, forcing any character standing remains of priestly regalia. One hand is still desper-
in the path to make a DC 17 Strength or be knocked back. ately clutching at the altar cloth, as if the individual
Tiny or smaller creatures on the ground are knocked died while trying to pull himself up. The back of
back 1d4x10 feet, taking 1d4 points of nonlethal damage the skeleton’s robe is neatly torn in a straight line,
per 10 feet. If flying, a Tiny or smaller creature is blown and beneath its body is a dark stain on the floor.
back 2d6x10 feet and takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage
due to battering and buffeting. (Tiny creatures suffer a –8
penalty on their check.) This room was the Shrine of the Sun, the heart of wor-
Small creatures are knocked prone by the wind, or if fly- ship here within the temple. Once, it was a sacred place,
ing are blown back 1d6x10 feet. (Small creatures suffer a –4 but now it has been desecrated by the actions of the
penalty on their check.) Betrayer on that fateful night more than 700 years ago.
Medium creatures will be unable to move forward This cut the temple off from the full power of the gods,
against the force of the wind, or if flying are blown back weakening the priests at a critical moment when the ogres
1d6x5 feet. were attacking.
Large or larger creatures may move normally within the Half-hidden by the body of the skeleton is a black dag-
gust of wind effect (the ogres would not have been effected, ger, one that may appear familiar to those who witnessed
if they hadn’t been caught by the Betrayer’s demons). the flicker in the High Master’s chambers (ST20). If the
Those who succeed on their Strength check may move characters do not move the skeleton, they will need to
forward against at half their movement rate. Flying against make a DC 25 Spot check to locate the blade. The dagger is
the wind is impossible, unless the creature is Medium size known as the blade of betrayal or the dagger of death’s
or larger. embrace, an ancient weapon crafted by worshipers of
The gust of wind emanates from the statue of Paladine Chemosh during the Age of Might. The blade is intelligent
on the far wall of the shrine, though this is not an effect of and can communicate telepathically with anyone who picks
the statue. It is an effect of the temple’s guards & wards, it up. It will either try to secretly dominate the individual
which were activated at the last moment by High Priest (see Items Against Characters in the Dungeon Master’s
Kennoth before he died. Guide) or it will remain silent, biding its time to work its
The gust of wind effect may be neutralized in any num- corrupting influence. (For full details on the blade of
ber of ways, but the simplest way of neutralizing the effect betrayal, see the Appendix.)
is by presenting a medallion of faith of one of the Gods of As the characters approach the altar, they will experi-
Light, which causes the wind to die down for 10 minutes. ence the following flicker.
Note that the gust of wind may make locating or using the
secret passage down to the Sacred Hall (ST38). wo figures walk down the center of the shrine,

Once the characters enter the shrine, read them the fol-
T heading toward the altar. One of them is an eld-
erly man, his sandy brown hair long since turned to
lowing: gray. His flowing robes are purest white, with a cowl
thrown back to reveal a face worn with care, but also
his room is large, almost as large as the hall filled with peace. Around his neck is proudly dis-
T outside the doors. The floor is of polished pure
white marble, as are the walls and the ceiling.
played a circular medallion with a platinum triangle
formed by three dragons.
Delicate alabaster columns line either side of the The other is a familiar face: that of the Betrayer,
chamber, intricately carved with images and sym- wearing the ivory and blue robes of a priest of
bols of the Gods of Light. Mishakal. Although he hides it well, there is a sense of
At the far side of the room, a dais rises from discomfort about his features, a certain tightness that
the ground, atop of which is a beautifully crafted betrays his unease at treading upon holy ground.
altar of solid alabaster. The velvet cloth that cov- “What is it you wanted to speak with me about,
ered the altar has long since rotted. A pool of light Caeldor? How can I ease the burden that I see you
surrounds the altar, almost as if it was standing carrying upon your shoulders?” the High Priest
beneath an open window in the ceiling and bathed inquires softly as he mounts the dais and turns to face
in the light of the sun. his companion.

82 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 The Betrayer, Caeldor, glances up at the High the doorway, the Betrayer pulls a black crystal skull
Priest, his expression schooled to one of humble piety. from within his robes and holds it high overhead.
“I apologize, Revered Father Kennoth, for taking you Chanting once again, the Betrayer unleashes the
away from your evening devotions, but I felt that magic stored within the skull, magic that opens a
there was something important that you needed to portal to the realm of the Lord of Death and unleash-
know.” Caeldor hangs his head, casting his eyes es a swarm of skeletal insects escorted by two chain-
downward as his expression twists into one of sor- shrouded devils.
rowful regret, “I am afraid that I have found a trai- Neither the Betrayer nor his summoned crea-
tor in our midst.” tures take no notice of a young man wearing the sim-
A look of pain crosses Kennoth’s face, although ple robes of an acolyte staring in white-faced shock
he turns away from Caeldor to look up at the statue from the doorway of the room to the west, as they
of Paladine behind the altar, as if he were searching move out of the desecrated shrine. Once the Betrayer
for answers from the divine. Not finding any forth- closes the doors behind him, sealing in the wind and
coming there, Kennoth asks softly, “Who?” the darkness, sealing in the young acolyte and the
Caeldor glances back up, his expression evening murdered High Priest, only then does the acolyte
out as he reaches into the folds of his robes and stumble out of the room and run for the altar.
removes a wicked looking curve-bladed dagger. “Revered Father! Please, don’t die!” the young
Stepping up onto the dais, laying his hand com- man cries out, as he attempts to call upon a minor
painionably upon Kennoth’s shoulder, he leans for- curing spell to heal Kennoth—to no avail.
ward and whispers into the old man’s ears, “Me.” Over the gusting wind, over the sound of the
Kennoth’s eyes fly open in shock, but before he young boy’s tears, even over the sound of the carnage
can turn to confront Caeldor, his body jerks spas- occurring outside the doors of the shrine, a soft chim-
modically as Caeldor shoves the black blade into the ing sound dances in the air. The sound jerks the
High Priest’s back. young man out of his tears, causing him to look up
Caeldor’s robes are stained red by the blood flow- and around, trying to find the source of the sound.
ing from the High Priest’s body, but the stain is lost as Almost against his will, the young man rises to his
the robes darken until they no longer resemble the feet, his body suddenly glowing as if he was bathed in
robes of one of Mishakal’s faithful, but the black robes brilliant sunlight. Slowly, as if in a dream, he walks
of a worshiper of Chemosh. away from the altar, heading toward the middle of
Almost delicately, Caeldor lays Kennoth upon the room. Untouched by the wind howling around
the floor before he steps back, the dagger falling from him, he kneels down and touches the floor…
his hand. Pulling his skull mask from within his robe,
he places it on his face as he chants in a dry, whispery
voice, “As blood spills upon the floor, I devote myself After the flicker fades, the characters will find them-
to the Lord of Death. As I pass through death’s door, selves standing alone in the room once more.
I take my final breath. And in this place where Death A secret passage in the floor of the chamber (DC 20
now reigns, the Light shall not shine again!” Search check to locate) leads down to the Sacred Hall
A wave of darkness pulses out from the (ST36). A medallion of faith of a God of Light touched
Betrayer’s body as shadows begin to gather in the against the panel will cause it to silently open, revealing a
room. But the Betrayer does not notice the High stairway leading down. Otherwise, the characters will have
Priest moving feebly, his hand reaching up to clutch to open the secret door another way.
the altar cloth and pulling himself up, muttering a
Secret Door: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp 60; break
quiet prayer himself, “I call upon the Gods of Light, DC 28; Open Lock DC 28 (magic lock).
fill this temple with your might…protect us, great The doors on either side of the shrine lead to special
Paladine, from traitors in our midst!” As the last chambers. The door to the west leads to the Absolution
word slips from the High Priest’s lips, he collapses for- Chamber (ST32), where the priests could come to reflect in
ward, his energy spent. privacy with the gods, while the door to the east leads to
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swirls to life, the Reliquary (ST33), where items for the shrine were
howling angrily as it streaks forward from the statue stored. Both of these iron doors are protected by an arcane
of Paladine, toward the Betrayer. With a hoarse lock, from the temple’s guards & wards effect.
shout, the Betrayer manages to throw himself aside, The only treasures in this room are the medallion of
allowing the wind to slam against the iron doors of faith around the neck of the High Priest’s corpse, a ring of
the shrine. Outside, the ogres have already begun grace (+2 Wisdom, see New Magic) upon the skeleton’s left
their attack, cries of the priests already filtering down hand, and the blade of betrayal, half-hidden on the floor
as the Betrayer drags himself to his feet. beside the skeleton.
Glaring down at the dead High Priest, the
Betrayer spits out, “Foolish old man. You are as weak
as your feebleminded god.” Turning around to face

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 83

ST32. Devotional Chamber time, it seems to be in perfect condition—as if it
were brand new. Neither does there seem to be any
his plain room is bare of any decoration or sign of dust or cobwebs.
T adornment, nothing more than a simple cham-
ber with white walls, a white floor, and a white ceil-
ing, although dust, grime and spider webs have This inner sanctum was a place where priests who truly
faded the white to a muted gray. needed to separate themselves from others while they com-
The only thing of interest in the room seems to muned with the gods.
be a small, personal altar set against the middle of The sanctum is blessed by a hallow spell, which is the
the wall opposite the door, atop of which are small source of the soothing warmth that fills the characters. Evil
stone statues of the seven Gods of Light. characters will feel uncomfortable at the warmth, although
the sensation neither truly heals the wounds of good char-
acters, nor harms evil characters.
This room is 15-feet by 15-feet, of the same marble On top of the altar is a small statue. This statue is a sim-
from which the Shrine of the Sun was crafted. ple representation of all the Gods of Light, an image of a
The stone statues are simple, hand-chiseled icons of the sun with six rays equidistant apart (the central circle repre-
gods, worth no more than 10 stl a piece. However, there is a sents Paladine, while each ray represents one of the other
secret passage hidden behind the altar that can be activated good gods). This statue is a sacred relic, although not a
by depressing a small switch beneath the altar top. Locating powerful one. Any good-aligned cleric may touch the stat-
the secret passage requires a DC 25 Search check. The pas- ue and commune with their deity, asking one question per
sage leads into the High Priest’s Private Sanctum (ST34). Wisdom bonus. This may be done once per year. Note that

Secret Door: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp 60; break as Paladine is no longer a deity (nor are there any clerics of
DC 38 (arcane lock); Open Lock DC 28. Paladine) characters cannot attempt to commune with him.
The statue loses its powers if removed from the sanctum.
ST33. Reliquary
ST35. Secret Reliquary
his room once must have been a simple storage
T room, for shelves line the walls. Unfortunately,
most of the items on the shelves have fallen prey to Y ou look through a small entryway into another
reliquary, but this one seems to have been used
time. The once-fine velvet and silk altar cloths have to store other objects of interest to the temple.
rotted away, as have the spare vestments that were Tiny cubby holes line the walls, filled with
neatly folded and put away. Blocks of incense have ceramic urns and clay pots, as well as other strange
hardened to the consistency of stone, as have the items that are a mystery to anyone not knowledge-
beeswax candles. able about the rituals of a temple. As in the rest of
the temple, however, time has not been kind to this
room’s contents...most of them have rotted.
This room is 15-feet by 15-feet, of the same pristine
white marble in the Shrine of the Sun.
All of the goods in this storage room have gone bad, This room was once stocked with candles of invocation
either rotted away or ruined and worthless. However, a and incense of meditation (of all three good alignments),
secret door lies in the wall opposite the door, requiring a along with other sacred vestments and sacraments. Now all
DC 25 Search check to locate. This passage leads to the that remains are two candles of invocation (one lawful good
Secret Reliquary (ST35). and the other chaotic good, although both will only burn

Secret Door: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp 60; break for 1 hour) and one block of incense of meditation (that
DC 28; Open Lock DC 28 (magic lock). only functions for good-aligned divine spell casters).

ST34. Private Sanctum Sixth Floor

This level of the temple contains the Sacred Hall (ST36)
ou enter a room that is surprisingly warm, yet and the temple’s crypts (ST37 and ST38). This level was
Y not uncomfortably so. A faint light, like sun-
light, seems to filter through the ceiling, providing
typically only visited by the temple’s senior clergy, as only
clergy were interred in the crypt and the Sacred Hall was
both illumination and a soothing warmth that reserved only for those who needed to petition one of the
seems to temporarily. Gods of Light for assistance, in a time when the gods spoke
This room seems much like the one that you more often, and more directly, with their mortal followers.
passed through just moments before, although Unlike the rest of the temple, this level is of very simple
here the altar is set into a recess in the wall and craftsmanship, except for the Sacred Hall, which is nearly
there is a cushion on the floor before it. Oddly, the identical to the Shrine of the Sun in construction. The
plush cushion seems to have escaped the ravages of walls are of hewn stone and the floors are simple flagstone.

84 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 On the Night of Betrayal, the ogres never reached this A soft, soothing light begins to fill the room, as if
level. Only the Betrayer and the young acolyte, Neran, did, the sun was rising over the horizon, causing the
where the two died in service to their respective gods. acolyte to glance up in surprise. His eyes widen, his
lips part in shock, as his startled gaze falls upon the
ST36. The Sacred Hall source of the light—a short sword whose crystalline
blade seem to contain a golden ray of sunlight within
set of marble stairs lead down into a smaller its depths—cradled in the outspread palms of
A room below the shrine, a room that seems
filled with an otherworldly presence. The room is
Paladine.
Slowly rising to his feet, the young acolyte gin-
not overly large, perhaps no more than 15-feet gerly reaches out and picks up the blade, which caus-
wide and twice that in length, but it almost seems es the dim light to flash brilliantly for a moment,
as if the chamber is far larger than it appears, as if bathing the young man’s face in warm light.
it contained so much energy that it exists beyond Swallowing, the young man looks up into the
the simple boundaries of walls and floors. As if it eyes of Paladine once more, into a stone face that
were in the heavens instead of being deep beneath seems to reflect some sorrow.
the earth. “Thank you, Paladine…I understand what I
The floor of this small chamber is made of must do,” he whispers softly before he turns and
marble, worn smooth by the passage of countless begins to walk toward the stairs, heading for his des-
footsteps yet clear of the dust that seems ever-pres- tiny…
ent throughout the temple above. Three statues
stand on both sides of the room: Solinari, Kiri-
Jolith, and Mishakal to the right, while Branchala, After the characters experience the flicker, they will find
Habbakuk, and Majere stand to the left. At the far themselves alone in the chamber once again.
side of the room, facing the stairs, is a 10-foot tall
statue resembling the statue of Paladine in the ST37. Hall of the Dead
above room, although this one is weathered and
cracked. Time has worn the illusion of sorrow into thick, blue-gray mist fills a hallway of natural-
this statue’s face. It has its arms outstretched, as if
offering something to someone, but its hands are
A ly hewn stone, obscuring all vision beyond
arm’s distance away, although you can see small
empty. flickers of light dancing within the mist.
Along the wall, you can see that there are small
cubbyholes where skulls have been carefully placed.
This sacred hall is the true heart of the temple, where Each skull is set neatly within its niche, lacquered
each of the seven Gods of Light was honored by a statue. A to prevent them from yellowing or cracking, and
sacred place, it has stood unmolested since the temple fell each one seems to give off a soft illumination, as if
to betrayal, and it was here that a fateful decision was they were glowing from within. Beneath each skull
made. on the wall are small platinum plaques, with names
When the characters approach the statue of Paladine, engraved in ancient Istaran script.
they will experience a flicker. As you move deeper into the mist, it seems to
part before you though it flows back swiftly, leaving
The young acolyte trips down the stairs, falling eddies and swirls of flickering lights as it amplifies
heavily onto the hard stone floor, yet he does not cry the ambient illumination provided by the skulls
out. Pushing himself to his feet, his eyes seek out those and the strangely shifting lights further along the
of the tall statue at the end of the room, a statue that hallway.
seems to be watching him.
The acolyte steps forward until he is standing in
front of Paladine, looking up at the edifice of his deity This hallway is a memorial crypt, where the skulls of the
as tears run unchecked down his face. temple’s priests were placed so that their wisdom would
“Father, darkness has come,” the acolyte whis- remain with their brethren. The passage leads directly to
pers softly, choking back a sob as he reaches up to rub the temple’s Sepulcher (ST37), where the High Priests were
the tears from his eyes. “The Revered Father has been interred.
murdered and the other priests are being killed…the When High Priest Kennoth activated the temple’s guards
High Master has betrayed us all.” & wards, the hall was filled with a fog cloud. The fog
The young man collapses to his knees, his head obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A
bowing before him as his grief and fear spill over into creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20%
harsh racking sobs that shudder through his body. miss chance). Creatures farther away have total conceal-
“What can I do? I am just a novitiate...his power is ment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to
too great!” he cries to the empty room. locate the target).

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 85

 What’s Happening Here?
When the characters release the shard of light, they Removing the Curse
have unwittingly released the spirit that had been bound The characters, as a side quest, may decide to return
by the holy blade—the spirit of the Betrayer who was to the temple once they have found the tears of Mishakal
bound in death by his pledge to the god Chemosh. The in order to purify the valley and put the last spirits to
spirit has no real name, as it is a ritual of the Khur to rest.
“strip away” the name of a traitor so that it cannot taint Although this is beyond the scope of this adventure,
the soul of those who speak that name. Bound for more by the time the characters have returned to the valley,
than 700 years, as a lich it will take the Betrayer 1d10 they will discover that the Betrayer has regained his
days to reform completely. Even once he has reformed, it strength and has begun building an army of spirits and
will take him awhile to regain his former strength and to the undead.
regain his connection with his dark god. Removing the curse from the valley requires that the
The Betrayer will play only a minor role for the rest characters use the tears of Mishakal to wash away the
of this adventure, unless you choose to have him contin- blood of High Priest Kennoth from the dais in the
ue to bedevil the characters on their journey. In the fol- Shrine of the Sun. Doing so, however, will require that
lowing adventure, Spectre of Sorrows, he will begin mov- the characters fight their way through a temple now
ing against the characters in force as he involves himself filled with an army of undead.
(at the bequest of Chemosh) in the events unraveling
around the characters.

A moderate wind (11+ mph) will disperse the fog in 4 As with the sacred guardians in the Grand Hall (ST31),
rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the fog in 1 a character presenting a medallion of faith of any God of
round, although because the fog cloud is permanent, it will Light will cause the magical guards & wards to temporarily
reform in 10 minutes after being dispersed. fall dormant. The fog cloud and dancing lights will fade
Hidden within the fog, lurking only in the Hall of the away and the confusion traps will not function for 10 min-
Dead, are two shadows, who will utilize both the fog and utes after the medallion is presented.
their ability to pass through walls, in order to bedevil the  Confusion A minor confusion effect is in place in two
characters. If the characters are experiencing the flicker the sections of the hall. When a character passes through these
shadows will not attack until the characters finish witness- areas, there is a 50% chance that the character ends up get-
ing the flicker. Instead, they will wait for the characters ting turned around and going back the way that they came.
where the hall opens into a wider area, where the confusion Two shadows, bound as guardians by the Betrayer, lurk
traps will work against newcomers. within the hallway. They did not interfere with the acolyte
Following the hall from one end to the other will bring who slew the Betrayer because he was carrying the shard of
the characters back up to the Fifth Level above, unless they light. If the characters experience the flicker as they are
discover the “lost” door on the southernmost wall, in the passing through the hall, then the shadows will likewise
widest part of the hall. The door is covered by a silent withdraw as the spectral memory affects them.
image. If a character interacts with the silent image, they are  Shadow (2): hp 21, 18; see Monster Manual.
allowed a DC 20 Will save to disbelieve the illusion; other-
wise characters must make a DC 25 Search check to locate If the characters experienced the flicker in the Shrine of
the “secret” door. the Sun (ST31) and the Sacred Hall (ST38), then read them
The door itself is a heavy stone door, which has been the following flicker. If not, they will not experience the
sealed by an arcane lock. If the characters witness the flicker flicker, but instead will find themselves facing the shadows
in this room, then they can use the same chant used by the lurking in the hall.
acolyte to remove the silent image and temporarily neutral-
ize the arcane lock. he Betrayer strides forward through the fog, his

Secret Door: 4 inches thick, hardness 8; hp 60; break
DC 28 (38 with arcane lock); Open Lock DC 28.
T black robes flapping like the wings of a vulture as
he moves through the hall with purpose. As the fog
Besides the fog cloud and the dancing lights, there are closes behind him, mere heartbeats later the young
two areas in the hall that cause any creature passing acolyte who witnessed the High Priest’s murder
through to be afflicted with confusion. These traps are per- comes down the stairway. In his hand, he is holding a
manent magical traps, aspects of the guards & wards placed short sword with a crystal blade that glows with the
upon the temple. If dispel magic is used upon them, or if soft golden radiance of sunlight. Before him, the fog
they are neutralized by another method, they will deacti- melts away as the medallion of Paladine on his chest
vate, but will restore themselves 10 minutes later. These reflects the light from the blade and sends it forward.
traps cannot be deactivated by a Disable Device check and As the acolyte turns a corner, he is suddenly
are presented slightly differently than typical traps. faced by two shadowy figures who glide toward him

86 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 silently, bringing with them the chill of death. focused inward, binding the bearded devil within the
Undeterred, the acolyte holds forth the blade and chamber. Secondly, all Charisma checks to turn undead
with a soft prayer, he holds it over his head. The blade gain a +4 sacred bonus and Charisma checks to command
bursts into glorious illumination, sending golden rays undead take a –4 penalty (spell resistance does not apply to
of sunlight in every direction to fill the hallway with this effect). The hallow effect prevents the shadows from
light. The two shadows shriek as if in pain, seeming- entering and the bearded devil from leaving.
ly melting into the floor as they flee from the brightly Before the characters have a chance to remove the shard
glowing blade. of light from the corpse of the Betrayer, they will be
In a daze, the young man continues forward, attacked by the last creature summoned by the Betrayer, a
entering a small foyer where the hall opens up into a creature that has been trapped in this room for 700 years—
small crypt. He turns to face the wall, lowering the a bearded devil of Chemosh. The bearded devil will do
blade before him as he steps forward and holds up his whatever it takes to get through the characters and out the
hand, speaking softly, hesitantly, “Paladine, light my door, for as long as the door is open it can get free of the
way, reveal what is hidden from the light of day.” hallow effect that trapped it here. If the characters close the
In the center of the wall, a section of the crypt door, the devil will try and convince them to open the door
shimmers like a mirage in the desert before melting (threatening, lying, making promises, whatever it takes) as
away to reveal a doorway. Quietly, the acolyte steps to it has been driven quite insane by its time trapped within
the door and slowly pushes it open, slipping silently this holy place.
into the room beyond… Chemosh’s bearded devil appears to be a skeletal version
of the typical bearded devil, which may lead characters to
believe the creature is undead instead of an outsider
(although it is not a bone devil, as it has no tail). Allow
ST38. The Sepulcher characters to make a DC 18 Knowledge (religion) check to
identify the creature appropriately.
s you open the door, you are immediately  Bearded Devil: hp 45; see Monster Manual.
A assailed by the dry, dusty scent of the grave.
The now familiar torches flicker to life, spilling As the characters approach the sarcophagus, they will
blue-white light across the room and revealing a experience one last flicker.
simple flagstone floor. Stone sarcophagi are neatly
placed around the periphery of the room, although revok! Vagarolinathor!”
some bear heavy scarring, as if someone had
viciously attempted to destroy them.
“K
At the far side of the room, opposite the door-
way, you see a single stone sarcophagus upon a This final flicker represents the climatic moment of the
dais. The top of the sarcophagus bears the relief of Night of Betrayal, when the acolyte Neran was able to
a man dressed in sacral vestments, but on top of defeat the Betrayer and prevent the devil from escaping.
this lies a skeleton dressed in tattered black robes. A Unfortunately, Neran’s fateful blow was too late. Just as his
blade pierces the skeleton’s back, pinning the skele- last words completed a binding spell and placed a curse
ton to the stone coffin, and the crystalline blade of upon the valley, the Betrayer’s last words bound his soul to
the short sword flickers with an inner light. Chemosh, making him a lich. Yet, the sword and the
Another skeleton lies against the southeast ground have kept the Betrayer dormant and trapped like
wall, its tattered robes once white and a silver the demon.
medallion clutched in its skeletal hand. When the characters attempt to remove the sword, the
When you step foot fully into the room, there skeleton of the Betrayer will crumble to dust leaving only
is a sudden inhuman roar of rage as another one of the tattered remains of his robes, his Medallion of Faith
the sarcophagi explodes out toward you, spraying (Chemosh), and his skull mask, which fell off and is hid-
stone, dust, and bone fragments across the room. den behind the stone sarcophagus. The skull mask is the
With an enormous glaive clutched in one hand, a Betrayer’s phylactery, the inside of the mask inscribed with
skeletal creature moves with uncanny speed and tiny black runes that completely cover the surface within.
agility, sickly yellow flames crackling in its eyes, as The mask is an enchanted item, with 40 hit points, a hard-
a long, forked beard seems to writhe snakelike from ness of 20, and a break DC of 40. It is also protected by
its bony jaw. “Free me!” the creature howls as it nondetection to prevent scrying or similar divination magic
rushes directly toward you, apparently intent upon from finding it. If a good-aligned character touches the
getting through the doorway. mask, it automatically activates a teleport object spell, trans-
porting itself back to a hidden location in one of the many
caves hidden in the surrounding hills (where the Betrayer
This Sepulcher is considered hallowed ground, protect- placed a secret refuge centuries ago).
ed by the effects of a magic circle against evil, which was

Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple Q 87

Leaving the Temple At this point, the characters may begin feeling that they
Leaving the temple is far easier than getting down to the are being manipulated or pressured, and may actively begin
lowest level, because the characters already know their way to rebel against being forced to go someplace as dangerous
through the corridors. as the Desolation and Kendermore; they may wish instead
The characters may decide to hunt out Anasana once to take a different track to reach the Desolation, traveling
again, depending upon how they interacted earlier in the through Khuri-Khan and Delphon instead of crossing the
adventure. She will be fascinated to hear what the charac- Bay of Balifor.
ters have to tell her about the lower levels, although she When the characters rejoin with the Mikku, the nomads
will seem a little concerned about how certain things don’t will tell the PCs that Ak-Khurman is not only the closest
seem to add up correctly. Still, she will keep these concerns city of any kind, but that it is also held by the Legion of
to herself. You may choose to allow the characters a resisted Steel, which may prove friendlier than passing through
Sense Motive check against Anasana’s Bluff check (1d20+2) Khuri-Khan, for it is rumored that the Khan is seeking an
for the characters to sense that she’s holding something alliance with
back that has disturbed her, but under no amount of
duress will she reveal that she plans on leaving as soon as
the characters are gone.
Once the characters leave the Shattered Temple, they
will receive a strange visitation.

A Vision from Above

s you finally reach the open, fresh air outside

A you feel as if a burden has been lifted off of
your shoulders.
“You have found it,” comes a soft voice from
behind you, a voice you’ve heard before. Turning
around, you see the strange apparition of the
young girl, Uleena, who stands there gazing at you
with those strange blue eyes that see far too much.
“You must hurry, for the sands of time are slip-
ping away swiftly…the shard of light is a key, a key
that will allow you to find what you seek in the
ruins of a city that once felt no fear, but now lies
beneath a shadow of fire and death…”
Without waiting for a reply, the young girl
turns and disappears into the depths of the temple,
leaving behind only a faint scent of lilac floating in
the air.

The ruined city of which the spirit speaks are the ruins
of Kendermore, in the Desolation, where the characters
must take the shard of light in order to find what they will
need.
The easiest way to get to Kendermore is for the charac-
ters to meet up once more with the Mikku tribe, who will
escort them to Ak-Khurman, where they can find a ship to
take them across the Khurish Sea to Port Balifor. There,
they can find a guide to take them through the Desolation
to the ruins of Kendermore, which lie in the shadow of the
Peak of Malys.

88 Q Chapter Three: The Shattered Temple

 Chapter Four
Across the Sand and Sea
fter the heroes leave Hurim with the shard of light, Phases of the Moons

A their next destination is the bustling port city of

Ak-Khurman to the northeast. This is the fastest
route to the Desolation. From there they can catch a boat
across the bay to Port Balifor. However, to get there, they
Solinari: Waning, Waning Crescent (Position 9).
Lunitari: Waning, Waning Crescent (Position 6).
Nuitari: Waning, Waning Crescent (Position 9).

will have to cross 40 miles of blistering hot salt flats known Note that on this day, all three moons are in conjunc-
as the Burning Lands. If they remember to return to the tion at Low Sanction (known as a minor Night of the Eye).
Mikku tribe, the nomads will provide them with assistance. All Wizards of High Sorcery cast spells as if they were +1
caster level.
Once in Ak-Khurman, the heroes will have an opportu-
nity to rest and recover for a day or two, and replenish any Reunion with the Mikku
supplies they may need. Characters may seek out training, The heroes have two choices at this point—continue on
wealth can be consolidated, and wizard characters may into the Burning Lands alone, or rejoin the Mikku as
even be able to take the Test of High Sorcery. They may Alakar suggested. The Mikku camp is easily located. The
then be drawn into a short mission on behalf of the map that Malat buried with the supplies clearly points out
Legion, meet a shifty broker of deals, or encounter the the site of the oasis and how to get there.
daughters of the Khan. Eventually they will hire a boat and The journey to the oasis takes about a day, less so with
make the crossing to Port Balifor. horses, although the heroes may not have that option at
In Port Balifor, they can make last-minute preparations this stage. A DC 14 Survival check along with a copy of the
for the trip into the Desolation to the Peak, and meet map will lead them straight to it. Use the same encounter
Kronn Thistleknot and Elijayess, who can provide more tables from Chapter 2 to determine if the party encounters
information and aid for the next stage in the adventure. anything; the journey is otherwise uneventful.
Current Date: 22nd day of Aelmont (Winter), assuming
2 days in the ruins of Hurim. If more or less time has
passed, adjust accordingly.
The Citrus Grove
Southern Desert Encounters
s the sun crawls toward the horizon you see a d% Encounter EL
A stand of trees and boulders ahead of you.
Nestled in the lap of a dune, the oasis looks more
01-09
10-19
Allip* (see Monster Manual)
Azer smelting crew*
3
6
inviting than anything you have seen since you left 20-29 Fire elemental, large 5
the Mikku camp, and the colorful tents of the (see Monster Manual)
nomads seem just as welcoming as before. 30-45 Monstrous scorpions, large 5
The Mikku have set up their tents around a (2, see Monster Manual)
freshwater spring that bubbles up from the rocks. 46-59 Giant wasps 5
Tall and aromatic citrus trees, their leaves vividly (2, see Monster Manual)
green and fruit very nearly ripened provide a 60-69 Fire mystics* 5
refreshing splash of color as well as shade. You can 70-79 Lost elven family* N/A
hear the sound of the tribe’s children laughing as 80-89 Ogre zombies 5
they run between tent and trees. (2, see Monster Manual)
90-100 No encounter

The Mikku have been here for no more than a day or * Unique encounter. Do not use the same
two, and plan to stay for as long as a week before they con- encounter twice, either roll again or treat as no
tinue north to Khuri-Khan. Alakar approaches and greets encounter.
the heroes warmly; he is eager to hear all that they have to
tell about the Ruins, the shard, and the visions they may
have seen. Asmara also listens intently to what the charac-
ters have to say, nodding occasionally with understanding. water fowl, including flamingos and herons. However, the
The heroes are told that they are welcome to stay with changes the Red Marauder made to the Bay of Balifor
the Mikku and recuperate, if need be. You may also wish to boiled away the underground lake and now there is no
provide further cryptic or mysterious insights from trace of water to be found within the salt flats. This, com-
Asmara, especially now that the party has the shard of light bined with the surrounding desert, makes crossing the
and escaped Hurim. Burning Lands a fool’s errand.
The best assistance the Mikku can give the heroes at this The territory supports no flora and little to no wildlife.
point is supplies and a guide across the Burning Lands. The The air is extraordinarily dry, which makes it perfectly
tribe as a whole can’t make the journey with the heroes. It clear, so much so that one can easily see the farthest
would take them out of their way and present considerable extreme of the salt flat 40 miles away. However, this great
danger, but Alakar offers to send along a small party of visibility distorts the preception of distance.
skilled rangers and scouts if the party needs their talents. A number of strange tales have come out of the Burning
“Besides,” he says. “It would be well for us to hear news Lands. Most are attributed to hallucinations from the
from our friends in Ak-Khurman.” extreme temperatures that soar above 120 degrees during
The Mikku give the party four days worth of water and the day and plummet to near freezing at night. Some say
dried food, replenishing any existing supplies. Their guides that the fiery mountain cast down by the gods is still burn-
are a pair of experienced scouts, Kalid and Qatan (N male ing there. Others say that the Burning Lands are a mystical
human Rgr4; Knowledge (nature) +8, Spot +8, Survival place. Followers of Sirrion claim that there is an unquench-
+12) who set out with the heroes when they are ready to able pillar of fire at the heart of the salt flats that can grant
continue their journey. unlimited power to those worshipers dedicated enough to
find it and follow it to its final destination. Needless to say,
The Burning Lands over the generations a number of Mikku tribesmen have
Directly southeast of Ak-Khurman is a region known as found the bodies of a number of poor souls, lost searching
the Burning Lands. This 40 square mile area is the largest for the pillar.
salt flat in Ansalon. It encompasses the area from the ruins Other tales tell of an odd nomadic tribe of men and
of Hurim to the base of the Ak-Khurman peninsula. The women that endlessly wander the Burning Lands. Those
surface of the salt plain is covered with dust from the sur- who have seen them, and lived to tell about it, say that the
rounding deserts. strange folk have coppery skin, a dwarf-like stature, and
Immediately following the Cataclysm, this region was a fire for hair. Their body is so hot that they burn anything
salt water lake. Over the next decade, the lake slowly sank they touch. This outlandish tale is usually met with a
into the sands, disappearing from view. Until the coming of round of hearty laughter and a call for more ale. Whatever
Malystryx and the changes she wrought to this part of the actually happens within the heart of the Burning Lands
world, the Burning Lands supported some life. The great remains a mystery.
lake beneath the salt flat reached the surface in places,
forming small pools and providing a habitat to a range of

90 Q Key of Destiny
Making the Crossing them alone, not to touch their equipment, and promise the
It will take 2 to 3 days to cross the Burning Lands, provided party’s swift destruction if they are angered. Despite this
the group doesn’t get distracted or lost. Going around the blunt behavior, the azers do not want to harm the heroes
Burning Lands will take longer (a week of travel), but will and if treated fairly will offer them the six potions in their
be safer overall. If the characters do cross the Burning possession, saying “we don’t need these on this visit. You
Lands, make sure you determine how much water they may find a use for them.”
have and make regular checks for heat exhaustion (see XP Award: If the heroes manage to win over the azers,
Chapter 2). award them an EL 3 XP award. If they attack the azers or
are themselves attacked and survive, the EL is 6.
Random Encounters
While traveling across the Burning Lands, there is a chance Fire Mystics
that the characters may stumble into a random encounter. Line of Sight Distance: 300 feet.
Roll twice; once at midday (25% chance), and once at mid- If this encounter is rolled, the heroes meet a group of
night (15% chance). If an encounter occurs, roll a d% and Fire Mystics traveling through the Burning Lands. They
consult the following chart to determine the type of won’t say why they are there, but hint at the fact that they
encounter. are searching for something. They seem to be unaffected by
the heat and will assist the characters if they are in need.
Allip
Fire Mystic Acolytes (4): hp 5, 6, 7, 7; see page 166.
Line of Sight Distance: 300 feet.
Fire Mystic Leader (1): hp 28; see page 166.
If this encounter is rolled, the characters see a figure on Development: These mystics are searching for Sirrion’s
the horizon. It appears to be a burning man. The figure Pillar of Fire. They are confident that if they find it, they
appears to be black and smoking. As it gets closer it is will be able to use its power to enhance their own mystic
apparent that it is not a man, but a black spirit. The crea- spells. The leader is a somewhat brash and hot-tempered
ture is the tortured soul of a Khur nomad who betrayed his fellow, while the others are more subdued if a little
wife and son to the Dark Knights as Legion spies. Mad excitable. If the heroes present any kind of threat or chal-
with guilt, he walked out into the Burning Lands without lenge to the fire mystics, they won’t hesitate to attack, but
protective clothing or provisions to die. for the most part they are willing to help the party out of
The allip is incapable of proper communication, but the Burning Lands.
those who speak the Khurish language will be able to make XP Award: If the heroes convince the fire mystics to aid
out a few words in the midst of its babbling. “Forgive me, them, defusing any hot-tempered behavior, award them a
Hani,” it cries. The creature attacks any who come within standard XP story award and make a note that they have
30 feet, calling out, “Gods free me from the pain that I may earned the dubious honorific of “Friends of the Fire.”
be with my family again.” If slain, the allip repeats these
words and vanishes in a gout of fiery smoke. Lost Elven Family

Allip (1): hp 26; see Monster Manual. Line of Sight Distance: 300 feet.
XP Award: If the heroes manage to free the allip from If this encounter is rolled, the characters discover an
its undead state in some clever way, award them the full XP elven family near death and lost in the Burning Lands in
anyway. This might be accomplished with an atonement or need of assistance. The family consists of a man and a
raise dead spell, etc. woman (NG male and female elf Com2) and their two
children (NG male elf Com1), one of whom is in a critical
Azer Smelting Crew state. Cure spells will keep the family alive, but they need
Line of Sight Distance: 300 feet. proper rest, water, and shelter.
The party spots a team of figures milling around on the Following their rescue, the elves accompany the heroes
horizon. As the characters come closer they can see that it to Ak-Khurman where their waiting relatives reward the
is a group of dwarf-sized figures with flaming hair and characters with 500 stl each and many thanks.
beards. The azers are smelting metals from the salt flat. XP Award: The heroes deserve a standard XP story
They are not aggressive, but will defend themselves. award for keeping these elves alive.

Azers (6): hp 11, 12, 12, 14; see Monster Manual.
Tactics: The azers do not feel they have much to fear Ak-Khurman
from the PCs, but will respond appropriately if they are Ak-Khurman is a bustling town on the shores of the Bay of
attacked. Two of the azers will seize their smelting equip- Balifor. It is one of the largest port towns on the edge of
ment and flee, with the remaining crewmembers fighting the Khurman Sea. The recent activity of the minotaurs in
to the death. Silvanesti lands has caused an upsurge in the amount of
Treasure: 1200 stl worth of smelting equipment, raw traffic the city normally sees. Elven refugees, the Legion of
materials, and gear; 6 potions of endure elements (cold). Steel, spies for the Knights of Neraka and minotaurs,
Development: If the heroes do not attack the azers and Khurish traders, sailors, and displaced kender from the
instead strike up a conversation with them, the azers begin Desolation can all be found here conducting business and
as Unfriendly. They will tell the player characters to leave profiting the Mikku clan who own the city.

Key of Destiny Q 91
 The crafty tribesmen began expansion of the city years ed a number of times to prevent trade out of Ak-Khurman,
before any trouble occurred, and their gamble paid off. The but failed each time and eventually gave up, at least on the
new buildings that once sat empty are now filled with mer- surface. Ironically, the Dark Knights began to resort to the
chants and new families. Silvanesti gold has paid for some same tactics used by the Legion of Steel in other cities,
and new merchants to the region have paid for others. going underground and using guerilla tactics and sabotage
The Legion of Steel keeps order in the streets and keeps to constantly bedevil the Legion.
an eye out for anyone acting in a suspicious manner. Spies Since then, Ak-Khurman has been expanding. Refugees
from Neraka and the minotaurs in the south caught trying from the Desolation and tribe members looking to escape
to gather information on the city are dealt with severely. dangers from the north spurred the Mikku to even more
The value of the prosperous port city is not lost on the expansion. A second wall was constructed and new build-
Legion, and they plan to keep it free and open, no matter ings were hastily erected to allow for another surge in their
what the cost. population. What they didn’t count on was where the
refugees would arrive from. Ak-Khurman was inundated
The Town of Ak-Khurman with elven refugees and ships escaping the northern terri-
Ak-Khurman was originally a small fishing village known tories of Silvanesti. Now Ak-Khurman includes a Silvanesti
as Palo-Ben. The village was founded shortly after the district, elves that are forced to live in exile among “barbar-
Cataclysm by local tribesmen. As the fishing village pros- ic” humans. Life in Ak-Khurman has just become more
pered they began taking on trade ships. A foreign sailor to difficult for everyone.
their ports told them of the lighthouses other major ports
used and the village decided they should have one as well. City Stats
So they eventually had one built on the rock bluffs above  Ak-Khurman (Small City): Nonstandard; AL CG;
their harbor. 9,000 stl limit; Assets 871,800 stl; Population 9,876; Mixed
The signal of Khurman Tor, the new lighthouse, served (91% human, 5% elf, 2% afflicted kender, 1% half-elf, 1%
not only as a guide for their vessels but also to attract the other).
attention of the Mikku tribe who had just claimed the Authority Figures: Kenji Mikku (Khan of Ak-Khurman),
southern reaches of Khur. Enchanted with the village, the N male human Rog7/Sor6; and Kenat Three-Lives
Mikku tribe quickly made an offer the villagers couldn’t (Commander of the Legion of Steel in Ak-Khurman), NG
refuse and used the port for their own endeavors. Ak- male nomad human Rgr6/Steel Legionnaire 3.
Khurman became a notorious pirate’s den. Important Characters: Raretsanc Summerhazel
The enterprising Mikku began to expand on their new (Silvanesti merchant elflord), LN male elf Nbl6/Mar2;
holding, looking to attract more business. Throughout the Chatomi Mikku (Leader of Silver Shadows and Daughter
Age of Despair, the city’s population ebbed and flowed like of the Khan), N female human Bbn2/Rog5; Lionel uth
the tide. The village’s narrow dirt streets and houses made Dartan (Legion second-in-command and former Solamnic
of adobe and cactus wood were largely abandoned and a Knight), LG male human Ftr4/Crown4; Zoe Left-Hand
larger cityscape was planned. It eventually increased to (Mage of the Lighthouse), N female half-elf
the size of a large walled town by the time the Green Rog2/Wiz4/Red Robe4; Rand Lucas (Broker and
Dragonarmies forced their way inside those walls. Dealmaker), NG male human Rog5/Mys3; Shandra
The Mikku tribe took this opportunity to turn a Challen (undercover Dark Knight agent acting as the
profit from the invaders, which they did for a time. Legion’s supply clerk), LE female human
But the cost of keeping their “guests” was too high Ftr5/Lily3/Mystic3.
when the daughter of the Khan was killed by a
Green Dragon for sport. From that moment on, Features of Ak-Khurman
the Mikku worked against the invaders and final- The largest percent of the population in Ak-Khurman
ly managed to expel them from their city. still belongs to the Mikku tribe and an exotic blend of
From that day forth, the people of Ak- sailors and merchants from across Ansalon. Nearly all
Khurman decided they would not bow down of the business and shipping is handled by Khurish
to anyone—that is, until the arrival of humans. The populace of Ak-Khurman is more
Malystryx. They felt compelled to tolerant of outsiders than most of the other
allow the Legion of Steel into their Khurish tribes, given their experience
walls. Shortly thereafter the of dealing with them on a regular
Dark Knights appeared and basis.
made demands on the port city Elves were once rare in the
to work for them. If not for the streets of Ak-Khurman, despite the
presence of the Legion of Steel, proximity of their lands. Now they
things may have gone very dif- are a common sight. Most elves are
ferently. Instead, it was the Dark seen in the harbor district working
Knights who were sent packing. on sleek elven ships with names
The Knights of Neraka attempt- like Southern Jewel and the Fair

92 Q Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea

Wave. Unlike those in Pashin, the elves here have succeeded
in carving themselves a niche into Ak-Khurman society. Encounters in Ak-Khurman
The elves’ arrival has not been entirely smooth however. Condition Encounter Chance
There have been, and continue to be, disputes over territo- Early Morning 5% per hour
ry and resources. The Legion of Steel does its best to quell Mid-Afternoon 10% per hour
problems and ease the transition while trying to remain Evening 25% per hour
vigilant of outside threats, but some days it can be an ardu- Nighttime 40% per hour
ous task. However Lord Summerhazel, the merchant Waterfront +10%
elflord, is paying an extraordinary amount of money to the
Mikku tribe for the use of their facilities and has earned
the grudging respect of the Mikku tribesmen for his busi- Southern Desert Encounters
ness dealings. Most conflicts are settled peacefully. Day Night Encounter*
01-10 — No Encounter
Outside the City 11-15 01-10 Elven Merchants*
The city of Ak-Khurman is located at the end of a peninsu- 16-25 11-20 Press Gang
la that extends out from the mainland of Ansalon to the 26-55 21-45 Rand the Broker*
northeast into the Khurman Sea. To the north, east,and 56-75 46-65 Lost Child*
south, the city is surrounded by water. Nearly due east 76-85 66-75 Stampede!*
across the Bay of Balifor is the ramshackle city of Port 86-100 76-90 Legionnaire
Balifor. Patrol
The Bay of Balifor and the Khurman Sea were once — 91-100 Silver Shadows*
heavily populated with fish, allowing for a great number of
fishermen to ply their trade along the coasts. Now, howev- * All of these encounters are one-time only
er, the water is always warm to the touch and stained a tint encounters. If the same result is rolled twice and if it
of red. Malystryx raised a number of underwater volcanoes is daytime, there is no encounter; if it is nighttime,
along the bay that stir up the red sands of the sea floor and there’s a 50% chance it’s a Legionnaire patrol and a
continuously heat the water and release toxins into the 50% chance of no encounter.
moving waters. Now only the heartiest of fish can survive
in the waters. Many fishing villages had to relocate to more
prosperous locations. There are now only a handful of
ships operating out of Ak-Khurman that troll the tepid earthen structure. These “tamped earth” buildings are
waters for fish, and even they must contend with the mas- extremely tough but it takes a lot of work to create each
sive and violent Desolation sturgeons that can punch holes one. The entire city is then surrounded by a new, and
in the side of a fair-sized vessel. stronger, city wall.

Buildings in the City City Streets

The buildings in Ak-Khurman show the true expansion of Much like the buildings of Ak-Khurman, the city’s streets
the city. The harbor district is the oldest region. Some of display the progress of city growth. Surrounding the har-
the buildings surrounding the harbor are made of the orig- bor district, a few main streets lead directly to the piers, but
inal adobe and cactus wood used by the original settlers. most of the streets are narrow dirt alleys that wind between
The majority of these are shops and small offices for local buildings, making the harbor district confusing to navigate
merchants. for newcomers.
Farther out into the city are buildings made of a mix- The remainder of the old city is a larger maze of streets.
ture of adobe and clay. Most buildings are run together Many of these streets are made from packed earth laid with
creating crooked streets and few winding alleyways lined slabs of cracked stone. A simple sewer system was installed
with a multitude of doors for stretches at a time. Many beneath the city that eventually carries debris and refuse
families live in each apartment and as families grow, rooms into the bay. Gutters leading into the sewer can be found
are added on top of the rooms that were already there cre- along the main streets and central to some of the larger
ating some two and three story buildings. The walls of neighborhoods.
these apartment type dwellings are glazed and colored with The streets of the new city were laid out before build-
paints in intricate designs. These buildings surround the ings were added. These streets are paved with cobblestone
palace of the Khan near the center of the city. An inner and shale, and do not twist and turn but rather form a
stone wall encloses the old city. Surrounding the outside of loose grid of thoroughfares and plazas.
the wall are newly constructed buildings that do not match
the city’s older structures. Politics in Ak-Khurman
The buildings of this new section of the city are created Despite the apparent slipshod attitude of the city’s ruling
by shaping slightly moistened loose dirt into walls, and body, Kenji Mikku, the Khan of Ak-Khurman is very much
then tamping or pounding it to form an extremely strong in control of his city. The Khan is a shrewd man. He regu-

Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea Q 93

larly pays his tithes to the Kakhan (or Grand Khan) of Diplomacy or Intimidate to change his attitude from
Khur to keep him out of his business, but owes him no Hostile to at least Indifferent will encourage him to return
allegiance. He is unhappy with the situation of the Dark with the party and patch up the disagreement.
Knights gaining a foothold in Pashin. The third elf, Immican, an executive assistant to Lord
The Khan has a reputation as a scoundrel and a Summerhazel, wasn’t able to properly defuse the problem
swindler with many outsiders, including the Dark Knights, with Pireleas and will suggest it be taken to Lord
but his canny understanding of politics has enabled him to Summerhazel as a dispute. For their troubles, Immican
maintain a close relationship with the Legion. The Legion writes the player characters a writ for 750 stl and tells them
knows him for what he is, and works closely with him to that the money will be good at any merchant in Ak-
maintain their position in Ak-Khurman. They keep out of Khurman (but nowhere else, unfortunately).
his affairs and in return, he keeps them informed of the XP Award: Award the party half a Story Award for help-
shifting politics of the Khur tribes. ing Rethied and half for chasing down the fleeing Pireleas.
The Khan’s daughter, Chatomi, is the leader of a small
band of cut-throats and assassins who carry out his dirty Press Gang (EL 6)
work. To the public eye, she is a bored and spoiled slip of a If this encounter is rolled, the party is approached by a
girl, a ruse which couldn’t be further from the truth. Her press gang of sailors and thugs who are looking for able-
Silver Shadows, as they call themselves, are feared by the bodied (willing or not) men and women to crew a ship.
criminal elements who know better than to cross the One of them will nod at the player characters and ask, “You
Khan’s business dealings in the city. ever work on a ship?” while the others slap clubs in their
hands. It doesn’t really matter what the heroes say in
Random Encounters in Ak-Khurman response—this gang is below quota and needs bodies.
There is a good chance that once the heroes get to Ak-
Press Gang Thugs (varies): hp 10 each; see page
Khurman, they won’t know where to go or what to look 166.
for. If the party seems to be wandering aimlessly, a random Tactics: There are two thugs, plus 1 thug for every mem-
encounter might set them in motion again. ber of the party. They strike to inflict non-lethal damage,
Once per hour in the city streets, there is a chance that a but if the player characters choose to deal lethal damage
random encounter might occur. The chance of an (or kill) any of the thugs, all bets will be off. The thugs will
encounter varies determined by the characters’ actions use a combination of flanking and dirty strikes to bring
while out in the city. down the party.
Elven Merchants (EL 2) Treasure: The press gang has about 230 stl between
If this encounter is rolled, the party walks into a heated them. They’re not wealthy men.
argument among three Silvanesti merchants. One of them Development: If the heroes overpower at least half of
has drawn his rapier while another, clearly contentious, is the press gang, the others turn and flee. If the party is over-
backing away with a handful of papers. A third is trying to whelmed, however, the press gang is set upon by
get between the other two, unsuccessful so far in defusing Legionnaires who drive them off. Unconscious or severely
the situation. injured characters will be taken to the Legion Fort for

Elven Merchants (3): hp 8, 9, 9; see page XXX. treatment (see site AK2)
Tactics: The rapier-wielding elf is intent on skewering XP Award: The party should get the usual XP for fend-
the other, and will likely take a swing at the arbitrator in ing off and defeating the press gang thugs, even if they
the process. If the heroes intervene, the elf will try to get escape alive.
one more rapier thrust in and then flee. He isn’t reckless,
but he’s angry. Rand the Broker (EL 5)
Development: If the heroes aid Rethied, the wounded If this encounter is rolled, the party hears the sound of a
elf, he thanks them profusely and explains that complica- scuffle down a side street (DC 15 Listen check). If they
tions regarding the distribution of the market resulted in investigate, they see a tall, slim man with dirty blond hair
both he and the other elf competing against one another, and expensive clothes, being roughed up by a pair of half-
something that Lord Summerhazel is strictly against. The ogres.
competition meant that Rethied established a profitable Note: If the heroes have already met Rand at his “office”
arrangement with a Khurish trader and the other elf did (site AK4, Ghanima’s Inn), ignore this encounter and either
not. This fact precipitated the argument. A DC 20 Sense re-roll or assume that a “no encounter” result was
Motive check will reveal that he is sincere. obtained.
If some of the heroes chase down the other elf, Pirealas,
Rand Lucas: hp 33; see page 166.
they will catch up with him three or four blocks away. A
Half-Ogre Goons: hp 13 each; see page 167.
character with the Run feat or a speed of 40 feet or more Tactics: The half-ogres are occupied with roughing up
will get to him even sooner. Pireleas brings up his rapier in the man, who loses consciousness with the next blow. If the
the defensive but will surrender. He explains that Rethied heroes step onto the side street or interfere, the half-ogres
stole a lucrative deal from him and that Ak-Khurman isn’t drop the man and turn their aggression toward the player
big enough for both of them. A successful use of characters.

94 Q Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea

 Treasure: Cloth bag filled with semi-precious stones As soon as the party has decided what to do with
(total value 330 stl), carved soapstone figurine (value 500 Niesme, or if you feel they’ve delayed long enough and
stl), 100 cp, 55 stl. need some more action, you can introduce the Khan’s
Development: Once the party dispatches the half-ogres, House Guard into the picture.
the man groans and rises, rubbing his head. He explains
House Guard (4); see page XXX.
that his name is Rand Lucas, a “broker of deals”, and that Tactics: The Khan’s household guards are all burly, dan-
he is in Ak-Khurman presently to see if he can make gerous-looking men with elaborate head-dresses and large
arrangements with the elves to bring their trade to clasps on their cloaks in the image of a bear. Their first
Kalaman and points west. He “stepped on some toes”, how- instinct upon seeing Niesme with the player characters is to
ever, and blundered into the wrong side of the city’s black separate them from her. They charge in and attempt to
market, hence the assortment of items (the bag of polished deliver non-lethal blows with their maces. Resistance on
semi-precious gems and the figurine) and the roughing up. the part of the heroes will of course stir up more trouble.
Rand goes on to tell the heroes that he will gratefully Development: If the heroes don’t put up a fight and
assist them in any business dealings in Ak-Khurman, so allow the guards to protect Niesme, they have a chance to
long as they don’t involve ogres. He says he knows practi- talk their way out of it. The guards are Unfriendly, and suc-
cally every businessman, merchant, and trader by face if cessful use of Diplomacy or Bluff may get them out of hot
not by name, and he also offers his services in acquiring water. Once the guards realize what happened, they will
passage across the Bay of Balifor if they need it. He seems demand that the heroes accompany them to the Khan’s res-
sincere, if a little shifty (DC 20 Sense Motive check). idence (see site AK5) so that the Khan may reward them.
If the characters are interested, Rand takes them to his XP Award: If the heroes manage to avoid being branded
“office” (see site AK4) and begins to make arrangements. kidnappers and convince the Khan’s guard that they don’t
XP Award: The party gets the usual XP award for mean any harm to Niesme, award them the usual XP for
defeating the half-ogres. defeating the guards.

Lost Child (EL 4) Stampede! (EL varies)

In this encounter, the party hears sobbing from behind a If this encounter is rolled, the party finds itself in the path
wagon or cart (DC 15 Listen check). Behind the cart is a of a stampeding herd of livestock! The animals are charg-
little Khurish girl no more than six years old. She’s dusty, ing from the Kemaa el Nan, or the Plaza of the Dead, the
her eyes are red from crying, and when she sees the heroes largest marketplace in Ak-Khurman, and a number of
she bursts into tears again. helpless locals are also caught in the path of the animals.
The girl picks a random female character (or, in the Tactics: The herd occupies a space 15 feet by 15 feet,
absence of female characters, a relatively non-threatening and has the stampede quality. It consists mainly of llamas,
or fatherly sort of male character such as a wizard or cleric) goats, and camels. The herd can only affect creatures of
and immediately latches onto her. She can be calmed down Medium size or smaller. The stampede deals 6d8 points of
with a few minutes of soothing, at which point she admits bludgeoning damage (Reflex DC 16 half) to anything it
that she’s lost, doesn’t know where her parents are, and has charges over, but will disperse after charging for 60 feet.
no idea where she is. The party will have time for a standard action before
Her story is actually more complicated. This is the they are trampled. They can use their action to move out of
youngest daughter of the Khan, Niesme Mikku. Frustrated the way or protect one of the locals. There are 1d4 locals
by her life inside the Khan’s household, she occasionally (Com1, hp 4) within 5 feet of the party who might be
steals out and wanders around the city, looking for exciting dragged to safety (DC 16 Strength check) or covered by a
things to do. She never gets very far, since the Khan’s house brave soul willing to shield them from the charging camels
guards usually stop her before she turns the first corner. and goats. A hero who volunteers to shield a local has a -4
This time, however, she eluded them completely—and no penalty on his Reflex save, but will have prevented the local
longer knows how to get back. from taking any damage.
Careful use of Diplomacy will reveal information: Development: If the heroes manage to save the hapless
locals from being killed, they will be amply rewarded! Each
DC 15 She knows where her parents are but not local is either family of a shop owner, or owns his own
where she is. booth in the Kemaa el Nan. For each local saved, the party
DC 20 She’s not supposed to be out, and she’s is rewarded with 100 stl worth of goods at standard prices
terrified her parents will be mad at her. from any single category of goods and services (clothing,
DC 25 She’s actually the Khan’s daughter. adventuring gear, transport, weapons & armor, etc).
Heroes who saved themselves and did not save any
Niesme will also volunteer her name, which any charac- locals will be remembered in the Plaza. Goods and services
ter with Sailor Lore or Bardic Knowledge or similar ability will cost an additional 50% more than their listed prices.
will be able to recognize if they beat a DC of 20. Also, if XP Award: For their heroism, award the party XP equiv-
any of the Mikku scouts are still with the group, they will alent to an EL of 2 plus the number of locals they save
quietly point out that she resembles the Khan’s family. from the stampede.

Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea Q 95

Legionnaire Patrol (EL varies) a face at the window above with its features wrapped in
This encounter serves to remind the party that the Legion gray cloth. Once the individual has been spotted, it vanish-
is keeping close attention to the goings on in the city. es momentarily and then three figures leap from the win-
Whenever this encounter is rolled, a Legion patrol walks by dow into the street, scimitars drawn.
and assesses the party’s current activities, members, and These are three of the Silver Shadows, Chatomi Mikku’s
their location. Their aim is not to pick a fight with any- band of assassins and spies. They are wrapped from head
body, but they will certainly address any outstanding prob- to toe in gray robes, cowled and soft-shoed, with white
lems (such as anybody openly carrying any bladed weapon sashes around their waists. Each is armed with a scimitar
larger than a longsword, casting spells, harassing locals, and a light crossbow. Two land in front of the party and
etc.) one lands behind them, surrounding the heroes.

Legion Patrol (4): hp 11 each; see page 167. The body is that of an overweight yet aristocratic-look-
Tactics: The Legionnaires are no-nonsense fighters with ing foreigner, possibly from the far north near Nordmaar
a good grasp of teamwork. Anybody who starts a fight with or Estwilde, dressed in expensive clothes and wearing many
them will discover that the daily training in front of the jeweled rings. His throat has been cleanly cut, and he must
Legion of Steel Fort has paid off. Each patrol breaks into have died instantly.
two pairs of Legionnaires who fight alongside each other, One of the Shadows speaks in thickly accented
use the Aid Another action frequently, flank opponents, Common, “You are unfortunate. None may see our work
and so on. and live to tell of it. Here in the dark, we dance in
Treasure: Each patrol carries 3d6x10 stl with it at any Torghan’s avenging light.”
time. Their weapons and armor are masterwork items, but
Silver Shadows (3): hp 16; see page 167.
of course taking these from them brings a lot more trouble Tactics: The Silver Shadows are ruthless and, apart from
than it is worth. the initial speech, silent. They attempt to catch the heroes
Development: If the heroes want to take the opportuni- off guard, flanking them, or using feints to open them up
ty to ask the Legion patrol for information, go ahead and to sneak attacks. They do not surrender, preferring death to
let them use the patrol as a resource. Also, if the characters flight.
have somebody with them who needs attention, medical or Development: If the heroes have already met Chatomi,
otherwise, the Legion will accompany the party to the Fort she emerges from the shadows and tells them they must
and provide assistance from mystics present. leave and say nothing of what they have seen. She lets them
If you would like to spice up any evening Legion patrol go, having already seen enough of what they are capable of.
encounter, have them approach the PCs and ask them for If asked, she will explain that the dead man was a wealthy
any information the party has on Dark Knight factions in trader who was preparing to turn over information about
the immediate area, i.e., have they seen any, have they her father’s operations to the Dark Knights of Neraka, and
heard of anything suspicious, etc. At that moment, have the therefore needed to be silenced. If she is attacked, she flees
PCs roll Spot checks (DC 20); those who make it see a into the shadows again, and the players will become targets
band of robed Dark Knights in the shadows of a nearby of the Silver Shadows for the remainder of their time in
street entrance, preparing to attack the Legionnaires. The Ak-Khurman. (Treat every random encounter as 3 more
heroes can aid the Legion in trouncing the Dark Knights Silver Shadows.)
and improve their own reputations locally. If the heroes have yet to meet the Silver Shadows’ leader,

Dark Knights (8): hp 8 each; see 167. she merely watches them from a distance and takes a men-
The Dark Knights throw aside their cloaks and robes tal note. All evidence is mysteriously stolen away once the
and run at the Legionnaires and the party. The heroes leave—her influence is enough in the area that even
Legionnaires obviously side with the PCs, but if the PCs the Legion won’t exert much effort in looking into the
flee it won’t look good for the Legionnaires. reports of a dead man dropping from a window.
XP Award: Dealing with the Legion doesn’t provide any XP Award: The party should receive the standard XP
XP in and of itself, but stopping a Dark Knight ambush award for defeating the Silver Shadows.
might. Remember to include the Legionnaires when divid-
ing up XP awards, each of which gets half the standard Sites in Ak-Khurman
award (much like a cohort). For example, if the party con- Ak-Khurman is a city full of locations, buildings, and
sists of 4 characters, divide the award by 6 instead of 4 (4 places to see, but only a few that are important to the
characters plus half of 4 equals 6). adventure are given here. It is several times the size of a
town like Pashin, with every kind of market or store imagi-
Silver Shadows (EL 6) nable. Most of the businesses and shops cater to sailors and
If this encounter is rolled, the party gets a glimpse into the warriors, but as Ak-Khurman is a very cosmopolitan city
dangerous underworld of Ak-Khurman and the extent to one can probably find anything within its walls, for a price.
which the Khan controls his interests.
The heroes are walking along an empty side street near a
residential area when a body falls from a second floor win-
dow, landing in front of them. A DC 14 Spot check reveals

96 Q Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea

AK1. City Gates side the eastern waterfront. The standards of the
Legion of Steel are mounted on brackets above the
he shining waters of the Khurman Sea are a entrance, snapping in the stiff breeze coming in
T welcome sight after the Burning Lands, and
like a rough diamond in a beggar’s crown, the for-
from the bay. Legionnaires flank the entrance,
while others stand around the open plaza in front
tified city of Ak-Khurman squats at the end of the of the fort, engaged in drill practice or just idle
peninsula that extends into them. conversation.
The gates to the city are tall, iron-bound
wooden portals twice the height of a man, set into
the twenty-foot stone wall that surrounds the city The headquarters of the Legion of Steel in Ak-Khurman
proper. Knights of the Legion of Steel, dressed with is exactly as it appears to be—a former shipping warehouse
flowing robes around their breastplates, stand reinforced with additional walls and iron doors, and with
before the open gates stopping those who come space cleared in front of it. Despite these humble origins, it
and go, or walk as sentries along the walls. is the center of all Legion activity in the city and constantly
Elves in elaborate turbans, Khurish sailors guarded.
bare-chested and sun-bronzed, the occasional
Legion Patrol (6): hp 11 each; see page 167.
gnome with a broad-rimmed hat, and endlessly The party may come here for several reasons. They may
milling traders and townspeople can all be seen have been injured in an attack by press gangs or Dark
beyond these most impressive of gates. Ak- Knight spies, arrested by the Legion for disorderly conduct,
Khurman is truly a cosmopolitan city, a marvel in or they may seek the Legion’s help in getting to Port
this age of distrust and isolation. Balifor.
Kenat Three-Lives, the Legion commander in Ak-
Khurman, is not in the city for the duration of this adven-
Ak-Khurman has two main gates, the West and the East ture. He is farther north, establishing connections with
Gates, but both are situated on the south-facing wall sepa- Legion cells in other Khurish cities. His second-in-com-
rating the city from the peninsula, 300 feet apart. To say mand, a former Solamnic Knight named Lionel uth Dartan
that the wall surrounds the city is something of an exagger- (LG male human Ftr4/Crown4) is available to answer any
ation—the majority of the city is shielded by dangerous questions or address any problems the characters may have
shoals and rocks in the Bay of Balifor and the Khurman regarding the Legion.
Sea. Sir Lionel is unable to help the party with a ship,
 City Wall (Fortified Stone): 5 feet thick, hardness 8; although he can recommend a captain (Lothar Claes, for-
hp 450; AC 3; Break DC 60; Climb DC 30. mer captain of the Narwhal, now the Swift Arrow). Legion
 City Gates: 4 inches thick, hardness 5; hp 40; Break funds don’t extend to granting passage to others, unless
DC 23. they’re Legion members. If any of the heroes are members,
Six Legionnaires are assigned to each gate, three in front Sir Lionel offers to cover half of the rates out of the coffers,
and three just inside the gate. The wall itself is patrolled by if they take a message to an old associate of his—the
another six Legionnaires on each shift. They operate in Kagonesti elf Elijayess in Port Balifor. Sir Lionel’s message
pairs walking up and down the wall from east to west. is just a routine report on activities in the area. Sir Lionel is

Legion Patrol (6): hp 11 each; see page 97. unable to deliver it himself due to his obligations in Ak-
The party, like everyone else, will be stopped as they Khurman, and Nerakan-occupied Port Balifor is no place
approach the gate. Legionnaires will give them a quick for another Legionnaire.
once-over, and will request that any two-handed bladed or
piercing weapons be checked in with the Legion for the AK3. The Mage of Khurman Tor
duration of their stay. Convincing the Legion to allow such
primitive weapons as spears will require a DC 25 Bluff or asily the most noticeable landmark in Ak-
Diplomacy check, or some evidence that the heroes have
Legion connections (very possibly from Klaudia Lorn in
E Khurman, the lighthouse of Khurman Tor is
200 feet tall, the bulk of it being natural rock. Its
Pashin). lamp operates from dusk until dawn, guiding in
A starjewel will let the heroes pass on through the gates sailing vessels. What is most surprising is the wood-
to the city without even being stopped. If any characters and-sandstone building clinging to the rock the
resist or cause trouble, the Legionnaires will not hesitate to base of the Tor. A short flight of rickety steps leads
arrest them and keep them in one of the watchtower cells to a door, above which hangs a sign that reads “Zoe
until they agree to hand over their weapons. Left-Hand—Mage Goods, Amulets, Wizard
Testing” above a stylized red crescent.
AK2. Legion Headquarters

hat appears to be a heavily fortified convert- The lighthouse has had many keepers over the years,
W ed warehouse occupies pride of place along- and sometimes no keeper at all. The most recent individual

Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea Q 97

to have the honor is Zoe Left-Hand (N female half- acter that comes into the inn, offering his services for a
Qualinesti elf Rog2/Wiz4/Red Robe4), the so-called Mage nominal 10% commission. Rand’s specialty is pulling
of Khurman Tor. She was given the responsibility as a con- together goods and services for a good discount—usually
dition for her operation as the city’s resident Wizard of 15% off the standard price. He’ll also recommend a ship to
High Sorcery. Zoe was instructed by Jenna of the Red get to Port Balifor (the Levinbolt, captained by Yassim
Robes to handle the review and Testing of young wizards in Imir), included in his network of contacts.
this part of the world, and has done so for almost four If the PCs encountered him as a result of a random
months. encounter, this is where he brings them, paying for a
Characters may be directed here if they ask around for night’s lodging and food in gratitude for helping him out.
somewhere to make contact with the recently revived Rand will also suggest that if they plan on going to Port
Orders, for magical items and appraisals, or anything else Balifor, to be very sure of what they intend to do there. If
that involves magic. Zoe’s residence in the Tor doubles as a they tell him of their need to get to the Desolation, Rand
mageware shop, and she will be able to supply anything a suggests they talk to an afflicted kender in Gloom Town
mage might need (scroll cases, paper, most inexpensive named Kronn Thistleknot.
components, etc) as well as minor magic items. Zoe usually
keeps a good stock of potions, scrolls, and wands priced AK5. The Khan’s Residence
less than 2000 stl, but has nothing more costly than that.
Her services are available for the usual costs listed in the ocated on the western shore of the city and sur-
Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide with an
additional 20% surcharge.
L rounded by high walls is a well-maintained
palatial residence. From the street, palm trees and
A wizard who has enough experience to advance and olive trees can be seen, as well as a number of
who wants to take the Test of High Sorcery will find Zoe somewhat small yet impressive minarets. This is
quite willing to administer it. She does not charge for the the residence of the Mikku Khan, leader of the
Test (indeed, she isn’t allowed to) but does take the time to Mikku tribe in Khur, and the substantial number of
warn people that it is often fatal, very dangerous, and not house guards in colorful sashes makes it clear that
to be undertaken unprepared. (See the Appendix for more he is a well-protected man.
information about taking the Test of High Sorcery in this
adventure).
There are only two reasons the players will come here:
AK4. Ghanima’s Inn & Smokehouse they are bringing back Niesme Mikku, the Khan’s lost
daughter (from the random encounter), or they are seeking
n the shadow of a number of larger buildings, an audience with the Khan himself. Kenji Mikku is a cun-
I this unassuming split-level sandstone inn is
nonetheless a fixture of the city. The warm and
ning and clever man, but he is also justly suspicious of
nearly everybody he meets. For this reason, the players will
heady scent of smoke, spices, and peppers wafts never see him.
from its windows, and above the street level resi- For the purposes of this adventure, however, they will
dents and patrons lean from wooden balconies get to speak with his eldest daughter, Chatomi (N female
cradling bowls of wine and trading insults with human Bbn2/Rog5). During the day, she is given the task
each other. The sign above the door reveals this as of entertaining visitors (albeit with many armed guards
Ghanima’s Inn and Smokehouse, food and lodging present) and handling minor matters that the Khan would
all in one welcoming location. otherwise not bother himself with. Chatomi affects a
bored, uninterested demeanor much of the time that is
somewhat off-putting to the characters.
Ghanima’s isn’t the best inn in Ak-Khurman (that’s the During the evening, however, Chatomi is the leader of
Kargath’s Arms), nor does it have the best wines (the the Silver Shadows. If the PCs have already encountered the
Flowing Flagon tavern bears that distinction). What it does Silver Shadows, she will know them by sight. She will be
have is Ghanima (CG female human Exp4/Rog1), an interested in having them leave the city as soon as possible,
exquisitely lovely former dancer and courtesan who out- so any inquiries as to acquiring a ship or seeking passage
lived numerous husbands, one of them a sausage mer- across the Bay will be met with approval. Chatomi recom-
chant. She offers reasonable rates (2 stl a night for a 3-bed mends a captain (Turin Khima, captain of the Perinchief)
room, or 5 sp for space on the roof), passable wine (5 stl and gives the heroes a writ that will give them a 20% dis-
for as much as you want at dinner), and the best cured count from the rate.
meats in all of Khur (6 stl feeds a table of four.) Characters who have not yet encountered Chatomi’s
Also of note at Ghanima’s is Rand Lucas, the broker, organization will be met with her usual aloof behavior. If
who has adopted Ghanima’s for the duration of his stay in they rescued Niesme, she passes on the gratitude of her
Ak-Khurman. Rand is a very clever, if unlucky, entrepre- father but seems clearly annoyed by her younger sister’s
neur and deal-maker who has quickly learned how to escapades. The Khan has instructed Chatomi to offer the
negotiate with the locals. He will approach any likely char- heroes discounted passage across the Bay, if that is what

98 Q Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea

 Regardless of whether any encounters occur, the journey
Ships, Captains, and Ratings is difficult and the sailing conditions are far from perfect.
Ship Captain DC Rate The Bay of Balifor is not the easiest body of water to cross
Levinbolt Yassim Imir 22 70 stl in the best of times; on the day of the party’s crossing, the
Perinchief Turin Khima 20 90 stl waves are choppy and the wind is rough.
Swift Arrow Lothar Claes 18 100 stl Each character should make a DC 16 Fortitude save to
avoid becoming nauseated for 1d6 hours from the constant
*Characters can earn a single +2 bonus to their bucking and rocking of the ship. Mariners, who are used to
Bluff or Diplomacy check by offering to pay for this weather, gain a +4 bonus on the save. Combat on
another passenger not in their own party. board the deck proves difficult, and anyone who moves
Each captain should be considered a 6th-level faster than their base speed on the tilting deck during a
mariner with masterwork equipment. Most of their fight must make a DC 15 Balance check to stay on their
wealth is tied up in their ship. feet. In addition, spellcasters may require Concentration
checks at the DM’s discretion (DC 10).

they desire—otherwise, their lodging at any inn in the city

will be paid for up to a week, including food.

Getting Across the Bay of Balifor Bay of Balifor Encounters

Once the players have had enough of the sites and sounds d% Encounter EL
of Ak-Khurman, or if they move quickly to seek passage 01-19 Scrag 5
across to Port Balifor, they can make their way to the docks (marine troll, see Monster Manual)
and try to secure a vessel. 20-39 Sea cats 6
Ak-Khurman’s docks are always busy, and sailing vessels (2, see Monster Manual)
are at a premium. Without knowing a captain or a vessel, it 40-59 Water elemental, large 5
can be difficult to find any berths or even the corner of a (see Monster Manual)
hold. Potential passengers are lined up in front of ships, 60-79 Lacedons 5
arguing with each other, and occasionally getting into (marine ghouls, see Monster Manual)
fights. A Legionnaire is present to break up any distur- 80-100 No encounter
bances, but he is often distracted.
If the heroes haven’t already been given a recommenda- * Unique encounter. Do not use the same
tion or reference from a local, such as the Khan, Rand encounter twice, either roll again or treat as no
Lucas, or the Legion, they can try to compete with the encounter.
other travelers for space on one of three vessels. Each ves-
sel’s captain drives a hard bargain and encourages passen-
gers to bid against each other, which can be frustrating for
those who aren’t familiar with the custom. Port Balifor
A DC is provided for each captain along with the cost of Located across the bay from Ak-Khurman, Port Balifor is a
a one-way trip to Port Balifor for a single individual. The town in hiding. The ravages of the Red Marauder and her
DC is the target of any Bluff or Diplomacy check made to minions caused the town to buckle under years ago. Now,
convince the captain to take the characters on as passen- only a small percentage of its former population remains.
gers. This check isn’t needed if the characters have a refer- Those individuals too poor, too stubborn, or in the sort of
ence, but they still have to cover the cost of the trip (minus business where they need to remain out of sight are the
any applicable discount). only ones left in Port Balifor. Smugglers, cutthroats, pirates,
craftsmen, traders and a throng of afflicted kender make
A Rough Journey up the bulk of Port Balifor’s population.
Once the party acquires a ship, they are told that the vessel Unlike Ak-Khurman, Port Balifor has no other ports
will leave the docks at first light on the following day. None with which to trade. Other than Darkhaven to the north
of the captains is willing to make the trip overnight, given and scattered fishing villages along the southern coastline
the additional dangers. The ship leaves whether the heroes of the Desolation, there are no other communities in the
are there or not, so any characters who find themselves region. The creation of the Desolation prevented the possi-
locked up in the Legion Fort or otherwise incapacitated bility of any trade from the east. The meager existence the
may find that they need to get another ship. townsfolk do manage to make for themselves is leeched
The journey itself takes a full day, with the character’s away by the Dark Knights in tribute to the dragons that
vessel getting into Port Balifor soon after nightfall. Check remain in the Desolation. Although the citizens of Port
twice throughout the day for random encounters at sea. Balifor are hopeful, they understand that just because
There is a 25% chance of running into some obstacle or Malystryx is gone it does not mean their life of oppression
another. has ended. The Dark Knights continue to collect, with or

Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea Q 99

without the dragon overlord, and the populace has no one tics. They discovered massive sea caves in the cliffside,
to defend them. including some with fresh water springs. Eventually, fully
half of the town was moved into these caves. Now that
Town of Port Balifor Malystryx is dead, the people are accordingly much happi-
Port Balifor began as most great cities or towns do, as a er, although the Dark Knights are still in control of the
small village. After the Cataclysm, refugees from a number town.
of different communities gathered together at the ruins of  Port Balifor (Small Town): Nonstandard; AL CN;
what must have been a kender town, but was now deserted. 1,500 stl limit; Assests 143,300 stl; Population 1,764;
The fishing village located below the cliffs began to grow Isolated (64% human, 29% afflicted kender, 5% dwarf, 1%
and expand as Khurish nomads from the north began to elf, 1% other)
use the port to send goods to tribes in the east. Authority Figures: Renshar Morgenes (Prefect of Port
As the village grew into a large town, it reached the lim- Balifor), N male dwarf Ftr7, and Ulric Kes-Morn (Dark
its of the available space onshore, so the residents began to Knight Commander), LE male human Ftr6/Lily3.
build out over the tidal flats in the bay. Before long, half Important Characters: Harlowe Barstool (High Sheriff of
the city was perched atop a varied assembly of pilings, the Watch), NG male afflicted kender Ftr4/Rog3; Mintra
docks and wharves. A collection of pirates, smugglers and Seabreeze (Owner of Hope’s End), CG female half-elf Brd3;
rogues made Port Balifor their home and traded in a num- Helsfar Stonesplitter (Owner of the Underground Inn), LN
ber of illegal goods from all across Ansalon. male dwarf; Kronn Thistleknott (Leader of afflicted
Throughout the town’s history, it has been occupied, kender), NG male afflicted kender Rng5/Rog7; Blight
invaded, and attacked by the Dragonarmies, the Knights of Thistleknott (Son of Kronn Thistleknott), CG male afflict-
Takhisis, and the ogres and dragonspawn of Malystryx. ed kender Rng5/Rog3
Each time, the inhabitants attempted to live under the rule
of these occupying forces, but the town suffered for it. Features of Port Balifor
Malystryx especially was a source of much ruin for the The majority of the population in Port Balifor is composed
town. She or her minion dragons would fly over and either of pirates and smugglers. They use Port Balifor as a pickup
stomp the town flat or burn sections to the ground. point for the type of cargo that cannot be passed through
Unwilling to let the dragons win and sick of rebuilding other ports. The good people of Port Balifor tend to turn a
every few months, the tenacious inhabitants changed tac- blind eye to the dealings. They know it has been going on

100 Q Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea

for years, but have their own problems. The citizens of the in the Desolation on the other side. To the north along the
town ply their trades and do their best to get by with what mountains lies the fortress of Darkhaven, the Dark
little they can make or produce. A few brave souls have Knights’ base of operations in the Desolation. Beyond that
turned to investigating the volcanic Goodlund mountain to the North is the ramshackle town of Flotsam.
range just east of the city, where forests of ashwood trees Ak-Khurman lies across the bay to the west. Port Balifor
were created when the ranges formed. The wood is remark- once rivaled the Khurish city in trade, but has only a frac-
ably tough and highly resistant to fire. Buildings built of tion of the traffic now. Along the southern reaches nestled
ashwood would be useful in a location in the foothills of the Goodlund
like Port Balifor. Mountains are a series of small kender
Afflicted kender make up nearly villages, and farther south where the
30% of the population of Port volatile waters of the bay empty into the
Balifor. The non-kender races have Southern Courrain Sea are a string of fishing
grown to tolerate them as most of the villages inhabited by plainsmen and groups of
kender keep to themselves. The jum- afflicted kender.
ble of broken-down buildings and
piers they live in makes for a very Buildings in the Town
defendable village. To the kender, the Most inhabited buildings of the
village is known as Retreat but the town are built cliffside, huddled
locals always refer to it as Gloom against the security of earth and
Town. Led by the grizzled Kronn stone. These buildings range in con-
Thistleknott and his eldest son struction from one to the next, the
Blight, the kender of Retreat have majority cobbled together from the
been mapping the Desolation. remnants of the buildings that
They have been hoping for a day used to exist along the pier. Many
when their maps can be used to of them are of wood construction
strike at the evil forces of the with clay and hardened mud
Desolation that have taken their packed into any crevasses and gap-
lands. Maps from Retreat are not ing holes. They are then covered
easy to get, however, because out- with a thin layer of glaze in an effort
siders are not readily trusted. to help stave off sparks from fires.
A small portion of the popula- Wealthier individuals can afford to
tion is made up of dwarves. These committed dwarves of build more fire-resistant homes of stone and brick.
the Stonesplitter clan are the main reason Port Balifor was- Some buildings are actually carved into the cliff face.
n’t wiped off the map. Their resolute dedication to the These structures are almost universally crafted by the
town and its people helped unify the citizens against the Stonesplitter clan. The Stonesplitters have also made sure
minions of the Desolation. It was their discovery of the sea that every building along the cliff has its own passage lead-
caves and subsequent plans to move the city beneath the ing to underground caverns beneath the cliffs. The retreats
cliffs that helped save the city on more than one occasion. have been set up to hide locals from dragon attacks.
The Dark Knights and the Legion of Steel both operate The Slums are a collection of rundown one-story build-
within Port Balifor. Of course, the Dark Knights operate ings, constructed out of the remains of burnt-out or ruined
openly and the Legion of Steel maintains its existence as a waterfront properties. The region of the city to the south
secret. The Dark Knights regularly send patrols from that took the most damage is comprised of fallen buildings
Darkhaven to collect tribute, looking for signs of rebellion and dried-up jetties. This is the location of Gloom Town,
and claiming any property they wish for themselves or the where the kender live in the skeletons of buildings, sur-
Dragonlords of the Desolation. rounded by a network of carefully laid traps.
The ruins of Port Balifor that extend over the tidal flats
are known as the Slums. The entire area is broken into ter- Town Streets
ritories and ruled by gangs. Illegal trading, gambling dens, There is one main street in Port Balifor that runs the length
houses of ill repute and other seedy establishments can all of the buildings along the cliffside. It is paved with uneven
be found here. The area was once the location of frequent slabs of stone harvested from the damaged buildings in the
dragon flybys. The citizens finally got tired of rebuilding Slums. There are a small number of dirt side passages and
after each visit. alleys along the Cliffside.
The Slums have a larger number of streets—each one
Outside the Town containing holes and ruts. Gloom Town on the other hand
Port Balifor rests along the banks of the Bay of Balifor in has no completed streets. The afflicted kender in the town
the shadows of the Goodlund Range. Their location on the kept the destruction as it was, not wishing to point out
west side of the mountain range is something they are their location to the dragons. Travel through Gloom Town
thankful for, given the number of terrible creatures located is possible only through a complex maze of rubble.

Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea Q 101

Politics in Port Balifor Balifor, the knights’ primary objective when dealing with
Renshar Morgenes was given the title of Prefect by the criminals (or those they view as criminals) is to dispatch
Dark Knights and entrusted with the day-to-day activity in them quickly. Ulric has no time for such things like inter-
the town, which more or less involves keeping out of rogation or investigation, unless the criminals are clearly
Nerakan business and coordinating the distribution of the up to something altogether different from Legion activity
port’s meager resources. He is aided by Harlowe Barstool, a or afflicted kender “antics”. If the heroes make themselves
particularly intimidating afflicted kender who has cut a too obvious, for example, Ulric will want to know why they
number of people down to his size in his role as High are in Port Balifor and who they work for. Otherwise, he
Sheriff. Harlowe’s chief function appears to be keeping the has instructed his knights just to “take care of the evi-
seedier and more larcenous inhabitants from bothering the dence.”
other residents, but he doesn’t lift a finger to protect out- Treasure: Patrol members are only carrying the posses-
siders or Dark Knights. sions listed in their entries in Appendix 2.
Knight Commander Ulric Kes-Morn is a surly, dark- Development: Attacking a Dark Knight patrol in Port
skinned Ergothian man who is never seen without his Balifor is simply asking for trouble. If the heroes manage to
armor. He carries out his duties in Port Balifor with barely defeat the patrol and escape, double the chance of a ran-
concealed disgust, and is especially hard on other dom encounter for the remainder of their time in town as
Ergothian residents and visitors. He is content to leave the Ulric steps up the patrols in hopes of finding the perpetra-
afflicted kender in Gloom Town alone, as he fully expects tors. If the heroes come into conflict with the Dark
not to be in Port Balifor any longer than he has to be. Knights, and escape, you should lead directly to Discovered
by the Kender, later in this chapter.
Random Encounters in Port Balifor
Port Balifor is small, sparsely populated, and inhabited Sites in Port Balifor
mostly by wary locals and ne’er-do-wells who conduct There are a number of sites in Port Balifor that the charac-
their business in the Slums and the dockyards. For the pur- ters may find useful during their stay in the ramshackle
poses of this adventure, however, the only random encoun- town. The following pages detail a few of these places. Feel
ters the party is likely to run into are Dark Knight patrols. free to expand upon the locations if the adventure calls for
Every hour the party moves around in the town during the characters to more thoroughly explore the port town.
daylight, there is a 30% chance that they will run into a
patrol of Knights of Neraka. At night, this drops to 20%, as PB1. Cliffside Harbor
the Dark Knights are directed by Knight Commander Ulric
to keep close to the compound and not wander away. hile most harbors are open to the air and the
The knights will approach the party and ask their busi-
ness. They are accustomed to all manner of seedy and eva-
W elements, Port Balifor’s harbor is not. The
remnants of jetties and dockyards from a previous
sive answers, but can be convinced of the party’s innocence age lie rotting in the bay covered in what look like
with a successful Bluff check (DC equal to the knight’s lean-tos and slums, but your vessel glides past these
Sense Motive check). However, this will prove very difficult and into what can only be described as a large sea-
indeed if the party includes minotaurs, elves, cave set into the side of the cliff.
undisguised clerics of the Holy Orders of Light, Under cover of the cavernous chamber, new
individuals matching the general description wharves and freshly-painted warehouses line a
of Legionnaires or Solamnic Knights, or short but densely-packed waterfront. Lanterns
other noted opponents of hang along the boardwalk, giving light in the
the Knights of Neraka. gloom and casting odd shadows over the few other

Dark Knight Patrol ships anchored in the cave-harbor.
(6): hp 8 each see page 167.

Dark Knight
Patrol Leader: hp 19; Port Balifor’s protected wharves are indeed recent, but
see page 167. already showing signs of use. Despite the lack of adequate
Tactics: If engaged trade in the region, the port remains a popular destination
in combat, at least one for pirates and agents of the black markets, and the Dark
patrol member will Knights themselves make the most use of the docks.
attempt to sound his As the heroes’ ship arrives, calls go out along the dock to
horn, alerting other various harbor crews and sailors who throw ropes and
nearby patrols of ready boarding ramps. A DC 15 Spot check reveals that no
trouble (see the Dark Knights are in sight, but a lone kender wearing a
Dark Knight Horn black coat watches from a landing across the way. This is
Alerts sidebar in Harlowe Barstool (NG male afflicted kender Ftr4/Rog3),
Chapter 1). who makes a note of the player characters but does noth-
In Port ing unless they cause trouble.

102 Q Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea

 The harbor is a good place to get one’s bearings, but the upon the tidal flats. The burned-out shells of build-
captain of their vessel informs the player characters that it ings and crumbling sections of paved streets and
won’t be long before a Dark Knight patrol comes along. He walls stick out at crazy angles to each other, with
recommends they find somewhere to stay and keep out of wooden planks crisscrossing between them. Wharf
sight, and suggests Hope’s End as a good choice. pilings, sea chests, the hulls of wrecked ships and
boats, and even stacks of barrels bound with thick
PB2. Hope’s End rope, litter the remains of this seaside district.

uite at odds with the squalor and nervous

Q atmosphere of the town, this tavern at the end
of Main Street seems to radiate warmth and hospi-
Gloom Town Traps

tality. Scoundrels and rogues of every stripe linger d% Trap

at tables within and dally in the doorways and 01-45 Swinging Arm Trap
benches without, singing along to the music that 46-75 Collapsing Walkway Trap
rings out from the common room. This is Hope’s 76-90 Triggered Swinging Arm Trap*
End, perhaps aptly named in a town that persists 91-100 Triggered Collapsing Walkway Trap*
under a cloud of unease.
*Coming across a triggered trap will allow any
character with ranks in Disable Device to spend 10
Mintra Seabreeze, the owner and operator of Hope’s minutes examining the trap’s workings, gaining a +2
End (CG female half-elf Brd3), does her best to keep the circumstance bonus to future Search and Disable
atmosphere light, airy and welcoming in her tavern. She Device checks to find and disarm that particular trap.
offers out-of-towners a drink on the house, clears a table, [a] Swinging Arm Trap: CR 1; mechanical; loca-
and makes suggestions on what they may enjoy (her spe- tion trigger; automatic reset; Atk +8 melee (1d8/x3);
cialties are eel pie and sand crab stew). A meal runs about 3 Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 20.
stl per person here, but the food is delicious and filling. [a] Collapsing Walkway Trap: CR 1; mechanical;
If the party spends any length of time here, observant location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save
PCs may spot Sheriff Harlowe Barstool once again with a avoids; 10 ft. deep (1d6, fall); Search DC 24; Disable
DC 15 Spot check. He’s casing the tavern, trying to deter- Device DC 20.
mine what the party’s intentions are.

Harlowe Barstool: hp 47; see page 168.
Harlowe is an afflicted kender with a scar over one eye
and short, spiked yellow hair. He dresses in a black over- Gloom Town, as the locals call it, is claimed by the
coat and carries a hefty serrated falchion in a scabbard on afflicted kender of Port Balifor. The Dark Knights never
his back. come here, and neither does anyone else. Picking the way
If the characters call attention to themselves, he will through the maze of ruined buildings and debris requires
approach and suggest they keep a low profile. If they ask patience and a keen eye, for not only are the streets barely
about Kronn, Elijayess, or even mention going into the visible but the afflicted kender have set up traps to discour-
Desolation or traveling to the Peak of Malys, he will lower age visitors.
his voice and give them directions into Gloom Town. “I’ll Two kinds of trap are common, and anybody moving
even keep those knights out of your business,” he says through Gloom Town without a guide stands a 40% chance
grimly. “But don’t be staying here. We’re fine as we are and every 5 minutes of stumbling into one (see sidebar).
don’t need your type muddying the waters.” Harlowe whis- Getting from one end of Gloom Town to the other takes 40
pers something to Mintra as he leaves, and the half-elf tops minutes, which amounts to 8 potential trap encounters.
off their glasses again—Harlowe’s treat. There are only a few reasons why the players would
If the heroes remain in the tavern for more than an come to Gloom Town. They may have been directed to
hour after Harlowe’s warning, a Dark Knight patrol will deliver a message to Elijayess from Sir Lionel uth Durstan
show up at Hope’s End, following some leads about out- of the Legion of Steel, or the broker Rand Lucas may have
siders. At this point, if the party escapes out the back, they suggested they seek out Kronn Thistleknot. There are many
will be met by representatives of the afflicted kender (who afflicted kender homes, most of them lean-tos or tempo-
had been tipped off by Harlowe) and swept off to Gloom rary shelters underneath fallen walls or beams. Any one of
Town. See Discovered by the Kender, later in this chapter. the afflicted kender inhabitants, if treated well, will be able
to direct the heroes to Elijayess or Kronn (DC 15 Gather
PB3. Gloom Town Information check, or DC 20 Diplomacy check).
Whatever the circumstances, any group of player char-
his area of Port Balifor looks as if a malicious acters that spends more than an hour looking in Gloom
T giant had picked up a waterfront neighbor-
hood and thrown it down in a tempertantrum
Town for information will bring the attention of Kronn’s
crew. Continue on to Discovered by the Kender for details.

Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea Q 103

Discovered by the Kender bay through a series of portholes, and a desk made
This event can occur under several circumstances, but it from a brightly painted wooden door supported by
should happen at some point, regardless of what the PCs barrels.
do. The means by which it is triggered can have a bearing A grizzled, serious-looking kender with iron-
on how the party handles it, but it serves to move things gray hair looks up from a bundle of hand-drawn
along and get the heroes back on track to the Desolation maps. Beside him, a well-muscled Wilder Elf in a
and their mission. red cloak looks on silently.
“So,” says the kender, removing a lit cigar from
ike gray ghosts in the darkness, you are sudden- his teeth and exhaling smoke. “Are ya here to join
L ly surrounded by almost a dozen short, hooded
figures, some of whom have short swords drawn,
the cause?”

others merely standing on nearby barrels with

hands on their hips. This is Kronn Thistleknot, veteran of the War of the
“You’re in danger,” one says in a faintly high- Lance and survivor of the attack on Kendermore by Malys.
pitched yet clipped voice. “There are Dark Knights The years have hardened him and he now treats nearly
everywhere.” The speaker throws back his hood, everything as part of a larger operation—the eventual free-
revealing the face of a kender with tattoos along the dom of the Desolation from the minions of the Red
lower half of his face that seem to cover scarring of Marauder. Malystryx’s death did nothing to slow Kronn’s
some kind. It gives him a strange, savage look, quite efforts in the region; indeed he has stepped up his plans to
at odds with the wide eyes and gently pointed ears. map out all of the lairs and haunts of Malys’ servants for
The other kender look around, as if listening the eventual liberation of the land.
for something, and then the leader lifts his chin. To this end, he has enlisted the help of Elijayess, a
“My name is Blight Thistleknot. You should come Kagonesti elf who has recently arrived in the area (see his
with us.” With that, he and his gang begin to slip NPC details in the Appendix). Every week, Kronn sends the
away into the shadows. elf out with a small group of afflicted kender to scout tar-
gets and meet with kender from some of the communities
south of Port Balifor. The elf, and Kronn’s son, Blight, have
Blight’s job in Port Balifor is to keep an ear to the impressed upon Kronn the need for caution and have
ground and accompany any interesting or potentially help- managed to prevent the older kender from going out on
ful individuals to Gloom Town so that Kronn can try to missions himself. For now.
recruit them to his cause. Blight is young and dedicated, Kronn asks the party what their intentions are, and
although he doesn’t have anywhere near the passion and what they’re doing in the region. If they tell him anything
grim determination of his father. He maintains a good about their goal, even if it’s just “we’re going into the
working relationship with the Sheriff, Harlowe Barstool, Desolation,” Kronn will ask them if they’ll do their part to
and thus can usually learn about visitors through him. further the liberation of the area. So long as they give him
The heroes may want to ask Blight questions about the some affirmation of this, he tells them that he can spare
town, about his father, or Elijayess. They may even want to Elijayess and two weeks’ supplies for their journey.
know about the Desolation. Blight simply shrugs and tells The Kagonesti nods his approval of this plan, and
them his father will tell them everything they need to spends the next half-hour gathering together the supplies.
know. If they have given the elf Sir Lionel’s message, he simply
Blight leads the heroes into Gloom Town (see PB3) and nods and tucks it away into his belt and carries on with his
around any traps or ambushes. If the heroes are already in preparations. “You’re in good hands with Elijayess,” Kronn
Gloom Town, he leads them off in the right direction and tells them. “Fella’s got something on his mind, but he ain’t
tells them they were “hopelessly lost.” Eventually, they’ll been lettin’ it get in the way of the cause.”
arrive at Kronn’s expeditionary headquarters—the upside- The heroes will be given two weeks’ worth of dry food,
down hull of a massive sailing ship with a great hole in the water, a pair of tents, bedrolls, and other supplies as need-
side, propped up between piles of crates and stone blocks. ed. All of it has seen better days, but it is serviceable. Kronn
This is the Peryton, a once-great merchant ship wrecked in also suggests the heroes get a good night’s sleep in Gloom
the bay and carried ashore by the boiling waters. Town, and leave before dawn so that they’re not seen by the
Dark Knights.
ou are led by the kender, climbing over fallen
Y planks and timber frames, through the hole in
the side of the shipwreck. Within, lanterns and
Leaving Port Balifor
When the heroes are ready, Elijayess packs the supplies into
hanging sheets of canvas form a sort of warren of three rucksack bundles and shoulders one of them.
dimly lit rooms and offices, where other kender Without delay he leads them out of Gloom Town, skirting
sleep, throw dice, carve scrimshaw, and converse the shoreline briefly and then up the slope to the desolate
over maps and charts. The largest of these wilderness beyond.
makeshift rooms boasts a magnificent view of the

104 Q Chapter Four: Across the Sand and Sea

 Chapter Five
Far Less Kender
n this chapter, the characters will travel across one of Kagonesti who has witnessed much of the changes the land

I the harshest landscapes on the continent—the

Desolation. Their quest for answers leads them toward
the ruins of Kendermore, the home of the kender before
Malystryx destroyed the city and wiped out many hun-
has undergone over the last eighty years.
Kendermore is located approximately 80 miles northeast
of Port Balifor, requiring the characters to travel along a
winding trail through the mountains before crossing over
dreds, if not thousands, of kender. While destroying the the desert. The journey through the mountains will take
city and much of the forest it resided in, the Red Marauder about 2 days, merely because of the twists and turns the of
utilized her powerful magic and focused it through her the trail. Crossing the desert itself will be the difficult part,
skull totem, warping the land to suit her temperament and as the characters should only travel at night. The journey
personality. Thus, the once fertile landscapes and forests of across the desert will take between 3 days to 5 days, not
the Goodlund Peninsula became a barren wasteland, filled taking into account any delays (such as random encoun-
with treacherous crevices, towering peaks, volcanoes that ters, the characters taking a side path, etc.).
fill the sky with an ever present cloud of soot and fire, and Current Date: 3rd day of Rannmont (Winter), assuming
rivers of lava that flow sluggishly as they continue to the characters spent 2 days in Port Balifor. Otherwise,
reshape the land. Truly, this peninsula has become one of adjust the dates and moon phases accordingly.
the most desolate realms on the continent. Phases of the Moons:
u Solinari: New Moon (Waxing), Low Sanction (fol-
The quickest route from Port Balifor to Kendermore lowing Position 15 on the chart)
runs through the Goodlund Mountains and straight across u Lunitari: Waxing Crescent, First Quarter (Position
the Desolate Desert. Without an experienced guide such a 3 on the chart)
journey could spell the doom of the characters. However, u Nuitari: New Moon (Waning), Low Sanction
Elijayess is one of the most experienced guides working (Position 16 on the chart)
with Kronn Thistleknot. The guide is a wandering
Leaving Port Balifor Desolation has not changed. The mountains still
spew their bile, the earth still shakes in pain...it’s a
s you head out of the battered town of Port tortured land.”
A Balifor, you see Elijayess waiting for you
where he said he’d meet you, with the supplies
Elijayess sighs softly, his gaze turning toward
the fire as he stares into the past, “In a way, it is
that Kronn agreed to provide. He glances up as worse than when the Silvanesti Forest was caught
you approach, his eyes narrowing as he looks you in the grips of Lorac’s Nightmare. There was
over. something to fight against, some hope to hold on
“Ready to go?” the Kagonesti inquires in his to... here in the Desolation, however, there is noth-
deep voice. “Make sure you have everything that ing.”
you need. There are no towns between here and Gazing up once more, Elijayess offers a small,
Kendermore.” sad smile, “But that is neither here nor there. We
Once he’s satisfied that you’re fully prepared, have a long journey ahead of us. Get some rest; we
Elijayess shoulders one of the rucksacks, turns and shall leave before dawn. Luckily, it is still winter, so
starts heading to the west, toward the mountains we shall only travel for a few hours before the heat
that form a barrier between Port Balifor and the gets too bad and we have to find shelter. After the
desert of the Desolation. heat has passed, we will then travel some more
until nightfall. Unfortunately, it is too dark to tra-
verse the mountains at night. Once we get to the
When the characters leave Port Balifor, they will head desert, however, we will travel only at night.
due west for about 8 hours before reaching the passage cut- Although more creatures come out at night, they
ting through the towering peaks of the Goodlund are less dangerous than the desert heat.”
Mountains.
Most animals cannot easily navigate the treacherous
mountain paths. For characters with mounts, Elijayess will Allow the characters to rest for at least 8 hours in peace,
advise them to either sell their mounts, to pay to have them without any random encounters. Their journey through
stabled until the characters return, or to set them free. the mountains will be difficult enough.
There is a 10% chance per hour of travel that the char-
acters have a random encounter. Use the encounter table Passage Through the Mountains
offered below.
Once the characters reach the edge of the bout an hour before dawn, the Kagonesti
mountains, Elijayess will call a halt, point-
ing out a small spring of fresh water and
A awakens each of you. “Prepare yourselves
as swiftly as possible. We do not want to
a place to build a camp, allowing the spend too much longer tarrying here.”
characters to rest for a short while. As you ready yourselves, he quickly
puts out the small fire, covering it
lijayess walks a short perimeter, his with sand before scattering the
E sharp gaze keeping an
eye out for predators. After
rocks. Within minutes, any sign of
the campfire has been eradicated.
a few minutes, he gathers Elijayess motions you to follow,
dried brush and stones, pointing ahead toward the trail
heading off to the side to barely visible beneath the
construct a small fire moonlight, before he heads off
pit. once again.
As he works
on building a
small fire, he Elijayess takes the characters
looks up, through a small pass that winds its way
“Everything that through the mountains. The journey
you have heard through the mountains will take 2 days,
about the although it may take longer if the char-
Desolation is true. acters take time to rest after con-
As a matter of fact, fronting any random encounters
you probably have that occur.
not heard the worse. The terrain of the Goodlund
Even with the Red Mountains is forbidding, with steep
Marauder dead these slopes, numerous cliffs, and very little
last six months, the undergrowth. Even the path the char-

106 Q Key of Destiny

acters are taking is covered with scree, the shifting gravel just. No one is sure why the land has yet to begin its heal-
doesn’t affect speed, but can prove to be treacherous on ing process, for already the lands of Beryllinthranox and
slopes. The scree increases the DC of Balance and Tumble Khellendros have begun to restore themselves to their nat-
checks by 2 on a gradual slope and by 5 if there’s a steep ural homeostasis. Scholars believe even without the skull
slope. The DC of Move Silently checks increases by 2 if totem or the presence of the Dragon Overlord, something
scree is on a slope of any kind. See the Dungeon Master’s within the Peak of Malys has kept Nature from regenerat-
Guide for details on Mountain Terrain Features. ing and repairing the damage the evil dragon wrought
upon the land.
The Desolation
Desolation Features
inally, you crest a hill, and there, spread before The wildlife of the Desolation is as untamed and diverse as
F you, is the Desolation.
The desert sands are black and crimson, a
the different territories within the unforgiving land. Much
like the other living beings of the region, the flora and
field of soot seemingly stained by the blood of fauna has been mutated by the touch of Malys. Only the
every living creature that has died upon the harsh strongest creatures and plants were able to withstand the
sands. The sky is stained by the black shadows of transformation and the malign magic tainted each and
smoke belched from the volcanic peaks scattered every one of them. New species can be discovered almost
throughout the Desolation. daily as they continue to evolve to survive the harsh condi-
Even across the great distance separating you tions of this tortured land.
from the Goodlund Mountains and Kendermore,
you can see the infamous Peak of Malys towering Fauna
high in the distance, a dark shadow illuminated by One thing that can always be found in the Desolation is a
the rivers of lava spilling from its lip. Kendermore plethora of animals, monsters and other twisted and
sits in the shadow of the Peak, a journey of many mutated creatures. Most Desolation animals have evolved
days across some of the most unforgiving land in to adapt to the excessive heat and water problems of the
all of Ansalon. environment. A fair amount of hunting is done by the
Once you’ve had a few moments to absorb inhabitants of the Desolation as farming is scarce. The dire
the awesome task in front of you, Elijayess steps boar, also known as the Desolation Boar, has become the
up, looking fierce as he shadows his eyes with his main staple of meat for not only the major civilizations,
hand and gazes toward the Peak. but also for dragons that consume the massive beasts in
“That is our destination. Kendermore is not great quantities. Hundreds of thousands of small herds
far from the base of the Peak. From here on out, roam the Desolation eating anything they can find. Beyond
we shall travel by night. It’s only slightly less dan- the great boars are a wide variety of other treacherous crea-
gerous than traveling during the day. Get some tures, both dangerous and wild. From most to least plenti-
rest and be ready at dusk. We leave then.” ful, the most common beasts in the Desolation are dire
boars, mule deer, mountain lions, gravel wolves, prong-
horns (antelope), elk, rabbits, gray fox, wild dogs, wood
The Desolation lies between Port Bailfor and the rats, bobcats, and mountain rams.
Wendlewrithing River, although many have taken to calling A number of birds make their home in the Desolation.
the entire peninsula by the title. Much of the Desolation is The most numerous avians are turkey vultures, ravens, red-
comprised of jagged fields of sharp stones, hills cracked tailed hawks, owls, whippoorwills and nighthawks. Vultures
and bleeding hot lava, treacherous chasms, and vents of hot and ravens are the most populous birds; flocks of them can
ash and steam separated by tracts of arid desert. regularly be seen circling high in the air, and wise travelers
Earthquakes are commonplace and the ground can split steer clear them. There is no doubt, however, that the drag-
open underfoot without warning. ons who have remained in the Desolation rule the skies,
In contrast, the coasts of the north and south are some- and sometimes their coming can be preceded by a flock of
what habitable, made so by sea breezes cooling the scorch- frantic birds.
ing heat of the desert. Farther inland, however, the Insects are everywhere and the Desolation is no excep-
Desolation is nearly unbearable. The once-fertile lands tion, although it tends to produce more than its fair share
have been drained of vitality, fueling the dark magics of of large and poisonous bugs, with giant scorpions the most
Malystryx. The magic Malystryx used leached away the life prevalent. The armored, ill-tempered beasts are found all
of the trees, plant life, and animals, as well as affecting the over the Goodlund peninsula now. The local barbarian
other inhabitants of the land. A sickness came over the tribes, the Khotai, make it a habit to check their dwellings
Kenderwood and animals were horribly mutated or died. once a day for dangerous insects and uninvited guests.
Even the normally fearless kender, so tightly connected to The heat of the region draws a good number of reptiles
their homeland, were affected and began to feel fear. that can be found sunning themselves on rocks and skitter-
Since Malystryx’s death during the War of Souls, the ing across the burning sands. Lizards and snakes are plenti-
landscape has become slightly less inhospitable, but only ful and, more often than not, poisonous. The silt snakes of

Key of Destiny Q 107

the Sea of Cinders are treacherous constrictors that drag is primarily used as a muscle relaxant. Imbibing one dosage
their prey under the silt, suffocating them in a sea of ash of the powder reduces fear effects by one category. The
and black sand. effect is not cumulative with multiple doses (Alchemy DC
The majority of mammals are more active at dusk and To Create: 15 Market Value: 55 stl).
dawn and some creatures are strictly nocturnal. Many of Oddly enough, serene has an adverse effect upon kender
them have adaptations like the desert rabbit. The enor- similar to that of arsenic (Ingested poison, DC 13, initial 1
mous ears of the desert rabbit, with their many blood ves- Con, secondary 1d8 Con).
sels, release heat when the animal is resting in a cool, shady Dragon’s Claw (DC 20 Survival to find): Dragon’s claw
location. Desolation animals tend to be paler in feathers, is a plant that grows around the roots of trees in the
fur, scales or skin than their relatives in more moderate Kenderwood. The branched, toothed, coral-like under-
environments. Pale colors not only ensure that the animal ground roots send up thick green stalks that bear flowers in
takes in less heat from the environment, but help to make the late summer to early autumn months. The hood-
it less conspicuous to predators in the bright, pallid sur- shaped flowers are reddish or purplish on the outside, paler
roundings. and flecked with purple lines on the inside. The petals of
the flower are shaped like a talon.
Flora The thick stalks of the dragon’s claw contain a viscous
The Desolation was once one of the greenest locations on fluid that can be mixed into a thick tacky poultice called
Krynn. The Goodlund peninsula was covered by the vast spidergum. The paste can be applied to a person’s hands
forest of the Kenderwood, with speckles of savanna in the providing a +2 alchemical bonus to Climb checks. It also
Laughing Lands and lush green grasses carpeting the Dairly decreases the chance of a person loosing the grip of their
Plains. Now the only green in the peninsula is located weapon. The effectiveness of the spidergum can be neutral-
around the fringes of the Desolation. The Kenderwood, the ized with sand or by removing it with wine or alcohol. The
Jade Coast, and Dairly Plains are just a shadow of the great effect of spidergum last one hour before it dries up. (Craft-
wilderness that once thrived here. Among the birch and Alchemy DC To Create: 25; Market Value: 50 stl.)
willow of the coasts, new species of trees have emerged that Eyebright (DC 15 Survival to find): Along the river-
are not found across the rest of Ansalon. banks of the Wendlewrithing River grows a wild, scrub
The Desolation itself supports little plant life beyond foliage known as eyebright. It is a delicate plant, growing
those tenacious ground shrubs that hold on jealously to anywhere between 2 to 8 inches tall. It is commonly found
their patch of soil and have enough protection to keep in dry pastures, especially in chalky soil. In the summer
predators from pestering or destroying them. months it produces tiny purplish-red or white-and-yellow
Ashwood: The largest trees in the Desolation are the flowers.
rugged ashwoods. Capable of growing up to 75 feet tall, The traditional use of eyebright is to create a compress
they can be found in clusters throughout the Goodlund made with a spoonful of the dried herb combined with
Mountain Range. water and boiled for ten minutes. The undiluted liquid is
The bark turns a dark grey and crumbles easily as it used after cooling for the treatment of eyestrain, eye
dries out. Touching the bark leaves ones hands with a fine inflammations, stinging, tearing, and other ailments of the
grey power on them. When dead bark is peeled away, it eyes. Eyebright can also be processed into an ointment
reveals a hard, dark, brown wood. Branches run in halos known as eyeguard. Applying eyeguard to the eyes grants a
around the trunk with the largest branches at the bottom, +2 alchemical bonus vs. gaze attacks. The effect of one dose
becoming smaller near the top. Like a pine tree, the of eyeguard lasts 1 hour. (Craft-Alchemy DC To Create: 25;
branches are covered in clumps of dark blue-green needle- Market Value: 45 stl.)
like leaves. Forgeroot: This thick, grizzled, ground shrub survives
The Ashwood is rarely harvested, the most likely reason more below ground than above. Bunches of long grey-
being their location so close to the dragons and other haz- green strands of leaves jut up from the volcanic soils. Year
ards of the mountain range. The wood itself is exceptional- round, clusters of dark hardened berries can be found in
ly strong and highly resistant to fire, which makes it ideal the center of each cluster. But the forgeroot is better known
for resisting the numerous lava flows and landslides. for its extensive root system. One forgeroot can cover up to
Black Haw (DC 30 Survival to find): This shrub found an area of ten feet in diameter. Digging through this plant
in the volcanic soil surrounding the Desolation and can be extremely difficult as the root system is incredibly
Burning Lands can reach almost 16-1/2 feet in height, with dense. Some animals will build nests below the hardy plant.
branches that spread upward. The leaves are dull-green col- The berries can be boiled and eaten to sustain a weary trav-
ored, finely toothed and nearly 3 inches long. The flowers eler.
are quite noticeable, somewhat large, and appear in nearly- Stinging Nellies: Found throughout the Desolation the
topped heads between 3 and 5 inches in width. Bright red stinging nellies have stems and leaves that are covered with
berries appear in the summer months. tiny, pointed, glass-like, stinging hairs. If you touch them,
The berries of the black haw can be dried and crushed they break off, and penetrate the skin, releasing a complex
into a fine powder. When properly prepared the powder mixture of chemicals that causes an irritating rash. There
can be used to create a substance known as serene. Serene are even some species of this plant that are poisonous and

108 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

can make a creature ill for a number of days. These stings (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of
are designed as a defense mechanism against the grazing nonlethal damage.
creatures of the Desolation. Characters who have taken nonlethal damage from lack
Stinging Nellie paste: Injury DC 16, initial 1d2 Con, sec- of water are fatigued. Fatigued characters cannot run or
ondary 1d4 Con, 225 stl. charge and take a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity.
Tangleweeds: Found mostly in the crevasses of the Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes
rugged hills and mountains of the Desolation, tangleweed the fatigued character to become exhausted. Exhausted
is a pain to both travelers and inhabitants of the broken characters move at half speed and have a –6 penalty to
lands. A single plant of tangleweed can cover up to an acre Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an
of ground. Broad, waxy, saw-toothed leaves, stalks and exhausted character becomes fatigued. Nonlethal damage
thorny vines are uncomfortable to the touch and slightly from thirst cannot be recovered until the character gets
acidic. Long vines of tangleweed easily get snagged on water—not even magic that restores hit points (such as
clothing and fur, making travel through the regions cure light wounds) heals this damage.
painfully slow (treat as heavy undergrowth).
Heat Exhaustion
Dangers of the Desolation During the day, the temperature in the desert can easily
As dangerous as the creatures and the dragons of the reach more than 100º F. Prolonged exposure can rapidly
Desolation are, it is the weather and natural hazards that wear down a character, potentially causing death by heat-
make living in this land nearly impossible. Scholars theo- stroke.
rize that the treacherous landscape and the unpredictable Characters in very hot conditions (above 90º F) must
weather has accounted for more deaths in the region than make a Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15, +1 for
Malystryx and her minions combined. each previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal dam-
The corrupt magic of Malystryx’s skull totem has per- age. Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any
verted and twisted the once lush woods and savannahs of sort take a –4 penalty on their saves. A character with the
the Goodlund peninsula. Now the earth shakes with wrack- Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and
ing pains, bleeds lava from crevices scarring the land, scald- may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well
ing steam erupts violently from deep within the earth, (see Survival skill in the Player’s Handbook). Characters
unexpected chasms open up underfoot, and sulfuric rain reduced to unconsciousness begin taking lethal damage.
falls from the skies. In the silent extended stretches of A character who takes any nonlethal damage from heat
jagged rocks, the sun beats down mercilessly and lays low exposure now suffers from heatstroke and is fatigued.
the weak and those ill-equipped to deal with the dangers of These penalties end when the character recovers from the
the Desolation. nonlethal damage taken from the heat.
Winter is nearly unknown in this region. The heat of As it is currently “wintertime,” the temperature only
the Desolation drives off any chance for cool breezes and reaches dangerous levels for about 2 hours (from 1 hour
snow is quickly transformed into black, poisonous rains. before high noon through 1 hour afterwards). If the char-
Only the coastlines and the remaining stretch of the acters seek shade or shelter during these hours they will be
Kenderwood to the north offer any true respite from the spared from the effects of heat exhaustion.
withering heat. To the east, across the Maw and Windspipe
Cove, the remains of the Dairly Plains are temperate and Sandstorms
habitable. Winds from the east of the continent carry the A sandstorm reduces visibility to 1d10x5 feet and provides
ash and smoke of the burning lands into the Sea of a –4 penalty on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. A sand-
Cinders. storm deals 1d3 nonlethal damage per hour to any crea-
Survival in the Desolation is difficult, but it is not tures caught in the open, and leaves a thin coating of sand
impossible. It is a daily battle to scrape out enough of a liv- in its wake. Driving sand creeps in through all but the most
ing for many who live in the land. This kept those who secure seals and seams, chafing skin and contaminating
dwelled within the Desolation under control when carried gear and supplies, including food.
Malystryx ruled from atop her volcanic peak. Many have
learned to adapt to the more predictable hazards and are Earthquakes
prepared for those unexpected disasters, but the merciless All creatures within the area of an earthquake must make a
lands of the Desolation still claim countless lives every day. DC 15 Reflex save or fall down. There is a 20% chance for
each creature of falling into a fissure in the ground. A suc-
Dehydration cessful DC 20 Reflex save must be made to avoid the fis-
In hot climates, characters need two to three times as much sure. If the save was failed, the creature falls 1d4 x 10 feet
water than they normally would in order to stave off dehy- and receives 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet.
dration.
Characters can go without water for 1 day plus a num- Poisonous Vapors
ber of hours equal to their Constitution scores. After this Unexpected eruptions of poisonous gases can affect any-
time, characters must make a Constitution check each hour where from one to ten targets at the same time. First, a DC

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 109

 Desolation and Mountain Encounters—Day
15 Reflex save must be made to avoid the gas pocket. If the d% Encounter EL
save is successful, the target avoids the vapor. If the target 01-04 Acid Rain Storm/Silt Storm +2
fails, he needs to make a DC 16 Fortitude save or suffer 05-15 Phaethon Scouts*
2d12 hp. One minute later, a second DC 16 Fortitude save 16-25 Dire Boars
must be made or the target suffers a loss of 1d6 Con. The (2, see Monster Manual)
Con points return at a rate of one point every two hours. 26-35 Nomad Hunting Party*
36-45 Flamestone Panther
Avalanches and Landslides 46-55 Monstrous Trapdoor Spiders
The typical landslide has a width of 1d6x100 feet from one 56-65 Dark Knight Patrol*
edge to the other. The bury zone is in the direct center of 66-75 Desolation Giant
the landslide. The party’s location will be 1d6x20 feet from 76-85 Earthquake
the bury zone of the landslide. An avalanche advances at a 86-95 Slig Scouts
rate of 500 feet per round and a landslide at 250 feet per 96-100 No encounter
round. The damaging effects of avalanches and landslides
are described in Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. * Unique encounter. Do not use the same
encounter twice, either roll again or treat as
Lava Spews no encounter.
Climbing the mountains and volcanic regions of the
Desolation will almost certainly mean encountering lava.
Lava spews occasionally will erupt from the ground or Desolation and Mountain Encounters—Night
mountain face. Those creatures within a 10 foot radius of d% Encounter EL
the eruption must make a DC 15 Reflex save or receive 2d6 01-04 Acid Rain Storm/Silt Storm +2
points of fire damage. The save must be made each round 05-15 Kender Bandits*
they remain within the area, or they will continue to 16-25 Dire Boars
receive 2d6 points. Even after leaving the area of eruption, (2, see Monster Manual)
damage continues for 1d3 rounds after exposure ceases, but 26-35 Gnoll Hunting Party
this additional damage is the aftereffect of the damage 36-45 Flamestone Panther
dealt during actual contact. 46-55 Monstrous Trapdoor Spiders
The lava spew can usually be avoided by listening for a 56-65 Phaethon Scouts*
preceding underground rumbling with a successful DC 18 66-75 Desolation Giant
Listen check. A character with at least 5 ranks in Survival 76-85 Earthquake
may add a +2 synergy bonus to this check for himself and 86-95 Slig Scouts
those around him. The damaging effects of lava and catch- 96-100 No encounter
ing on fire are described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
* Unique encounter. Do not use the same
Steam Vents encounter twice, either roll again or treat as
In some regions there are areas of hot springs and pockets no encounter.
of super underground heat. In these places, scalding steam
can spring up in geysers. Those creatures within a 5-foot
radius of the eruption must make a DC 15 Reflex Save or Poisonous Water
receive 2d6 points of scalding water damage. The geyser Many of the springs, creeks and small rivers of the
can be avoided by listening for a preceding underground Desolation have been spoiled by Malys’ evil touch. This can
rumbling with a successful DC 18 Listen check. A character easily be determined by any druid or experienced traveler
with at least 5 ranks of Survival may add a +2 synergy of the Desolation. Any creature ingesting the tainted water
bonus to this check for himself and those around him. must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1 Con damage.
One minute later, the creature must make a second
Volcanic Gases Fortitude save or take 1d6 Con damage. The Con returns at
Hot smoking volcanic gases escape from underground the rate of one point for each hour of rest. The impurities
vents under the Desolation and along volcano walls. The of the water can be boiled out to purify it.
smoke can cause terrible fits of coughing and choking.
While crossing an area steeped in volcanic gases, a charac- Weather
ter must make a Fortitude saving throw each round (DC 15 As deadly as the land of the Desolation can be, the weather
+1 for each previous check) or spend that round choking in the region makes it all the more dangerous. Weather is
and coughing. For every 2 rounds of sustained coughing, covered in great detail in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, but
the character suffers 1d6 points of nonlethal damage and there are a few differences in the Desolation that are cov-
has his speed reduced to half his normal movement. ered in detail below.
The smoke obscures vision, giving concealment (20% Acid Rain: When rain falls on the Desolation, it is nei-
miss chance) to characters within it. ther cool nor refreshing. The effects of precipitation and

110 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

different types of storms are described in Dungeon Master’s shelter in nearby caves; otherwise they will suffer the full
Guide. However, when it rains in the Desolation, there is a effects of the storm. Unfortunately for the characters, there
25% chance that the rain is acidic. is a 25% chance that the caves they seek shelter in are
The black acid rain of the Desolation is laced with vol- already occupied (roll again on the appropriate table
canic dust and volatile gases. In addition to the -4 penalty above).
to Spot, Search, and Listen checks, the acid rain of the If the characters are in the desert during the day they
Desolation eats away at equipment and irritates skin. Each will only have to deal with a silt storm without any shelter
round spent in the rain the character must make a DC 13 near at hand. Under cover of the silt storm, the characters
Fortitude save or take one point of acid damage. Magic will have another encounter (roll again on the appropriate
items must also make saves or suffer damage as well. table above).
Normal items begin to weaken and eventually disintegrate At night in the desert, the characters find themselves
if left out too long. dealing with another encounter (roll on the table above),
Electrical Storms: There are very few rain storms on the when an electrical storm strikes.
Desolation, but there are plenty of electrical storms. The Note that when the storms strike, they will adjust the
dry heat of the Desolation fuels wicked lightning storms difficulty of any other encounter by +2 EL.
above the broken lands. During a day when an electrical
storm occurs, each storm lasts 4d10 minutes, with a light- Dark Knight Patrol (EL 4)
ning bolt striking approximately once each minute. There Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet in the mountains, 200
is a 10% chance that a bolt from that storm will affect the feet in the desert.
party on the ground, increasing by 2% for each character As the characters are traveling during the day, they come
in medium armor and 5% for each character in heavy across a wounded Dark Knight patrol, which has been lost
armor. Roll randomly to determine which character is the in the Desolation for three days. The patrol is from the
center of the strike. Any affected character is allowed a DC Dark Knight fortress, Darkhaven, to the north (in the val-
15 Reflex save to take only half damage. ley leading between the Desolation and northern Khur).
Silt Storms (CR 3): The Sea of Cinders often has terrible They are about two days hard travel away from Darkhaven,
silt storms that can be deadly if they catch one unaware. A but they are already just about out of supplies and have
silt storm blows fine grains of sand that obscure vision, gotten completely lost due to a silt storm.
smother unprotected flames, and can even choke protected When the characters spot the Dark Knights, they are
flames (50% chance). Silt storms are accompanied by carrying their leader, Lord Crager Bloodholt, on a stretcher.
severe winds (ranged attacks and Listen checks are at a -4 He had been wounded in an earlier encounter with a gnoll
penalty). However, most silt storms in the Desolation (75% hunting party and most of their supplies were stolen.
chance) are accompanied by windstorm-magnitude winds
Dark Knight Guards (8): hp 8 each; see page 170.
(Ranged weapon attacks are impossible, siege weapon
Lord Crager Bloodholt, Dark Knight Leader: hp 35;
attacks have a -4 penalty, and Listen checks are at -8 due to see page 170.
the howling of the wind). These greater silt storms deal 1d4 Tactics: The Dark Knights actually wish to avoid an
points of nonlethal damage each round to anyone caught encounter. They just want to get their wounded leader back
out in the open without shelter and also pose a choking to Darkhaven. They have few supplies and odds are that
hazard (see Drowning in the Dungeon Master’s Guide— they will not make it alive. If pressed into a fight, the
except that a character with a scarf or similar protection guards will form a protective barrier between themselves
across her mouth and nose does not begin to choke until and their leader, willing to defend him unto death. Lord
after a number of rounds equal to 10 x her Constitution Crager cannot get up, but he does have a loaded heavy
score). Greater silt storms leave 2d3-1 feet of fine silt in crossbow and 10 iron bolts remaining, which he has on his
their wake. lap.
Development: If the characters aid the Dark Knights,
Random Encounters offering them healing or supplies, the Dark Knights will be
There are two major regions that the characters will be thankful, although wary of betrayal. A successful DC 15
crossing over on their journey between Port Balifor and Survival check will point the Dark Knights in the right
Kendermore—the Goodlund Mountains and the Desolate direction. If the characters aid the Dark Knights, they will
Desert. run into Lord Crager again and he will remember their
In the Goodlund Mountains, the chance of random assistance. If the characters attack and slaughter the Dark
encounters is 10% each hour during the day and 15% each Knights, they will have lost a potential ally in the future.
hour during the night. In the Desolation, the chance of a Treasure: Most of the Dark Knights’ equipment has
random encounter during the day is 15% and 35% chance been stolen, except for their armor and weapons, and half a
each hour at night. day’s supply of water and rations. They are out of healing
potions or any other magical equipment, hence they have
Acid Rain Storm been unable to heal Lord Bloodholt.
If the characters are in the mountains, then they will XP Award: If the characters assist the Dark Knights,
encounter an acid rain storm, which will force them to seek award them full experience for the encounter.

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 111

Desolation Giant Kender Bandits
Line of Sight Distance: 75 feet in the mountains, 300 Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet.
feet in the desert. A group of afflicted kender have resorted to savagery in
One of the insane, twisted experiments of Malystryx’s order to survive the Desolation, utilizing brutal tactics in
ego, the Desolation Giants were once humans who have order to survive.
been permanently transformed into terrifying giants. They will attack whomever they come across, seeking to
The Desolation Giant, upon spotting the characters, will steal food, water, and other necessities. While treasure is
bellow with rage and attack mindlessly, throwing himself at important for barter, these kender are more interested in
the characters with swinging his massive club. survival.

Desolation Giant: hp 85; see page 170.
Kender Bandits: hp 7 each; see page 171.

Fiera Blackbrand: hp 31; see page 171.
Earthquake Tactics: The kender bandits will seek to ambush the
Line of Sight Distance: 0 feet. characters. Allow the characters resisted Spot checks
An earthquake strikes as the characters are traveling. If against the kender Hide checks (1d20+8, 1d20+8 for
the characters are in the mountains, they not only have to Fiera). The kender bandits dress completely in shades of
deal with the earthquake itself but also an avalanche. brown and black, giving them a +2 circumstance bonus to
If the characters are in the desert, the earthquake has its their Hide checks in the desert or mountains of the region.
normal effects without triggering a landslide, but would Ideally, they will wait for the characters to camp, stalk-
still shake the characters up. ing them from afar. If they can attack during a silt storm,
See the earthquake and avalanche entries above for how they will do so, wearing cloths over their faces to protect
to deal with the effects. them from the choking sand while using the cover provid-
ed to strike swiftly.
Flamestone Panther Development: These kender are perfectly willing to lie,
Line of Sight Distance: 25 feet in the mountains, 100 cheat, and resort to dirty tactics in order to win. It is possi-
feet in the desert (double distances at night). ble, however, to parlay with them, by speaking with Fiera.
Flamestone panthers are abominations spawned by Fiera’s initial reaction will be Hostile. She and her com-
Malystryx’s twisted magic. Creatures of raw magma, panions will leave the characters alone on a result of
wrenched from the depths of the earth, they are capable of Indifferent (DC 25), even offering them advice on dangers
burrowing underground where they will lie in wait for prey to avoid in the area. On an Unfriendly result (DC 20), she
to approach. Allow characters a DC 18 Spot check to notice will call off her companions and warn the characters to
the strange formation on the ground indicating a flame- leave the area swiftly. On a Friendly reaction (DC 30), Fiera
stone panther’s presence, though it resembles little more and her men will offer to help escort the characters to
than a magma bed with the strong reek of sulfur in the air. either the Spring or to Kendermore, depending upon when

Flamestone Panther: hp 37; see page 152. the characters encounter the group.
Tactics: The flamestone panther will seek to attack the
characters from behind, waiting for them to pass before Monstrous Trapdoor Spiders
striking. It will attempt to use its breath weapon before it Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet.
leaps into the battle. As the characters travel over an open area of ground,
they inadvertently enter a location where a nest of mon-
Gnoll Hunting Party strous trapdoor spiders have built their lairs. Allow charac-
Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet in the mountains, 100 ters to make resisted Spot checks against the monstrous
feet in the desert. trapdoor spiders’ Hide checks (1d20+11) to notice the
The gnolls of the Desolation have risen to become one trapdoor spiders, otherwise the spiders will catch the char-
of the dominant species in the Age of Mortals. Quickly acters flat-footed the first round of combat.
forming alliances with the Red Marauder, they served her
Monstrous Trapdoor Spiders: hp 16; see page 155.
by hunting down and killing kender.
The gnolls of the Desolation resemble jackals more than Nomad Hunting Party
they do hyenas. They have dark fur and narrower heads but Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet in the mountains, 100
they are just as fierce as their hyena brethren. feet in the desert.

Gnoll Warriors (3): 13, 11, 10; see Dungeon Master’s The nomads of the Desolation are hardened, embittered
Guide. tribes. They suffered almost as much as the kender beneath

Ragniir, Gnoll Ranger: ; see page XXX. the tyrannical yoke of Malystryx, and now take out their
Tactics: The gnolls will attempt to lay an ambush for the aggression against any who cross their path.
characters, patiently waiting for the characters to enter an The nomads will lie in wait, seeking to ambush the
area where the gnolls will hold the advantage (such as on a characters: either on the mountain path, where they will
narrow slope covered with scree in the mountains, or sur- try and utilize the higher ground to their advantage; or
rounding them in a small gulley in the desert). hiding under the sand in the desert, much like trapdoor
spiders, in order to wait and surround the characters.

112 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender


Nomad Warriors: hp 6 each; see page 171. Queen. Ruthless and cunning, they will attack the charac-

Barikan: hp 25; see page 171. ters seeking to slaughter the PCs where they stand. While
Tactics: This band of nomads are murderers and worse. not exceptionally intelligent, the sligs possess a bestial bru-
Like many in the Desolation, they put their own survival tality that makes them fearsome opponents.
above all others. They will not seek to parlay or to strike a
Sligs (3): hp 16 each; see page 172.
deal, they only want to take what possessions the characters
have with them. The Crags

fter many nights of traveling across the desert,

Phaethon Scouts
Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet in the mountains, 100
feet in the desert
A the seemingly endless flatland starts getting
rocky underfoot. You notice the loose sand giving
The phaethon are a strange, mysterious race of way to gritty rock and debris.
humanoids that at first glance appear to be short, stocky “These are the Crags,” Elijayess murmurs soft-
half-elves, with golden skin and reddish hair. When they ly, “Once this entire area was a beautiful forest,
come across the characters, they will confront the PCs and called the Kenderwoods, but Malys destroyed most
ask what business brings them to the Desolation. of the forest when the kender escaped from
The leader of this group of phaethon is Saragan Kendermore. From here, we are about a day and a
Windflame, who will step forward to speak with the char- half away from the ruins. There are many dangers
acters while his scouts remain behind to keep an eye on the ahead, but if the gods are with us, then we should
PCs. manage to make it to the ruins relatively
If the PCs are forthright and upfront about their rea- unscathed.”
sons for being in the Desolation (allow them resisted Bluff
checks against Saragan’s Sense Motive check, 1d20+11),
then Saragan and his scouts will let the characters pass The Crags are the hilly region surrounding the Peak of
unchallenged, offering to lend them limited assistance if Malys. The landscape is rugged and covered with thorny
necessary (he and his scouts will provide some basic sup- undergrowth that makes passage difficult at times.
plies, such as rations and water, as well as offer directions When the characters reach the Crags, they are about
to various locations within the Desolation). halfway to Kendermore. The Crags offer many hiding
If the characters act hostilely in any way, the phaethon places and is one of the areas in the Desolation filled with
will respond in kind, attacking swiftly and in force. If it the most life. Numerous underground springs create pock-
seems that the characters are winning, or if any of the et oases in the otherwise inhospitable landscape, and
phaethon are seriously wounded, the phaethon will retreat around these areas creatures congregate.
and break off the engagement. They will follow the charac- The largest of these oases is known simply as the Spring.
ters from afar, waiting for another opportunity to strike. To many of the creatures in the region the Spring is consid-

Phaethon Scouts: hp 4 each; see page 153. ered neutral territory, and an area protected by the Oracles.

Saragan Windflame: hp 21; see page 171. Elijayess will lead the characters to the Spring, as it
Tactics: If pressed into combat, the lies not far from Kendermore and is a
phaethon will call forth their fiery wings relatively safe location to rest before
and take to the air, seeking the advantage entering the ruined kender city.
that flight gives them. On the way to the Spring, a jour-
Development: The phaethon have ney of about a day, Elijayess will still
a number of enclaves scattered advise that the party travel at night.
throughout the Goodlund This does leave the characters open
Mountains and word travels quickly to more random encounters, but
between the villages. In the next they will not have to deal with the
adventure, Spectre of Sorrows, the dangers of heat exhaustion or dehy-
characters will pass through a dration.
phaethon village, and their actions As the characters trek through the
with these scouts may predetermine Crags, there is a 20% chance per hour of a
their response when they arrive in that random encounter.
village.
The Oracles of the Desolation
Slig Scouts
Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet in the fter a long night of trekking through
mountains, 100 feet in the desert.
These reptilian savages were lackeys
A the Crags, you begin to notice a sub-
tle change in the air. Noticeably cooler,
for the forces of Malystryx, worshiping the metallic smell of water hits your
her as they once worshiped their Dark senses like a brick.

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 113

 “We’re here,” Elijayess says quietly. He points (the red-haired woman). As they make the characters wel-
to a rise, about half a mile away. “Over that rise lies come to Spring, the characters will notice that Elijayess
the Spring. We’ll be able to rest up there in safety.” feels a bit edgy around the Oracles. The three Oracles will
Without waiting for your response, the solemn not touch the characters, nor will they allow themselves to
Kagonesti strides off in the direction of the Spring, be touched. Characters doing so are allowed a Will save
shouldering his longbow. Looking over his shoul- (DC 13) to see through the glamour.
der, he says, “Keep your weapons put away. The The three oracles are all green hags, three sisters who
Spring is neutral territory. Drawing blood, except have lived in the Desolation for more than 400 years. Once
in self-defense, will bring down the wrath of the they lived in the Kenderwood, but with the magic of Malys,
Oracles.” their home became an oasis in the middle of the Crags. All
three sisters are chaotic neutral, although they do have evil
tendencies. They have kept their Spring neutral territory
The Oracles of the Desolation are a covey of hags that through sheer tenacity of will. They do not wish to draw
have lived in this land since before the Cataclysm. If the undue attention to their lair. Their presence alone is
characters ask, Elijayess will explain that the Oracles are enough to keep most Intelligent creatures peaceful, and
three mysterious women who hold court at the Spring. their ogre minions deal with any who get out of line (the
They are willing to offer advice, though they will always ask ogres stay within the cave, the mouth of which is covered
for a payment. The payment varies with each individual. by a mirage arcana spell).
If approached with any questions, the Oracles will offer
hen you crest the rise, you find yourself look- to divine the characters’ futures utilizing their vision ability
W ing down at a startling sight: a lush oasis sur-
rounded by black, bleak hills. A crystal clear pond
(which they can use 3/day as a 9th level spellcaster). The
answers that the Oracles give, however, will be vague and
lies in a rough crescent shape, surrounding three require interpretation, as the visions they receive are often
sides of a small hill. A cave in the hill overlooks the couched in riddles. Below are a number of possible ques-
spring, with a beach of black sand at the cavern tions the characters may ask, along with possible answers
mouth. There, a bluish-green bonfire sends up they may receive from the Oracles. Note, however, that any
hungry tongues of flame toward the dawn-streaked character asking to receive a vision must agree to the pay-
sky. ment the Oracles ask from them.
Black haw trees surround the spring, with
dragon claw and eyebright growing near the base of s you speak, the three Oracles of the Spring all
the trees. There’s an odd sort of hushed quiet that
hangs over the Spring.
A gaze at you with their dark eyes.
“Yes,” murmurs Sorrow.
Elijayess pauses at the crest of the rise before “We shall answer your questions,” murmurs
he heads down into the small valley. As he does so, Mourn.
three figures step out from the cave mouth, watch- “But first, you must agree to our price,” con-
ing him, and you, with dark eyes as you approach. tinues Lament.
“Greetings, strangers...” the one in the center “For one question, you must agree to carry a
speaks in a low, sultry tone. Dressed in a loose caf- burden we shall place upon you,” Sorrow says in
tan of nearly translucent white silk, her pale skin her smooth, sultry voice.
contrasts against the flowing raven locks that cloak “For two questions, you must agree to carry a
her shoulders and back. burden we shall place upon you and you must per-
“Welcome to our Spring...” the one to the left form a task for us,” Mourn whispers softly.
picks up, her voice a soft whisper. A delicate hand “For three questions, you must agree to carry a
reaches up, brushing silvery white hair back from burden we shall place upon you, you must perform
an equally delicate elven face. Her caftan is of sheer a task for us, and you must also give us something
crimson silk that matches the stain of her lips. that you hold dear,” Lament murmurs deeply.
“We have been waiting for your arrival.” The “Do you agree to our price?” the three speak
last one finishes in a deep, rich voice. Her hair is a together, their voices melding in an oddly disturb-
brilliant shade of scarlet, her skin a rich shade of ing symphony that causes a shiver to trace up and
ebony that marks her of Ergothian heritage. The down your spines.
flowing black silk caftan molds itself to her strong
body as she holds out her hands in welcome.
If the characters agree to the price the Oracles request,
then they will answer a number of questions equal to what
The three women are the Oracles, three hags who have the characters agree to pay, three questions maximum.
cloaked themselves using their disguise self abilities. They For one question, the Oracles will tell the characters that
will introduce themselves as Sorrow (the raven-haired they must carry an amulet with them for 30 days. This
woman), Mourn (the white-haired woman), and Lament amulet is a hag’s eye, resembling a piece of amber. The

114 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

 Questions & Answers from the Oracles
Below are a number of possible questions the charac- fact believed lost for many years—Huma’s Dragonlance,
ters may ask the Oracles, and the answers that they will which is one of the most potent artifacts of light on
give. If the characters ask other questions, feel free to Ansalon. The Oracles are also telling the characters that
give the characters an answer, but couch it in similarly this part of the journey is almost over, but it is only the
indirect responses. first part of a much longer journey that will take them
Note that for flavor purposes, the three sisters each from a place of fire to a place shrouded in ice.]
speak as if they were continuing one another’s sentences,
as if they shared a mind. Use sentence breaks to change Is there someone out there manipulating us?
voices, indicating the speech being picked up by one of “We are all but puppets on the strings of Fate, pieces
the other sisters. moved about on a Khas board. There is strength, howev-
er, in that knowledge. It is up to you to find the threads
What is the Key of Quinari? that control, to find the hand that guides you. It is up to
“The key that you hold is an ancient one. It is not you to cut the threads and to bite the hand, for you
what you may first believe. It does open a passage that is must take your destiny into your own hands. Or else,
not a passage. The key is not something you can hold. you shall forever remain as a puppet and a pawn to oth-
But it is something that must be carried well. In the ers. The strings that bind you are strings that bind your
right time, in the right place, the key shall serve its pur- souls, strings that bind the souls of others. Find the one
pose. After which, you shall stand on the threshold of who holds those strings and you shall find the answers
changing the world forever.” [The Oracles are telling the to all you seek.” [Obliquely, the Oracles are telling the
characters that the true key isn’t the box, but the melody characters that they are indeed being manipulated by
that it plays. This melody opens a magical gateway to one who is capable of reaching across the threshold of
another realm, where the characters will find their true the living and the dead.]
destiny awaiting.]
How can we help the elves of Pashin?
What lies ahead in Kendermore? “You seek the cure to an ancient curse, a cure you
“You are close to the end of this journey, but a new may find in the journey ahead. In one hand lies the
one shall begin. In the shadow of the volcano, you will touch of death, in the other the touch of decay. Yet, the
find something you seek. But, the answers are not in taint of both may be cleansed by the same divine water.”
Kendermore, they lie within the belly of the beast. In a [The tears of Mishakal, which the characters may discov-
place of darkness and fire, you will find a tool of light. er in the Spectre of Sorrow, holds the answer to curing
Without the light you will curse the darkness. What both the elves of Pashin of Morgion’s curse as well as
begins in fire shall end in ice.” [The Oracles are hinting releasing the curse on the Valley of Hurim and the
that the characters will end up traveling through the Shattered Temple.]
Peak of Malys, where they will discover an ancient arti-

amulet radiates weak necromancy and strong divination to although it will focus entirely upon that individual and
detect magic. lasts for 2d6 weeks.
For the second question, the Oracles will ask the charac- Once the characters have asked their questions, the
ters to find an individual known as Grigolthan, an ogre Oracles will then tell the characters to rest for the day in
mage said to be lurking around the Peak of Malys. He car- the shade of the black haws before setting out to
ries a staff that the Oracles describe as being crafted from Kendermore at dusk. While the characters are resting at the
the spine and skull of a Silvanesti dark elf. The Oracles ask Spring, they will be allowed to rest without having to deal
the characters to bring this staff back to them. with any other encounters. The Oracles will disappear into
For the third question, the characters must sacrifice a their cave afterward, not reappearing until just before the
permanent magic item (not a scroll or potion) of at least characters leave. If the characters attempt to approach the
2,500 stl in value. If the characters try to offer the key of cave, Elijayess will warn them away, telling them that it is
Quinari, the blade of betrayal, or the shard of light, the not wise to risk the Oracles’ wrath.
Oracles will refuse to accept them, instead asking the char- If the characters persist in seeking to gaze into the cave,
acters to offer something else. they will be subject to the mirage arcana spell (DC 18 to
With the agreement from the characters, the Oracles pierce), seeing only an impenetrable darkness within the
will answer their questions. If the characters fail to com- cave. If they try and enter, they’ll find their way blocked by
plete either of the first two payments, then they will suffer a forcecage.
the effects of a bestow curse spell that lasts for 2d6 days. If a Creatures: Currently, the only other creatures at the
character destroys the hag’s eye or purposefully tries to rid Spring are the Oracles and their ogre minions (1st-level
the party of the amulet, the bestow curse takes effect as well, ogre warriors).

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 115


Ogre minions (6): hp 31, 30, 29, 38, 27, 25; see Kendermore
Monster Manual. Current Date: 10th day of Rannmont (Winter),

Sorrow, Mourn & Lament: hp 52, 50, 44; see Monster assuming the characters spend 7 days getting to
Manual. Kendermore. Otherwise, adjust the dates and
Tactics: The Oracles do not wish to involve themselves moon phases accordingly.
in combat because it could possibly harm their Spring. The Phases of the Moons
Oracles are a hag covey, and as such have access to the full u Solinari: Waxing Crescent, Waxing (following
powers all covey members receive. However, if one of them Position 11 on the chart)
is slain their covey is broken. u Lunitari: Waxing Gibbous, High Sanction
In a fight, the Oracles will seek to withdraw, casting (Between Positions 11 and 20 on the chart)
invisibility upon themselves and utilizing their weakness u Nuitari: Waning Crescent, Last Quarter Waning
touch attack while calling forth their ogres to deal with the (Position 9 on the chart)
characters. They will also utilize their animate dead to raise The once grandiose city of Kendermore is now a
the skeletons and corpses buried beneath the sand of their heartrending ruin. The story of its devastation has been
oasis to attack the characters. told and re-told from one kender to the next, across the
continent and beyond. Now the skeletal remains of the
Leaving the Oasis kender city stands as a reminder of the many hardships
endured since the beginning of the Age of Mortals. Within
s you prepare to leave the Springs, the Oracles the crooked and haphazardly constructed walls of the city,
A appear once more outside their cave, gazing at
you across the waters of the pond.
one of the most innocent races of Krynn was slaughtered
by the thousands and irrevocably changed. The desecration
“Be brave, for in your hands you hold the Fates of their forest home and destruction of their fair city left
of many,” Sorrow’s voice floats across the waters. many kender afraid, something that true kender had not
Before the melodic tones of her voice fade, felt since the fall of Istar.
Mourn’s soft whisper picks up, “Your steps will lead The ruins lay scattered across the foothills of the Peak of
you far from this desolate realm to places you can- Malys. The shadow of the Red Marauder’s former lair
not imagine.” blocks the morning sun from spreading its light upon the
Lament picks up smoothly before Mourn’s last dead city. By the time the sun finally shines down upon the
word trails off, “You will see things very few have ruins, its rays only add to the unbearable heat emanating
been graced to see.” from the magma now flowing beneath the city.
Once more, Sorrow speaks, “Your quest is a The city has become home to gnolls, goblins and a vari-
noble one, although you know not all that it shall ety of other dark creatures that are drawn to the remaining
entail.” buildings and the depressing pall that hangs over the ruins.
“There shall be many triumphs, but there shall In the dark of night, or under the shadow of the neighbor-
also be many losses that you suffer,” Mourn lowers ing peak, undead kender continue to wander the wreckage,
her eyes to gaze at the waters. longing for some type of peaceful existence.
“In the end, know this: Fate has chosen you, Since Malys’s death, kender have begun to migrate back
but it is you who must choose your Destiny.” to their ruined homeland, both those still afflicted by
Lament’s voice is almost harsh as she finishes her Malys’s curse upon them and those who were unaffected.
sisters’ words. Kronn has sent numerous expeditions to the city, in hopes
As one, the three sisters turn around with their of reclaiming and rebuilding the kender home as a symbol-
silk caftans flowing behind them as they disappear ic gesture of overcoming their sorrow. Unfortunately,
once more into the cave, leaving you standing there Kronn has yet to hear any news of their efforts.
alone once again.
Once the Oracles disappear, Elijayess steps up, Features of Kendermore
still looking a bit uncomfortable though it was he Kendermore was once an open city. A dwarven merchant
who guided you to this place. was once overheard saying, “What do kender need with
“We should go. We have much ground to walls? Do they need practice scaling them?” Until recently,
cover. We’ll reach the ruins in a few hours.” this sentiment has held true. Kendermore is only a newly-
Shouldering his pack and unslinging his bow walled city. Over the years, they had tried a number of
from his shoulder, Elijayess turns and begins to times to make it a walled city, but only ended up in creat-
walk out of the oasis heading for Kendermore. ing a watch tower here or there, or the occasional free
standing wall. It wasn’t until the threat of the
Dragonarmies during the War of the Lance that the con-
The Spring lies about 10 hours away from the edge of cept took hold and the kender began to build walls again.
Kendermore, if the characters travel at a normal pace. If The walls were completed under the direction of Paxina
the characters travel straight through, they will reach the Thistleknott during the Summer of Chaos. The walls were
outskirts of the ruined city by daybreak. destroyed less than a year later by Malystryx and her ogres.

116 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

 Some say that viewing the ruins of Kendermore is like mountains themselves wrap like a dragon’s tail, beginning
touring Ansalon in the aftermath of the Cataclysm. The at the Peak of Malys and curving jealously around the
amalgamation of architectural styles borrowed from nearly Desolation from east to west, before ending finally miles
every culture on Krynn can be found here, and all are now south of Port Bailfor. Black clouds of smoke drift among
burned, blackened and broken. Delicate elven spires lay the highest peaks from violent volcanic activity. The tallest
shattered among crushed marble columns and scorched point in Ansalon, the Peak of Malys, is surrounded by a
Solamnic style homes lean precariously over shards of ring of smaller volcanoes.
golden plates that once covered the Khurish onion-styled A dangerous day’s walk to the south from Kendermore
domes of a corner cobbler. Everything is covered in a thin is a region formerly known as Springfalls. The mouth of
layer of volcanic ash from the occasional eruptions of the the Bristle River erupts from a cliff face there supplying
nearby volcano. one of the limited sources of fresh water in the Desolation.
The stench of death and decay has long faded away, The nomadic tribes of the Goodlund Peninsula jealously
leaving the stale, fetid smell of old brittle wood and baked patrol the mouth of the river, battling against the gnolls
stone. The layers of clutter and disorderly streets make the and sligs who also desire to control the precious source of
city a complicated maze of stones and weeds. Holes into water.
pocket caverns can be found—the remnants of the cata-
combs underneath the city that many kender used to Buildings in Kendermore
escape the fiery death of the Dragon Overlord’s attack. Very few buildings remain complete in Kendermore, but a
Now the underground system is home to a number of number of the stone buildings continue standing. The
creatures that wander the tunnels hunting for their next most notable building in the ruins is the Kendermore
meal. Library. This sturdy, squat edifice was modeled after the
imposing fortress of Pax Tharkas. So much stone was
Outside Kendermore hauled in for its construction that the entire structure has
Kendermore is located approximately 75 miles east of been sinking into the foundation since it was created. The
Darkhaven and the Goodlund Mountains on the western library was not only a place for storing books or literary
edge of the Desolation. Between the mountains and works. It was also a central gathering place for many cele-
Kendermore, great stretches of rocky and twisted land are brations and swaps. The inside of the structure was
broken by the occasional outcropping of jagged stone or destroyed by the ogre armies, but thousands of small
deep gorge. kender-type “treasures” can be found within.
North of the city are the remains of the Kenderwood. Another large building that remains mostly intact is a
The formerly lush forest has been reduced to small clumps place known as “The Palace.” This building is reminiscent
of evergreens and emaciated semi-deciduous trees and of the Grand Palace of Khuri-Khan. However, the delicate
shrubs. The draining effect of the Desolation and the con- gold plates that once covered the onion-shaped domes have
stant burnings by red dragons in the area has destroyed been stolen or destroyed and the windows have all been
nearly all of the Kenderwood. Only the foothills of shattered. The reflecting pool out front that was once
the mountains along the coast of Nordmaar far carefully tended has dried up and filled with vol-
to the north display any signs of the region’s canic ash. The Palace used to serve as the city’s
former greenery. greatest inn and local jail.
To the east lay the end of the The last major building of note among the
Goodlund Mountains. The ruins is the City Hall
located near the
center of

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 117

 town. This building was once the meeting place of the
Kender Council of Elders. Four stories tall, the city hall was
Encounters in Kendermore—Day built of a sturdy white marble imported from Palanthas.
The building stands tall albeit at a slight angle. Many of the
Day Encounter EL exterior walls that remain are damaged by fire. The interi-
01-04 Manticore 5 ors have been stripped of anything worthwhile.
(see Monster Manual) The other buildings of Kendermore vary in degrees of
05-10 Hieracosphinx 5 destruction. The worst devastation took place to the south-
(see Monster Manual) east of the city, where the ogre army breached the walls and
11-15 Flamestone Panthers (2, see Appendix) fell into the trap made by the remaining defenders in the
16-20 Spiked Pit Trap 4 city. The roads had been altered, leading the invading army
21-25 Basilisk through a gauntlet of deadly and devious traps, before
(see Monster Manual) 5 unleashing their biggest trap—starting a fire that swept
26-30 Kender Zombies (4) through the city and ravaged the invading ogres.
31-35 Razor-Wire 1 The farther north and west you travel, the more build-
36-45 Carrion Crawler 4 ings remain intact yet still damaged and blackened by fire.
(see Monster Manual) Some of the buildings are missing entire walls or roofs, but
46-50 Poisoned Dart Trap 4 it is difficult to tell if that was actually part of the design
51-55 Ankheg (2, see Monster Manual) before the attack or not.
56-65 Lamia
(see Monster Manual) 6 Inhabitants of Kendermore
66-70 Hell Hounds (2, see Monster Manual) Despite the number of roaming mindless beasts and
71-74 Wyvern undead in the city, there are still a few intelligent creatures
(see Monster Manual) 6 that dwell among the ruins of Kendermore. Beneath the
76-85 Fusillade of Spears 6 Desolation are mazes of caverns inhabited by tribes of gob-
86-90 Ungul Dust Vapor Trap 5 lins and hobgoblins, as well as by other strange creatures.
91-95 Ogres (3, see Monster Manual) Now and again, these creatures come to the surface to hunt
96-100 Camouflaged Pit Trap and will exit through openings found in Kendermore. The
goblins always make sure they leave and return before the
sun sets, not wanting to be caught in the ruins after dark.
Recently, groups of kender have been risking the
Encounters in Kendermore—Night Desolation, seeking Kendermore. Some of these kender are
d% Encounter EL refugees from the ruined city, survivors of that fateful night
01-04 Ogre Zombies (3, see Monster Manual) when they were chased from their home. Others are those
05-10 Kender Wights (2) who are drawn by their wanderlust and curiosity. A few of
11-15 Flamestone Panthers the rare kender nightstalkers have also been drawn to the
(2, see Appendix) ruined city, seeking to speak with the spirits they believe
16-20 Spiked Pit Trap 4 still haunt the doomed city. Regardless, the kender that
21-25 Allip 3 have journeyed to the ruins have discovered that, even
(see Monster Manual) though Malys no longer haunts the skies or the Peak, there
26-30 Carrion Crawler 4 are still the remnants of her armies willing to continue her
(see Monster Manual) work.
31-35 Razor-Wire 1 Ogres from the Peak, working for various factions that
36-45 Basilisk 5 have divided the remnants of Malys’s empire among them-
(see Monster Manual) selves, have recently taken to roaming the ruins. Any
46-50 Poisoned Dart Trap 4 kender whom they discover, along with any other
51-55 Ankheg (2, see Monster Manual) humanoids they come across (including the rare goblin
56-65 Forlorn Kender 5 who appears out in the open), are hunted down, captured,
66-70 Yeth Hounds (2, see Monster Manual) and taken to the Peak for some nefarious purpose.
71-74 Hell Hounds (2, see Monster Manual)
76-85 Fusillade of Spears 6 The Streets of Kendermore
86-90 Ungul Dust Vapor Trap 5 The streets of Kendermore are a confusing maze of paths,
91-95 Magma Wraiths (2, see Appendix) alleyways, and winding, cobblestone roads, and this was
96-100 Camouflaged Pit Trap 5 before the destruction. There was no planning. The streets
were created where space was available and even where it
was not. With the addition of fallen buildings, and cave-ins
to the tunnels that run beneath the city, traveling through
Kendermore has become even more hazardous and confus-

118 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

ing. Only the landmarks of the surrounding mountains
lend a person any sort of sense of direction. Sinkholes can Pit Trap
still open up at the most inopportune time. Line of Sight Distance: 30 feet.
Sink Holes: Those individuals who are within the One of the remnants of the ogre invasion of
perimeter of a sink hole must make a DC 15 Reflex save or Kendermore, this pit trap is disguised to seem like part of
suffer 2d6 points of damage as they slide into the center of the roads that twist and turn throughout the city. It is set
the hole that has just opened up beneath them. On a suc- to release when any creature weighing more than 100 lbs.
cessful saving throw, the character has leaped to safety. crosses over it.
Then the individual must make a DC 15 Climb  Camouflaged Pit Trap: CR 5; mechanical; loca-
check to escape the pit. tion trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids;
Unfortunately for the characters, and even 50 ft. deep (5d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in
the other inhabitants that now dwell within each of two adjacent 5 ft. squares); Search DC 25;
the ruins of Kendermore, there are still Disable Device DC 17.
some traps remaining from
the defense of Kendermore Fusillade of Spears
more than 35 years ago. Line of Sight Distance: 30
feet.
One of the remnants of
Encounters in Kendermore the ogre invasion of Kendermore, this
There are numerous encounters that fusillade is rigged so that as characters
can occur within Kendermore. pass by an abandoned building, a
During the day, the chance of an trip wire hidden in the dirt will set
encounter occurring is 10% off a release mechanism and send
per hour. At night, the spears hurtling
chance increases to 25% through the air.
each hour. Allow the characters
a DC 18 Spot
Camouflaged check to notice the
tripwire as they

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 119

approach, and a DC 18 Reflex save for each person as they Razor-Wire
pass over the wire to avoid setting it off. Line of Sight Distance: 15 feet.
 Fusillade of Spears: CR 6; mechanical; proximity Remnants of the ogre invasion of Kendermore, through-
trigger; repair reset; Atk +21 ranged (1d8, spear); multiple out most of the city, razor-wires were strung to hamstring
targets (1d6 spears per target in a 10 ft. by 10 ft. area); the ogre hordes as they poured into the city. While some
Search DC 26; Disable Device DC 20. tripwires were attached to other traps (such as the fusillade
of spears or poisoned darts), others were meant simply to
Forlorn Kender delay and sow confusion among the ranks. Plenty of these
Line of Sight Distance: 30 feet. razor-wires still remain scattered throughout the city. Any
Spirits of kender who died during the attack on creature larger than Large size is unaffected by the razor-
Kendermore still haunt this ruined city. Many disappeared wire, as they typically step right over it.
during the War of Souls, but some remained behind, tied  Razor-Wire: CR 1; mechanical; location trigger; no
to their mortal remains. These pathetic creatures are reset; Atk +10 melee (2d6, wire); multiple targets (first tar-
known as the Forlorn. get in each of two adjacent 5 ft. squares); Search DC 22;
Now, the Forlorn will attack any living creature who Disable Device DC 15.
crosses their path, seeking to bring them the same pain and
fill them with the same fear that they experienced on that Spiked Pit Trap
night, although they have no other memories of their life. Line of Sight Distance: 30 feet.
Note that even kender are not immune to the fear aura One of the remnants of the ogre invasion of
of a Forlorn. Kendermore, this trap is a deep hole that spills into one of

Forlorn Kender: hp 32. the many underground caverns of the catacombs beneath
Kendermore. A trapdoor conceals the pit, rigged to fall
Kender Wraiths when any creature weighing more than 100 lbs. steps onto
Line of Sight Distance: 30 feet. it.
Not all undead kender within the ruins of Kendermore  Spiked Pit Trap: CR 4; mechanical; location trigger;
are Forlorn. Indeed, while some became Forlorn, others manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 60 ft. deep (6d6,
became wraiths, their spirits twisted as they fell prey to the fall); pit spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for
darkness and evil unleashed upon them. 1d4+5 each); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20.
These wraiths appear to be slightly smaller than typical
wraiths. Their faces are visibly filled with anger, hatred, and Ungul Dust Vapor Trap
pain. Line of Sight Distance: 15 feet.

Kender Wraiths (2): hp 30, 28; see Monster Manual. One of the remnants of the ogre invasion of
Kendermore, this trap is triggered by a tripwire connected
Kender Zombies to ceramic jars, causing them to topple and release their
Line of Sight Distance: 30 feet. contents if the trap is set off. It requires a DC 18 Spot
Many of the corpses left in Kendermore were animated, check to notice the tripwire and a DC 18 Reflex check to
either by the forces of Malystryx, or by others who dwelled avoid setting it off if anyone crosses over the line.
within the ruined city. These mindless undead are pathetic  Ungul Dust Vapor Trap: CR 5; mechanical; location
creatures, their small bodies decaying and falling apart, trigger; manual reset; gas; multiple targets (all targets in a
even as they follow the dictates given to them—attack any 10 ft. by 10 ft. area); never miss; onset delay (2 rounds);
creatures that cross their path. poison (ungul dust, DC 15 Fortitude save resists, 1

Kender Zombies (8): hp 14 each; see page 172. Cha/1d6 Cha plus 1 Cha drain); Search DC 20; Disable
Device DC 16.
Poisoned Dart Trap
Line of Sight Distance: 15 feet. Sites in Kendermore
One of the remnants of the ogre invasion of The following pages briefly describe some of the more
Kendermore, this particular trap is set to go off the important locations in Kendermore. Most of the city is in
moment anyone turns down a dead-end alleyway. A small ruins, either destroyed by invaders, destroyed by the
tripwire (DC 18 Spot check to notice, DC 18 Reflex save to kender, or destroyed by Malystryx, leaving behind only
avoid) set on the ground, unleashes a trigger that sends the empty husks and scorched stone.
darts whistling toward the alley’s mouth. For the purpose of this adventure, Kendermore is only
 Poisoned Dart Trap: CR 4; mechanical, location trig- described in brief. However, if you want to allow the char-
ger; Atk +15 ranged (1d4+4 plus poison, dart); multiple acters more time to explore the ruined city, feel free to
targets (1 dart per target in a 10 ft. by 10 ft. area); poison expand upon the city, filling in details and adding locations
(Small monstrous centipede poison, DC 10 Fortitude save as necessary.
resists, 1d2 Dex/1d2 Dex); Search DC 21; Disable Device
DC 22.

120 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

 What Does Deuce Know?
Deuce probably knows more about the ruins of Do you know how to get in to the Peak?
Kendermore than any living creature at this time. Unlike “There are a couple of ways in. ‘course, you can go in
the other kender, he stayed behind when they fled, hid- from the top, where the Ruins are, but ya might fall into
ing himself deep within the tunnels and waiting until he the volcano and burn to a crisp. There’s the tunnel
knew it was relatively safe to come out. He wandered the leadin’ into the cave village, but it’s constantly guarded
ruined streets for many nights, and in his mind, he by the ogres...then, there’s a passage further up the Peak,
could see how things used to be…the way he wanted in one of those dormant plumes.” He points to the
things to be once again. plume in question, a tall, narrow peak that rises about
half-way up the volcano. “You could probably get in that
Do you know what is happening with the kender? way... might be a tad safer, although what safer is when
“When any kender, or anyone else, is caught within you’re in the Peak is a question for the gods, if ya ask
Kendermore, they’re captured by either the ogres or me.”
those accursed dragonspawn that didn’t die when the
Red Bitch did. They’re taken into the Peak, then they’re Do you know where we can find...?
never heard from again...” Deuce knows pretty much where everything is in the
ruins. This includes where to find foodstuffs, clean
Do you know where the kender are taken? water, and other necessary supplies. For a price, he’s
“Just into the Peak. There are a couple of different even willing to guide the characters to the location,
ways there, but the prisoners are always taken to this one although the more dangerous the location is, the more
tunnel that leads to the cave village the ogres built inside he’s likely to want. (Deuce isn’t interested in monetary
the volcano. Ain’t the best way in, if ya ask me... there’s transactions; he wants goods and equipment to either
another way in, further up the Peak, that’s not constant- help with his gardening, or to help him survive.)
ly guarded...”

K1. Water Tower thing odd about the building strikes you—it seems
to be sinking!
his strange tower teeters precariously from side The heavy stone construction has slowly, over
T to side, the stone building groaning from the
stress on its supports. It seems like it could tumble
time, began to sink into the soft ground it was built
on, a sign that perhaps the builders weren’t dwar-
at any time. The building is about 50 feet tall, and ven after all.
about 15 feet wide at the base. Atop the stone edi-
fice is the shattered wooden frame of a water tower.
The interior of the Library was gutted and ransacked
during the ogre invasion of Kendermore in 386 AC (3 SC).
Despite the tower’s precarious look, it has managed to Since that time, it has been used by many different crea-
remain standing since the destruction of the city more than tures as a lair.
35 years ago. Entering the water tower, however, is not a Currently, the Library has become the lair for a flock of
wise course of action. If the walls of the tower take any cockatrices. They are scattered throughout the Library in
damage whatsoever, the entire structure will collapse. smaller nests, typically of two to four cockatrices.
 Water Tower Walls: 1 ft. thick, hardness 8; hp 10 (cur- Throughout the Library, and even just outside its gates,
rent); break DC 35; Climb DC 20. there are statues of goblins, gnolls, and even kender—all
 Collapsing Tower: CR 6; mechanical; proximity trig- victims of the cockatrices’ petrifying attack.
ger; no reset; Atk +20 melee (8d6, stone blocks); multiple Exploring the Library is risky, not only because of the
targets (all targets in a 10 ft. by 10 ft. area); Search DC 14; cockatrices. Consisting of more than twenty separate
Disable Device DC NA. rooms that are connected by twisting tunnels. It is easy to
get lost inside.
K2. Library Creatures: Beside the cockatrices, there are a few other
creatures lurking about the Library, but most of the living
his short, squat structure seems to be of dwar- creatures have fled the rapacious creatures.
T ven design, eerily reminiscent of Pax Tharkas
far to the west. Unlike many of the buildings in

Cockatrices (2-4): hp 28, 27, 26, 25; see Monster
Manual.
Kendermore, this structure has weathered devasta- Treasure: Most of the books and papers within the
tion fairly well, since it’s one of the few buildings Library have been destroyed, although it is always possible
still standing. After a few moments, however, some- to find some random trinket hidden in the rubble, small

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 121

items that have fallen from kender pouches or were acci- seeking to lose the characters inside as he leads them
dentally dropped. Finding anything of true value in the through numerous homemade traps he’s rigged through-
Library is a difficult proposition. out the building (use the various traps listed in the
Random Encounter tables above, or any other non-magi-
K3. The Palace cal, mechanical traps). Deuce is actually responsible for
resetting many of the traps that remain throughout the
his building was once one of the most beauti- ruins, possessing an uncanny knack for designing and
T ful buildings in all of Kendermore. Even now,
with most of its grandeur destroyed, one can easily
modifying traps to a variety of purposes.

Deuce Spadestomper: hp 17; see page 172.
see its former glory. XP Award: If the characters get Deuce to assist them,
Built along the lines of the onion-domed award them full XP for the encounter.
Palace of Khuri-Khan, its white marble edifice is
now smeared with grime and covered by the ever- K4. Sunset Gate
present soot that fills the air. The golden leaves that
once decorated the domes atop the building have nce, this western gate held off the ogre hordes
either been stolen or have flaked away, while the
stained glass windows have all been shattered.
O for many days. Even now, you can make out
signs of battering and scars from weapons gouging
A long pool, surrounded by a garden, lies deeply into the thick wood. Now, however, it’s bare-
before the building, but the pool is now filled with ly attached to its hinges with much of the wood
ash and debris instead of water, and the garden is either burned away or rotting. It creaks and shud-
filled with the stunted, twisted plants that seem to ders as each strong breeze pushes it back and forth,
thrive in this forsaken land. like working an old tooth, until it finally falls off.

Despite its fine appearance, the Palace once served the The wall around Kendermore was a fairly recent addi-
kender as both a jail and an inn. Important visitors would tion to its defenses, built during the War of the Lance as
be allowed to stay within, while cheerful kender who were protection against the Dragonarmies. The wall was never
being “held for trial” kept themselves confined within, all breeched (although there were numerous ways to bypass
the while playing games with those who happened to walk the wall, as any kender knew) until the kender purposefully
by. allowed the ogres to break down the gates, leading them
Now, the Palace is as empty as a graveyard. Although its into a series of deadly traps to the center of the city, where
structural integrity is sound, the other living inhabitants of the largest death trap of all had been laid.
Kendermore claim that the Palace is haunted, despite the The gate is about twenty feet wide with two wooden
fact that no undead have been seen within its walls. doors that could easily be barred from within. Along the
Creatures: The Palace is haunted by an afflicted kender road from the gate into the city proper, one can see numer-
whose family members were once the Palace’s ous piles of junk that had been set up by the kender. Once,
groundskeepers for five generations, including himself. the junk was pushed against the gate to prevent entry, but
When Kendermore was destroyed, he stayed behind, now the junk lies scattered along the numerous alleyways
unwilling to leave his precious gardens. He hid in the around the area.
Palace, where he has remained hidden for more than thir-
ty-five years, sneaking out at night to tend his garden and K5. Shady Vale
to eat, only to dart off and hide before daybreak. He is
quite insane, even for an afflicted kender. ocated near the northern edge of town, this
Any creatures that approach the Palace are watched sus-
piciously by the kender. Allow characters a resisted Spot
L open area used to be a lush glade, filled with
numerous flowers and towering trees...but now, the
check against Deuce’s Hide check (1d20+XX) to see if they trees are all withered and gnarled, their leaves long
spot the gaunt, dirty kender. It’s entirely possible that char- since gone, and the grass and flowers have given
acters will believe Deuce to be a gully dwarf, a Disguise he way to the ubiquitous tangleweed.
has used before, but he’s clearly smarter than the average The tangleweed seems to have grown wildly
gully dwarf. out of control, covering nearly every bare inch of
His initial reaction to the characters will be Unfriendly, ground, as well as creeping up to wrap tightly
but if they approach him peaceably, they’ll find that Deuce around the numerous small marble and wood
is extremely knowledgeable about the current state of gravemarkers that stand out starkly against the
affairs here in Kendermore. With a Friendly reaction, dark tangleweed.
Deuce will give directions to wherever the characters wish If you look close enough, you can make out
to go. With a Helpful reaction, he will guide them there, the shadow of a trail barely visible through the
although he will run and hide at the first sight of trouble. knot of tangleweed, weaving its way back toward a
If the characters attack, Deuce will flee into the Palace, small hill on the other side of the graveyard.

122 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

 Once, this vale served as a final resting place for kender and try to hide themselves away, although their loud pleas
who passed away in Kendermore. Numerous small graves of mercy and chants of “You no see me!” easily gives away
and plots pepper the landscape, although they are hidden their location.
beneath the dense patches of tangleweed. Many of the If the characters are persistent, one of the “braver” gully
graves were dug up by the goblins that sneaked out from dwarves will emerge, crawling forward on hands and knees,
the underground caverns following the Kender Flight. crying like a baby as he begs for the characters to “No hurt
Now, however, the presence of the Forlorn Kender keeps me!” This pathetic figure is High Grup Two, the leader of
them from haphazardly digging up graves, for fear of what the clan. The High Grup is a sniveling, smarmy paragon of
else they might find. a gully dwarf.
The path through the tangleweed leads to one of the Play up the gully dwarves for a little comic relief, but
most used entrances to the catacombs below (K8). don’t overplay it. Despite their appearance, they have sur-
However, any creature passing through the graveyard at vived and thrived in one of the most dangerous regions of
night finds that they have to contend with the numerous Ansalon. They may not be among the most intelligent
Forlorn Kender that have been attracted to this place of races, but there is no other race that can survive as well as
death and decay. these gully dwarves do.
Creatures: There are four Forlorn Kender that dwell
Gully Dwarves (14): hp 3 each; see page 172.
within this secluded glade. They hide themselves in shallow
High Grup II: hp 172; see page 172.
graves during the day, but at night they emerge to hunt for Development: The gully dwarves know as much about
prey...particularly the goblins that they find foolish enough Kendermore as Deuce does (K3), and more about the Peak
to emerge from the catacombs after dark. than he does. However, getting that information out of

Forlorn Kender (4): hp 32 each. them is not as easy. The gully dwarves will trip over them-
selves (quite literally) in offering to help the characters, but
K6. City Hall giving accurate details or directions is next to impossible.
If the characters approach the gully dwarves properly, they
ear the center of the city, where the damage will even offer to take the characters a “safe way” to any
N seems to be the most intense, one building still
stands above the shattered remains of the others.
place they want within Kendermore, or even to the Plume
Entrance to the Peak.
Standing nearly thirty feet tall, the rectangular If the characters attack or otherwise threaten the gully
structure seems to bear the mark of Palanthas in its dwarves, the gully dwarves will attempt to escape. Then, at
design, although its stone facade has been scorched the earliest moment, they will seek to bring word of these
completely black and the marble columns have dangerous strangers to either the ogres in the ruins (see
long since tumbled to the ground... many of those The Slavers below), or to any one of the other groups of
stone blocks seem to have disappeared. monstrous humanoids living in the ruined city.
Through the empty windows, you can see that XP Award: Do not award experience if the characters
the interior of the building has been gutted by fire. try to kill the gully dwarves.

K7. Amen Corner

Once, this building served as City Hall of Kendermore,
where the day to day affairs of “kender politics” were acted ear the southern end of the ruined city, you
out. Usually, it served as a handy place for kender to meet
up, compare things they had found, and trade with others.
N come across a small block of buildings that
seem to have once been temples...although no two
Occasionally, business with outsiders was also conducted seem to be alike in architecture and style.
on its steps, although few can truly have claimed to have Like many other areas in the city, this area
gone inside the stately walls—including the kender who seems to have been hit pretty hard by damage; the
“ruled” the city! temples are all broken and scorched by fire and the
Now, this shattered and gutted building serves as a statues are defaced or destroyed. Yet, beneath all of
home for the Grup Clan of gully dwarves. As in almost that, there is still an odd sense of serenity lurking
every city in the world, whether still standing or in ruins, like a shadow at the edge of your consciousness.
the gully dwarves have managed to not only eke out a liv- If indeed these were once temples to the gods,
ing, but to somehow thrive where others would find only then perhaps although the temples have been
hardship. destroyed, the presence of the gods still remains...a
If the characters try to enter the building, they will find ghost of the faith that once permeated this area.
that just inside the door is an enormous trash heap, junk
gathered from all over the ruined city and just thrown
inside. The destroyed temples comprised what was once known
Creatures: A clan of fifteen gully dwarves dwells within as Amen Corner, where small shrines were built to the
the ruins of City Hall. Like gully dwarves everywhere, the numerous gods and tended to by their kender followers.
moment the characters enter the building, they will scatter Shrines of Fizban stood next to shrines of Mishakal and

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 123

Branchala, and the sturdy shrine of Reorx still stands tall, ened by her shaping of the terrain.
although it too bears the scars of the city’s destruction.
This area is unpopulated by undead or monsters, as the The Slavers
hallowed presence of the gods has returned to imbue the Once you have given characters some time to look around
area with a sense of expectancy. It almost seems as if the and explore the ruins of Kendermore, read them the fol-
gods are waiting here for their kender followers to return lowing:
one day, and that they are willing to wait as long as it takes
for the kender to come back and reclaim their home. n the distance, you can suddenly hear loud

K8. Catacombs
I shouts of surprise, and a strange, disturbing
whirring sound coming from the other side of the
ruined buildings to your left.
n a small clearing, you stumble upon what seems
I to be an overlarge rabbit hole. About large
enough for an adult human to squeeze Allow the characters to make DC 15 Listen checks.
through, it looks as if it drops down Those who succeed on their Listen checks can distinguish
about ten feet into a small chamber the distinctive sound of a
down below. hoopak being swung
around to create the
whistling sound: a signal
This small hole is but one of kender use as an alert for
many similar such holes scat- trouble.
tered throughout the entire If the characters go to
Goodlund Peninsula, serving as investigate, they’ll discover that
an entrance to the twisting net- the quickest route to the scene of the
work of caves and tunnels noise is actually through the ruined
carved countless centuries ago by buildings blocking their path (other-
an unknown group of people. wise, following the streets will take the
A DC 15 Survival check will characters five to ten minutes to get to
enable characters to notice goblin the other side of the building).
tracks in the ground leading to and The building separating the char-
from the hole. acters from the scene was once a tav-
Describing the immense network ern that closely resembled the
of catacombs and tunnels that lie legendary Inn of the Last
beneath the ruined city, and Home, although on the
indeed across much of the ground instead of up
Desolation, is beyond the in the trees.
scope of this adventure. It Scrambling through
is possible to get lost the building, however,
within minutes down is not without peril.
below, unless one is The floor is danger-
familiar with the ously weak in some
twisting passage- spots, while in others
ways and numer- the roof is in danger of
ous tunnels that caving in. Spotting the weak
used to serve the areas on the floor require a suc-
kender as a cessful DC 18 Spot check. If the
handy travel and building suffers any damage, the
escape route. ceilings will automatically col-
If you want to lapse.
use the catacomb  Building Walls: 1 ft. thick,
entrance as a back way into the Peak of Malys, hardness 8; hp 35; break DC
you may wish to design a series of caves and 35; Climb DC 20.
passages that the characters must pass through before they  Collapsing Floor: CR 3; mechanical, location trigger;
get to the Peak. Beside the goblins and hobgoblins, there repair reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 60 ft. deep (6d6,
are countless other creatures that live beneath the fall); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20.
Desolation, including numerous undead creatures, as well  Collapsing Ceiling: CR 3; mechanical, location trig-
as horrifying abominations either created by the twisted ger; repair reset; Atk +10 melee (4d6, stone blocks); Search
magic of Malystryx’s skull totem or those that were awak- DC 25; Disable Device DC 20.

124 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender


Ogre Warriors: hp 29; see Monster Manual.
On the other side of the building, broken windows
Parrick Whistlewalk: hp 14; see page 173.
overlook Tornado Alley, where a tornado tore through the Tactics: The ogres are very straightforward in their
town, creating the straightest road in Kendermore. As the attack, although they will attempt at first to knock the
characters look out, read them the following: characters out (using nonlethal damage and pulling their
attacks, taking a -4 penalty on attack rolls), seeking to cap-
ou soon discover the source of the cacophony. ture the characters. However, once one of the ogres is
Y You can see a kender, precariously perched on
top of one of the buildings, his hoopak whirring as
killed, the rest will cease attempting to capture the charac-
ters and instead seek to avenge their fallen comrade.
he slings bullets toward a group of ogres racing Treasure: The ogres are carrying a standard array of
toward the building. Over their roars of rage, the equipment; except for Parrick, all the kender have had their
kender’s high-pitched voice rises to echo haunting- pouches stripped from them and tossed away.
ly along the alley. Development: Once the characters have taken care of
“You scum-lickin’, toenail-eatin’, wart-pickin’, the ogres, they’ll find Parrick more than willing to answer a
puppy-beatin’, ugly sonnova bit...oops!” The few questions about what’s going on.
kender’s arms flail as one of the ogres slams a fist
into the wall, causing the battered structure to he young kender who’d been pulled from the
shudder and almost dislodge the youngster from
his perch.
T rooftop finally takes a few moments to dust
himself off as he walks toward you with a wide
“Get that little bastard,” another roar echoes grin.
down the alleyway, this time from farther to the “Wow! That was great! Thanks for helpin’, I
west. Glancing down the road, you spot a rather wasn’t sure if I could free my friends without your
large ogre, dressed in a motley of assorted armors, help!” He rambles on as he thrusts out a hand to
uncoiling a whip from around his waist. Behind greet you, “I’m Parrick Whistlewalk.”
him, two other ogres are holding a long chain
between them, to which several small figures are
shackled, their bodies battered and bruised, Parrick is a true kender, while his six companions are a
slumped listlessly on the ground. mix of true and afflicted. They were a group who agreed to
“Who you callin’ a bastard?” shouts out the come up to Kendermore for Kronn, but had gotten side-
kender as he scrambles to safety, just as one of the tracked once they discovered that ogres had been capturing
ogres makes a grab for him. As the kender thwacks and taking kender to the Peak.
the ogre with his hoopak, he looks back toward the Parrick and his friends had tried sneaking in, but had
ogre, shouting out, “’least my mother didn’t sleep been chased off by the ogre guards, who then sent Karak
with a goatsucker bird!” and his men out to bring in the kender. He’ll tell the char-
With an inarticulate roar of rage, the ogre acters that he’s seen the ogres take in more than twenty
takes a few strides forward, his arm reaching back kender since they arrived about two weeks ago...including
before he cracks the whip forward, the spiked his sister, Kerra.
leather slashes through the air and wraps around Parrick will ask the characters to find out what hap-
the kender’s leg. Before the kender can give a star- pened to his sister, to save her and any other kender they
tled cry, the ogre pulls back, yanking the kender find if possible. At this point, Elijayess will offer to stay
from atop the wall to fall to the ground with an behind and help Parrick take care of the wounded kender,
audible “Thump!” telling the characters to meet up at the Palace once they
returned.
If the characters do not already know about the plume
Ideally, the characters will seek to try and help the entrance to the Peak, Parrick will pipe up and point to the
kender. If the characters need a little inducement to help, plume, “We scouted out a way into the Peak that we don’t
have Elijayess unwilling to see the kender so mistreated; think the ogres bother with...up there. We’ve seen a few
he’ll unsling his bow and take a few shots. strange creatures going in and out of the plume...they
Creatures: There are five ogres here, four warriors and kinda look like giant copper ants...”
their leader, a rather brutal figure known as Karak. There Parrick is speaking about the phalanx ants and their lair
are six kender, who have been beaten into submission, and within the Peak. The phalanx ants may provide the charac-
chained together between the two ogres behind Karak. ters with much needed information about the Peak, includ-
Then there’s Parrick Whistlewalk, the kender yanked off ing ways to safely traverse the treacherous location.
the roof. If the characters attack, Parrick is wounded, but
more than willing to aid the characters in beating the ogres Journey to the Peak
and freeing the kender. The two ogres that were seeking to When the characters are prepared to head for the Peak,
grab Parrick were also injured by the kender’s attacks. read them the following:

Karak: ; see page XXX.

Chapter Five: Far Less Kender Q 125

 pouches, keep your nose to the ground, and if
s you prepare to leave, Elijayess walks up and someone shouts ‘heads up!’ they mean ‘duck!’”
A stares up toward the sullen Peak of Malys.
“Be careful, my friends,” his voice is a soft
Reaching toward his belt, he pulls off one of his
pouches and holds it toward you, “Here, take this...
whisper. “Even though she is dead, her presence still ya might need it in there.”
lingers. The land remembers the torture she put it
through...and Chislev weeps.”
The Kagonesti’s gaze turns from the Peak The pouch that Parrick offers the characters contains a
toward you, a faint smile appearing on his other- number of small objects the characters may find useful:
wise somber face, “However, I believe that the gods two potions of resist energy (fire) 10, one potion of protection
walk with you. Have faith and it shall carry you from energy (fire), a ring of feather falling, and an amulet of
through the hardships ahead. I will await your natural armor +1, mixed in among a wide assortment of
return at the Palace and watch over the little ones.” other typical objects found in a kender’s pouch: feathers,
Clasping each of your hands in the Kagonesti pretty stones, random bits of string, a whetstone, and per-
farewell, Elijayess turns and walks back toward the haps some small objects of the characters’ that Parrick
wounded kender, hefting two of the weaker ones in “found on the ground.”
his arms as he kneels down to allow a third to climb From Kendermore, it will take a hard day’s journey to
onto his back. reach the plume. Although they do not realize it yet, they
Parrick walks up to you, looking a bit down- are approaching one of the pivotal moments of their jour-
cast for the otherwise cheerful kender. Gazing up, ney.
he offers his own advice, “Keep your hands on your

126 Q Chapter Five: Far Less Kender

 Chapter Six
The Peak of Malystryx
he Peak of Malystryx is an enormous, active vol-

T cano—one of the tallest on all of Ansalon, rivaling

even the Lords of Doom that surround Sanction.

The characters will have to scale the mountainside in

T he shadow cast by the Peak grew ever darker
as you approached, and now as you stand at
the base of the monstrous mountain and gaze
upward, you cannot help but gasp at the sheer size
order to reach the Plume, one of the only safe entrances of the volcano before you.
into the Peak. This will easily take the characters a full day You would estimate that the Peak is thou-
of difficult climbing, with a few stops for resting as the heat sands of feet high, placing the top of the volcano
of the lava rivers can be overwhelming. near the low clouds hanging in the sky. Noxious
Once the characters are inside the Peak, they find plumes of black smoke billow angrily from the
strange allies within, allies that may seem monstrous at mouth of the volcano, filling the sky with a cloy-
first, but prove to be helpful in navigating the dangers of ing blanket of soot and cinder. Sullen rivers of
the Peak. slow, seething lava spill from the top of the peak,
As the characters explore the interior, they uncover a as well as from various other angry wounds in the
terrifying conspiracy between the dragonspawn that sur- mountainside, creating twisting veins that seem to
vived Malystryx’s destruction and a fallen ogre titan, both pulse as if the mountain were a living entity.
of whom are seeking to tap into the ambient magic From your position, you can barely see the
remaining inside the Peak in order to transform themselves Plume. It resembles a finger of stone stretching
into something more. skyward about halfway up the mountain. Getting
to the plume does seem to be far easier a climb
Scaling the Peak of Malystryx than trying to reach the peak of the volcano,
As the characters reach the base of the Peak, read them the although it’s still a long way up.
following:
 The exterior and the interior of the Peak are treated there is enough illumination that darkvision does not
as two separate locations. The environments and trou- function, though low-light vision functions normally. Even
bles each present are completely different from one those with normal vision can see 10 feet as if it were bright
another. and up to 20 feet away as shadowy during the night.
The distance between the characters and the
Plume is about 3,000 feet up. The first 1,000 feet is a Altitude
gradual slope, but from there the slope becomes fairly Where the characters stand at the base of the mountain,
steep. Because of the trackless terrain, it will take the they are in a low pass altitude zone (about 4,000 feet
characters approximately 6 hours to ascend from the above sea level, but lower than 5,000).
base of the mountain to the plume entrance. The Plume entrance to the volcano is a low peak
(about 3,000 feet above the ground and 7,000
The Peak of Malystryx feet above sea level). As charac-
Current Date: 12th day of ters approach the plume,
Rannmont (Winter), they must make a Fortitude
assuming the charac- check each hour (DC 15, +1
ters spend 1 day in per previous check) or be
Kendermore and 1 day fatigued. The fatigue ends when
traveling to the base of the character descends below the
the Peak. Otherwise, 5,000 feet mark.
adjust the dates and The top of the peak,
moon phases accord- where the Ruins stand, is a
ingly. high peak, about 12,000 feet
u Phases of the Moons above the ground and
u Solinari: Waxing 15,000 feet above sea level.
Crescent, First Quarter At this elevation, creatures
Waxing (Position 4 on are subject to both high alti-
the chart) tude fatigue (see above) and
u Lunitari: Full Moon, altitude sickness, whether or
High Sanction (Position 10 on the chart) not they are acclimated to high altitudes.
u Nuitari: New Moon, Low Sanction (Position 17 Altitude sickness represents long-term oxygen depriva-
on the chart) tion, and it affects mental and physical ability scores. After
The Peak of Malystryx is one of Ansalon’s tallest moun- each 6-hour period a character spends at an altitude over
tains, reaching a height of more than 12,000 feet above the 15,000 feet he must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15, +1
ground (more than 15,000 feet above sea level). In the per previous check) or take 1 point of damage to all ability
Desolation, it towers more than 5,000 feet above the sur- scores.
rounding volcanoes and mountains. You may make available to the characters the spell zone
The Peak is a shield volcano, built entirely by the flow of of air (see Appendix), a spell that will not only help the
magma summoned from deep within the ground. The characters deal with altitude sickness, but also help them
diameter of the base is easily 4 miles wide, while the deal with the noxious fumes within areas of the Peak.
caldera (the mouth of the volcano) is a mile wide. Cleric, druid, and mystic characters may learn this spell as
However, the actual vent leading to the volcano’s core is normal (particularly any character with an Air Domain or
only about 500 feet wide. A plume of magma carved its focus). Alternately, you may choose to provide the charac-
way through the mountain, creating many natural caverns. ters with green masks, given to them by Elijayess once he
learns they are going to scale the Peak and go inside. While
Features of the Peak’s Exterior green masks are not a long-lasting solution, they should
The exterior of the Peak is rocky and jagged, composed serve the characters well for this part of the adventure.
primarily of basalt and jagged shards of rough obsidian.
Normally, such soil is rich in nutrients that enable plantlife Heat Dangers
to flourish, but the heat of the lava flows and Malystryx’s Typically, the heat outside the Peak of Malys fluctuates
magic has prevented flora from growing. between 90˚ and 140˚ F, depending upon the time of day,
During the day, the sky over the Peak is constantly over- the season, and proximity to one of the lava rivers. Given
cast, though this is not enough to affect vision. that it is currently wintertime in the Desolation, the tem-
At night, however, the Peak is not completely dark, even perature hovers between 90˚-100˚ F (considered to be very
with the dark smoke obscuring the moons and stars. From hot conditions).
the reflection of light upon the low hanging clouds of cin- A character in very hot conditions must make a
der belched from the Peak’s mouth to the sullen light from Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15, +1 for each pre-
the seeping rivers of lava spilling down its sides, there is a vious check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage.
constant source of dim illumination. On the Peak’s sides, Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort

128 Q Key of Destiny

take a -4 penalty on their saves. A character with the Damage from lava or magma continues for 1d3 rounds
Survival skill may receive a bonus on their saving throw after exposure ceases, but this additional damage is only
and may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as half of that dealt during actual contact (1d6 or 10d6 points
well (see the skill description in the Player’s Handbook). per round).
Characters reduced to unconsciousness begin taking lethal An immunity or resistance to fire serves as an immunity
damage (1d4 points per hour). to lava or magma. However, a creature immune to fire may
Within 50 feet of a lava river, the heat increases to severe still drown if completely immersed in lava (see Drowning
levels. In severe heat, a character must make a Fortitude in the Dunegon Master’s Guide).
save once every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 for each previous The lava rivers that flow down the side of the Peak are
check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. Characters typically between 5 and 20 feet wide.
wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort take a -4
penalty on their saves. A character with the Survival skill Slopes
may receive a bonus on this saving throw and may be able The first 1,000 feet up the slope of the mountain, toward
to apply this bonus to other characters as well. Characters the Plume, is a gradual slope, covered with scree. From
reduced to unconsciousness begin taking lethal damage there, the mountainside becomes extremely steep, but still
(1d4 points per each 10-minute period). climbable, with chasms worn into the stone from lava flows
that have since solidified. No fauna grows on the sides of
the Peak, as the solidified lava and the sweltering heat have
Outside the Peak Encounters proven too much for wildlife to flourish.
Characters will not need to make Climb checks on their
d% Encounter EL way up to the Plume, unless they fall into a chasm. On a
01-09 Flamestone Panthers (2, see Appendix) gradual slope, characters receive a +1 melee bonus to
10-19 Magma Wraiths (2, see Appendix) attack rolls against foes downhill from them. The scree on
20-29 Fire elementals, medium the gradual slope increases the DC of Balance, Move
(3, see Monster Manual) Silently, and Tumble checks by 2. On a steep slope, charac-
30-45 Magmin (3, see Monster Manual) ters moving uphill must spend 2 squares of movement to
46-59 Phalanx Ants (3 soldiers, see Appendix) enter each square. Characters running or charging down-
60-69 Dragonspawn Patrol (3) hill must succeed on a DC 10 Balance check upon entering
70-79 Lava Explosion the first steep slope square. Characters that fail this check
80-89 Young Red Dragon (1)* 7 stumble and must end their movement 1d2x5 feet later.
90-100 No encounter Characters who fail by 5 or more fall prone in the square
* Unique encounter. Do not use the same where they end their movement. The scree on the steep
encounter twice, either roll again or treat as slopes increases the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 5
no encounter. (making the Balance check to avoid stumbling DC 15) and
increases the DC of Move Silently checks by 2.

Random Encounters Outside the Peak

A character that takes any nonlethal damage from heat Climbing the Peak is a risky venture, even without the
exposure now suffers from heatstroke and is fatigued (see threat of hostile creatures, but although no flora grows on
Dungeon Master’s Guide). These penalties end when the the Peak’s sides, the mountainside is not lifeless.
character recovers the nonlethal damage taken from the There is a 10% chance per hour of the characters expe-
heat. riencing a random encounter.
Within 10 feet of a lava river, the characters encounter
extreme heat, which deals lethal damage instead of non- Dragonspawn Patrol
lethal. Breathing air in these temperatures deals 1d6 points Line of Sight Distance: 50 feet.
of damage per minute (no save). In addition, a character Three red dragonspawn, all scouts from Sindra’s Wing,
must make a Fortitude save every 5 minutes (DC 15, +1 are patrolling the side of the mountain when they come
per previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal dam- across the characters. They will immediately attack upon
age. Those wearing heavy clothing or any sort of armor sighting the characters, not allowing any opportunity for
take a -4 penalty on their saves. In addition, those wearing parlaying.
metal armor or coming into contact with very hot metal
Red Dragonspawn Warriors (3): hp 31 each; see page 173.
are affected as if by a heat metal spell. Tactics: The dragonspawn will fully utilize their flying
and breath weapon abilities to their advantage. They are
Lava Rivers and Magma Flows not affected by the terrain. They will also seek to push the
Lava or magma deals 2d6 points of damage per round of characters toward cliffs, chasms, or lava rivers, using their
exposure, except in the case of total immersion (such as native environment to its fullest advantage.
when a character falls into the crater of an active volcano), Treasure: The equipment that the dragonspawn are car-
which deals 20d6 points of damage per round. rying is mostly typical, although each is carrying a master-

Key of Destiny Q 129

work greatsword and wearing masterwork breastplates. Young Red Dragon
However, the death throes of the dragonspawn will destroy Line of Sight Distance: 200 feet.
most of their equipment. Flying lazily about the Peak is an arrogant young red
dragon who calls himself Soulburn. One of the more
Lava Explosion (EL 3) impetuous red dragons that have taken up residency within
Line of Sight Distance: 0 feet. the “abandoned” Peak, he will see the characters as possible
As the characters are ascending the slope, they suddenly intruders upon his domain.
feel the ground beneath them begin to rumble ominously.
Soulburn: hp 123; see page 173.
Allow characters a DC 20 Listen check to notice the rum- Tactics: Soulburn is brash, arrogant, and impetuous, the
bling before it strikes. stereotypical young red dragon who believes that, with
Those caught unaware must make a DC 20 Malystryx gone, her lair has become fair game.
Reflex saving throw as the ground beneath their Soulburn will begin by strafing the characters with his
feet explodes violently spraying out a font of breath, seeking to divide them and hopefully fry a few to a
lava. crispy brown (the way he prefers his meat). Then, landing
Those who fail their saving throw suffer among them, he will swipe at the PCs with
2d6 points of fire damage immediately, while his claws and fangs. If he is seriously
those who succeed on their saving throw wounded (brought down to 45 hp or
take only 1d6. Those who fail their saving less), he will flee and seek to return to
throw will continue to take an additional his lair to lick his wounds.
1d6 points of damage for 3 rounds Treasure: Soulburn’s lair
after the first. isn’t detailed in this adven-
As the burst is accom- ture, but it is located in the
panied by a cloud of nox- Magma Lake (PM4). If the
ious gas that rapidly fill a 60- characters decide to hunt
foot radius, the characters must also down Soulburn’s lair, they will
make a Fortitude saving throw find that the Magma Lake is
(DC 15, +1 per previous check) not easy to navigate. If they
or spend that round choking manage to traverse the
and coughing. The fumes Magma Lake, they will dis-
will remain for 2d6 rounds, forc- cover a large cave high up
ing the characters to make the on the cavern wall, acces-
saving throw each round they sible only by flight
remain within the cloud. A or by scaling the
character who chokes for obsidian walls (DC
two consecutive rounds takes 25 Climb check, in
1d6 points of nonlethal damage.. addition to dealing with the
heat and magma dangers).
Phalanx Ants, Soldiers Soulburn’s hoard consists of melted piles of coins
Line of Sight Distance: 100 feet. (mounds of silver, gold, and steel that have been reduced to
As the characters are heading for the Plume entrance, mounds of solid metal, approximate value 500 stl total,
they come across three phalanx ant soldiers, out hunting although separating the coins is impossible), a small pile of
for food for their colony. Unfortunately for the characters, polished obsidian (about 50 obsidian shards worth 20 stl
the ants consider them suitable prey. The ants immediately each), a dusty rose prism ioun stone, a rope of climbing, boots
swarm toward the characters. of elvenkind and a cloak of elvenkind. Note that the mounds

Phalanx Ant, Soldiers (3): hp 30 each; see Appendix I. of melted coins are affected by a heat metal effect from its
Tactics: Unlike normal insects, phalanx ants are capable proximity to the Magma Lake.
of functioning as a unit, protecting one another’s flanks
and otherwise forming intelligent decisions. If seriously Locations on the Exterior of the Peak
wounded, the phalanx ants will strategically retreat, head- Outside the Peak, there are a few locations of note that
ing back to the hive to gather more soldiers. the characters may wish to explore, although except for the
Development: As the Plume entrance leads directly to Plume Entrance (PM2) these locations are not covered in
the Phalanx Ant Colony (PM3), there is little the characters great detail.
can do to hide the fact that they have dealt with the sol-
diers. The living walls will not respond, but the characters PM1. The Ruins
will immediately be swarmed by soldiers, who will take
them to their queen. As long as the characters are honest erched atop the Peak of Malystryx, you see
with the queen, she will not penalize the characters, but if
they attempt to lie, she may choose not to help them at all.
P shadowy, black ruins...the legendary Ruins of
the Tower of High Sorcery.

130 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 Once, a lush forest surrounded the Ruins. The The air atop of the Peak is toxic, similar to that of a
verdant green vines, trees and grasses that had cov- stinking cloud that covers the entire crater. Living creatures
ered the scorched earth softened their skeletal in the cloud become nauseated if they fail a DC 20
remains. Now, however, that life has been cruelly Fortitude save. This condition lasts as long as the creature
stripped away, leaving the shattered remains of the is within the cloud and for 1d4+1 rounds after it leaves
once grand Tower lying upon the earth blackened (roll separately for each nauseated character). Any creature
by crushed basalt and rough obsidian. that succeeds on its save, but remains in the cloud, must
A noxious plume of smoke pulsates as it winds continue to save each round on their turn.
its way skyward, darkening the heavens with the The cloud of smoke also obscures vision, although it is
dancing cinders caught in the updraft. The maw of not dense as that of a typical stinking cloud. All ranges are
the volcano is easily hundreds of feet wide, nearly cut in half, including darkvision and low-light vision, for as
dead center of the plateau crater that the Ruins lie long as creatures remain within the cloud. Above the
within. smoke, the heat atop of the Peak is extreme, in excess of
The heat up here is nearly unbearable, the air 140˚ F (see Heat Dangers above).
thick with choking smoke and the smell of sulfur The crater in the center of the caldera leads directly
rising from bubbling pools of lava throughout the down the central shaft of the volcano to the Volcano’s
crater, making it nearly impossible to see the far Heart (PM7). It is possible to use the central shaft to reach
side of the caldera from where you are standing. nearly every major location within the Peak. However, the
dangers that hold true atop the Peak also hold true within
the central shaft, notably the fumes and the extreme heat.
Situated on the lip of the Peak of Malystryx are the
Ruins of the Tower of High Sorcery. Oddly, despite being PM2. Plume Entrance
stained pitch black by the constant smoke from the vol-
cano, the ruined edifice of the Tower seems to have fter journeying nearly a third of the way up the
emerged relatively unscathed of damage from the lava
flows and the metamorphosis of the land through
A formidable Peak, you finally spot the slender
spire of stone forming a plume upon the moun-
Malystryx’s skull totem. tain.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 131

 The narrow pillar of rock is about 100 feet The cave inside is about 40 feet by 40 feet, with hewn
across at the base, reaching more than 75 feet high. stone ceiling 20 feet off the ground. At the far end of the
The stone is sharp and jagged, but provides plenty cave is a massive set of steel doors, that bar the entrance to
of convenient handholds for scaling the sides. the tunnel that leads to the underground village of the ogre

Climbing the Plume is relatively easy (DC 15 Climb

Inside the Peak Encounters
check). The characters will reach a small shelf of rock,
about 10-feet wide, surrounding an opening about 20-feet d% Encounter EL
in diameter. Encourage them to “Take 20” on their Climb 01-09 Flamestone Panthers (3, see Appendix)
checks to climb the outside of the plume. Falling from that 10-19 Magma Wraiths (3, see Appendix)
height onto the sharp, jagged stones below inflicts an addi- 20-29 Earthquake 4
tional 2d6 points of damage, on top of the damage taken 30-39 Magma Mephits (3, see Monster Manual)
from the fall. 40-49 Dragonspawn, Abomination (Ogre)
Once the characters reach the top of the plume, read 41-59 Phalanx Ants (4 soldiers, see Appendix)
them the following. 60-69 Dragonspawn Patrol (2)
70-79 Black Pudding 7
s you stand atop the narrow shelf along the
A edge of the Plume of stone, you gaze down into
a dark tunnel that leads into the mountain.
80-89
(1, see Monster Manual)
Salamander
(see Monster Manual)
6

The tunnel seems to be a straight drop for the 90-100 No encounter

first fifty feet or so, before it angles sharply back
toward the heart of the Peak. Unlike the rock out-
side of the plume, the stone within the tunnel
seems to be perfectly smooth. Though there are
ridges unevenly spaced throughout that look as if and spawn.
they would provide some holds for climbing. Using the tunnel to get into the Peak is not the wisest
choice of action, for not only is the tunnel entrance guard-
ed, but there is an alarm within the cave that will alert the
Once again, it is not impossible for the characters to village to the presence of intruders.
climb their way down the interior of the Plume and pick  Steel Doors: 3 inches thick, hardness 12; hp 90; break
their way carefully along the sloping passage that leads to DC 30; Open Lock DC 30.
the Phalanx Ant Colony below. Creatures: The only creatures guarding the mouth of
If the characters fought with the phalanx ant soldiers the cave are four ogre guards, each equipped with master-
but allowed them to escape, they may find themselves con- work breastplates and Large battle-axes. The breastplates
fronting a swarm of phalanx ants as they navigate the pas- are all emblazoned with a black lily, with a curl of flame
sageway. If the characters are in the tunnel, the phalanx licking up from one of the petals-the symbol of Malystryx.
ants will not seek to kill the characters; instead they will
Ogre Guards: hp 31, 30, 29, 27; see Monster Manual
attempt to herd them out of the tunnel, to the Queen’s (increase AC by +1 and Atk by +1 for the masterwork
Chamber (PA3). equipment).
The tunnel drops about 30 feet down toward the
Phalanx Ant Colony before it turns toward the heart of the Tactics: At the first sign of trouble, the ogre guards will
Peak. sound the alarm, a gong set into the center of the steel
doors. The loud alarm will echo through the tunnel leading
PM3. Ogre Entrance to the underground village. Within 2d4 minutes after
sounding the alarm, 3d4 ogre guards and 2d3 red dragon-
ear the base of the mountain, you see a path- spawn warriors (same stats as the dragonspawn on page
N way twisting its way up toward a cliff about 75
feet off the ground. A cave entrance is carved into
173) will come to investigate the disturbance.

the solid wall of the mountain, but the edges of the Features of the Peak’s Interior
cave mouth seem too smooth to be a natural occur- Below are a few of the larger locations within the Peak
rence. given in broad detail. Depending upon the needs of your
adventure, you may choose to expand upon these locations
as necessary.
As the characters gaze up at the cave, allow them a DC The Peak is riddled with narrow chutes and caves, creat-
15 Spot check. Those who succeed on the skill check will ing an entire ecosystem of small lairs and chambers inside
notice four rather large, intimidating-looking ogre guards the mountain. Tunnels throughout the Peak can vary in
standing sentry just within the cave mouth. size from a few feet to more than 20 feet in diameter, with

132 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

most being roughly circular from the magma flows that Tactics: This abomination is one of those driven insane
pushed through the resisting stone. Caverns in the Peak by Malystryx’s death, but he has all the cunning of a natu-
vary anywhere in size from the enormous Volcano’s Heart, ral predator. He knows many of the twists and turns of the
a cave near the base of the volcano more than a mile in tunnels, like where to hide and wait for his prey to
diameter and hundreds of feet in height to small caves no approach, or where he can chase them toward a dead-end.
larger than a closet. He will stalk the characters if they run, waiting for an
The interior of the Peak holds a unique feature called appropriate moment to strike to try and snatch one of the
fire barriers that were created by Malystryx to control the characters, preferably one lagging behind or obviously
flow of magma through her mountain. These magical bar- wounded.
riers (indicated on the map) are similar to a wall of force,
although the wall only stops fire, heat, and magma from Earthquake (EL 5)
passing through (see fire barrier in the Appendix for full As the characters are passing through one of the tunnels,
details on the spell). allow them a DC 18 Listen check to hear the distinctive
Walls: Walls in the Peak of Malystryx were carved from rumbling of an approaching tremor caused by the move-
solid rock by the movement of magma through the moun- ment of magma through the mountain.
tain. When the earthquake strikes a 20 foot radius of the
 Unworked Stone Walls: Minimum thickness 5 ft. ceiling of the tunnel collapses, dealing 8d6 points of bludg-
thick, hardness 8; hp 900 (per 5 feet of thickness); AC 3; eoning damage to any creature caught underneath the
break DC 65; Climb DC 20. cave-in (DC 15 Reflex save for half-damage).
Floors & Ceilings: As most of the tunnels twisting their Once the rumbling stops, the characters will discover
way through the Peak were made by molten magma, the that a wall of rocks prevents their passage along that tunnel
floors and ceilings of the tunnels are made of natural unless the characters move the rocks. The base of the wall
stone. of rock is 20 feet in diameter and 15 feet high, while the
The cave floors have numerous levels. Some adjacent top is about 5 feet thick. Characters can squeeze through
floor surfaces may vary in elevation by only a foot, so that the opening one at a time (Medium) at average movement
moving from one to the other is no more difficult than (after scaling the wall).
negotiating a stair step, but in other places the floor might  Wall of Rocks: 5 feet thickness, hardness 8; hp 180;
suddenly drop off or rise up several feet or more, requiring break DC 44 per foot; Climb DC 15.
Climb checks to get from one surface to the other. Unless a
path has been worn and well-marked in the floor of a nat- Sites Within the Peak
ural cave, it takes 2 squares of movement to enter a square There are countless small caves and caverns scattered
with a natural stone floor, and the DC of Balance and throughout the interior of the massive Peak. Describing all
Tumble checks increases by 5. Running and charging are of them is far beyond the scope of this adventure. The next
impossible, except along paths. few pages describe some of the more accessible locations
The ceilings in all the natural caverns are not finished, that the characters may explore.
and like the floors, there are numerous outcroppings of
rock. Stalactites are suspended from the ceilings. PM4. The Magma Lake

ou can feel a wall of heat hit you full in the face

Random Encounters Inside the Peak
There are numerous subcultures dwelling within the Peak. Y and the distinctive stench of sulfur long before
you approach the glowing cavern ahead.
Dragonspawn, Abomination
One of Malystryx’s rare dragonspawn abominations haunts
the twisting network of tunnels throughout the volcano. A Even before characters approach the Magma Lake, they
massive brute before his transformation, as an abomina- can feel the heat and smell the strong sulfur that fills the
tion he’s a horrifying amalgam of ogre and dragon, appar- air. Within 100 feet of the cave mouth, the heat becomes
ently possessing the worse characteristics of both. His head very hot. Within 50 feet, the heat becomes severe, and
is covered with ridged, bony plates, with a low, dark brow within 10 feet (and throughout the cave), the heat is
over narrow, glowing red eyes. His mouth seems too small extreme (see Heat Dangers above). Additionally, from as far
for the long, jagged fangs and for the long tongue lolling as 30 feet away, the tunnel begins to fill with heavy smoke,
out to the side. A thin layer of red scales, many of which making breathing difficult at best.
have flaked away, revealing a sickly yellow, thick hide. If the characters are somehow able to deal with the heat
Stubby wings stretch from his back, but the thin flesh and the smoke, read them the following when they come to
between the bony fingers of the wing has been shredded, the end of the tunnel.
preventing him from flight. His hands end in black talons
and from the waist down, he walks on short, stubby legs of ou are almost blinded by the sullen reddish
a dragon, with only a loin cloth offering any sort of cover.

Dragonspawn, Abomination: hp 30; see Bestiary of Krynn.
Y glow of magma bubbling and seething as it
flows in gentle currents throughout this massive

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 133

 chamber. Small islands of stone seem to float across PM5. The Serpent Cave
the surface of the magma, although just as one is
sucked beneath the currents, another is birthed as a he air around you begins to thicken with mois-
stalactite falls from the ceiling overhead landing
with a hissing splash.
T ture, causing sweat to dampen your clothing.
You can detect the faint scent of musk and yeast,
Squinting against the stinging smoke and heat, which grows stronger further down the tunnel.
you can barely make out the far side of the cavern, A startling sight spreads out before you: from
leading you to estimate that the cavern is a few one edge to the other, the massive underground
hundred feet wide and easily almost a thousand cavern is filled with strange plants and vines, with
feet long. But even with your quick look around, it a heavy mist hanging above the canopy.
seems that the bubbling magma lake reaches clear From the familiar thrum of insects and
from one edge of the cavern to the other. amphibians, it seems as if the lush landscape before
you truly is a rain forest, even if it is located hun-
dreds of feet beneath the earth.
There are three different ways to get to the Magma Lake.
One is a steep passage from the eastern side of the cavern,
leading from the central shaft of the volcano that turns A number of plants and fungi flourish in the cavern cre-
into a cliff about 50 feet above the edge of the magma lake. ating an underground rain forest. Even though the heat in
The second is a twisting side passage to the northern side the cavern is very hot (hovering around a constant 95˚ F),
of the cavern that winds its way through the Peak, connect- the humidity in the chamber makes it feel as if the heat is
ing it to other caves (including the Phalanx Ant Colony), severe (see Heat Dangers above).
which is accessible by a cliff about 75 feet above the This cavern is about the same size as the Magma Lake
Magma Lake. The last is a secondary shaft on the western (PM4) and is roughly 750 feet long and about 250 feet
side of the cavern that angles sharply upward from a cliff wide, with the ceiling about 100 feet overhead. Three tun-
10 feet above the lake, emerging to the outside of the nels lead into this cavern. To the south, a passage about 20
mountain. This shaft allows the magma to spill out before feet off the ground leads sharply down toward the vol-
it overflows the chamber. cano’s central shaft. To the east, a passage 10-feet off the
The cavern the lake is in is about 500 feet wide and 800 ground leads toward the Village (PM6), while opposite that
feet long, with a ceiling approximately 200 feet high. passage on the western wall, a passage 25-feet off the
There are numerous smaller caves dotting the high walls ground leads toward the Phalanx Ant Colony.
of the cavern. Some of these caves are occupied by mon- Near the center of the cavern is a large hot spring that
sters and strange creatures that flocked to Malystryx’s side provides moisture for the cavern. The terrain in the cavern
when she ruled this land, while others arrived after she was is that of a shallow bog with light undergrowth, though
killed. One such occupant is Soulburn, a young red dragon there are no areas of quicksand or hedgerows.
who has made his lair in one of those caves. Characters could very easily spend days exploring the
Reaching Soulburn’s cave is not easy. At least 125 feet Serpent Cave, but doing so is beyond the full scope of this
above the lake the cave is located half-way along the cav- adventure.
ern’s southern wall, it snakes down in a narrow tunnel Creatures: This chamber was an experiment to
before emerging into a cave about 50-feet in diameter with Malystryx, one that she quickly grew bored off but never
a 20-foot tall ceiling. While it’s large enough for Soulburn destroyed. It is in this cavern that Malystryx’s slig followers
to live there for some time before he outgrows it, he has established their own small tribal village. There are 50 slig
not ventured too much deeper into the Peak itself, unwill- living in the cavern, 30 of which are noncombatants.
ing to risk triggering any of Malystryx’s lingering magic. Not only is there a tribe of slig in the cavern, there is
If you wish to make it a little easier on the characters to also a hydra, numerous varieties of poisonous snakes (both
reach Soulburn’s cave, you can have narrow cliffs creating normal and monstrous), shocker lizards, will-o’-wisps, and
pathways between the various caves. The cliffs shouldn’t be a wide variety of insects and other amphibians.
more than 5-10 feet wide and covered with scree, making it Additionally, the cavern is home to shriekers, violet
slow going unless one wishes to fall into the magma. fungi, oozes, and other such creatures that thrive under-
Creatures: There are numerous creatures that dwell in ground or in marshes.
the Magma Lake, including salamanders, magmin, magma There are also a few red dragonspawn residing in small
mephits, and even a few rogue fire elementals. caves along the edge of the cavern. Unlike the red dragon-
There are also red dragonspawn residing in small caves spawn in the Upper Village (PM6A), the red dragonspawn
within the Magma Lake. Unlike the red dragonspawn in dwelling here have gone feral, driven insane by the backlash
the Upper Village (PM6A), the red dragonspawn dwelling of magical energy released upon the death of Malystryx.
here have gone feral, driven insane by the backlash of mag-
ical energy released upon the death of Malystryx. PM6. The Villages
The underground village actually consists of two separate
caverns, with one on a cliff overlooking the other. All of the

134 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 Dragonspawn and the Death of an Overlord
Dragonspawn are creatures created through magic, Fortitude save. Those who fail this first saving throw die
forged from the essence of one of the Dragon Overlords instantly, consumed by their death throes. Those who
and merging the spirit of a draconian with the body of a survive must then make a DC 20 Will save. Those who
human, through the magical focus of a skull totem. As fail the second saving throw suffer a permanent 3d6
their existence is intimately tied to that of the Dragon Intelligence drain (those reduced to 0 Intelligence
Overlord that created them, it was unsure what would instantly die as well). Any dragonspawn whose
happen to the dragonspawn if an Overlord was killed. Intelligence falls below 7 are treated as insane, since they
Then three of the Overlords were killed during the War are little better than wild beasts at this point, unable to
of Souls, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that the use any spell or spell-like abilities. Success on the Will
alien dragons were powerful, but not immortal. save means that the dragonspawn has survived and
When a Dragon Overlord is killed and their skull gained free will, although they have no memory of their
totem destroyed (as what happened to Malystryx, life before the transformation.
Beryllinthranox, and Khellendros), it sends a backlash of If a dragonspawn makes the second saving throw by
magical energy throughout everything they manipulat- 10 or more, then all memories of her prior existence
ed. The magical web that shaped the land to their whim immediately flood back into the creature’s mind. This
begins to unravel (although scholars are unsure why the has allowed a few dragonspawn to attempt to return to
Desolation has not been affected by Malystryx’s death their former lives, using their innate sorcery to try and
when both the realms of Khellendros and Beryl have disguise their true natures.
already begun to slowly shift back toward the balance Abominations are allowed the same saving throws,
established by Nature). The magic that is used to create although their Fortitude save is DC 30 and their Will
the dragonspawn also begins to unravel, striking every save is DC 25. The magic imbuing an abomination is
dragonspawn the Overlord created. more tenuous, thus few survive the backlash.
Upon the death of an Overlord, all dragonspawn are
forced to make two saving throws. The first is a DC 25

entrances leading to the village, except for the tunnel that

connects it to the volcano’s central shaft, are protected by A. The Lower Village
solid steel doors, like the ones guarding the entrance lead-
ing from outside the mountain (PM3). his underground chamber is lit by numerous
There are four tunnels leading to this cavern. One of
them is a shaft, about 50-feet in diameter that leads to the
T bonfires that have created a low-hanging cloud
of soot that obscures the cavern’s ceiling some-
volcano’s central shaft. This shaft is on the western edge of where overhead.
the lower village, protected by a fire barrier that has pre- Throughout the cavern, large, crude tents are
vented the magma from spilling in and filling the cavern. arranged in small groups, each clustered around
The second tunnel is in the center of the cliff that one of the roaring bonfires. You can make out the
divides the lower village from the upper village on the east- distinctive forms of ogres milling around the tents,
ern edge of the lower village. The passageway is 20-feet in apparently involved in a riotous celebration if the
diameter and leads down to the Ogre Entrance (PM3). A sound of the loud snarls and roars are any indica-
second set of steel doors is built into the cliff face to allow tion.
control access to the passage. Even with a quick glance, you can see that the
The third tunnel at the northern end of the lower village cavern seems enormous, made so by another cav-
winds its way up leading toward the Serpent Cave (PM5). ern on top of a cliff. The walls are made of sheer,
This tunnel allows the ogres and the slig a method of rough stone, while the floor seems to be relatively
transport between their villages where the slig will trade even and clear of debris, except for piles of refuse
medicines and act as grunts for the brutish ogres. clustered near the western end of the cavern.
The fourth tunnel is along the southern wall of the vil- The air is thick with the scent of unwashed
lage, curves upward, connecting the lower and upper vil- bodies and refuse, but oddly, there seems to be no
lages. trace of the ever-present sulfur smell, or the nearly
 Steel Doors: 3 inches thick, hardness 12; hp 90; break unbearable heat found throughout the rest of the
DC 30; Open Lock DC 30. volcano.
Luckily, the ogres have not seemed to notice
your entrance to the cavern, though it won’t be too
long before they do take notice.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 135

 The lower village is where the ogres that served tion of her skull totem. Of those, 50 were driven insane and
Malystryx built their homes. Once organized and kept in have gone wild disappearing into the Peak’s interior or
check by the presence of the Dragon Overlord, the various escaping out to the Desolation. A small percentage, about
tribes that flocked to Malystryx have since resorted to 20, regained their former identities and have escaped the
dividing themselves back into various bands by tribe. Peak, seeking to try and restart their former lives. This has
The cavern itself is about 500 feet long and 250 feet left only 55 red dragonspawn remaining in the village (not
wide with a stalactite-studded ceiling roughly 150 feet high. subtracting any of the dragonspawn the characters encoun-
The eastern side of the lower village is a 50 foot high cliff, tered already). A small minority within the tribe struggles
atop of which lays another massive cavern that houses for power over the Desolation.
another village. The majority of Malystryx’s dragonspawn were taken
Creatures: In the lower village, there are more than 200 from the ranks of local nomad tribes, captured by the ogres
ogres still residing within the Peak. Half of these are non- and transformed through the magic of Malystryx and her
combatants (those too young, too old, or sickly for com- skull totem. Malystryx did create some abominations,
bat), while the remaining are split evenly into warriors though she did not make many of them. Those she did
(40% regular ogres, see Monster Manual), tribal leaders make came almost entirely from the ogres. Of those, only
(8% 2nd-4th level ogre barbarians), and shamans (2% ogre 23 survived Malystryx’s death, and only 10 of those main-
mages). tained their sanity (none of them regained their former
Ideally, the characters will have no need to enter the memories).
lower village, as they stand no chance against the ogre
Dragonspawn: hp 31; see page 173.
horde still residing within the Peak.
Dragonspawn, Abomination: hp 3; see Bestiary of Krynn.

B. The Upper Village PM7. The Volcano’s Heart

nlike the village below, this cavern is not merging into this enormous cavern, it seems
U inhabited by crude ogres. Instead, there are
numerous adobe huts, arranged in orderly, concen-
E almost as if you looking into the center of the
planet.
tric circles around a central pit, where a flame Almost a mile from one edge to the other, a sea
dances in the center of a still pool of magma. of magma froths as it bubbles up from deep within
Very few creatures move around the cavern; the earth, filling the air with a wall of heat and the
indeed, it almost seems as if the village is a ghost foul, overpowering stench of sulfur.
town. Many of the huts seem to have been empty The cavern’s ceiling creates a rough dome over
for months now. Here and there, you can see large the magma sea, jagged obsidian and basalt stalac-
scorch marks on the floor and along the exterior of tites looming overhead as the ceiling arches up
some of the adobe buildings, and a few of the huts toward the wide shaft leading out of the volcano.
look as if they have exploded. Three large islands of stone seem to float sus-
pended within the magma sea, with narrow stone
bridges arching delicately between each of them.
The upper village is inhabited by the remnants of The largest island, easily larger than most villages,
Malystryx’s dragonspawn, those who survived the demise is directly beneath the volcano’s shaft, while the two
of the Dragon Overlord. The Dark Knights who had once smaller islands are on either side to the north and
sworn allegiance to the Red Overlord left en masse after the south of the larger island.
word reached them that Malystryx was dead. Narrow land bridges arch from each of the
The sheer cliff dividing the upper and lower villages is a smaller islands, connecting either one to caves in
straight 50 foot drop. The upper cavern is 350 feet long and the cavern walls, apparently passages leading out of
250 feet wide, the ceiling roughly 100 feet overhead. the volcano’s heart to other parts of the Peak.
One tunnel in the southern wall leads down to the vil-
lage below, a second tunnel in the northern wall twists its
way down before eventually opening up on a cliff over- This massive cavern at the very heart of the volcano
looking the Volcano’s Heart (PM7). served as Malystryx’s primary lair (although she had
Creatures: Malystryx’s surviving dragonspawn, at least numerous lairs scattered throughout the Desolation,
those loyal to Sindra, dwell within this cavern. There are including two that were only accessible by swimming down
other dragonspawn still residing within the Peak (some liv- below the magma sea).
ing like savages in caves located in the Serpent Pit or the The cavern is more than a mile in diameter, at its widest
Magma Lake), but the largest population of red dragon- points with a ceiling that soars hundreds of feet overhead.
spawn in Ansalon reside in this cavern. Connected to the outside by means of the volcano’s central
After Malystryx’s death, only 125 dragonspawn shaft, it enabled Malystryx to fully stretch her wings and fly
remained alive. The rest self-destructed in the backlash of within her lair. The central shaft is more than 500 feet in
magic released by both Malystryx’s death and the destruc- diameter and 500 feet above the center of the cavern, lead-

136 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 137
 What the Queen Knows.
The Queen knows just about everything there is to How can we get to the kender?
know about the Peak, its inhabitants, and its surround- “We have our ways. The tunnels built by the volcano
ings. Anything that her ants have experienced, she has are unsafe. We have built better ways that no other
access to. colony is aware of. We have a tunnel that will lead you
there.”
Who are you? What are you?
“We are the Queen. We are the Phalanx. We are the Is there any other way out of the Peak?
builders deep beneath the surface. We are the shapers of “There are many ways out of the Peak, but they are
the land. We have existed since before the firstborn races not all easy ways. We can show you one of our tunnels
stepped foot upon the ground.” leading out of the Peak.”
Can you help us free the kender?
Where are the kender being kept? “Perhaps we can, but what is it that you offer us in
“The little ones are being kept in a small pit, far return?” [The Queen will only offer to help the charac-
below us, near where the dragon’s soldiers have built ters on a Helpful attitude response on Diplomacy
their colony.” checks.]

Why are they being captured? Who are the leaders of the others in the Peak?
“We do not know. We do know that they are being “With Malystryx gone, most of her colony has also
killed and we believe it has something to do with the fractured into smaller colonies. The strongest of these
strange smelling ogre that appeared in the Peak one colonies are the dragon’s soldiers, the dragon men. They
turning of the silver moon ago.” are led by a strong Queen, although she now has appar-
ently taken the strange smelling ogre as a mate. None of
How many are being held? the others in the Peak have a strong Queen, yet.”
“We are not positive. Over the last month, we have
counted more than 200 prisoners brought within the
Peak, but we do not know if they are alive or if they have
become food.”

ing directly up through the heart of the mountain and Each of the islands is connected by narrow land bridges
opening at the center of the volcano’s caldera. that arch high above the bubbling magma. While connect-
Malystryx, using the magic of her skull totem, raised a ing the islands together, the land bridges also lead up to
plume of magma from deep within the earth to create the cliffs along the edge of the cavern, which in turn lead to
Peak. Overnight, Malys shaped the land in what would passageways leading up to the Magma Lake (PM4) and the
have taken nature hundreds of thousands of years to do. Upper Village (PM6B).
After the mountain was formed, she allowed the magma to The heat in the cavern is extreme (see Heat Dangers
recede until it left behind only a small ‘sea’ of lava at the above) and the air is filled with the suffocating smell of
volcano’s heart. Smaller plumes still flowing through the sulfur (see Sulfur Fumes above). Oddly, however, the fire
mountain carved out the numerous caverns and tunnels barriers that protected each of the islands and the land
that twist throughout the mountain, creating a maze of bridges connecting them still function, providing areas of
passageways where Malystryx’s forces could reside. relative safety for the characters to traverse.
Malystryx, with only the slightest exercise of her power, Malystryx’s lair was also found here in the Volcano’s
could cause the magma sea to explode. Though she used Heart, an enormous network of caves that lead deeper
her power to create magical barriers that directed the underground, accessible only through a passage beneath
magma flows as she wished, her minions realized that she the magma. Malystryx’s lair, where she rested and kept her
could very easily bring those barriers down and send the skull totem, has been abandoned since her death. The magi-
magma flooding in. She did so more than once. cal guardians she bound to protect her lair still linger,
Three large islands float amidst the magma sea, pillars though much of her magic has completely faded away.
of stone that resist the molten waves. The largest of these Locating and exploring Malystryx’s lair is beyond the
islands was where Malystryx often held court, while the current capabilities of the characters. Although much of
two smaller islands to the north and south of the central Malystryx’s most precious treasures still lie within her lair,
island once housed the bulk of Malystryx’s hoard. Most of some of them have already been taken by Sindra and
this has already been scavenged (mostly by the Dark brought above (see below), so the characters should really
Knights who once served the Red Marauder, who took have no reason to go below.
their prize and traveled northwest to Darkhaven).

138 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

The Phalanx Ant Colony a soft, diffuse blue-violet light over the entire cav-
ern. Perhaps it’s a trick of your eyes, but after a few
s you descend deeper into the tunnel leading moments of staring across the chamber, you begin
A into the Peak, not only does it grow darker as
the ambient light from outside fades, but oddly it
to notice that the diffuse light seems to make the
uneven floors undulate...
also seems to grow a bit cooler.
After the first vertical 50 feet, the tunnel slants
down allowing much easier passage. The tunnel is The floor, the bridges, and the ladders of this cavern are
roughly 20 feet in diameter, more than enough all living phalanx ants. There are easily more than a million
room for you to stand up, although heading down ants packed into this cavern, each of them the size of a
the steep slope of the tunnel makes progress slow. large dog (at the smallest). Allow the characters a DC 15
Spot check for them to notice that everything they are
looking at is composed of these interlocking ants.
The tunnel continues as a steep slope for about 500 feet Once the characters realize what they are looking at,
before it emerges as an opening overlooking a large cavern. read them the following:
As the characters approach the end of the tunnel, allow
them a DC 15 Listen check. Those who succeed on their f your eyes aren’t betraying you, the uneven
skill check will hear a distinct, distant chittering sound,
although they will be hard pressed to place the sound. A
I obsidian that forms the floors, the ladders, and
even the bridges is made up entirely of living, mov-
DC 20 Knowledge (nature) check or DC 25 Survival check ing ants, each the size of a large dog.
will enable a character to identify the noise as being a Scurrying along the walkways formed by these
greatly magnified sound of insects moving against one ants, slightly larger ants are moving around, busy
another. with various unknown tasks, while ants the size of
When the characters emerge at the end of the tunnel, small ponies seem to be carrying food to various
read them the following: sections of the floor. You watch as they pass the
food down where it disappear, apparently to be dis-
ou find yourselves overlooking a massive tributed among the small ants forming the archi-
Y chamber, apparently made of solid obsidian
that that glistens oddly, casting flickering shadows
tecture of the colony.
Suddenly, you hear a skittering sound behind
along the stalactite-studded ceiling. you, and when you turn, you are confronted by
Delicately shaped bridges of obsidian cross four large ants scurrying along the walls of the tun-
every crevice on the floor, connecting numerous nel, each carrying a gruesome catch in their
small tunnels along the edges of the cavern. mandibles.
Ladders of the same craftsmanship allow easy
access from tunnels to the floor, including the tun-
nel that you are currently standing near. A successful DC 25 Spot check will allow the characters
Small patches of glowing phosphorus moss to see that the “food” being distributed by the larger ants
grows in along the cavern walls and ceiling, casting seems to be a fresh goblin corpse or unidentified limb.
As the characters turn around, they are confronted by a
returning hunting party of 4 soldier phalanx ants. Each of
them is carrying the carcass of a goblin or the sundered
Picking the Queen limb of an ogre that was torn to pieces. They will ignore
Character is... Modifier the characters completely, unless they are attacked.
Lawful +5 Before allowing the characters too much time to think,
Chaotic -5 read them the following:
A Female +5
uddenly, you hear a strange, high-pitched chit-
A Dwarf or Elf
A Kender or Gully Dwarf
An Ogre or Half-Ogre
+5
-5
-5
S tering voice rise from behind you,
“Greetings...the Queen wishes to speak to you.”
A Draconian -10 Turning around, you see a rather diminutive
A Knight (any) +5 ant, a little smaller than a kender, gazing directly at
A Bard or Rogue -5 you with its odd, multi-faceted eyes. Twin antennae
A Wizard of High Sorcery +5 move independently from one another.
A Renegade or Sorcerer -5 The ant twists its head slightly to the right,
A Druid +10 “You will come with us,” it says once more, in that
A Cleric of Chislev +5 spine-shivering voice, before it turns around and
or Habbakuk scurries down the ladder that leads from the tunnel
to the floor of the cavern.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 139

 Phalanx Tunnels
The phalanx tunnels honeycomb the entire Peak, Once the characters have passed the half-way point
although even Malystryx was not aware of all of the tun- between the colony and the slave pens, a group of
nels. No matter how pressed, the Queen will not explain builder ants will scurry after them and begin to bring
the purpose of any of the tunnels. down the tunnel, blocking possible reentry back to the
The phalanx tunnels are about 8 to 10 feet in diame- colony from that direction. Allow characters a DC 18
ter, just large enough for most Medium creatures to pass Listen check to hear the sound of the builders bringing
through easily (and large enough for the characters to down the stone behind them.
ride the soldier ants), and are made of solid stone. If the characters express dismay or shock, the worker
The tunnels are completely dark, as the phalanx ants ant will turn toward them and explain calmly, “It is a
have no need for light to see by. The air in the tunnels is matter of our own protection. If you fail, we do not wish
still, but not stuffy, although it can be a bit warm the to allow the dragon soldiers a path directly to our
farther the characters travel. colony. It is no concern of yours.”
Most of the tunnels head in a straight line, connect-  Hewn Stone: At least 3-feet thick, hardness 8; hp
ing various locations by the quickest, most efficient 540; break DC 50; Climb DC 22.
route necessary, unless the ants need to bypass a danger-
ous area (such as a magma flow or an occupied cavern).
The tunnel the characters are currently traveling in is a
steep slope down.

140 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 The ant speaking to the characters is one of the worker ant’s torso is covered by strange sigils that glow
ants of the colony. Workers are the only phalanx ants other with a subtle blue radiance. The same blue radiance
than the queen, capable of communicating. shines in the pair of enormous eyes that swivel
The worker ant will lead the characters down the ladder, toward you.
across the floor, and back up another ladder leading direct- Suddenly, a soft, decidedly feminine voice fills
ly to the Queen’s Lair. If the characters follow the worker, the cave, “Greetings, adventurers. What brings you
they will not be accosted, but if they try and leave, they will to Our colony?”
once more find themselves approached by a flank of soldier
phalanx ants and herded toward the Queen’s Lair.
 Living Wall of Ants: 1 ft. thickness, hardness (damage When the characters enter the cave, they step into a nat-
reduction) 10; hp 18 per 1 ft. thickness; break DC 25; ural cave roughly 50 feet in diameter. About twenty of the
Climb DC 12. small worker phalanx ants scurry throughout the cave,
Creatures: The builder phalanx ants will not attack; each one serving an individual need of the Queen, while
their mandibles are not designed for it. However, if the eight soldiers stand guard.
characters cause any damage to the ants, they will be The Queen is sincerely interested in what has brought
dragged down into the crush until they are smothered the characters to the Peak of Malystryx. The phalanx ants
among the tightly packed ant bodies (see Appendix). established a colony in the Peak more than twenty years
The colony’s primary protection is its soldier ants, who ago, striking a deal with the Dragon Overlord to act as cus-
are efficient and deadly capable of utilizing complex tactics. todians in return for a safe location to build their colony.
Now, with Malystryx gone, the precarious balance between
The Queen’s Lair the various inhabitants of the Peak has been upset, and the
The Queen’s Lair is a small side cave, built by the pha- Queen dislikes disorder.
lanx ants to house their queen. If the characters converse with the Queen and do so
honestly, they will find the Queen willing to listen. Her ini-
ingerly, you climb down the ladder of ants tial reaction toward the characters will be Indifferent.
G connecting the tunnel opening to the floor on
the ground. The ants sway slightly beneath your
Flattery and typical means of Diplomacy are not useful
against the Queen, however. She is more favorably inclined
weight, and up close you can see the twitching of toward lawful characters than she is to chaotic characters,
their antennae and the movement of their and she will not hesitate to use her mysticism on anyone
mandibles as their delicate arms somehow are eas- who speaks to her.
ily able to bear your weight. Apply the following modifiers to Diplomacy checks
The talking ant leads you across the floor of made to influence the Queen. Note that these modifiers
living ants which, although it gives slightly beneath apply only to the spokesperson for the party, who the
your weight, seems more than capable of support- Queen will automatically consider the PCs’ “Queen.”
ing you. The Queen will not inquire about any run in with her
Climbing up another ladder, this one leading soldiers outside of the colony, as in her mind, the soldiers
to a cliff 50 feet off the cavern “floor,” you emerge were hunting and died in the line of duty. Such is the way
onto a small landing where the small, talking ant of nature.
patiently awaits. On a Friendly result (DC 15), the Queen will answer the
“She waits for you in her lair.” A brief nod of characters’ questions and provide them with information
the ant’s head indicates the cave in front of you. about where they can find the kender prisoners.
When you enter the cave, you are immediately On a Helpful result (DC 30), the Queen will offer to let
struck by the image before you. Small cairns of the characters ride her soldiers, who will lead them to the
stone line the walls of the cavern that seems some- location where the kender are being kept.
how much smaller after seeing the cavern below. Characters will find that the Queen is infinitely patient
Numerous small ants scurry around the chamber, and will not be rushed. If the characters get her to agree to
crawling along the walls, the floor, and the ceiling help them free the kender, she will not only send with them
of the cave, while standing perfectly still between one soldier ant per character, but she will also agree to help
each of the stone cairns along the wall are the larg- create diversions to allow the characters to escape
er ants with the barbed stingers and wicked-look- (although she will not commit her soldiers to attack, as her
ing mandibles. Yet even their presence does noth- colony does not have the strength in soldiers yet to claim
ing to take away from the ant that must be their the entire Peak in one fell swoop).
queen. Characters will find that they can ride a soldier ant
Resting atop of a large cairn of stones is a large much as they would ride any mount (although with a -5
ant, easily the size of a knight’s warhorse. Her body penalty on Ride checks due to unfamiliarity with the ants).
is designed more like that of a wasp, with a narrow The soldier ants are able to safely traverse areas that the
thorax that flares out to a large abdomen. The characters would otherwise be unable to access.
abdomen ends in a long, obsidian stinger, while the Once they have conversed with the Queen, she will

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 141

 A Grisly Ritual
The ritual that Grigolthan approached Sindra with sheer power of one of the Dragon Overlords, Sindra
was a ritual that he hoped would help both himself and could figure no way possible to rebuild the ranks of her
benefit the dragonspawn. flight.
For himself, Grigolthan seeks to become a titan once Grigolthan convinced Sindra to try to use necroman-
more. In order to do so, he believes that he must unleash cy to unleash the energy he believes infuses the afflicted
the power found within the blood of living creatures. kender with Malystryx’s taint. With enough energy
Kept ignorant of the true ritual used to create a titan, he unleashed, Sindra would be able to create new dragon-
is unaware that the blood must be elven for the titan spawn without the need for skull totems, Dragon
transformation process to work...although he is willing Overlords, or draconians. Show would only need the
to experiment, hence why he approached Sindra with power within the blood of the afflicted kender and the
his plans. innate magic infusing the dragonspawn.
Sindra, as the leader of the remaining dragonspawn Eager for any chance, Sindra agreed to the Fallen
of Malystryx realizes that their numbers are dwindling. Ogre’s arrangement. She and her people would get the
Particularly as the ritual that creates dragonspawn ren- ritual to work or die trying, they had nothing to lose.
ders the victim infertile. Without a skull totem or the

allow them to rest within the safety of the colony, if they so ne of the small worker ants approaches you,
desire, before she sends them forth.
Creatures: In this cave, there are twenty worker ants and
O crawling purposefully on silent feet.
“Are you prepared? We shall show you to the
eight soldier ants other than the Queen. However, attacking tunnel that will lead you to the little ones.”
the Queen or any of the ants is akin to attacking the entire Patiently waiting for you to follow, the worker
colony, thus the characters would have to deal with the ant turns and leads you back toward the main cav-
entire colony. Canny characters may quickly realize that a ern of the colony. There, you see the Queen sur-
colony without its Queen is helpless, since it is the Queen rounded by her escort of soldiers and workers,
who provides order and direction to the entire colony. apparently expecting you.

Phalanx Ant, Workers (20): hp 19 each; see Appendix I. As the Queen’s glowing blue eyes fall upon

Phalanx Ant, Soldiers (8): hp 30 each; see Appendix I. you, her voice once more rises, “You are prepared.”

Phalanx Ant, Queen: hp 45; see Appendix I. It is not a question, more a statement of acknowl-
Tactics: The worker ants will try to form a living wall edgement.
between the characters and the Queen while the soldiers “Our tunnels were built for our use, but I
move to attack. The Queen will use her mysticism to aid believe that you will be able to navigate them with
her ants defensively, while if she is drawn to attack directly ease. The first tunnel shall lead you directly to the
the characters will find that she can be a dangerous melee little ones. Do not take any of the side tunnels; stick
opponent. to the primary, otherwise you will get lost. Once
2d4 rounds after the battle begins, more soldier ants will you have the little ones, take the tunnel back until
begin to pour into the Queen’s Lair at a rate of 1d4 per you come to the second tunnel to your right. That
round unless the characters seal themselves in the cave with will lead to the surface near the city of little ones.”
a cave-in or some other barricade (note that a wall of fire As the Queen speaks, you see part of the
will not halt the phalanx ants, as they are resistant to fire ground begin to swell. The ants are shifting the
and willing to sacrifice themselves to save their Queen). structure by crawling over one another to reveal a
Development: Securing the help of the Queen will be a honeycomb of tunnels beneath them. Apparently,
major boon to the characters. They will not only learn of the ants have been extremely busy with building
the secret passages throughout the Peak, but also gain assis- their tunnels.
tance in freeing the kender and getting them out of the One of the Queen’s escorts scuttles forward
mountain. toward one of the tunnel entrances as the Queen
XP Award: If the characters secure the help of the speaks once more, “You will follow my worker. He
Queen, award them story experience equal to the party will guide you to where you need to go. May your
level. hunt prove fruitful.”
The Queen leans up, unfurling a pair of gos-
The Secret Way samer wings that buzz dizzily as they blur into
Once the characters are ready to leave the Phalanx motion, lifting her off the ground. Her escort scur-
Colony, read them the following: ries back toward the Queen’s lair as the stately
insect flies away.

142 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 When you enter the tunnel, you can hear the break DC 25; Climb DC 15.
ants shifting against one another as they move to Breaking down the wall will instantly alert the guard
conceal the hole once more, leaving you in the standing watch over the imprisoned kender. Once the char-
dark, narrow tunnel. acters strike the wall, regardless of whether they break
through or not, begin intitative and combat rounds.
When the characters break down the wall, read them the
If the characters secured the Queen’s assistance, there following:
will also be one soldier ant per PC waiting for them in the
center of the main cavern. The soldiers will act as mounts s the wall crumbles in front of you, you see that
and guides for the characters, enabling them to swiftly tra-
verse the phalanx tunnels with ease.
A the tunnel opens up onto a small cave.
At the center of the cave, a large pit has been
The worker will only escort the characters to the tunnel dug into the ground and covered with an iron
terminus before turning back to return grate. The reek of unwashed bodies fills
to the colony. The worker will not your nostrils just as you hear an undu-
involve himself in any fights, and he lating battle-cry that sounds
will not answer any questions posed almost like a dragon’s roar.
to him. Hurtling across the room
at you is a massive humanoid
Slave Pens (EL 7) figure, easily at least seven
feet tall with outspread
fter an indeterminable wings flaring behind him.
A amount of time spent tra-
versing the phalanx tunnel, you
The figure looks like a
man, although his bared
hear the voice of the worker ant flesh is covered with small,
speak up, “We are here.” crimson scales. A long
Looking around, you mane of black hair flows
don’t see that anything is out behind him, two long, white
of the ordinary; it looks like horns stretch back as he
any previous stretch of the bares his fanged mouth in a
passage you have already snarl of rage. Tongues of
passed. flame flicker within his
The worker ant touches mouth as he roars another
his antennae against the right battle-cry, swinging his
wall of the tunnel, “Through massive greatsword over
this wall, you will find the his head in preparation for
little ones. The wall here battle.
is weak; you should be
able to burrow through
it easily.” The cave holding the
Backing away from kender prisoners is about 65
the wall, the worker ant feet in diameter, with a 30
turns toward you. “I must return to the colony and foot diameter, 50 foot deep
the Queen. May your hunt prove fruitful.” Once the pit in the center of the cave. Only a single, heavy, unlocked
last word is said, the ant seems to bow its head wooden door blocks access to this room. The top of the pit
slightly before it begins to crawl back the way it is covered with iron grating, while the sides of the pit are
came, leaving you alone in the darkness of the studded with razor sharp shards of obsidian, which deal
strange tunnel. 1d4 points of damage every 10 feet climbed, unless the
climber is protected by leather or heavier protection.
At the bottom of the pit sit the kender who have been
The other side of the tunnel wall is indeed where the recently captured. There are 21 kender suffering from vary-
kender are being kept in a small cave located just north of ing degrees of dehydration, exhaustion, and starvation. The
the Upper Village (PM6B). The wall between the characters kender have been fed and given only enough water to bare-
and the kender has been weakened, although at first ly keep them alive, but they are too weak to try and escape.
inspection it seems the same as the other walls. Careful Of the twenty-one kender in the pit, seventeen of them are
checking by a skilled stoneworker, however, will reveal that afflicted kender and only four of them are true kender.
it seems as if acid has been strategically placed to weaken Oddly, it seems that the four true kender have suffered the
the wall so that one firm strike will cause it to shatter. most, their bodies bearing scars from repeated beatings
 Weakened Wall: 1-ft. thick, hardness 8; hp 25; AC 3; and from numerous attempts to climb out of the pit.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 143

 Getting the kender out of the pit without hurting them she turns to stare at the huddled, dirty kender clus-
may itself prove problematic. The captured kender were tered around the hole in the wall.
simply thrown down into the pit. Whenever one was Suddenly, the kender draws herself upright, a
brought up, it was typically brought by Sindra or by faint blush visible beneath the dirt on her face as
Grigolthan. Normal rope sent down only gets frayed and she turns back to you, “My manners, I’m sorry! I’m
snaps when it rubs against the side of the pit, so it can only Kerra! Kerra Whistlewalk of Hylo. Thanks for res-
be used for one or two captives. If the soldier ants are with cuin’ us. I was afraid we were all gonna end up
the characters, they can be directed to scurry down and staked and spitted and bled dry for that ritual I
carry the kender up two or three at a time since their dam- heard ‘em talkin’ ‘bout. Wish I could see that! They
age reduction makes them resistant to the damage of the was talkin’ ‘bout this big magic spell they was
obsidian shards. Otherwise, leave it to the characters’ imag- gonna cast, said that it took the blood of the afflick-
ination to come up with a safe way to retrieve the kender. ing kender ‘cuz it was filled with Malys magic or
Creature: Guarding the prisoners is Dragath, a kinsman somethin’. They also said somethin’ ‘bout pervert-
of Sindra’s who also underwent the transformation to ing some big ol’ magic thingy they found in Malys’s
become a dragonspawn loyal to Malystryx. Unfortunately lair...perverting...you think they were gonna peek
for the characters, the kender imprisoned will be unable to at each other wearin’ only their knickers?!?”
offer any assistance, although if the soldier ants accompa- Kerra wrinkles her nose as she pauses to take a
nied the characters, they will join the battle against the breath and contemplates the ‘perverted’ actions of
dragonspawn (adjust the EL appropriately). the mysterious ‘they’ she keeps rambling on about.

Dragath: hp 47; see page 174. Clucking her tongue, she shakes her head, “Tsk,
Tactics: On the off chance that the characters are unable tsk... you know someone’s a bad apple if they’re
to break down the wall before Dragath has his first action perverting, ya know? My momma always told me
in combat, Dragath will instead hold his action, waiting for that...” Suddenly abashed once more, Kerra rubs
the moment the wall comes down. He will then release his her throat and offers a small smile, “My momma
fire breath, seeking to catch the characters unprepared always told me I could talk the ears offa gnome. I’m
before he engages them in melee. sorry, I shouldn’t have rambled like that. Oh? Did
A proud individual, Dragath will not sound the alarm to you drop this?”
call for help, as he believes that “non-dragonspawn” are
lesser beings. Note that Dragath’s death throes will not
harm the kender in the pit, but the characters up top may The “they” Kerra is talking about are Sindra, leader of
suffer. the remaining dragonspawn in the Peak, and Grigolthan,
Treasure: The only treasure Dragath possesses is his the Fallen Ogre who has allied himself with the dragon-
equipment. However, there is a chance that his equipment spawn. Even at the bottom of a pit, Kerra’s hearing is pretty
will be ruined by his death throes. Roll Reflex saves for sharp, and she overheard the two talking as they examined
each piece of magical equipment listed in his inventory. the kender prisoners they had gathered.
Nonmagical equipment will automatically be destroyed. If Kerra is pressed for more details, she’ll be more than
XP Award: For freeing the kender, award the characters happy to continue her story, as most people (even her
a story award equal to their party level. brother, as she’ll casually remark) tell her to shut up all the
time. She’ll tell the characters in great detail that she over-
Tasks Left Undone heard them talk about this ritual that needs at least 25
When the characters have pulled the kender to safety, ‘afflicking’ kender for it to work properly. She’ll go on to
one of them will separate herself from the rest of her folk say that apparently there’s a couple of chambers built near-
to speak to the characters: by where the two were talking about holding the ritual.
She’ll describe the two ‘they’ as follows: “One of ‘em is a
s the last kender clambers out of the pit and scary lookin’ lady, with red scaly skin and bat wings and
A her feet settle upon the ground, she looks up at
you and offers a surprisingly cheerful grin, despite
long black hair... wonder if I can get scales, although I
think blue is much prettier than red, don’t you? Think she’s
her grimy appearance. a spawn or somethin’... maybe a demon! Do you think she
“Wow, that was one of the most boring places could be a demon? I’ve never met a real demon before, but
I’ve ever been, lemme tell you! One time, I was my friend’s Uncle Trapspringer did once....oh, the guy...
trapped with my foot down a rabbit hole and he’s big and really, really ugly. As in ugly enough to make a
couldn’t move, but least there I got to look around gully dwarf look like an elf all dressed fancy and stuff! He
and see stuff! Here, all I got to see was a bunch of says he’s ‘falling’ from grace, that he was once a ‘tight-end’
other trapped kender, most of who didn’t wanna or somethin’ like that... but he’s ugly even for an ogre!”
talk! Imagine that!” She leans forward, whispering If the characters do not seem inclined to investigate the
conspiratorially, “I betcha they’re those afflicking ritual or the two strangers, Kerra will suddenly realize that
kender you hear people talkin’ ‘bout!” She sup- her pouches are missing and that the ugly guy or the scary
presses a somewhat delightedly horified shudder as lady must have them. Allow the characters the opportunity

144 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

to impress upon Kerra the importance of getting the other ed by a sickly, pale luminescence provided by small,
kender out safely, away from the ‘scary lady’ and the ‘ugly hovering spheres of light dancing near the smooth,
guy.’ She’ll start to cry softly, muttering something about polished ceiling. The same sickly light seems to
stolen family heirlooms that could never be replaced. reflect in the gaping eye sockets of the dragon
Suddenly, she’ll look up at the characters with big, bright skulls, for within those dark holes dance small
eyes and plead with them to go get her pouches and that sparks of flame.
she’ll escort the kender to safety (if the characters tell her
the right way to get out).
If the characters have the soldier ants with them, they The moment any creature turns the corner of the hall-
can ask the soldier ants to escort the kender safety, if the way leading toward the ritual room, a mental alarm sounds
the characters could just tell her the right way to get out. and alerts Grigolthan that someone has crossed over the
XP Award: If the characters think to take care of the threshold. Grigolthan will drink his potion of invisibility, so
captured kender before going to investigate Kerra’s claims, that he can observe the intruders and decide his action.
award them a story bonus equal to their character levels. The ritual chamber itself is approximately 60-feet in
diameter, with a dome ceiling reaching 30-feet high above
The Ritual (EL 7) the center of the pentagram (which is not enough room to
When the characters open the door, it reveals a long, nar- truly allow Grigolthan to utilize his flight). The pool
row hallway. To the south, the hallway opens up unto the beneath the pentagram is blood that has been gathered
Upper Village (PM6B), while to the north the hall leads from 100 afflicted kender over the last 2 months, requiring
farther back into the mountain. only the blood from 25 more afflicted kender for the ritual
requirement to be completed (for a total of 5 times 5, the
ou slowly head down the hallway, keeping a sacred number of dragons). The bodies of the killed kender
Y wary eye open for any signs of danger ahead or
behind.
lie at the bottom of the pool of blood, hidden beneath the
thick, dark liquid.
Oddly enough, man seems to have been the Once the characters enter the chamber, allow them a
prime shaper of the hall’s stone walls, not melting DC 20 Spot check to sense that there is something invisible
heat or explosive pressure. The in the room observing them.
floor is uneven flagstone, cov- Creatures: When the characters enter the ritual cham-
ered with a thin layer of dirt ber, the only creature in the room will be Grigolthan.
and grime that reveals the tread However, Grigolthan will use his staff of bones to animate
of numerous footsteps. the kender skeletons lurking beneath the pool of blood to
Following the footsteps, the send them against the characters while he tries to pick
hallway turns sharply to the right, them off from a distance.
continuing on for about twenty feet
Kender Zombies (13): hp 14 each; see page 174.
before it opens up into a large,
Grigolthan: hp 32; see page 174.
shaped cave formed of polished obsid- Tactics: Grigolthan is an ogre sorcerer who became
ian. an ogre titan, then lost most of his powers when the
Even from the hallway, the potion was withheld from him. Although his is a
chamber before you gives the obvi- fallen ogre, he is still a formidable opponent, par-
ous impression that it has been ticularly with the staff of bones that he wields. He
set aside for some foul purpose. will begin by quaffing his potion of invisibility before
A large pentagram of silver has the characters enter the room. Once the characters
been inlaid into the floor, creat- are in the chamber, he will use his staff of bones to
ing bridges over a large pool of animate 26 HD worth of kender zombies from the
dark, viscous liquid. At the tip bottom of the pool (which is 5 feet deep, so the
of each arm of the pentagram kender will have to climb out of the pool before
lay a dragon skull each facing they can attack). He will then seek to concentrate
toward the center of the pen- his attacks toward any spellcasters, fearing rightly
tagram where an altar of yel- that they might be able to pick him off from a
lowed bones rises prominent- distance.
ly. Suspended from the ceiling, Grigolthan is a desperate individual, believing
over each opening in the arms of the that this is his last and only chance to become a
pentagram, are an empty pair of titan once more. Grigolthan is deathly quiet as
shackles. On the far side of the he fights; what few magical items that he pos-
room from where you are, you can sesses focus on undeath and coldness. As you
see another hallway leading farther run the fight scene, play up these elements to
back into the mountain. stand in sharp contrast against the upcoming
The entire grisly scene is illuminat- fight with Sindra.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 145

 Treasure: Grigolthan’s equipment is truly the only treas- skull totem or the sheer power of one of the Dragon
ure in the room, with the staff of bones being his most pre- Overlords, Sindra could figure no way possible to rebuild
cious magical item, the same staff that the Oracles at the the ranks of her flight.
Spring requested that the characters bring them in Grigolthan convinced Sindra to try to use necromancy
exchange for answering their questions. to unleash the energy he believes infuses the afflicted
XP Award: If the characters destroy the ritual space, kender with Malystryx’s taint. With enough energy
award them XP equivalent to one EL higher. unleashed, Sindra would be able to create new dragon-
Development: If the characters kill Grigolthan and spawn without the need for skull totems, Dragon Overlords,
destroy the ritual area, they will have effectively prevented or draconians—simply the power within the blood of
Sindra from completing the ritual, as Grigolthan held afflicted kender and the innate magic of the dragonspawn.
tightly to his secrets. This is one of the climatic battles of Eager for any chance, Sindra agreed to the Fallen Ogre’s
the adventure, so play up the drama and the desperation of arrangement. She and her people would get the ritual to
the Fallen Ogre. Have the battle sweep Grigolthan toward work or die trying, they had nothing to lose.
the altar in the center of the pentagram so that his death
causes him to topple over into the pool of blood. The A Showdown (EL 8)
moment his body hits the pool, the blood will begin to boil
and bubble wildly before falling silent, along with the lights hat have you done?” shrieks a deep, feminine
flickering dimly in the eye sockets of each dragon skull
looking toward the altar. When Grigolthan falls, so too do
W voice from the edge of the room.
Glancing toward the source of the shriek in
his zombies, and with the kender corpses sinking lifeless to surprise, you see a strange figure silhouetted in the
the ground once more. doorway.
At least a hand’s span over six feet in height,
A Grisly Ritual this woman is powerfully built, wearing a black
The ritual that Grigolthan approached Sindra with was a breastplate over her upper torso with a long, flow-
ritual that he hoped would help both himself and benefit ing loin-cloth secured around her waist by a wide
the dragonspawn. leather belt. But what truly sets this woman apart
For himself, Grigolthan seeks to become a titan once from others of her ilk is her clearly inhuman her-
more. In order to do so, he believes that he must unleash itage, visible in the fine, glistening crimson scales
the power found within the blood of living creatures. Kept that cover her entire body, giving her an almost
ignorant of the true ritual used to create a titan, he is demonic look.
unaware that the blood must be elven for the titan trans- Narrowing her glowing amber eyes, the figure
formation process to work...although he is willing to exper- takes a step forward, uncoiling a whip from her belt
iment, part of why he approached Sindra with his plans. as she spreads leathery wings out behind her.
Sindra, as the leader of the remaining dragonspawn of “You will pay for what you have ruined,” the
Malystryx, realizes that their numbers are dwindling. This woman spits out, tiny flames beginning to lick
fact is made all the more deperate because the ritual that about the edge of her mouth. She holds up her free
creates dragonspawn renders the victim infertile. Without a hand, pointing a black-taloned finger toward you,

146 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 “I will burn the flesh from your bones and . You. moment. The nonmagical equipment will be destroyed in
Will. Buuurrrrrnnnn!” She screams the last word her death throes, although all of her magical items are
once more, but this time her shriek is accompanied allowed a Reflex save to avoid taking damage from the
by tongues of flame that hungrily blaze forth, explosion (except for the hellfire lash, which will automati-
thirsting for the taste of your flesh! cally make its saving throw).
XP Award: If the characters avoid Sindra’s death throes,
award them +1 EL worth of experience for quick thinking.
In the dark and gruesome atmosphere of the ritual Development: By killing Sindra, the characters have
chamber, Sindra will seek to slay all of the characters while thrown the dragonspawn and the entire tenuous power
they are still weakened from dealing with Grigolthan. struggle within the Peak into chaos, but may have just
Whereas the atmosphere of the fight with Grigolthan opened the path for the kender to reclaim Kendermore.
should’ve been cold and chilling and filled with despera-
tion, the fight with Sindra should be fiery and impas- A Vision of Light (EL 7)
sioned. The dragonspawn will shriek and heap curses upon
the characters right and left as she unleashes her attacks. s you wipe the blood from your weapons, you
Creatures: This is the true climatic battle of the adven-
ture, for the characters are facing Sindra, the leader of the
A notice a glimmer of light coming from the
hallway opposite of the one you entered through.
remaining dragonspawn of Malystryx.

Sindra: hp 53; see page 174.
Tactics: Sindra is a highly skilled barbarian, accustomed The character who’s holding the shard of light suddenly
to dealing with things on a physical level (hence how she begins to notice that his or her blade has begun to flicker as
became the leader of the remaining dragonspawn in the well, the sunlight trapped within the blade answering
Peak). She will use her breath weapon every opportunity something from deeper within the Peak of the dead dragon
that she gets, otherwise attacking with her +1 flaming whip overlord.
of fiery burst. If severely wounded, she will throw herself in If the characters head down the hall to investigate, read
the middle of the party, using claws and fangs, so that if them the following:
she dies, her death throe will affect as many of the PCs as
possible. If the party somehow manages to get Sindra to ou move down the hallway, noting the hollow
topple over into the pool of blood before she explodes, her
death throes will not affect them with the blood snuffing
Y echo of your footsteps around you. After about
thirty feet or so, the hallway makes a sharp turn to
the flames (although they will get a splattering of blood all the left, where a large steel door bars your way.
over them for their effort).
When the characters strike the fatal blow, read them the
following: The large steel door barring the characters’ way is locked
and trapped, the last barrier between the characters and
indra stumbles back, a look of shock contorting what lies on the other side. If the door is opened without
S her face as her hand flies to her chest.
Shuddering, she looks up at you, her amber eyes
the trap being disarmed, a burst of grayish vapor explodes
in the hallway, filling a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area.
flaring wide as suddenly, she unleashes a torrent of  Steel Door: 3 inches thick, hardness 12; hp 90; break
wild, almost insane, laughter. DC 30; Open Lock DC 30.
“I can see it,” she howls, raising a hand to point  Burnt Othur Vapor Trap: CR 7; mechanical; location
at you, “I can see the hand pulling your strings...for trigger; repair reset; gas; multiple targets (all targets in a
me, death is the end, but for you... you will find that 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (3 rounds);
death offers no peace!” poison (burnt othur fumes, DC 18 Fortitude save resists, 1
As the wild laughter rips through her once Con drain/3d6 Con); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 21.
more, her entire body begins to jerk and contort, a Once the characters enter through the steel door, read
sullen glow suddenly spilling from beneath her them the following:
scales as she bends over. With a last, cruel shriek of
laughter, she throws her head back and suddenly s the door swings open, it reveals a small, neat
explodes in a whirlwind of hungry flames that
reach out to devour anything within reach!
A chamber. Apparently an armory of some sort,
if the weapon racks and armor stands are any indi-
cation, although most of those are empty and cov-
ered with cobwebs.
Sindra’s death throes are more powerful than a typical But it is none of these that draw your immediate
dragonspawns, violently exploding to deal 6d6 points of attention. No, it is the sudden burst of brilliant illumi-
fire damage to anyone within a 30 ft. radius of her body nation from the shard of light that streaks forward like
(Reflex save for half damage). a shaft of sunlight striking the far wall and chasing
Treasure: Sindra only has her equipment with her at the away the shadows.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 147

 There, hanging on the wall, is a beautiful lance of The remaining equipment in the chamber is an assort-
purest, burnished silver, still bright despite the dust ment of masterwork breastplates in assorted sizes, all
that has collected upon it. The haft of the lance is emblazoned with Malystryx’s symbol (the black lily with
intricately shaped to resemble a roaring dragon’s head, the curl of red flame), and a handful of masterwork
the details picked out in purest gold that seems to longswords, greatswords, and battle-axes, kept for the Dark
catch and refract the ray of radiance from the shard of Knights and dragonspawn loyal to Malystryx. Most of the
light. finer weapons were taken by the Dark Knights that left the
A glowing nimbus of blue light hovers before the Peak more than 5 months ago.
lance, caught between it and the glowing sword.
Slowly, the nimbus begins to expand, misty tendrils Concluding the Adventure
that reform themselves to form the spectral image of a Once the characters have defeated Sindra and claimed
beautiful elven woman whose serene features are Huma’s Lance, it’s time for them to leave the Peak of
schooled into a small smile. Dressed in flowing white Malystryx. If they haven’t escorted the kender to safety yet,
robes, she spreads her arms wide in benediction, rais- a heroic party will make such an important task a priority
ing a voice that seems to chime like pure crystal as she before they enjoy the fruits of success.
says, “Finally, you have overcome great hardships to The tunnel that the Phalanx Queen told them about will
release us from the darkness! Come, heroes...take up lead them down to the outskirts of Kendermore, where
the lance and embrace your destinies!” they can go to meet up with Elijayess at the Palace, rest and
As the last word rings out, the spectral image recuperate before once more having to trek across the
fades away, as does the light from the shard, until Desolation. If the characters retrieved the staff of bones and
within heartbeats, you are caught in dim shadows promised to return it to the Oracles, allow them time to do
once more. so, although Elijayess and the kender will refuse to accom-
pany them, promising to await the characters in
Kendermore before striking out toward Port Balifor once
The spirit that appeared to speak to the characters is the again.
spirit of a Silvanesti elf, Kayleigh...one whose life is inti- For returning the staff of bones to the Oracles, award the
mately entwined with the characters, although they do not characters a story award equal to their Party Level +1.
know it yet (her story and how it intertwines with the PCs
is explored in the following adventure, Spectre of Sorrows). To Be Continued...
Before and after her appearance, the characters will be By now, the characters should realize that they have been
unable to summon her again, no matter what tact they try. caught up in something much larger than they ever expect-
If the characters move forward to take up the lance, they ed and that their journey is far from over. They still have
will discover the weapon is exceptionally well crafted. What not completely uncovered the truth about the key of
they do not know, and what they should not realize for Quinari.
some time, is that they now have one of the most powerful
weapons ever forged on Krynn in their hands—the leg-
endary Dragonlance of Huma Dragonbane (see Appendix
for details about Huma’s Lance).

148 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 Appendix One
Monsters & Magic
his appendix contains descriptions and statistics for Base Attack/Grapple: +3/-1

T the new monsters, spells, equipment, and magic

items found in this adventure.
Attack/Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/adamantine or magic,
New Monsters darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immunity to fire and poison, low-
The next few pages contain the detailed entries for the new light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 ft.
monsters found within Key of Destiny. Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10
Ant, Phalanx Skills: Climb +10, Hide +10, Move Silently +6, Spot +5,
Phalanx ants are unusual creatures typically found deep Survival +6*
beneath the earth and rarely encountered on the surface. Feats: Dodge, Mobility
They are builders, constructing elaborate tunnels below Environment: Underground
ground, but even more, they act to both maintain the bal- Organization: Solitary or team (2-4), crew (5-10), swarm (11-20),
ance of predators and prey as well as enriching the sur- colony (50-1000+ builders, plus 25-250 workers, 50-250 soldiers,
rounding areas with minerals. Some sages theorize that the 1 queen)
goddess Chislev created the phalanx ants in the Age of Challenge Rating: 1
Dreams as a gift to Reorx, to tend the bones of the earth. Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful neutral
Phalanx Ant, Builder (Small Magical Beast) Advancement: 4-6 HD (Small); 7-9 HD (Medium)
Hit Dice: 2d10+3 (14 hp) Level Adjustment: —
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft. Phalanx Ant, Soldier (Medium Magical Beast)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 Size, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14 Hit Dice: 4d10+8 (30 hp)
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3 Initiative: +5
Attack/Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d3+1) Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), climb 20 ft.
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Special Attacks: Improved grab Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+7
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/adamantine or magic, Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+3 and paralysis)
darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immunity to fire and poison, , low- Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+3 and paralysis) and sting +5
light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 ft. melee (1d8+1 and 1d6 acid)
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +0 Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 3, Wis 11, Cha 8 Special Attacks: Acid sting (1d6), improved grab, paralysis
Skills: Climb +11, Survival +5* Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/adamantine or magic,
Feats: Improved GrappleB, Toughness darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immunity to fire, and poison, low-
Environment: Underground light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 ft.
Organization: Team (2-8), crew (9-16), swarm (20-100), colony Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2
(100-1000+ builders, plus 25-250 workers, 50-250 soldiers, 1 Abilities: Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 9
queen) Skills: Climb +13, Survival +8*
Challenge Rating: 1/4 Feats: Improved Initiative, Multiattack
Treasure: None Environment: Underground
Alignment: Always lawful neutral Organization: Team (2-4), troop (5-10), swarm (15-25), colony
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Small); 5-6 HD (Medium) (50-1000+ builders, plus 25-250 workers, 50-250 soldiers,
Level Adjustment: – 1 queen)
Challenge Rating: 3
Phalanx Ant, Worker (Small Magical Beast) Treasure: None
Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19 hp) Alignment: Always lawful neutral
Initiative:+3 Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large)
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), climb 30 ft. Level Adjustment: –
Armor Class: 17 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14,
flat-footed 14
Phalanx Ant, Queen (Medium Magical Beast) If the colony grows too large (a single queen typically
Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp) can only control no more than a total of 100 phalanx ants
Initiative: +1 per point of Intelligence), then the queen will awaken one
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (poor) of her hibernating ‘daughters,’ sending her off with one-
Armor Class: 20 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 11, third of the existing colony to establish a new colony.
flat-footed 19 Phalanx ants are non-confrontational, although they
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+13 will defend the borders of their colony. They do not typi-
Attack: Sting +8 melee (2d6+3 and 2d4 acid) cally seek to expand into areas controlled by other races. If
Full Attack: Sting +8 melee (2d6+3 and 2d4 acid), bite +6 melee they come into conflict with another race, the queen will
(1d6+1 and poison), 2 claws +6 melee (1d4+1) attempt to communicate with the leaders in order to bar-
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. gain for peaceful, ordered coexistence. If the offer is turned
Special Attacks: Acid sting (2d4 acid), improved grab, paralysis, down, the queen will determine whether it is more efficient
spells to destroy the competition, or to move the colony.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/adamantine or magic,
darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immunity to fire, immunity to poi- Combat
son, immune to mind-affecting effects, low-light vision, scent, SR Phalanx ants are generally non-aggressive, except for the
15, telepathy 60 ft. soldiers who serve as the defenders and hunter-gatherers
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +6 for the colony. If there is any threat to their colony or to
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 15 their queen, however, all phalanx ants instantly respond
Skills: Climb +13, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +9, Intimidate appropriately to their station—builders become traps,
+7, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +7, Survival +9*, Use Magic workers become defensive barricades, and soldiers attack.
Device +7 All phalanx ants instantly respond to the queen’s orders.
Feats: Eschew ComponentsB, Item Creation Feat (Brew Potion, A phalanx ant’s natural weapons are treated as magic for
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, or Craft Wondrous the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Item), Multiattack, Spell Focus (Enchantment) Hive Mind (Ex): All phalanx ants within 5 miles of their
Environment: Underground queen are in constant communication. If one of them is
Organization: Solitary or colony (100-1000+ biolders, plus 25- aware of a particular danger, all of them are aware. If one
250 workers, 50-250 soldiers, 1 queen) in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No phalanx
Challenge Rating: 6 ant in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.
Treasure: Double standard Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a phalanx ant
Alignment: Always lawful neutral must hit with its bite attack. A soldier phalanx ant that
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD (Huge) wins the ensuing grapple check establishes a hold and can
Level Adjustment: – sting.
Skills: *Phalanx ants have a +4 racial bonus on Survival
The colonies of the phalanx ants are unusual in that while checks when tracking by scent and a +10 racial bonus on
they do construct tunnels and caverns, the actual colony is Climb checks. A phalanx ant can always choose to take 10
composed of living walls. The builders of the colony bind on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
themselves together, creating walls, floors, and even bridges
and ladders. Thus, the colony can grow and change as nec- Phalanx Ant Society
essary to accommodate the colony’s needs. Phalanx ant build elaborate colonies deep underground,
Although most phalanx ants resemble normal ants, typically far below the surface and most civilizations. Only
although larger in size, they are magical creatures. As the some amongst the various clans of mountain dwarves have
needs of the colony change, certain builder ants fall into a had any extensive contact with this strange race, and even
hibernation, while the queen wraps them in a chrysalis. the dwarves speak of the quietly and with a certain amount
These builders remain in hibernation while their bodies of awe and respect.
undergo a metamorphosis, either changing into workers, The society of the phalanx ants is highly structured, a
soldiers, or even into queens. When the colony needs a cer- rigid matriarchy with the builder ants at the bottom and
tain caste, the queen breaks open the chrysalis, releasing the queen at the top. All phalanx ants, however, originate
the new phalanx ant, which immediately assumes its from the builder caste—it is the power of the queen that
required duties. Typically, enough builders are put into evolves a builder into another caste, to fulfill a needed role.
hibernation to total 10% of the total population of workers
and soldiers, while 1d3 queens are hibernating. Builder
If the active queen is killed, one of the hibernating This creature is a giant ant, about the size of a large dog. Its
queens will awaken within 2d6 days (as the queen must carapace looks like polished obsidian, thick and reflective.
awaken and free herself). During that period, the colony is Unlike most ants, the mandibles on the ant seem underdevel-
thrust into chaos (treat as if all phalanx ants are under the oped, while its legs are overly long and oddly jointed with
effects of a confusion spell). hooklike protrusions.

150 Q Appendix One: Monsters & Magic

 Builders are the lowest-ranking and most common pha- opponents. However, they will sacrifice themselves in order
lanx ants. All other phalanx ants are evolved from the to protect their queen and colony, willingly turning them-
builder caste. They exist only to serve the needs of the selves into targets, climbing atop of one another to create
colony by creating the structure of the colony itself. Each physical barriers between enemies and their queen.
builder ant can physically link itself to another, thus creat- Worker phalanx ants do possess some innate spell-like
ing an intricate network of walls, floors, and even ladders abilities that aid them with their duties around the colony.
or bridges. Spell-Like Abilities: At will—light, mending, purify food
Builder phalanx ants are about 3 feet long, weighing or drink; 3/day—cause fear (DC 13), obscuring mist;
about 50 pounds. Four of them can fill a 5-foot-by-5-foot- 1/day—shield other. All spells cast as if a 3rd level mystic.
by-5-foot area when they are connected together.
Soldier
Combat This giant ant is about the size of a pony, with a thick,
Although builders are not combatants, if the colony is black carapace, wickedly barbed mandibles, and a long,
threatened, they instinctively respond. Anyone walking hooked stinger at the end of its abdomen. Its dark eyes seem
across a floor composed of phalanx ants may find them- lit from within as its antennae shift about, picking up the
selves falling into a sudden pit that opens up beneath slightest of vibrations in the air around it.
them, crushed by the weight of the ant bodies The second tier of the phalanx ant society,
crowding in around them. Those climbing a soldier phalanx ants are the warriors and
wall of builder ants may either find them- hunters of the colony, ranging out for
selves pushed off or drawn in. leagues in search for food.
Crushing Attack (Ex): If the builder While not as intelligent as the work-
phalanx ants are unsettled and in combat ers or queens of phalanx ant society, the
mode, any creature walking across the soldier phalanx ants are remarkably
surface formed of their bodies must cunning predators, capable of creating
make a grapple check each round they and executing complex strategies as
are within contact with the wall or floor they hunt. Although they cannot
of ants. speak, the hive mind enables the sol-
A creature pressed between the bod- diers to communicate readily, despite
ies of the phalanx ants takes 1d6 points distance or any barriers between
of crushing damage. To break free of the them.
ants a resisted grapple check to break free. A soldier ant is 5 feet long and
Because there are multiple ants grappling weighs 250 pounds.
the victim, the opponent must make the
check results of each opponent grappling the Combat
victim (up to 8 builder phalanx ants can grap- Soldier phalanx ants are brutally efficient
ple a Medium sized creature, 4 against Small, 16 combatants, using claws, a paralytic bite, and
against Large). This makes it far more difficult for their acidic sting.
larger victims to break free as the phalanx ants are effec- Acid Sting (Ex): Any sting attack made by the soldier
tively swarming over them. phalanx ant deals an additional 1d6 points of acid damage.
Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by the bite of a soldier phalanx
Worker ant must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be para-
This obsidian-carapaced ant is about the size of a very lyzed for 2d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
large dog. Its mandibles are small and articulate, while its
large, oddly multifaceted eyes glow with a pale blue radiance. Queen
Worker phalanx ants are the caretakers and the wardens This creature is about the size of a horse. It looks like an
of the colony. They exist to serve the queen, to act as mes- ant, although it holds its head and thorax upright, giving it
sengers and scouts, and to tend to the larva. an almost centauric appearance. Its mandibles are extraordi-
Worker phalanx ants are the third tier of phalanx ant narily articulate beneath multifaceted eyes that glow with a
hierarchy, being slightly above soldiers, but below the soft blue radiance. The creature’s upper arms end in hand-
queen. Besides the queen, they are the only phalanx ants like claws. Across its thorax, blue sigils flicker in intricate pat-
capable of communication, their articulate mandibles terns, leading down to its large, wasp-like abdomen, complete
enabling them to speak, although softly and simply. with an obsidian stinger easily the size of a longsword. Tucked
A worker is about 3-1/2 feet long and weighs about 45 against the creatures back are an enormous pair of gossamer
pounds. It can speak Common and Terran. dragonfly wings.
The phalanx queen is the heart of the phalanx ant
Combat colony. Her presence fills the minds of every phalanx ant of
Worker ants are not physical combatants, their her colony, enabling her to merge their consciousness
mandibles too weak to effectively deal damage against together to create the hive mind. Unfortunately for the

Appendix One: Monsters & Magic Q 151

colony, if their queen is killed, they lose the hive mind and Environment: The Blazing Pits of the Abyss
are automatically thrust into mental chaos (confusion) for Organization: Solitary, pair, or prowl (3-7)
2d6 days until one of the slumbering queens awakens. Challenge Rating: 4
The queen is 8 feet long, about 4 feet tall, and weighs Treasure: None
350 pounds. Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium); 11-15 HD (Large)
Combat Level Adjustment: –
The queen does not fight unless she is personally threat-
ened, and even then she is usually attended to by 3d6 This strange creature has a powerful, sleek body, like that of a
workers and 2d4 soldiers at all times, who will die to pro- great cat, however its dark flesh looks like basalt, broken by
tect their queen. Typically, the queen stays behind a living vivid lines of seething crimson veins that resemble molten
wall of workers, using her spells to bolster and protect her- magma. It bears obsidian fangs as it roars, its long tail lash-
self and the colony. ing behind the beast blazing with a flicker of flame at its end.
If she is engaged, however, foes find that she is a fear- Flamestone panthers are aggressive, unholy predators
some opponent, capable of deadly attacks. torn from the depths of the Abyss. Like hell hounds, many
Acid Sting (Ex): Any successful sting attack made by the have been brought to the Mortal Realm, where they serve
soldier phalanx ant deals an additional 2d4 points of acid evil beings, with many establishing breeding populations.
damage. A typical flamestone panther stands 4-1/2 feet at the
Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by the bite of a soldier phalanx shoulder and weighs around 300 pounds.
ant must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be para- Flamestone panthers do not speak, but understand
lyzed for 2d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. Abyssal and Ignan.
Spells: The queen casts divine spells as a 6th-level mystic
with the Mentalism domain. Combat
Typical Mystic Spells Known (6/6/5/3, base save DC 14 + Flamestone panthers hunt like most great cats, stalking
spell level): 0—cure minor wounds, detect magic, light, their prey and leaping upon opponents, savaging them
mending, purify food and drink, read magic, resistance; 1st— with claws and fangs.
bless, cause fear, command*, detect chaos, protection from A flamestone panther’s natural weapons, as well as any
chaos; 2nd—detect thoughts*, status, zone of truth; 3rd—dis- weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and chaotic-
pel magic, hold person*. * Domain Spell: Mentalism (+2 aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks; gain Fire Tongue (Su): 20-foot line, once every 2d4 rounds,
a +2 bonus on Will saves against Enchantment spells and damage 2d8 fire, Reflex DC 15 half. The save DC is
effects). Constitution-based.
Telepathy: The queen can communicate telepathically Heat (Su): The flamestone panther radiates so much
with any intelligent creature within 60 feet of any phalanx heat that its mere touch deals additional fire damage, as if
ant of her colony (within the 5 mile range of the hive its bite and claws were flaming weapons.
mind). Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a flamestone
panther must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to
Flamestone Panther start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack
Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Fire) of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a
Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp) hold and can rake.
Initiative: +5 Pounce (Ex): If a flamestone panther charges a foe, it
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), burrow 30 ft., climb 20 ft. can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Armor Class: 21 (+6 Dex, +5 natural), touch 16, Rake (Ex): +9 melee, damage 1d4+1 and 1d6 fire.
flat-footed 15 Skills: Flamestone panthers have a +8 racial bonus on
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9 Jump checks and a +5 racial bonus on Hide and Move
Attack: Bite +9 melee Silently checks.
Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d8+4 and 1d6 fire) and 2 claws +4 Flamestone panthers have a +8 racial bonus on Balance
melee (1d4+1 and 1d6 fire) and Climb checks. A flamestone panther can always choose
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
Special Attacks: Fire tongue, heat, improved grab, pounce, rake
1d4+1 and 1d6 fire. Magma Wraith
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, scent, vul- Medium Undead (Fire)
nerability to cold Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp)
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +5 Initiative: +3
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 21, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft.
Skills: Balance +19, Climb +18, Hide +14, Jump +19, Listen +11, Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Move Silently +13, Spot +11, Survival +6 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Feats: Alertness, Run, TrackB Attack: +4 slam (1d8+2 plus combustion) or +5 ranged (2d6 and

152 Q Appendix One: Monsters & Magic

1d6 fire for 1d3 rounds) Fiery Aura (Ex): Anyone within 20 feet of a magma
Full Attack: 2 slams +4 melee (1d8+2 plus combustion) or +5 wraith must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or take 1d6
ranged (2d6 and 1d6 fire for 1d3 rounds) points of heat damage per round from the intense heat.
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Special Attacks: Combustion, constrict (1d8+2 plus combustion), Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the magma
fiery aura, improved grab, magma missiles wraith must hit with both slams. It can then attempt to
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, melt start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack
weapons, tremorsense 60 ft., turn resistance +2, undead traits, of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a
vulnerability to cold hold and can constrict.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6 Magma Missiles (Ex): A magma wraith can forcefully
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con –, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15 hurl globs of molten stone at opponents. The magma
Skills: Hide +10*, Intimidate +8, Listen +9, Move Silently +10, wraith’s missiles have a range increment of 20 feet (maxi-
Spot +9* mum range 100 ft.).
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude A direct hit from a magma missile deals 2d6 points of
Environment: Underground fire damage, plus an additional 1d6 points of fire damage
Organization: Solitary, pair, flow (3-6) for the following 1d3 rounds. Like alchemist’s fire, every
Challenge Rating: 5 creature within 5 feet of the point where the missile strikes
Treasure: None take 1 point of fire damage from the splash.
Alignment: Always chaotic evil Melt Weapons (Ex): Any metal weapon that strikes a
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large) magma wraith must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or
Level Adjustment: – melt away. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Rising upwards is a creature seemingly composed of lava, its Phaethon

body glowing with a sullen crimson radiance. Roughly Phaethon, 1st-level Warrior
humanoid in shape, its face is twisted in grimace of hatred, Medium Humanoid (Elf, Fire)
white-hot eyes glaring and tormented as it flows forward. Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Tongues of flame leap sporadically from its body, creating arcs Initiative: +1
of fire that sputter and die, then burst into a shower of sparks. Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), flight 60 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 leather), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Magma wraiths are undead creatures, although they do not Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1
resemble one upon first sight. The spirits of those who Attack: Spear +1 melee (1d8/x3) or unarmed strike +1 melee
were burned alive and buried in unhallow ground, within (1d3/x2 plus 1d6 fire) or longbow +2 ranged (1d8/x3)
the magma wraith’s body of lava is a blackened skeleton Full Attack: Spear +1 melee (1d8/x3) or unarmed strike +1 melee
covered with obsidian shards. The spirit animates the skele- (1d3/x2 plus 1d6 fire) or longbow +2 ranged (1d8/x3)
ton and the magma, allowing it to move through the earth Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
like a lava flow, leaving destruction in its wake. Special Attacks: Flaming wings
Special Qualities: Elven blood, immunity to fire, low-light vision,
A magma wraith stands about as tall as a human, weigh- vulnerability to cold
ing as much as 500 pounds (of lava and minerals). Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0
Magma wraiths cannot speak, but they can understand Abilities: Str 11, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Common (and may be spoken with through spells such as Skills: Handle Animal +2, Search +3, Sense Motive +3, Spot +3
speak with dead). Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike
Environment: Temperate or warm mountains.
Combat Organization: Squad (2-4), patrol (5-8 plus 2 2nd-level sergeants
Magma wraiths are dangerous combatants as the com- and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level), or band (20-50 plus 10% noncom-
position of their ‘bodies’ is molten lava. A magma wraith batants plus 1 2nd-level sergeant per 5 adults, 2d4 6th-level lieu-
will prefer to engage in melee, seeking to bury their oppo- tenants, and 1d4 9th-level elders)
nents beneath a rush of fists and flame, but with the ability Challenge Rating: 1
to hurl globules of lava to bring down distant opponents. Treasure: Standard
Combustion (Ex): Anyone a magma wraith touches Alignment: Usually lawful neutral.
must succeed on a DC 14 Reflex save or take an extra 1d8 Advancement: By character class.
points of fire damage as clothes ignite or armor becomes Level Adjustment: +2
searing hot. The damage continues for another 1d4+2
rounds after the magma wraith’s last successful attack. This red-haired humanoid has somewhat elven features and
Magma wraiths can also ignite flammable materials with a is dressed in a simple shirt and breeches. It wears sandals and
touch. The save DC is Charisma-based. carries a spear with a leaf-shaped bladed point. Large angelic
Constrict (Ex): A magma wraith deals automatic slam wings made of flame sprout from its shoulders.
and combustion damage with a successful grapple check.

Appendix One: Monsters & Magic Q 153

 Phaethons are reclusive, mountain-dwelling folk. They Combat
are honest-minded and embrace the truth, but remain Phaethons are disciplined and organized combatants, but
aloof from other races due to years of isolationism. they are also reluctant to fight unless the situation is dire or
A phaethon resembles a half-elf in appearance, with hair their homesteads are threatened with destruction.
color ranging from red-blonde to a dark coppery-brown. Phaethon scouting groups will often locate an isolated
Their eyes are always deep brown in color, and their skin is enemy and subdue him, taking him away from the area and
typically weathered and ruddy from exposure to the ele- interrogating him for information. This knowledge is then
ments. Phaethons dress in simple clothing, usually tunics, quickly shared among other scout parties and with the eld-
breeches, sandals, or boots in colder weather. They favor ers of the community.
natural colors, such as browns, ivories and pale greens. When faced with an actual conflict, phaethons use ruth-
Phaethons possess the ability to manifest wings of less hit-and-run tactics designed to demoralize, weaken,
flame, a legacy of their distant past. Phaethon legends tell and hamper their enemy. They have no particular moral
of their common ancestor, a Kagonesti elf who claimed to issues with killing opponents if they are certain the oppo-
be the son of Habbakuk. His descendants fled persecution nent has no respect for life. Because of the circumstances
in the Kinslayer Wars to live in remote mountain settle- involved in rousing phaethons into combat, a phaethon
ments in the Khalkists, and inherited their fiery wings from unit will employ its flaming wings during the conflict both
him. As this is considered a sacred power, they are loathe to as transport and to enhance their combat effectiveness.
use it unless necessary. Phaethons favor the spear, the longbow, the quarterstaff,
Phaethons speak their own dialect of Elven and most and the dagger in combat. Most experienced phaethon
also know Common and Sylvan. Because of their connec- defenders and scouts are trained in unarmed combat to
tion to fire, some phaethons learn to speak Ignan. some degree. Rank and file phaethon warriors are dressed
in light armor such as leather. Metal armor is rare.
 Flaming Wings (Su): As a free action, phaethons can are monks or rangers. Phaethon clerics worship Habbakuk,
manifest a pair of angelic wings made of fire which enable Sirrion, or (rarely) Sargonnas. During the Age of Mortals,
them to fly at the listed speed. These wings may also be some phaethons turned to mysticism, though after the War
used to cause fire damage in unarmed combat. A phaethon of Souls most phaethon spellcasters are clerics or druids.
who makes an unarmed strike while his wings are mani- Phaethon characters possess the following racial traits.
fested inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage in addition to the —Strength -2, Wisdom +2
standard unarmed damage. A phaethon who is involved in —Medium size.
a grapple may add this damage to any damage inflicted on —A phaethon’s base land speed is 30 feet. It also has a
the opponent as a result of a grapple check. A phaethon fly speed of 60 feet (average).
who uses his wings to inflict additional fire damage in a —Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects,
round cannot also use them to fly in that round. and a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against enchant-
Elven Blood (Ex): For all effects related to race, a ment spells or effects.
phaethon is considered an elf. Phaethons, for example, are —Low-light vision.
just as vulnerable to special effects that affect elves as their —Racial Skills: A phaethon character has a +2 racial
elf ancestors are, and they can use magic items that are bonus on Search, Sense Motive and Spot checks.
only usable by elves. —Racial Feats: A phaethon character gains feats accord-
The phaethon warrior presented here had the following ing to its character class.
ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 13, Dex 12, Con —Special Attacks (see above): Flaming wings.
11, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8. —Special Qualities (see above): Elven blood, fire sub-
Challenge Rating: Phaethons with levels in NPC classes type (immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold).
have a CR equal to their character level. Phaethons with lev- —Automatic Languages: Common, Elven. Bonus
els in PC classes have a CR equal to their character level +1. Languages: Dwarven, Ignan, Sylvan.
—Favored Class: Monk.
Phaethon Society —Level adjustment: +2
Phaethons inherited much from their elven kindred,
including a fondness for nature and a close relationship Spider, Monstrous Trap Door
with animals and forests. However, their forced isolation- Medium Vermin
ism and self-reliance has given rise to a distinctly ordered Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
and ascetic community that embraces honesty, truth, and Initiative: +3
simple traditions. They lead rustic lives in high mountain Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
areas where sheltered valleys provide some measure of Armor Class: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
agricultural resources and seclusion. Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Following the Chaos war, when incursions of fire drag- Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+1 plus poison)
ons and daemon warriors destroyed their ancestral homes Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+1 plus poison)
in the Khalkists, most phaethons escaped to the Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Desolation. There, with an agreement forged between their Special Attacks: Poison, web
elders and Malystryx the Red, the phaethons were given the Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin
freedom to build new mountain settlements in return for traits.
acting as Malys’ border scouts and occasional agents. In the Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +2
wake of Malys’ death and the conclusion of the War of Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 2.
Souls, the phaethons are now forced to deal with treasure Skills: Climb +11, Hide +11, Move Silently +11, Spot +9
hunters, adventurers, rogue dragonspawn, and other Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)B
threats to their peaceful existence. This being the case, Environment: Temperate and warm plains
more and more young phaethons are drawn to the outside Organization: Solitary or clutch (2-5)
world in order to better know the danger to their kindred. Challenge Rating: 2
Phaethons don’t typically get along with most other Treasure: 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items
races, simply as a result of their isolated past. However, Advancement: 4-5 HD (Medium); 6-9 HD (Large); 10-12 HD
their preference would be towards other trustworthy folk, (Huge).
such as dwarves, or to sylvan people such as the Kagonesti. Level Adjustment: –
who while barbaric and wild are still more honest than
other elves. A large spider, not unlike a giant wolf spider, except that its
carapace is a mottled brown and black, with long fibrous
Phaethon Characters hairs covering its body. Eight glowing eyes gaze from above its
Disciplined and hard-working, phaethons encountered large mandibles.
outside their sheltered mountain communities are often Monstrous trap door spiders are large spiders that build
seeking truth or knowledge for their own reasons or by traps and pits in order to capture their prey. The traps of a
request of their elders. Others serve as guides or scouts for monstrous trap door spider are surprisingly complex, from
travelers in mountainous regions. Most phaethon leaders burrowing pits and concealing them to laying out sensitive

Appendix One: Monsters & Magic Q 155

webs that enable the monstrous trap door spider to detect any pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in con-
the approach of predator or prey. tact with the ground, or within any range if in contact with
A typical monstrous trap door spider’s body is about 5- the spider’s web.
1/2 feet long and weighs about 300 lbs. Skills: Monstrous trap door spiders receive a +4 racial
bonus on Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus to Hide, Move
Combat Silently, and Climb checks. A monstrous trap door spider
Monstrous trap door spiders are web-spinner spiders, can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if
building nests and webs and waiting for their prey, but rushed or threatened. Monstrous trap door spiders use
unlike many spiders, trap door spiders actually construct either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb
elaborate traps to lure in and trap their prey, particularly checks, whichever is greater.
with the pit trap that gave them their name.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 16, initial and sec- New Spells
ondary damage 1d4 Dex. The save is Constitution based These spells play various roles in Key of Destiny.
and includes a +4 racial bonus.
Web (Ex): Just as other types of monstrous spiders, Energy Barrier
monstrous trap door spiders can spin webs. A single strand Abjuration
of web is strong enough to support the spider and one Level: Drd 3, Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4
creature of the same size. Components: V, S, M/DF
The monstrous trap door spider may use its web up to Casting Time: 1 standard action
eight times per day. It has developed different methods of Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
utilizing its web to ensnare their prey. Each 5-foot section Effect: An amorphous barrier whose area is up to one 10-
of webbing has 10 hp and a damage reduction of 5/–. ft. square/level
Net: This is similar to an attack with a net but has a Duration: Concentration + 1 round/level
maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 Saving Throw: None
feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category Spell Resistance: Yes
larger that the spider. This spell creates a protective barrier against energy.
An entangled character can escape with a successful DC When you cast this it, you must select the type of energy to
12 Escape Artist check or burst it with a DC 16 Strength protect against (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). Once
check. Both are standard actions. The check DCs are created, the barrier cannot move (nor can you change the
Constitution-based, and the Strength check includes a +4 type of energy protected against), it is immune to damage
racial bonus. of all kinds, and it is unaffected by most spells, including
Pit Trap: A monstrous trap door spider will construct a dispel magic. However, disintegrate immediately destroys it,
deep pit in the ground, typically about 30 feet deep and no as does a rod of cancellation, a sphere of annihilation, or a
more than 10 feet in diameter. Over the pit, they will build [Mordenkainen’s] disjunction spell. Breath weapons and
a web covered with camouflage. Any creature of Small or spells with the energy type descriptor cannot pass through
larger passing over the pit will instantly fall to the base of the barrier either way.
the pit (suffering 3d6 falling damage), where the mon- An energy barrier will prevent a non-native Outsider of
strous trap door spider will pounce from a niche it has the appropriate energy subtype from passing through,
pressed its body into, using the closed quarters to its although it has no effect upon ethereal creatures, nor does
advantage. it stop such effects as dimension door or teleport from func-
Sheet: A monstrous trap door spider can create sheets of tioning.
sticky webbing up to 30 feet square. They usually position A fire barrier will halt the effects of heat as well as stem
these sheets to trap prey on the ground (as trap door spi- the flow of magma or lava. A cold barrier will stop solid ice
ders tend to be ground dwelling spiders). Approaching and snow. An acid barrier offers protection from water.
creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a Even though the energy barrier offers protection, it does
web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as not protect against dehydration, starvation, nor does it cre-
though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or ate oxygen where there is none (thus, an acid barrier could
burst the webbing gains a +5 bonus if the trapped creature be used to create a bubble underwater, but it does not
has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. allow excess oxygen to flow through the sphere).
Tripwire: Monstrous trap door spiders use tripwires Material Component: A pinch of powdered quartz.
primarily to alert themselves to the presence of prey from a
great distance off, leaving strands hidden amongst the Immolation
ground in such a way that any character passing within 100 Evocation
feet of a monstrous trap door spider’s nest will likely set Level: Sor/Wiz 4
one off. Characters may make a DC 20 Spot check to notice Components: V, S, M
a tripwire, otherwise they set it off when they move Casting Time: 1 standard action
through a square that the strand passes through. Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Tremorsense: A monstrous trap door spider can detect Target: One creature

156 Q Appendix One: Monsters & Magic

Duration: Concentration Special Purpose: Defeat/slay good-aligned divine spell-
Saving Throw: See below casters (including divine entities and servitors).
Spell Resistance: Yes Dedicated Power: Crushing despair.
You cause a creature to burn from within. When the Personality: Created by a priest of Mishakal who had
spell is first cast upon a creature, it is allowed a Fortitude turned to worshipping Chemosh, the blade of betrayal was
save to shake off the spell completely. If the victim fails his used to kill a High Priest of Paladine, whose blood was
initial saving throw, he takes an immediate 1d6 points of used to desecrate a sacred temple. The blade absorbed a
fire damage. In each subsequent round following the first, portion of its creator’s personality, becoming extremely sly
the victim must make an additional Fortitude save or suffer and cunning, willing to lie, cheat, or say whatever it needs
another 1d6 points of fire damage. The internal flames to in order to remain ‘useful’ and to perform its purpose:
continue to burn for as long as you maintain concentra- to slay any worshiper of the Gods of Light.
tion, or until the spell has dealt a maximum of 15d6 points Description: The blade of betrayal, also known as the
of damage. dagger of death’s embrace, is a dagger with a wicked blade
If the creature dies as a result of this spell (is brought to that curves snakelike, with sharp edges and an even sharper
–10 hp or lower), then the victim’s body is instantly con- point. The blade itself is pitch black and completely nonre-
sumed by flame, leaving behind only ash (and thus making flective, so as to not “betray” its wielder by glinting in
it very difficult to use spells such as raise dead, although ambient light. The crosshilt is shaped to resemble a cobra’s
there is enough ‘remains’ for a reincarnation or resurrection hood, offering some protection for the hand, with the
spell), although the victim’s possessions remain mostly blade emerging from the cobra’s open mouth, with small
untouched as the body incinerates almost instantaneously. black scales covering the hilt and handle.
Material Component: A ball of wax filled with ash from Aura: Moderate necromancy; Caster Level: 15th;
a funeral pyre. Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, poison; Market
Price: 77,502 stl.
Zone of Air
Evocation [Air] Diviner of Life
Level: Clr 3, Drd 2, Rgr 2, Sor/Wiz 3 This device resembles a baton, four-feet in length, with six-
Components: V, S, M/DF inch bands of alternating gold and steel rings capping
Casting Time: 1 standard action either end of a three-foot long cylinder of pure crystal. The
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) interior of crystal cylinder is filled with a swirling white
Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation from target creature fog. When the proper command word is spoken, the fog
Duration: 10 min./level (D) clears completely. If the end of the rod is then touched to a
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) creature, a colored radiance fills the cylinder. The color of
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) the radiance determines the status of the individual:
A faintly shimmering magical sphere surrounds the tar-
get creature with a gentle breeze, bringing with it clean, Color Health
breathable air. The magical sphere prevents noxious fumes White Full health
and vapors from entering the area of effect, as well as miti- Red Injured (51%+ hp remaining)
gates the lack of oxygen from high altitudes or in other sit- Orange Wounded (0-50% hp remaining)
uations where the air is lacking oxygen. The zone of air is Yellow Diseased
not strong enough to disperse magical fumes (such as that Green Poisoned
of a fog cloud, stinking cloud, or cloudkill spell), although it Blue Near Death (0 hp)
does temporarily displace the fumes from entering the area Indigo Dying (-1 or fewer hp)
of effect if the target creature is passing through such areas. Violet Undead
The zone of air does not function underwater, nor is the Black Neither alive nor dead
breeze strong enough to displace even the lightest of
objects (thus provides no deflection bonuses). The diviner of life has an AC 8, 10 hit points, hardness 8,
Material Component: A hollow glass bead. and a break DC of 27.
Aura: Moderate divination; Caster Level: 3rd;
New Magic Items Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, deathwatch; Market
The following new magical items and artifacts can be Price: 10,800 stl.
found in this adventure, useful to both heroes and villains.
Huma’s Lance [major artifact]
Blade of Betrayal This unique dragonlance was the first ever forged, so
+1 dagger of venom; AL NE; Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 15; that the knight Huma could face the Queen of Darkness
Speech, 60 ft. darkvision and hearing; Ego score 14. and her dragon hordes. This was the weapon that Huma
Lesser Powers: Hold person 3/day, item has 10 ranks in used to defeat Takhisis in the Age of Dreams.
Bluff (total modifier +12), item has deathwatch constantly Huma’s Lance is a +5 holy keen greater dragonlance.
active. When striking a true dragon (defined as any chromatic or

Appendix One: Monsters & Magic Q 157

metallic dragon, including aquatic and sea drag-
ons, but not including draconians, wyverns, or Using Huma’s Lance in Your Campaign…
other similar creatures), it ignores damage reduc- When the characters discover Huma’s Lance, the entire
tion as if it were an Epic weapon. shift of power in the adventure can change instantly—
When used against an evil true dragon, Huma’s dragons, the most feared and revered creatures on
Lance deals 2 points of permanent Constitution Ansalon, are helpless before its power.
drain with every hit, in addition to the lance’s In order to handle having one of Krynn’s most power-
normal damage and the bonus bane and holy ful and legendary artifacts in the campaign, it will require
damage. If the wielder scores a critical hit, the considerable forethought and planning on your part.
lance deals a number of points of permanent First, remember that in the hands of a non-lawful
Constitution drain equal to 5 + wielder’s level + good character, the full powers of the lance are not acces-
wielder’s Charisma modifier. sible. If you wish to limit its powers even more, you can
The wielder of Huma’s Lance gains the benefits add the requirement that a character must also be a
of the Mounted Combat feat when wielding the Knight of Solamnia.
lance. Secondly, as one of the most instantly recognizable
Once per day, the bearer of the lance can cast artifacts in the world, if the characters flaunt their posses-
dismissal as a 20th level spellcaster on any evil sion of the dragonlance, other parties will make their
outsider struck by the lance (who receive a penal- interests known as well—both the Knights of Neraka and
ty to their saving throw equal to 5 + wielder’s the Solamnic Knights prize this iconic weapon, as would
Charisma modifier). This can also be used on the Wizards of High Sorcery for study.
divine entities and servitors. Thirdly, the dragonlance is a divine relic. There is no
Huma’s Lance bestows two negative levels on disguising its holy aura from either those who are strong-
any evil creature attempting to wield it. The nega- ly aligned with good or those strongly aligned with evil.
tive levels remain as long as the weapon is in hand Clerics and mystics with the chosen domains of Good or
and disappear when the weapon is no longer Evil, Outsiders with the Good or Evil subtypes, and par-
wielded. The negative levels never result in actual ticularly chromatic (evil) dragons can sense the presence
level loss, but they cannot be overcome in any way of Huma’s Lance in the hands of a proper wielder within
(including restoration spells) while the weapon is a 10-ft. radius per HD, although it requires a
wielded. Concentration check against DC 20 + wielder’s Charisma
In the hands of a non-lawful good creature, modifier for the creature to pinpoint its location. If the
Huma’s Lance functions only as a +4 holy greater dragonlance is not being wielded (i.e., it is put away or
dragonlance, without any of its other characteris- appropriately stored), then its aura becomes muted.
tics. Adding Huma’s Lance to your campaign is going to
It is believed by many that Huma’s Lance has have drastic, far-reaching effects. Key of Destiny and its
other special qualities, such as the ability to sequel takes these factors into account.
appear in the dreams of those who are pure of
heart to offer advice or visions.
hide of a red dragon and studded with jagged obsidian
shards. The tip of the whip is weighted down with a
Feather Whistle wickedly spiked adamantine sphere. The handle of the
This large pinion is taken from the wing of a giant eagle. whip is blackened bone, inset with a spherical obsidian at
The shaft of the feather is thick, but hollowed out, with a the base of the haft, lit from within by a flickering tongue
small hole cut near the lip. When the feather is held to the of fire. When the whip is uncoiled and upon silent com-
lips and used like a whistle, it will release a single, clarion mand by its wielder, the length of the whip is sheathed in a
note sounding not unlike the cry of an eagle. This sum- nimbus of hungry flames.
mons 1d3 giant eagles, who will appear within 50 feet of Unlike a normal whip, this whip deals base damage as a
the user and act immediately upon being summoned. They spiked chain (2d4 damage as a Medium weapon), dealing
will obey the directives of the one who summoned them both bludgeoning and slashing damage (in addition to the
and remain for 7 rounds before disappearing. fire damage from the flaming special quality), and it will
A feather whistle may only be used once before its magic affect creatures with natural armor class.
expires, causing the feather to disintegrate into dust. While the whip is wielded, it grants its wielder protec-
Aura: Moderate conjuration (summoning); Caster Level: tion from cold, absorbing the first 10 points of cold dam-
7th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, summon nature’s age each round that the wielder would otherwise take.
ally IV; Market Price: 1,400 stl. Aura: Strong evocation; Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites:
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste, protection from
Hellfire Lash elements, and flame blade, fireball, or flamestrike; Market
This +1 flaming burst whip of speed is 15-feet long, of Price: 25,301 stl.
braided strands of supple black leather crafted from the

158 Q Appendix One: Monsters & Magic

Ring of Grace Shard of Light [minor artifact]
When preparing divine spells, the wearer of the ring of The shard of light is a +2 short sword, with a blade made
grace is considered to have a higher Wisdom score. This is of solid crystal that appears lit from within, as if sunlight
an enhancement bonus of +2, +4, or +6 (depending on the had been captured in the stone. Against evil creatures, its
item) that affects only the preparation of spells and the enhancement bonus is +4. Against Negative Energy Plane
modifier to saving throws against the wearer’s spells. creatures or undead creatures, the sword deals double
Aura: Moderate transmutation; Caster Level: 12th; damage (and x3 on a critical hit instead of x2).
Prerequisites: Forge Ring, owl’s wisdom; Market Price: 3,000 The blade, when unsheathed, gives off light as a torch
stl (+2), 12,000 stl (+4), 27,000 stl (+6). (20-foot radius). Twice per day, the wielder can hold the
blade overhead and call upon the Gods of Light. The shard
Ring of Heart’s Path of light begins to shed a bright yellow radiance that is like
This simple band is set with a perfectly clear diamond full daylight. The radiance begins shining in a 10-foot
with nine facets. If worn on the index finger, three times radius around the sword wielder and extends outwards at 5
per day it can be used to detect the presence of either good feet per round for 10 rounds thereafter, to create a globe of
or evil in any individual that finger is pointed at. The indi- light with a 60-foot radius. When the wielder lowers the
vidual must be within line-of-sight and no more than 40 blade, the radiance fades to a dim glow but persists for
feet away. After one round, the gem will start glowing faint- another minute before fading entirely.
ly if it detects either good or evil: Once per day, as a free action, the wielder can transform
the blade into pure light, enabling it to ignore nonliving
matter when it strikes. This effect lasts until the wielder’s
Alignment Color next turn. Armor bonuses to AC (including enhancement
Good Silver bonuses to that armor) do not count against it because the
Evil Indigo weapon passes through armor. (Dexterity, deflection,
dodge, natural armor, and other such bonuses still apply.)
Aura: Moderate divination; Caster Level: 12th; When transformed into solid light, the blade cannot harm
Prerequisites: Forge Ring, detect evil, detect good; Market undead, constructs, or objects.
Price: 25,868 stl. Once per week, the shard of light can unleash a ray of
sunlight as a 60-foot cone. Anything within the cone is
revealed as if affected by a true seeing spell. The cone only

Appendix One: Monsters & Magic Q 159

lasts for 1 minute before fading away, taking the true seeing ture (undead, constructs, creatures unaffected by critical
effect with it. hits, and creatures immune to death effects are immune to
The shard of light is of good alignment and any evil this burst of negative energy).
creature attempting to wield it gains one negative level. The The wielder of the staff is able to use the following
negative level remains as long as the sword is in hand and spells:
disappears when the sword is no longer wielded. This nega- Chill Touch (1 charge).
tive level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be Death Knell (1 charge). Instead of the wielder absorbing
overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the life energy, the energy is used to recharge the staff
the sword is wielded. (restoring 1d8 charges to the staff).
Aura: Strong abjuration; Caster Level: 18th. Death Watch (1 charge).
Command Undead (2 charges).
Staff of Bones [minor artifact] Vampiric Touch (2 charges).
This staff is typically shaped from the spinal column Animate Dead (3 charges).
and skull of an intelligent humanoid creature, sealed with Halt Undead (4 charges).
lacquer and decorated with intricate runic carvings across Create Undead (5 charges).
the skull. Create Greater Undead (10 charges, only usable 1/week).
The staff is treated as a +1 ghost touch quarterstaff in If the staff is drained of all charges, it becomes a simple
combat. When the wielder scores a critical hit, the staff +1 quarterstaff until the wielder casts death knell upon the
releases a burst of chilling necromantic energy that deals quarterstaff and uses it to kill a dying creature.
an additional 2d6 points of damage against any living crea- Aura: Strong necromancy; Caster Level: 17th.

160 Q Appendix One: Monsters & Magic

 Appendix Two
Characters & Creatures
his appendix contains all the game statistics for all Garthak, the Drunken Ogre
T the nonplayer characters and monsters encountered
during the adventure.
Male ogre Brb1: CR 3; Large giant; HD 4d8+16 (ogre)
plus 1d12+4 (barbarian); hp 45; Init +0; Spd 50 ft.; AC 9,
touch 5, flat-footed 9; Base Atk +4; Grp +11; Atk +7 melee
(1d4+3 non-lethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +7 melee
Chapter 1 (1d4+3 non-lethal, unarmed strike); Space/Reach 10 ft./10
ft.; SA rage 1/day; SQ darkvision 60 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +6,
Typical Commoner Ref -3, Will -2; Str 24, Dex 11, Con 19, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 6.
Male human Com1 (7): CR 1/2; Medium humanoid Skills and Feats: Intimidate +1, Spot +2; Improved Bull
(human); HD 1d4; hp 3; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch Rush, Improved Overrun, Power Attack.
10, flat-footed 10; Base Atk +0; Grp +0; Atk +0 melee (1d3 Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day,
non-lethal, unarmed strike) or +0 melee (1d4/19-20/x2, which lasts for 9 rounds. In a rage, he temporarily gains a
dagger); Full Atk +0 melee (1d3 non-lethal, unarmed +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a
strike) or +0 melee (1d4/19-20/x2, dagger); Space/Reach 5 +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to
ft./5 ft.; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 11, Dex 10, Armor Class. This modifies his statistics as follows:
Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11. Str 28, Con 23, Fort +8, Will +0, AC 7, Atk +9 melee
Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +4, Listen +2, (1d4+5 non-lethal, unarmed strike).
Profession (varies) +7, Spot +2; Endurance, Skill Focus Possessions: +1 hide armor, 4 bloodstones (50 stl each), 3
(Profession). red garnets (100 stl each), and 15 sp.
Possessions: Dagger, peasant’s outfit, 1d4+2 cp. Note: Garthak’s CR is currently 3 owing to his drunken
state, and would be 4 if he were sober. The -4 penalty to
Dove attack rolls, damage rolls, AC and saving throws is included
Female half-elf Exp1: CR 1/2; Medium humanoid (half- in the statistics above.
elf); HD 1d6+1; hp 5; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12,
flat-footed 10; Base Atk +0; Grp -1; Atk -1 melee (1d4- Rowan Whispertouch
1/19-20, dagger); Full Atk -1 melee (1d4-1/19-20, dagger); Male kender Rog1: CR 1; Small humanoid (kender);
Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SQ elvensight, half-elf traits; AL N; HD 1d6+1; hp 5; Init +3; Spd 20 ft.; AC 14, touch 14, flat-
SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 12, footed 11; Base Atk +0; Grp -4; Atk +1 melee (1d3/19-20,
Wis 10, Cha 15. dagger); Full Atk +1 melee (1d3/19-20, dagger);
Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Diplomacy +8, Gather Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ kender
Information +8, Listen +1, Profession (courtesan) +7, traits, trapfinding; AL CN; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +2; Str
Search +2, Sense Motive +4, Sleight of Hand +6, Spot +1, 11, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.
Use Rope +6; Skill Focus (Profession—courtesan). Skills and Feats: Bluff +3 (+7 taunt), Escape Artist +10,
Half-Elf Traits: Immunity to sleep spells and effects, +1 Hide +7, Open Lock +9, Search +4, Sleight of Hand +9,
racial bonus to Listen, Search and Spot checks, +2 racial Spot +7, Tumble +7, Use Magic Device +3; Skill Focus
bonus to Diplomacy and Gather Information checks, +2 (Escape Artist).
racial bonus to saves vs. enchantment spells and effects. Kender Traits: Immunity to fear effects, +2 racial bonus
Possessions: Courtesan’s outfit, dagger, 6 stl. on Open Lock, Sleight of Hand and Spot checks, +1 racial
bonus on all saving throws, -4 racial penalty on
Blackbird’s Goons Concentration checks, +4 racial bonus on Bluff checks to
Male human War2 (2): CR 1; Medium humanoid taunt others.
(human); HD 2d8+4; hp 12, 9; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, Possessions: Dagger, 2 potions of cure light wounds, 65 stl
touch 11, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk +5
melee (1d3+2, unarmed strike); Full Atk +5 melee (1d3+2, Street Toughs
unarmed strike); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL CN; SV Fort Male human War1 (6): CR 1/2; Medium humanoid
+5, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, (human); HD 1d8+2; hp 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 5; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.;
Cha 13. AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk
Skills and Feats: Bluff +3, Climb +5, Intimidate +6, +4 melee (1d6+2, club) or +2 ranged (1d6/19-20, light
Swim +5; Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus crossbow); Full Atk +4 melee (1d6+2, club) or +2 ranged
(unarmed strike). (1d6/19-20, light crossbow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL CE;
Possessions: Leather armor, 125 stl or 2 garnets (value: 25 SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8,
stl each). Wis 12, Cha 10.
 Skills and Feats: Intimidate +7, Spot +3; Skill Focus Skills and Feats: Craft (armorsmithing) +4, Craft (black-
(Intimidate), Weapon Focus (club). smithing) +4, Craft (weaponsmithing) +4; Power Attack,
Possessions: Club, light crossbow, 10 crossbow bolts, Weapon Focus (longsword).
studded leather armor; total of 105 stl, 194 sp, and 75 cp Possessions: Masterwork chain shirt, masterwork
between all toughs. longsword, peasant’s outfit, starjewel medallion, 200 stl.

Aranol Nightblade Jacob’s Sons

Male Silvanesti elf Rog4: CR 4; Medium humanoid Male human Exp1 (2): CR 1/2; Medium humanoid
(elf); HD 4d6; hp 14; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 14, (human); HD 1d4+1; hp 4; Init -2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 8, touch
flat-footed 13; Base Atk +3; Grp +4; Atk +5 melee 8, flat-footed 8; Base Atk +0; Grp +1; Atk +1 melee (1d3+1
(1d6+2/18-20, +1 rapier) or +8 ranged (1d8+1/x3, master- non-lethal, unarmed strike) or +1 melee (1d4+1/19-20,
work composite longbow); Full Atk +5 melee (1d6+2/18- dagger); Full Atk +1 melee (1d3+1 non-lethal, unarmed
20, +1 rapier) or +8 ranged (1d8+1/x3, masterwork com- strike) or +1 melee (1d4+1/19-20, dagger); Space/Reach 5
posite longbow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA sneak attack ft./5 ft.; AL NG; SV Fort +1, Ref -2, Will +2; Str 13, Dex 6,
+2d6; SQ elvensight, evasion, Silvanesti traits, trap sense Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11.
+1, trapfinding, uncanny dodge; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +8, Skills and Feats: Craft (blacksmithing) +4, Diplomacy
Will +3; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 6. +4, Profession (merchant) +7; Endurance, Skill Focus
Skills and Feats: Bluff +5, Disguise +5, Escape Artist (Profession—merchant), Martial Weapon Proficiency
+11, Hide+11, Jump +10, Knowledge (Arcana) +2, Listen (longsword).
+9, Move Silently +11, Spellcraft +2, Spot +9, Tumble +13; Possessions: Dagger, peasant’s outfit, 8 sp.
Combat Expertise, Improved Feint.
Silvanesti Traits: Immune to sleep spells and effects, +2 Dark Knight Patrol
racial bonus on saves against enchantment effects, +1 racial Male human War1 (3): CR 1/2; Medium humanoid
bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft checks, +2 (human); HD 1d8+1; hp 9; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 15,
racial bonus on Listen, Search and Spot checks. touch 10, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +1; Grp +2; Atk +2
Possessions: Masterwork studded leather, +1 rapier, mas- melee (1d10+1/19-20, bastard sword) or +1 ranged
terwork composite longbow [+1 Str bonus], 20 masterwork (1d8/19-20, heavy crossbow); Full Atk +2 melee
arrows, 50 ft. silk rope, grappling hook, 2 bags of caltrops, (1d10+1/19-20, bastard sword) or +1 ranged (1d8/19-20,
2 tanglefoot bags, potion of jump, 2 potions of cure light heavy crossbow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL LE; SV Fort
wounds, 50 stl. +3, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 10,
Cha 8.
Leper Elves Skills and Feats: Intimidate +3, Ride +4, Sense Motive
Male Silvanesti elf Com1 (3): CR 1/2; Medium +2; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Toughness.
humanoid (elf); HD 1d4; hp 2; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, Possessions: Chainmail, heavy steel shield, bastard sword,
touch 13, flat-footed 11; Base Atk +0; Grp +2; Atk +3 sounding horn, manacles with average quality lock.
melee (1d6+2/18-20, rapier); Full Atk +3 melee (1d6+2/18-
20, rapier); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SQ elvensight, Silvanesti Dark Knight Patrol Leader
traits; AL NG; SV Fort -1, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 14, Dex 17, Male human Ftr2: CR 2; Medium humanoid (human);
Con 8, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 6. HD 2d10+4; hp 16; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 18, touch 11,
Skills and Feats: Hide +5, Knowledge (Arcana) +3, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk +6 melee
Listen +7, Profession (varies) +4, Search +4, Spellcraft +3, (1d10+2/19-20, masterwork bastard sword) or +3 ranged
Spot +7; Weapon Focus (rapier). (1d8+2/x3, masterwork composite longbow); Full Atk +6
Silvanesti Traits: Immune to sleep spells and effects, +2 melee (1d10+2/19-20, masterwork bastard sword) or +3
racial bonus on saves against enchantment effects, +1 racial ranged (1d8+2/x3, masterwork composite longbow);
bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft checks, +2 Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1;
racial bonus on Listen, Search and Spot checks. Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8.
Possessions: Rapier, thick leper’s robes (treat as padded Skills and Feats: Gather Information +1, Intimidate +4,
armor), 20 stl. Jump -2, Ride +6, Sense Motive +2; Combat Expertise,
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Toughness,
Jacob the “Peasant” Weapon Focus (bastard sword).
Male human Ftr1: CR 1; Medium humanoid (human); Possessions: Masterwork chainmail, masterwork heavy
HD 1d10+2; hp 8 (currently 3); Init -1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, steel shield, masterwork bastard sword, masterwork com-
touch 9, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk +5 melee posite longbow [+2 Str bonus], 20 arrows, sounding horn,
(1d8+2/19-20, longsword); Full Atk +5 melee (1d8+2/19- sketches.
20, longsword); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL CG; SV Fort +4,
Ref -1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha
13.

162 Q Key of Destiny

Mayor’s Guard ing; AL CE; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +0; Str 12, Dex 17,
Male human Ftr1: CR 1; Medium humanoid (human); Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 6.
HD 1d10+2; hp 8; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 16, touch 11, flat- Skills and Feats: Bluff +2, Disable Device +7, Hide +7,
footed 15; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk +3 melee (1d10+2/19- Listen +4, Move Silently +7, Open Lock +7, Search +5,
20, bastard sword) or +1 ranged (1d8/19-20, heavy cross- Sleight of Hand +7, Spot +4; Dodge.
bow); Full Atk +3 melee (1d10+2/19-20, bastard sword) or Possessions: Leather armor, longsword, 4 daggers
+1 ranged (1d8/19-20, heavy crossbow); Space/Reach 5
ft./5 ft.; Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Elven Scouts
Will +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. Female Silvanesti elf Rgr1 (2): CR 1; Medium
Skills and Feats: Intimidate +6, Knowledge (Local) +2, humanoid (elf); HD 1d8-1; hp 7, 5; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC
Sense Motive +2; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +1; Grp +2; Atk +4
sword), Skill Focus (Intimidate). melee (1d6+1/18-20, rapier), or +3 ranged (1d8/x3, long-
Possessions: Breastplate, heavy steel shield, bastard bow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA favored enemy humans
sword, heavy crossbow, 10 crossbow bolts. +2; SQ elvensight, Silvanesti traits, wild empathy -1; SV
Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +2; AL N; Str 12, Dex 17, Con 8, Int
Blackbird 15, Wis 14, Cha 6.
Male half-ogre Ftr5/Rog4: CR 10; Medium humanoid Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +2, Heal +6, Hide +5,
(half-ogre); HD 4d6 (rogue) + 5d10 (fighter); hp 42; Init Knowledge (arcana) +3, Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +4,
+0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +8; Move Silently +5, Search +8, Spellcraft +3, Spot +4,
Grp +11; Atk +13 melee (1d8+6/19-20, +1 longsword); Full Survival +6, Swim +5; TrackB, Weapon Finesse (rapier).
Atk +13/+8 melee (1d8+6/19-20, +1 longsword); Silvanesti Traits: Immune to sleep spells and effects, +2
Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ evasion, racial bonus on saves against enchantment effects, +1 racial
low-light vision, trap sense +1, trapfinding, uncanny bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft checks, +2
dodge; AL CN; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 16, Dex 10, racial bonus on Listen, Search and Spot checks.
Con 10, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 16. Possessions: Chain shirt, rapier, longbow, 20 arrrows, 150
Skills and Feats: Bluff +12, Diplomacy +16, Gather stl.
Information +15, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (local) +8,
Listen +9, Profession (inkeeper) +8, Ride +4, Sense Motive Hiccep, Goblin Thug
+10, Use Magic Device +10; Combat Expertise, Improved Male goblin Ftr2: CR 2; Small humanoid (goblinoid);
Feint, Leadership, Negotiator, Persuasive, Weapon Focus HD 2d10+2; hp 9; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 14, flat-
(longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword). footed 16; Base Atk +2; Grp -1; Atk +4 melee (1d2+1 non-
Possessions: +1 glamered (peasant’s outfit) chain shirt, +1 lethal, whip) or +4 melee (1d4+1/19-20, short sword); Full
longsword (kept under bar), ring of protection +1, brooch of Atk +2 melee (1d2+1 non-lethal, whip) and +2 melee
shielding (78 points remaining), cloak of resistance +1, 3 (1d4+1/19-20, short sword); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SQ
potions of cure moderate wounds, 2 tanglefoot bags, 417 stl. darkvision 60 ft.; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -1; AL CE; Str
13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10.
Dark Knight Sentry Skills and Feats: Hide +9, Intimidate +2, Move Silently
Male human Ftr1: CR 1; Medium humanoid (human); +9; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Whip), Two Weapon
HD 1d10+2; hp 11; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 16, touch 11, Defense, Two Weapon Fighting.
flat-footed 15; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk +4 melee Possessions: Chain shirt, whip, short sword.
(1d10+2/19-20, bastard sword) or +2 ranged (1d8/19-20,
heavy crossbow); Full Atk +4 melee (1d10+2/19-20, bas- Chapter 2
tard sword) or +2 ranged (1d8/19-20, heavy crossbow);
Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0; Minotaur Scouts
Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8. Male minotaur Ftr1 (2): CR 1; Medium humanoid
Skills and Feats: Gather Information +3, Intimidate +3, (minotaur); HD 1d10+2; hp 8; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12,
Ride +4, Sense Motive +2; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bas- touch 10, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +1; Grp +5; Atk +6
tard sword), Toughness, Weapon Focus (bastard sword). melee (2d6+6/19-20, greatsword) or +5 melee (1d6+4,
Possessions: Chainmail, heavy steel shield, bastard sword. gore) or +2 ranged (1d6+4, javelin); Full Atk +6 melee
(2d6+6/19-20, greatsword) and +0 melee (1d6+2, gore); or
Goblin Thieves +2 ranged (1d6+4, javelin); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; AL NE;
Male goblin Rog1 (2): CR 1; Small humanoid (gobli- SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +1; Str 19, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 8,
noid); HD 1d6+1; hp 7, 5; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch Wis 12, Cha 6.
14, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +0; Grp -3; Atk +2 melee Skills and Feats: Survival +5, Swim +6, Use Rope +2;
(1d6+1/19-20, longsword), or +3 ranged (1d2+1/19-20, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword).
throwing dagger); Full Atk +2 melee (1d6+1/19-20, Possessions: Chain shirt (carried, not presently worn),
longsword); or +3 ranged (1d2+1/19-20, throwing dagger); greatsword, 3 javelins, desert robes (+2 bonus on Fort saves
Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ trapfind- to resist heat exhaustion), water skins (7 days worth).

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 163

Minotaur Leader ft./5 ft.; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will -1; Str 14, Dex 15,
Male minotaur Rgr2/Barb1: CR 3; Medium humanoid Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13.
(minotaur); HD 2d8+4 (ranger) + 1d12+2 (barbarian); hp Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +5, Jump +6, Ride +5;
21; Init +2; Spd 40 ft.; AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13; Base Mounted Combat, Ride-By-Attack.
Atk +3; Grp +7; Atk +8 melee (1d8+6/19-20, masterwork Possessions: Chain shirt, scimitar, light wooden shield,
two-bladed sword) or +7 melee (1d6+4, gore) or +5 lance, shortbow, 20 arrows, light horse.
ranged (1d6+4, javelin); Full Atk +6/+6 melee (1d8+6/19-
20, masterwork two-bladed sword) and +2 melee (1d6+2, Black Rider, Leader
gore) or +5 ranged (1d6+4, javelin); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; Male nomad human Ftr3: CR 3; Medium humanoid
SA favored enemy humans +2, rage 1/day; SQ wild empa- (human); HD 3d10+3; hp 22; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17,
thy; AL NE; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will -1; Str 18, Dex 15, touch 13, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +3; Grp +5; Atk +6
Con 15, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 12. melee (1d6+2/18-20, masterwork scimitar) or +6 melee
Skills and Feats: Hide +7, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (1d8+2/x3, masterwork lance) or +6 ranged (1d6+2/x3,
(Geography) +6, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Listen +5, Spot masterwork composite shortbow); Full Atk +6 melee
+4, Survival +5, Swim +6, Use Rope +4; Exotic Weapon (1d6+2/18-20, masterwork scimitar); or +6 melee
Proficiency (two-bladed sword), TrackB, Two Weapon (1d8+2/x3, masterwork lance); or +6 ranged (1d6+2/x3,
Defense, Two-Weapon FightingB. masterwork composite shortbow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.;
Combat Style (Ex): This ranger has chosen two-weapon AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12,
combat as his combat style. Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 14.
Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day, Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +8, Jump +7, Ride +9;
which lasts for 8 rounds. In a rage, he temporarily gains a Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge,
+4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a Trample.
+2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to Possessions: Masterwork chain shirt, buckler, masterwork
Armor Class. This modifies his statistics as follows: lance, masterwork scimitar, masterwork composite short-
Str 22, Con 19, Fort +7, Will +1, AC 13, Atk +10 melee bow [+2 Str bonus], 20 arrows, warhorse.
(1d8+8/19-20, masterwork two-bladed sword) or +9 melee
(1d6+6, gore) or +5 ranged (1d6+6, javelin). Malat, the “Minotaur”
Possessions: Masterwork chain shirt (carried, not Male nomad human Bbn4: CR 4; Medium humanoid
presently worn), masterwork two-bladed sword, desert (human); HD 4d12+8; hp 31; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 15,
robes (+2 on Fort saves to resist heat exhaustion), water touch 10, flat-footed 15; Base Atk: +4; Grp +9; Atk +10
skins (7 days worth), 7 days worth of rations, 2 potions of melee (1d12+5, masterwork greataxe) or +9 melee (1d4+5,
cure light wounds. unarmed strike); Full Atk +10 melee (1d12+5, masterwork
greataxe) or +9 melee (1d4+5, unarmed strike); SA Rage
Gildedmane 2/day; SQ Trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; Space/Reach 5
Male centaur Rgr1: CR 4; Medium monstrous ft./5ft.; AL CN; SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 20, Dex 11,
humanoid; HD 4d8+4 (centaur) +1d8+1 (ranger); hp 31; Con 15, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 14.
Init +9; Spd 60 ft.; AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 12; Base Atk Skills & Feats: Climb +10, Handle Animal +9, Listen +5,
+5; Grp +17; Atk +8 melee (1d6+4, hoof) or +8 melee Ride +7, Survival +6, Swim +8; Improved Bull Rush,
(1d10+6/x3, masterwork longspear) or +10 ranged Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack.
(1d10+4/x3, masterwork composite longbow); Full Atk +8 Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day,
melee (1d10+6/x3, masterwork longspear) and +3 melee which lasts for 7 rounds. In a rage, he temporarily gains a
(1d6+4, 2 hooves); or +10 ranged (1d10+4/x3, masterwork +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a
composite longbow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA favored +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to
enemy minotaurs +2; SQ darkvision 60 ft., wild empathy; Armor Class. This modifies his statistics as follows:
AL NG; SV Fort +2, Ref +9, Will +6; Str 18, Dex 20, Con Str 24, Con 19, Fort +8, Will +2, AC 13, Atk +12 melee
12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 13. (1d12+7, masterwork greataxe) or +11 melee (1d4+7,
Skills and Feats: Hide +11, Knowledge (nature) +3, unarmed strike).
Listen +9, Spot +9, Survival +10; Improved Grapple, Possessions: Cloak of the bull (acts as rhino hide armor),
Improved Initiative, TrackB. masterwork studded leather, masterwork greataxe.
Possessions: Masterwork composite longbow [+4 Str
bonus], masterwork longspear, waterskin (1 day). Thanator “Shroud” Grave-Eyes
Male kender Rog5/Kender Nightstalker1: CR 6; Small
Black Riders humanoid (kender); HD 6d6+6; hp 27; Init +3; Spd 20 ft.;
Male nomad human War1 (4): CR 1/2; Medium AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +3; Grp -2;
humanoid (human); HD 1d8+1; hp 6; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Atk/Full Atk +3 melee (1d4-1, masterwork hoopak as staff)
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk or +7 ranged (1d2-1/x2, masterwork hoopak as sling);
+3 melee (1d6+2/19-20, scimitar) or +3 melee (1d8+2/x3, Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA sneak attack +3d6; SQ death
lance) or +3 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow); Space/Reach 5 sight, evasion, kender traits, trap sense +1, trapfinding,

164 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

turn undead, uncanny dodge; AL NG; SV Fort +4, Ref +9, spells; SQ darkvision 60 ft; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will
Will +7; Str 8, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12. +8; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +9 (+13 taunt), Diplomacy +9, Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Listen +7, Spellcraft
Gather Information +9, Listen +10, Open Lock +13, Sense +8, Spot +7, Swim +11; Alertness, Combat Casting, Eschew
Motive +10, Sleight of Hand +13, Spot +12, Use Magic MaterialsB, Lightning Reflexes
Device +5; Extra Turning, Great Fortitude, Iron Will. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and sec-
Death Sight (Sp): 1/day—as detect undead, but the ondary damage 1d8 Con.
nightstalker does not have to concentrate to maintain the Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/7/4; spell save DC 12 + spell
spell. Caster level 1. level): 0—acid splash, daze, detect magic, light, mage hand,
Kender Traits: Immunity to fear effects, +2 racial bonus open/close, read magic; 1st—expeditious retreat, magic mis-
on Open Lock, Sleight of Hand and Spot checks, +1 racial sile, obscuring mist, shield, true strike; 2nd—invisibility, ele-
bonus on all saving throws, -4 racial penalty on mental dart*, mirror image; 3rd—protection from energy,
Concentration checks, +4 racial bonus on Bluff checks to suggestion.
taunt others. *Spell from DRAGONLANCE CAMPAIGN SETTING.
Turn Undead (Su): 4/day, turning check 1d20+1, turn-
ing damage 2d6+2 HD. Ghost of Young Priest
Nightstalker Spells Known (1; spell save DC 12 + spell Ghost human male Clr3 of Mishakal; CR 5; Medium
level): 1st—deathwatch. undead (augmented humanoid [human], incorporeal); HD
Possessions: +1 leather armor, masterwork hoopak, col- 3d12; hp 19; Init +0; Spd fly 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, flat-
lection of macabre and creepy objects, 65 stl footed 11; Base Atk +2; Grp +2; Atk/Full Atk +3 melee
(1d6, incorporeal touch); SA corrupting touch, manifesta-
Ogre Skeletons tion, telekinesis; SQ darkvision 60 ft, incorporeal traits,
CR 2; Large undead; HD 4d12; hp 26; Init +4; Spd 40 rejuvenation, turn resistance +4, undead traits; AL N; SV
ft.; AC 16, touch 9, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +2; Grp +11; Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 10, Dex 13, Con —, Int 10,
Atk +7 melee (2d8+7/19-20, greatsword) or +7 melee Wis 15, Cha 12.
(1d6+5, claw); Full Atk +7 melee (2d8+7/19-20, Skills and Feats: Heal +11, Hide +9, Knowledge (reli-
greatsword); or +7 melee (1d6+5, 2 claws); Space/Reach 10 gion) +6, Listen +10, Search +8, Spot +10; Combat
ft./10 ft.; SA —; SQ damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, Reflexes, Dodge, Skill Focus (Heal)
immunity to cold, undead traits; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref Cleric Spells Prepared: None. This ghost’s maddened
+1, Will +4; Str 21, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1. state means that it no longer has access to clerical spells.
Skills and Feats: —; Improved Initiative
Possessions: Rusty breastplate, greatsword Anasana
Aranea Sor3; CR 7; Medium magical beast
The Guardian (shapechanger); HD 3d10+3d4+12; hp 35; Init +6; Spd 50
Male spectral minion human Ftr4: CR 5; Medium ft., climb 25 ft.; AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11; Base Atk
undead (incorporeal); HD 4d12; hp 26; Init +3; Spd 60 ft.; +3; Grp +3; Atk/Full Atk +5 melee (1d6 plus poison, bite)
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 11; Base Atk +3; Grp —; Atk or +5 ranged (web); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA poison,
+3 melee (1d8/19-20, longsword); Full Atk +3 melee spells, web; SQ change shape, darkvision 60 ft., low-light
(1d8/19-20, longsword); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA —; SQ vision; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4; Str 11, Dex 15,
obsession, spell resistance 16, turn immunity; AL N; SV Con 14, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 15.
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0; Str —, Dex 18, Con —, Int 8, Wis Skills and Feats: Climb +14, Concentration +8, Escape
10, Cha 12. Artist +5, Jump +13, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen +6,
Skills and Feats: Bluff +3, Hide +8, Intimidate +10, Spellcraft +8, Spot +6, Use Magic Device +8; Improved
Jump +7, Listen +6, Spot +6; Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron WillB, Magical Affinity, Weapon Finesse
Feint, Mobility, Persuasive. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 13, initial and sec-
Obsession (Su): The Guardian gains a +2 morale bonus ondary damage 1d6 Str.
on any ability check, skill check, attack roll, or saving throw Web (Ex): 6/day—10 ft range increment, 50 ft max
that applies to his guardian duties. range; DC 13 Escape Artist or DC 17 Strength check to
Possessions: Incorporeal breastplate, incorporeal escape; hardness 0, hp 6, double damage from fire.
longsword. Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/6/4; spell save DC 12 + spell
level): 0—daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, mending,
Chapter 3 read magic, touch of fatigue. 1st—obscuring mist, sleep, sum-
mon monster I; 2nd—fog cloud, summon swarm; 3rd—sum-
Opalescent mon monster III.
Water naga; CR 7; Large aberration; HD 7d8+28; hp 59; Possessions: robes, arcane scrolls (1st—protection from
Init +1; Spd 30 ft., swim 50 ft.; AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed chaos; 3rd—bilim’s bifrost bridge*; 4th—charm monster,
14; Base Atk +5; Grp +12; Atk/Full Atk +7 melee (2d6+4 mass enlarge person; 5th—break enchantment, passwall; all
plus poison, bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA poison, caster level 9), divine scrolls (2nd—calm emotions, gentle

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 165

repose, zone of truth; 3rd—protection from energy; 5th— Fire Mystic Leader
righteous might; all caster level 9), writing materials, spell Male human Mys4; CR 4; Medium humanoid (human);
components, scrollcases. HD 4d8+4; hp 22; Init -1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 14, touch 9, flat-
*Spell from DRAGONLANCE CAMPAIGN SETTING. footed 14; Base Atk +3; Grp +4; Atk/Full Atk +5 melee
(1d8+1, masterwork morningstar); SA spells; SQ spells; AL
Sacred Guardian of Mishakal N; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +8; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 13, Int
Sacred Guardian of Healing: CR 4; Medium construct; 11, Wis 15, Cha 14.
HD 2d10+30; hp 41; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 18, touch 10, Skills and Feats: Craft (glassblowing) +5, Diplomacy +6,
flat-footed 18; Base Atk +1; Grp +4; Atk +4 melee (1d8+3, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Spellcraft +6; Endurance, Iron
slam) or +5 melee (1d6+4 and 1d6 non-lethal, +1 quarter- Will, Spell Focus (evocation)
staff); Full Atk +4 melee (1d8+3, slam) or +5 melee (1d6+4 Mystic Spells Known (6/7/4; spell save DC 12 + spell
and 1d6 non-lethal, +1 quarterstaff); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; level, DC 13 + spell level w/evocation spells): 0—cure
SA Merciful blow; SQ Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., minor wounds, detect magic, light, mending, purify food and
divine grace, fast healing 5, hardness 8, low-light vision; AL drink, resistance; 1st—burning hands*, cure light wounds,
NG; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will –5; Str 16, Dex 14, Con —, endure elements, magic weapon; 2nd—produce flame*, resist
Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 12. energy.
Skills and Feats: None. * Domain spell. Domain: Fire (turn water creatures or
Merciful Blow (Su): Strikes with the quarterstaff deal an rebuke fire creatures 5/day)
additional 1d6 non-lethal damage. Possessions: Masterwork breastplate, masterwork morn-
Divine Grace (Su): Once per day, the sacred guardian of ingstar, robes, flint & tinder, 1 week’s dry rations, water-
Mishakal may cast heal. skin, spell components

Sacred Guardian of Paladine Elven Merchant

Sacred Guardian of Sun: CR 4; Medium construct; HD Male Silvanesti elf Exp2; CR 1; Medium humanoid
2d10+30; hp 41; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 18, touch 10, flat- (elf); HD 2d6+2; hp 9; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12,
footed 18; Base Atk +1; Grp +4; Atk +4 melee (1d8+3, flat-footed 10; Base Atk +1; Grp +1; Atk/Full Atk +2 melee
slam) or +5 melee (1d8+4/19-20, +1 longsword); Full Atk (1d6/18-20, masterwork rapier); SA —; SQ elvensight,
+4 melee (1d8+3, slam) or +5 melee (1d8+4/19-20, +1 Silvanesti traits; AL LG; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4; Str 10,
longsword); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA Spell-like abilities; Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13.
SQ Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., divine grace, fast Skills and Feats: Appraise +5, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +7,
healing 5, hardness 8, low-light vision; AL LG; SV Fort +0, Gather Information +8, Knowledge (local) +5, Listen +8,
Ref +0, Will –5; Str 16, Dex 14, Con —, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha Search +2, Sense Motive +8, Spot +3; Negotiator
12. Silvanesti Traits: Immune to sleep spells and effects, +2
Skills and Feats: None. on saves against enchantment effects, +1 bonus on
Spell-Like Ability: May cast searing light 1/day as a 2nd- Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft, +2 bonus on Listen,
level sorcerer. Search and Spot checks.
Divine Grace (Su): May turn undead as if a 2nd level Possessions: Masterwork rapier, courtier’s outfit, scrolls,
cleric. The sacred guardian may turn undead 4/day. coin purse

Chapter 4 Press Gang Thug

Male human War2; CR 1; Medium humanoid (human);
Fire Mystic HD 2d8+4; hp 13; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 11, flat-
Male human Mys2; CR 2; Medium humanoid (human); footed 13; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk/Full Atk +4 melee
HD 2d8+2; hp 11; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 14, touch 10, flat- (1d6+2, club or 1d4+2/19-20, dagger); SA —; SQ —; AL
footed 14; Base Atk +1; Grp +2; Atk/Full Atk +2 melee CN; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14,
(1d8+1, morningstar); SA spells; SQ spells; AL N; SV Fort Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10.
+4, Ref +0, Will +5; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 15, Skills and Feats: Intimidate +5, Profession (sailor) +6;
Cha 14. Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack
Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +7, Knowledge (arcana) +4; Possessions: Leather armor, buckler, club, dagger, sailor’s
Endurance, Spell Focus (evocation) outfit
Mystic Spells Known (6/5; spell save DC 12 + spell level,
DC 13 + spell level w/evocation spells): 0—cure minor Rand Lucas, Broker
wounds, detect magic, light, purify food and drink, resistance; Male human Rog5/Mys3; CR 8; Medium humanoid
1st—burning hands*, endure elements, magic weapon. (human); HD 5d6+3d8; hp 33; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19,
* Domain spell. Domain: Fire (turn water creatures or touch 14, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +6; Grp +7; Atk +9
rebuke fire creatures 5/day) melee (1d6+2/18-20, +1 rapier); Full Atk +9/+4 melee
Possessions: Masterwork scale mail, morningstar, robes, (1d6+2/18-20, +1 rapier); SA sneak attack +3d6, spells; SQ;
flint & tinder, 1 week’s dry rations, waterskin, components evasion, spells, trap sense +1, trapfinding, uncanny dodge;

166 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

AL NG; SV Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 13, Dex 17, Con Possessions: Chain shirt, light steel shield, masterwork
10, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 19. longsword, dagger, starjewel, desert robes, manacles
Skills and Feats: Appraise +10, Bluff +12, Decipher
Script +10, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +6, Forgery +10, Dark Knight Patrol
Gather Information +14, Hide +11, Intimidate +6, Male human War2; CR 1; Medium humanoid (human);
Knowledge (local) +10, Profession (broker) +10, Sleight of HD 1d8+4; hp 8; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 10, flat-
Hand +13, Spellcraft +6, Spot +10, Survival +10, Use footed 17; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk/Full Atk +5 melee
Magic Device +7 (+9 scrolls); Dodge, Run, Spell Focus (1d8+2/19-20, longsword); SA —; SQ —; AL LE; SV Fort
(enchantment), Weapon Finesse +5, Ref +0, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 10,
Mystic Spells Known (6/6; spell save DC 12 + spell level, Cha 13.
DC 13 + spell level w/enchantment): 0—cure minor Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Intimidate +6, Jump +3,
wounds, detect poison, guidance, mending, purify food and Knowledge (local) +3, Ride +5; Iron Will, Weapon Focus
drink, virtue; 1st—command, doom, longstrider*, remove (longsword)
fear. Possessions: Breastplate, heavy steel shield, longsword,
* Domain spell. Domain: Travel (freedom of movement dagger, Khurish phrasebook
effect 3 rounds/day; Survival as class skill)
Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, masterwork buck- Dark Knight Patrol Leader
ler, +1 rapier, ring of protection +1, traveler’s outfit, scrolls, Male human Ftr3; CR 2; Medium humanoid (human);
writing instruments, coin purse, loaded dice HD 3d10+3; hp 19; Init +4; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 10,
flat-footed 17; Base Atk +3; Grp +5; Atk/Full Atk +7 melee
Half-Ogre Goons (1d8+2/19-20, masterwork longsword); SA —; SQ —; AL
Male half-ogre Ftr3; CR 3; Medium humanoid (half- LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 10, Con 12, Int
ogre); HD 3d10+6; hp 22; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 13, Wis 8, Cha 15.
12, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +3; Grp +7; Atk +8 melee Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge
(1d6+4/18-20, masterwork cutlass or 1d4+2, masterwork (local) +4, Ride +6; Improved Initiative, Iron Will,
spiked gauntlet); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+4/18-20, master- Mounted Combat, Weapon Focus (longsword)
work cutlass) and +6 melee (1d4+2, masterwork spiked Possessions: Masterwork breastplate, heavy steel shield,
gauntlets); SA —; SQ low-light vision; AL NE; SV Fort +6, masterwork longsword, dagger, duty roster
Ref +2, Will -1; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 7, Cha 7.
Skills and Feats: Intimidate +4; Cleave, Combat Silver Shadow
Expertise, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting Male human Rog3/Bbn1; CR 4; Medium humanoid
Possessions: Chain shirt, masterwork cutlass, masterwork (human); HD 3d6+1d12; hp 16; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; AC 13
spiked gauntlet, sailor’s outfit (14 w/two weapons), touch 13, flat-footed 10; Base Atk +3;
Grp +5; Atk +6 melee (1d6+2/18-20, masterwork scimitar
House Guard or 1d4+1/18-20, masterwork kukri); Full Atk +4 melee
Male human Ftr1; CR 1; Medium humanoid (human); (1d6+2/18-20, masterwork scimitar) and +4 melee
HD 1d10+1; hp 6; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat- (1d4+1/18-20, masterwork kukri); SA rage 1/day, sneak
footed 14; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk/Full Atk +5 melee attack +2d6; SQ evasion, fast movement, trap sense +1,
(2d4+3/18-20, masterwork falchion); SA —; SQ —; AL LN; trapfinding; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 14, Dex
SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 10, 16, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 8.
Wis 12, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Climb +8, Disguise +4,
Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +3, Intimidate +3, Gather Information +6, Hide +10, Intimidate +4, Jump +8,
Knowledge (local) +2, Listen +3, Spot +3; Alertness, Knowledge (local) +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +10,
Weapon Focus (falchion) Tumble +8; Stealthy, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon
Possessions: Chain shirt, masterwork falchion, guard’s Fighting
outfit, manacles Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day,
which lasts for 5 rounds. In a rage, he temporarily gains a
Legion Patrol +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a
Male human Ftr1/Rog1; CR 2; Medium humanoid +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to
(human); HD 1d10+1d6+2; hp 11; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC Armor Class. This modifies his statistics as follows:
16, touch 11, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk/Full Str 18, Con 14, Fort +5, Will +4, AC 11 (12 w/two
Atk +4 melee (1d8+2/19-20, masterwork longsword or weapons), Atk +8 melee (1d6+4/18-20, masterwork scimi-
1d4+2/19-20, dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ trapfind- tar or 1d4+2/18-20, masterwork kukri), Climb +10, Jump
ing; AL; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 13, Con +10.
13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10. Possessions: Masterwork scimitar, masterwork kukri, 3
Skills and Feats: Intimidate +4, Jump +6, Gather vials blue whinnis poison, monk’s outfit, 50 feet rope and
Information +4, Listen +2, Ride +5, Sense Motive +4, Spot grappling hook
+4, Swim +6; Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 167

Chatomi Mikku, Daughter of the Khan Spellbook: 0—all; 1st—charm person, enlarge person,
Female human Bbn2/Rog5; CR 7; Medium humanoid expeditious retreat, identify, feather fall, reduce person.
(human); HD 2d12+5d6; hp 36; Init +8; Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 2nd—bull’s strength, cat’s grace, detect thoughts, eagle’s
(15 w/two weapons), touch 14, flat-footed —; Base Atk +5; splendor, knock, levitate, summon swarm. 3rd—blink, fly,
Grp +7; Atk +8 melee (1d6+3/15-20, +1 keen scimitar) or haste, protection from energy, slow, tongues. 4th—detect scry-
+8 melee (1d4+3/18-20, +1 kukri); Full Atk +6 melee ing, lesser globe of invulnerability, mass reduce person, phan-
(1d6+3/15-20, +1 keen scimitar) and +6 melee (1d4+3/18- tasmal killer, scrying.
20, +1 kukri); SA rage 1/day, sneak attack +3d6; SQ eva- Possessions: Bracers of armor +2, ring of protection +1,
sion, fast movement, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense adamantine dagger, elemental gem (water), hand of the
+1, trapfinding; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +3; Str 15, mage, wand of magic missile (5th-level), scholar’s outfit,
Dex 18, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 16. keys to the lighthouse, pouches and scrollcases.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +9, Climb +6, Diplomacy +16,
Gather Information +14, Hide +6, Intimidate +5, Jump +8,
Knowledge (local) +9, Listen +8, Move Silently +6, Sense Harlowe Barstool, Sheriff of Port Balifor
Motive +11, Survival +8, Tumble +8; Improved Initiative, Male afflicted kender Ftr4/Rog3; CR 7; Small humanoid
Stealthy, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense (kender); HD 4d10+3d6+14; hp 47; Init +6; Spd 20 ft.; AC
Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day, 19, touch 13, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +6; Grp +4; Atk +11
which lasts for 5 rounds. In a rage, she temporarily gains a melee (1d6+5/19-20, +1 longsword) or +10 ranged (1d3+2,
+4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a masterwork sling); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d6+5/19-20,
+2 morale bonus on Will saves, but she takes a –2 penalty +1 longsword); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ afflicted kender
to Armor Class. This modifies her statistics as follows: traits, evasion, trap sense +1, trapfinding; AL NG; SV Fort
Str 19, Con 15, Fort +6, Will +5, AC 12 (13 w/two +8, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 11,
weapons), Atk +10 melee (1d6+5/15-20, +1 keen scimitar) Cha 11.
or +10 melee (1d4+3/18-20, +1 kukri), Climb +8, Jump Skills and Feats: Bluff +4, Climb +11, Hide +12,
+10. Intimidate +7, Move Silently +8, Open Locks +8, Sleight of
Possessions: +1 keen scimitar, +1 kukri, noble’s outfit, Hands +8, Spot +6; Combat Expertise, Improved Feint,
signet ring, 4 potions of pass without trace, 2 potions of mage Improved Initiative, Leadership, Weapon Focus
armor. (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword)
Afflicted Kender Traits: +2 racial bonus on Climb, Hide,
Zoe Left-Hand, Mage of Khurman Tor Move Silently, Open Locks, Sleight of Hand and Spot
Female half-Qualinesti elf Rog2/Wiz4/Red Robe4; CR checks, +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
10; Medium humanoid (half-elf); HD 2d6+8d4+10; hp 40; Possessions: +1 chain shirt, masterwork light steel shield,
Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +1 longsword, masterwork sling, pouch w/10 bullets, sher-
+5; Grp +4; Atk/Full Atk +5 melee (1d4-1/19-20, adaman- iff ’s outfit, potion of jump, 2 potions of cure moderate
tine dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6, spells; SQ arcane wounds)
research +2, elvensight, evasion, half-elf traits, moon
magic, order secret (magic of change), spells, trapfinding;
AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +9; Str 9, Dex 15, Con 13, Blight Thistleknot
Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 11. Male afflicted kender Rgr5/Rog3; CR 8; Small
Skills and Feats: Appraise +9 (+11 alchemical items), humanoid (kender); HD 5d8+3d6+8; hp 44; Init +2; Spd
Bluff +6, Concentration +9, Craft (alchemy) +11, Decipher 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +7; Grp +5;
Script +9, Diplomacy +10, Disable Device +9, Forgery +9, Atk +11 melee (1d4+3/x4, +1 heavy pick or 1d3+2/x4, +1
Gather Information +10, Knowledge (arcana) +11, light pick) or +11 ranged (1d6/19-20, masterwork light
Knowledge (local) +11, Listen +8, Search +4, Sleight of crossbow); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d4+3/x4, +1 heavy pick)
Hand +10, Spellcraft +15 (+17 scrolls), Spot +8, Use Magic and +9 melee (1d3+2/x4, +1 light pick) or +11/+6 ranged
Device +8 (+12 scrolls); Craft Wondrous Item, Magical (1d6/19-20, masterwork light crossbow with Rapid Reload
Affinity, Scribe ScrollB, Spell Focus (transmutation) feat); SA combat style (two-weapon), favored enemy drag-
Half-elf Traits: Immunity to sleep spells and effects, +2 ons +2, favored enemy Knights of Neraka +4, sneak attack
racial bonus on saves against enchantment effects, +1 racial +2d6; SQ evasion, spells, trap sense +1, trapfinding, wild
bonus to Listen, Search and Spot checks, +2 racial bonus to empathy; AL CG; SV Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +3; Str 14, Dex
Diplomacy and Gather Information checks. 14, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14.
Wizard Spells Prepared (4/5/4/4/2; spell save DC 13 + Skills and Feats: Balance +4, Climb +7, Handle Animal
spell level, DC 14 + spell level w/transmutation): 0—detect +10, Heal +11, Hide +16, Knowledge (geography) +9,
magic, mending, open/close, read magic. 1st—charm person, Jump +4, Knowledge (nature) +9, Listen +13, Move
expeditious retreat, identify (2), reduce person. 2nd—bull’s Silently +12, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +13, Survival +11
strength, cat’s grace, knock, summon swarm. 3rd—fly, haste, (+13 above ground or avoid hazards), Tumble +10;
protection from energy, slow. 4th—mass reduce person, phan- EnduranceB, Rapid Reload, Resist Dragonfear, Self-
tasmal killer. Sufficient, TrackB, Two-Weapon FightingB

168 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 Afflicted Kender Traits: +2 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, armor +1, cloak of resistance +2, potion of invisibility, 2
Move Silently, Open Locks, Sleight of Hand and Spot potions of cure serious wounds, explorer’s outfit, writing
checks, +1 racial bonus on all saving throws. instruments
Ranger Spells Prepared (1; spell save DC 13 + spell
level): 1st—endure elements. Sivak Hunter
Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 heavy pick, +1 light Sivak Draconian: CR 6; Large Dragon; HD 6d12+12; hp
pick, masterwork light crossbow, 10 normal bolts, 10 sil- 51; Init +4; Spd 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor); AC 21, touch 9, flat-
vered bolts, explorer’s outfit, 4 potions of cure moderate footed 21; Base Atk +6; Grp +13; Atk claw +8 melee
wounds. (1d6+3) or tail +8 melee (2d4+4) or +9 melee (2d6+5/19-
20, +1 greatsword); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+3, 2 claws) and
+6 melee (1d8+1, bite); or +8 melee (2d4+4, tail); or +9
Sir Aldreth Auchuran, the Clandestine Knight melee (2d6+5, +1 greatsword) and +6 melee (1d8+1); SA
Male Human Ftr3/Clr2 (Kiri-Jolith) death throes, trip; SQ draconian traits, shapeshift, spell
/Crown2/Sword3/Rose2: CR 12; Medium humanoid resistance 16; AL LE; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5; Str 16,
(human); HD 7d10+5d8+24; hp 82; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
22, touch 10, flat-footed 22; Base Atk +10; Grp +14; Atk Skills and Feats: Bluff +5, Climb +5, Diplomacy +4,
+16 melee (1d8+5/19-20 plus 1d6 cold, +1 frost longsword); Disguise +5, Gather Information +4, Jump +5, Intimidate
Full attack +16/+11 melee longsword (1d8+5/19-20 plus +9, Listen +9; Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Run,
1d6 cold, +1 frost longsword); SA strength of honor 1/day, Weapon Focus (greatsword).
turn undead 5/day, spells, smite evil 1/day, rallying cry, Death Throes (Su): When a male sivak dies, it changes
detect evil, inspire courage 2/day; SQ aura of courage, aura shape, assuming the form of the humanoid being that
of good, heroic initative, knightly courage; AL LG; SV Fort killed it. This death shape lasts for three days and then the
+19, Ref +3, Will +13; Str 16 (18), Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, entire body decomposes into black soot. If the sivak’s slayer
Wis 14, Cha 15. is larger than the sivak, or it is not humanoid, the sivak
Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +9, Disguise +8, Knowledge instead bursts into flame, dealing 2d4 points of fire damage
(nobility and royalty) +4, Knowledge (religion) +8, Ride to all creatures within a 10-foot radius (DC 17 Reflex save
+11, Sense Motive +4; Cleave, Die Hard, Endurance, negates).
Honorbound, Iron Will, Leadership, Mounted Combat, Trip (Ex): A sivak that hits with its tail attack can
Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Skill Focus (Disguise), attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without mak-
Weapon Focus (longsword)B. ing a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If
Aura of Courage (Su): The knight and all allies within the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the
10 feet have a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against sivak.
fear effects. Shapeshift (Su): A male sivak can assume the form of a
Inspire Courage (Su): 2/day, +2 morale bonus on saves Large or smaller humanoid that it has just killed. The
against fear effects, and a +2 morale bonus on attack and shapeshift is a standard action that must be performed
damage rolls, for all allies who hear the knight speak and within one round of killing the victim. The sivak does not
for 5 rounds afterwards. gain the memories, skills, or spell use of its victim, but his
Rallying Cry (Ex): 3/day, +1 morale bonus to next appearance and voice is an exact match of his victim’s. The
attack roll and increase base speed by 5 feet on the next sivak can remain in its alternate form until it chooses to
move action of all allies who hear the knight’s shout. assume a new one or return to its natural form.
Smite Evil (Su): 1/day, +2 attack and +3 damage against Possessions: +1 breastplate, +1 greatsword, figurine of
an evil opponent. wondrous power (silver raven), assorted gemstones worth a
Strength of Honor (Su): 1/day, +4 morale bonus to total of 350 stl.
knight’s Strength score for 4 rounds as a free action.
Turn Undead (Su): 4/day, turning check 1d20+4, turn- Kronn Thistleknot
ing damage 2d6+7 HD. Male afflicted kender Rgr5/Rog7; CR 12; Small
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/6/5/3; spell save DC 12 + spell humanoid (kender); HD 5d8+7d6+36; hp 84; Init +3; Spd
level): 0—cure minor wounds
detect magic (x2), guidance, 20 ft.; AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +10; Grp
light, read magic. 1st—bless, comprehend languages, endure +9; Atk +17 melee (1d6+5/x3, +2 chapak as battle axe) or
elements, magic weapon, protection from evil*, shield of faith. +16 melee (1d3+1, masterwork spiked gauntlet) or +16
2nd—align weapon, bear’s endurance, shield other, spiritual ranged (1d3+5, +2 chapak as slingshot); Full Atk +15/+10
weapon*, status. 3rd—dispel magic, magic circle against melee (1d6+5/x3, +2 chapak as battle axe) and +14 melee
evil*, searing light. (1d3+1, masterwork spiked gauntlet); SA combat style
* Domain Spell. Domains: Good (cast good spells at +1 (two-weapon), favored enemy dragons +4, favored enemy
caster level), War (bonus feats). goblins +2, sneak attack +4d6; SQ evasion, trap sense +2,
Possessions: +2 breastplate, +2 light steel shield, +1 frost trapfinding, uncanny dodge, wild empathy; AL NG; SV
longsword (“Winter’s Edge”), ring of mind shielding, ring of Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +4; Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10,
protection +1, gauntlets of ogre power, amulet of natural Wis 11, Cha 12.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 169

 Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Climb +15, Escape Artist (longsword)
+10, Handle Animal +9, Hide +8, Jump +15, Knowledge Possessions: Breastplate, heavy steel shield, longsword,
(geography) +8, Listen +8, Move Silently +14, Open Locks dagger, provisions
+4, Ride +4, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +4, Spot
+10, Survival +14 (+16 avoid hazards), Tumble +12; Lord Crager Darkholt, Dark Knight Leader
Diehard, EnduranceB, Improved Resist Dragonfear, Resist Male human Ftr5/Lily2; CR 7; Medium humanoid
Dragonfear, TrackB, Two-Weapon FightingB, Weapon (human); HD 7d10+7; hp 35*; Init +4; Spd 20 ft.; AC 19,
Focus (chapak) touch 10, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +7; Grp +9; Atk +11
Afflicted Kender Traits: +2 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, melee (1d8+5/19-20, +1 longsword) or +9 melee
Move Silently, Open Locks, Sleight of Hand and Spot (1d4+2/19-20, dagger); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d8+5/19-
checks, +1 racial bonus on all saving throws. 20, +1 longsword); SA demoralize, sneak attack +1d6; SQ
Possessions: +2 studded leather, +2 chapak, masterwork —; AL LE; SV Fort +8, Ref +1, Will +3; Str 14, Dex 10, Con
spiked gauntlet, explorer’s outfit, periapt of wound closure, 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 15.
ring of protection +1, ring of sustenance, canteen, tobacco & Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Diplomacy +10, Intimidate
papers +10, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (religion) +2, Ride
+8; Honor-Bound, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mounted
Elijayess Moonshadow Combat, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon
Male Kagonesti elf Bbn2/Rgr3; CR 5; Medium-size Specialization (longsword)
humanoid (elf); HD 2d12+3d8+15; hp 55; Init +5, Spd Possessions: +1 breastplate, +1 heavy steel shield, +1
40ft.; AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +5; Grp +8; longsword, dagger, duty roster
Atk +9 melee (1d10+5/19-20, +1 dragon bane bastard *Lord Crager is currently severely wounded and at 0 hp,
sword); Full Atk +9 melee (1d10+5/19-20, +1 dragon bane though conscious.
bastard sword) or +13 ranged (1d8+3/x3, masterwork com-
posite longbow) or +11/+11 ranged (1d8+3/x3, master- Desolation Giant
work composite longbow w/rapid shot); SA combat style Male giant: CR 7; Large giant; HD 10d8+40; hp 85; Init
(archery), favored enemy undead +2, rage 1/day; SQ elven- +2; Spd 50 ft.; AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +7;
sight, fast movement, Kagonesti traits, uncanny dodge, wild Grp +17; Atk +12 melee (1d8+6, claw); Full Atk +12/+12
empathy; AL NG, SV Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +2; Str 17, Dex melee (1d8+6, 2 claws) and +10 melee (2d6+6, bite); SA
20, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15. Pounce, rend 2d6+9; SQ Low-light vision; Space/Reach 10
Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Craft (bowmaking) +3, Heal ft./10 ft.; AL NE; SV Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 23, Dex
+4, Hide +13 (+18 w/cloak), Jump +5, Knowledge (geogra- 14, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8. See Bestiary of Krynn for
phy) +2, Knowledge (nature) +3, Listen +6, Move Silently full details on the Desolation Giants.
+13 (+15 w/boots), Search +3, Spot +6, Survival +5, Swim Skills and Feats: Jump +23, Listen +8, Spot +8; Dodge,
+5; EnduranceB, Point Blank Shot, Rapid ShotB, TrackB, Mobility, Multiattack, Spring Attack.
Weapon Focus (longbow). Pounce (Ex): If a desolation giant leaps upon a foe on
Kagonesti Traits: Immunity to sleep spells and effects, +2 the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if
racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells and it has already taken a move action.
effects, +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search & Spot checks, +1 Rend (Ex): If a desolation giant hits with both claw
racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the
Rage (Ex): +4 to Str, +4 to Con, +2 on Will saves, -2 to flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d6+9
AC for up to 9 rounds. damage.
Possessions: +2 leather armor, +1 dragon bane bastard
sword, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus), Ragniir, Gnoll Ranger
cloak of elvenkind, boots of elvenkind, ring of mind shielding, Male gnoll Rgr4: CR 5; Medium humanoid (gnoll); HD
quiver w/masterwork arrows (20), masterwork daggers (2), 2d8+2 plus 4d8+4; hp 33; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch
gold amulet. 10, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +5; Grp +7; Atk +8 melee
(1d8+2/x3, masterwork battleaxe) or +9 ranged (1d8+3, +1
Chapter 5 composite longbow); Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+2/x3, master-
work battleaxe) or +9 ranged (1d8+3, +1 composite long-
Dark Knight Patrol bow); SA Favored enemy, spells; SQ darkvision 60 ft.,
Male human War2; CR 1; Medium humanoid (human); endurance, wild empathy; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will
HD 1d8+4; hp 8; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 10, flat- +1; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10.
footed 17; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk/Full Atk +5 melee Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +3, Hide +5, Listen +9,
(1d8+2/19-20, longsword); SA —; SQ —; AL LE; SV Fort Spot +9, Survival +8; Alertness, Point Blank Shot, Rapid
+5, Ref +0, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 10, ShotB, TrackB, Weapon Focus (longbow).
Cha 13. Combat Style (Ex): Ragniir’s chosen combat style is
Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Intimidate +6, Jump +3, archery, which gives him the Rapid Shot feat as a bonus
Knowledge (local) +3, Ride +5; Iron Will, Weapon Focus feat.

170 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 Favored Enemy (Ex): Humanoid (human); Ragniir Str 17, Con 17, Fort +8, Will +5, AC 14, Atk +9 melee
gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and (1d6+3/x3, +1 battleaxe) or +8 ranged (1d4+2, throwing
Survival checks against creatures of this type. Likewise, he axe), Climb +12, Jump +10.
gains a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 battleaxe, master-
creatures. work throwing axe (2), waterskin, tanglefoot bag (3).
Spells: As a 1st level ranger.
Ranger Spells Currently Known (1; 12 + spell level); 1st – Nomad Warriors
entangle. Male nomad human War1 (4): CR 1/2; Medium
Possessions: +2 leather armor , +1 composite longbow, 20 humanoid (human); HD 1d8+1; hp 6; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.;
silver arrows, 20 iron arrows, masterwork battleaxe. AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk

Animal Companion (Wolf): hp 13; see Monster +3 melee (1d6+2/19-20, scimitar) or +3 melee (1d8+2/x3,
Manual, but it is considered a magical beast (see Druid lance) or +3 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow); Space/Reach 5
Animal Companions in the Player’s Handbook). ft./5 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will -1; Str 14, Dex 15,
Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13.
Kender Bandit Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +5, Jump +6, Ride +5;
Male afflicted kender Bbn1; CR 1; Small humanoid Mounted Combat, Ride-By-Attack.
(kender) ; HD 1d12+1; hp 7; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, Possessions: Chain shirt, scimitar, light wooden shield,
touch 13, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +1; Grp -2; Atk/Full Atk shortbow, 20 arrows, 3 waterskins.
+3 melee (1d6+1/x3, battleaxe) or +4 ranged (1d4+1,
throwing axe); SA rage 1/day; SQ afflicted kender traits, Barikan, Nomad Bandit Leader
fast movement; AL CN; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 13, Male nomad human Rgr4: CR 4; Medium humanoid
Dex 15, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 9. (human); HD 4d8+4; hp 25; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18,
Skills and Feats: Climb +3, Hide +8, Move Silently +4, touch 13, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +4; Grp +6; Atk +8
Jump +5, Listen +4, Spot +2, Survival +4; Endurance melee (1d6+3, +1 iron short sword) or +7 ranged (1d6+2,
Afflicted Kender Traits: +2 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, composite short bow); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, +1 iron
Move Silently, Open Locks, Sleight of Hand and Spot short sword) and +6 melee (1d6+2, masterwork silver short
checks, +1 racial bonus on all saving throws. sword), or +7 ranged (1d6+2, composite short bow); SA
Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day, Combat style, favored enemy, spells; SQ ; AL CE; SV Fort
which lasts for 6 rounds. In a rage, he temporarily gains a +5, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12,
+4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a Cha 10.
+2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Handle Animal +5, Heal +6,
Armor Class. This modifies his statistics as follows: Hide +8, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Spot +6, Survival
Str 17, Con 17, Fort +5, Will +3, AC 14, Atk +5 melee +10; Combat Reflexes, EnduranceB, TrackB, Two-Weapon
(1d6+3/x3, battleaxe) or +4 ranged (1d4+2, throwing axe), Defense, Two-Weapon StyleB, Weapon Focus (short
Climb +4, Jump +6. sword).
Possessions: Studded leather, battleaxe, throwing axe (2), Combat Style (Ex): Barikan’s chosen combat style is
waterskin, 30 ft. rope & grapple two-weapon style, giving him Two-Weapon Style as a
bonus feat.
Fiera Blackbrand Favored Enemy (Ex): Monstrous humanoid; Barikan
Female afflicted kender Bbn4; CR 4; Small humanoid gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and
(kender); HD 4d12+4; hp 31; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18, Survival checks against creatures of this type. Likewise, he
touch 14, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +4; Grp +0; Atk/Full Atk gains a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such
+7 melee (1d6+2/x3, +1 battleaxe) or +8 ranged (1d4+1, creatures.
throwing axe); SA rage 2/day; SQ afflicted kender traits, Spells: Cast spells as a 1st-level spellcaster.
fast movement, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; AL CN; SV Ranger Spells Known (1; DC 10 + spell level): 1st—
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 13, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 13, endure elements.
Wis 13, Cha 11. Possessions: +1studded leather, +1 iron short sword,
Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Hide +8, Move Silently +4, masterwork silver short sword, composite short bow (+2),
Jump +8, Listen +8, Sense Motive +8, Spot +3, Survival +8; 20 arrows, 2 potions of cure moderate wounds, 4 waterskins.
Cleave, Power Attack Animal Companion (hawk): hp 4; see Monster Manual,
Afflicted Kender Traits: +2 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, but it is considered a magical beast (see Druid Animal
Move Silently, Open Locks, Sleight of Hand and Spot Companions in the Player’s Handbook).
checks, +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day, Saragan Windflame
which lasts for 6 rounds. In a rage, she temporarily gains a Male phaethon Mnk5; CR 6; Medium humanoid (elf,
+4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a fire); HD 5d8-2; hp 21; Init +2; Spd 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (aver-
+2 morale bonus on Will saves, but she takes a –2 penalty age); AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +3; Grp +3;
to Armor Class. This modifies her statistics as follows: Atk +3 melee (1d8, unarmed strike) or +4 melee (1d6+1,

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 171

+1 quarterstaff); Full Atk +2/+2 melee (1d8, unarmed Atk/Full Atk +1 melee (1d4, slam); SA —; SQ damage
strike with flurry of blows or 1d6+1, +1 quarterstaff with reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., single actions only,
flurry of blows); SA flaming wings, flurry of blows, ki strike undead traits; AL NE; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 10,
(magic); SQ low-light vision, elf traits, evasion, immunity Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1.
to fire, purity of body, slow fall 20 ft., still mind, vulnerabil- Skills and Feats: —; Toughness
ity to cold; AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 11, Dex
15, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 10. Deuce Spadestomper
Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +10, Escape Artist +10, Male afflicted kender Exp5; CR 4; Small humanoid
Listen +13, Search +3, Sense Motive +11, Spot +13; Deflect (kender); HD 5d6; hp 17; Init +3; Spd 20 ft.; AC 15, touch
ArrowsB, Flyby Attack, Improved GrappleB, Improved 14, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +3; Grp -1; Atk/Full Atk +5
Unarmed StrikeB, Toughness melee (1d4, masterwork shovel) or +7 ranged (1d3, sling);
Elf Traits: Immunity to sleep spells and effects, +2 racial SA —; SQ afflicted kender traits; AL NG; SV Fort +4, Ref
bonus on saves against enchantment effects, +2 racial +5, Will +4; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 9.
bonus on Listen, Search and Spot checks Skills and Feats: Climb +2, Craft (trapmaking) +11,
Flaming Wings (Su): As a free action, phaethons can Disable Device +10, Disguise +7, Hide +17, Move Silently
manifest a pair of angelic wings made of fire which enable +13, Open Locks +4, Profession (gardener) +7, Sleight of
them to fly at the listed speed. These wings may also be Hand +5, Spot +1; Nimble Fingers, Skill Focus (Craft-trap-
used to cause fire damage in unarmed combat. A phaethon making)
who makes an unarmed strike while his wings are mani- Afflicted Kender Traits: +2 racial bonus on Climb, Hide,
fested inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage in addition to the Move Silently, Open Locks, Sleight of Hand and Spot
standard unarmed damage. A phaethon who is involved in checks, +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
a grapple may add this damage to any damage inflicted on Possessions: Padded armor, masterwork shovel, sling,
the opponent as a result of a grapple check. A phaethon pouch w/10 bullets, collection of dirt
who uses his wings to inflict additional fire damage in a
round cannot also use them to fly in that round. Grup Clan Gully Dwarf
Possessions: +1 quarterstaff, monk’s outfit, 30 ft. of rope, Male gully dwarf Com1; CR 1/2; Small humanoid
grappling hook, 1 weeks provisions. (dwarf); HD 1d4+1; hp 3; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 14, touch
12, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +0; Grp -4; Atk/Full Atk +1
melee (1d4, club); SA —; SQ darkvision 60 ft., gully dwarf
Slig Scouts traits; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 11, Dex 13,
Male sligs (3): CR 2; Medium humanoid (reptilian); HD Con 13, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6.
3d8+3; hp 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat- Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Hide +7, Jump +4, Move
footed 14; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk +4 melee (1d10+2/x3, Silently +3, Survival +2; Run
glaive); Full Atk +4 melee (1d10+2/x3, glaive) or +4 melee Gully Dwarf Traits: +2 racial bonus on Hide, Move
(1d4+2 plus 1 acid, bite) and –1 melee (1d3+1, 2 claws); Silently and Survival checks; +4 racial bonus on Diplomacy
SA Acid spit; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., resistance to fire 10; AL checks to convince an enemy not to harm them; -4 penalty
LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int on level checks to resist Intimidate checks and -4 penalty
11, Wis 11, Cha 7. on saves against fear effects, +2 racial bonus on Fortitude
Skills and Feats: Craft (trapmaking) +4, Hide +9, Listen saves against poison and disease.
+2, Move Silently +7, Ride +4, Spot +2, Survival +2; Possessions: Leather armor, club, filthy peasant’s outfit
Alertness, Stealthy
Acid Spit (Ex): A slig’s bite deals an additional 1 point High Grup Two
of acid damage with a successful attack. Three times a day, Male gully dwarf Nob2; CR 2; Small humanoid (dwarf);
a slig can spit a caustic fluid at an opponent as a ranged HD 2d8+2; hp 11; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 14, touch 12, flat-
touch attack that deals 1d6 acid damage. This attack has a footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grp -3; Atk/Full Atk +2 melee
range of 10 feet and has no range increment. Anyone hit by (1d3, dagger); SA —; SQ bonus class skill (Survival), favor
a slig’s acid spit must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or be +1, darkvision 60 ft., gully dwarft traits, inspire confidence
blinded for 1d6 rounds. The save is Constitution-based. A 1/day; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 11 , Dex 13,
blinded opponent can take a full round action to flush Con 13, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8.
their eyes and face with water to restore sight, but this Skills and Feats: Bluff +5, Gather Information +5, Hide
action draws an attack of opportunity. +7, Move Silently +3, Sense Motive +5, Survival +3;
Skills: Sligs have a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmak- Cornered Rat.
ing) and Hide skills. Gully Dwarf Traits: +2 racial bonus on Hide, Move
Silently and Survival checks; +4 racial bonus on Diplomacy
Kender Zombie checks to convince an enemy not to harm them; -4 penalty
Afflicted kender commoner zombie; CR 1/2; Small on level checks to resist Intimidate checks and -4 penalty
undead; HD 2d12+3; hp 14; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (can’t run); on saves against fear effects, +2 racial bonus on Fortitude
AC 12, touch 11, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +1; Grp -3; saves against poison and disease.

172 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

 Possessions: Leather armor, dagger, dirty robes, sack of (1d4+2, 2 claws); SA breath weapon, spells; SQ darkvision
small shiny rocks 60 ft., dragon traits, death throe, low-light vision; AL CE;
SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 12,
Karak, Ogre Slavelord Wis 12, Cha 14.
Male ogre Bbn2; CR 5; Large giant; HD 4d8+2d12+24; Skills and Feats: Intimidate +5, Jump +5; Cleave, Power
hp 57; Init +0; Spd 50 ft.; AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13; Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Base Atk +5; Grp +17; Atk/Full Atk +13 melee (1d8+9/18- Breath Weapon (Su): 30-ft. cone, damage 4d10 fire,
20, +1 scimitar) or +14 melee (1d4+8, masterwork spiked Reflex DC 14 half.
whip); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. w/spiked whip); SA Death Throe (Su): 10-ft. radius, damage 2d10 fire,
rage 1/day; SQ darkvision 60 ft., fast movement, uncanny Reflex DC 14 half.
dodge; AL CE; SV Fort +11, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 26, Dex Spells: As 1st-level sorcerer.
11, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 6. Sorcerer Spells Known (5/4; spell save DC 12 + spell
Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Intimidate +7, Listen +3, level): 0—flare, light, resistance, virtue; 1st—burning hands,
Spot +4; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip), Skill Focus disguise self.
(Intimidate), Weapon Focus (whip) Possessions: Masterwork breastplate, masterwork
Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day, greatsword, 1 week’s dry rations
which lasts for 9 rounds. In a rage, he temporarily gains a
+4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a
+2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to
Armor Class. This modifies his statistics as follows: Dragonspawn Template Errata
Str 30, Con 22, Fort +13, Will +3, AC 11, Atk +15 melee
(1d8+11/18-20, +1 scimitar) or +16 melee (1d4+10, mas- What follows are changes to the dragonspawn tem-
terwork spiked whip), Climb +13. plate presented in the Dragonlance Campaign Setting,
Possessions: Masterwork breastplate, +1 scimitar, master- Chapter 7.
work spiked whip, 10 ft length of chain, manacles, provi- —“Dragonspawn” is an acquired template that can
sions, slaver’s outfit be added to any corporeal giant, humanoid or mon-
strous humanoid of Small, Medium or Large size (here-
Parrick Whistlewalk after known as the “base creature”).
Male kender Rog3; CR 3; Small humanoid (kender); —Creature type changes to dragon, with the aug-
HD 3d6+3; hp 14; Init +2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 15, touch 13, flat- mented subtype and the same subtype as the dragon
footed 13; Base Atk +2; Grp -3; Atk/Full Atk +3 melee type (fire, cold, etc) of its creator. Size remains
(1d4-1, masterwork hoopak as staff) or +5 ranged (1d3-1, unchanged. Do not recalculate base attack bonus or
masterwork hoopak as sling); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ saves.
evasion, kender traits, trap sense +1, trapfinding; AL NG; —The creature gains immunity to sleep and paralysis
SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 11, effects, as well as immunity to the type of damage dealt
Wis 13, Cha 11. by their breath weapon (acid, electricity, etc).
Skills and Feats: Balance +10, Bluff +6, Climb +5, Hide
+12, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Open Locks +4, Sleight
of Hand +12, Spot +2, Tumble +8; Alertness, Lightning
Reflexes
Kender Traits: Immunity to fear; +1 racial bonus on all Soulburn
saving throws; +4 racial bonus on Bluff checks when taunt- Male young red dragon; CR 7; Large dragon (fire); HD
ing;, +2 racial bonus on Open Locks, Sleight of Hand and 13d12+39; hp 123; Init +0; Spd 40 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor); AC
Spot checks 21, touch 9, flat-footed 21; Base Atk +13; Grp +24; Atk +19
Possessions: Masterwork leather armor, masterwork melee (2d6+7, bite); Full Atk +19 melee (2d6+7, bite) and
hoopak, pouch w/20 sling stones, many, many pockets. +14 melee (1d8+3, 2 claws) and +14 melee (1d6+3, 2
wings) and +14 melee (1d8+10, tail slap); Space/Reach 10
Chapter 6 ft./5 ft. (bite 10 ft.); SA breath weapon; SQ darkvision 120
ft., immunity to fire, low-light vision, spells, vulnerability
Red Dragonspawn Warriors to cold; AL CE; SV Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +9; Str 25, Dex
Male red dragonspawn human War2; CR 4; Medium 10, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 12.
dragon (augmented humanoid [human], fire); HD Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +16, Intimidate +17,
3d12+18; hp 31; Init +1; Spd 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average); AC Knowledge (arcana) +17, Listen +17, Search +17, Spot +17,
23, touch 11, flat-footed 22; Base Atk +3; Grp +7; Atk +6 Use Magic Device +17; Hover, Flyby Attack, Flyby Breath,
melee (1d4+4, bite) or +8 melee (2d6+4/19-20, master- Power Attack, Strafing Breath.
work greatsword) or +6 melee (1d4+2, claw); Full Atk +6 Breath Weapon (Su): 40-ft. cone, damage 6d10 fire,
melee (1d4+4, bite) and +3 melee (2d6+4/19-20, master- Reflex DC 19 half.
work greatsword); or +6 melee (1d4+4, bite) and +1 melee Spells: As 1st-level sorcerer.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 173

 Sorcerer Spells Known (5/4; spell save DC 11 + spell Armor Class. This modifies his statistics as follows:
level): 0—daze, flare, resistance, virtue; 1st—burning hands, Str 23, Con 21, Fort +7, Will +5, AC 21, Atk +8 melee
true strike. (1d12+6/x3, greataxe), Jump +7, breath weapon save DC
16.
Ogre Abomination Spells: As 1st-level sorcerer.
Male abomination red dragonspawn ogre; CR 6; Large Sorcerer Spells Known (5/4; spell save DC 12 + spell
dragon (augmented giant, fire); HD 4d8+23; hp 42; Init level): 0—dancing lights, detect magic, flare, resistance; 1st—
+0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 16, touch 9, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +3; summon monster I, true strike.
Grp +16; Atk +12 melee (1d8+4, claw); Full Atk +12 melee Possessions: Diviner of life, masterwork breastplate, mas-
(1d6+9, bite) and +7 melee (1d8+4, 2 claws); Space/Reach terwork greataxe, length of chain and manacles, 1 week’s
10 ft./10 ft., SA breath weapon, spells; SQ darkvision 60 ft., dry rations, spyglass.
death throe, immunity to fire, sleep, and paralysis, low-light
vision, vulnerability to cold; AL CE; SV Fort +9, Ref +1, Kender Zombie
Will +2; Str 29, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 4, Wis 8, Cha 11. Afflicted kender commoner zombie; CR 1/2; Small
Skills and Feats: Climb +9, Listen +1, Spot +1; Power undead; HD 2d12+3; hp 14; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (can’t run);
Attack, Toughness AC 12, touch 11, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +1; Grp -3;
Abomination Mutations (Su): Enhanced breath weapon Atk/Full Atk +1 melee (1d4, slam); SA —; SQ damage
(+2d10 damage, already figured), razor claws (claws deal reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., single actions only,
greater damage, already figured), trample (see below). undead traits; AL NE; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 10,
Breath Weapon (Su): 30-ft. cone, damage 6d10 fire, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1.
Reflex DC 17 half. Skills and Feats: —; Toughness
Death Throe (Su): 10-ft. radius, damage 2d10 fire,
Reflex DC 17 half. Grigolthan
Trample (Ex): After a successful charge attack, the Male fallen ogre mage: CR 7; Large giant (ogre); HD
abomination can trample creatures of size Medium or 5d8; hp 32; Init +4; Spd 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (good); AC 21,
smaller for 2d6+9 points of gore damage. Opponents who touch 11, flat-footed 21; Base Atk +3; Grp +10; Atk +7
do not make attacks of opportunity against the abomina- melee (1d6+4, staff of bones); Full Atk +7 melee (1d6+4,
tion can attempt a Reflex DC 17 save for half damage. staff of bones); SA spell-like abilities; SQ darkvision 90 ft.,
Spells: As 1st-level sorcerer. low-light vision, regeneration 5, spell resistance 19; AL LE;
Sorcerer Spells Known (5/3; spell save DC 10 + spell SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 17, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 12,
level): 0— dancing lights, flare, light, resistance; 1st—cause Wis 14, Cha 14.
fear, feather fall. Skills and Feats: Concentration +6, Knowledge (arcana)
+8, Listen +8, Spellcraft +8, Spot +8; Dodge, Improved
Dragath Initiative.
Male red dragonspawn human Bbn3; CR 6; Medium Spell-Like Abilities: At will—darkness, invisibility;
dragon (augmented humanoid [human], fire); HD 1/day—charm person (DC 13), cone of cold (DC 17),
3d12+9; hp 47; Init +1; Spd 40 ft. (30 ft. in breastplate), fly gaseous form, polymorph, sleep (DC 13). Caster level 9th.
80 ft. (average, 60 ft. in breastplate); AC 23, touch 11, flat- The save DCs are Charisma-based.
footed 22; Base Atk +3; Grp +7; Atk +6 melee (1d4+4, bite) Fallen Titan: As a fallen titan, Grigolthan suffered a per-
or +8 melee (1d12+4/x3, masterwork greataxe) or +6 manent loss of –4 Strength, -6 Constitution, -4 Intelligence,
melee (1d4+2, claw); Full Atk +6 melee (1d4+4, bite) and -8 Charisma (from base statistics), as well as losing all ben-
+3 melee (1d12+2/x3, masterwork greataxe); or +6 melee efits from the ogre titan template.
(1d4+4, bite) and +1 melee (1d4+2, 2 claws); SA breath Possessions: Large masterwork chain shirt, ring of protec-
weapon, death throes, rage 1/day, spells; SQ darkvision 60 tion +2, major ring of energy resistance (fire), staff of bones
ft., immunity to fire, sleep, and paralysis, low-light vision, (20 charges), pink and green sphere ioun stone (+2 enhance-
trap sense +1, uncanny dodge, vulnerability to cold; AL CE; ment bonus to Charisma, factored in to stats above).
SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 12,
Wis 12, Cha 14. Sindra
Skills and Feats: Intimidate +5, Jump +5; Improved Female red dragonspawn human Bbn5: CR 8; Medium
Sunder, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe) dragon (augmented humanoid [human], fire); HD
Breath Weapon (Su): 30-ft. cone, damage 4d10 fire, 5d12+20; hp 53; Init +3; Spd 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC
Reflex DC 14 half. 25, touch 13, flat-footed 22; Base Atk +5; Grp +12; Atk +12
Death Throe (Su): 10-ft. radius, damage 2d10 fire, melee (1d4+7, bite) or +13 melee (2d4+8 and 1d6 fire/x2
Reflex DC 14 half. and 1d10 on critical, hellfire lash); Full Atk +12 melee
Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage once a day, (1d4+7, bite) and +8/+8 melee (2d4+4 and 1d6 fire/x2 and
which lasts for 8 rounds. In a rage, he temporarily gains a 1d10 on critical, hellfire lash) or +12 melee (1d4+7, bite)
+4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a and +7 melee (1d4+3, 2 claws); SA breath weapon, death
+2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to throes, rage 2/day, spells; SQ darkvision 60 ft., immunity to

174 Q Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx

fire, sleep, and paralysis, improved uncanny dodge, low-
light vision, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge, vulnerability to
cold; AL CE; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 24, Dex 17,
Con 19, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 19.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +7, Intimidate +12,
Listen +9, Spot +7, Survival +11; Combat Expertise,
Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Whip).
Breath Weapon (Su): 30-ft. cone, damage 4d10 fire,
Reflex DC 16 half.
Death Throe (Su): 10-ft. radius, damage 2d10 fire,
Reflex DC 16 half.
Rage (Ex): This barbarian can fly into a rage twice a day,
which lasts for 9 round. In a rage, she temporarily gains a
+4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a
+2 morale bonus on Will saves, but she takes a –2 penalty
to Armor Class. This modifies her statistics as follows:
Str 28, Con 23, Fort +10, Will +6, AC 23, Atk +14 melee
(1d4+9, bite) or +13 melee (2d4+10 and 1d6 fire/x2 and
1d10 on critical, hellfire lash), breath weapon & death
throes save DC 18.
Spells: As 1st-level sorcerer.
Sorcerer Spells Known (5/4; spell save DC 14 + spell
level): 0—daze, detect magic, flare, resistance; 1st—mage
armor, true strike.
Possessions: +1 breastplate, hellfire lash (see New Magic
Items), ring of evasion (worn as a bracer around her ankle),
2 sets of caltrops, 2 thunderstones, spell component pouch.

Chapter Six: the Peak of Malystryx Q 175