Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
by Frank Mentzer
CREDITS
Development: Frank Mentzer
Editor: Barbara Young
Cover Art: Clyde Caldwell
Interior Art: Doug Chaffee
Cartography: David C. Sutherland III
Typography: Betty Elmore and Kim Lindau
Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc. and
in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby
trade by regional distributors. Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR UK
Ltd.
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Copyright 1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This product is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of
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PDF developement : R, 05/19/2001...and a helluvajob it was too :)
NEEDLE by Frank Mentzer
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Playing Aids
Players' Reference Sheet for Part 2 34-36
Players' Reference Sheet for Part 3 36-40
Delusions and Messages 20
Character Cards Inner Cover
Monster Statistics Chart Inside Gatefold
Character Summary Chart Outside Gatefold
Magic Item Summary Chart Outside Gatefold
Maps
DMs Jungle Map 2
Players' Jungle Map 44
DM's Maze Map Inside Back Cover
Players' Maze Map 26
Detail Map-Encounter A3 2
DM's map, Tunnels of the Black Chak Inside Back Cover
Players' map, Tunnels of the Black Chak 67
NOTES FOR THE DUNGEON MASTER are breathing a sigh of relief, they
are attacked by pirates sent by a
Adventure Background rival kingdom that covets the
In answer to a notice posted in obelisk.
their guild hall, the player In Part 3, "The Powers That Be," the
characters volunteer for a special obelisk is safely erected in the
mission for their king. The royal kings palace square. At the first
ears have heard rumors of a great full moon, however, a magical
magical device, an obelisk, located doorway appears in its base. The
in a far land. It supposedly lies king orders the characters to enter
amidst the ruins of a once-great it to find out what's going on.
empire, now a dense jungle. The king The PCs enter the obelisk and find
wants more information about this themselves in a subterranean world.
rumored empire and the obelisk, if There they meet a strange race of
it exists. interplanar traders, intelligent
In Part 1, "Ruins of Empire," the spiders whose base is soon revealed
PCs sail to the far jungle. There to be on a moon of the characters'
they encounter odd jungle creatures, world. The Needle is a
meet the local natives, and find the transportation device! The spiders
ruins of a lost civilization. The are eager to trade with the
obelisk is located, still in perfect characters, but the PCs must first
condition and protected by a force prove the courage and worth of their
field. It stands amidst a large races by rescuing the spider-
maze, also protected by the force princess from her evil captors and
field. To gather more information, slaying a dragon in the process. If
the adventurers penetrate the maze, all goes well, the characters return
evade its deadly traps, and solve to their city with new weapons,
its puzzles. In the center of the great treasures, and the good will
maze, they find the controls for the of the spider race.
force field and more clues to the
ancient empire. The PCs sail home Preparing for the Adventure
with the good news. Needle combines dungeon adventuring
In Part 2, "Retrieval," the king with large-scale battles. It is
orders the party to return to the designed for the six pregenerated
jungle to retrieve the obelisk, characters provided. In addition,
following an elaborate plan which two NPCs (Digger and Montana)
his advisors have prepared for this accompany this group for the first
monumental task. A crew of over 150 part of the adventure and are met
men is dispatched in three ships again in the concluding section of
under the PCs' direction. They are the adventure. If you do not use the
to lift the one million pound pregenerated characters, be sure
obelisk, drag it to the shore, and that your party is made up of a
tow it home by ship. similar mix of classes at levels 8-
But disease and jungle creatures 10 and is equipped to handle the
threaten the mission's success. The needs that arise, especially those
local natives are restless. Some of communication, magical curing,
believe the Needle (as they call the and magical attacks. No Druids
obelisk) to be sacred and object to should accompany the party as their
its removal. Two of these native presence will take away much of the
tribes are ancient enemies, and both challenge of the jungle adventure in
sides ask the PCs for aid. The Parts 1 and 2.
obelisk-moving operation is Carefully cut apart the character
completed just in time. The massed cards printed on the inner cover.
native hordes storm the beach as the Also cut out the messages, and
PC ships sail off. Just as the PCs delusions on page 11. Keep these
messages and delusions hidden until rv reversible spell
they are needed later in the game. s a game segment; 6 seconds
Distribute the character cards and SA special attack(s)
spell books to their players. Allow SD special defense(s)
the players enough time to become sq square
familiar with their characters' sqf square feet
abilities and personalities. The Sts saving throw vs. spells
players will find useful information Stw saving throw vs. wands
on how to role play their SZ size (S = small, M = medium, L
characters' interactions with each = large)
other on the reverse of each t a game turn; 10 minutes
character card. This information is THACO score needed (on 1d20) to hit
private, only for the player of the AC 0
character. Be sure to review these / per
role-playing notes yourself, of @ apiece or each
course. Encourage the players to # pound(s) of weight; 1# = 10 cn
compare the characters to some The monster descriptions are given
extent, noting such details as in the following format:
spells and magic items carried. Monster Name: AC; MV; HD; hp; #AT;
Encourage the clerics and magic- THACO; Dmg; SZ; AL; IN; STs; STw;
users to coordinate their spell SA;SD
selections.
NATIVE LIFE
The following abbreviations are used
in this adventure: There are two native tribes living
in the jungle in the area of the
" scale size, 10' indoors, 10 obelisk. These two tribes are
yds. outdoors ancient enemies. In addition, hordes
' feet of creepy-crawlies live in the
A area of effect jungle trees, making travel off the
AC Armor Class paths extremely dangerous.
AL alignment
#AP number appearing Grippli
#AT number of attacks in one round The good natives are intelligent
C casting time humanoid tree frogs called Grippli.
cr creature They call themselves the "good folk"
cn coins of weight (10 cn = 1 and refer to their enemies as the
pound) "bad folk."
cu cubic Each Grippli is about 2 1/2 feet
cuf cubic feet tall. They eat fruit and insects
d die (as in d10, a 10-sided (including giant forms, catching
die) them with nets and snares). Their
dia diameter hands and feet are adapted for easy
DMG Damage movement through tree branches (9"
DR duration rate). They wear no armor. Grippli
ft. feet have 700-year life spans but few
HD Hit Dice offspring.
hp hit points Grippli have grey-green skin,
hr game hour; 6 turns natural camouflage which aids in
IN intelligence level of monster surprise (1-4 on 1d6). They have
L level ultravision (10" range), allowing
mi mile(s) of distance nighttime activity. Grippli are not
MV movement rate warlike. They speak their own tongue
obj object and a Batrachian Common language by
R range which they talk (though rarely) with
r a game round; 1 minute other froglike humanoids. Only the
rad radius tribal Mother speaks human Common.
and ashes). The
tribal Mother lives
in the largest hut
and rarely leaves
it. She is always
guarded by four
attendant Grippli
of very large size.
Thirty adult and
five young Grippli
live in some of the
other huts, in
pairs. Half of the
huts are used for
eating places,
storage, etc.
If the village is
entered without a
The Grippli can be easily scared native guide during Part 1 of this
away by loud noises or magical adventure, it will be deserted.
displays. If scared off, they run to If approached carefully, the Grippli
their village to tell the tribal may be dealt with peacefully. They
Mother about the events. They are are interested both in well-crafted
not a real threat in this adventure; items (nearly everything the party
rather, they are an opportunity. has) and in anything brightly
One or two Grippli may be slain, colored, but not in treasure. They
either by mistake or if they are may offer to trade gems in exchange
provoked to attack. If five or more for other items, but they have no
Grippli are slain during Part 1, for conception of real gem values. Each
any reason, the entire village flees Grippli carries some gems. If
deep into the jungle and does not bartering occurs, roll ld20 to
return in that part of the determine the value of the gem
adventure. Grippli deaths in Part 2 offered:
are more serious, as the natives
perceive the large group of human GEM VALUE CHART
workers as an invasion of their Die Roll Value
territory. 1-4 10 gp
If eight or more Grippli are slain 5-8 50 gp
in Part 2, for any reason, the 9-12 100 gp
entire village population disappears 13-16 500 gp
into the jungle and returns with 17-19 1000 gp
five tribes of reinforcements a day 20 5000 gp
or two later. These six tribes (180
Grippli in all, plus leaders) are The Mother
all that live within 5 miles of the Once per day, the tribal Mother can
ruins, but 30 other tribes live produce a musk spray covering a 20 X
within 50 miles. 20 foot area, 10 feet high, in front
of her. This musk spray has the same
Grippli Village effect as a stinking cloud spell.
The Grippli village is not visible Each victim must make a saving throw
from the air, but is completely vs. poison or be helpless for 2-5
hidden under heavy jungle cover. It rounds, and anyone within the cloud
consists of 30 mud-and-grass huts is automatically helpless except to
around a central ceremonial area move. The attendants and Mother are
(rarely used, but containing immune to these effects, but the
blackened logs other Grippli are not.
The tribal Mother and her attendants powers. While not quite truthful,
use poison where necessary. This the Mother's admonition is made to
deadly toxin is brewed from the protect the areas around the Grippli
vilest snake venoms. If touched, the villages. See Mother's Revenge if
victim must make a saving throw vs. logging in forbidden areas occurs.
poison or die. When used on a The Mother next reveals that some of
weapon, a victim struck takes 1-6 her folk oppose the human invasion
points of additional damage and must on religious grounds. The maze and
make a saving throw, with a -4 obelisk are held sacred by a large
penalty to the roll, or die. conservative group of the tribe (12
The Mother is also psionic. In Grippli). She cannot guarantee their
addition to Attack/Defense modes good behavior, but will control them
A,C/G,J, she knows the discipline of as best she can with the aid of the
telepathic projection, a major other 18 Grippli if the PCs offer an
science, at 6th level of mastery appropriate gift.
(range 60 feet, area 10-foot-wide The tribe must be offered (through
path, cost 3/use, duration 6 rounds their Mother) at least 200 square
per use). With this, she can either feet of brightly colored cloth or
sense or send emotions: hunger, one crafted item (such as a metal
fear, fatigue, pain, rage, hatred, weapon) per Grippli native for
uncertainty, curiosity, hostility, negotiations to succeed. Even then,
friendliness, love, and so forth. the best the Mother can do is to
She uses this discipline to sense PC order the Grippli to avoid
intentions, to influence others in hostilities with the humans for two
her tribe, and (if necessary) to moons (56 days). No amount of
arouse antihuman feelings in other further bribing extends this time
creatures of the area. Each tribe's nor gains Grippli aid. If the PCs
Mother has the same abilities. later protest to the Grippli about
The tribal Mother handles all raiding, the Mother becomes
negotiations for her people; no irritated and denies all Grippli
other Grippli can speak for the involvement.
tribe. She knows the human Common
tongue in addition to the usual Mother's Revenge
Grippli languages. While talking If the PCs do not cooperate with the
with PCs, she beams trustworthiness Grippli, or kill many of them, the
(via her psionics) at them. If the tribal Mother (or another tribe's
Mother or her attendants are harmed Mother, if this one is slain) has an
in any way, four Grippli from the ultimate weapon at her disposal.
village flee to gather the other Using her psionic discipline, she
five nearby tribes, while the can muster the forces of the jungle,
remainder of the village Grippli pushing their emotions into an anti-
attack with great ferocity, gaining human rage. The denizens of the
a +4 bonus to all "to hit" rolls treetops can be agitated into nearly
(new THACO: 14) and +2 to damage. continuous attacks on the obelisk-
The tribal Mother's first message to moving operation. If this occurs, 1-
the PCs is very important. She tells 10 randomly determined treetop
the PCs that they may use all the creatures attack some part of the
trees they wish from the area north group (often not the PCs) each hour,
of the ruins, but they cannot cut day and night. Once relations have
trees to the east or west nor in any degenerated to this extent, the
area closer to the beach. (Luckily, party's only recourse is escape. The
there are no trees on the old entire PC expedition must flee to
roadway, only underbrush. She has no the boats and return home in
objections about clearing that. The failure.
Mother warns that very great evil
things may happen if her warning is Grippli Native: AC 9; MV 9"//15"; HD
not heededthings far beyond Grippli 1+1; hp 5; #AT 1; THACO 18; Dmg 1d4
or by spear (1-6 + poison); SZ S; AL If 20 or more Bullywugs are slain in
N; Intelligence Very to Exceptional; Part 1, the entire village flees
STs 17; STw 16 deep into the jungle and does not
return in that part of the
Grippli Attendant: AC 8; MV 9" adventure.
//15"; HD 2; hp 16; #AT 1; THACO 16; If Bullywug habitations are visited
Dmg 1d4+1 or by weapon + poison (see uninvited during Part 1, they will
above); SA: poisoned be deserted. The Bullywugs are not
weapon. interested in trade of any kind.
They may pretend to be Grippli if
Grippli Tribal Mother: AC 7; MV 9" approached, but will attack if an
//15"; HD 3; hp 24; #AT 1; THACO 16; ambush is possible or if surprise is
Dmg 1d6 +1 or by weapon + poison; likely. Bullywug survivors flee such
SA: poisoned weapon; psionic ability attacks quickly, leaving if any two
200; l/ day musk spray (as stinking are slain. However, such encounters
cloud) arouse their innate hostility, and
more Bullywug attacks are sure to
Bullywugs follow.
The bad natives are froglike beings Bullywug Clearing A large, partially
(physically very similar to the cleared area, 40 yards in diameter,
Grippli), called Bullywugs. Like the is marked Bullywug Clearing on your
Grippli, they also refer to map. It contains 10 mud and grass
themselves as the "good folk'' and huts of similar construction to
their enemies as the "bad folk." The those in the Grippli village. The
average Bully-wug is about the same clearing is an occupied outpost of
size as a Grippli, but some grow the larger Bullywug village and is
larger. They are similarly colored normally occupied by 15 Bullywugs
and supplement their diet of fruit and one leader, a sub-chief known as
and insects with flesh when they can the tribal Father. He can speak the
get it. human Common tongue. If the clearing
Bullywugs have chameleon-like is visited, the Bullywugs proudly
camouflage and have adapted for easy claim this to be their beautiful
movement in trees. They speak their village home. The real village (see
own language and the Batrachian below) is not visible from here. All
Common tongue, as do the Grippli. negotiations with the Bullywugs
Only their chieftains and sub-chiefs occur in the clearing.
can speak human Common. If the PCs come to talk with these
Bullywugs are less intelligent than natives, the Father greets them in a
Grippli but more aggressive. The friendly fashion and offers them
more intelligent among them may wear presents of one gem per PC (value
armor and use shields. They surprise 100 gp each). He then explains that
on 1-3 (on 1d6), or 1-5 if hopping they need PC aid. The "bad folk"
to the attack. (Grippli) often prey on his poor
Like the Grippli, the Bullywugs can people, and their once large
easily be scared away by loud noises population has now been reduced to a
or magical displays. If scared off, mere handful. He reveals that the
they run to their village to tell Grippli tribal Mother is very
their leader about the events. dangerous because "she has mind
Although Bullywugs are chaotic evil power" and can influence others
in alignment, a detect evil spell simply by staring at them.
detects no evil on these creatures The Father offers the following
while they are trying to negotiate deal: If the PCs help his people to
with humans because their intentions chase off or kill the "bad folk"
are fairly benign. A know alignment (Grippli), he will quiet those of
spell, however, always reveals their his tribe who object to the PC
true nature. desecration of a sacred area (the
maze and obelisk) and will give the
PCs an ancient box the Bullywugs Bullywug Native: AC 6; MV 3"//15";HD
once found near the shrine. If PCs 1; hp 5; #AT 3 or 1; THACO 19; Dmg
agree, he suggests a raid on the 1-2/1-2/2-5 or by spear (1-6 +
Grippli village. If that is turned poison); SZ S-M; Intelligence Low to
down, he goes along with PC ideas. Average; STs 17; STw 16
Only these 15 Bullywugs and their
leader accompany the PCs on any Kliket, Bullywug Chieftain: AC 2; HD
expedition, leaving the other 50 3; hp 18; #AT 3 or 1; THACO 16; Dmg
Bullywugs in their true village (see 3-4/ 3-4/4-7 or by weapon +2 (2-7 +
below). Kliket, the Bullywug poison); STs 16, STw 15.
chieftain, is kept informed of all
events by native runners. Bullywug Sub-chief: AC 2; HD 2; hp
The Father gives the PCs the ancient 12; #AT 3 or 1; THACO 16; Dmg 2-3/2-
chest if they aid the Bullywugs. 3/3-6 or by spear (2-7 + poison)
This item is a very old but still
intact treasure chest. It contains Bullywug Shaman: AC 6 (or better) HD
100 pounds of various old bones and 1+7; hp 11; #AT 3 or 1; THACO 16;
six reddish metal coins (silicon- Dmg 1-2/1-2/2-5 or by spear (2-7 +
steel) bearing strange runes. Read poison)
languages can reveal the words to be Special Attacks: Clerical spells
"Garhsa Koo" on one side, "One (7th-level caster)
Sarkum" on the other. Spells: 3, 3, 2, 1, from the
If the Bullywugs are attacked in the following list:
clearing, they flee north to their Level 1: cure/cause light wounds,
real village. Otherwise, they remain detect evil/good, detect magic,
here at all times to maintain the light/darkness, protection from
deception that this is their true evil/good, remove/ cause fear
village. However, if PCs visit here Level 2: augury, chant,
a second time unexpectedly and detect/undetectable charm, resist
observe carefully, they find 1-6 fire, snake charm, speak with
more Bullywugs than were here animals
before. If asked about this Level 3: cure/cause blindness,
discrepancy, the leader explains cure/cause disease, dispel magic,
that these individuals were out locate/obscure object, prayer,
foraging during the PC's last visit. remove/bestow curse Level 4:
divination, exorcise, neutralize
Bullywug Village poison/poison, tongues/babble
The real Bullywug village is located Normal spell selection:
about one mile west of the fake Cure Light Wounds (x2; C 5s, 1d8)
village clearing. Hidden from above Cause Fear (C 4s, R touch, DR 7r)
by dense jungle cover, it consists Resist Fire (C 1r, R touch, DR 7t)
of 40 mud huts circling a central Snake Charm (C 5s, R 3", DR l-3t or
ceremonial area (rarely used, but 1d4+4r)
containing a muddy bog with some Speak With Animals (C 5s, R 0, DR
bones). There are 50 Bullywugs 14r, area 3")
living here. If 20 or more Bullywugs Cause Blindness (C 1r, R touch,
are slain in Part 2, this entire permanent)
village flees deep into the jungle Dispel Magic (C 6s, R 6", 30' cube)
and returns with three tribes of Tongues (C 7s, R 0, DR 1t, area 3"
Bullywug reinforcements a week or radius)
two later. The other Bullywug tribes
have 75 members each, plus leaders Treetop Denizens
and shamans. There are many creatures dwelling in
The leaders of this village are one the jungle trees, and they can be
chieftain, three sub-chiefs, and two quite dangerous.
shamans. If characters go near the treetops,
either by flying or climbing, tell
the players that the trees are 2-8/1-4 + poison; SZ M; AL N:
"thick with flying, crawling, Intelligence Non; STs 17; STw 16;
hissing creatures of all types." Try SA: tail sting (save vs. poison or
to impress them with the extreme suffer permanent paralysis). Note:
danger of entering or passing Wings burn off in fire (no damage,
through the treetops. but wasp cannot fly thereafter).
Characters who do enter the treetops
are attacked by the collection of Non-Player Characters
creatures listed below. Consider
this horde to be present in any one Montana
section of treetops roughly 100 feet 8th Level Dwarf Fighter
square. If these are all killed, the Strength: 7
characters can proceed without Intelligence: 7
further problems unless they re- Wisdom: 10
enter the treetops at another point, Dexterity: 15
where another group of creepy- Constitution: 17
crawlies will be ready, waiting, and Charisma: 7
hungry. Alignment: Neutral
Hit Points: 75
Dragonfly, giant (3): AC 3; MV 1" THACO: 14
/36"; HD 7; hp 35; #AT 1; THACO 12; AC normal: -1
Dmg 3-12; SZ M; AL N; Intelligence AC rear: 2
Low; STs 6; STw 5; SA and SD: +2 Armor type: plate & shield
bonus to initiative; with Weapon Proficiencies: 6; battle axe,
initiative, immune to handheld hammer, crossbow, spear, bastard
weapons, AC -1 vs. missiles; without sword, two-handed sword.
initiative, AC 1 vs. missiles; makes Attacks: 3/2 rounds
all saving throws as level 16 magic- Cannot use longbow or any weapon
user. over 12' long.
Special Abilities: Infravision 60',
Snake, giant constrictor (1): AC 5; find slopes 9/12, new construction
MV 9" ; HD 6+1; hp 30; MT 2; THACO 9/12, shifting wall 8/12, stone
13; Dmg 1-4/2-8; SZ L; AL N; traps 6/12, depth underground 6/12.
Intelligence Animal; STs 16; STw 15; Languages: Common, Dwarvish, Gnome,
SA: constriction Goblin, Kobold, Orcish
Magical items: plate mail +1; shield
Snake, giant poisonous (2): AC 5; MV +1; battle axe +2; hammer +1;
15"; HD 4+2; hp 25; #AT 1; THACO 15; bastard sword +l/+4vs. reptiles;
Dmg 1-3 + poison; SZ L; AL N; boots of levitation; potions of
Intelligence Animal; STs 17; STw 16; extra-healing, growth, speed.
SA: poisonous bite
Montana is a tomboy, even among
Spider, huge (6): AC 6; MV 18"; HD female dwarven fighters, and enjoys
2+2; #AT 1; THACO 16; Dmg 1-6 + a rousing good time of any sort. She
poison; SZ M; AL N; Intelligence acts a good deal younger than her
Animal; STs 17; STw 16; SA: surprise mature age of 67. Among her kind,
on 1-5, leap 3" range, weak poison ( she's awesome, standing well above
+1 bonus to saving throws) the average
height and very
Spider, giant (3): AC 4; MV 3"*12"; sturdily built.
HD 4+4; hp 12; #AT 1; THACO 15; Dmg Though Montana
2-8 + poison; SZ L; AL CE; may seem a bit
Intelligence Low; STs 16; STw 15; "rough-and-
SA: poisonous bite tumble" to
others, she
Wasp, giant (10): AC 4; MV 6" /21" doesn't care.
;HD 4; hp 25; #AT 2; THACO 15; Dmg She enjoys
challenging male dwarves and proving Intelligence: 8
that she's the best, whatever the Wisdom: 9
contest. Dexterity: 17
Montana likes fun and games, Constitution: 15
boisterous activity of any sort. She Charisma: 9
dislikes weaklings and "fat boys," Alignment: Neutral (Evil)
although she has come to respect Hit Points: 40
Smiley's clerical skills (if not his THACO: 16 as Fighter
other traits). As a very active 19 as Thief
person, she enjoys almost anything AC normal: 1
strenuous: mountain climbing, AC rear: 7
mining, or a good fight. Her magical Armor type: leather & shield
boots of levitation help in these Weapon Proficiencies (as Fighter):
pursuits as well as in many melee 5; dart, hammer, short bow, spear,
and dungeon situations. bastard sword
As part of a standard group marriage Weapon Proficiencies (as Thief): 3;
in her Boulder Clan, she is involved club, dagger, sling
in the running of the clanhome Cannot use longbow, crossbow, or any
whenever she is there and takes a weapon over 12' long or over 200 cn
dominant role, of course. Some of weight.
the female dwarves would like to Special Abilities: Infravision 60',
nominate her for clanmistress, but find slopes 8/10, unsafe stone 7/10,
she doesn't want to be tied down depth underground 6/10, direction of
with that sort of thing. travel underground 5/10.
Montana knows all the other Thieving Skills (race and Dexterity
adventurers quite well and has included):
traveled with them before. She gets PP OL FT MS HS HN CW RL
along well with Blondy, the fighter. 70 77 65 72 59 35 81 40
They often tell each other stories Languages: Burrowing Mammal, Common,
of their adventures. Although she Dwarvish, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling,
tries to stay out of his way, she Kobold
sometimes interferes with Slims Magical Items: leather armor +1;
spells by accidentally levitating, shield +2; shortbow +1; dagger +2; 8
and he gets mad. Montana shares arrows +1; bag of holding (500 lb.,
Smiley the cleric's full 70 cubic feet); decanter of endless
appreciation for dwarven things, water; potions of extra-healing,
especially fine ale, but is often fire resistance, levitation
irritated by Digger, the fighter-
thief. His black sense of humor (as Digger is a
with all gnomes) can be hard to friendly,
take, but she freely admits he knows humorous person
more about mining than she does, the with a great
skinny little runt. love of cashto
She doesn't get along well with the extent of
Blaze, the elf. They avoid each being a greedy
other, sometimes exchanging snide miser. A mature
remarksif it doesn't interfere with gnome of average
battling common enemies. Montana size, Digger is stronger and more
thinks Finder, the half-elf cleric- dexterous than he looks. Despite his
ranger, is a bore and sometimes a fighting skills, he prefers to
real pain with his "goody goody" travel and fight in leather and
attitude. shield. He is very outgoing but not
brash and tries to make friends
Digger everywhere. He never mentions his
5th Level Gnome Fighter 8th Level secret hobby: collecting gems and
Gnome Thief rare coins. Sometimes, Digger
Strength: 17 manages to pick up a few extra
things in treasure rooms, but is Dexterity: 12
careful to not even try when there's Constitution: 16
a magic-user nearby. Charisma: 14
Digger likes jokes and puns (good or Alignment: Neutral
bad) and the outdoors. He dislikes Hit Points: 40
spell casters of all types, though THACO: 16
he's careful not to show it; clerics AC normal: -5
are useful. He also hates the AC rear: -5
nickname "Hoser," given to him Armor type: bracers of defense
because of his magic water bottle. (AC 0)
He has nice gardens at home, both Magical Items: cloak of protection
indoors and out. His magic water +3, ring of protection +2, bracers
bottle is useful there, as well as of defense (AC0), dagger +2, dagger
during adventures. +1
After growing up in a burrow Spells: 5,5,5,4,4,2
community, Digger moved out to seek Spells Memorized (spell book is
his fortune and now lives alone in a lost):
large burrow complex under the Level 1: charm person, detect magic,
capital city. Its location is a magic missile (X3, two already
complete secret, except to one cast), read magic, shield, unseen
innkeeper whom Digger blackmails servant
into keeping it hidden. His secret Level 2: detect invisibility (X2),
hoard or rare coins and gems totals invisibility (X2), web
almost 100,000 gp. Level 3: dispel magic, feign death,
Digger knows all the others in the fly, tongues (lightning bolt and
party quite well and has adventured slow already cast)
with them before. Blondy seems easy Level 4: dimension door, polymorph
to fool. She thinks Digger is self, Rary's mnemonic enhancer (X2,
wonderful because he once doused her both already cast)
when she was on fire. Digger has Level 5: hold monster (cone of cold,
carefully developed Slim's passwall, and teleport already cast)
friendship and often carries his Level 6: death spell, geas
spell books for him in his bag of
holding. When he's ready to retire, Torgel is 52 years old but in
Digger can sell them back to the remarkably good shape. He tends to
magic-user... from a safe distance. be opinionated and not very
Smiley, the cleric, is a real clod, trusting. His personality is
so goody-goody, but his goodwill is diplomatic but aloof, his
needed; he can raise dead. And at disposition is even-tempered, and
least he can appreciate the gnomish his nature is forgiving but not
sense of humor. Montana, the dwarf, softhearted. He is truthful when it
is one of the few that Digger really suits him, slightly greedy, and
trusts, even if she is a showoff. somewhat irreverent.
The Ghost is Digger's closest ally, Torgel was quite a famous magic-user
as a fellow Thieves' Guild member, in the capital city, and his name
but Digger doesn't confide in him. and reputation are familiar to the
Blaze seems to have suspicions about PCs. He was known as a friend and
Digger and watches him carefully, advisor to the king, but disappeared
but Finder is useful tool, easily about two years
fooled and an easy mark for a fast prior to this
cure. adventure.
Unknown to the
Torgel adventurers,
13th Level Human Magic-User theirs was not
Strength: 9 the first group
Intelligence: 18 sent out to
Wisdom: 13 find the
obelisk. Torgel was a member of one rules from the race's home planet
such party that never returned. somewhere in the Prime Plane.
During an attack by hordes of Individual Chak may be of any
Bullywugs, Torgel lost his spell alignment but tend to associate only
book and now has only those spells with those of similar alignment (at
he has memorized (but not yet cast) least along good-evil lines). The
at his disposal. When he attempted average Chak lives over a thousand
to use his one teleport spell to years. All Chak speak a common
escape the battle, the spell went language of the same name, and many
awry and he was sent instead to the have learned to speak human Common
center of the obelisk maze. and several other tongues through
After losing a large salami and the their dealings with other races.
tips of two fingers to one of the When speaking a "foreign language,"
disintegrators, he gave up all their speech patterns mimic their
attempts to escape the maze and teachers. They develop some odd
settled in to await rescue, looking colloquial expressions, and these
on this period of enforced (but well habits are hard to break. (The "gee
fed) captivity as a time for whiz" phrase came into their
meditation and contemplation. vocabulary from contact with a
paladin some 800 years past.)
New and Adapted Monsters Noble Chak are 1-4 Hit Dice larger
Chak(New Monster) than the average, with a
Armor Class: 5 (AC0 if armored) corresponding damage bonus (1-4),
Move: 9*21 and are AC 3. Kings have at least 10
Hit Dice: 5 Hit Dice, with bite damage 2d10 and
No. of Attacks: 1 weapon, 2 light- AC0.
wand, or bite The most common weapon used by the
Damage: by weapon or 1d6 + Chak is the lightwand, a seemingly
poison innocent, light-producing device
THACO: 15 which, when fitted with a special
Alignment: Any control ring, can be fired as a
Size: L laser (range 120', #AT 2/round, Dmg
Intelligence: Avg. to High 2d8, save vs. wands for 1/2 damage;
STs: 14 target treated as AC 10 modified for
STw: 13 magic or dexterity only). Other
Special Attacks: poisonous bite, small weapons, such as daggers or
weapons, lightwands (13 charges hand axes, are also used. In their
each) lair, over 40% of the Chak
Special Defense: shift out of encountered are armed with lightwand
phase weapons.
Chak spin webs, but only in their
The Chak are a race of intelligent residences, not throughout a Chak
beings closely related to phase community. A webbed victim of 18 or
spiders. They are the dominant greater Strength can break free in
creatures in Part 3 of this one round. For each point of
adventure. The Chak have prospered Strength under 18, it takes one
as merchants, trading among many of additional round to break free of
the races of the Inner Planes of Chak webbing.
Existence. Though Chak can shift out of phase
Their society as normal phase spiders, entering
is large and the Ethereal Plane at will and
advanced. returning when desired, they
Planets are consider it very impolite to do so.
ruled by local Besides, the Ether is cold and
kings serving possibly dangerous, so it is
an emperor who normally used only as a route to
other planes, except in emergencies
(such as attacks). In addition, No. of Attacks: 1 bite
items carried by the Chak do not go Damage 2d8,3d6, or 4d6
to the Ethereal Plane with them. THACO: 12 or 10
Alignment: n
Chomper Size: L (8-12')
(Modified Monster) Intelligence: Very
Armor Class: 5 Sts: 10
Move: 9" Stw: 9
Hit Dice: 9
Hit Points: 40 These odd rock-
No. of Attacks: 1 bite & 1 tail beings are
sting reclusive but
Damage: 2d8/1d4 + poison very much at
(paralysis) home on the
THACO: 12 moon, both in
Alignment: N the air-filled
Size: L tunnels and on
Intelligence: Animal the airless surface. A galeb duhr
Sts: 14 looks like a large bipedal rock,
STw: 13 with a mouth and squinty eyes. They
Special Attacks: tail sting (save normally avoid or ignore the Chak
vs. poison or suffer paralysis for but are sometimes hired as guards or
2-12 turns) spies. Details of their society (if
any) are unknown.
The chomper is a A galeb duhr can cast the following
smallish variety spells as a 20th-level magic-user,
of purple worm one spell per round: passwall, stone
(Monster Manual, shape, transmute rock to mud, wall
pg. 80), only of stone, move earth.
20-30' long but Just as a treant can affect normal
otherwise trees, a galeb duhr can animate and
identical. It control up to two boulders within 6"
eats rock, burrowing deep and range (AC 0; MV 3"; HD 9; #AT 1
instinctively avoiding the lethal crush; Dmg. 4d6; AL N; THACO 12; SZ
airless lunar surface. Chompers are L; IN non: STs 16; STW 15).
slightly more intelligent than Adapted to lunar life, these
purple worms. They were introduced creatures are not as susceptible to
to the moon by the Chak, who trained cold as are their cousins. No
them to respond to simple commands, penalty applies to their saving
and they are the primary means of throw against cold-based attacks,
creating new tunnel systems. Tame but damage is still doubled (save
chompers are virtually harmless, for normal damage). They are
never biting creatures except by resistant to magical fire, gaining a
accident. Wild chompers exist, +4 bonus to saving throws, and are
however, and are not averse to immune to normal fire and all
adding a bit of meat to their diet. lightning. The boulders they animate
A chompers tail stinger is share the same resistances and
poisonous, but only causes immunities.
paralysis. The maw can only swallow
creatures of halfling size or Glommer
smaller. (Adapted Monster)
Armor Class: 5
Galeb Duhr Move: 12"
(Adapted Monster) Hit Dice: 6
Armor Class: -2 No. of Attacks: 4 claws or weapons
Move: 6" Damage: 1d4 (X4) or by
Hit Dice: 8-10 weapon
THACO: 13 stability. They
Alignment: NE are immune to all
Size: M gases and feed on
Intelligence: animal and are cured by
STs: 16 light and heat,
Stw: 15 absorbed through
the wings. Moon
The glommer is rocs are
a four-armed otherwise very similar to their
carnivorous terrestrial cousins.
ape, perhaps a
mutation, Tin Man
brought to the (New Monster)
moon from its Armor Class: 6
native jungles Move: 9"
by evil Chak. Hit Dice: 6
Using all four Hit Points: 27
arms, a glommer has an effective No. of Attacks: 1 axe or fist
Strength of 22 (carry 1,000 lb. Damage: 1-8 or 1-4
weight, open doors 11 in 12, wizard THACO: 13
locks 4 in 12, and bend bars/lift Alignment: N
gates 80%). Size: M(6')
Glommers normally use no weapons. Intelligence: non
They may be taught to use clubs or
throw rocks, but not other weapons. The tin man is a tin golem, found
With either during Part 2 of this adventure.
weapon, no penalties "to hit" or to Long ago, the Chak bought it from
damage apply for multiple attacks. another race and sold it to the
Club damage is standard (1d6/1d3), Grippli. If the party brings the tin
and small rocks may be thrown to man along, they may learn how to
3"/6"/9" ranges, for Dmg 1-4 each. activate and control it by talking
If all four of an unarmed glommer's with the Chak advisors, and it may
claw attacks hit a single opponent, prove useful.
an extra 2-20 points of rending Once activated, the tin man always
damage are automatically inflicted. speaks when spoken to, but it has no
If three claws hit, rending damage brain and offers only random
is 1-12. If only two hit, rending comments or answers to any
damage is 1-8. questions. It is immune to most
spells, but water- or ice-based
Roc, Moon attacks (normal or magical) cause it
(Adapted Monster) to become stiff and immobile in 1-4
Armor Class: 4 rounds. (Thorough oiling will free
Move: 3" /24" it.) It can be affected by normal or
Hit Dice: 18 magical weapons. When reduced to 0
No. of Attacks: 2 claws or 1 beak hp or less, it is not destroyed but
Damage: 3d6/3d6 or 4d6 merely immobilized. It can only be
THACO: 7 destroyed by melting in red dragon
Alignment: N breath or hotter. The tin man can be
Size: L (70' wingspread) activated or deactivated by the
Intelligence: animal command word
STs: 11 "Zihweeg."
Stw: 10 The tin man is
immune to damage
The lunar variety of this species from lightwands;
was created by some mad wizard. Moon its shiny
rocs need no air and fly magically, surface reflects
using their wings only for the shots. If a
shot hits, however, it is reflected SMART sells potions and normal
in a random direction (roll 1d6): equipment at discount prices. Your
Die Roll (1d6) Direction own interests are best served by
1 90 degrees left keeping good relations with the
2 45 degrees left group and with its individual
3 Back at attacker members.
4 45 degrees right Notices of Opportunity are always
5 90 degrees right posted at SMART headquarters. You
6 Straight up have volunteered for an adventure to
Any target in the path of the serve the king. The notice was
reflection must make a saving throw clearly marked with the rune for
vs. wands or take 1-8 points of "high danger, high reward." Many
damage. asked to go, but you are the lucky
ones, selected by the SMART leaders.
It seems that the king has heard of
PART 1 - RUINS OF EMPIRE a large and powerful magical device
located in the ruins of a city far
Players' Background away. He wants you to locate it for
Read the following to the players: him so that an expedition can be
Several years ago, when you were all sent out to retrieve it. You are to
novice adventurers, you joined an be paid a relatively small fee but
adventurers' guild known as SMART, can keep anything you find in the
the Syndicate of Master Adventurers distant city. Your reputations will
for the Recovery of Treasure. You also profit, as will your guild's.
were all strangers to one another Transportation is provided.
then, but you came to know and The device is rumored to be a large
respect each other's talents over pillar with flat sides. No verified
the years. details of its size or powers are
SMART is but one of several available.
adventurers' guilds located in the This adventure begins in the early
capital city. By royal decree, all afternoon of a clear, sunny day.
professional adventurers residing in Your ship is nearing the end of its
the capital must belong to a guild. three-week voyage southward. The
Several organizations were formed to lookout suddenly cries "Land Ho!"
satisfy the letter of the king's Once you debark, the ship and crew
edict. Each caters to a specialized will wait for up to two weeks before
group. There are the Assassins' they give up and return home.
Guild, the Legion of Law, and many Your objectives are to find the
others. SMART is one of the largest obelisk for the king, gather as much
and most powerful groups now information about it and its
existing. location as possible, and find and
SMART members are generally neutral. keep as much treasure as you can for
Moral extremists, such as paladins, yourselves while cooperating to keep
are not invited. Evil is also all party members alive through the
discouraged, though not totally process.
forbidden.
SMART members swear oaths of loyalty Pre-Start: Saving Throw Results
and cooperation. Members never steal Before starting the first part of
from each other or from the group. this adventure, ask each player to
Lost members are recovered and make the following eight saving
restored, if possible. If not, their throws for his or her character.
rightful shares are paid out Roll the saving throws for Montana
according to their wills. and Digger, the two NPC adventurers
SMART has served you well. Through accompanying the party.
it, you have found opportunities for Note all failures here. You need not
profitable adventure, friends, and note the successes. Put an "X" in
knowledge. SMART members train you. the row by the character's name
under each saving throw failed. When sides. Make every effort to keep the
the results of a saving throw are party from attempting to wander
called for in the adventure, find through the jungle.
the letter of that throw in the Refer to the Jungle Map. If the
first row and read down, noting each party heads in by the trail, note
"X" as a failure. Two saving throws the encounters along the way. If
are not actually needed, but will they all take the aerial route,
help keep them on their toes. landing in or near the ruins, use
The required saving throws are: the treetop encounter as noted
earlier.
A vs. Poison (Encounter A2) The trail leads northwest from the
B vs. Poison (Encounter A4) beach for about 70 yards, then heads
C vs. Breath Weapon (Encounter north for 300 yards, and turns again
A2) to the northwest.
D vs. Spells, no Wisdom or
Resistance adjustments (Maze A2. Weirdness
Room #1) At the point marked "X" on the
E vs. Spells, no Wisdom or Jungle Map, 200 yards west of the
Resistance adjustments (Maze second bend in the trail, stands a
Room #3) basidirond. It has been emitting
F vs. Spells (not used) poisonous hallucinatory spores,
G vs. Petrifaction (not used) which cover the area marked with the
H vs. Death (Maze Room #6 or dotted circle.
thereafter) Use the results of saving throw A
(vs. poison). Anyone who failed this
A B C D E saving throw is affected by a
Blondy ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ hallucination. You'll need the
Slim ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ delusion and message notes you were
Smiley ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ instructed to cut out and keep
Ghost ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ hidden. Do not announce the effects
Blaze ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ or give the players any hint that
Finder ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ they have encountered a basidirond.
Montana ___ ____ ____ ____ ____ Simply give one note to each player.
Digger ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Players who failed their saving
throws should receive delusion
notes. Those with unaffected
Trail Encounter Key characters should be given the
message notes provided.
A1. Beach To determine which message to give
The ship lands on a strip of clear each player, roll 1d6 for each
shoreline, but dense jungle lies deluded PC and use the following
beyond. The characters may either table. Do not duplicate any
search for a trail (there is one), messages; re-roll as needed.
or fly overhead looking for clues.
An aerial search reveals nothing but Die Roll Delusion
jungle for miles unless a detect 1 Stuck in swamp:
invisibility spell is used. If so, Strip off armor to
some ruins can be spotted 1 1/2 keep from sinking.
miles inland under the dense 2 Spider attack:
treetops straight in from the beach. Attack incoming
Swarming hordes of creepy crawlies spiders in all
(see Tree-top Denizens) can be seen directions
in the trees as well. The trail also 3 Viper: Item held
leads to the ruins. is a snake; drop
If the party attempts to hack their it, leap away;
way in through the jungle, they are attack it and try
faced with quicksand bogs on all
to convince the A3. Visitors
others. From the second bend, the trail
4 Disease: Other proceeds northwest for 635 yards
characters are (nine diagonals of map squares) and
moldy; avoid then turns north. Seventy yards (one
coming within 10 diagonal) before this turn, the
feet of them. party notices four froglike
5 Melting: Drop humanoids watching them carefully
everything and from the cover of the jungle to
hold self together their right (northeast).
with both hands. These are the Grippli. Be sure you
6 Leech: Tear off have read the section on Native Life
anything worn on and are familiar with them. They
the back and flee from any party aggressiveness
attack; its a but do not fear spell casting in
giant leech. itself. They do not speak human
Common, only the Grippli and
The hallucinations are not Batrachian Common tongues. Thus, a
illusions, and disbelief has no tongues spell is needed for
effect. They must be believed and meaningful communication.
acted upon as if real. Tell the Alignment language may be used but
players to read their messages and only produces general messages such
warn them not to compare or discuss as "Peace!" and "Got anything for
them, merely to act on them. me?"
The delusions continue for 1-4 If approached peacefully, the
rounds after leaving the area or Grippli may barter and may possibly
until a slow poison or neutralize be persuaded to take the party to
poison spell is applied. However, if their village. They will not suggest
a spell is used, another saving this themselves but may agree if
throw must be made immediately. sufficiently bribed or charmed.
Keoghtom's ointment gives immunity If any goodwill is generated,
to the effects for three turns. through trading or conversation, and
The noise awakens a jungle anhkheg, if communication is possible, the
which rises up at the west side of Grippli reveal the following bits of
the path (but without surprise) and information:
attacks. Deluded characters may be 1. The Grippli say there are others
able to attack the anhkheg, if about, like Grippli but not like
convenient or wise, but their Grippli, who are nasty. These others
delusions have first priority. The are enemies of the Grippli. They
delusions do not prohibit spell have not, however, been seen for a
casting. week or two.
When the anhkheg is damaged to 15 hp 2. They warn the party of a plant
or less, it squirts acid in the next monster ahead at the second bend in
round, automatically gaining the trail (a mantrap), and suggest
initiative. Use the victims' saving it is best avoided. Only a slight
throw C (vs. breath weapon). The departure from the trail is needed.
monster can attack normally after The Grippli tell the PCs to stop 100
squirting (at the end of the same feet south of the turn, head
round), but no extra acid damage northwest through jungle for 200
applies to a bite after the creature feet, and then turn north again.
has used its squirt. Ignore acid They can then easily regain the
damage to items. trail.
If the party flees, the ankheg moves The adventurers may not notice that
onto the trail and pursues. the Grippli foot is three-fifths the
size of a human foot. Thus, the
creatures' directions are not
correct if human feet are used to
measure. A detail map is provided, You suddenly notice that there is a
showing the paths taken by the party giant leech on your back. Tear it
if the true Grippli distances are off and attack it! Better warn the
used (Path A), and if human feet are others, too.
used (Path B). If anyone in the
party thinks to double-check Grippli Messages
distances by comparing actual feet You suddenly hear something off in
or asking for the Grippli estimate the jungle to the right of the path.
of an item's or person's size The undergrowth is too thick;
(multiply normal size by 5/3), this nothing is visible.
discrepancy can be easily noted and
corrected. You get the feeling that something
Path B comes within range of a odd is about to happen.
second mantrap, located 60 human
yards west of the one by the trail. This is a fake message. Frown, roll
Use the same details as given in ld20, and tell the DM the result.
encounter A4 for the first mantrap. Don't worry; it doesn't actually
If both are encountered (unlikely mean anything.
but possible), have all characters
make saving throws for the second You notice that there are a lot of
mantrap; do not use prerolled saves. creatures up in the treetops:
Many characters (and all magic- snakes, spiders, and giant bugs of
users) can accurately estimate various sorts.
length at a distance if a clear view
can be obtained (and such is the You notice that the jungle is very
case on straight sections of trail). hot and steamy. Better drink extra
This elementary surveying technique water on this trip. Keep an eye out
requires only the use of an item for a chance to refill the water
with a known length (such as a 10- bottles, too.
foot pole). Thus, the distance from
the turn can be estimated without You start to perspire. It's hot
approaching the danger zone. here. Everyone is getting a bit
smelly. Think of something to do
Delusions about it and share your ideas with
You have stepped into a swampy bog, the others.
and are stuck. Take off all your
armor and get help before you sink! A4. Sniff
After the trail turns north, it
Suddenly, huge spiders come running proceeds for 200 yards and then
at the party from all sides! Attack turns northwest again. Forty feet to
them! the north of that turn is an
insidious plant monster called a
You suddenly realize that the item mantrap (see Detail Map A4). It
held in one hand is a deadly pit appears similar to a huge, 24-foot-
viper! Drop it, move away, and tall weed, with bell-like flowers on
attack it! Try to get help from your its stem and five large, traplike
friends. leaves. It does not attack with the
leaves; it merely waits until prey
You suddenly notice that mold is climbs in voluntarily.
growing on the backs of most of the Use the results of saving throw B
other characters. Avoid them! Stay (vs. poison). All victims within 60
at least 10 feet awayand warn them! feet become fascinated by the
mantrap's odor and leave the trail
You feel a flash of odd heat and heading north. Those attracted go to
start melting! Hold onto yourself the body of the plant and
with both hands and warn the others! voluntarily climb into one of the
four leaves unless prevented by
their comrades. Once entered, a leaf north again. Twenty-five yards
closes about the victim, inflicting before that turn, the trail crosses
a number of points of acid damage an unusually flat, hard, cleared
per round equal to the victim's AC area that is 12 yards wide. This is
rear (minimum of 1 point per round). the remains of an old road which
Items exposed to the acid must be once led from the city (now ruins)
saved for immediately (see chart to the coast. No large trees grow on
below) and at the beginning of each the old road; only shrubs and small
turn (not round) thereafter. All plant growth can survive on it. It
metal receives a +2 bonus. is not visible from above, as the
branches of nearby trees intertwine
SAVING THROW CHART: to form a thick canopy.
ITEMS VS. ACID (standard 1d20 roll) Buzzing over the road to the north
of the trail at this point are three
Bone or Ivory 11 giant dragonflies, which attack as
Ceramic 4 soon as the party arrives. Standing
Cloth 12 motionless at the edge of the road
Crystal or Vial 6 just south of the trail is a giant
Glass 5 mantis. It remains unnoticed,
Leather or Book 10 blending perfectly with the
Liquid 15 underbrush, unless a detect
Metal, hard 7 invisibility spell or some other
Metal, soft/Jewelry 13 means is used. The mantis does not
Mirror, glass 12 attack at this time. If spotted and
Parchment/Paper 16 attacked, it flees.
Stone (small) or Gem 3 The mantis is watching for easy
Wood or Rope, thin 9 prey. During the melee with the
Wood or Rope, thick 8 dragonflies, if one or two
characters (not three or more) back
The victims can be pulled free only up to the south edge of the path,
if the plant is killed or if the the mantis reaches out quietly and
attacking leaf and branch are cut carefully. It grabs one victim from
off by an edged weapon. Treat each behind with its forelimbs (2d6
leaf-stalk as AC 6, hp 10. Damage to points of damage). The victim is not
a leaf-stalk is not counted against silenced but is immobile. Use AC
the monster's total hit points. rear hereafter. During the next and
The fascination comes from a pollen following rounds, the mantis bites
released from the plant. This is a the victim while turning about and
poisonous effect, not a magical one. heading south down the old roadway
It can be dispelled by the passage (6" rate). It cannot fly in this
of time (24 hours spent out of terrain. If pursued and attacked, it
range), the burning of the plant, or flees from missile or magical
magical remedies against poison attacks (still holding its victim)
(slow poison or neutralize poison, but stops and fights if attacked
Keoghtom's Ointment, etc.). However, hand-to-hand.
if the inhaled pollen is neutralized The mantis never attacks if three or
while the victim is still within more characters back off from the
range of the mantrap, the victim dragonfly melee, or if none back
must make another saving throw vs. off. It chooses to remain hidden to
the poison/ fascination immediately. await other prey.
Do not use pre-rolled saving throws The dragonflies gain a +2 bonus to
if this occurs. all initiative rolls. In play, add
the bonus to your roll, and have the
A5. Watcher player with the highest Dexterity
From the mantrap bend, the trail roll for the party. The Dexterity
proceeds northwest for 212 yards modifier (if applicable) may be
(three map diagonals), then turns added to the PCs roll. Because of
the dragonflies' high-speed darting surface. The door remains in that
and hovering, the following combat position until closed (via the
effects apply: control room in the center of the
maze) or until it closes itself (as
Dragonflies WIN initiative: Immune given in some descriptions). Unless
to hand-held weapons, AC -1 vs. a description mentions that a door
missile fire closes, assume that once opened it
remains open. Whenever a door
Dragonflies LOSE (or TIE) remains open, put an "0" beside it
initiative: AC 1 vs. missile fire on your Maze Map. Later, you'll need
A6. Continue to know which doors are still open.
The party can continue up the path
or take the old road. Either way, no Zap
encounters occur before they reach The maze appears to be easy to
the ruins. However, one noteworthy solve, but there is actually only
bit of information is obtained at one route through it. Your DM's map
the point where the path again is marked with several blockages,
crosses the old road. each shown by an asterisk (*). These
An old trap lies at that point, now blockages are invisible and
obvious and easily avoided. It nonmagical disintegrators that
consists of four spears, their register as traps if a clerical find
points discolored by poison (now traps spell is used.
harmless), mounted on a spear- A distintegrator may be placed in a
throwing contraption made of door or doorway or may simply block
branches. The ground is trampled, a corridor. The passage of one foot
and there are many footprints of or more of material through a
froglike humanoids in this area. The disintegrator activates the zapper,
footprints were made by Bullywugs, destroying that portion of the
but the characters may think material which has passed through.
otherwise. Both the trail and the Thus, a 15-inch stick inserted
road lead to the ruins. through a disintegrator area
suddenly goes "zap," and the
The Ruins character is left holding a 3-inch
A maze lies 15 feet below the old stick, cleanly cut off. A small
city, heaps of rubble marking the object thrown through a
entranceways at each of its four disintegrator is not destroyed and
corners. The floors and walls are does not betray the existence of the
stone. The ceiling, at ground level, disintegrator. Only objects or
is a transparent force field. The creatures at least one foot in
stone is very tough and enchanted length or breadth are affected.
besides; digging does not penetrate Nothing and nobody gets a saving
it, spikes cannot be hammered into throw against the disintegration.
it, and so forth. However, a pass- All large objects and creatures,
wall spell can cause a part of the magical or otherwise, are affected.
wall to disappear for the spell Disintegrators do not block spells.
duration, producing a hole 5 feet With the clues provided, the players
tall, 8 feet wide, and 10 feet deep. should realize that something is
Each door within the maze is made of fishy and will probably test ahead
a shiny, reddish metal unknown to of them with the sticks found just
the characters (silicon-steel). No inside the southeast entrance. But
hinges, locks, latches, or doorknobs if your players are a little dense,
can be found. All doors open by and their characters just go
themselves when touched; no "open strolling in, you may want to give
doors" roll is needed. When any door them one chance since you don't want
is touched, it slides downward into to wipe out a character through
the floor until its top is flush sheer ignorance. If desired, the
with the stone, leaving a flat first time a character walks into a
disintegrator allow a saving throw time. Have one player be the caller
vs. death (not a pre-rolled saving for the group's decisions. Here is
throw). If successful, the character an example. The PCs have entered the
feels tingly and jumps back in time. northeast corner of the maze.
If failed, the character is reduced
to 0 hit points but still falls back DM: "Which way, south or west?"
before being disintegrated. Quick Caller: "Uh, let's try west."
curing can restore the character DM: "Okay. You go west, U-turn back
with no ill effects except for hit east, U-turn again west, and can go
point loss. Don't be this lenient into a dead end or turn left.
more than once per party. The second Which?"
time, ZAP! The victim disappears Caller: "We'll check out the dead
with all equipment carried, end, slowly, with a stick."
permanently lost. DM: "You don't find anything at all,
even with a thorough search. Want to
Visitors go south and west, or go back to the
Looking up from within the maze, entrance?"
characters can easily see the Caller: "Go south and west."
treetops and (depending on the DM: "You round the corner, but
angle, walls, etc.) the central before you come to the open area the
obelisk. Snakes, spiders, wasps, and stick goes ZAP! You have no choices;
dragonflies occasionally move over you must go back."
the maze, though they cannot pass Caller: "Okay, go back."
through the force field. Describe DM: "You wind around until you're
some of them now and then as they back at the entrance. South?"
pass overhead. A large snake or two Caller: "OK."
might even start to follow above the DM: "You go south, then west, then
characters, looking for a way to get turn south, but before you can get
at the adventurers. to a choice, there's another 'ZAP!'
Scratch another stick."
Detect Magic
The clerical spell offers no chance If the characters are using sticks
to determine a specific type of regularly, assume that they continue
effect, only dim or strong magic. to do so. Don't zap someone because
The magic-user spell has a 10% they didn't specifically mention
chance of detecting the type of using a stick. Be kind, giving
magic (illusion, enchantment, etc.). everyone a chance to play.
Smileys wand of magic detection has There are not enough sticks at the
a 100% chance of determining the southeast entrance of the maze to
type of magic if the user merely test all the disintegrator areas.
concentrates for a full round on the Characters may gather more sticks
dweomer detected. This wand may before they enter, but don't suggest
become very useful in the scenario, this to them. The best way to keep
but do not remind the players. track of the sticks seems to be
Merely confirm this information if this: keep a record of the total
asked. number of usable feet of sticks
remaining (probably starting with
Sample Maze Journey 20, those in the bundle). Allow each
Even if the players have a map, the character to gather another 10
trip through the maze can quickly sticks comfortably. Warn them that
become tedious. The following carrying more than 10 additional
suggestions may help you keep things sticks will cause encumbrance and
moving. possible delays in melees. After
When characters are passing through entering the maze, characters may
the maze, describe their route backtrack, exit, gather sticks, and
quickly and clearly until they get return. After passing Room 2,
to a decision point. Avoid wasting
however, their exit from the maze is with many bare spots. If characters
blocked. search the building ruins, they find
one item from the list below for
Ruins Encounter Key each turn of searching. Give out the
items in the order listed; no
B1. The Clearing further items are found here.
If the party approaches by the trail 1. A small broken ceramic jug,
or road, read the following to the decorated with a drawing of a
players. If they enter the area from spider.
the air, run the battle with the 2. Seven coins made of an unknown
treetop creepy-crawlies first, reddish metal, each marked with
describing this area as needed. strange runes. A comprehend
languages spell reveals the text as
Ahead, the jungle appears to thin "Garsha Koo" on one side, "One
out. Amongst the trees, you catch Sarkum" on the other. That's as
glimpses of crumbled stone walls and clear as it gets. Reading the words
approach cautiously. The trees end does not guarantee understanding
abruptly, and you see a huge area, them. The metal is silicon-steel,
cloaked in jungle shadows. Standing unknown in this world.
tall and clean in the center of the 3. A two-inch square piece of fabric
area is a large stone spire, 50 feet made of woven metal of a strange
tall and 15-20 feet wide at its type (again, silicon-steel).
base. It reaches to within 20 feet 4. One wand. It is magical, but odd
of the treetop canopy. and flexible, made of an unknown
The area around the spire is roughly substance similar to plastic. If
circular, about 400 feet across. struck against any hard object, it
Tree branches and vines form a glows to a 30-foot radius for one
complete canopy overhead, shielding turn, then goes dark. It can be used
the area from the sky. The ground is as often as desired and has no
littered with dead branches and what charges.
little can grow on the gloomy jungle 5. The skeleton of a froglike human
floor. No trees grow within 200 feet with two neat holes in the skull,
of the base of the pillar. one in front and one behind. (This
The branches overhead seem to move, Bullywug was apparently killed by a
but there is no breeze. You realize laser. The remains are easily
that the trees are filled with mistaken for a Grippli's.)
creeping and flying creatures of 6. A clear gem, made of an unknown
various types: spiders, snakes, mineral. (This sand-gem is worth
dragonflies, wasps, and who knows 5,000 gp but is easily broken,
what else. But they stay in the crumbling to worthless sand.)
treetops and do not descend. Keep track of the characters'
The stone and log ruins that you approximate location in the
first glimpsed through the trees clearing. The maze on your map
form a rough circle around the occupies a rectangular area in the
pillar, about 200 feet from it. Some center of the clearing. It lies
rubble lies within the circle, but below ground level and is protected
not much. by an invisible ceiling equivalent
to a huge wall of force which cannot
The pillar that the PCs were sent to be passed or even scratched. Because
find is the obelisk, represented by of the rubble and litter on the
the square in the center of the DM's ground, characters may walk over the
Maze Map. maze without realizing it. If a
The ruins of buildings lie to all character moves any of the rubble or
sides of the map, few to the east sticks in this area and looks down,
and west but many to the north and the maze area below may be dimly
south. No actual structures remain. seen as a dark space. Light (magical
The rubble is a foot deep at most,
or otherwise) illuminates only a armored skeleton with some
small part of the maze. unidentifiable bundles.
The protective force wall cover
extends over the entire obelisk, B2. Entry
one-half inch from its surface at At any or all of the four corners,
all points. characters may move the rubble with
The sticks and rubble above the maze a little digging. When this is done,
can be easily cleared in 16 man- the rubble cascades down to reveal a
turns of work (eight characters slide or pit leading to the open
working for two turns, four turns entrance to the maze. Characters
for four characters, etc.). If the have no problems climbing or sliding
characters do not catch on that down to any entranceway. These
something is below them, have one rubble slides are not traps, but are
character trip on a branch and detectable by the dwarven detect
almost fall into a hole, only to unsafe floors ability.
bang his or her nose on the The characters may try to enter at
invisible covering of the maze. When all four corners, but will be
the characters have cleared some or blocked by disintegrators from
all of the area, read the following continuing very far at all but the
to the players: northwest entrance.
With a little work, you uncover a The old human skeleton at point A is
wondrous sight. A maze lies below clad in non-magical plate mail and
you, surrounding the central pillar. shield, now corroded and worthless.
With the area cleared, you can Some of the bones are broken, and
easily map the whole thing if you some show signs of bite marks and
take two or three turns to do so. gnawing. All the limbs are somewhat
out of place. Part of the victim
If the characters do not take your appears to have been eaten a few
hint to map the maze, try to subtly years ago, but most of the body has
encourage them to do so. Otherwise, simply rotted away, encased in its
the players will spend so much time armor.
mapping as they go that very little Three bundles lie near the body. One
will be accomplished from here on. is a moldy leather backpack
When the characters have spent the containing normal equipment, now
time to map the maze, hand them rotted (blanket, food, some candles,
their map of the ruins and say: etc.) and various normal coins worth
a total of 100 gp. The second bundle
You are standing on a perfectly is a large sack. It contains a
clear but impenetrable surface which rotten mass of something
covers the whole maze. The floor of unidentifiable and nothing more. The
the maze seems to be stone, about 15 third bundle is a bunch of 20 wooden
feet below you. The walls are also branches, each about 15 inches long.
stone, about 6 inches thick. The In front of the skeleton (by the
tops of the walls seem to lie just asterisk on your DM's map) lie two
below your feet. short sticks. These seem very
There are a dozen intact buildings similar to those in the bundle but
in the maze. Four are octagonal, are only three inches long. One end
four rectangular, and four irregular of each stick is broken, as if it
ones are in the center area near the had been torn from a tree. The other
pillar. All the buildings have doors end is cut off very cleanly. The
made of a strange-looking metal. victim used these sticks to test the
There seem to be openings at the area ahead (see Zap above).
four corners of the maze. Each of
these lies below some old surface
ruins. Near the southeast corner
(point A on your map) lies an
The Maze weight, as one famous adventurer
proved, does not defuse the trap.
Room 1. Head The fireball inflicts 6-36 (6d6)
points of damage. Use the results of
This octagonal room is empty except saving throw D (vs. spells). Success
for a stone pedestal which stands in indicates half damage. Of the 33,500
the exact center of the room. The cubic feet of explosion, the room
pedestal is 4 feet tall and 1 foot accommodates only 10,500 feet. About
in diameter. Atop it sits a golden 23,000 cubic feet expand out of the
object, a 5-inch tall bust of a room. This covers 15 1/3 map squares
clean-shaven human with a hooked (each representing 1500 cubic feet).
nose, bushy eyebrows, and short If both doors are open, divide the
hair. explosion evenly out of each one.
You probably won't need to be exact.
The bust is made of solid gold. If a The explosion covers a wide area,
detect invisibility spell is used, and most characters will probably be
or if a thief successfully finds in range.
traps, characters notice that the The bust weighs 100 pounds and is
bust rests on an inner circle atop worth 5,000 gp. The ring is a ring
the pedestala crack, possibly of fire resistance ( + 4 bonus to
indicating a movable center. Success saving throw, 2 damage per die).
at removing traps means that a small
wedge has been pushed down into the Room 2. First Image
crack, jamming the center piece so
that it cannot move. In the center of this rectangular
Detect magic reveals that the bust room is the six-foot-tall head of a
is magical. Concentration reveals man, the same man as that portrayed
that the dweomer is an enchantment. by the gold bust from Room 1: hooked
Further concentration may reveal a nose, short hair, and so forth. It
like dweomer below the bust (a appears fleshy, alive, and very
ring), and still more concentration real, as if a giant were imprisoned
may reveal a faint but definite below the floor. The head's eyes are
evocation farther below the bust, open, staring at the door through
within the pedestal. which you have entered.
A dispel magic spell used on the
pedestal does not change anything. The image is an illusion. Disbelief
The stone is partially galena, a has no effect, nor does dispel
lead ore, and blocks such attempts. magic. However, the thing is
If the bust is lifted, a ring is harmless and insubstantial.
revealed. The bottom of the bust has Characters can walk through it. The
been hollowed out, and the ring sits image does not respond to anything
on the stone beneath it. If the trap the characters do except for one
has not been defused, lifting the simple action.
bust causes the central stone If the golden bust is shown to the
cylinder to slide upward. One foot image in this room, the image closes
of it rises from the pedestal, its eyes. Only then will the exit
releasing a fireball explosion that door open when touched from inside
fills the room and overflows out the the room. The exit (the west door in
door (or doors, if the door opposite the north wall) does not open,
the entry has been opened by this whatever else is tried, as long as
time). The central cylinder the image has its eyes open. This
immediately slides back down into door closes itself one turn after it
the closed position, leaving the is first opened and does not open
pedestal in its original condition. when touched on the outside
It will not rise again unless reset (corridor side). Thus, once all the
via the controls in Room 9). Sorry, characters have passed this door,
but replacing the bust with an equal they cannot go back and are trapped
in the maze. The door closes Room 4. Second Image
regardless of any attempts to block
it, crushing any object or spell This rectangular room contains, once
effect in its way. again, the six-foot-tall head of the
familiar human with the hooked nose.
Room 3. Bells Again, it is facing the entrance
(south door in the east wall).
This octagonal room contains only
two small golden bells, both sitting Again, the head is an illusion. This
on the floor in the center of the time, however, the eyes are closed.
room. Each has a 3-inch- long handle The exit (south door) does not open
and a 2-inch-tall cup. until the eyes have opened and
closed again. The eyes can only be
The bells are solid gold, with gold opened by ringing a bell in the
clappers. Detect magic reveals that room. Either bell can be used. The
one is magical. Concentration may eyes do not close again unless shown
reveal the dweomer to be an the golden bust. Once this procedure
enchantment, and further has been used, the south door opens
concentration may reveal an normally. It can be opened from
additional dweomer, an evocation. either side.
If the magical bell is lifted from
the floor, a fireball explosion goes Room 5. Chalice
off beneath it, identical to that in
Room 1. Damage is 6-6d6) points. Use This octagonal room contains a
the results of saving throw E (vs. pedestal in the center, identical to
spells). Success indicates half that in Room 1 (4 feet tall, 1 foot
damage. Again, the blast spills out across), with a golden chalice
of the room, filling 15 1/3 sitting atop it.
additional map squares. The
nonmagical bell is not trapped in As in Room 1, the center of the
any way and is worth 20 gp. pedestal may be found (via detect
The magical bell is a bell of invisibility or find traps) to be a
blasting. Each time it is rung, a movable cylinder. The solid gold
small gemlike object (apparent value chalice has a 5-inch cup atop a 3-
1,000 gp) falls from inside it. The inch-tall base and stem. The chalice
gem explodes three rounds later in a is empty.
6d6 fireball unless the bell is Detect magic reveals that the
placed over it. This action merely chalice is magical, and that
delays the fireball until the bell something within the pedestal is
is again picked up. The bell of also magical. Concentration may
blasting has a value of 7,500 gp if reveal that the chalice bears an
sold in a sizeable town. It has 12 enchantment, as does something in
charges remaining; one charge is the pedestal. Further concentration
used for each fireball. Keep track may reveal that an evocation also
of the charges remaining. Characters lies within the pedestal.
may ring the bell later, and a If the center of the pedestal is
delayed blast fireball is produced jammed (which occurs if a remove
each time. If so, players may make traps attempt is successful), it
the needed saving throws. Do not use does not move. If the chalice is
any more pre-made rolls for lifted before the trap is jammed,
fireballs. the central cylinder rises 1 foot,
Either door can be opened easily, revealing a hole through it. A ring
whether or not the bells are lies in this hole. No explosion
tampered with. occurs.
After rising, the cylinder
immediately returns to its original
position. If any character is
standing by the pedestal when the 2 Put liquid in Liquid dis-
cylinder rises, an attempt may be chalice; then appears.
made to snatch the ring before the show chalice.
cylinder descends. Have the to the image
character make a normal "to hit" 3 Show golden Image closes
roll as if for missile fire bust to image. its eyes.
(Dexterity adjustments apply, but
not Strength). If the
character hits AC -2,
the ring is
successfully grabbed.
The ring is another
ring of fire
resistance. In any
event, a small
compartment below the
ring is not disturbed.
It is this compartment,
not the ring, which
bears the evocation, a
fire trap. It plays no
part here. The pedestal
is partly galena, a
lead ore, which foils
dispel magic attempts
at negating the
evocation.
This room may be easily
avoided, but the
chalice is needed to
pass Room 6. Characters
may return to this room
easily; the door
remains open.
This rectangular room again holds After the procedure is complete, the
the six-foot image of the now- exit door opens at a touch.
familiar human head with the hooked Only one mistake can cause problems.
nose. Again, it is in the center of If the chalice does not contain some
the room. liquid when shown to the image, find
the result of the holder's saving
Again, the head cannot be affected throw H (vs. death). If successful,
except by certain actions. It faces the victim takes 10 points of
the entrance (east door) with its damage. If failed, the victim is
eyes closed. The exit (east door in reduced to 0 hp but may be recovered
the north wall) does not open until by quick curing, with no loss except
the eyes have been opened and closed for the points of damage. This
again. The required procedure runs concludes the use of the pre-made
as follows: saving throws. Any further saving
throws required must be made by the
Step Action Result players as needed.
1 Ring a bell. Image opens The liquid can be of any type:
its eyes. water, wine, blood, potion, etc.
Interruptions of the procedure do
not cause problems. As soon as the creatures gain a saving throw. The
three required actions are confusion lasts for 20 rounds, after
completed, regardless of other which the phantasmal apple
activity, the eyes close and the disappears. The image and the effect
door is free to be opened. may be removed by a dispel magic
The exit can only be opened from spell, checked against 20th-level
inside the room. It closes itself magic use. An apple of chaos is
one turn after being opened. Thus, worth 3,000 gp if sold in a sizeable
after characters have passed through town.
this room, they cannot later return The platter and apples may be picked
(identical to the effect in Room 2). up and examined without incident.
Dispel magic does not affect them in
Room 7. Apples any way. This room may be easily
avoided, but an apple is needed to
This octagonal room is empty except pass Room 8. Characters may return
for a golden serving platter lying to this room easily; the door
on the floor in the center of the remains open.
room. Three golden apples rest upon
it. The platter is 1 foot wide and 2 Room 8. Fourth Image
feet long. crafted with golden
handles on each end. The apples are This rectangular room once again
3 inches, 4 inches, and 5 inches in holds the six-foot-tall image of the
diameter. human head with the hooked nose.
Again, it is in the center of the
Detect magic reveals that the tray room.
and apples are magical.
Concentration may reveal that all Again, the head cannot be affected
the dweomers are enchantments, and except by certain actions. It faces
further concentration may reveal the entrance (north door in the west
that the two smallest apples also wall) with its eyes open. The exit
bear evocations. (south door in the east wall) does
The tray is a platter of purity. Any not open until the following
con-sumables placed on its surface procedure has been completed in
become purified in three rounds. order:
Poisons are negated. Potions,
unfortunately, are turned to pure Step Action Result
water. No living thing can be 1 Show golden Image closes
affected, nor bust to image. its eyes.
any nonconsumable items. The tray is 2 Ring a bell in Image opens
worth 5,000 gp if sold in a sizeable the room. its eyes.
town. 3 Show an apple Apple
The apples are apples of chaos. Two to the image. disappears.
have additional dweomers. If an 4 Put liquid in Liquid
apple of chaos is thrown, its chalice; show disappears.
material form disappears where it chalice to
lands, but its image remains as a image.
phantasm affecting all creatures 5 Show golden Image closes
within 40 feet. All victims are bust to image. its eyes.
affected as if by the 5th-level
illusionist spell chaos, suffering After this sequence is complete, the
confusion (as the druid spell). exit may be opened normally. No
Normal fighters (not paladins or further activity of any kind affects
rangers), illusionists, creatures the image.
with Intelligence of 4 or less, and As before, once all the steps are
monsters which do not use magic may complete, the procedure is finished.
each make a saving throw vs. spells Interruptions do not change the
to avoid the effect. No other results. Mark off step 1 when the
bust is first shown, then wait for here to the obelisk. A pass-wall
the PCs to complete step 2 (possibly spell may be used to avoid all
after other actions), mark it off, interaction with the image, allowing
wait for step 3, and so forth. all the apples to be kept.
Several incidents may occur if
everything is not done perfectly. As Room 9. Center
before, if the chalice is shown
without liquid in it, the holder of As you approach the center, the base
the chalice must make a saving throw of the obelisk is visible amidst
vs. death. If failed, the victim is four buildings. There is no sign of
reduced to 0 hp but may be recovered life or treasure.
by fast curing, with no losses
except for the points of damage. If Each of the buildings contains
successful, the victim takes 20 various interesting items, as
points of damage (double the detailed below. The corridors around
previous situation). them can be freely explored (except
In addition, whenever an apple is for the disintegrator areas, of
shown to the image, the apple course). None of the doors to the
disappears, whether or not this central buildings are
occurs at the proper point in the disintegrators. Whenever any door is
procedure. The apple does not opened (in the usual way), a short
disappear if the image's eyes are corridor is revealed leading to a
closed and it is not seen. If the lighted area. The light always seems
apple is one of the two smaller ones dim, as if from torchlight. In the
(the ones with evocation dweomers in room descriptions, treat the
addition to enchantments), a small entryways as corridors leading to a
gemlike object remains when the 20-foot-square room area.
apple disappears. The gem has an
apparent value of 1,000 gp but Room 9a. Northwest Building
explodes in three rounds as a
fireball, inflicting 6-36 (6d6) In the southeast corner of the room,
points of damage. Each victim may a massive golden throne sits in the
make a saving throw vs. spells to alcove, facing northwest. Its seat,
take half damage. The room contains back, and arms are lined with plush
only 9,000 cubic feet of volume, so velvet cloth. Sitting in the throne,
24,500 cubic feet of fireball spill apparently asleep, is a familiar
out into the nearby corridors figure, a clean-shaven human male
(evenly through all open doors) with a hooked nose and short hair.
covering 16 1/3 map squares. He is wearing an orange robe and a
Thus, the party could conceivably pair of red boots.
lose all their apples in this
encounter by showing more of them to He is Torgel, a 13th-level neutral
the image than necessary. Note also magic-user, known to the characters
that the magical bell spews forth by name and reputation. The party
fireballs with the same effect. (See can easily surprise him; he is sound
Room 3 for details.) asleep and not expecting company. If
Whatever else occurs, if all three awakened and confronted by the
apples are shown to the head, the party, he immediately surrenders and
procedure is completed. The eyes negotiates.
close and the exit is freed. Torgel uses alignment language only
The exit closes itself one turn if absolutely necessary to convince
after being opened and cannot be the party of his peaceful
opened from the outside (corridor intentions. He does not reveal his
side). It crushes anything left to level nor the spells he has
block it. memorized. If permitted, he tells
By this time, the party probably has the following strange story:
an excellent idea of the route from
"Thank the Maker you've finally dreams about waking, sleeping,
come. I knew my king would not leave eating, and drinking.
me to die of tedium and loneliness
in this place. It's been so long, so Room 9b. Northeast Building
long since I've talked to anyone but
myself. This room contains a magical tree,
"About two years ago, I think, I set 10 feet tall, and a magical pool of
out by command of the king with a water. If any creature in the room
group of brave adventurers much like thinks of a type of food, buds
yourselves in search of this appear on the tree branches. They
obelisk. We lost a few members to blossom out in two rounds, opening
giant insects and spiders, but to reveal the food desired: steak,
pushed on. Then we were ambushed by pudding, salad, bread, or whatever!
the frogmen, hordes of them. In the The tree produces an unlimited
fray, I was forced to teleport out. amount of food and has kept Torgel
Somehow I appeared here, next to the well fed in his captivity.
obelisk, trapped in the maze. I was The pool is pure water, only an inch
trying to teleport home to get help. deep and a foot across. However, it
I don't know what went wrong. And my cannot be emptied and magically
spell book...it's gone. I must have remains full at all times.
lost it in the battle." There is nothing else in this room.
The tree apparently grows from the
Torgel knows from experience that solid stone. The pool is merely a
the maze can be deadly. While slight indentation in the floor. If
exploring the maze, he lost a large the tree is harmed in any way, it
salami (from Room 9b) and the tips ceases to produce food. If the water
of two fingers when he unexpectedly is evaporated by heat, the pool does
walked into a disintegrator field. not refill.
He has since given up all attempts
to escape. His resolve to use his Room 9c. Southwest Building
time of captivity in meditation and
contemplation failed over a year The north and east interior walls of
ago, and he is half mad from boredom this room are covered with levers,
and eager for escape. He knows of dials, buttons, and other
the control panels in Room 9C but technological devices. Two plush
has not experimented with them. He chairs sit before them, one for each
had planned to do so in another year wall.
or two, if no help came.
If not watched continuously, Torgel There is nothing else in the room.
may find a convenient time to cast Nothing in the room is a trap. The
his geas spell on a party member, devices control the following
ordering him or her to do everything things:
possible to return him safely to the
capital city. If caught out, Torgel Main Switches
reveals the geas. The party must
help him and keep him safe or lose One large toggle switch is located
their comrade. Dispel magic and on each wall. These switches can be
remove curse spells do not affect a moved up or down.
geas. Only a wish can negate it. Nothing in this room functions
Any person sitting in the throne in unless the main switch on the north
Room 9A inadvertently provides the wall is in the up position; it is
giant head image used by the maze currently down. When the main power
machinery. The maze runs the images switch is pushed up, the south and
in Rooms 2, 4, 6, and 8, and creates west (outer) walls of the room light
the bust found in Room 1. Torgel up, showing a phantasmal image of
actually has no idea of what was the entire maze from above, just
happening. He does remember some odd like the players' map. Many of the
maze by retracing
their route on the
map. Torgel suggests
this if the
characters do not
think of it
themselves.
Buttons
There are 80
buttons, 20 per row,
two rows
per wall. They
control all the doors
in the maze. The
upper buttons cause
doors on the map are lit with a the doors to open. The lower ones
green light (see Buttons, below). make them close. Starting at the
The switch on the east wall is up left side of the north wall, the
and will not move unless the main first four buttons control the doors
power switch is on. If power is on, to Room 1, the next 12 are for Room
pulling this switch down causes a 2, and so forth. When a door is
message to appear across the image open, the corresponding door on the
map, image map lights up in green. When a
flashing every two seconds. It is in door is closed, the light goes off.
an unknown tongue. A comprehend Many of the doors on the image map
languages spell reveals that it are currently green.
says, "Warning: Defense Cutoff
Armed. Switch Up to Negate. Turn Levers
Power Off to Cut Off." If the main
power switch is pulled down while There are two levers along each
the message is flashing, the defense wall. All four are in the up
is turned off. If this occurs, the position, but may be pulled down.
force field above the maze and After being pulled down, a lever
around the obelisk disappears. automatically returns to the up
Remember, this switch cannot be position unless firmly held. Holding
moved while the power is off. a lever causes no further effect.
If the power is later restored, a The left lever on the north wall
different message is displayed, causes all the doors in the maze to
again in the strange tongue: close. The right lever on that wall
"Warning: Defense Field Off. Push causes all the doors to open. The
Defense Switch Up to Restore." If left lever on the east wall causes
the large switch on the east wall is all the active disintegrators in the
pushed back into the up position, maze to light up on the image map in
the force field returns and remains, red. If pulled again, this lever
even if the control room power is reverses the effect. The right lever
cut off. turns off all the disintegrators in
There is no visible change when the the maze, and their red lights go
force field is turned off. out. The PCs will, of course, want
Characters may not realize that they to turn off all the disintegrators
are free to climb or fly out of the before they try to leave.
maze. It would be best, however, for
the players to leave the force field Dials
on to protect the maze and obelisk
while they return and report to the There are dozens of dials mounted on
king. The PCs can easily leave the the walls. Whenever a button is
pushed or a lever is activated, Conclusion of Part 1
various dials turn, and give If and when the characters escape
readings which cannot be from the maze, they may easily
interpreted. return to the ship. The denizens of
The power circuitry for the dials, the jungle do not bother them during
levers, and switches does not run this trip unless they take the
through wires. Veins of metallic ore aerial route. Tell the players that
in the walls act as a printed their characters return victorious,
circuit of rock. Only the north and with good news for the king. The
east walls bear these circuits. The obelisk has been found, along with
outer walls are normal solid stone. several strange and wonderful new
A pass-wall spell through the items.
circuitry results in a powerful
electrical explosion filling the PART 2 - PLAYERS' REFERENCE SHEET
entire building and spilling out
into all the corridors of Area 9 if Normal Equipment
any door is open. Victims in Room 9c Each character has the following
get no saving throws. Any other items not listed on the character
victim may make a saving throw vs. sheets. PCs may leave any or all
spells to take half damage, but with items on board ship while they
a - 4 penalty to the roll. The explore.
explosion inflicts 10-200 (10d20)
points of electrical damage. Armor: 1 spare set of armor (&
shield where applicable)
Room 9d. Southeast Building Arms: 1 of each weapon of
proficiency Clothing: Normal
This storage room contains a stack clothing as desired, 3 outfits
of 300 sheets of an unknown metal. maximum
Each sheet is 2 feet wide by 5 feet Herbs: 1 herb pack, with belladonna,
long and less than 1/32 of an inch garlic, and wolfsbane Provisions: 2
thick. The metal is silicon-steel iron rations Misc. Equipment: 1
and cannot be damaged except by backpack, 5 wax candles, 1 bone
magic. Each sheet weighs 100 coin mapcase, 1 silver mirror, 2 flasks
(10 pounds). The metal may only be oil, a 50-foot rope, 4 large sacks,
sold as a curiosity; it cannot be 4 small sacks, 1 waterskin (full), 3
easily worked except at incredibly iron spikes, 1 tinder box, 2 torches
high temperatures. It is worth 100 Special Items: In addition to the
gp per sheet as a novelty. items listed above and on the
There is a secret compartment under character sheets, each PC may take
the floor of this room. The one item not listed in the Players
compartment can be detected by a Handbook. The item may be no larger
detect invisibility spell but cannot than 1 cubic foot in size or 20
be opened except by a knock spell. pounds in weight and may not
Within lies an odd device. Attached interfere with the AD&D game rules.
to one end of an 8-inch-long handle It cannot be a weapon of any sort,
are a roller and a short knife. If cannot be alive, and cannot be
two sheets of the strange metal are magical. Sample items: sack of flour
overlapped by less than 1 inch, and or marbles, wand-like stick, apple
the overlap is rolled with this pie, etc.
device, the metal fuses together to In addition to the above items,
form a single unbroken sheet. No spell casters may take any extra
crack or edge remains. The knife items needed for their craft (belt
edge cuts the metal easily with no pouches, prayer beads, etc.).
force needed. If this tool is found, The following items are also
the value of the metal is 10 times available to the PCs. They are
that given above, but only if the stored on the boat:
tool is sold along with it.
- 10 human-sized suits of leather
armor, 30 sailor's caps, and 30
raincoats
- 2 goats (male & female), 1 pig
(female), 5 piglets, 1 mule with 1
saddle, 2 saddle blankets, 1 set
large saddlebags, 1 harness, and a
bit & bridle
- 4 large iron boxes, 4 large wooden
chests, 20 large sacks, and 10 small
sacks
- 10 hooded (ship's) lanterns, 20
torches, 4 tinder boxes, and 1
barrel (50 flasks) of oil
- 6 barrels of fresh water, 1 barrel
of rum, 80 standard rations, 30 iron
rations, one ship's stove
(attached), and food for the animals
- 10 quivers (each with 20 arrows)
and 1 ballista (not movable) with 10
bolts
- 5 flags: 1 of the PCs' country, 1
of the capital city, 1 white (for
surrender), 1 red (for warnings),
and 1 of unknown design
- 20 empty flasks (for oil, potions,
etc.); 20 iron spikes; 10 poles,
each 10' long; 10 ropes, each 50'
long; 2 small lifeboats (capacity 12
persons each); 3 grappling hooks on
50' lines
Expedition Plans
The King's engineer-architects,
working with the court wizard and
sage, have designed an elaborate rest on the sled. It can then be
project to move the obelisk without towed to the beach, where a raft
damaging it. The plan involves will be constructed around it.
surrounding the obelisk with a large Finally, by digging sand and towing
scaffold made of heavy timbers, to with the ships, the needle can be
be lumbered at or near the site, and launched for the return trip, to be
reinforced with metal parts brought towed by two of the vessels.
by ship. Working from this scaffold, The obelisk is too large to be
carpenters build a close-fitting affected by magical spells (such as
wooden sheath upon which metal a reversed enlarge, telekinesis,
pulleys are mounted. An earthen ramp etc.), but magic might help in other
is then built, leading up to ground ways.
level from the floor of the maze.
The roadway from the ruins to the Resources
beach is cleared and, if necessary, The following persons are all
reinforced. A huge sled is built. sailing in the three ships:
The obelisk is then be raised off
its base by dozens of ropes through 6 player character leaders
pulleys on the scaffold and the 25 mercenary soldiers (L1 fighters)
obelisk sheath, and the sled pushed 53 carpenters/woodcutters (L0 men)
underneath it. The needle will then 10 engineer-architects (L0 men)
be lowered, slowly and carefully, to 45 sailors (L1 fighters)
3 navigators (L0 men) target within a 45 degree arc if it
3 ocean-going shipmasters (L3 is at least 8 feet away. A closer
fighters) target can easily dodge. The missile
is buried directly at the target,
The three ships are identical large with little arching of trajectory. A
merchant vessels: ballista may be repositioned to aim
Masts 2 in an entirely different direction
Hull value 40 hull points (HP) only by a crew of four, and it
Length 75 feet requires three rounds to do so. A
Width 25 feet ballista may easily be fired at a
target level with it. Ballistae
Movement rates: inflict no structural or hull
Normal sail 3 mph damage. They are anti-personnel
Maximum sail 5 mph weapons.
Normal oar 1/4 mph A light catapult fires its
Maximum oar 1/2 mph (2 turn ammunition once every four rounds
maximum burst) with the minimum crew of four. No
benefits are gained by adding more
Special Note: When towing the crewmen. It may be aimed at any
obelisk home, the ships move at half target within a 15 degree arc and a
normal speed under best conditions. minimum of 150 yards away. The
missile traces a high arched path.
Acceleration time (standstill to Catapults may be used effectively
normal speed): 1 turn against objects or creatures. Note
Sinking time (hull value surpassed, that the damages given below are hit
time to sink): 1d10+2 turns points. Against an object, a light
Grappling chance: 75% (opponent ship catapult inflicts 4 Structural
has 25 % chance of removing Points (SP) of damage.
grapnels)
Damage repair: if damaged for 12 HP Ballista:
(at most), repairs may be made at Range: 8'(Min) 960' (Max)
the rate of 1 HP per repair crew (10 1/4" (Min) 32" (Max)
men) per hour. Damage exceeding 12 Fire Rate: 1/2
HP cannot be repaired until the ship Crew: 2-4
returns to port, but the first 12 HP Damage: 2d6(Sm-Md)
can always be repaired. 3d6(Lrg)
Days 11-13. No
Events (or Native
Visit)
Remember to mark off
the map squares
logged.
Days 15-16. No
Events
Remember to mark off
the map squares
logged.
PC ship turns to
attack
ROA: 7 1/2 mph
Time Contact:4 turns
PC ship continues on
course
ROA: 4 mph
Time Contact: 7 1/2
turns
Cell 10
The PC's old friend
Digger is imprisoned
here. He has been
crying, but is
overjoyed at the
and she, too, has been charmed, but prospect of rescue, promising
not hypnotized. All the Chak anything to achieve this result. His
prisoners are friendly and helpful. actual motives are evil. Digger
A detect lie spell is of little use, tells the party about the Great
as the subjects all believe the Dragon in the area, carefully using
story they are telling to be true. only true statements.
All the Chak prisoners detect as
charmed. Dispel magic removes the "It's like a hydra, but definitely
charms automatically but does not draconian. It has many heads, all of
remove the psionic hypnosis. different colors. The Chak here say
When any false princess is taken that it started visiting after they
outside the jail room without first bought a big spider-machine from a
removing the charm, the hypnosis demon with two heads. That demon
causes her to attack her rescuers by made a gate, somewhere around here,
biting. The false princesses are so the dragon could visit."
actually Black Chak, not from King
Cells II & 13 actual gate been created although it
Each of these cells contains a sure looks like one and is
glommer (four-armed ape) being detectable as magical. Digger
punished for some reason. The cooperates with the party until they
glommer tries to attack immediately. are slain by Henkus or until an
It can leap the 10-foot height of attack from behind would come in
the cube and, if PCs have made an handy during melee.
opening 2 feet across or larger, it Henkus casts a phantasmal force
escapes and attacks. spell after hearing Digger tell the
PCs about Tiamat. It is preferable
Cells 12 & 14 for you to time this event to occur
Each of these cells contains a before the PCs have finished opening
peaceful glommer. Each radiates and examining all the jail cells. In
magic (a charm). Each has been any case it cannot happen until
carefully coached to say, when the after they have spoken with Digger.
cage is opened, "Gee whiz! I am da Be sure you know the approximate
Princess Keelee! I've been changed! positions of all the PCs before
Save me! I am cursed!" They can say starting.
nothing more. If allowed out of
their cages, they remain peaceful There is a noise from the pit.
until taken from the jail but attack Suddenly, five dragon heads start to
at that time. Any glommer damaged to rise from within the mist: white,
less than 10 hp tries to flee back black, red, green, and blue. It is
into the Black Chak lair. the creature Digger described. The
heads rise 10 feet off the floor;
D6. The Jailer the necks reach down into the mist.
Warning: This is the final encounter Five pairs of eyes are watching you
of the mission, and it is very closely.
complex. Read it entirely before All the prisoners you have released
starting. dive back into their boxes, if
The pit in the north end of the jail possible, or run to a far corner and
is an entry into the home of Henkus, quiver, exclaiming, "Gee whiz!"
an average-sized, very old blue Digger has visibly paled and is
dragon. He is originally from the quivering, whispering, "oh, no..."
PCs' planet but came here (via an He suddenly makes a break for it,
obelisk) and found a peaceful life running and leaping for the western
with the Black Chak, away from the tunnels. The white head turns and
terrible humans. sends a shimmering cone of frost at
The mist in the pit is a natural him and he falls, frozen, as the ice
effect with a stinking cloud added covers him and a 20-foot-wide area
at the moment by Henkus. The sides around him. The distraction has not
of the pit lead down at a 45-degree caused the other four pairs of eyes
angle and are not nak-lined, so even to blink; they watch you still.
Henkus can climb up easily at 8"
movement rate. Tiamat is a phantasmal force cast
Henkus has suggested an ambush for and controlled by Henkus, who is the
Diggers former friends, to wipe out blue dragon head within the
the party and get their valuables. illusion. Thus, the blue dragon head
Diggers job is to get things ready does all the talking for Tiamat.
by telling the PCs about a multi- If the characters talk to her,
headed dragon named Tiamat. Henkus Tiamat demands that they leave the
then follows up with an illusion of spider prisoners and apes here and
her. Diggers statements to the PCs depart immediately. She also demands
are true, but carefully worded. one magic item as payment for the PC
Demogorgon has indeed been here to intrusion into her jail. She attacks
sell the retriever to the Chak but if not obeyed. Tiamat's speech seems
he has not returned, nor has an to be a bit slow; Henkus must be
very careful not to break his Any characters trying to check on
concentration on the illusion. Digger either slide on the slippery
ice (if they believe that the white
Disbelief dragon head breathed) and find
Do not outline the available options Digger frozen, or (if they
to the players, but be aware of the disbelieve) do not slip at all and
three possible modes of action find Digger still warm but
available to each PC and their apparently unconscious.
results: If the PCs attack anything but the
1. The PC believes the illusion blue head, they are believing in the
completely. All damage is treated as illusion and Tiamat counters with
real, but saving throws may be made breaths and bites. Handle melee as
for half damage. described above. Each head has 16
2. The PC disbelieves the illusion hp; the body is not a visible
of Tiamat completely, including the target. If all the heads are
blue dragon head. All illusory "slain," the body immediately
damage has no effect. Real damage descends into the mist.
from Henkus's lightning breath is If some PCs disbelieve while others
full (63 pts). No saving throw take action, aim the first illusory
applies. breath to catch one believer and one
3. The PC disbelieves everything disbeliever. The disbeliever takes
except the blue dragon head, since absolutely no damage, and this
it does the talking. Illusory damage should be a clue to the others.
has no effect. The normal saving
throw may be made against Henkus's Tiamat: AC 0; HD 16; hp 16/head; #AT
lightning breath. 5 bites or breaths; THACO 7; Dmg see
Any PC who disbelieves some or all below; SZ L; AL LE; IN Genius; STs
of Tiamat must totally ignore her or 2, STw 2.
the parts disbelieved. You may roll Special Attacks:
dice to reassure the players, but White head: 56 point cone-shaped
announce no change in the illusion cold breath (7"x 2 1/2" diameter);
regardless of disbelief. bite 2d8 points
Black head: 64 point line-shaped
acid breath (6" x 1/2" diameter);
bite 3d6 points
Green head: 72 point cloud-shaped
gas breath (5" x 4" x 3" high);
bite 2d10 points
Blue head: Nil (concentrating on
the illusion)
Red head: 88 point cone-shaped
fire breath (9" x 3" diameter);
bite 3d10 points
Grippli
Tribal 7 3 24 1 ld6+l 9"//15" N 16 MM2 Yes No
Mother & special
Snake,
giant con- 5 6+1 30 2 1-4/ 9" N 13 MM Yes No
Strictor 2-8
Animated
Boulder 0 9 40 1 4d6 3" N 12 MM2 No Yes
Char# 1 2 3 4 5 6
Skills PP 95 HS 88
OL 87 HN 35
FT 75 CW 84
MS 98 RL 45
#1 Blondy (Fighter): Plate +2, shield +1, 2-handed sword +1, spear +1,
longsword +2/+4 vs. giants, arrows +1 (6)
#3 Smiley (Cleric): Chain +1, shield +1, hammer +2, mace +1, ring of free
action, wand of magic detection (21 chg)
#4 The Ghost (Halfling Thief): Bracers of defense (AC 4), dagger +2/+3 vs.
large, dagger +1, dagger +3, sling +1, shortsword +2, ring of invisibility,
Keoghtom's ointment (4 doses)
#5 Blaze (Elf Fighter/M-U): Chain +2, shield +1, shortbow +1, spear +2,
bastard sword flametongue (+1, +2 vs. regenerating, +3 vs. avian or cold-
using, +4 vs. undead), wand of illumination (24), wand of paralyzation (9),
brooch of shielding (53)
The Ghost
Equipment: bracers of defense (AC 4); dagger+3; dagger +2/+3 vs. large; dagger
+1; sling +1; shortsword +2; ring of invisibility; Keoghtoms ointment (4 doses);
potions of healing, polymorph self, water breathing (2 doses)
The Ghost left home while young, scorning the dull burrow life for a world full
of adventure. He is an independent person but very insecure and afraid of being
ignored. Therefore, he tries to act mysterious and sly, and often wears strange,
dramatic clothing.
He likes being noticed by friends and associates, whatever the reason. Sometimes
he plays tricks just to get their attention. The Ghost has studied traps and
other mechanical devices. He likes to construct new things in his spare time.
Back home, he's almost finished a new kind of lock which uses a dial and numbers
instead of a key.
A long time ago, Blondy noticed one of The Ghost's prankshe lifted her purse
and almost killed him. No sense of humor!
The Ghost thinks Slim is too serious, and suspicious as well, always watching
the halfling closely, almost as if he still thinks
The Ghost might be evil. The Ghost lets Smiley think that the cleric has
reformed him. Smiley's always good for a cure, now, if properly approached.
The halfling cooperates well with Blaze, the elf fighter/magic-user, but they
aren't especially fond of each other. He's careful to check for her actions in
combat; no sense getting caught in a fireball.
If it weren't for his ranger skills. Finder would be a real loser: a moral
extremist, super-good type who gets on The Ghost's nerves constantly. However,
the halfling tries to stay on the cleric/ranger's good side (though it rarely
appears) in case he needs a cure.
The Ghost doesn't know much about Montana, the dwarf fighter, and doesn't
particularly want to know more. He thinks she's a loudmouth and a showoff.
Digger, the gnome, as another Thieves' Guild member, is The Ghost's closest
friend and ally when things get tough.
Blaze
Equipment: chain mail +2; shield +1; shortbow +1; spear +2; bastard sword +1
flametongue (+2 vs. regenerating, +3 vs. cold-using and avian, +4 vs. Undead);
wand of illumination (24 charges); wand of paralyzation (9 charges); brooch of
shielding (absorbs 53 points); potions of healing, speed, super-heroism
Blaze is a small, quiet lady with a big punch, both in melee and magic. As short
as a dwarf, but much thinner, she is sensitive about her size. Her red hair,
very rare among elves, marks her in a crowd and is the source of her common
name. She came from a poor, backwoods, low elf family, and this is her dark
secret. She never talks about her past, having been a bandit, a notorious
criminal, a beggar, and a scavenger. Though many years ago she was an evil
renegade, she left the old ways and found success and respect in the world of
humans.
Blaze likes magic in all forms. It's the most wonderful thing she has ever
found. She absolutely hates poor people, dirtiness, and anything that reminds
her too strongly of her past. She occasionally enjoys destruction, the thrill of
blowing away groups of enemies during adventures. Sometimes Blaze is a bit
trigger happy.
Blaze gets along fairly well with Blondy, the human fighter. Sometimes Blaze
lends her the flametongue sword, especially when Undead are around and she wants
to stay back and use magic.
Blaze coordinates spells with Slim, the human magic-user, for obvious reasons.
He sometimes acts like a father to her, although she's over six times his age.
She thinks he's a jerk, but a powerful jerk, and very smart. She doesn't
antagonize him.
Blaze is very, very careful around Smiley. Clerics are good at prying out
information. However, he is a big help against Undead.
She cooperates with The Ghost, but both are very independent. The halfling is
always careful not to get in the way of her magic.
Blaze thinks a good family background is wasted on Finder. The half-elf
cleric/ranger is clumsy and often disagreeable, a goody-goody boob.
Montana, the dwarf, is a good fighter but quite brash. Blaze and Montana snipe
at each other occasionally, but are never actually hostile.
Blaze is not sure what Digger's problem is, but the gnome is always watching
her. He seems to be afraid of something and keeps trying to make friends, but
she can tell its just a false front.
Finder
Half-Elf
5th Level Cleric
7th Level Ranger
Equipment: bracers of defense (AC 4); flail +2; longsword +3 defender, two-
handed sword +1; helm of comprehending languages and reading magic; arrow of
direction; potions of animal control (all), extra-healing, levitation, sweet
water
Special Abilities: infravision 60', detect secret doors 1/6 passing, 2/6
searching; concealed doors 1/6 passing, 3/6 searching
Finder is more than what he seems. Although exceptionally strong and respectably
intelligent and wise, he keeps most of his traits hidden. Finder has camouflaged
himself in apparent mediocrity so that he seems completely average, or worse. He
can be charming if he wishes (actual Charisma 14) but is keeping up a front;
that of a slightly clumsy, often disagreeable, blend-in-with-the-crowd type.
It's better at this point, he thinks, to play the fool and stay in the
background. Finder is very, very good with lawful tendencies.
He likes collecting information about people, places, and things in his
notebook.
He hates evil above all and also dislikes the petty squabbles of small-minded
people. Finder's friends think that he has rooms in town, and indeed he does.
However, his real home is in his church. He keeps the church elders up to date
on the SMART organization and the underground activity in the capital, and
passes along other information as he acquires it.
Finder and Blondy, the fighter, were once close, but she drew back from the
relationship. He wishes he could be his true self with her, but for now is
content to watch out for her safety.
Finder thinks Slim, the magic-user, is a bit pompous and resents his sneers at
goodness. Smiley is Finder's only close friend. The rotund cleric often helps
Finder with spell selection, even though they are not of the same church.
Montana, the dwarf, thinks Finder is boring and too good. At least she's honest
about her preferences. The Ghost pretends to be friends, but Finder knows that
the halfling thief just wants the cures. Nevertheless, Finder plays along; the
poor little thing seems to need the attention.
Blaze seems to pity Finder for some unknown reason. He knows her secret, but she
doesn't realize that her red hair reveals her heritage. She must have once lived
the rough-and-tumble life of the rare renegade elves. Finder thinks she's quite
mysteriously attractive.
Finder senses an evil streak deep within Digger, the gnome, even though the
little fighter/thief keeps it carefully hidden as he tries to gain his
friendship.
Blondy
Blondy is always polite and patient. She is tanned, healthy, and in excellent
shape and takes pains to stay that way. She usually doesn't talk much, offering
short answers in discussions and shrugging a lot. However, if she gets mad, she
may start a tirade, repeating herself often to make a point.
Blondy likes flying, swimming, skin diving, and horseback riding, and dislikes
"smarties"those who show off their intellect.
It's difficult for Blondy to understand Slim, the human magic-user, because he
is always so serious. His interest in exercise and nutrition, however, has been
very useful to her, and she has gotten some good advice about eating the proper
foods from him.
While no one would think of kidding Slim about his stick-thin body, Blondy once
teased Smiley, the cleric, about his rotund shape. She only did it once, though,
because he got really mad.
When Blondy first met The Ghost, she almost killed him for trying to pick her
pocket, but that's all forgiven and forgotten. Blaze, the elf fighter/magic-
user, gets along well with Blondy, but she can cause trouble because she doesn't
like Montana. Sometimes Blondy and Blaze trade weapons temporarily, especially
against undead.
Finder, the half-elf cleric/ranger, likes Blondy and used to make passes at her.
However, she told him off a few years ago and now he just watches her a lot.
To look at them, you wouldn't think Blondy and Montana, the dwarf, would have
much in common, but sometimes the two of them talk together far into the night
after everyone else has gone to sleep.
Digger, the gnome fighter, once saved Blondy's life when she was caught in a
fiery trap. She feels indebted to him, but doesn't really like him very much.
Slim
Spells: 4,3,3,2,1
Spells in spell book:
Level 1: dancing lights, enlarge, erase, feather fall, magic missile, protection
from evil, read magic, shocking grasp
Level 2: detect invisibility, invisibility, knock, magic mouth
Level 3: dispel magic, fly, lightning bolt, slow Level 4: charm monster,
dimension door, polymorph self
Slim is a serious student of his craft. Because of his thin build and low
strength, he exercises and watches his diet closely. He has opinions about
nearly everything and sometimes talks too much, assuming a lead role. His sharp,
perceptive comments are sometimes lost on the others.
Slim likes philosophical discussions and dislikes people who can't keep up with
his mental speed. He likes reading and writes exciting stories in his spare
time. Sometimes he gets so interested in his studies that he forgets to
exercise, often for days. A long-time bachelor, he has a suite of rooms in the
castle of his mentor, the noted court wizard Felonius.
Slim has given Blondy, the fighter, some help with her diet, but he often
becomes impatient with her lack of understanding.
Aside from his rotund appearance, Smiley, the cleric, is a very likeable person,
but Slim avoids standing next to him. Other people sometimes make unflattering
comparisons about the two of them.
Slim doesn't completely trust the halfling thief known as The Ghost, and prefers
to keep a detect invisibility spell running to keep an eye on him.
By coordinating Blazes spells with his own, the two magic-users can handle
almost anything. Blaze seems almost childlike to Slim, and he has to continually
remind himself that she is nearly as talented as he is.
Slim gets along passably well with Finder, but sometimes the half-elf
cleric/ranger is almost sickeningly gooddefinitely an extremist, Slim thinks.
Montana, the dwarf, has a penchant for levitating during combat, which often
irritates Slim because it gets in the way of his spells.
Digger, the gnome fighter/thief, has a sense of black humor that is sometimes
irritating, but Slim and Digger get along quite well. Digger often carries Slims
spell book in his bag of holding.
Smiley
Spells: 6,6,4,3,1
Equipment: chain mail +1; shield +1; hammer +2; mace +1; ring of free action;
wand of magic detection (21 charges); potions of diminution, flying, healing