A Question of Ethics
A Question of Ethics
A Question of Ethics
Two forces are at odds in this adventure, and neither is clearly good nor clearly evil. The player characters (PCs) must decide for themselves whom to aidor not to aid.
Question of Ethics
A short adventure for four 12th-level player characters
PREPARATION
You, the Dungeon Master (DM), need a copy of the Players Handbook, the DUNGEON MASTERs Guide, and the MONSTER MANUAL to use this adventure. Text that appears in shaded boxes is player information, which you may read aloud or paraphrase when appropriate. Unshaded boxes contain important information for you, including special instructions. Monster and nonplayer character (NPC) statistics are provided with each encounter in abbreviated form or, where appropriate, the text references the proper page in the MONSTER MANUAL. A Question of Ethics uses a modified version of the Dungeon 1 map from the February 7, 2002, Map-a-Week feature on the D&D website. It is available for you to download at this url:
<http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mapofweek /Dungeon1_sw2a_72.jpg> .
CREDITS
Design: Editing and Typesetting: Editorial Assistance: Cartography: Web Production: Web Development: Graphic Design: Monte Cook Sue Weinlein Cook Penny Williams Rob Lazzaretti Julia Martin Mark A. Jindra Sean Glenn, Cynthia Fliege
The modified map is reprinted here for your convenience. DMs should place this adventure in their own campaigns wherever appropriate. The best place would be in a town near some hills.
Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and on the new edition of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, and Peter Adkison.
D&D, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, MONSTER MANUAL, and DUNGEON MASTER are registered trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The d20 logo is a trademark owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All Wizards characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 2002 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. This Wizards of the Coast game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 System License, please visit www.wizards.com/d20.
BACKGROUND
Six months ago, an adventuring group that calls itself the Company of the Shining Stone learned of an aged wizards tomb that lay in the rocky foothills of a prominent mountain range, and sought to plunder it. What they were not counting on was that a band of stone giants would move into the immediate area to make their lair. The giants have rebuffed the companys attempts at getting past them and to their goal. Now is the time of the annual fair in Adurath, a small town located not far from the tomb, and thus, the giants. The giants have no interest in the town or the tomb, but are instead interested in a rare mineral found only in that region. A few of the townsfolk have seen the giants, but there has been no confrontation other than between the giants and the Company of the Shining Stone.
CHARACTER HOOKS
Use one of the following hooks to get the player characters involved in the adventure: The player characters have come to Adurath for the fair. A wizard or sorcerer character may even want to participate in the Arcane Challenge (see below). After the Company of the Shining Stone convinces her that they are a real threat, Mayor Vesta Lictor contacts the player characters to deal with them. The player characters hear about the spread of the plague of red ribbons (see below) and come to help.
might want to help resolve the conflict. Some player characters wont want to get involved in the issue but still might be interested in the outcome or in the uncovered tomb of the wizard, Harseth the Neverlost. The material provided here includes the tools necessary for the Dungeon Master to handle the contingencies most likely to crop up in the scenario. How it actually turns out is up to the players!
Town Statistics
c A d u r a t h ( s m a l l t o w n ) : Conventional (mayor); AL LG; 800 gp limit; Assets 56,800 gp; Population 1,440; Mixed (1,170 humans, 136 halflings, 68 elves, 39 dwarves, 18 gnomes, 5 half-orcs, 4 half-elves). Authority Figures: Vesta Lictor, human Com9. Vesta is the mayor of the town. Thouslo the Six-Fingered, human War6. Thouslo, the chief constable in Adurath, has about six full-time warriors working for him to keep the peace and maintain safety. As many as 100 warriors and commoners are ready to heed a call of emergency. Important Characters: Yelladin Nyst, human Clr5. Yelladin is a cleric of Pelor. Most people in Adurath respect him enough that his words carry a great deal of weight. Stallis Silvereyes, elf Wiz9. As a wizard, Stallis sells potions and a few other magic items in town to earn her living. Turat Hollow, dwarf Exp5. Turat is the local blacksmith. Norris Testament, human Com4. The Knights Parlor is the nicest inn in town. Norris owns the inn and tends bar. He employs five others to help with meals and upkeep. Others: War1 (92); Clr2 (5); Clr1 (5); Drd4 (1); Drd1 (2); Exp2 (53); Exp1 (98); Ftr3 (1); Ftr2 (3); Ftr1 (6); Rog2 (10); Rog1 (29); Rgr1 (3); Com2 (131); Com1 (995).
round two, and a locate object spell in round three. (As a side note, Vanorunca is a descendant of Harseth the Neverlost, and would not like it at all if she learned that anyone had found his tomb and planned to plunder it.) Running the Contest If the PCs get involved in the Arcane Challenge, each round is held one hour apart. Roll initiative for each wizard or sorcerer involved (Stallis has a +1 bonus, Evran a +2 bonus, and Vanorunca has a +6 bonus). The NPCs cast the spells listed above. The PC(s) can cast whatever spells or use whatever items he or she desires. If there is no PC influence in the contest, Vanorunca wins.
is 25, and it inflicts 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage each day. Yelladin Nyst, cleric of Pelor, makes sure these herders dont carry the plague with them. Even as he deals with that task, word spreads that sheep in herds as close as 10 miles from the town are afflicted. The PCs can go help with cure disease spells, if they like. If they do, they are that much more likely to spot the Company of the Shining Stone carrying out their plan (Spot check, DC 15); see The Quandary.
AC 23, touch 10, flat-footed 23; Atk +14/+9 melee (1d8+6/1720, +1 longsword), or +9 ranged (1d10/1920, heavy crossbow); SQ Dwarf traits; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 17, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Craft (metalworking) +4, Craft (stoneworking) +15, Listen +3, Ride (horse) +12, Spot +4, Use Rope +6; Alertness, Cleave, Endurance, Improved Critical (longsword), Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword). Dwarf Traits: Murt has a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids, a +2 racial bonus on saves against spells and spell-like abilities, a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saves against all poisons, and a +4 dodge bonus against giants. He has darkvision (60-foot range) and stonecunning (+2 racial bonus on checks to notice unusual stonework; can make a check for unusual stonework as though actively searching when within 10 ft. and can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can; intuit depth). Murt also has a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks and Craft or Profession checks related to stone or metal (these bonuses are already figured into the statistics above). Possessions: Heavy crossbow, 20 bolts, +1 longsword, +1 plate armor, +2 large steel shield, rope of climbing, potions of aid and lesser restoration, 49 gp. k Gistrontal: Male elf Wiz9; CR 9; Medium-size humanoid; HD 9d4+9; hp 34; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10; Atk +5 melee (1d6+1, quarterstaff ); SQ Elf traits; AL LN; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +5; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 19, Wis 7, Cha 14. Skills and Feats: Alchemy +14, Bluff +3, Concentration +12, Escape Artist +4, Hide +5, Listen +0, Perform +8, Scry +14, Search +6, Spellcraft +15, Spot +0; Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, Empower Spell, Great Fortitude, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (Enchantment). Elf Traits: Gistrontal is immune to magic sleep spells and effects, and he has a +2 racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells or effects. As an elf, he has low-light vision (can see twice as far as a human in lowlight conditions). He is entitled to a Search check when within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door as though actively looking for it. Gistronal is proficient with the composite longbow, composite shortbow, longbow, longsword, and rapier, and he has a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks (already figured into the statistics given above). Spells Prepared (4/5/5/4/3/1; save DC 14 + spell level, or 16 + spell level for Enchantment spells): 0
daze, detect magic, flare, mage hand; 1stcharm person (2), magic missile (2), shield; 2ndblur, cats grace, invisibility, mirror image, see invisibility; 3rddispel magic, fireball, haste, suggestion; 4thconfusion, minor globe of invulnerability, polymorph other; 5thempowered lightning bolt. Spellbook: 0arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1stburning hands, charm person, feather fall, identify, mage armor, magic missile, shield, sleep, true strike, unseen servant; 2ndblur, cats grace, invisibility, levitate, Melf s acid arrow, mirror image, scare, see invisibility, web; 3rddispel magic, fireball, fly, haste, lightning bolt, nondetection, phantom steed, suggestion, summon monster III; 4thconfusion, Evards black tentacles, minor globe of invulnerability, polymorph other, polymorph self; 5thcone of cold, dominate person, hold monster, passwall. Possessions: Wand of summon monster III (14 charges), wand of mage armor (25 charges), cloak of resistance +1, pearl of power (2nd-level spell), potion of cure light wounds, scroll of invisibility, cone of cold, scroll of fly, quarterstaff, gold ring with tiger eye worth 400 gp, 546 gp. k Taragana: Female halfling Rog9; CR 9; Small humanoid; HD 9d6+9; hp 46; Init +3; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 17; Atk +9/+4 melee (1d4+1/1920, masterwork dagger), or +13/+8 ranged (1d6+2/x3, +1 mighty composite shortbow [+1 Str bonus] with masterwork arrows); SA Sneak attack +5d6; SQ Evasion, halfling traits, traps, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC, cant be flanked); AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +6; Str 13, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Climb +15, Diplomacy +10, Escape Artist +8, Gather Information +9, Hide +7, Intimidate +12, Intuit Direction +10, Jump +3, Listen +4, Move Silently +17, Open Lock +14, Perform +10, Use Magic Device +6; Dodge, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (composite shortbow). Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, Taragana takes no damage with a successful saving throw. Halfling Traits: Targana has a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear, a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws, a +1 racial attack bonus with a thrown weapon, and a +2 racial bonus on Climb, Jump, Listen, and Move Silently checks (already figured into the statistics given above). Possessions: +1 mighty composite shortbow (+1 Str bonus), +1 leather armor, deck of illusions, 20 masterwork arrows, masterwork dagger, 60 gp.
Tactics
Whenever they are in a dangerous situation, Gistrontal has mage armor, cats grace, and probably shield cast, giving him AC 25 and a +1 bonus to Reflex saves and Dexterity skills. The first spell he casts in combat is haste (thus making him AC 29), followed probably by mirror image. He acts very defensively. Murt and Verrek, however, both charge quickly into battle. Taragana prefers to make ranged attacks with her bow. She also uses her deck of illusions to confuse and surprise, allowing her to move into a place where she can make sneak attacks.
The Quandary
The Company of the Shining Stone wants to inflict the plague upon the stone giants. Even with their impressive fortitude, more giants than not will fall victim to this disease, weakening many and perhaps even killing a few. The player characters can discover this when they notice (Spot, DC 15) Gistrontal and Murt speaking with the herders from the south. If the PCs pay any attention to this at all, they see Murt and Verrek head off to the south on horseback (Murt on a pony). They are hunting for an infected sheep. Verrek, wearing his periapt of health, grabs one of the diseased animals, kills it if it is not already dead, and puts it in a watertight leather bag that they hope will contain the infection (it is not foolproofwithin a day, Verreks horse comes down with the disease). They arent actually stealing the sheep, as the herders have said they are happy to be rid of the infected creatures. The company does nothing to endanger the people of Adurath. They keep the diseased sheep far from the town, planning to sneak it into the stone giant camp that very night, then return to get checked out by local clerics to make sure they are free of disease. If the PCs attempt to intervene, the Company of the Shining Stone does not react with immediate violence, instead attempting to reason with the group to get them to see their point of view. At first, they give no mention of the wizards tomb, instead speaking of the danger the giants pose. Only when that does not work do they offer the PCs a cut in the treasure within the tomb once the giants are out of the way. The company brooks no delay, however, for they are (justifiably) very afraid of the disease and having the infected sheep near them or the town. A misstep by anyone involved could risk spreading the plague. If forced to, the Company of the Shining Stone uses force to deal with those who might interfere.
endurance, two have potions of cure light wounds, and one has a potion of see invisibility. Two young stone giants accompany the others. They have the statistics of ogres with an additional +2 natural armor bonus to their Armor Class. d Young Stone Giants (2): hp 29, 33; see MONSTER MANUAL, page 44 d Stone Giants (8): hp 98, 110, 115, 120, 124, 135, 141, 153; see MONSTER MANUAL, page 98. d Amar: Male stone giant elder Sor3; CR 11; Large giant (Earth); HD 14d8+56, 3d4+12; hp 138; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 20; Atk +17/+12/+7 melee (2d6+10, Huge greatclub), or +12 ranged (1d6+7, rock); Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.; SA rock throwing, spell-like abilities; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., rock catching; AL LN; SV Fort +14, Ref +6, Will +8; Str 24, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 15. Skills and Feats: Climb +9, Concentration +7, Hide +5, Jump +10, Profession (guide) +4, Scry +6, Spellcraft +6, Spot +4; Brew Potion, Combat Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot. Rock Throwing (Ex): Amar receives a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing rocks (already figured into the statistics above). He can hurl rocks weighing from 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to 5 range increments (180-foot range increment). Spell-like Abilities: 1/daystone shape, stone tell, and either transmute rock to mud or transmute mud to rock. Caster level 10th; save DC 12 + spell level. Rock Catching (Ex): Amar can catch Small, Medium-size, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, when he would normally be hit by a rock, he can make a Reflex save with a +4 racial bonus to catch it instead. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium-size rock, and 25 for a Large rock. If the projectile has a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases by that amount. Amar must be ready for and aware of the attack. Sorcerer Spells Known (6/6; save DC 12 + spell level): 0ghost sound, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost; 1stgrease, magic missile, shield. Possessions: Wand of bulls strength (22 charges), potion of cure serious wounds, Huge greatclub, seven throwing rocks, 145 gp. Spells Known (6/6): 0ghost sound, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost; 1stgrease, magic missile, shield.
Spell-like Abilities: As a 10th-level sorcerer. 1/daystone shape, stone tell, and either transmute rock to mud or transmute mud to rock.
Tactics
In a fight, the giants are quick to defend themselves. They attack any possible threat, rather than risking being fooled. Most of them fight with straightforward tacticsabout half charge within reach and batter their enemies, while the other half hurls stones. With advance warning, Amar casts bulls strength on as many giants as he can. He casts shield on himself and then joins his comrades in melee.
1. Entrance
An arched entryway leads into the hillside. Obscured by trees and large boulders, it does not appear that anyone has used this entrance in over a hundred years. This is also the site of the stone giants camp. See above.
2. Harseths Legacy
A statue of a human man, made of white stone, stands upon a pedestal in this hexagonal room. The figure is 18 feet tall, almost reaching the 20foot ceiling. The robes the man wears seem faceted, like a jewel. He clutches a scepter in his left hand and a book in his right. The magical statue is has two very different powers. The first is a blessing conferred upon all arcane spellcasters who touch the statue and say the name Harseth. Those doing so gain a +1 bonus to the caster level of their next spell cast, no matter how long it is before they cast it. The second involves the rolling rocks that come down the corridor from the crushing stone trap in Area 5. When a rolling rock touches the statue, the rock immediately disintegrates. Development If anyone leaves this room and heads east, the stone golem in Area 3 moves to intercept and attack. If anyone leaves this area and heads west, the trap in
5. Trap (EL 8)
Complex iron mechanisms fill this room. They seem centered around moving large cylindrical stones to the middle of the room and setting them into a launching ramp in front of the door. The whole purpose of this room is to launch cylindrical, rolling stones down the corridor to the east. Triggers on the floor 5 feet and 25 feet from the east end of the long hall leading to this chamber cause the door into this room to open and a stone to come rolling out. The rolling stone moves at a speed of 50, which means it moves 100 feet in a round. Since the corridor is 50 feet long, the stone potentially strikes anyone in the hall. Since there are two triggers, a character or characters could trigger two stones to come at them before they even realized it. (The stones are carved with a groove in just the right spot so they do not trip the triggers.) Characters in the path of a rolling rock suffer 10d6 points of damage (a Reflex saving throw halves the damage, indicating that the character was pushed back to Area 2 rather than rolled over). However, the stones themselves also carry a magical trap, triggered the first time they strike a living character. The struck character must succeed at a Fortitude save or be petrifiedand then crushed by the rock, smashed to a million pieces. When the rock touches the statue in area 2, the rock immediately disintegrates. The trap then resets with a new stone in the mechanism. The trap can function up to five times. a Crushing Rock Trap: CR 8; 10d6 points of damage (Reflex DC 24 half ) to all in corridor and petrification to the first victim (Fort DC 19 avoids); Search DC 31; Disable Device DC 31.
When PCs get the door open, read the following description: You see a small room, about 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep, filled with an ancient stone sarcophagus and a number of bronze urns. The sarcophagus looks small, as if sized for a person about 3 feet tall. Mystic runes cover the top. This is an illusion, a permanent screen spell. PCs who investigate the contents of the room gain a Will save (DC 22) to determine that it is not real. If the characters bypass the illusion, read the following text: The room is actually about 35 feet wide and 20 feet deep. The ceiling is vaulted, almost 25 feet above the floor at the highest point. All manner of urns, boxes, chests, and various goods are stored here. Expensive silks, rare woods, and art objects also decorate the room. These things are all treasures amassed by Harseth, and all of them seem large and bulky. Many, such as the silks, the rare wood, and the paintings have lost their value due to age and decay. Likewise with much of the contents of the containers: The incense, spices, rare and expensive foods, oils, perfumes, and moreall are now worthless. The following objects still retain value: Gold box (worth 275 gp) holding now spoiled and worthless spices Bronze and ebony urn (worth 130 gp) holding now stagnant and worthless perfumed water Small silver idol of a pegasus (worth 200 gp) Silver mesh net with small sapphires woven into it (worth 480 gp) A suit of masterwork plate armor (sized for a gnome) Six masterwork short swords and three masterwork small shields, all hanging on the walls
a Fireball Trap: CR 6; 10d6 points of fire damage (Reflex DC 19 half ) 20 feet down the corridor; Search DC 31; Disable DC 31. You see a small room, about 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep, filled with an ancient stone sarcophagus and a number of bronze urns. The sarcophagus is small, as if sized for a person about 3 feet tall. Mystic runes cover the top. This time, its no illusion. This is truly Harseths tomb. He was buried with some of the great treasures he possessed in life, although Harseth has sealed no treasure in his sarcophagus. The six bronze urns, worth 50 gp apiece, each hold 200 gp. A small coffer holds a 1,000 gp platinum necklace, two 300 gp sapphire rings, and a pearl bracelet worth 400 gp. A secret panel in the north wall (Search, DC 23, to find) hides robes of scintillating colors hanging on a hook. A secret compartment in the floor (Search, DC 23 to find) holds a wand of major image (24 charges) and a ring of protection +2, both wrapped in cloth.
10
In this 35-foot-square chamber, a round area approximately 12 feet across extends from the northeast corner. Strange crystalline formations of bluish-purple stone jut from the floor, walls, and ceiling, many surrounded with broken bits of stone, as though the crystals thrust their way into this room after it was built. Even the pool has a bluish-purple hue. This was Harseths pride and joy, a magical pool that revived prepared spells like a pearl of power when a person drank from it. The pools magic, however, has decayed over time and has been completely corrupted by the tintibulium crystalline formations which have thrust their way into this room as they grewsuch is the nature of the strange mineral. Now the water in the pool is poisonous (Fortitude save, DC 16, 1d6 points of Strength damage). This room contains the tintibulium formation the stone giants seek.
CONCLUSION
Potentially, the PCs may have brokered a truce and a deal between the Company of the Shining Stone and the giants. If this occurred, everyone can get what they want: The adventurers get to plunder Harseths tomb, and the giants get access to the tintibulium. In any event, if the player characters befriended either the adventurers or the giantsor boththey have earned longtime allies. If they help at all to keep the plague away from the town, they have earned the gratitude of Aduraths population as well. If the PCs fought against the Company of the Shining Stone, those characters hold a grudge for a long time, and seek revenge. Perhaps it comes not in the form of an outright attack (but it might, depending on how much harm the PCs inflicted), but in other ways. They use their reputation to spread lies and rumors about the PCs. They spy on the player characters and attempt to ruin some plan of theirs later onan eye for an eye, so to speak. It will be difficult for the PCs to convince the people of Adurath that they did the right thing in opposing the popular company and aiding the frightening giants. If the player characters fought against the giants, the larger tribe from which this band hails eventually comes to Adurath seeking vengeance for what they consider an unprovoked attack. The PCs might need to return to defend the town against an actual giant attack.
11