6. 

The center 30x30 area of the room is encircled with vertical axis fan blades.

A set of these blades every ten feet. They have a diameter of just over 9 feet so there is a small amount of room between 1 set of blades and the next , The edges of the blades are razor sharp. 

At the very center of the room is a 2ft high golden statue of a Satyr playing a flute sitting on a pedastle. Touching the statue will cause it to start playing and the fan blades will begin spinning unless the person touching the statue is wearing the Wind Amulet from room 7. The statue weigh is very heavy (as it is made of lead with a thin covering of gold foil). 

 NPC - Paega - Priestess of  Nerull

Little is known of Paega's past or if she is entitrely human. She is one of the  prime servants of Nerull in Rel Astra and the most feared. Where she goes she does not  just bring death, she brings suffering and fear. Murder in its most grusome and random sense is her form of devotion to Nerull.

Her left arm is withered and at its touch she can wither flesh as if it was weeks dead. Her right arm is swollen and green as if it were rotting in the sun and her right hand is clawed, her findertips like knives. She wears a pale mask with dark eyeless pits that drip blood. Those who stare into that abyss can become blinded as their own eyes leak blood. One look into those eyeless depths will cause weeks of restless nightmares.

Paega has been killed several times and each time Nerull has brought her back to plague the Oerth.

 Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 4

4. The long hallway has plastered walls that show scenes of fishing and ancient ships upon peaceful waters to the east. To the west the scenes show cloudy skys and storms lashing fields and farmland.

5. This room is plastered with bluish illustartions that appear to show underwater scenes. There is a wide pool of water at the center 30x30 section of the room. At the center of the pool, which is about 10 feet deep, is a golden statue of a mermaid. It weighs around 5lbs and is quite valuable. Anyone entering the pool without the Amulet showing the Water Sign will summon a Water Weird which attacks those within the room (other than the Amulet wearer.

Baron Ambrus of Blackmoor and his Half-Shedu Mount Gyozo

The mysterious land of Blackmoor is in no way made less so by the appearance of Baron Ambrus flying near the southern borders upon his mount Gyozo, a half-Shedu (some say half Manticore). The pair are accompanied by a half-dozen guardsmen on Gryphons and often stop to converse with merchant men and travellers who make the long trip to the forbidding northern land.

NPC - The Friendly Halfling Collection Agency - Repo Team

The Friendly Halfling Collection Agency (City of Greyhawk Chapter) is based out of a semi-derelict mansion in the Slum Quarter. It is hard to know if there are really any halflings involved in the business (which is thriving, thank you very much) as the real owners never seem to be about. The agency doesn't loan anything itself but works for those that are owed and lack the means to force restitution themselves from their debtors.

Most people only get to know the primary collection squad. Due to the volitile nature of their work the collection squad sees a rapid turnover in membership.

Stig with his favorite two-handed spiked mace is the squad leader,

Dobin is to the left of Stig. To the right of Stig is Horn-helm or Pug as his friends call him. Redbeard Oli is next, then Starface the victim of a massive tattoo miscommunication (his real name is Gavin)

Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 3

3. Arrows of Wheat

Inside the room is a field of wheat. It is almost 5 feet high and still ripples slightly from the inrush of air when the sealed passage was opened. The wheat is made of gold and radiates strong enchantment.

Each stalk is crafted with exquisite skill and its value as a work art would far outweigh its value as gold. Removing the wheat is a problem. When a stalk is touched it becomes an arrow of gold +1 to hit and +1 to damage once fired they become normal organic stalks of wheat after they have done their damage. There are hundreds, perhaps close to a thousand stalks of gold wheat.

The walls of the room are plastered with crumbling scenes of a huge beast being hunted through a field of wheat. At the center of the room is the dry and withered form of the creature. It is quite dead. Surprisingly its skin is very supple. If skinned its hide can be made into a cloak that allows friendship and communication with bovine creatures.

At the 4 corners of the room are pedastals upon each is the statue of a Flan warrior bearing a bow. As the characters enter the room they will be fired upon by the stone archers. They archers will pluck stalks of wheat as they shoot as if from a handy quiver and fire the magic arrows. These statues will fire until there are no more targets or no more arrows but will not leave the room.

The Crowned Beast of Stone

At south-east of the Burneal Forest can be found a statue of some great beast crowned with a rusting ironband whose spiked ends, now snapped off into jagged spears, suggest gems or valuable crystals once ran astride the crown. The weed-choked creature now stares forlornly into the stream which begins life as spring whose waters pour from its open mouth and which rushes by its front paws before disappearing in the thick forest and eventually emptying into the great swamp and mire of the Cold Marshes to the south.

Few know of this crowned beast of stone for its waters are sovereign and potent and the Sisterhood and centaur shamans strive to keep its existence and location a secret. To this end they have set traps and guards within the forest, druids charm creatures and enchant plants, illusionists hide the spring, centaurs set guards that neither sleep nor rest nor tell tales, as well as magicians and witches that cast dire spells to protect this source of so many of their potions, solutions and balms.

The power of these waters is quickly diluted after it spills from the mouth of the crowned beast but within certain distances the waters have differing effects. The water at the mouth of the statue pours forth a deadly acid on one side and a supremely potent base from the other. As the water touches the earth it becomes useful for all manner of transmutation elixirs but a dozen feet further and it is sovereign remedy for curses and a foundation for healing potions, a dozen feet further on it is useful for charms and enchantments, till it covers the entire gamut of the alchemist's trade. The area where these liquid components can be gathered is not truly large and the waters quickly become no more than any other forest stream and no more useful. Within this area the Sisterhood and shamans have set their guards, wards and enchantments. Beyond this area a steady patrol of foresters, rangers, and centaurs patrol the forest and roads leading to it. Only  those accompanied by those of the Sisterhood or the tribal shamans of the centaurs can pass these, and then only with certain badges, tokens and finally enchantments if they are to proceed to the innermost sanctum of the forest. But all this protection has brought inquiring eyes down upon that which they would seek to remain hidden and differing powers within and without the land of Blackmoor seek to find out what is being so lavishly protected.

In singles, pairs and groups both spies and adventurers are being hired to seek out whatever is hidden within the depths of the cold northern forest. To date none have returned and only the fact that something valuable enough to warrant such costly measures as guards and enchantments drives the search for this unknown treasure forward.

City - The City of Blackmoor

Blackmoor lies in ruins much as it did when the first humans found it sitting on the edge of Blackmoor Bay long centuries ago. The foundations of Blackmoor are set deeper and more firmly than bedrock. They touch upon the boundary of the black abyss and the nightmare dreams of Elder Gods who were never worshiped by man. 

Above ground, though in ruins, the shape of the human city still exists. The docks are empty except for the hulks of rotting ships, some no more than masts and upper works still projecting higher than the aging quay. The Sea Market was the life-blood of this far northern city. The buildings were never tall here and have mostly collapsed within themselves, the streets are clear except for scattered debris and the clean-picked bones of those who were unable to flee the sack when the defenses failed.

The quarters and districts and inner walls exist, the Craftsman's Way burned, the great tenements of the Labor District collapsed, fallen across streets and alleys making the entire area a vast layer of wreckage; shattered stone and broken beams. The Path of Temples an open pit revealing the depth of the Undercity and the inhumanly vast greenish blocks of greasy stone which are the cities true foundation.

Tallest among the ruin is the vast cylinder which had served as castle and palace to the old kings and queens of Blackmoor. Its upper reaches empty and hollow but the blackness of its high walls seemingly invulnerable to the damage which destroyed the city.

Beneath the Castle, beneath the city, the tunnels are old, much older than the memory of the dead whose ghosts haunt the ruins. Down they go, wide, unchanging, fetid and slimed with something more than moisture come in from the Bay. The passages go down, and branch, some opening into wide plateau's or vaulting chambers while other ways grow smaller and smaller, twisting worm-like till they become so small no sentient thing could travel further.

At One Stride Comes the Dark

There are terrible things beneath the streets of Old Blackmoor. A world exists deeper than the catacombs where the dead reside. The bowels of the earth do not hold this realm though it can be reached all too easily. The great ruined towers of Blackmoor where past generations built upon the foundations of races and beings older than humanity reach down into these dark realms. Tunnels, stairs, pits beslimed with horrific use, descend past the corridors of burial chambers and tombs, down and down till the stone gives way to textures that are smooth and warm with the fires of the oerth and not of this oerth; some passages constrict the body first into a crouch, then a crawl, then to a twisting and wriggling as if a great wyrm had shaped the passage to no bigger than its flesh could fit. Deeper still, whether narrowing tunnel or broad stairs with steps wide and steeper than the breadth a man could lift foot to tread, the passage twists; it twists the souls of men, twists their bodies inside out, twists their minds until each step is a scream, a nightmare that eats at them, gnaws their bones, crawls among their fears, deeper, deeper into the dark.

And when no more can be born to those who have not turned away or lost themselves, body, mind and soul along this narrow twisting way, those who have survived, they step into the darkness, a wall, a pool, a great suffocating cloud deep in the earth and out onto a plain of silver grass and starlight. The land of Evening beyond the deep passages of Old Blackmoor.  A dark road cuts through the silver grass and the guardians of thought line the way. Their bodies seem no more than thin pedestals of black rock; armless with wide eyes and skulls stretched above. But as you approach their bodies seem filled with stars, their eyes filled with light, their bodies glow softly in the semi-darkness. 

The Green Knight prowls the roads from the City of Greyhawk to Verbobonc. He bears some enchantment that appears to make him immune to magic. Lightning, fire, magic missiles, webs and more seem to wash over him and his mount without effect. The knight will challenge any who appear to be of knightly character to single combat. Fights are to first blood. Anyone able to strike him first will receive a ring that confers +2 protection and +1 saves against magic. In the future the knight will come to the aid of such a character who has won the ring and still bears it. If the character who won the ring ever tries to sell it, give it away or is defeted in combat the ring will disppear.

This is Z'vnd'sh, a Pit Fiend and minor Pit Lord. In my game he is a fairly big boss. He holds court somewhere in a side cavern near the Vault of the Drow and works in league with a cabal of drow sorcerors.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - Siivnna of the Reindeer People

In the uttermost north of the Flannaess is the Land of Black Ice. Life should not exist in this clime. The boundaries between our Oerthly world and other planes is thin here. The land is beyond mere cold, it seems a cursed world meant for elementals and monsters too strong and powerful for any mundane harm to befall them. It is true that here there be Dragons of white, of ice and snow and frost. The horror that is the Grey has entrance from its own fragment of a plane here. But here there are humans that are said to cross the world at its top following herds of the semi-mystical reindeer.

Siivnna left her people, the Reindeer People, on a quest that brought her far south to the lands of Blackmoor. She was a powerful shamaness when she left her lands, but on discovering Blackmoor and the Sisterhood, she has learned new magic, the rites and rituals of witchcraft come easily to her though she speaks only with her hands and no sound escapes her.

It is thought that she has not completed her quest, that searches for something or someone, and she travels the land of Blackmoor from border to border, now with a retinue of young women who follow her, rangers, witches, druids, who have taken on her language of hands and shun speech. Some within the Sisterhood are worried by her following. The Centaur-clans of Blackmoor have adopted her as if she were one of the four-legged. 

Thorolf is the Helmsman of the warleader Bovine's ship Blackwolf. On land he is always at Bovine's side and his horn sounds the summoning of the warband and at sea it calls to the other ships at night or when the fog has fallen (which it always does when approaching the Ghostland). He is a doughty warrior and hero in his own right and was once a sworn companion of Bovine's younger brother who fell in battle many seasons before.

It is said that his horn instills fear in men not of the north and that at sea it can be heard by any of Bovine's followers even if they be leagues apart. Thorolfs cloak is that of a bear and gives him strengeth, his belt is fashioned with the skull of a tusked troll and while wearing it wounds heal quickly even if they would be a mortal blow. His chestplate is from a Southron warleader and Thorolf's axe is called Oxkiller which causes terrible wounds and can split a man from head to groin.

Skirnir is a young warrior of renown who follows the warleader Bovine the Bloody. Some call him a hero and he has several raids under his belt but he is from tribes of the Cruski nearer East rather than the more frigid and mountainous North as are most of the men in Bovine's warband. It is said that when he appeared among the Northern towns of The Fruz and Schnai he had worn out the boots in crossing through a wild and uninhabited, at least by humans, land that spanned the long miles between those of North and North-East. The title 'Bootless' was bestowed upon him and many a horn's worth of blood was spilled in the honor-square fighting over this unwelcome sobriquet. Now he is only called 'Bootless' when he is beyond hearing and much less often.

His prowess is well recognized and he is always in the forefront of combat, but his temperament is not that of a leader and his achievements not quite that of those who are deemed heroes among Bovine's warband. That may change this season of raids. Already he possesses several items of note; An enchanted torque of silver that is said to protect his flesh as a suit of chain as well as a silver emblem that is said to do the same that was taken from a Southron warrior. His great axe is the work of Dwarves and is said to aid the strength he puts behind his blows so much so that he can split a shield in a single strike.

Land of Black Ice - The Frozen Monolith - Gateway to the Plane of the Gray

Far, far to the north beyond the border of Blackmoor is a broken and pitted column atop a small mountain. From here can be seen the howling waste that is the Land of Black Ice. But it is here that the skin between the worlds is thin and this column is like a monstrous fang piericing the flesh of the Oerth and allowing the poison that is the Gray to seep in.

The strongest of the Sisterhood, the alliance between the witches of Blackmoor and their varied allies, has made their way to the Monolith and beyond. The witches have fought and defeated the forces of the Gray upon its own plane, and have sealed many portals within and without Blackmoor. This most distant and forbidding gateway is perhaps the oldest of any they have encountered. It is certainly powerful and dangerous leading directly to the great fortress at the heart of the Gray's domain.

A great battle was fought and won on that plane. The gates of the Gray's fortress were thrown down, its towers felled and walls broken in many places. But the Gray was not defeated and the Frozen Monolith remains open.

The sisters mount a strong guard on the Oerthly side of the gateway but still servants of the Gray slip from their plane to ours. Evil stirs within the ruined fortress and always there is need for the strong and brave and adventurous to cross through the gateway and strike down the evil of the Gray as it rises from ashes of its stronghold.

Erik One-Eye

Once he was Erik Red-Beard till a Southron's sword got in under his helm and took his left-eye with it. Now he is marked as one of the Votan's chosen. Few warriors last long with one eye removed and Erik doesn't intend to stay in the land of the first-life longer than he need be.

Once he lead a warband himself but now he is one of the dozen or so heroes who accompanies Bovine on his raids east and south. He seeks the promise of the Votan, a glorious death in battle. He disdains the use of a helm but still keeps himself armored, not seeking a gut-wound just a quick death he can see, when it comes for him.

Now he is first into a fray with no desire to stand amid a shield wall or worry that he will be struck down from his blind side. After all such a death is the promise of such a wound. He should already be dead but the Chooser has marked him so that all will know he had earned his place in the second life among the chosen heroes already. Erik is impatient to join his brethren.

{General Description-

The largest living primates, gorillas are stocky animals with broad chests and shoulders, large hands, and forearms that are much shorter than the upper arm. The face is black and hairless, with small eyes that are close together and large, prominent nostrils.

{Size - M 

{Height - 6' Tall, Broad

{Weight -

{Type - Natural

{Movement - 12"

{Behavior -

Non aggressive and shy, but will fight fiercely if cornered.

{Combat -

Fights with both hands. If both hit will cause grabbing and rending damage.

{Magic Resistance - Standard

{Special Abilities -

Grabbing and Rending Attack

{Intelligence - Low

{Speech -

{Vision -

{Activity Cycle -

{Diet -

{Habitat -

{Family Structure -

1-4 encountered

{Life Cycle -

{History -

{Affinity/Antipathy -

{Deities -

{Useful Components -

{References -

Monster Manual - Pg7

General Description-

Worker

Warrior 

Queen

Egg

Size - S (2' long)

Height -

Weight -

Type - Unnatural

Movement - 18"

Behavior -

9/10 encountered are workers.

Greater numbers of workers/warriors encountered in nest.

Queen only encountered in Queen Chamber. Queen does not move or attack.

Eggs only encountered in Queen Chamber or Egg Chamber.

Treasure only found in Queen Chamber.

If Queen is killed workers/warriors will become Confused (as per spell) for 6 melee rounds and then leave nest.

Combat -

Only Warriors fight. Primary attack is bite with mandibles. If Bite attack successful they will sting with poison.

Magic Resistance - Standard

Special Abilities - Poison Sting

Intelligence - Animal

Speech -

Appearance -

Their bodies are covered with a hard armor called the exoskeleton. Most ants are either red or black in color. Like other insects, they have six legs; each with three joints. Ants have large heads with compound eyes, elbowed antennae, and powerful jaws.

Vision -

Activity Cycle -

Diet -

Habitat -

Family Structure -

1-100 Worker/Warriors encountered outside nest. 1/10 will be warriors. Double that number inside nest.

Life Cycle -

History -

Affinity/Antipathy -

Deities -

Useful Components -

References -

Monster Manual - Pg7

Anhkheg

General Description-

Glistening black eyes, brown chitinous body, and pinkish underside.

Size - L

10' to 20' long

Height -

Weight -

Type - Unnatural

Movement - 12" (6")

Behavior -

Burrows like an earthworm for organic matter and minerals.

Combat -

Prefers to ambush lying 5-10ft beneath oerth and when its antenna's detect movement bursts up from beneath prey.

Prefers to attack with bite. 

Can spit digestive acid 30ft once every 6 hours

Magic Resistance - Standard

Special Abilities - 

Spit digestive acid

Intelligence - Non

Speech -

Vision -

Activity Cycle -

Diet - Omnivorous

Habitat - Forest and Agricultural Land

Family Structure -

1-6 in Group

Life Cycle -

History -

Affinity/Antipathy -

Deities -

Useful Components -

Bovine the Bloody

This dour warrior from the north is relatively young to command the respect and leadership of his warband. Personally he has over 180 men and women sworn to him, 3 longships worth, but as many as 8 longships have accompanied him on his southern raids. His crews are well experienced and doughty warriors but there is always a leavening of new warriors to replace those lost during raiding season. At least 30 of  his followers, normally 10 per ship, will be raw recruits between the ages 14 and 16 while another 60 or so will have only 1 or 2 raiding seasons under their belt.

Of the remaining 90 or so men Bovine has two ship-leaders and a half-dozen heroes of his own standing while the bulk of the men are experienced warriors between the ages of 18-30 with a few greying oldesters in their 30's who somehow have not been chosen by the Votan to swell his ranks in the next life.

While most of his men are normal axe and sword wielding warriors, a small group are priests of the bear-cult. These men disdain the use of armor and weapons and some take on the form of monstrous bears in battle. It is said that normal weapons do them no lasting harm or even recoil from their flesh. A number of skalds also accompany Bovine's small host. These poet-magician-priests are said to be in service of the Votan and practice healing arts, enchantments, wizardry and even martial skills though not to the same degree as those purely wielding spear, axe or sword.

A small contingent of bowmen are aboard each ship. It is not a favored weapon of war among northerners but Bovine has among his ranks a renowned bowman from the west of the Island of Ghosts and he has trained those among Bovine's followers in the way of the Longbow. About a score of these warriors are bowmen and half-a-dozen of those coming on their first raid are apprenticed.

Among these warriors about 1/3 are swordwomen. They sale aboard a single longship and fight as a single group. They are lead by Hodra, Bovine's wife, and she is one of his two Ship-leaders. While skalds are all male, there are 3 Valkyr among Hodra's ship. These wise-woman carry staves that they use in battle both as a physical weapon but also as an item imbued with magical power. There are also a group of swordswomen, perhaps a dozen among the three-score, who know the ways of the Vol, a healing art that is similar to that practiced among the skalds.

The heroes who follow Bovine are from various clans and tribes in the north but there are 3 dark-skinned warriors, a father and two sons, who journeyed on some quest to the far north, a wild red-haired warrior from the mountains in the north of the Ghost Land. a skald from the eastern islands, and even a warrior from the old empire in the southern lands who wears strange green-bronze armor and seems to know every weapon created by man.

I'm working on a list of categories for monster ecology write-ups. This is what I have so far. Any ideas or suggestions?

General Description-
Size -
Height -
Weight -
Type -
Movement -
Combat -
Magic Resistance -
Special Abilities -
Intelligence -
Speech -
Appearance -
Vision -
Activity Cycle -
Diet -
Habitat -
Family Structure -
Life Cycle -
History -
Useful Components -

NPC 1. Ch'lvendn - M-U Lvl 9 H.P. 27 AC: (10)

Ch'lvendn was born on the rolling hills of the northern plains beyond the city of Yecha near the Lake of Sorrows. She traveled with her people the Chakyik who cross the empty places between the Burneal Forest and the Yatils, the Drawmij and the Fler in tribal groups of three-wheeled wagons holding round tents of felt, protected by their horsemen, their shamans and their wielders of magic (who are all female among the Chakyik).

Her mother was a powerful figure in the council of the Three Elders who lead each tribe and her daughter inherited much of her mother's magical ability but none of her desire to stay among the people.

When Ch'lvendn was old enough to become a journeywoman among the practitioners of magic she disappeared from the Chakyik during a quest to the ruins of a once great city destroyed a millennia ago. She traveled south and east increasing her skill, finding adventure and making a small name for herself among the cities and people of the more populous and less cold south.

Currently she has a small residence in the City of Dyvers but she is not often found at home. She is no longer the teenage girl riding fearlessly away from all that she once knew, but her desire for power, treasure and adventure is still as strong.

NPCs - Back from the Dungeon

Returning from the Lost Library of Kes sans Thief and Torchbearer, the cleric Maynard and wizard Laran stay astride their mounts while the ranger Coln dismounets to investigate the marks of a large animal or monster's passage across the hilltop.

NPC - Kal'Merg and D'Rald

Their rivalry began as students at the Grey College in the City of Greyhawk. Kal'Merg and D'Rald dueled many times. Their last encounter was in the Astral plane from which neither returned.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - Jehenne of Chendl

Jehenne was born in Chendl but spent most her life with her grandparents in Tusham a small hunting village in the north of Furyondy near the coast and the Vesve. It is there she took her first steps on her druidic path. Here she was taught by an ancient High Elven druidess and met her Owl-companion Hoot.

In the Vesve she fought the minions of the Half-Demon Iuz, and the Swine-Kin of the great Devil-Pig. She watched the Hidden Paths of Iuz that ran through the dark western flank of the forest and destroyed the unnatural Losels that swarmed across those paths since Iuz introduced them from the Fellreev years before.

Though the depredations of Iuz have grown steadily the Druidic circle of the Vesve heard the cries from their kindred in the cold Burneal and have sent what aid they could. Jehenne leads a group of a dozen lesser druids who answer the call of the Burneal Circle. None know what to expect in this northernmost of forests or what plagues both it and the adjoining land of Blackmoor, but they are soon to learn.

 Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 2

Some openings between rooms are blocked as shown on the map. These are not doors but sealed portals of brick and mortar. They are covered with a decorated plaster showing scenes from the distant past of the Flan such as hunting, farming, celebrations. The passing years have made them very delicate. They are easily broken in a shower of dust and crumbling brick. Those who shatter a passage are cursed for a cumulative -1 penalty per portal until the curse is removed.

2.

Down the center of this room are two rows of crouching figures. Each is clothed in rotting fragments of cloth that show the dull remnants of bright colors now faded. As the players enter the room the figures will rise and turn toward the players. They will move toward them with arms outstretched while an eerie moaning will come from their desicated throats.

There are two rows of 8 figures each. They are chained togther in groups of 4. A single blow is enough to slay them but they will arise again within 24 hours. If anyone understands ancient Flan they will hear in the moaning speech pleas for mercy ande to be released. For every 4 of these ancient Flan slaves killed a -1 curse will be upon the slayer but for every 4 released from their chains a +1 blessing (24hour duration) will be placed on the one to release them.

While there is no key the chains can be struck or even twisted off by an exceptionally strong player.

The walls of the room are covered in decaying plaster that show chained slaves working in a field of wheat. There are broken baskets in the corners filled with the dust of wheat collected long centuries, perhaps millenia before.

Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful

(Map from random dungeon creator watabou)

The Cairn Hills are home to hundreds perhaps thousands of tombs and barrows reaching back into the distant past of the Flanaess. Many of them have been discovered and emptied but the valleys between the low hills still hide much to be discovered. 

This tomb is untouched and therefore still holds treasure but it also contains dangers and protections for those who would rob it.

The surrounding area is home to bandits, gnolls, ogre's and trolls. A nest of manticores is nearby.

All rooms are of stone with ceilings 8 feet at the walls rising to 15 feet at the center. The walls are carved from dense blocks of a light grey stone. Each block weighs in excess of 500lbs. The  roof is made from a darker stone and seems to have been melded together somehow. A faint trace of magic still lingers.

There is no light in the dungeon. The players will need to provide a light source if the cannot see in the dark.

1. Entranceway.

The outer door is covered with dirt and rubble but a recent storm causeed a slide and the upper poprtion of the doorway is revealed. There is a ward set into the door formed from the armbones and skull of an ancient Flan warrior. If it is touched it will say in ancient Flan "The curse of living death is upon this grave." The skull will then emit an eery laugh and collapse into dust. The door will split and fall to rubble. When the door collapses air is sucked into the room as if into a vacuum.

A set of stairs leads down 30 feet to the room. 

At the center of the room is a small chariot. It is exquisitely made (elvish workmanship) it is inlaid with silver but the wood is dried and fragile. A figure is chained inside the chariot. An ancient Flan warrior dried and desicated. It has three +1 Javilins and a longsword of equally ancient design. When the first player steps into the room it will begin throwing javilins at them. After it is out of javilins it will attack with its sword. The chain holding it to rotting chariot will easly break free and allow it to pursue the players though it will not leave the room. 

Attached to a peg inside the chariot is a whip that causes wounds to bleed for extra damage and can dismount a rider 10% of the time after a succesful hit.

End Part 1

NPC - Kres Orcbane Hobgoblin Captain of Ferendar Keep

When Spincastle fell three fortresses that protected the southern approaches to the city were eventually captured by Hobgoblins. Two fell to siege and starvation as the defenders vainly awaited rescue and the Hobgoblin forces won the third and largest, Ferendar Keep, through treachery. Today the Hobgoblins of the Bone March hold several of these small keeps and fortifications but they have been driven from the half-ruined, monster infested, precincts of Spinecastle.

Kres Orcbane is a sub-chief among the Shining Spear but he is defacto ruler of the Hobgoblins of the Bone March as much of the Shining Spear tribe returned to the mountains including its ageing chieftain. He dwells in Ferendar Keep but directly commands the two nearest forts and has an alliance with the five other forts and outposts held by the lesser Gleaming Sword and Blazing Shield Hobgoblins. 

Kres has a deep hatred for Orcs as his father was slain by Bloody Eye warriors in an ambush that led to the Hobgoblin expulsion from the city. He receives support and advice from agents of the Horned Society but is also in talks with the Broken Hammer Bugbears to bring their cousins the Nail Biters from their warrens in the Eastern Rakers.

The Hobgoblins are far more open to dealing with humans and their keeps and outposts all have sizable human populations as well as a large amount of Spinebred, mainly mixed Hobgoblin heritage, but as they are not accepted by the Hobgoblin tribes they have formed a society of outcasts and only those of Orcish heritage are unwelcome among the forts and keeps.

The Spinebred within the city form the main source of spys and informants for Kres.

NPC - Eydis Paladin of Ve

Ve is the patron god of the Schnai. His brothers Veli and Votan are respected as are the other gods and goddesses in the pantheon of the Manskr (those people called Suel Babarians by outsiders). 

It is Ve who dispells the darkness and ends the long night. He who kindles the fire. His home is the sun and his armor is golden. Those who serve him, his priests and paladins wear enchanted discs of gold upon their armor granting the various protections.

Eydis is one of Ve's favored champions. She bears several disks of power and an enchanted sword that burns with the fury of Ve. When she was a child she was given to the order of Ve and raised to be a warrior-priest but so great was here strength and piety that she became one of Ve's holy champions.

Temple of Nerull - Rel Astra - The Three Faces of Death

The most well-known of Nerull's temples is in or mainly, beneath, the city of Rel Astra. Beyond the great three-headed statue to the deity is a winding stair that leads not to the UnderOerth but down to the dark plane of death controlled by Nerull.

The statue shows three faces of death. The right side is murder, the left darkness and the central head stares out from the Abyss. The hands of the statue are bathed in the blood of sacrifices to the dark god and his worshipers bathe their hands in the collecting pools beneath.

A greater temple to Nerull is said to exist but one that is hidden and known only to the highest members of his clergy.

NPC - Andrais of Thornward and Serjeant Miklos

Andrais is a Squire-Protector of Thornward in Bissel. Serjeant Miklos is his friend and chief Armsman. The two were born in an estate nestled among the lower mountain reaches near the city. They have known constant warfare due to the ceaseless border disputes and raids between Bissel and Ket as well as the threat from monstrous tribes that raid down from the mountains or up from the underdark. Bandits, rogue mercenaries and highwaymen are also a continual threat as the wealth of nations passes from east to west, west to east in this vital trade route between Baklunish west and the Flanaess.

NPC - Rary

The stories told of Rary of Ket, once of the Circle of Eight, are lies. Half-Baklunish, Half-Keolander, Rary was raised in the mercenary camps of Lopolla. His father was an officer in the Keolandish White Lions, his mother a dancing girl of the Dar Peshdwar. Here Rary learned shield and sword, lance and saber, here also the Keolandish mage, Dee of Dunwich, introduced him to the arcane mysteries.

Rary served his apprenticeship to the White Lions, but something of his mother's people called to him and he found himself a wanderer searching the ancient sand-swallowed cities of Zeif. It is said he journeyed further west to the lands of Sa'han, Behow and Chomur before returning once more to the east.

Somewhere he encountered the mage Tenser, was introduced to Bigby, the leader of the Eight and joined their ranks. Rary was no traitor but his parting from the Circle was acrimonious and the lies and rumors of his leaving mark him darkly.

It is said he can be found in the Bright Desert within a tower whose height cannot be measured, whose floors are hidden, that appear and disappear and a spiral stair that has no end, disappearing it the vast sky and descending to the heart of the Oerth.

Few come looking for Rary and fewer still return. His legend is perilous as is his existence. True that wild Paynim serve Rary but it is the wilds of the Bright Desert and the unnatural beasts therein which are the true danger.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - NPC Maarika the Fallen Sister

Once one of the most powerful witches in Blackmoor and a leader among the Sisterhood Maarika crossed the passage torn through the barrier between the world of the Grey and our own. In the battle against the terror that afflicts Blackmoor she fell and was thought slain, but her body was never found.

Now she was somehow returned to Oerth, but her mind is twisted, her form ravaged by some disease that exudes darkness, and her power turned to evil. Whether she is a servant of the Grey or just driven mad by her wounds and time in the Grey's foul realm is unknown. 

Some of the Sisterhood have confronted her only to be injured or slain. A force was sent against her and she had fled to the Land of Black Ice. Will she return? The Sisterhood would have her hunted down and have turned to adventurers who would do the task for coin as their own strength is stretched thin defending the land of Blackmoor.

Sedr Magic of the Cruski, Fruztii and Schnai

Often called "Suel Barbarians" these people of the north-eastern Flanaess are at most distant relations to those of the Suel Imperium. During the time before the Rain of Colorless Fire they served at times as mercenary tribes but more often waged intermittent war upon the Suel. At the height of the Imperium's power they were driven from their lands far to the north-east where they dwell today.

These three tribal-nations worship the same pantheon of Gods though each has their own patron, one of three brother deities. Veli is worshiped by Cruski, Votan by the Friztii and Ve by the Schnai. Many other other Gods and Goddesses are worshipped though among all three Fray the Oerth-Mother is highest among all three.

Fray it is who gave the tribes magic, the Sedr, though it is said she taught it first to Votan while his brothers disdained its use, so that today it is among the Fruztii that men and women practice the art, while among the Cruskii and Schnai the Sedr is held secret by the women of the tribes.

Sedr magic has three branches, the Seeing, the Ice Magic and the Bone Summoning. Most who practice the art learn evenly of all three though some become drawn to one particular craft of the others. Women who use the Sedr magic are called Volle or witches and men are called Vola or warlocks. Skalds, the bardic-priests of Votan, Veli and Ve wield some of the Sedr magic but also possess the gift of priestcraft from their patron deity.

The first branch, the Seeing involves ritual divination, but also the ability to walk among the lands of the dead and speak with those dwelling there.

The second branch is Ice Magic and it is both strong in defense and offense for the wielder granting spells that allow casting of frozen bolts of ice, granting resistance or immunity to cold, summoning frozen elementals, creating sheets or barriers of ice and so forth.

The last branch is Bone Summoning, necromancy, and the wielder summons the dead and commands them.

NOTE:

"Suel Barbarians" is something applied to them by outsiders but the reality is that they were barbarian tribes that both raided the Suel and served them at times as allied or mercenary forces, They worship none of the "Suel" pantheon. Votan, Veli and Ve are brother Gods and Fray is a mother Goddess, but there are many, many lesser Gods in this pantheon. Among the tribes they either refer to themselves as the Volke (Fruz) or the Manskr (Schnai and Cruztii) and never "Suel Barbarian" which is a terrible insult.

The Frost Giant Jarl - Grugnur's Lament

"I told you that chain would come in handy," Talberth said with an I-Told-You-So half-smile on his lips.

Several nasty looks came from the assembled party and the wizard-elf Telenstil put a hand on his old apprentice's shoulder. 

They were a bleared-eyed and worn looking group. Blood-spotted bandages were on most of them and three of the five dwarves looked like they were about to collapse.

"It's freezing..." chattered the halfling among them even though he was well wrapped in a bear-skin cloak cut down to his size. A small orc stood beside him wearing his own bear-skin like a blanket with holes cut for his arms and legs. He wore a belt made of thick rope and two shortswords were sheathed at either side with a pair of daggers crossed at his middle.

Two of the dwarves were in well-fitted, finely crafted mail. One bore a warhammer that was etched with cryptic dwarven runes while the other held a double-headed axe, short handled and of obvious dwarven craft. 

"I still don't trust orcs," the axe-wielder commented in the old, old dwarven tongue. 

"You can trust that one well-enough," commented one of the thin and greyhaired dwarves. Ginnar, for all that he was the hammer-wielder's younger brother looked older than their father after months of captivity in Nosnra's steading. "Little Rat ran errands for me from the forge to my friends and those rebel orcs. He was so small the giants didn't seem to notice him."

"Those giants," said one of the ex-slaves beside Ginnar, "worse than any orc."

"He's been adopted by Harold," Galar said firmly. He set his warhammer down and rubbed his hands together. As eldest and a priest to boot his word was final. "Be polite."

Around them the strange mix of humans and humanoids began to move. They were in some huge cavern, though to the giants it must have seemed low-ceilinged if wide and round. The magic chain which had transported them here glowed with a nimbus of blue-white light and provided illumination if not warmth. 

At the one end of the cave were piles of crates and the walls were hung with the skins of huge animals. A blackened circle showed where a fire was once lit and wood remained in it ready to be kindled into flame. Fuel in the form of cold, dried logs was piled against another wall. 

As they watched the huge human ranger withdrew a tinderbox from his belt and started some dry moss aflame inside a little frame of twigs. Quickly a lively dance of fire was growing as he bent and fed it larger and larger sticks and splinters of wood.

The halfling-thief and his apprentice Little Rat, the orc, began to pry open boxes at the back of the cave.

The sylvan-elf Ghibelline approached the dwarves with a smile on his lips. "I told you we would be free one day Ginnar."

"That  you did, lad," Ginnar replied with a smile of his own, "But I never believed we'd live to see it."

"We almost didn't," said a deep voice beside them.

The dwarves looked at the figure smaller than all of them and older. Ivo was a gnome from the Kron Hills and a crafter of illusions more powerful than any they had seen before.

"It was good fortune to find you beyond the walls and outside that dungeon of Nosnra's," Ivo continued.

"There is something loose down there even the giants were afraid of," said Serleg, one of the two Hill Dwarves rescued with Ginnar.

"Even that bastard, Fehrig, that flame-haired Fire Giant, came up from the forges and dragged us along with him," added Feg, Serleg's brother.

"I wish that I could have collected the blood-debt that one owes," grumbled Serleg.

"We'd meant to collect from many a giant, especially Nosnra," said Ivo, "But here we are."

"And where is here?" asked Ginnar.

"If what we'd read about that chain is correct," answered Ivo, "We are in the land of the Frost Giants. The great glacier, the home of Grugnur, the Frost Giant Jarl, and we mean to deal with him as we dealt with Nosnra. Only, perhaps, a bit more dead."

***

The fire only occupied a portion of the large ring left by the giants who had used the cave. It brought light and dancing shadows. A cloud of smoke rose to the ceiling and disappeared above a large animal skin, some hairy mammoth-sized creature as big as a barn. Harald, the old ranger, had found a large passage beyond that turned and twisted, screened by two more hangings before opening to a land of glaring ice and rock beyond. A quick scout of the area showed no tracks so he returned quickly.

The rest of the company, five dwarves, a halfling, a gnome, two elves, three humans and  a small orc were sitting around the fire warming themselves and cooking things on sticks.

"So, are we truly in the glacier lands?" asked Nyradir, the dwarven warrior.

"Yes," replied Harald taciturnly. His face was grim as he approached.

"I am sorry Harald," said the old elven-mage. Telenstil knew how Harald had longed to stay, even if alone, to hunt down Nosnra or more likely die in the attempt. Only his loyalty to his companions had made him enter the ring of chain when they had enacted its enchantment, bringing them from the hills to these cold, cold mountains.

"We will need to keep watch..." Harald began.

"I will go," spoke up Ghibelline. The sylvan elf rose to his feat and Gytha the priestess of St. Cuthbert rose with him. 

"I will accompany you," she said and a quick smile touched Ghibelline's lips while across from them a bitter twist flashed across the tall human mage's features and then was gone.

"The ice glares in the sun," warned Harald, "watch your eyes. It can blind."

"I was raised in the same hills as you," Gytha replied, but she squeezed the ranger's arm as she passed him by.

"No matter how bright the sun will not blind or dazzle my eyes," said Ghibelline. "And after the dark of Nosnra's dungeons I still dream of the sun," he said, 'and the stars."

The pair disappeared through the woolly curtain which helped protect the cave from the bitter cold. The fire had already taken the deadly chill from the air and the small mountain of fuel left by the giants promised that it would not run out soon.

"Elves and halflings have the best eyes for the daywatch," said Ivo, "and the dwarves and I can handle the night."

"We have some hours till dark," said Harald. "I will rest now but once it is dark I will set out and find this next nest of giants."

"Not you alone," said Telenstil, "I still have my ring to help us and we have enchantments."

"Galar no trouble, find giants," said Nyradir. "I wish Berronar would let you speak their language all the time," he said to the cleric in their mountain tongue.

"That is no small thing to ask," Galar replied.

"I can speak well enough for the pair of ya," Ginnar told the two dwarves.

"Master elf," Ginnar said to Telenstil both with politeness due an elder and the respect due to a rescuer who saved him from slavery, torture and inevitable death, "My brother be a priest of Berronar, and in the God's good graces, so I doubt not he can find a true path to these giants."

"Your brother, yourself and your companions are very welcome," said Telenstil, "But you need not accompany us..."

"Feg, Serleg and myself be better smiths than fighters, but still we are fighters," replied Ginnar. All three now stood and faced the others. "We go where you go. Your foes are ours," he said putting his thumbs in his belt and meeting the others eyes, "truly, these giants are our foes of old for all our kind, mountain or hill."

Telenstil stood and bowed to the three dwarves. "You are most welcome. We have much to avenge and even more to learn from these giants. For now let us take our ranger's advice and rest. Tonight we will begin."

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - NPC Brenna

Brenna is originally from the Timberway among the Fruztii or Frost tribes, but she followed a spirit quest and found herself in Blackmoor near the Land of Black Ice and a welcome addition to the Sisterhood. Her way of magic is different from the witches of Blackmoor and is strongly linked to totems, rituals and amulets. The way of the Sedr magic practiced by the Fruz, has strong tinges of necromancy among its traditions and she wears the bones of dead heroes with which she summon them to fight for her if need be.

Her powers are also those of seeress and she can set her spirit to walk among the lands of the dead to ask questions of the past or project her sight to catch visions of the future. Finally he greatest strengths and protections come from the cold and she is granted both ice magic and power of elementals from the land of eternal cold.

She is familiar with the Grey and knows portals to its realm where the intersect with that of the frozen planes of Ice.

 Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - NPC Hilja

Hilja is druidess dwelling in the Burneal Forest. She is not often encountered in human form and when she is has the tendency to disdain clothing. She rarely speaks, at least in human tongue, but communicates with many animals usually while taking their shapes. She bears several amulets and totems that allow her to instantly change to one animal form or another.

While allied with the Sisterhood and a powerful enemy of the Grey she is not herself a member of the Sisterhood. Her concerns are less about Blackmoor or even humanity and more about the animals inhabiting the land.

The Sewers of Verbobonc Part 1

The city of Verbobonc sits above the Velverdyva on a plateau of solid rock but a series of tunnels were carved through the stone to a natural system of submerged or half-flooded caverns that connected to the river. Some of these tunnels were used for storage by citizens, some secretly dug by smugglers and thieves, one as a secret escape route from the Citadel for the Viscount, but most were simply for drainage and waste. 

The tunnels near the citadel run six feet high and ten feet wide but the myriad branchings run only five feet wide. A green moss grows along the walls and ceilings and provides a ghostly luminescence which gives a 20ft clear visibility and a further 10ft of poor visibility. The sewer system grew with the expansion of the city and construction of many of the later tunnels was poor and collapses have been frequent,

Many repairs have been needed over the years and vigilance against creatures lairing in the stinking dank has been necessary on a regular basis. That is where the players come in.

Repair crews trying to open a collapsed passage have come under attack by a horde of giant rats. With the invasion of wolf-riding goblins the Viscount needs his guardsmen for more important work than rat-killing even to the point a assembling the city militia. Several guilds, prominently the Dock Workers Union, are offering a premium in silver and gold for the extermination of these rats. 

The tunnel collapse is near the Wayside Inn and entrance can be found to the sewer through a trapdoor in its basement. Free lodging (3 rooms for up to a week with however many the players can fit in them) for the players venturing into the sewers and free use of the bathhouse afterwards.

Ptolemides Part 3

9a). At both of these spots marked in the corridor there is a large pool of dried blood. Between these marked spots on the map and location 9b there are smears and drops of blood streaked across the stone floor in the direction of area 9b.

9b). This area is layered with debris; wood that has been splintered, cloth torn into strips, even vegetation such as roots and wild vines. The debris is spread across the room and several feet thick. At a point near the center of the room a man's foot and lower leg is half buried under this mess.

If anyone pulls at this foot it will resist slightly then pull away revealing a foot with a leg severed a few inches above the knee. If the leg is pulled free or if anyone searches or disturbs the debris 2 swarms of baby giant ticks will erupt from their layered nest and attack. There are a total of 5 baby tick swarms within this room. After the initial 2 that attack, another 1 will form and attack whenever anyone disturbs the debris or tries to search.

If the debris is searched carefully, a long, messy and disgusting job, they will discover the upper body of a man in chainmail, a severed hand with a gold ring with ruby chips worth 10gp, a chipped and dulled longsword that radiates magic, which is -1 to hit but +2 to damage, and 32gp, 15sp and a small bag containing 5 uncut diamonds which appear to be cloudy crystals but are worth 50gp each.

New Monster:

Tick, Giant (Baby Swarm)

No. Encountered: 1d6

Size: S

Movement: 25

Dexterity: 12

Armour Class: 9

Hit Dice: 5

No. Attacks: 1

Damage: 1d4

Saving Throw: 10

Morale: -

Experience Points: 50

Treasure Class: -

A swarm of baby giant ticks represents 40 of these little monsters. Each is about 3 inches long and has 1hp. Any damage to the swarm represents the actual number killed in the attack.

Special:

Fire will keep them at bay

Piercing weapons do only 1hp damage per attack

If reduced below 16 in number the swarm will dissolve and the surviving baby giant ticks attempt  to skitter away.

10). This circular niche off the west side of the corridor contains a fountain and a small pool that is about 2ft high and the diameter of the niche. The water pours from a pitcher in the hands of a statue of a voluptuous naked woman. The water is collected in the circular pool at the statues feet. Followers of Lunaqqua will receive a blessing following their first drink of this water. This blessing will give them a +1 advantage in all dice rolls for the next 6 game turns. Subsequent drinking at this fountain will be refreshing but does nothing but dispel thirst.

Anyone desecrating this fountain (which includes attempts to damage it) will receive a curse of lycanthropy unless a save versus magic succeeds.

An overturned wooden bucket is at the edge of the stone pool.

11a). The door to this room is ajar. It can be barred from inside the room but no crosspiece is in evidence. It can be locked but the key is nowhere to be found.

11b). Three long tables are set side by side toward the center of this area. On each table is a nude body, two men and one woman. An overturned metal tripod and metal basin is near the west-most of the tables and half-burnt coals, now long cooled, have spilled from it. (The coals can be gathered and will burn for an hour, giving off a good deal of heat but very little light). Under the coals is a dagger made from a chunk of obsidian and wrapped with leather. It radiates magic if detected.

New Item: This is a Dagger of Mordezzan. It is a +1 magic weapon, but its main use is in the creation of animated skeletons and the production of Skins of Mordezzan. The dagger can make incisions in dead flesh that when complete will animate up to 3 skeletons per day. These skeletons will be at the command of their creator, except they will take no actions against a follower of Mordezzan who wears a Skin or bears the symbol of Mordezzan. A follower of Mordezzan who is a cleric or necromancer may wrest the command of these skeletons if they are of higher level.

New Item: The Skin of Mordezzan is the specially prepared skin of a sacrificial victim. It radiates evil and is worn by a follower of Mordezzan granting him the same armour class as that of leather armour, provides +1 to saving throws, and protection against paralysis, cold based and charm spells and abilities. Arcane markings are placed on the victim's skin, then they are submerged in a vat of enchanted liquid, then a Dagger of Mordezzan is used to remove the skin. Anyone trying to wear a Skin of Mordezzan who is not a follower  must save versus poison of suffer 1d6 hp damage per combat round (save for half damage) and will suffer 1d6 hp damage per combat round until such a save is made even after the suit is removed. (Only 1 saving throw is necessary once the Skin is removed, but a save must be rolled each turn the Skin is worn.

A giant tick sits on top of the man's body on the center table. It has been poisoned while trying to drain the body. The tick is at half-hp and -1 to hit and damage. The bodies of 4 dead giant ticks are scattered around the floor north of the tables.

If anyone examines the bodies they will find arcane markings on the flesh that a necromancer will recognize as part of a ritual to animate the dead. Each body has bone deep incisions and it would take little effort to remove the skeletons from the surrounding flesh.

11b). A set of spikes on the east wall holds 7 human skins. These are completed Skins of Mordezzan. No trace of internal organs or bones are in evidence.

11c). The drained and dry body of a man in a dark blue robe is crumpled here. If searched it is revealed that he wears a Skin of Mordezzan beneath his robe, but it is damaged beyond repair showing many knife wounds in the back and head of the Skin and the man almost completely severed, hanging together only by the skin at the back of the neck.

12). The west wall of this room is lined with skeletons who stand motionless until someone approaches within 20ft, opens the northern doors or who attacks them from a distance. There are 9 skeletons lined up in two rows facing the west wall. In each of their hands is a human thigh-bone, one end spiked with nails, which they use like a spiked mace, damage 1d6. A stack of boxes three high is on the north wall and the south. Each box contains 2 skeletons. These will attack if the crate is open. These skeletons will obey the commands of anyone in a Skin of Mordezzan and will not attack anyone showing a symbol of Mordezzan.

12a). This door is shut but not locked. It can be barred from inside the room. The wooden crosspiece is on the floor near the door.

12b). This door is shut but not locked. It can be barred but no crosspiece is in evidence.

13). There is a large vat in the center of this room 5ft high and 10ft in diameter. The walls of this room are set with iron spikes and the bodies of 12 men are hanging upside down from the spikes. Each has been marked with arcane symbols and the sign of Mordezzan. Their bodies show lines of deep incisions head to toe.

An iron chain hangs from a pulley above the vat. Inside the vat is a thick, dark liquid that radiates magic if anyone detects such. The liquid is a primary ingredient in creating a Skin of Mordezzan, and a flask of it would be worth 5gp to an alchemist, Necromancer or seller of spell components. There is enough liquid in the vat to fill 1,000 flasks.

If anyone peers into the vat an Undead Minion of Mordezzan will reach out from the liquid and try to first grapple with the character then drag them into the vat. If this is successful the character will be attacked by 5 Undead Minions of Mordezzan

If the attempt to grapple the character fails, all 5 Minions will burst from the vat, pulling themselves over its edge and attack.

At the same time the Minions attack the bodies on the wall will begin to writhe and shake. In 2 combat rounds 5 of the bodies of the wall will have had their skeletons pull free of the flesh that surrounds them. They will drop to the floor and attack. 2 combat rounds after that 5 more will pull themselves free and 2 rounds later 5 more till a total of 15 skeletons have left their skins hanging on the walls. The empty skins are not yet enchanted and are merely dead flesh.

New Monster: Minion of Mordezzan Undead Type 3

No. Encountered: 1d6

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Size: M

Movement: 40

Dexterity: 10

Armour Class: 7

Hit Dice: 2

No. Attacks 3(Claw/Claw/Bite)

Damage: 1d3/1d3/1d6

Saving Throw: 15

Morale: 10

Experience Points: 41

Treasure Class: S,T

Minions of Mordezzan are similar to ghouls but lack the ability to paralyze their prey. At one time they were loyal members of the Mordazzen cult and wore sacred Skins of Mordezzan. Upon the death of the cultist this Skin bonds with their own flesh and they rise after a short time as an undead Minion of Mordazzen.

Special:

Immune to poison, paralysis, fear and cold-based attacks

Protection from evil holds them at bay

14). This chamber has walls covered in torn, blood spattered and shredded tapestry. 2 of these hangings have gold thread woven into them and are worth 25gp each, even in their mangled condition. In the south-west corner is a pile of broken wood made up mainly of chairs but some larger furniture of unknown type as well. Along the north wall there is a table, swept clear but covered in dried blood, as is the floor around the table. Against the east wall there is an overturned and smashed cabinet. Mixed in with the cabinet are torn books and scrolls and broken glass.

If the cabinet is searched there is a 50% chance that a hidden drawer at the bottom of a splintered shelf will be found. The drawer is locked and a thief can attempt to pick it. If the secret drawer is smashed open the two glass vials in will be smashed.

The drawer contains 2 potion vials and a small spell book.

Potion #1 is of Healing

Potion #2 is of Fire Resistance

The small book holds 3 spells; Animate Carrion, Extermination, and Skeleton Servant.

14a). A bench runs along the south wall of this alcove. Huddled against the east wall on the bench are two figures in blue robes. If approached closer than 10ft these 2 Undead Minions of Mordezzan will attack. If attacked from a distance they will also attack.

14b). This alcove at the south end of the main room is hidden from casual view by a torn tapestry. There are pegs running down the west wall and 5 dark blue robes are scattered beneath them on the floor.

Most noticeable is the Undead Minion of Mordezzan, stripped of its blue robe and nailed to the south wall with iron spikes. The creature is at only 5hp but is still animated and struggles to free itself.

15). This door is locked and barred shut from the east side of the door. A glyph has been carved into the wood of the door. If shown around the city above it will be found out that it is the mark of Ptolemides Thieve's Guild, but such questions will be noted and the Thieve's Guild will be informed. 

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - NPC - Jedzec Centaur Lord

Between the Burneal Forest and the Cold Marshes is a roadway, one heavily travelled by the centaur herds. Now that the land is under perpetual assault by the entity known as The Grey and its minions the herds have moved further west and only the warriors patrol the old pathways that enter the forbidding marshes.

Jedzec is a lord among his people and can be often found among the edge of the marshes though even he does not ride to deeply within the forbidding boundries of the frozen bog. He is an archer beyond compare and normally carries no other weapon than his bow that only the strongest may use. A skilled ranger he has an affinity with the Oerth and nature beyond most of his kind. Jedzec is an ally of the Sisterhood in Blackmoor and can call on their aid. In return he and his clan will aid any of the Sisterhood who call upon him.

Historical - Queen Ehlissa the Nightingale 

The great warrior-queen Ehlissa, called the Nightingale by her people, the Giade (later labeled the Flan by Oeridian invaders) was known for her voice which could charm, inspire and enchant those who heard it. She was of great will and determination. Uniting the tribes of her people against the eastern nomads who threatened the more settled western lands of the Flanaess.

The Giade settled and farmed the areas near to the great forests and Elven communities venerating the long-lived demi-humans and learning their ways, but following the path of the Oerth-Mother, Father Wind and Storm, the two sisters of the Moons who watched over the night, the brothers Sun and Sea. 

In later day the great inventor-mage from mysterious Blackmoor would court her and give to her the powerful Nightingale he crafted for her, leading to the tragedy which broke the power of the Giade.

 Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - Kampala Shrine of Obad-Hai

Kampala is the chief shrine to Obad-Hai in Blackmoor. It is about 30 leagues north-east of the tail-end of the Fler beyond the Burneal Forest. The image of the Shalm is a stone pillar painted and bedecked with greenery. Beneath him are two stone boars and the shrine is dedicated to Obad-Hai in his aspect as the Boar-God.

There is a great hall that houses the druids and their families as well as a town that mainly serves the farmers who support the shrine as well as several inns that house worshippers and visitors.

The power of the Shalm keeps the Grey and its minions distant from the shrine, town and fields of Kampala. The several dozen druids in residence are generally younger initiates and older or injured druids seeking rest.

Druidism in Blackmoor is divided with Obad Hai having mainly a male following and those who follow the balance of nature itself with more females. The strength of the Sisterhood has drawn many of the women of Blackmoor to witchcraft, though the Sisterhood also contains warriors and other types of magic-users, and the druids of nature and balance are either allies of the Sisterhood or actual members. Those who follow the Shalm are not. They are not against the Sisterhood but follow a seperate path.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - Casva the Seer

The south-western reaches of the Burneal Forest are home to the Centaur clan lead by the war-chief Taraso. Unlike many of the centaur clans of the Burneal he has found common cause with the Sisterhood and their war against the entity known as the Grey and its minions. Taraso has also formed alliances with the tribes of ancient Flan who dwell in the depths of the wood.

Casva is a powerful leader of one such tribe. A witch of great foresight and power to divine the future as well as visions of the past. The Flan natives bred with Oeridian invaders driven into the forest as a great wing of their migration was forced back by the wild Rovers of the east. The Baklunish Tiger have mixed with her people as well and Casva's grandfather was a Thousand Leader among the hors-nomads.

While she is not part of the Sisterhood she is a close ally and deeply respected. She leads her tribe as well as the Mother's Council who represent all the women. Her Uncle Arsha leads the Father's. 

There is a Moon-sickness among her people and Casva is cursed with the touch of the Fox-God, changing when both Moons reach their fullness together. 

Continued from Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories - 6a

The Catacombs of Ptolemides

Rooms and passages in the catacombs normally have ceilings roughly 10 feet overhead and sconces or holders where torches or lanterns can be set, but are no torches or lanterns will be found unless specifically mentioned. Light must be provided by the player characters otherwise the catacombs are lightless black (unless the described areas mention illumination).

The initial area is formed from carved stone with wooden supports for the typical entranceway. 

1). The platform that the characters are standing on is circular and a little over 20ft in diameter. Large torches (taking two hands to hold) are set around the edges of the platform in metal standing brackets welded to the platform. These torches will burn for a full hour before guttering and going out. A slow but continual circulation of air bends the flames from the torches slightly to the west.

As the platform nears the last 10ft to the floor the PC's will see skeletal bodies in ancient armor affixed to the north, south and east walls. Iron spikes are set into each 10ft section of these walls the bodies of these long dead warriors have been thrust upon the spikes with enough force to pierce the ancient verdigris encrusted chest plates they all wear. 

Several large mallets, some of wood, and some shaped from human thigh bones, are scattered near to the walls, and these can be used to beat upon the armor of the dead hanging upon the walls. If hammered for more than three combat rounds this noise will alert Tomeron's servants who man the winches above and they will begin to draw up the platform. If the room is dark a circle of light will appear 50ft above as the iron cover is first lifted before the chains take up the slack and the platform begins to rise. It will be several combat round before the platform begins to rise after the winches begin to turn but then the platform will be drawn up 10ft every 3 combat rounds. No amount of shouting will get Tomeron's servants to stop or bring the platform back to the ground once they have begun drawing it up, unless it is the command of Tomeron himself.

If anyone begins beating on one of the chest plates, tries to remove the armor or searches the bodies, a normal sized rat will leap from the mouth of the dead body and attack. 1 combat round after this attack, 6 rats will begin to pour from the various bodies and attack the PC's. 6 more will appear the following combat round, and finally 6 more after that in the next combat round for a total of 19 attacking rats. 

If more than 8 of their number are slain the rats will flee toward area 1b where a rat-hole has been gnawed at the bottom of the secret door. 

The 20th Rat

There is one rat that will not take part in the combat but will be the last rat through the hole at area 1b. If it is attacked it will continue in its attempt to flee. If it is slain and the body examined it will be revealed as some type of autonomaton formed of wood and metal enclosed in the pelt of a rat.

*Clockwork Scout
No. Encountered: 1 or 1d6
Alignment: Neutral
Size: S
Movement: 15
Dexterity: 12
Armour Class: 4
Hit Dice: 1
No. Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d4
Saving Throw: 17
Morale: -
Experience Points: 15
Treasure Class: -

Clockwork Scouts are part of a mechanical species developed during the height of Suel civilization in ages past. They have survived and can be found mainly in the ruins of ancient Suel centers of learning and sorcery.

Clockwork Scouts have a rudimentary sentience but what will and independent thought they might have is subsumed by the greater purpose and willpower of more powerful members of their species. They have no known language but can somehow communicate all the have seen, heard and experienced to there more powerful Clockwork beings. 

Each clockwork scout is shaped into a skeletal version of a small animal and covered with such creatures fur, flesh or hide.

While a Clockwork Scout possess no treasure of its own their non-functioning bodies can be worth from 10 to 50gp depending on the type of damage. A function Clockwork Scout is easily worth over 250gp.

*The Clockwork Scout is from Frog God Games 'The Tome of Horror Complete S&W version' though slightly altered for my Greyhawk campaign.

1a).  The dead body of a mangy dog is crumpled in the upper corner of the south facing passage. It is a thin and rat-eaten corpse, mainly skin, hair and bone. If closely examined a fragment of blue cloth can be found in its clenched teeth.

1b). This is a secret door that has been well-crafted to appear as a section of the north wall. It even has one of the old dead bodies and an iron pike set into it. At the bottom edge of the door the rats have gnawed a small hole. If a lightsource such as a bullseye lantern is directed through the hole a space or chamber can be seen on the otherside.

The door is stoutly build and an iron bar is set in place. It will take at least 300hp of damage to batter down the door. Any noise may attract a wandering monster but will not in itself signal for the platform to be raised. 

(To be continued...)

The wizard of the cave of Les Trois Freres does a ritual dance high above a medley of animals of ancient times. His head is crowned with reindeer antlers; his ears are those of the wolf, and his face is bearded like a lion's. He has a horse's tail and bear paws. The wide and startling eyes appear to see not only the creatures gamboling beneath him but through the timeless space separating us from this paleolithic vision.

NPC - Fritha Wolfhealer

Fritha is a Fruz druidess. She has traveled south because of a dream-vision to the lands of Verbobonc. The wilds are her home though the great warmth has taken some getting used to. On her travels she has avoided most human and demi-humankind though she has had some interaction with rangers and sylvan elves as well as other druids.

She is a moderately powerful druidess but has a special affinity with wolves. No wolf will attack her and should any attempt top harm her in their presence they will defend her with their lives.

A patrol of goblin wolfriders who have recently invaded the viscounty discovered this in a rather fatal way when they set upon the lone druidess in the woodland near Nulb. Their own mounts turned upon the goblins and tore the surprised little grenskins to pieces.  Now  dozen of these wolves accompamies Fritha as travels toward her goal somewhere in the Kron Hills.

Alatou is a demoness servant of Graz'zt. She is a temptress and her appearance is that of a beautiful women with the platinum tresses of a drow but horned like a gazelle and skin of a dark red. Her true form is hideous with the bristles of pig instead of hair, skin mottled and lined, rough as a reptiles. Cloven hooved and with brawny arms and black-clawed hands. Teeth are a mess of needle-like fangs and a jaw that can stretch wide-enough to swallow a barrel.

She is powerful and has domains and holdings within Graz'zt's plane of the Abyss, but currently serves as one of Iuz's lesser demonic playthings, her strength and power hidden from all, but especially Iuz.

NPC - The Prophetess of Sutek

Before Sutek she was a slave. Now she is the bringer of death and despair. Only those who worship Sutek will be spaired and then only till the Ancient Master is freed. There will be power in this life while it last and then sweet oblivion.

The Prophtess brings visions of what is to come. The devastation and desolation. The torturous pain that can only be temporarily abated whose surcease is the blessing of death and death is Sutek.

She wears long gloves of red because the touch of her hands is death. Flesh burns beneath her fingers, food rots, metal turns to rust. Her ungloved embrace will quickly kill a common man or woman but a hero could break free, though wounded. She is immensely strong and she is constantly surrounded by the ever growing followers of Sutek. So far they have been chased into the deserts of Zeif but she is smuggled into to towns to grant her visions to the new believers.

The bounty on her head is great but none have survived to collect it.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - NPC Taraso Centaur-Lord

The Centaur clans of Blackmoor are perhaps the most war-like and organized within the Flanaess. As with all Centaurs they have an affinity with the bow that outshines all others, even the notable elven and halfling archers. Though they are profoundly good warriors they have no magic-users but a strong priestcraft worshipping their God Perum whose aspect changes with the seasons.

Taraso is a Lord of one of the larger clans of centaurs who roam the western borders of the Burneal Forest, often tangling with the Tiger Nomads even to the edge of the Drawmij Ocean. There is no open warfare between the nomads and the centaurs, but there is a great deal of rivalry and some trading between the two.

The centaurs have a better relationship with the people of Blackmoor and especially  the Sisterhood. With the fight against the Grey the centaur warrior-priests were able to defend themselves but do little except to battle the minions and summonings of the Grey. Many of the Witches of the Sisterhood now ride with the Centaur clans and are welcome allies.

Taraso is a warrior-priest, though not the Priest-Defender of his clan and is a stern old Centaur. He has lost family to the Grey when the a large infestation of summoned creatures came upon their game-herds and killed many centaur-young who sheperherded them. He has an unplacable hatred for the Grey and is a fierce supporter of the Sisterhood. The Priest-Defender of his clan, Volcho, has a strong animus to the Sisterhood and any non-Centaurs.

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories - 6a The Catacombs of Ptolemides part 1

SPOILER WARNING!

If you have not read this story TURN BACK NOW! or risk losing forever the unspoiled appreciation of Clark Ashton Smith's prose.

6a). The Epiphany of Death

(Written January 25, 1930)

Ptolemides, Catacombs of [PLC]

Ptolemides, City of [TWN]

Tomeron [NPC]

"Somehow, Tomeron seemed never to belong to the present; but one could readily have imagined him as living in some bygone age. About him, there was nothing whatever of the lineaments of our own period; and he even went so far as to affect in his costume an approximation to the garments worn several centuries ago. His complexion was extremely pale and cadaverous, and he stooped heavily from poring over ancient tomes and no less ancient maps. He moved always with the slow, meditative pace of one who dwells  among far off reveries and memories; and he spoke often of people and events and ideas that have long since been forgotten."

"I cab readily recall, however, the studies to which Tomeron had devoted himself, the lost demonian volumes from Hyperborea and Mu and Atlantis with which his library shelves were heaped to the ceiling and the queer charts, not of any land that lies above the surface of the earth, on which he pored by perpetual candlelight."

"He maintained that life and death were not the fixed conditions that people commonly believed them to be; that the two realms were often intermingled in ways not readily discerned, and had penumbral borderlands; that the dead were not always the dead, nor the living the living, as such terms  are habitually understood."

"Carrying torches, we left the mansion of Tomeron and sought the ancient catacombs of Ptolemides, which lie beyond the walls and have long been disused, for there is now a fine necropolis in the very heart of the city. The moon had gone down beyond the desert that encroaches toward the catacombs; and we were forced to light our torches long before we came to the subterranean adits; for the rays of Mars and Jupiter in a sodden and funereal sky were not enough to illumine the perilous path we followed among mounds and fallen obelisks and broken graves. At length we discovered the dark and weed-choked entrance of the charnels; and here Tomeron led the way with a swiftness and surety of footing that bespoke long familiarity with the place."

"Entering, we found ourselves in a crumbling passage where the bones of dilapidated skeletons were scattered amid the rubble that had fallen from the sides and roof. A choking stench of stagnant air and of age-old corruption made me pause for a moment but Tomeron scarcely appeared to perceive it, for he strode onward, lifting his torch and beckoning me to follow. We traversed many vaults in which mouldy bones and verdigris-eaten sarcophagi were piled about the walls or strewn where desecrating thieves had left them in bygone years. The air was increasingly dank, chill and miasmal; and mephitic shadows crouched or swayed before our torches in every niche and corner. Also, as we went onward, the walls became more ruinous and the bones we saw on every hand were greener with the mould of time."

ADVENTURE IDEAS

The Catacombs of Ptolemides

The city of Ptolemides was once a proud Pre-Imperium Suel City-State, but after the advent of the Imperium it was slowly abandoned and only a fraction of its population remained. It was home to an ancient temple of Lendor, perhaps the oldest Suel temple of the god's, and during the Rain of Colorless Fire this saved the city, in a manner.

A great storm surrounded the city during the Rain of Colorless fire and transported it between time. The people of Ptolemides who survived live their lives trapped between the beat of a heart. They do not die or age, they hunger little and lead a life of quiet dreaming. The farmland around the city survived even when most within the city did not and the crops are grown picked and grow again to be picked and consumed each day. Cattle bear young who grow to adulthood, are slaughtered and eaten, all as needed to fill the larders of the people, and generally all are unaware of this.

The city and its surroundings are a strange living scar in the outskirts of the Sea of Dust near to Slerotin's Passage. Those who enter the environs of the city become caught within the web of timelessness woven by Lendore. The only way out is the said to be deep under thre city in the Catacombs of Ptolemides.

Within the city only the sections near the outer gates and the central citadel are occupied, while entire quarters are abandoned and walled off, for Ptolemides is also a city of the dead.

When Lendore storm of time came it swallowed the city whole and only those within the citadel survived. These survivors were overwhelmed by the number of the dead, and in houses, manors, tenements and even the streets, the bodies were left unhallowed to putrefy and rot. But these unshriven spirits soon began to walk, to haunt the dead quarters of the city, and to prey upon the living.

Gates were shut, all entrances to these dead quarters walled off, closed and guarded. The priests of Lendore joined the city guard in a desperate attempt to drive back the dead. Then, more welcome than they have ever been, came the hidden cult of necromancers, and the greatest of these was Tomeron.

When Ptolemides was first settled, when the foundations stones were first set, these early Suel found the catacombs, and what they believed, perhaps rightly, was the entrance to the underworld, the land of the dead. These passages were old and endless, already filled with tombs and ancient bones and passages that went deep into the earth. For generations the bodies of the dead were placed reverently within vaults and mausoleums and niches cut into the walls. Over time the nearest of the passages were filled, and the tunnels were followed further and further while a slow sense of evil and darkness crept nearer, and the dead were no longer left undisturbed.

A great necropolis was built in the abandoned foreign quarter of the city and the catacombs of Ptolemides were sealed. The Rain of Colorless Fire and The Storm of Time came, and the dead walked, and then came the necromancers, and with them Tomeron.

Tomeron has unsealed the catacombs and from the abandoned manor where he now lives, in a dead quarter of the city, he directs others; magicians, thieves, priests, fighters, adventurers, fools, to do his bidding and search the catacombs. Of what is brought back to the surface Tomeron has his tithe, but always he seems disappointed, as if what he is truly looking for is never found.

NOTE: Here begins my conversion of TSRs 'Legendary' boxed set, the Ruins of Undermountain. I will just be using the maps for the most part (because my cartographic skill is so poor) but I've always loved this particular dungeon crawl and it will be a pleasure to convert for my Greyhawk campaign.

Tomeron, as I plan to use him, is a high level Necromancer. 

Reaching Tomeron's manor is best done in daylight. What was once the artisan's quarter of Ptolemides is now a walled and guarded ruin. Only one gate into the quarter is left open, though rumors say that the Guild of Thieves knows of a secret way. 

A small fortress has been built before the gate to this quarter and a toll of 5gp per person is collected to let anyone inside. A toll of 20gp per person is collected to let anyone back out again, and a tax on any treasure of 1 coin, armor, weapon, or valuable, is levied by the king.

There are three gates and a wide circular tunnel that lead to this dead quarter. The outer gate within the fortress will first be opened and as the party approaches the 2nd gate, this outer gate will be closed. Then the 2nd gate will be opened and when the party reaches the gate to the dead quarter, that gate too will close. Finally this 3rd gate will open and the party will be allowed to enter what was once the Artisan's Quarter. 

If anyone wants out there is a bell that can be struck near the gate and a basket will be lowered from the wall to collect the 20gp return fee. After dark the guards will ask for extra coin to allow escape from this quarter, and some will not respond at all, preferring to lock and bolt their doors rather than face what might be ringing the bell.

Once outside the small fortress a returning party will be lead to a counting house next door to the fort and there the tax will be levied.

Shops catering to adventurers have sprung up on the avenue leading to this gate and a large inn called 'The Dirge' sits on the far corner from the fortress. It is common for a last drink to be bought here before entering the gate and all manner or business is transacted within this tavern. Hirelings hired, rumors gathered, notices left and what-not.

The dead quarters of the city are very grim and dangerous places, and Tomeron's is no exception. Most buildings are in ruins and many are unpleasantly  occupied. rats, bats, vermin and spiders infest these buildings, as well as all manner and kind of undead. The main street is kept warded, at least during the day, but at night the undead roam and there is little shelter to be found.

Several necromancers do live within this quarter and far down its streets can be found an almost-palace that is their guild hall, but these buildings are guarded and sturdy and do not welcome visitors. 

Tomeron, on the other hand, welcomes adventurers at anytime. His manor is in a large walled compound three blocks from the gate. The doors to his house are always open and lead to a large entrance hall. Tomeron himself will come to greet all those wishing to journey to the catacombs. 

Inside this hall is a large staircase leading to a dimly lit upper floor, but the players will not be invited to see it more clearly. On its balustrade sits a pair of gargoyles, perhaps mere statues, but their unmoving features are grinning and malevolent. A half-dozen uniformed footmen are nearby, pale men with the stench of carrion about them, and the black beneath the stairs seems filled with something more awful than darkness.

To the left of the entrance-way is a set of double-doors. These open to a long, wide passage that turns and turns as it leads down, and finally comes to a broad square room. A quick estimates shows a ceiling vaulting out of site, and a room at least eighty feet wide as it is eighty feet long. Some tables and chairs are at the north end, at its center is a large round pit covered by an iron plate. Massive chains lead from the plate to four crank mechanisms spaced evenly around its sides.

"I take one coin in five and such items, jewels, gems and such-like as take my fancy. No more than one in three. If you agree and are prepared, that is your way to the catacombs," Tomeron points to the pit and the iron plate which covers it.

If the party agrees and wants to proceed Tomeron will speak a sharp command and four tall and heavily scared men will approach the cranks and begin raising the iron plate. Suspended by chains beneath the plate is a platform. Once the iron plate has reached the ceiling the platform will be even with the edge of the pit and a panel will be  extended to act as a bridge. Once the party is on the platform the panel will be removed and the platform lowered into the pit.

Tomeron  will call down to the party, "From here your adventure begins. Beat upon the armor of the dead to signal your return."

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions - 5c

2nd Floor

1). The smell of burnt flesh is pervasive through this area. The ceiling is nearly fifteen feet high.

1a). Stairs going up to the Top Floor. Only a dull greenish light illuminates the top of the stairs.

1b&c). Stairs going down to the First Floor. This stairwells are unlit and are dark as a tomb.

1d). This area is lit by a burning flame held in the palm of a huge statue of a demonic bat-like creature which stands at the center 10 foot section of the south wall. Around the floor are scattered remnants of a hasty camp. A roll of bedding with blood stains, some scattered food (enough for 1 days rations if gathered up and the consumer is none to particular in what they eat) and a broken bone amulet of Pictish design (once this allowed control of the flesh automaton's on this level of the dungeon and the one outside the temple at the top of the stairs. It has been destroyed by acid and physical damage).

The statue stands 10 feet tall with sweeping wings sculpted up to the 15 foot ceiling. The face of the statue displays an evil grin and one large red gem (1,500gp value) the size of a fist. The left eye-socket of the statue is empty and weeps a dark viscous  (and flammable) goo that has run down the face and body of the statue (and hardened to the body like a stream of wax down a candle but of a consistency more like clay). The right eye holds the gem. 

At the clawed feet of statue us a charred corpse, its arm outstretched ending in a fingerless palm.

If the body is searched, a fairly disgusting process, a set of thieves lock-picks will be discovered hidden cunningly inside the belt. 

If the gem is pried from the statues eye-socket a loud click will be heard and a stream of burning goo will be projected in a stream 10ft long from both eyes, while at the same time, a cloud of flammable gas will exhale from the statue's mouth and fill a 10ft diameter sphere directly in front of the statue. The cloud of burning gas will inflict 2d12 damage (1/2 dmg if saved against) to anyone within the area, while the burning goo will inflict three rounds of burning damage (again, 1/2 damage if saved against) to anyone caught buy the discharge. 1d12 the first combat round, 1d8 the second and 1d4 the 3rd. Only the first rounds damage can be saved against and items may, at the DMs discretion, on the burning victim, may also need to a saving throw or be destroyed or damaged.

The goo dripping from the eye or eyes can be collected. About enough to coat 3 arrowheads can be collected in an hour or 6 in an hour if both eyes are now leaking the goo. If exposed to air for more than an hour the goo dries, though this clay-like substance will also burn and about a 1lb of it can be scraped from the body of the statue.

2). This hall is composed of 10ft alcoves sealed off with a greenish crystal. Each crystal wall is strong enough to withstand 10,000hp damage before shattering. within each alcove can be seen the unmoving body of an Elder Thing.

Upon opening the door from area 1 the players are presented with a scene of horrific carnage. The bodies of two Elder Things have been torn limb from limb (though some body parts are missing). A thick, dark red blood is spattered across walls and floor. From area 2b comes a steady pounding noise.

2a). This shattered alcove is empty except for a covering of crystal shards. These shards are a natural bane to all shoggoth and shoggoth-like creatures. They can be used as sling stones and will act as magic +2 to hit/damage sling stones if used against such creatures, though they will do no or little damage to normal creatures. In addition, the possession of 5 or more of these fragments will act as a +1 item of protection against shoggoths and related creatures.

2b). From this location comes the steady pounding of 2 flesh automatons as they relentlessly assault the wall of greenish crystal. They have already caused over 9,000hp damage against this wall and it will shatter in 1d10+10 minutes. Upon shattering it will release an Elder Thing and both flesh automatons will immediately attack the creature. 

If interrupted in either attacking the wall or the Elder Thing, both flesh automatons will turn and attack whoever interrupted their actions (ignoring the useless attacks of the Elder Thing), and continue attacking anyone on this level, before turning back to their assault on the wall or the Elder Thing.

The Elder Thing will attack anyone within reach and will attack and pursue them till it is destroyed or prevented by some other means.

2c). As per 2a except that among the crystal shards within the alcove may be found a hand-sized five-pointed object of dark green soapstone. This object acts as a +3 item of protection against shoggoths and shoggoth-like creatures.

2d). This alcove appears empty but behind the crystal wall is a portal that leads to a hidden vault deep within the Spiral Mountain Array. (The vault is merely a 100ft by 100ft space until the key to its exit can be found, which is not yet available in this adventure). If the wall is shattered a stream of Elder Things will pour out, one every combat round, if they can force themselves out of the alcove. 20 of these monsters will come pouring forth, the last will bear a malfunction crystal-tipped iridium rod of the Great Race. After 1d6 uses the rod will emit a crackle of blue electric light for 3 combat rounds then explode, disintegrating everything in a 20ft diameter sphere.

2e). This is a massive gelatinous cube that fills the hall and stretches some 70ft end to end. It still attacks as a 4hd monster but has 10 times the hit points of a normal cube (not really a cube then is it?). It usually circles the corridor endlessly and is fed by sacrifices by the ape-men. It has 3 times the normal treasure (the ape-men are not very thorough when looting their sacrifices). Currently the monster is cowering in this corner of the hall after having about 30% of its mass destroyed by magical attacks and suffering a violent bout of indigestion (see 2f).

2f). At the center of this gelatinous cube is suspended the body of a flesh automaton. It was swallowed before orders could be given and it is a sort-of standby mode. If freed from the cube it will attack anyone within sight, nearest first, and pursue them anywhere within or without the temple until destroyed.

(To be continued)

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories 5b

Tsathoggua

"...we forthwith started to explore a left-hand avenue, which, though it had been laid out with mathematical directness, vanished at no great distance among the fronded trees. Here, somewhat apart from the other buildings, in a sort of square that the jungle had not yet wholly usurped, we found a small temple of antique architecture which gave the impression of being far older even than the adjoining edifices. It also differed from these in its material, for it was builded of a dark basaltic stone heavily encrusted with lichens that seemed of a coeval antiquity. It was square in form, and had no domes nor spires, no facade of pillars, and only a few narrow windows high above the ground. Such temples are rare in Hyperborea nowadays; but we knew it for a shrine of Tsathoggua, one of the elder gods, who receives no longer any worship from men, but before whose ashen altars, people say, the furtive and ferocious beasts of the jungle, the ape, the giant sloth and the long-toothed tiger, have sometimes been seen to make obeisance and have been heard to howl or whine their inarticulate prayers."

"...the black interior of the temple yawned before us, and from it there surged an odor of long-imprisoned mustiness combined with a queer and unfamiliar fetidity."

"...the place was paven with immense quinquangular flags of the same material from which its walls were built. It was quite bare, except for the image of the god enthroned at the further end, the two-tiered altar of obscenely figured metal before the image, and a large and curious-looking basin of bronze supported on three legs, which occupied the middle of the floor."

"I had never seen an image of Tsathoggua before, but I recognized him without difficulty from the descriptions I had heard. He was very squat and pot-bellied, his head was more like that of a monstrous toad than a deity, and his whole body was covered with an intimation of short fur, giving somehow a vague suggestion of both the bat and the sloth. His sleepy lids were half-lowered over his globular eyes; and the tip of a queer tongue issued from his fat mouth. In truth, he was not a comely or personable sort of god, and I did not wonder at the cessation of his worship, which could only to have appealed to very brutal and aboriginal men at any time."

"What unimaginable horror of protoplastic life, what loathly spawn of the primordial slime had come forth to confront us, we did not pause to consider or conjecture."

ADVENTURE IDEAS (Continued from 5a)

As the drums begin to beat scores of ape-men rush from the surrounding ruins. A group of eight with an alpha male leading run toward the stairs. It will take them no more than 2 melee rounds to cross the stone paves of the square and reach the bottom of the stairs, and only another melee round to rush up them and engage anyone at the doors at top.

NOTE: After the first group has begun their charge other small groups of 1d6+6 ape-men (with a 25% chance of an alpha male leading them) begin to make their way behind them or pull themselves up the walls on all side. As an example, for the first 11 melee rounds ape-men will rush up the stairs or make their way around the sides of the ziggurat ever other melee round, 5th round, 7th round, etc... and on the 9th melee round since the ape-men first charged the stairs, a group of six and an alpha male will climb to the top of the ziggurat above the doors and be able to jump down on the next melee round.

NOTE: These ape-men need make no morale cheeks and are immune to any charm spells. The are already under the complete swat of Xathoggua.

If anyone makes it inside the top floor, after opening or smashing down the doors, they will find that the ape-men will not enter. If the entire party is inside the top-floor room the ape-men will disappear from view, moving down the stairs, around the corners of the walls, or peer down from the roof above. Anyone steeping beyond the doors or sticking their head out will be pelted with 30+ thrown stones each melee round for three rounds and then attacked by a rush of ape-men. In no case will an ape-man step within the temple and any that do will go wild, frothing at the mouth, and then collapse in a shuddering semi-conscious heap. Such ape-men will only awaken if they are brought outside the temple or at the sound of a gong being beaten somewhere below (this will be dealt with in a future post).

Top Floor

The interior of the top floor is dank and slimed with a glowing greenish substance that has the smell of rotting vegetation and a slightly acidic quality that will burns the skin and stains and disfigures cloth and hide. It does add enough light to see within the chamber if there is no other illumination.

1a-1g are pedestals with what appear to be iron statues (or broken fragments of iron statues) of humanoid appearance. Each is of a warrior though their shape is slightly disturbing, legs appear too long, the chest narrow and sunken, the arms oddly jointed and the fingers numbering more or less than a humans. Such faces as can be seen are a strange combination of toad, bat and giant sloth. Each statue is exactly detailed and the work masterful, though slightly horrific and bizarre.

It can easily be seen that each of these statues have received severe damage, and several have been almost completely destroyed, and one appears to be missing. A closer look shows that they are covered with slowly moving fragments of metal as if they were swarmed by some infestation. A few moments will reveal that these fragments are minding the fragments, rebuilding the missing pieces and reconstructing each damaged statue.

These statues are a new creature for my campaign.

The Iron Men of Xathoggua

No. Encountered: 1

Alignment: Neutral

Size: M

Movement: 20

Dexterity: 5

Armor Class: 4

Hit Dice: 8

No. Attacks 1 (Plus Special)

Damage: 3d8

Saving Throw: 11

Morale: -

Experience Points: 4,000

Treasure Class: -

Constructed by Olman sorcerers in the distant past, the Iron Men of Xathoggua are similar to automaton's of iron. Each is dedicated to Xathoggua and can be commanded by the deity at will (overriding any other commands). Each Iron Man is constructed by a single priest of Xathoggua and controlled by a scroll of a silver-like metal. Only a single controlling scroll can ever be possessed and such a scroll allows command of only a single specific iron man. Anyone trying to possess and use more than one scroll will cause those iron men to attack the user. An iron man must be within sight of someone using a silver scroll and their voice must be able to be heard (an Iron Man has average hearing).

The art of building the Iron Men is now lost, but they are well nigh indestructable. Built from a magnetic black iron which fell to Hyperborea from the dark void of space, the priests of Xathoggua enchanted the alien metal, turning it into a viscous liquid and through their dark arts imbuing each with the life essences of ten powerful warriors and ten colonies of foul green slime, and a quantity of their own blood.

An Iron Man can be shattered with normal weapons, but the metal, even smashed to fragments, is drawn to each other with a force strong enough to pull free from the grip of a strong man. These pieces will find each other even across great distances. It would require great magic or the heat of a mighty forge to destroy this metal.

Allowed to reassemble itself an iron man will 'heal' at a rate of 3hp/turn. When it has reached half its hit points it will be able to function once more though only able to move at half speed and deal half damage, (it will still be able to carry out its special attack).

Special:

Immune to charm, sleep, hold and other mind-affecting sorceries.

Electrical attacks slow the Iron Man for 3 rounds

Fire attacks due 1/2 damage or no damage if saved.

Acid attacks do no damage

Every 5 melee rounds the Iron Man can vomit a green acidic substance up to 10feet striking a 5foot diameter sphere of space. This attack will cause 3d6 damage.

Each Iron Man is constructed with an flanged mace gripped in one hand with its other hand free.

Top Floor (continued)

1a) This Iron Man is utterly destroyed. The fragments are slowly shifting together but have only reformed the feet.

1b) This is an empty predestal

1c) This Iron Man is partially reformed and able to function. It's armor is chipped and cracked. The top of its head is missing and the glowing green liquid sloshes out over its face as it moves. It cannot use its special vomit attack.

NOTE: All surviving iron men will attack if anyone approaches within 10feet. If any of the iron men are activated then all are activated and will go on the attack (this includes only the iron men at locations 1c, 1e & 1f).

1d) This Iron man is only half complete. Its body has been rebuilt up to its lower chest. Inside its bowl-like interior is a pool of acidic slime. This glowing green slime may be collected in glass or metal containers. A jar's worth, if used as a missile or poured onto someone, will do 1d10 damage. There is 5 jars worth of slime that can be recovered.

1e). This iron man is at three-quarters hit points and functional. Its body is cracked and missing small pieces, through which leak the green acidic slime, but it is still able to perform its vomit attack. See 1C for the NOTE regarding the functional iron men.

At the feet of this Iron Man is the body of a half-orc sorcerer. The body has received grievous wounds and its right hand is missing. There is a +2 Dagger of Venom concealed in his left boot (5 doses of poison remaining) and 5 100gp gems sewn into each cuff of his pants (10 gems total). His belt has been cut and pockets turned out, but there is a large silver serpent-shaped buckle on his belt worth 50gp with a hidden compartment containing 3 doses of poison for his dagger. In a half-destroyed pack that still hangs over one mutilated shoulder, there is an acid-eaten spellbook which still contains 2 1st level spells and 1 2nd level spell (to be determined by the DM).

1f) This iron man is at half hit points and its special vomit attack functions normally. See the NOTE at 1c concerning this monster.

If activated this iron man will step forward, perhaps off its pedestal and reveal the squashed hand of the half-orc sorcerer whose body is at 1e. There are 2 rings on the broken fingers of this hand. One is in the form of a snake with emeralds for its eyes. It is of ancient craftmanship and worth 250gp to the right buyer. The other is a Ring of Shooting Stars. NOTE: This ring is made of an opposing metal to that of the iron men and the wearer of such a ring will be the focus of any attacks.

1g) This iron man is completely shattered. All it appears to be is a squirming pile of metal fragments oozing a glowing green liquid slime.

2) The stairs leading down to the 2nd floor.

(To Be Continued)

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - The Moon Hall

The gathering place for the Sisterhood has no set location. It exists when the moons, Celene and Luna, are in certain conjunctions with the Oerth. The Great Veil is created and the Sisterhood passes within to seperate plane of existence. This is the Moon Hall of the Sisterhood. Three of the Nine who guide the Sisterhood hold the portal open while three others help to guard it with a large contingent of witches, warriors and summoned or allied creatures.

Once a year at the passing of the long night there is a great gathering where challenges for rank among the Sisterhood are conducted. None but members of the Sisterhood are allowed at this gathering, though at other times any witch may take a non-witch with them through the Great Veil and to the Moon Hall.

The Moon Hall is sometimes a mansion or palace or even a castle with many rooms. At other times it appears to be glades and groves within a think forest. There is no sun within the Moon Hall only the light from Celene and Luna. No matter what its appearance there will be room for gathering, dancing, feasting. 

Amidst all this the spirits of dead witches wander and particpate and interact with the living. They appear semi-translucent and may change from young to old as they speak. Many of the dead are hard to converse with as they appear to be dreaming or distracted by things unseen to the living. 

Beneath the Moon Hall are the crypts where the spirit jars of the dead are kept. Some are large and contain the bodies of the dead. Other jars are small and hold only the ashes or even the spiritual essence of some long fallen sister. But the crypts are also a prison and a vault holding items of great power. Sisters whose spirits have fallen to evil or madness are imprisoned and guarded by the honored dead of the Sisterhood. Items of power deemed to dangerous to use except in dire neccessity are entombed beneath the spirit jars of the strongest of the Sisterhood from times past.

Beyond the Moon Hall the plane becomes chaotic and home to terrors drawn from the nightmarish depths of the mind. Any interlopers or those who seek harm to the sisterhood within the Moon Hall are cast into this border of churning chaos. 

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories 5a

NPC - Masruq, Paladin of Sutek

The Lost Tomb of Sutek has been found by the Death God has not been freed. His power flows to his followers and Masruq is a devotee of the Death God, a holy warrior, a paladin of darkness. Sutek's high priestess has come down the Velverdyv to Verbobonc and no uses the Mirror of Travel to summon Sutek's followers from his tomb in the Dry Steppes to her dwelling in the city. Something in the Temple of Elemental Evil was not only imprisoning Zuggtmoy but also was one of the wards confining Sutek in his ancient prison tomb. 

Qaribah, High Priestess has drawn Masruq through the mirror and now he leads a band death cultists in search of answers within the ruins of the Temple of Elemental Evil. The invasion of goblin wolf-riders has proven to be a valuable distraction and Masruq, Qaribah and a small army of followers under the guise of a large merchant caravan will tear the ruins of the temple apart, stone by stone, to find answers to free their Death Lord.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - NPC Eira

Eira was young and very powerful when she crossed into the Plane of Fog and Mist to battle the enitity known as the Gray. She struck down the greatest of the Gray's minion-conjurings and breached the glass-walled citadel of the Thought-Eater Lord. There she was lost for only three of her sister-witches could follow her and within the shattered fragments of fear, desire and nightmares they were separated. 

The portals between the Plane of Fog and Mist remain open though now the largest are guarded and for the moment the great terrors sent by the Gray have been halted. Eira was first among the witches to track them down as they were hidden and invisible to the eye. Only the witches can see the portals and even the creatures and conjurings of the Gray can only by seen by wielders of magic or servants of the Gods. 

With one hundred of her sisters Eira led the assault through the greatest portal in the dungeon-crypts beneath Castle Blackmoor and many witches fell during the breaching of that realm. Eira herself defeated the Wood-Rot, an ancient being that predated the arrival of humans to the Flanaess, and at its foul-core found the passage to the heart of the land of the Thought-Eater Lord.

The three who accompanied Eira to the Glass Citadel now gather strength for a return to that dread fortress to find what has become of their sister Eira.

Saamal is of a rich and noble Palish family, an accomplished knight and part of a growing number of the aristocracy who have fallen from the worship Pholtus. There is a more cosmopolitan air to the upper society due perhaps the growing wealth and military influence of the Pale. 

While Tenh has become a key trading hub with the barbarian north, it is the Pale who is the outlet to the southern lands of wealth and civilization. To the west the campaigns against the Bandit Kingdoms of Grosskopf and Fellands had cemented the alliance between Tenh and the Pale while the capture of the fortress-city of Redspan from the Bandits signaled the rise of the Pale's strength in arms.

The clergy and theocratic rulers of the Pale have looked upon this with dismay. Wealth and military might are nothing without the Light of Pholtus guiding the way. And so Samaal, youngest of the House of Koiv, is summoned to Wintershiven and, beneath the Great Temple, brought into the Shining Ones presence...

Grey Company - Mercenary groups of Oerth Part 1

A company always on the run
A destiny, oh it's the rising sun
I was born, a crossbow in my hands
Behind the shield
I'll make my final stand, yeah
That's why they call us
Bad company
I can't deny
Bad, bad company
Till the day I die
Until the day we die

Greyhawk 579cy

These are interesting times for the Flanaess. The forces of Iuz are on the move, the Great Kingdom crumbles, the Baklunish west has been stirred to life by the rise of a death cult, the frozen Suel barbarians to the north are raiding in unheard of numbers,  the natives of Hepmonaland wage war against the trading colonies... it is a good time to be a mercenary.

(The computer game Battle Brothers has gotten me thinking about running a different kind of Greyhawk Campaign. The players form a mercenary band instead of the normal adventuring party. Yes they search for treasure where they can find it but there is plenty of easier and more available coin to be made as mercenaries doing everything from caravan guarding, bandit hunting, treasaure seeking... to aiding in open warfare. A group of 3-5 players run a company of 12-20 player characters and henchmen that work from city to town hiring out when they can or finding their own employment when no contracts are available. For example...)

Verbobonc 579cy, the viscounty is beset by an invasion of goblin wolf-riders. The Verbobonc Lancers have their hands full, the militia is overwhelmed (and some body needs to handle the crops and man the shops) and the Viscount has begun hiring mercenaries. The Flanaess is troubled and few realms have aid to spare... the rise of the mercenary company is at hand.

In the viscounty the following contracts are being offered:

1.  The bounty on bandit heads is at an all time high. With open warfare against the goblin tribes Verbobonc Guardsmen and Lancers have their hands full. The Viscount is offering bounty for the heads of proven bandits as well as hiring out mercenary groups to assault known bandit strongholds even those outside the borders of the viscounty. The Black Crows, a group of around 30 outlaws, has taken over a derelict town in the swamps to the south-east of the viscounty, the flee the Lancer patrols but the Lancers are busy fighting wolf-riders; the Viscount seeks a mercenary company to root them out.

2. Riverboat and caravan guards are needed. Losses to river pirates and outlaw bands are starting to take their toll and the merchant guild of Verbobonc is seeking to hire small mercenary bands to guard particular shipments. Provisions will be provided.

3. A large tribe of wolf-riders has set up near Nulb and a set battle is brewing. So far the number of skirmishes increases day by day. Mercenary companies are needed to aid in these fights and the general push against the main wolf-rider horde.

Oerthly Encounters Red Hanlan & Black Harris Part 6

Blacmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - Zelsana

Zelsana is a Palish witch come to Blackmoor. She was born to a brothel-worker in the capital of Wintershiven and recognized by the midwife who brought her into the world as having the link with Moon, Oerth and Stars that are marks of power among witches. As a babe she was purchased by the coven of Wintershiven, of necessity a secret organization amid the rigid and intolerant Pholtite rulers of  the Pale.

In the years of her childhood the growing Order of Witchfinders was making life for witches in the realm daily more perilous. As a teenage girl Zelsana was smuggled into Tenh where the Old Faith was still respected if not always followed. 

Zelsana spent her early womanhood in Tenh growing in power and respect among the people. She delved deeply into the history of witchdom, learning of the Yaga who was called Iggwilv or Louhi among those of Blackmoor. She who was the Mother of Witches and her Daughter who brought together the first coven and opposed the workings of her mother.

Visions of that cold realm, the marshes that were the Yaga's first home in ancient times, the coming the gods with their steeds of metal and fire, the gleaming City of the Gods, the nameless horror on the mountain plateau that sat above the gleaming city...

She saw the coming of the Gray to the Land of Black Ice, the Sisterhood and its fight against the minions of the Gray as they sifted through the fields and forests of Blackmoor. Zelana heard the thousand voices of the Sisterhood an she knew where she needed to be.

 Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches -  NPC Tuure

Tuure is from the Burneal Forest, her folk belong to an ancient Flan tribe which hid among the green depths of the wood when the Bakluni and Oeridians first crossed into the northern Flanaess. Her father was a Tiger Nomad caught in a trap by her people the Vigonor who later became a member of the tribe and respected leader.

While Obad-Hai is primarily worshiped among the Vigonor men, the women have long followed the witching way. The Sisterhood is strong along the north-eastern forest while further to the west the tribal witches have maintained their independance. They have also not yet encountered The Grey and the need for joining forces has not presented itself. Yet.

Tuure is a young witch but has journeyed far across the forest. She has seen the attacks by The Grey, even crossed into the lands of Blackmoor and now is a member of the Sisterhood and the branch of tribal witches helping to protect the forest.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches

Anzelika, the younger daughter of the Canon of Redmod, was a typical maiden of the Pale. She was devoted and obedient to the will of Pholtus and dutiful to her father. That is until her visions began...

The Pale does not welcome witchcraft. 

The Canon was not a tolerant man. Some years before he had suffered through the theft of a powerful chalice by a Rhennee thief and the willing defilement of his oldest daughter, Beautiful Light; then to have his youngest daughter show signs of powers that bore the earmarks of witchcraft was too much for the arrogant and pompous old cleric. Anzelika was cast out and sent from the Pale. Distant relatives in Tenh were contacted and, she who was once his daughter, sent there as no more than a servant.

Anzelika's awaking powers and a hidden resolve within her delicate frame stirred a sense of freedom and rebellion within her. As the merchant train she accompanied crossed the borders into Tenh she left one night and took her first steps beyond the bonds the Pale and her father had set upon her since her birth.

Her wanderings and adventures took her far beyond Tenh. The Bandit Kingdoms, the fabled White Plume Mountain, and further and further north till she came, finally, to Blackmoor.

Today she is a powerful member of the Sisterhood. Her visions have allowed the defeat of machinations of Iggwilv and the forces of the Gray which plagues the land. Her sight stretches the ultimate north and shining metal city set against a mountainous plateau which radiates unspeakable evil.  

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - the Sisterhood

Blackmoor is a land of mystery. There are tales of its past with cities and kingdoms, wars and catastrophies, heroes and common folk, but still a place distant and removed from the normal commerce and happenings of the Flanaess.

Blackmoor was never a truly peaceful land. Beneath the surface and around the borders a cold grey presence could always be felt. It was a lifestealing hand that took the sick and preyed upon the newborn. Those who first took up the fight against this presence were the witches. In Blackmoor the witches healed the sick, assisted the clerics of Beory, Telchur, Velnius and Zodal, acted as mid-wives, cared for injured animals, and acted as judges. They were soothsayers and diveners of fate. All of Blackmoor from the king to the smallest village had a witch to advise and heal. Among the Council of Women they were predominantly leaders and were the teachers of the young girls, administering the test and right of passage from girl to woman.

With thw coming of the Grey, as they called the lifestealing presence, they became those who fought. Swords and spears were ineffective against the creatures of fog and mist which began to appear. Magicians was rare, clerics and priests were few, but the witches were many. Every girl who showed signs of power and ability were mentored and encourged to pursue the arduous path of witchery. And as the Grey strengthened, the Sisterhood was formed.

The Sisterhood, in some nascent form, had existed in Blackmoor for centuries. Never had it needed the strength, discipline and organization that the fight against the Grey demanded.

Nine witches form the Nyma Urd who guid the Sisterhood. They  are the most powerful witches not necessarily the oldest. Once a year they may be challenged for their position on the Nyma Urd. There are thought to be a thousand witches in the Sisterhood, but that number has been growing. Certain events have set back the Grey and expeditions into the Land of Black Ice and beyond the very boundary of the Planes of Existence have rewarded the Sisterhood with both artifacts of power but also victories against The Grey on its own plane, that of Fog and Mist.

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches

Aefre and the Breath of Blood

Aefre is born of the old tribes of the Burneal Forest who dwelled within before the riders from the west came, the Oerid driven back in defeat and welcomed by the old forest people. Today most who dwell within the chill forest are descended from both Oerid and forest people, only a few tribes are like Aefre's.

While appearing youthful and quite beautiful Aefre is not young. She is the spiritual leader of her people and follows the rituals and ceremonies passed through the generations of the forest people. 

The forest is her home and she rarely is away from its borders but she is aware of what transpires in the lands around. Members of the Sisterhood bring her news but mainly come to her to learn. Aefre is the keeper of many powerful spells and rituals otherwise forgotten.

The forest people once held many items of power; objects of wood and stone, leaf and root. There were also older than they. Weapons and objects of metal, crystal and light. Since the mingling with the Oerids most such items were lost, broken, stolen or sold.

The Breath of Blood is one of the last. It is a golden box which only Aefra knows the opening of. Instead as a creature, an elemental of blood. This servant of Aefre's is from an age before humanity, older than elves. It keeps her young, protects her, but at what cost she does not say. Few have seen her with this golden box and none living but her have seen it opened.

 Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - Inkeri

Blackmoor is a shattered land but still a land of great power. The capitol is in ruins, the army scattered, the various lords barely ruling over their own lands. Darkness and mist have descended upon the farms and forests. Villages that remain are walled enclaves. Only the power of the witches keeps the land and its people from disappearing into the fog which rises from the valleys and flows from the hills.

Inkeri is a woman of strength and madness. She has fought off the otherworldly things that now inhabit the wilds of Blackmoor but at the cost of her sanity and her soul. The Sisterhood honors her and aids her when they can but she walks in two worlds and can be both a halp and a dnager to any that cross her path.

Originally she was a healer but her change has brought out a darkness that deals death to those who would stand in her path. Necromancy flows through her fighting the power of life and healing and slowly it is winning. She commmands flocks of dead avians and the animated body of a slain griffin is her mount. She is attracted to death and killing, healing those injured but absorbing some spark of spirit from the dead, Those she whose bodies she has drained of this final spark cannot be reincarnated or resurrected

Any who might harm Inkeri for whatever reason will earn the enmity of the Sisterhood and a society of over a thousand witches makes a very powerful foe.

She Speaks A Scarlet Mist

Who can say when the blood of man was polluted with the foulness of undeath. From what blackened and defiled corner of the Oerth where first they arose is unknown. Every corner of the globe speaks of them, Bruja, Dachnavar, Draugir, Chang Kuei, Mara, Striga, Vampire.

In the Flanaess it is the same, in any decent land they are hunted and outlawed. Vampires are social creatures that form a family with a patriarch or matriarch ruling over them, but these paternal figures feel no love or attachment for their offspring and will use them for their pleasure and their defense willingly sacrificing all those they deem their 'children' for their defense or even simple gain. At times they will tire of their family and will slaughter them all gathering their tainted blood in great casks like wine to be aged and consumed at a later date.

Vampires always choose the strongest or most beautiful or talented humans to be their victims and future 'children'. Around this family are collected groups of ensnared servants or 'thralls' as the Fruz from the northlands call them. These are half-drained victims of the vampires who are ensorceled into fanatical loyalty to their vampiric masters.

While vampires may be found in ruins, catacombs or graveyards, they often join the society of large cities such as Greyhawk or Dyvers as long as they can remain undetected. Some have taken over northern halls or holdings of the Sea-Barons or villas in the Great Kingdom.

There are rumors and traces of a vampiric brood gathering in the vast metropolis of Greyhawk and the local guard as well as a some of the ruling Oligarchs are interested in rooting them out. While a small bounty is placed on the capture or heads of any proven thralls, a much greater reward can be gathered for the bodies (living or dead, but living pays better) of any of the Vampiric family. The Lord or Mistress of the clan would garner the greater reward but such a capture or even a defeat of one of these monsters is deemed unlikely.

- Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - The Red Witch

The frozen land of Blackmoor, choked with mists and twilight. Few travel to that far world and few tales have returned. The great bard of Greyhawk has returned from a long sojourn there where it is said he found the City of the Gods. Silvertongue the Bard  found strange and powerful forces at work in Blackmoor but he also found allies in a society of witches that are the hidden strength of that land.

The Red Witch travels the borders of Blackmoor alone though she is protected by golems of her own creation and terrible para-elementals. She practices a form of magic unknown in the Flanaess but it is said to have links to the ancient Olman rites of their priest/magicians and some Hepmonaland shamans are said to have similar powers and rituals. The Red Witch practices Blood Magic, summons para-elementals of blood, constructs golems of blood. She can cause blood to boil or to become Blood Worms that eat their way out of the skin. Her magic is terrible and powerful.

Her interests are in Blackmoor though she is said to welcome young women frfom anywhere who wish to learn her brand of witchcraft and become apprentices.

NPC - Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - Czylle

The frozen land of Blackmoor, choked with mists and twilight. Few travel to that far world and few tales have returned. The great bard of Greyhawk has returned from a long sojourn there where it is said he found the City of the Gods. Silvertongue the Bard  found strange and powerful forces at work in Blackmoor but he also found allies in a society of witches that are the hidden strength of that land.

Czylle commands the elements. Lightning dances at her will. She would be a leader in any other land but the society of witches has no leaders. All are equal in their ranks once they have begun the first mastery of their art till they take their last breath on this Oerth. She goes gloved and cloaked in grey and her eyes burn with an inner fire. She looks far beyond this plane into worlds beyond and one day she will step beyond this Oerth and perhaps not return.

Teleen is an Ancient. Among the Sisterhood of Witches there is great honor in the guarding of the Moonhall, the semi-Oerthly place of gathering and memory. It is easy to get lost within and years may pass as moments in its halls.

Centuries past Teleen came to Blackmoor, a High Suel, great in power. She told nothing of herself but already the Blood-Jewels were set above her brow. She wished only to forget and found the Sisterhood, who welcomed her without question.

In her search for forgetfulness Teleen plumbed the depth of Castle Blackmoor, walked the cold wastes of the Land of Black Ice and finally lost herself in the passages of the Moonhall. Now she has returned and seeks the Plane of Fog and Mist, ready to set herself against the Gray.

Little is known of the Silent Ones. They are said to be protectors of the lost secrets of the great Suel Mages of Power. Once they held great influence in the court of Keoland but now they are seldom seen. Dark or gray robed they walked the halls of power a feared and respected force. Always masked, silent but their word was a touch, a gesture, and obeyed.

Today their respect comes of fear. Suspicion of their motives and growing dislike among the people and the court signals a time of confrontation with this ancient order and what then? What powers do they truly possess and what might be found in their silent, lonely tower.

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories

SPOILER WARNING!

If you have not read this story TURN BACK NOW! or risk losing forever the unspoiled appreciation of Clark Ashton Smith's prose.

Inspired by the rules and setting of the Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyberborea boxed set and the discussion of the same on the OD&D Forum I have started sifting through my collection of Clark Ashton Smith for ideas.

4). The End of the Story

(Written Oct 1, 1929 First Published in Weird Tales May 1930)

Nycea (Lamia) - [NPC][MON]

"She was not tall, but was formed with exquisite voluptuous purity of line and contour. Her eyes were of a dark sapphire blue, with molten depths into which the soul was fain to plunge as into the soft abysses of a summer ocean. The curve of her lips was enigmatic, a little mournful, and gravely tender as the lips of an antique Venus. Her hair, brownish rather than blond, fell over her neck and ears and forehead in delicious ripples confined by a plain fillet of silver. In her expression, there was a mixture of pride and voluptuousness, of regal imperiousness and feminine yielding. Her movements were all as effortlessness and graceful as those of a serpent."

"...if you could behold her as she really is, you would see, in lieu of her voluptuous body, the folds of a foul and monstrous serpent."

ADVENTURE IDEAS:

On the northern-eastern most edge of the Gnatsmarsh is a half-sunken portion of the Celadon Forest. It is filled with the rotting boles of trees with twisted roots like the long necks of giant serpents rising from the scum-covered water. The abbot of an ancient Pholtite monastery sends out a call for help (via messengers throughout the region and to others of his order). Men from the nearby town of Beetu have begun vanishing and now even some of his own monks have disappeared. One of the monks was bearing a minor relic which has allowed the abbot to divine its general location; in a wood of evil repute only a half-days march from the monastery. Within the wood are the ruins of a castle and it is within these ruins that the abbot believes the relic can be found, and perhaps the missing men.

The forest is home to bully wugs, giant ticks and toads, wolves and weasels, snakes and spiders, all of whom seem determined to keep the players from reaching the ruins. There is a deeply submerged path that shows signs of recent passage, the woods themselves are marshy and filled with quicksand, tangles and briars, making it rough and slow going.

The ruins are no more than overgrown rubble except for a wide cleared area near their center (once the great hall of the castle). At the center of this clearing is a well-like circular stair that descends into darkness. Around these stairs dance a strange group of men, bullywugs and satyrs. All are diseased, the satyrs and men with burning red eyes matted fur and hair and all with weeping sores. Most are at half their normal hit points. If come upon unawares they will be dancing wildly about the stairs, two of the saytrs  playing pipes. But it is hard to reach the center clearing without rousing another dozen of the bullywugs who rest among the thick growth and rubble. This rubble provides them with 3/4 cover and the ape-men will hoot, holler and throw stones (which are plentiful). If these bullywugs  are roused the saytrs and others will scatter among the stones and do their best to keep any from reaching the stairs. All have been charmed by Nycea and will fight to the death with a smile upon their lips.

At the bottom of the steps is a maze of passages and rooms, the walls wet and crusted and a thick smell of corruption and decay ever present. Within the corridors and rooms stalk a pair of Manticores and nest of wererats who laired here before the coming of Nycea and now hide from her minions.

Nycea herself lairs deep within the ruins near an primordial well that descends unto a dark lake in the Underoerth (an escape route for the ancient lamia). She is truly ancient, stronger with more hit dice and powers than a normal monster of her kind. She possesses several magical items, most notably an orb that allows her to scrye the surrounding land and use her powers to charm select males who will sneak away and come to her. Those so charmed bear the mark of Nycea visible only to others charmed by her, which allow them safe passage to her lair. Unfortunately Nycea is the carrier though not victim of a dread disease which she spreads to her more intimate minions. The disease causes 1d4 hit points of damage per day through fevers and weeping sores.

Nycea surrounds herself with charmed minions (all male) and snakes. Snakes, snakes, snakes, they adore Nycea and are drawn to her. snakes of all kinds surround and protect her.

The charmed monk with the relic (the fingerbone of a powerful cleric) wears this item about his neck in a lead cylinder. If opened it provides protection (10ft radius) to Nycea's charms and if she is struck in combat by this finger bone she will be dispelled in an explosion of light. The finger bone will disappear and reappear in the monastery.

While it is possible to defeat Nycea I like the idea of her as an illusive enemy that may haunt the players in future adventures.

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories 3

NPC  - Vir'Veth Warrior-Mage

During the giant incursions into Geoff in 576-577cy A mysterious elven figure was seen leading contingents of ogres, orcs and hobgoblins in the worst of the fighting. Now revealed to be a Drow, the dark splinter-race of elves that vomited from the Underoerth during those dark times, Vir'Veth was one of the first encountered by people of Geoff.

He rode a Nightmare and went armored as a warrior and cast spells as a mage. His weapons and armor bore powerful enchantments but during the last weeks of fighting his blade shattered as it met the power of the druid Haakul's staff and his armor was pierced by the arrows of the ranger Evest, she of the Lightning Bow. 

Vir'veth was not slain and to this day leads a band of outlaws and monsters who lair in the Crystalmist Mountains above the Hornwood.

Greyhawk 579cy

The year is 579cy and Zuggtmoy is free.

The Slavelords have been defeated. The giant incursion into Geoff and the northern states has been curtailed. The Drow have been revealed. A strange metal citadel in the Barrier Peaks has been discovered and looted. White Plume Mountain has been plundered. Even the little town of Saltmarsh has been saved from an attack from the sea. Acererak's Tomb has once again defeated its explorers and its legend grows.

After nearly 40 years of campaigning in Greyhawk I've moved 3 years forward in game time. Most of the current material found on this blog will be written for 579 in mind, but a good number of projects that I'm working on can be set at anytime, some can be used with any setting or any edition of the game (But when I write about game mechanics I write for 1eAD&D).

What has changed in 579cy? There is a silent war in the city of Greyhawk between the oligarchs. The main contention is between the guild of Thieves and the guild of Assassins.

In the viscounty of Verbobonc, the Wild Coast, Kron Hills, Lortmils. Celene, and surrounding lands there is an invasion of wolf riding goblins. 

A death cult has risen in the Bakluni states but members of it are coming to Verbobonc and the ruins of the Temple of Elemental Evil. Prince Thrommel has been rescued and now plans on marrying the daughtere of Viscount Wilfirick.

In Nyrond the cult of Incabulos is on the rise.

And still the Flanaess is much how it was in 576cy. The rumor of war is perhaps louder , but no sweeping changes have altered the maps or destroyed nations (at least not  in my campaign or what I write about).

Much, Much more is coming in 579 and I plan on working on my version of Greyhawk piece by piece. I hope it can be of some use for other DMs.

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories 2

NPC - J'Lr

J'Lr is a ranger from Celene. She is older than she looks but still young for a Sylvan Elf. The forces of Celene have been fighting the growing strength of the Brokenjaw Goblin Wolfriders. The rangers of Celene have managed to turn aside a large wing of the goblin tribe but it is now on its way to the Kron Hills and J'Lr heads a contingent of rangers sent ahead to warn the gnomes and people of the Kron Hills. 

Celene and the Viscounty of Verbobonc have been on strained terms since the release of Zuggtmoy from her prison in the Temple of elemental Evil a few years back and J'Lr has been told to warn the gnomes but let the gnomes warn the Viscount. J'Lr doesn't intend to obey those orders as she gets along well with the Verbobonc Lancers and will at least take her warning directly to one of the Lancer garrisons.

NPC -  Zervan Cloud Giant Ambassador

Arrogant, immensely powerful, brilliant, haughty and thoroughly evil, Zervan represents the Cloud Giant Confederation when it deals with its lesser brethren (any giants who are not Cloud Giants). He was an immessary to the ill-fated Nosnra and the Drow inspired campaign against surface dwellers that had him flitting between the grubby Hill Giants like Nosnra's ilk, the frozen Frost Giants and the sweaty and overheated Fire Giants. Now he is returned to his home, a cloud  castle that floats among the Crystalmists. Some trouble with the dull, grey Stone Giants is brewing so he knows his time home will be short.

Zervan is tall even for a Cloud Giant and carries with him a enchanted blade crafter by enslaved dwarven weaponsmiths. It bears the trapped spirit of a Cloud Dragon within it, Xft by name, and constantly struggles for domination with Zervan. If Zervan can mentally dominate the spirit of Xft he gains the usae of the spells and abilities of an adult Cloud Dragon for the day. Each day he must struggle for control of the sword and if the dragon ever wins he will have Zervan destory the sword, frreeing the spirit of Xft and exchanging Cloud Giant flesh for enchanted steel. Xft will walk away in the body of Zervan and Zervan will bide his time till he can dominate a person of his liking and take their body for his own. So far Zevan has always won.

Oerthly Encounters Red Hanlan and Black Harris Part 5

Cloth - (Almor, Bissel, Celene, Ekbir, Furyondy, Geoff, Gran March, Great Kindom, Medegia, North Province, Nyrond, Ulek Duchy, Urnst County, Yeomanry)

These are  the listed exporters of cloth but what kind of cloth?

I'd break down cloth types to

Cotton
Hemp
Linen
Silk
Wool

And then some subdivision, if necessary, such as types of Silk. Also in dealing with Silk and also the question of trade I would add Ket, Verbobonc, Dyvers and Greyhawk to the list of cloth exporters. If these last 4 aren't producers of cloth they are hubs of trade and will export cloth.

Keep in mind from the information provided is for export and doesnt say who is buying and where those merchant trains, wagons and caravans are taking the cloth.

Cotton is produced in warm climates.
Hemp is primarily used for sailcloth
Linen is made from Flax which favors cool and damp environments
Silk is a product of the far west
Wool requires sheep and only safe and settled lands are going to be able to have large herds of sheep safe from predators.

I plan on basing Ekbir as the main producer and exporter of Silk (and silk sub-products such as Satin, Samite, Velvet and Damask). Ket is then the go between in trade between west and east, shipping out silk and importing linen (with hemp, wool and cotton, being produced both east and west).

Why this matters to a DM? Merchants always provide me with a good amount of material for adventures. Showing which way trade flows and what is traded adds a handing dose of detail to the game and helps generate adventures.

Oerthly Encounters Red Hanlan and Black Harris Part 4

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories 1

Clark Ashton Smith - Some Ideas and Descriptions from his Stories 1

 Red Hanlan and Black Harris Part 3

The Hunters Market Verbobonc Part 1

Verbobonc is a busy trading town . Goods come downriver from as far away as Ket and the Barrier Peaks or Highfolk and the Yatil Mountains. Merchants come to Verbobonc to buy the goods before they reach Dyvers or the City of Greyhawk where the prices are the highest. 

Hunters and adventurers gather the  skins, hides and saleable parts and meat but must sell to the town guilds and merchants rather than selling from a stall in the market. 

This is a price and parts list by creature for the going rate of undamaged, unrotted monster/animal parts paid by the Verbobonc merchants to unlicensed hunters and adventurers. Skinning salvageable parts from monsters and animals is a basic skill and easily learned if a bit messy.

Alligator, Giant
- Head 5gp with teeth
- Hide 1gp per 5ft square undamaged section of the heavy back, sides and neck
- Skin 1sp per 1ft square undamaged section of Underbelly
- Teeth 1sp per tooth

Ankheg 
- Chitin 1gp per 5ft square undamaged section.
- Eyes 5gp per pair

Ant, Giant
- Antenna 50cp each
- Chitin 10cp per 1ft square section

Ape, Carnivorous (Very Rare in the Viscounty of Verbobonc [VoV])
- Head 5gp for complete head (1gp if damaged ir missing fangs)
- Hide 10gp for relatively complete upper body
- Teeth 1gp per F
fng

Baboon (Very Rare in the VoV)
- Head 1gp for complete head
- Teeth 1sp per fang

Badger
- Pelt 1sp

Badger, Giant
- Pelt 3sp

Basilisk (The merchants in Verbobonc can handle about a half-a-dozen basilisk sales per month. More than that and the price they will pay will drop dramatically)
- Blood 1gp per quart
- Brain 25gp
- Eyes 100gp per eye
- Head 250gp with eyes
- Hide 10gp per 1ft square undamaged section
- Heart 25gp
- Horn 100gp 
- Teeth 10gp per tooth

Bear, Black
- Claws 1 sp each
- Meat 25cp per pound
- Skin 1gp

Bear, Brown
- Claws 1sp each
- Meat 25cp per pound 
- Skin 2gp

Bear, Cave
- Claws 3sp Each
- Meat 50cp per pound
- Skin 10gp

Beaver
- Pelt 25sp

Beaver, Giant
- Pelt 10gp

Beetle, Giant - Bombardier
- Chitin 1gp per 1ft square section
- Vapor Gland 10gp

Beetle, Giant - Boring
- Brain 5gp
- Chitin 1gp per 1ft square

Beetle, Giant - Fire
- Chitin 2gp per 1ft square
- Glands 5gp each

Beetle, Giant - Stag
- Chitin 1gp per 1ft square
- Horn 1gp

Beholder (Although Beholder carcases are sought after it may take time for VoV merchants to get buyers from Dyvers or Greyhawk, or further abroad) 
- Body the generally undamaged body of a Beholder is worth from 5,000 to 10,000gp
- Central Eye 500 to 1,000gp
- Eyestalks 500 to 1,000gp each

Black Pudding
- Ash 1sp per pound

Blink Dog
- Hide 100gp
- Living Pups 1,000gp to 2,000gp

Boar
- Heart 50cp
- Hide 1sp 
- Meat - 1cp per pound

Bugbear
- Head 5sp bounty
- Head (rare pumpkin head) 10gp
- Heart 1sp
- Hide 10sp

Bulette (Merchants in VoV can handle at most two carcases a month though after 1 month they can set up buyers for up to 2 dozen more bodies)
- Body 5,000gp to 10,000gp
- Chitin 500gp per 5ft square plate
- Head 500gp to 1,000gp
- Heart 500gp
- Hide Underbelly 500gp for complete underbelly
- Limbs 250gp per limb

Carrion Crawler (Merchants in VoV can handles around a dozen bodies a month. More than that an the price will drop)
- Body 250gp for complete body
- Head 200gp
- Tentacles 25gp each

Encounter - The Body of a Dwarf

While this encounter can be used in practically any dungeon setting it is meant for a low level dungeon set in the Kron Hills on the edge of the Lortmils. The ruins of a dwarven outpost will be the first in the discovery of a long since conquered and destroyed dwarven fortress city which once ruled over the mountains and highlands before the coming of the Flan. The dwarf is a local mountain dwarf named Galleb and if his body is returned to his clan and especially his silver coin the players will be received kindly by them. Search parties of mountain dwarves are in the area looking for him hoping to find him aliv, but alas...

1) The body of a dwarf.

This dwarf's body is sitting against a section of wall (against a fountain, door, etc...) with both feet splayed out and his head, covered in a dark bristle of short hair, is leaning forward with his chin resting on his chainmail clad chest.  The players will need to see if he is sleeping, though the wide pool of dried blood surrounding him points to a different kind of rest. If he is touched his body falls over on its side with a dull thud (unless the body is prevented from doing so).

If the players are observant they will notice a silver coin drop from his mouth (it was placed there after his death as a token of respect and is meant to pay his entrance the caverns of the dead). His body has not been looted.

There is a steel helmet beside him that has taken a serious dent (and another dent can be found on the dwarf. It was this crushing blow that killed him).

He is an average-sized dwarven warrior (meaning he is broad-shouldered and barrel-chested). He appears to have been dead for some time since his blood is dried and his flesh a bit green-tinged and withered. Surprisingly there is little rot about him and he smells no worse than most living dwarven warriors. No creatures or even insects have touched his body.

What can be found on or near him.

Armor:

1) Steel helm; badly dented (cannot be used till dent is hammered out).

2) Chainmail; patched and repaired but serviceable. Sized for an average dwarf.

3) Boots; leather - These boots are enchanted and allow the wearer to move silently.  They are sized for a dwarf with average feet.

Weapons:

1) One-Handed war-axe in good repair. Sized for a dwarf (short handled) enchanted. (adds a positive modifier  to hit and damage).

2) Dagger

Items:

1) Belt with 6 pouches

1a) Tinderbox

1b) Coins - 16gp, 23sp, 5cp

1c) Canteen - water laced with dwarven whiskey

1d) 2 silver tubes. 2 empty, 1 scroll of heal light wounds (in dwarven)

1e) a silk cloth wrapped around a steel framed hand-sized mirror

1f) a cloth bag containing 2 dozen small glass marbles

2) Silver Birth Coin near body - this will radiate a sense of well-being to anyone touching it. The coin is simply a normal silver coin but removing it from the dwarf's body will cause it to generate a feeling of wrongness, slight at first, that increases the further distance away from the body it travels. This feeling will afflict the possessor even if the coin is abandoned and only placing it back against the dwarves corpse will relieve this feeling. The coin is very ancient belonging to the old dwarven kingdom of the Lortmils and is now given out as a luck piece when a dwarven child is born.

3) Pants, cloth shirt, underwear, all common place and slightly soiled.

NPC - Perricard Weaponsmith

The art of crafting enchanted weapons is rare. Surprising to some it is a craft come originally from the Dwarvensmiths of old. As dwarves are not known to be often spellweavers it seems strange to many that there is the renown for enchanted blades and armor. Their craftsmen seem to be able to enchant many things but it is their weaponsmiths that are renowned.

Perricard isn't a dwarf. He is a human late of Furyondy and a great enchanter of swords. Their are spells at his command but a deeper knowledge of blades he is said to have gained among the ruins of a dwarven kingdom in the Lortmils. Perhaps this is why he has moved to Verbobonc.

Gnomes do not like Perricard and he is not welcome in the Kron Hills. Currently he is hiring adventurers to return to the Lortmils and seek out that dwarven ruin, but what he searches for he has told none.

Gygax's letter from AlarumsandExcursions #2

Dear Lee;

Hello! and our thanks for the two copies of A&E. Brian Blume takes care of SR, and he immediately made off with one copy of your zine, so you can rest assured of the trade arrangement.

It certainly is a good feeling to have so many persons enjoying something one had a hand in creating. I have been a sf and fantasy fan since age 12, a wargame enthusiast since age 10 and began designing and writing about 1965. The games and rules are fairly successful these days, but I have yet to sell a sf or fantasy story, and that will be my next real project -- in a year or so when I have time to rewrite my favorite fantasy novel in hopes of something more than the usual rejection slips.

In case you don't know the history of D&D, it all began with the fantasy rules in CHAINMAIL. Dave A. took those rules and changed them into a prototype of what is now D&D. When I played in his "Blackmoor" campaign I fell in love with the new concept and expanded and changed his 20 or so pages of hand-written "rules" into about 100 ms. pages. Dave's group and ours here in Lake Geneva then began eager and enthusiastic play-testing, and the result was the D&D game in January of 1974. It is an ongoing game, as the GREYHAWK booklet shows, and when Dave hands me the ms. for BLACKMOOR I am sure that there will be more alternatives yet. I have personally worked out enough material lately to do still another supplement, and the heaps of material sent in by fans would certainly fill another -- besides providing a good bit of material for publication in SR. So as long as players desire, TSR will continue to provide more D&D goodies (although my partners bemoan the fact that this tends to deprive the historical end of out operation.)

If you have seen WAR OF THE WIZARDS, you are aware of how imaginative and creative a man Professor M.A.R. Barker is. We have arranged, finally, to publish his masterwork, EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE. Professor Barker has been at work on his fantasy world creation for something like 40 years! It shows in his work. I hardly know where to begin in describing EPT. First, I must liken the whole of the Professor's work to JRRT's (and I understand that Professor Barker has a novel which he hopes to complete soon!). The whole of the game EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE is perfectly thought-out and logically structured. Its form was influenced by D&D (and I am greatly flattered about that) although its author had been testing various other forms prior to the publication of D&D.

I will not describe the world of 'PETAL THRONE, for Professor Barker does that himself, far better than I could hope to, in his game. Suffice it to say that we have spared no expense to do it justice when TSR publishes it. The box will be about 9" x 12" with a full-color illustration of the city of BeySy on the cover. The Professor is also one heck of an illustrator, and he did that map in a medieval style with building erections, larger-than-life figures of men, and so forth. In addition to a rules book (about the same number of words as D&D, possibly quite a few more) done in two-column, 3 1/2 x 11 size with a plastic ring binding so it will open flat to any section, there will be three full-color, plasticized mapboards (similar to the one found in STAR PROBE). Two are the map of the world, and the other is the city of Jakala. The first two are done with permission, on SPI hex maps, while the latter is done on a slightly smaller hex grid. The unfortunate part is what the whole will cost -- the $20 price range -- but we plan to make the separate parts available so that much cash won't have to be laid out all at once. We expect the work to be available by 15 July.

We also have a wonderful "parlor" version of D&D dungeon adventures coming up fairly soon -- great for when there are only non-addicts to play games with, for the family, or when there is only an hour or two for play. The game is well done, and its components are top-quality, and we expect it to be popular for many reasons -- not the least of which is it will help D&D enthusiasts demonstrate to the uninitiated why they love fantasy games.

I sang through both of the tunes in "Music to Loot Dungeons By". Good show!

There seems to be considerable confusion amongst your contributors -- particularly those who tend to be in a flap about incomplete or unpalatable solutions (to them) of D&D rules/questions/problems. The game is complex and complicated. When it was released, it was by no means in a final (or even polished) form, but were we to sit on it for another few years in order to get it that way? Can a broad fantasy game ever be finished? Of course we could not hold off publication, for it was too much fun to keep from others.

Dave and I disagree on how to handle any number of things, and both of our campaigns differ from the "rules" found in D&D. If the time ever comes when all aspects of fantasy are covered and the vast majority of its players agree on how the game should be played, D&D will have become staid and boring indeed. Sorry, but I don't believe that there is anything desirable in having various campaigns playing similarly to one another. D&D is supposed to offer a challenge to the imagination and to do so in many ways. Perhaps the most important is in regard to what the probabilities of a given situation are. If players know what all of the monster parameters are, what can be expected in a given situation, exactly what will happen to them if they perform thus and so, most of the charm of the game is gone. Frankly, the reason I enjoy playing in Dave Arneson's campaign is that I do not know his treatments of monsters and suchlike, so I must keep thinking and reasoning in order to "survive". Now, for example, if I made a proclamation from on high which suited Mr. Johnstone, it would certainly be quite unacceptable to hundreds or even thousands of other players. My answer is, and has always been, if you don't like the way I do it, change the bloody rules to suit yourself and your players. D&D enthusiasts are far too individualistic and imaginative a bunch to be in agreement, and I certainly refuse to play god for them -- except as a referee in my own campaign where they jolly well better toe the mark. Let us consider the magic-user question.

We allow magic-users to employ the number of spells shown on the table, so a 1st level m-u gets exactly one 1st level spell to use once before he must go back to his books and prepare to use the spell once again -- or a spell once again. To allow unlimited use of the spell is to make the m-u's too powerful. There is a better solution, of course; one I have been aware of since the first. That is to utilize a point system based on the m-u's basic abilities and his or her level. Spell cost is then taken as a function of the spell and the circumstances in which it is cast and possibly how much force is put into the spell. All that would have required a great deal of space and been far more complex to handle, so I opted for the simple solution.

Again, as a case in point, Ted Johnstone says I have trouble telling which rules are so completely obvious that he doesn't need to explain them. That, dear friends, is a statement which could only be made by someone who has never authored a set of rules or a game! Many of the rules which are completely obvious to me are totally obscure to others. I can say in complete truthfulness that I have had to explain each and every section of the rules to some players, either in person or by letter.

I desire variance in interpretation and, as long as I am editor of the TSR line and its magazine, I will do my utmost to see that there is as little trend towards standardization as possible. Each campaign should be a "variant", and there is no "official interpretation" from me or anyone else. If a game of "Dungeons and Beavers" suits a group, all I say is more power to them, for every fine referee runs his own variant of D&D anyway.

I recall that I told Bob Sacks that in Greyhawk we do not have existing religions included, for this is a touchy area. We have such groups as "The Church of the Latter Day Great Old Ones," Church of Crom, Scientist", "Brethren of St. Cuthbert of the Cudgle", and so on. Gods sometimes intervene. There are some artifacts and the like which aid clerics. In general, however, clerics are powerful enough without much aid, for they have quite a few advantages and work up very quickly. Fighters are really the ones whom everyone should be irate about, for they have the hardest time of it, if not backed up by other classes or by lots of other fighters or blessed with the most powerful of magic gear.

How does one use gunpowder weapons in the confined spaces of the dungeon? What happens to ears? Blackmoor has some gunpowder usage but the filthy stuff won't work in Greyhawk's world.

By the way, a score of 18 is only the usual top limit for humans in Greyhawk. We have monsters with intelligence scores well over 18, and one player is about to work out a deal which will jump his to not less than 19.

Please inform Ted that I too subscribe to the slogan "D&D is too important to leave to Gary Gygax." Gosh and golly! Whoever said anything else. However, pal, best remember that it is far too good to leave to you or any other individual or little group either! It now belongs to the thousands of players enjoying it worldwide, most of whom will probably never hear of you or your opinions unless you get them into THE STRATEGIC REVIEW. As soon as we can manage it, we intend to have expand SR, publish bimonthly and include a letter column.

Thanks again for sending A&E. It was most enjoyable. Watch out though, that it doesn't start D&D down the road of DIPLOMACY fandom with its constant feuds, bickering, invective, etc. Now tell the fellows to pick on Dave Arneson awhile -- after all he had as much to do with the whole mess as I did!

Regards, E. Gary Gygax

Spell - Gremorley's Portal

The mage Gremorley, a sneaky, cunniving and untrustworthy enchanter developed this spell from looted spellbooks of a powerful Suel thaumaturge Y'sn El'et who lived during the age of the Imperium. 

Using a bar of pure gold enchanted with the blood of a dragon (the type of which will influence the type of gateway opened) Gremorley learned to inscribe a certain set of forgotten runes in a precise geometric pattern. The Sage P. Greco is said to have found the translation of these runes through painstaking and arcane research and it is to him that those wishing to employ the portal should consult.

The spell creates a man-sized opening between dimensions which allows both access and egress to either side like a gate standing open. The dangers of such a portal should be immediately apparent. Luckily the duration of the portal is limited. It is said to be effective from either dimension but it cannot be canceled or dispelled as it is a rift between the dimensions which must heal itself rather than an ongoing magical effect.

Regional Products of the Flanaess - Cloth and Fur

Blue = Fur
Red = Cloth

As can be seen the origional resource map shows a strong interconnection between areas exporting fur (almost all the northern realms with the exception of Blackmoor and the Snow Barbarians. The same is reasonably true regarding cloth production and export. 

Fur in this case can be guessed at as referring to heavy winter furs rather than the inclusion of pelts, skins or hides. 

Cloth production and especially exportation seems much more questionable. It is so widespread that it makes me wonder who is buying the exports?

Regional Products of the Flanaess By Nation (Expanded)

From the map found in the 1983 World of Greyhawk boxed set (Pg#45 A Guide to the World of Greyhawk) depicting regional products we are given 15 symbols representing major exports of the various nations (2 symbols of which depict unknown products or that no major exports exist).

Cloth - (Almor, Bissel, Celene, Ekbir, Furyondy, Geoff, Gran March, Great Kindom, Medegia, North Province, Nyrond, Ulek Duchy, Urnst County, Yeomanry)

Copper - (Almor, Blackmoor, Geoff, Gran March, Great Kingdom, Ice Barbarians, Idee, Nyrond, Pale, Perrenland, Snow Barbarians, Ulek County, Veluna, Verbobonc, Wolf)

Electrum - (CoG, Iuz, North Province, Pomarj, Sterich, Sunndi, Ulek Duchy, Urnst Duchy)

Food - (Almor, Bissel, Celene, Ekbir, Frost Barbarians, Furyondy, Gran March, Great Kingdom, Idee, Medegia, North Province, Nyrond, Pale, Sea Princes, Shield Lands, South Province, Tenh, Tusmit, Ulek County, Ulek Duchy, Ulek Principality, Urnst County, Urnst Duchy, Veluna, Yeomanry, Zeif, Hepmomaland)

Furs - (Frost Barbarians, Ice Barbarians, Iuz, Ratik, Rovers, Stonefist, Tiger, Wolf)

Gems - (of 4 types) (Bissel I, Blackmoor II, Bone March I and II, Geoff I, Gran March III, Great Kingdom IV, CoG I-IV, Ice Barbarians I, Irongate II and III, Ket I and IV, Nyrond I and II, Onnwal III, Pale IV, Pomarj I and II, Ratik IV, Scarlet Brotherhood I and III and IV, Snow Barbarians I and II, Sterich II and III, Stonefist I, Sunndi II and IV, Tiger I, Ulek County I and II, Ulek Duchy, Ulek Principality II and IV, Ull II, Urnst Duchy Duchy, Verbobonc I-IV, Yeomanry II, Zeif III, Hepmonland ?)

Gold - (Bissel, Frost Barbarians, Furyondy, Geoff, Great Kingdom, CoG, Highfolk Town, Highfolk Valley, Idee, Pomarj, Ratik, Rovers, Scarlet Brotherhood, Sterich, Tusmit, Urnst County, Urnst Duchy, Veluna)

Ivory - (Blackmoor, Stonefist, Hepmonaland)

Lumber - (Hepmonaland)

Platinum - (CoG, Onnwal, Sunndi, Tenh, Urnst Duchy, Hepmonaland)

Silver - (Bandit Kingdoms, Bone March, Celene, Frost Barbarians, Geoff, Great Kingdom, CoG, Ket, Nyrond, Pomarj, South Province, Sterich, Stonefist, Tiger, Tusmit, Ulek County, Ulek Principality, Ull, Urnst Duchy, Veluna, Yeomanry)

Spices - (Lorship of the Isles, Scarlet Brotherhood, Hepmonaland)

Woods, Rare - (Highfolk Valley, Lorship of the Isles, Scarlet Brotherhood)

Most of the distributions seem a bit odd, for instance Hepmonaland alone produces Lumber for export. I propose to expand on the existing list of exports and include variations in type (in a different method than appears to be used for gems) and production level.

Here is an alphabetical listing of the nations and their resources.

Almor - (Food, Cloth, Copper)
Bandit Kingdoms - (Silver)
Bissel - (Food, Cloth, Gold, Gems I)
Blackmoor - (Ivory, Copper, Gems II)
Bone March - (Silver, Gems I and II)
Celene - (Food, Cloth, Silver)
Dyvers - (Shipbuilding Supplies - Not a Listed Export Product)
Exbir - (Food, Cloth)
Frost Barbarians - (Food, Fur, Silver, Gold)
Furyondy - (Food, Cloth, Gold)
Geoff - (Cloth, Copper, Silver, Gold, Gems I)
Gran March - (Food, Cloth, Copper, Gems III)
Great Kingdom - (Food, Cloth, Copper, Silver, Gold, Gems IV)
Greyhawk, City of [CoG] - (Silver, Electrum, Gold, Platinum, Gems I-IV)
Highfolk, Town - (Gold)
Highfolk, Valley - (Gold, Rare Woods)
Horned Society -
Ice Barbarians - (Furs, Copper, Gems I)
Idee - (Food, Copper, Gold)
Irongate - (Gems II, III)
Iuz - (Furs, Electrum)
Keoland - (Food, Cloth, Gold, Gems III)
Ket - (Silver, Gems I and IV)
Lordship of the Isles - (Rare Woods, Spices)
Medegia - (Food, Cloth)
North Province - (Food, Cloth, Electrum)
Nyrond - (Food, Cloth, Copper, Silver, Gems I and II)
Onnwal - (Platinum, Gems III)
Pale - (Food, Copper, Gems IV)
Perrenland - (Copper)
Paynims -
Pomarj - (Silver, Electrum, Gold, Gems I and II)
Ratik - (Shipbuilding Supplies - Not Listed as an Exported Resource, Furs, Gold, Gems IV)
Rel Astra -
Rovers - (Furs, Gold)
Scarlet Brotherhood - (Rare Woods, Spices, Gold, Gems I and III and IV)
Sea Barons -
Sea Princes - (Food)
Shield Lands - (Food)
Snow Barbarians - (Copper, Gems I and II)
South Province - (Food, Silver)
Spindrift Isles -
Sterich - (Silver, Electrum, Gold, Gems II and III)
Stonefist - (Fur, Ivory, Silver, Gems I)
Sunndi - (Electrum, Platinum, Gems II and IV)
Tenh - (Food, Platinum)
Tiger Nomads - (Fur, Silver, Gems I)
Tusmit - (Food, Silver, Gold)
Ulek County - (Food, Copper, Silver, Gems I and II)
Ulek Duchy - (Food, Cloth, Electrum, Gems I and II)
Ulek Principality - (Food, Silver, Gems II and IV)
Ull - (Silver, Gems II)
Urnst County - (Food, Cloth, Gold)
Urnst Duchy - (Food, Silver, Electrum, Gold, Platinum, Gems I-IV)
Valley of the Mage -
Veluna - (Food, Copper, Silver, Gold)
Verbobonc - (Copper, Gems I-IV)
Wild Coast -
Wolf Nomads - (Fur, Copper)
Yeomanry - (Food, Cloth, Silver, Gem II)
Zeif - (Food, Gem III)
NOTE - Hepmonaland - While not a nation it is listed on the regional production map of exported goods - (Lumber, Food, Spices, Platinum, Gems ?, Ivory)

'The Charge of Caldni Vir'

"Vir, you are to take the 3rd Mounted Prodromoi and search the north-east in force. Send out single riders to feel ahead, but I want you to keep your command together. If there is trouble, crush it. If you can't, then run. No heroics. I want to know what those damn barbarians are up to, but none of the patrols have returned. You are to turn back in three days regardless and rejoin the army at Spinecastle."

"Yes, commander," Caldni Vir raised his arm in salute then turned his horse and spurred away.

Astolpho, Lord Adri, Commander of the Northern Host, watched his most junior captain ride off in a cloud of dust. "To be that young again, Florismart," he said to his companion and shook his head wistfully.

"Such things are possible,: the battle-mage answered. "Though not my specialty."

"They always have a cost," answered Astolpho. "One that I will never pay. Besides, old friend, I don't think I was meant to live forever."

***

"An independent command!" Amaury exclaimed. "Vir, you always had the luck."

"Luck had nothing to do with it, Amaury," Caldni Vir smiled.

"Hah!" laughed Triamond. "Lancers," he shook his head, "too much to expect the heavy horse."

"Far too much," said Caldni Vir.

The three young nobles walked through the muddy camp at a brisk pace. Their cloaks were spattered and their armored boots thickly covered. Mud was everywhere. The hooves of five thousand horses had chopped the wet ground into a mire. Booted feet had done their best to spray the mire over and into tents then shower brown specks of the much onto every bit of cloth, pack, saddle, and suit of armor.

"A week of warm weather and sunshine," said Amaury.

"What?" Triamond turned a questioning gaze at his friend.

"He means, it would take a week to dry out this place," Vir explained.

"Stop reading my mind," laughed Amaury. "Another week of washing to get everything clean."

Triamond shook his head. "Why bother? It will only get dirty again."

"Why shave? Why eat? Why breath? Amaury snipped.

"There is something about an army camp that attracts the rain," Vir said looking up into the grey cloudy sky as he paused before the tent.

"Take of those boots, Triamond!" Amaury commanded. "You're not tracking up our tent again."

The young knight grumbled but joined his pair of friends while they sat and removed their boots.

"Not even a page to help us with our boots," grumbled Amaury.

"Lord Adri believes in traveling light. I happen to agree," said Vir.

Sitting side by side atop barrels and supply boxes the three were an interesting sight. Black-haired and clean-shaven, Caldni Vir looked young but no one would mistake him for a youth even though he had the outward appearance of a student rather than a captain of cavalry. His manner was one of command and his eyes were unflinching, honest and direct.

Amaury was red-haired and of an age with his two companions, though he most often wore a sly expression that made him look older than his friends. He sported a thin mustache and a fringe of beard cut close to his chin, but the sides of his face were shaved. Both Triamond and Vir had long hair that could be tied back in a tail that would reach between their shoulder-blades or drawn up and used as padding beneath their helms, Amaury's was cut so short as to be nothing but a red tinge over his scalp.

Blond-haired and broad-shouldered, Triamond wore his hair and beard long. He was so pale that his skin was almost white. It was the mark of Suel heritage. Triamond was the by-blow of a barbarian slave-girl and a powerful noble, but no one with an ounce of sense or thought of self-preservation ever mention it to his face.

Vir the Black, Amaury the Red and Triamond the White.

Caldni Vir's banner was a simple triangle of black. It fluttered from the lance of his standard beared who rode by his side. Small strips of black cloth adorned every lance of the troopers who had ridden with Caldni Vir before and now the rest of the 3rd Mounted searched the camp for black cloth to add to their own lances. Some troopers lashed a red scrap of cloth to their lances just below the black of Vir. That black and red was Amaury's banner while he rode under the command of his friend. His handful of followers sought to curry favor with the rich young noble. A score of such troopers and armsmen made up this small private guard of Amaury's.

Triamond wore a strip of black cloth and a strip of white on his right arm and eight troopers, recruited by him personally, did the same. His followers were skilled woodsman and trackers, men of the north and loyal to this outcast lord's bastard. 

The 3rd galloped from camp, fifteen-hundred strong, lances raised in salute as they passed beneath the watchful eye of the outer guards and the captain of the camp. The wilds swallowed them quickly, the rolling hills lightly wooded here but further north and east growing into the Loftwood Forest. Then they were gone, never again to see their commader, Lord Adri, or many a thousand of their comrades who had served beside them in the Northern Host. 

***

"Triamond," Vir called to his friend with a frustrated snap, "Anything, any sign?"

"No, Sir!" snapped back Triamond, The large man was just as frustrated.

Two days of patrols and searches had found no sign of the barbarians. The woods were thickening as they drew near the Loftwood and Caldni Vir was mindful of the time they no longer had.

"There must be something," Vir shook his head. He'd removed his helmet, a light contraption of leather and chain with a small steel skull-cap atop, and hung it from the pommel of his saddle. His black hair was flat and damp with sweat.

"We even had Miskurblindi casting the bones," said Triamond.

"That tame barbarian hedge-wizard of yours, "Vir swore under his breath."If he can't find a trail or sign of magic then there is none to be found."

"He thinks highly of you too," laughed Triamond.

"Well no one is going to be thinking much of us when we get to Spinecastle," Vir said to his friend. "Where are they?"

"North," spoke up Amaury. The noble was attired in gull armor, such as the heavy cavalry of Lord Adri wore, though his was enameled in blood red.

"You will kill that horse," said Triamond disgustedly. "Looks like you are ready to join Adri's 1st Cataphract."

 "North," said Vir, interrupting the banter. "Amaury, how do you know?"

"Blessings of the War God," the young noble gave them a wicked smile. "Am I not his faithful paladin?"

Triamond spat on the ground, but did not comment.

"This is a true fortelling?" asked Vir.

"I would not joke about such a thing," said Amaury. "We have not found them because they are not here. I was granted a vision," the young man grimaced. His face bore signs of pain and lines which had not been there just that morning. "At a cost," he added noting the looks from his two friends. "Mountains, a pass, very treacherous, a score of barbarian warriors falling to their deaths at a time. Then rockslides, beasts and monsters, death, much death. These barbarians kept coming none the less. They crossed the mountains in a swarm like maggots on a rotting corpse. One dies, ten die, a hundred, but they still came on in their thousands. I saw a tribe of ogre's dispute their passage, they were swept aside in moments. They come for us."

"Here?" asked Triamond, surprised.

Amaury shook his head and wiped the back of his hand across his eyes as if to close them. "What? No, not here. What did I say?"

"You said, 'They come for us'," Triamond repeated the young noble's very words.

"Well I don't think so," Amaury shook his head. "How would they know we are here? And why would thousands of barbarians come looking for us?"

"You're the one who said... " began Triamond.

"Spinecastle," Vir said firmly. "They come for Spinecastle. Maybe for the Northern Host as well, if their spies were privy to the marching orders."

"How could that be?" asked Triamond.

"Hah!" laughed Amaury derisively. "The trooper who scrapes my boots knew Spinecastle to be our destination before we set out."

"Our men would not betray us," Triamond stated firmly.

Amaury just rolled his eyes, but Caldni Vir clapped his friend and lieutenant on the shoulders.

"Triamond," said Vir, "Our men are brave, but courage doesn't mean good sense or a still tongue, especially when loosened with ale."

"Many would say that good sense and courage are mutually exclusive," smiled Amaury.

"What do you mean by that?" scowled Triamond.

"Perhaps I should change 'good sense; to 'education'," Amaury laughed.

"What?" sputtered Triamond, his white face growing red.

"Proof positive," Amaury said casually to Caldni Vir, gesturing to their companion.

"Amaury! Stop playing about," Vir ordered with a commanding voice. "Triamond, control yourself. Now then, Amaury, how far ahead are they? How much time do we have?"

The smile faded from Amaury's face and the distant look returned to his eyes. "You are already too late," came a deep sepulchered voice. The words came from Amaury's lips but the voice... the voice belonged to no living man.

***

Asolpho had ridden hard the day before, ridden his troops hard as well. He'd pushed the endurance of both man and horse hard as he dared so as to reach Spinecastle while light enough remained to set camp. Though man and horse had been exhausted, staggering as they traversed the final miles

III

Dawn rose over Spinecastle. Sparkles of light reflected from the polished helms and spear-points of the castle guards. A chorus of hammer, saw and axe began to sing. The noise came from the town rising quickly around the keep. The voice of the morning belonged to the craftsmen and laborers hard at their work by the break of day.

In a nearby field a second town had sprung up overnight. Tents like rows of mushrooms lined the muddy oerth, neat and orderly as any planted crop. The smell of breakfast fires, a dozen hundred strong, wafted from the camp.

* * *

Astolpho had ridden hard the day before, ridden his troops hard as well. He pushed the endurance of both man and horse hard as he dared so as to reach Spinecastle while light enough remained to make camp. Though both had been tired it was the horses who'd had their meal and rest before the men who'd ridden them.

As Astolpho's weary troops were arriving a delegation was sent from the castle. These highborn ambassadors from the Keep waited with growing impatience for Lord Adri to leave camp and meet with them. A messenger was selected from among their number and sent within the seeming chaos of horses, men and wagons to find the commander of the Northern Host.

***

The Lord Commander took of his helm and gauntlets but left on his cuirass and heavy cloak. He felt the chill take flight and the warmth of honest labor heated his arms at first then spread throughout his body as he brushed down the back and flanks of his stallion.

"Lord?" one of his personal guard spoke up as he entered the rough canvas tent used to stable the Lord Commanders horse.

"Yes, Stephanos?" Adri replied without looking up from his work.

"Lord, a messenger from Spinecastle," sergeant Stephanos informed him.

"From Lord Andras, Marquis of Spinecastle," interjected the messenger with a measure of both pride and impatience in his voice. "Are you Lord Adri?" he asked staring at Astolpho as he tended his mount the same as the most common of the troopers was doing in the surrounding camp. 

In his travel-stained cape and muddy boots Astolpho looked like an aging cavalryman, which he was, and not the powerful Lord who now ruled the North in the Great King's name, but he was that as well.

Without glancing at the messenger Astolpho stood back and removed his cloak, his cuirass and then his shirt. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and went back to work, checking the stallions hooves and shoes for stones or damage.

"Tell your Marquis of Spinecastle," said Adolpho quietly, "to wait." 

Finally he glanced up at the messenger and said, with a growl in his voice, "Horses come first. Something your Lord seems to have forgotten, or never learned."

The messenger bristled at the contempt in the Lord Commander's tone but was careful in his protest. "But my Lord, this is peasant's work," he exclaimed quietly as he could.

Astolpho paused in his work and looked at the man with some distaste, "Stephanos! Remove this... fop. In one piece mind you."

"Yes, my Lord!" sergeant Stephanos replied with enthusiasm, a smile on his lips. With a gesture of his head two burly troopers appeared from just outside the canvas door-flap and grabbed the messenger, hauling him roughly away like a sack of grain. Stephanos marched after them, while cries of protest and outrage merged with the noise and bustle of the camp.

The battle-mage Florismart appeared from the shadows of a wagon that formed one side of the temporary stable.

"What kind of fools have the sent out here," muttered Astolpho.

"The normal kind," answered the mage. "The kind you have no time for... unless you mean us?"

Astolpho ignored the mage's humor. "I now see why I have been ordered to this misbegotten wilderness, and where the source of all the problems lies," he nodded in the direction of the entrance where the faint shouts of the messenger could just be heard.

"You have no need of out priestess of Istus then?" mused Florismart.

"Your spellcasters have begun their work?" asked Astolpho in reply.

"My people have begun, yes," answered Florismart. "The sun is down," he looked into the darkening sky which was rapidly turning black. "An owl flies above the camp. Its eyes are ours to use. Cynthia, our Istun cleric, she consults her crystal orb..." he trailed off.

"Problem?" asked Astolpho.

"Yes," Florismart touched the bracers on his wrists in a nervous gesture. "There is a cloud. A greyness that she cannot penetrate. Something is coming, something that we cannot foresee."

"Something has already arrived," said Astolpho firmly. "Us."

Florismart raised his brow in speculation.

Nosnra's Cousin

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 11 Random Encounters Part 10

10. Ale Wagon

The PCs come upon a recently abandoned ale wagon. The horses are gone as well as any sign of the driver. Two massive barrels of ale are on the back. It would take 4 strong people to shift one of the barrels and they arent meant to be lowered to the ground just shifted onto a loading platform or ramp. 

The wagon has a broken axle and is quite useless. The driver took the horses and road back to town or village to fetch more men and another wagon. The driver is a dwarf named Uiathne and this is powerful dwarven ale. Originally from the Lortmils these mountain dwarves settled in the viscounty. The Kevigan brewery is becoming a well known name.

If the players manage to return the ale barrels they will be rewarded and given free drinks whenever they return.

After a recent Legends&Lore twitch show regarding castles I've had a desire to start developing castles for the Greyhawk setting. Looking at earthly pictures I think many can e used for the Flanaess.

The Krak des Chevaliers is a crusader castle in Syria. It is heavily fortified and reinforced during the gunpowder era. I can see it in many places. Shield Lands, Perrenland, Bissel, Tenh, the Pale, North Province....

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 10 Random Encounters Part 9

9. Verbobonc Lancer  Patrol

The party encounters a patrol of Verbobonc Lancers. Typically these patrols are of 20 or 30 riders with a serjeant and a corporal or two in the group. With the incursion of the Brokenjaw Wolfriders the Lancers are spread thin and are in bands of 10 or 12 with a single corporal or serjeant leading them.

The Lancers are an experienced group of fighters and rangers with an occasional druid amongst them. They average a little higher (levels 1-2 in 1e AD&D terms) than normal guardsmen and their corporals and serjeants run even higher (3-5) so they even 10 or 12 Lancers are formidable.

3 of the Lancers are wounded in this patrol of 12 and they have recently encountered a band of wolf-riders whose bodies are scattered in a field about half-a-mile distant. 

Corporal Bewes who leads this patrol will stop and inform the PCs that more wolf-riders are massing. If the players are mounted he suggests they accompany the patrol (which is headed in the opposite direction of where the Players are going). If the PCs have known to have aided Lancers or Verbobonc citizenry in the past and have no mounts Bewes will suggest they ride double with some of the Lancers. If the players wont turn back Bewes wishes then luck but says 'On your own head be it." before the patrol rides away.

R

ed Hanlan and Black Harris 2

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 9 Random Encounters Part 8

Part 8. Jawbreaker Goblin riding party

A frequent random encounter will be raiding parties of Jawbreaker Goblins. They are overpopulated and moving up throw wild coast and into Verbobonc. This has  proved troublesome for the kidnappers and at the moment they are as taken by surprise as the citizens of Verbobonc,

Goblin raiding parties all number several dozen sometimes as many as 60 or 70 in the main band, but these split into smaller groups that retreat at the sign of trouble and collect more raiders. So far several hundred goblin wolf-riders have entered Verbobonc with no telling how many more are to follow.

Goblin wolf-riders are normally leathered armored bearing a short bow, falchion or scimitar or dagger. They loot other gear and raid leaders and warchiefs always have better armor and gear including enchanted blades. Goblin leaders should b of increased HD or leveled NPCs. These Goblin have shamans (about 1 per 100) who are low level druid/magic-users. 

A typical raiding party will have split down to about a dozen riders with one boss of stronger or more wiley disposition. Raid leaders are normally encountered with groups of 40 or more while warchiefs and shamans are normally encountered in groups of 100 or 200 goblins. Even a small raid boss will normally have 1 or 2 buddies who help him keep order, while a Raid Leader will have a lieutenant and a few body guards and several small raid boss types around. A full war chief will have a shaman or three, sub-chiefs, henchmen, bodyguards and a wolf that is of larger size and intelligence as a pack leader.

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 8 Random Encounters Part 7

7. Spiders

The PCs may notice small amounts of spiderwebbing near them off the side of the path, trail or road they are travelling. If they have animals with them they will become skittish and nervous. But by the time the PCs realize something is wrong it will be too late.

From all around them around a two dozen large spiders will make a fast scuttling approach. The players will have one melee round advantage before the spiders close.

The spiders are under the sway of the Aboleth's domination and are seeking to capture rather than kill. They will poison PCs hoping to weaken them and knock them unconscious. They will cast webs at them seeking to bind the PCs. If the PCs are defeated they will be webbed and poisoned awakening later in an abandoned barn. The barn is home to a giant spider and a number of large and huge spiders. 

The PCs will awake to the sight of a beautiful but very unkempt and grimy woman. She is the druid Oleanne (See NB Book1 Pg#20). She will quickly cut the PCs free and urge them to run for it indicating a place in the barn wall where the boards have been snapped aside. If the players flee they will have no gear except what they carried on their person and any animals will be gone. 

The PCs gear is in one of lofts but so are two huge spiders and half-a-dozen large spiders. Any animal mounts or companions are in broken down stable next to the barn. The giant spider and four huge spiders dragged them there for a future repast but they are still alive. The giant spider and the four huge spiders are away bringing back a number of riding wolves they captured.

Inside the barn are a dozen goblins and half a dozen wolves. They are webbed and caught. They will beg for their freedom but if released will escape as soon as possible and inform the other raiders of the weakened PCs in the area. 

A large force of goblins will besiege the barn and spiders witin two days if these goblins escape and within six days even if they do not.

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 7 Random Encounters Part 6

6. Dead Farmers

The players come upon a field with the bodies of dead farmers, a dead horse and wagon with all its good broken and scattered. Among the dead are the bodies of 3 goblins with broken arrow ends sticking from them. The farmers have been terribly hacked at whether before or after they were killed is not apparent. 

As the players near the scene of the massacre one them catches the sight of movement in the distance. The player with the best eyesight can just make them out as wolves with riders. Within a few moments the disappear into a dip in the fields and seem to ride off.

If the players examine the dead they will notice an odd thing. There are 7 dead farmers among the scattered and looted goods but 2 more are within the wagonbed. They too are dead but they have bound and gagged and tied to the wagon.

These 2 are local farmers but the 7 dead are minions of the kidnapper Ranchefus (See NB Book1 Pg#11). A search of the dead bodies reveals that they are wearing leather armor beneath their clothes and one has coins sewn into the lining. 25 Platinum pieces and a note saying "Live prisoners, any spell casters will earn a bounty. Remember!"

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 6 Random Encounters Part 5

5. The Packmule

Off the side of the road the players see a loaded packmule quietly nibbling on some scrub. The mule, Bert, appears docile, but mainly because it is exhausted. The players should notice that the mule is lathered and if they approach it in a friendly or cautious manner it will allow them to lead it and hopefully, from Bert's perspective, unload it. 

Bert is carrying a load of Tinker's gear. A small portable anvil, charcoal, a small shovel. wood-axe and pick. Bars of lead for solder. There are also several pots and pans. A bag of steel sewing needles and colored thread. A small one man tent, a ground cover, two weeks rations, a lantern and several bottles of oil. There is a bag of metal fish hooks, a pole and thin line. There is a fancy folding live animal trap and half-a-dozen small spring traps.

There is a guide rope attached to a light harness but it has been cut with about 6 feet left. Underneath the packs and bags is a old worn riding saddle.

Anyone in the area will reckonize Bert as belonging to Ducote the Tinker, originally from Furyondy but now making a living plying the villages and town throughout Verbobonc. He is missing, kidnapped by the minions of Ranchefus (See NB Book1 pg#11)

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 5 Random Encounters Part 4

4. The Farmhouse

This encounter is best had at the end of the day when the players are considering camping for the night.

During the day the farmhouse appears to bw in good repair. It is a single open room, mostly bare except for a bench, chair and table. Inside is dry and clean. There is a well just outside and a back door. Both doors and windows seem stout enough for a farmhouse but the roof is just thatch and the walls wattle and daub (interwoven branches covered in clay). Better than tents at least with a firepit and covered smokehole at the back.

The place is desrted and the fields untended and a bit wild. If the nearby fields are searched the bones of animals can be found scattered about and if a greater search is made human and humanoid bones can be found.

If the players stay the night the house transforms into a half roofless ruin at the rise of the moon. From outside the house screams and moaning can be heard as if animals are being slaughtered. Then calls for help and more screams. Surrounding the house the bodies of dead animals, mostly cows and pigs, wander about. If any step outside the house they will attack and only stop if they players retreat back into the house. As the moon reaches its height the animals well lose all their flesh and become bones. The skeletons will stagger around and the skeletons of humanoids will approach from the fields.

At the moons height the skeletons will attack the house in groups of six or twelve. As they are slain the bones will nit together into monstrous combinations of man and beast and continue to assault the house. This attack will go on till moonset.

If the hut is burned down the skeletons will draw off and wait till the hut collapses. If the players leave the area of the fields the skeletons will not follow.

Beneath the packed earth floor are the skeletons of a dozen men and women. Digging them up and destroying the bones will cause the skeletons in the field to collapse. An iron chest is buried with the bodies containing an icon of Elemental Evil and 12 amulets. If these are taken the players will be haunted by the memories of these Elemental Evil cultists and they will receive no benefit of rest till they are buried or brought to a cleric or druid to be destroyed. Anyone in Verbobonc will immediately recognize them as belonging to the cult of Elemental Evil.

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 4 Random Encounters Part 3

This encounter will take place within the Kron Hills but on the outskirts of a small town or village.

3. The Charcoal Burners

Charcoal burners create charcoal for use in smithies by burning logs in conical pile, mostly airtight, to keep the wood from going up in flames and being reduced to ash instead of charcoal. In Verbobonc, among members of the Old Faith, it is looked upon as an almost holy profession. Trees need to be marked by a druid for collection and certain rites and rituals are carried out to balance the destruction. 

Those carrying out the work are either apprentice rangers or druids normally working under a more experienced teacher. There is lots of time for contemplation and a communion with nature.

There are 3 young druids, Nickells, Madgett, and Harriman; a ranger of more experience but learning druidic abilties named Garrett and an older druid named Sibbett.

They are cautious with strangers but generally friendly. If told about the goblin incursion or of the attack by kidnappers they will be concerned and immediatly break camp and set out to warn the nearby town or village suggesting that the players come with them but not insisting that they do so.

The players will first notice the smell of burning wood or see the smoke rising from a place with woods or forest. A dirt trail, recently used, will lead from any path or roadway off in the direction of the camp if approached from such a direction. 

The druids and the town will be appreciative of any warning the players might give and the ranger, Garrett, would even accompany them if they are setting out soon as he plans to scout for any goblin-sign. 

Night Below - The Evils of Verbobonc - Part 3 Random Encounters Part 2

2. The players come upon a dying goblin. He has had one arm bitten off and only a short distance away is the wolf he was riding, dead and showing bite marks at its throat and body. A pouch with a few coins, a dagger and sheath at his belt and a quiver with 20 arrows for a short bow are the most salvageable items. 

100 yards further on they find 4 more dead goblins and wolves and the body of one of the largest dogs anyone can remember having seen. The dog has an iron collar labeled 'Rock' (which is the dogs name). 

Rock is twice the size of a normal War Dog (4+4 hd in 1eAD&D terms). He is grievously wounded and will die from his wounds if not healed. His master, a wealthy merchant, has been slain by goblins of the Broken Jaw tribe, and Rock pursued a small pack of them.

If Rock is healed he will become bonded with the person who healed him. Rock would benefit from a suit of leather armor often crafted for wardogs, but it will cost more because of his size.

1. Verbobonc Lancers fighting Goblin Wolf-Riders

This encounter can take place anywhere no closer than 10 leagues to the city of Verbobonc. 

The players come upon a pitched battle between a 10 man patrol of Verbobonc Lancers and some 27 wolf-riding goblins of the Broken Jaw tribe. An overturned merchants wagon is near to a path or roadway and the lancers are making a stand there.

At the wagon are 2 dead merchants and one living merchant, Ciara. She has is a red-haired woman in her thirties with some training as a fighter (padded armor, light crossbow, quarter staff). 

There are 7 dead goblins around or near the wagon and 3 dead wolves.

2 of the lancers are dismounted and lightly wounded. They are using the wagon for cover and firing short bows. The other 8 lancers are still mounted and preparing for a charge as the 27 wolf-riders and 4 riderless. 

Each lancer is an experienced warrior (1eAD&D 1st and 2nd level Fighters or Rangers). Led by Serjeant Daukyn (3rd Level Ranger) so the fight isn't one sided but any help by the players would be appreciated. 

At the end of the battle if the lancers win they will skin the wolves, loot the dead goblins and remove their heads for the viscounts bounty (1gp for the head of every goblin, orc or  similar monstrous creature), loot the wagon and merchants if Ciara doesn't survive, or help Ciara remove any valuables from the wagon if she does. Most of the lancers are Old Faith so they will leave the dead, including there own, laid out for wild animals and nature to take its course on the bodies though the merchants and their own dead will be laid out respectfully while goblins and wolves will be left to rot where they have fallen or at most dragged off the road.

The wagon was carrying varied goods. The most valuable are some coin and gems. A large trunk contains components for spells. There was a metal chest with magical potions but most are smashed. Otherwise whatever general goods the DM wishes the players to find. Ciara won't mind terribly the wagon being looted if she secures the valuable items first. The wagon is  completely destroyed but the two horses still in harness will be found further down the road.

People will notice that I just used this photo for The Bold Soldier of Chendl but I liked it so much and fit with my idea for Black Harris that I've used it again.

Oerthly Encounters Red Hanlan & Black Harris Part 1

The year is 579cy, 3 years after the events described in module T1-4 and the adventure begins in the city of Verbobonc at the Wayside Inn. The players are young and lacking in experience but trained journeymen if not yet masters of their professions and callings.

The Wayside Inn (See Cities of Greyhawk - Verbobonc part 5 &  6 for maps) is a large and comfortable inn recommended by the Mercenaries Guild as a place to meet prospective employers or socialize with other adventurers. When first entering the city the guardsmen at the gate directed the players to the Mercenaries Guild to register and pay the fee to the guild and the city. (See Cities of Greyhawk - Verbobonc Part 3). The fee can be waved temporarily if the players take one of the pending jobs listed at the guild hall. Currently that involves taking on the work of couriers for the mage Gordrenn (Night Below Book 1 pg#10). The mage needs his items delivered to the town of Nulb(Thurmaster in NB) a town of bad repute but improving outwardly since the latest strike against the Temple of Elemental Evil in 576cy. 

The road to Nulb isn't without its perils and the chances of unpleasant encounters are real. Goblin raiders are reported along the foothills of the Kron Hills (See NPC - The Goblins of the Broken Jaw) and the longer road to Hommlet (Milborne in NB) is recommended. Hommlet is a growing town with the first stages of a walled keep constructed beside it. 

Once past Hommlet or the shorter route through the Kron Hills the players will encounter the scenario 'Capture Them Alive!' (NB pg#10-11). Should the players have a tough time with the encounter the Scout-Lancer Sedeq can appear for a timely intervention (See NPC Scout-Lancer Sedeq).

Encounter - Animal Rescue

During a recent attack by Carnivorous Apes (See Murders in Rag Alley) It was learned that the merchant ship Pit Bull had brought the creatures from Hepmonaland only to lose them in the harbor of the City of Greyhawk. Still secured onboard ship are a caged group of baboons, about 20 still surviving. A ranger from Hepmonaland, Mtaalamu, has followed this ship and is seeking aid freeing these Baboons from captivity.

The captain of the Pit Bull is an unsavory man to say the least, but capturing, killing or selling wild animals is of little concern outside of some druids and members of the Old Faith. Mtaalamu himself only values these baboons as they were stolen from a shrine sacred to his people. If he cannot free them he must see them slain and their spirits released. If so he must collect their heads and return them to the shrine.

Mtaalamu has some experience with traders and hunters from the flanaess and bears several diamonds and bars of unworked rough gold to pay for help. He has no concern over slaying the crew and captain of the Pit Bull, a ship of about 35 hands and 7 officers.

The Thief in the Night

NPC - The Green Beast

The Green Beast stalks the woodlands of the Flanaess. It has the ability to transport itself from one forest or woods to another, its body decomposing into rotting vegetation and muck when it abandons one location for another. This beast is an avatar of the woods and forests. It is respected by those of the Old Faith and by druids and rangers in general.

It stands about 18feet tall and has the strength of a fire giant. It is armed with razor-sharp claws and can, but usually does not use its horned head in combat. It is immune to druidic magic and has a general 60% resistance to magic.

The Green Beast is an enemy to those who injure the forest or its creatures. It will aid elves, druids and rangers in need. It has a general dislike of dwarves and hates most goblinoid and evil giants.

In Ekbir the High Prophetess of Istus sits once again upon the seat before the wheel of fate. The cult of Istus, long suppressed, once more turns the wheel and the old regime falls. The High Prophetess declares Azek son of Atrex the new Caliph. 2923bh

Encounter - The Murders in Rag Alley

A series of gruesome murders has occured in Rag Alley, Old City one of the poorest areas of the City of Greyhawk. Selek Quin watch-captain of the guard has asked for help but there is little reward for any except the goodwill of the most humble of Greyhawk's citizens and the thanks of the captain of the worst duty in the Nightwatch.

Three families have been murdered while they slept, torn to pieces within their locked dwellings. In two cases even their windows were shut. The last murders were just the night before and the upper windows, which had been barred, were burst open.

Some monster or demon seems to be on the loose.

The truth is that a ship carrying five carnivorous apes from Hepmonaland docked during the last week and the creatures escaped. The captain has sent out his sailors to retrieve them while the creatures have found their way to an easy hunting ground among the poor of the Old City. The pack is lead by an exceptionally smart and large Ape. They sleep during the day in a disused attic of an abandoned home and at night prowl the roof-tops of the city searching for food, human flesh preffered. They will hunt down vulnerable targets on the street or break into homes if they are able. The nights have been warm and so far twice the smallest has made its way down a cold chimney to let in the others. The last required the large ape to smash in a window.

Each night the creatures will go hunting and there is little that the poorly manned Old City Nightwatch can do until the creatures kill someone more worthy of attention than the inhabitants of Rag Alley. 

 The Goblins of the Broken Jaw

The tribe of the Broken Jaw is a large and widely spread collection of goblins. They are seen from the eastern Lortmils, through the Kron Hills, the Wild Coast, the fringes of the Gnarley Forest all the way to the Pomarj. Their numbers rise and fall as they are beaten back to lick their wounds and increase their numbers before setting out again to raid and plunder.

Predominantly wolfriders they also have masses of foot-troops that swarm from warrens in the mountains and hills to plague the gnomes and dwarves of the Lortmils and Kron Hills. Their wolfriders live a more nomadic existence and they sweep across the more open lands.

Currently the Broken Jaw wolfriders have raided through the northern wild coast and been encountered along the Kron foothills inside of Verbobonc. 

Verbobonc - Sir Anglrieve's Manor - Part 5 The Map 10-11a

10. Stables

The Stables have nine stalls most of which are normally occupied by medium draft horses and two medium warhorses. The warhorses belong to Sir Anglrieve and his master of guards Hubert, an experienced warrior and former Verbobonc Lancer. The stable master, his family and four grooms live in Main hall while at least six stable-boys live in the loft above the stalls.

11a. The Great Hall

The Great Hall is the main reception hall, dining hall and sleeping quarters for the manor. Sir Anglrieve and his family live in 11d the Family Residence and the Old Tower 11b contains the main barracks for guardsmen as well as the armory and the treasurey. 

11a 1st Floor 1.

The entranceway is a large room. the main door is strong and kept shut and barred with two guardsmen normally on duty. There is a viewport in the door and the open it for the manor residence coming and going and guard it to admit strangers to the Hall. The room is lined with chairs and benches as well as pegs on the wall for cloaks. There are empty weapon racks to hold any weapons that visitors might possess as no one but Sir Anglrieve's guardsmen or fellow Verbobonc nobles or guards is allowed into the Hall bearing arms without Anglrieve's permission.

11a 1st Floor 2.

These double doors lead to th connecting passage with the kitchens. During mealtimes they are propped open.

11a 1st Floor 3. 

These double doors lead to the connecting passage to the workshops. They are kept closed and barred except at mealtimes when a guard will prop them open and be stationed here.

11a. 1st Floor 4. 

A long raised platform is against this wall with a long table and chairs for Sir Anglrieve guests and family to sit. Between mealtimes this is where Sir Anglrieve will sit to hear petitions and complaints as well as receive strangers and visitors.

11a 1st Floor 5. 

This is the main dining and meeting hall. Tables and benches are stored to the south and pulled out at mealtimes. The hall is well lit by several enchanted stones that cast light down from lanterns set in the roof.

During times of trouble this room will be used for sleeping at night by refugees.

11a 1st Floor 6. 

Double doors kept barred from the otherside.

11a 1st Floor 7.

Stairs going up to 2nd Floor

11a 1st  Floor 8.

This is a guardroom. At least 2 guards will be on duty here at any time

City of Greyhawk - The Wolfsbane Academy

Located on Hilway Road near the gate to Old City the Wolfsbane Academy is a worn manor whose lands are now occupied with encroaching shops and businesses. Alicia, now called Lady Wolfsbane, is founder of this society which wars against lycanthropes. 

Several years ago Alicia was simply the daughter of a minor Greyhawkian oligarch. She'd apprenticed as a sorceress and was soon to set out on a term of journeywoman travel when her fathers estate was overrun by a viscious band of werewolves. Bitten and badly wounded Alicia consumed belladonna which rendered her comatose for days. When she recovered all that was left were the half-eaten bodies of her family and the blood soaked halls of her father's mansion.

Since that time Alicia has dedicated herself to the cure or destruction of Lycanthropes. Her academy collects all known examples of the disease and trains those who wish to combat it. She herself has raised and enchanted breed of wardog whose very blood is mixed with silver. Their bite will wound or kill a Lycanthrope as it would a normal creature and if a Lycanthrope should bite them their blood and flesh will burn them like acid.

Alicia is partcularly interested in any lycanthropes from the gnarly woods and she pays a bounty for any brought to her alive.

Encounter - THEM!

The wealthy pirate-turned merchant Septum Bon has purchased a large collection of wharfside wharehouses, long disused, and has found them infested with giant ants! Worse the ants have made a home in the poorly maintained Safeton sewer system.

Players are hired to clean out the ants (but not burn down the wharehouses or Safeton. He needs the players to go into the sewers as well where the players encounter giant rats, crocodiles, a mangy wererat and several zombies of persons disposed of by the thieves guild.

But there is more...

One of Bon's merchant ships loaded cargo stored in the wharehouses and the pallets were infested with the giant ants. Now it is a battle onboard ship against a horde of these pesky insects. 

Adventure Idea - Land Clearing

The Adventurers are hired to clear an area of land northwest of Safeton (See Red Dot on Map). Once cleared of dangerous monsters and creatures the Players will be asked to stay on and help protect  the workers who are building a walled estate. This is especially important to the man hiring them, Septum Bon, a supposedly wealthy merchant. 

Septum is actually a former pirate and quite successful. He now runs merchant ships from Safeton but wants a more private estate than those available in the small city.

The area he has chosen contains a small cave complex containing a Troll lair. A hidden entrance in the lair leads to a small hill nearby where a watchtower built by the Suel Imperium once stood. The tower is long gone and even the fallen stones have long since been carted away and used for walls and foundations in Safeton. A secret trap door at the base of the tower was never discovered and the basement levels that hollowed out the hill remain. This hill is haunted by the undead remants of the Suel guardsmen who hid and died here when their tower was overthrown.

Several wild animals are in this area, including bears, dire wolves, giant badgers and a lone jackelwere. A large clutch of Owlbears is moving into the north of this area because of forces pushing them out of the Gnarley Forest.

Encounter - Ankheg Attack

The small farming Village of Winslydale has been beset by a sudden infestation of Ankhegs. While the villagers themselves have little to offer as a reward for help except food and lodging the Viscount will be well pleased to hear of adventurers aiding his fold in time of need. 

The Village is Hommlet sized but lacks Rufus and Burne or any stone keep or tower. The people are all of the Old Faith but are attended by an old Ranger rather than a druid. The ranger, Corin, is originially from Furyondy but settled in the viscounty decades ago. He heads the local militia. The village boasts a small Inn, The Red Rooster.

So far only livestock have been killed but not all the farmers have abandoned their farms and Corin is worried that they will be the Ankhegs next meal. A patrol of six Verbobonc Lancers will arrive in the next two days and a scout-lancer with six more lancers will appear the day after that and deal with the situation if the players still have not dispathed the Ankhegs.

NPC - The Beggar King

The Unofficial king of Verbobonc. He is a rough-patched, bearded man of middle years festooned with pouches, packs and bags. He normally carries a staff but bears a broadsword and short sword and can fight with one in each hand.

The Beggar King's true name is unknown perhaps even to himself. He wanders the roads and byways of the viscounty and surrounding lands having been seen as far off as Dyvers and the City of Greyhawk, is said to have appeared in Geoff in the time of their need against the giants and rousing the free folk of the Yeomanry in their struggle against the recent invasion of Hobgoblins which is wracking that land; but Verbobonc is undoubtly his home.

In truth the Beggar King is a ranger-lord, sometimes an avatar of the land itself. Those of the Old Faith, from the most common believer to the most powerful of druids has dreamed him into existence. 

The Beggar King demands donations and tithes from travellers and merchants. He duels with guardsmen and lancers and seldom kills, though he has no mercy for evil men. He bears the Staff of the Oerth which increases his strength to that of an ogre and allows him to summon an earth elemental once per day. It allows him to blend into the earth three times per day and travel up to a one hundred yards beneath the oerth, though not thropugh rock or stone. His short sword is enchanted and can break a blade it crosses on a natural d20 as well as adding to the armor class of the Beggar King (+3 to AC in AD&D). His broadsword is intelligent and called Thunder. It can summon an air elemental once per day and strike with a force that can stun an opponent with an overpowering sound. 

If slain the Beggar King will come alive again at the rising of a new moon. He will cut himself weapons from yew and ash. These will turn back to his enchanted gear and the gear taken will turn to a staff of ash and weapons of carved yew instead.

While the Beggar King is powerful his strength grows and falls with the dreams and beliefs of the followers of the Old Faith. In their need he is stronger, when content his power weakens. He is a pleasant fellow, offering aid to those in need, an expert in escape and hiding. He often challenges those he encounters to duels and rewards even those who lose with some various item he has picked up in his travels (usually of minor enchantment). He is known to lend one of his weapons to those in need, though seldom, very seldom, provides direct aid or even accompany anyone for longer than a short encounter. 

NPC - Scout-Lancer Sedeq

The elite among the Verbobonc Lancers are the Scouts. They ride the land alone or in small groups of two to five. The Scout-Lancers are chosen from the most experienced and skilled, mostly rangers, but some druids. 

Sedeq is the son of a Kettish merchant based in the city of Verbobonc but whose mother is a minor noblewoman of the viscounty. He was brought up in the Old Faith and became enamored with the wild lands and forests. His father trained him in the skills of combat and wished him to be an officer in the Verbobonc Guards but Sedeq followed his own path. 

At first Sedeq trained under the leaders of the Old Faith, learning of the land, the forests, and the hills. Then he followed a path of adventure seeking more than treasure, but what exactly he could not name. In his exploits he rescued a group of Verbobnc Lancers ambushed by bandits raiding from the Wild Coast and Sedeq was invited to join. Quickly it became apparent his skills would be best put to use as a Scout-Lancer and here Sedeq found his home.

Sedeq normally patrols alone. He is (in AD&D) a Ranger between levels 3-7 and possessing a few items of druidic magic such as boots of elvenkind, enchanted leather armor, a Spear of piercing which treats normal armor and hide as if it weren't there removing the AC protection when Sedeq attacks with his spear. His dagger might be enchanted as well as the leather helm he wears (A Cap of Endurance that allows him to go without food, water or sleep for as much as a week and increases his HP total by 50% The Cap will function for a week then be nothing but a normal leather helm for a week as the magic recharges). Depending on his experience Sedeq may possess, some, none or all of these items.

Sedeq can be a great aid to the party and will accompany them if they are on a worthy cause; something more than treasure seeking or exploring.

Item - The Dancing Jesters Boots of Charm and Pain

Created by Tasha early in her mastery of magic the boots are a powerful item and yet also something of a failure as far as the Sorceress was concerned.

The boots are bright yellow with red trim and silver bells. They must be worn as a pair for the dweomer to take effect. They will stretch or shrink to fit any sized foot but if removed theyy appear to be fit for any normal-sized human's foot.

Perhpas Tasha tried too many enchantments on a single item but the Boots allow several enhancements to take effect and several affects to be forced upon the wearer. The first and most noticiable is pain. The Boots are alway too small. They pinch and are uncomfortable to wear causing an armor class and to hit penalty when worn (-1/-1 in AD&D). They have a 5% chance of causing spells to fail at casting and Dexterity reduction (-2 in AD&D) any resulting penalty or loss of bonuses is commulative with the armor/to hit reduction. Most of these penalties are the results of the uncontrollable dancing the wearer must do in stressful situations such as combat. 

The wearer also has the choice to dance skillfully whenever they like. This includes any form of dance they may know. 

The main benefit of ther Boots is their ability to Charm Humans and Demi-Humans as per the spell (cast as if 8th level in AD&D) three times per day. The wearer must dance continuously while this charm is in effect of the power is broken.

Currently only one pair of these is known to exist in the possession of the wizard Ryel of Dyvers. 

Event - Sub-Canon Auryn of Veluna Stands Before the Council of Nobles

The Provost of Veluna Canon Wardla has been murdered in a shocking and foul manner; the flesh rotted from his bones and the minions of Incabulos are to blame.

Sub-Canon Auryn of Veluna bears the skull of Provost Wardla and warns the council that at least one of the noble houses of Veluna is involved, that this house has fallen under the sway of Incabulos. The people in attendence are dismayed but who among the crowd are loyal citizens of Veluna and followers of Rao and who are the traitors and worshipers of Incabulos?

The Clan Vidar

Addanc the Great, most renowned of all the Vidar, more so than even Vidar Spadehand himself, the first Clanchief. When the Vidar think of themselves they think of Addanc, greatest of clanchiefs. Addanc the Delver, he cut deep within the Stark Mounds. He brought vast wealth to the clan and great sorrow. Addancs desire was his and the clans undoing. Addanc the Lost. He followed the ore to its heart and of all those who went with him, worked alongside him, only one returned, and that one died before he could tell what happened. That night, as the Clan gathered to search for Addanc and the others, the mine shaft belched forth foul monstrosities of the UnderOerth. Many Dwarves died then, many disappeared, perhaps slain and their bodies taken or perhaps much worse, taken alive. All that had been built, all that had been gathered and crafted and stored, all that was of the Vidar, was touched by that night. The Mine of Addanc was at the heart of the Community and though the Vidar had built strong doors and deep chambers, these were set to keep them safe against
what was without, they had built no defense against what came from within.
The fighting lasted all that night. It stormed through the halls and from chamber to chamber. Young and old fought and died, those that could gathered in the Hall of Chiefs, those that could not died or were taken. This was a clan of miners and craftsmen, many of the warriors had died at the mouth of the mine when the horrors first sprang upon them, those who were left were the lucky or the strong.
Avanc the Young, son of Addanc, became leader of his people that night. He was still an apprentice learning the ways of the Oerth and its bounty, but he had the voice and bearing of his father. He called down a curse upon these horrors and swore an oath of blood-vengeance against them. With an iron hammer in one hand and a miners pick in the other he left the Hall of Chiefs and his people followed. All those of Clan Vidar, except the very babes and children, fought the horrors back to the mine shaft. As the strongest forced the monsters down into the UnderOerth the most Craftwise cut the supports and arches and collapsed the tunnel behind them. When dawn came to the Stark Mounds the survivors of the Clan had gathered once more at the Hall of Chiefs. The doors had been shut and the side passages guarded. They lay stunned or stumbled aimlessly among the relics of their chieftans. As dark came again there was a pounding at the main doors. Some Dwarves lifted weapons, others lay where they had dropped hours earlier and would not rise, but all awaited their fate; the end of their clan and their lives. "Open" a voice boomed "Open, it is I, Avanc, the way is closed, Open the door to the Hall of my fathers, Open!"

Till this day the Doors of the Hall of Chiefs have been left open (though the hinges have been carefully oiled and the oak trunk to bar the door kept handy). Avanc had returned and brought a dozen scarred and grim followers with him. They did not speak of what they had found, how they had survived or their means of escaping from the far end of the blocked mine shaft, but the Book of Chiefs, seen by only the clan eldars, is said to tell the tale.

That night, now long years past, changed the Vidar. Once an open community, friendly and generous, they became close mouthed and close-pursed. They had reached out to harvest the Oerths bounty and without warning had been struck a grievous blow. The Oerth itself now had two natures, Evil and Good, and they could no longer fully trust it.

Dwarves of the Vidar Clan are slow to trust. They believe first in their own Clan. The survivors of Addancs Night, less than half the Clan at that time, became very closeknit and insular. They passed this feeling of community to their descendants where it exists strongly among the present day Clan. The greatest honor that they can bestow upon an outsider is admission into the Clan. They have also inherited a dislike for the UnderOerth and a distrust for all creatures living below the ground. This has led to a surprising affinity for surface dwellers, even Elves who they consider no better or worse than other Non-Dwarves such as humans. Before Addanc they were renowned miners and skilled builders. Now they shun those who delve into the Oerth. Still they craft with metals and process ores bought from others who mine. Their work is considered sturdy and of high quality but there have been few Masters
of the Smith craft in their history. All Vidar learn the use of a weapon at an early age but they are generally an unaggressive lot. Their concern is defense and security but they also put a strong emphasis on wealth. Many of their riches had been taken on Addancs Night, most of what was left was used to rebuild and refortify their home. Young Vidar either involve themselves in craft or trade or seek wealth outside of their community. A Vidar returning to their community with wealth is highly respected, as long as they bring no problems back with them. Outward signs of wealth are not allowed within the community, such a display would be considered as tempting fate and bringing the Doom of Addanc down upon them all.

At their heart the Vidar have not forgotten what they were. Vidar Spadehand is still revered, He was no warrior but a master of his craft and wise. He lived a long life, even for a Dwarf and saw his Clan grow in both size and wealth. He wrote a book of laws for his Clan and they are carved along the columns in the Hall of the Chiefs and penned the first lines of history in the Book of Chiefs. The Vidar now think of
him as the Chief of the Golden Years. They seek to find those times once again but they always expect the worst and prepare for it.

Surprisingly the Vidar see Addanc as a lost hero rather than the source of their decline. Avanc his son did much to redeem his fathers name. According to legend there is a passage known only to the Chieftain and his family that leads deep within the UnderOerth. Younger sons and Daughters of the Chief often disappear on quests. It is said that they search for Addanc and follow this passage into the forbidding depths.

There are those among the clan who follow a solely warrior calling. They call themselves the Shield of Avanc. They serve as guards for the Clanhome and the Eldars. There is another branch rumored to exist called the Hammer of Avanc who take on a much more aggressive role. The Hammer is thought to be made up of Vidar who have returned home from the outside world and seek to protect the clan from aggression which might occur not just guard the halls and chambers from direct assault.

Vidar Dwarves tend to be broader and shorter than an average Dwarf. They are known for their fortitude and strength, but while sturdy they are not known for being quick or agile. They are normally quiet and dislike boasting. They dress in drab inexpensive cloth and are known to be miserly. They avoid loud celebration. Abroad they might be seen in the dark quiet corner of an Inn with their back to a wall and their eyes watching for danger.

NPC - Fireaxe

Fireaxe is a Frost Giant from the Jotuns. He is a terror among his own kind since he took the enchanted burning axe from a Fire Giant chieftain. The axe is intelligent, crafted on the Elemental Plane of Fire and bound with the spirit of a Salamander Lord. Hreim, as he was, became overwhelmed by the spirit in the axe. Now he wars with himself and his own people. He is drawn to the Hellfurnaces, but can only stand the insufferable heat for a short tim

Verbobonc - Sir Anglrieve's Manor - Part 4 The Map 5-9

Graph squares are 5feet x 5

4. Gate Walkway

The Gate Walkway (or Upper Walkway) above contains the mechanism for lifting the Draw-bridge. The mechanism and chains are part of the enchantment and are extremely resistant to normal damage. There are two winding spindles on the wall of the walkway and the chain wraps around them but turns into a thin silver wire instead of the ponderous links that appear outside of the wall connected to the bridge. By placing a hand on the side of the spindle and turning a small crank the Draw-bridge can be raised quickly and easily and lowered in a reverse turning. Both spindles must be activated at the same time requiring two people to operate it.

Beneath the walkway a normal gate can be closed to bar the entrance if the Drawbridge is lowered. A crossbeam requiring a strength total of 36 is needed to lift the beam into place.

During the day the Draw-bridge is lowered and the gate shut until entrance is requested. The guards from the towers are responsible for handling the gate and the Draw-Bridge. At nightfall the Draw-bridge is raised and the gate shut and barred.

5. The Wall Walkway is 10 feet wide and runs the circumphrence of the manor except for the towers and the Gate Walkway. There are several ladders kept at various points for access or they can be accessed through the third floor of the Gate Towers.

Each section of wall is walked by at least 1 bow-armed guardsman night and day.

6. There is a 10 foot grass verge between the base of the wall and the Moat.

7. The Hideworker lives here with her husband and two children. She is both a lightly experienced Ranger and one of the manor's hunters as is her husband. During times of trouble they make room for several of her relatives and pack the place with sleeping mats.

There are archer-holes cut in the two walls facing the grounds.

8. The Wagon Shed has room for one wagon but mainly contains tools and supplies for repairing or even constructing a wagon. During times of trouble local farmers sleep here if the Main Buildings are full. Otherwise during trouble at least two militia will be stationed here.

There are archer-holes cut in the wall facing the grounds.

9. The Wainright

The Wainright and his wife and daughter live in this small one room house. During times of trouble they move into the great hall and at least two militia members will be stationed here. If the main hall is overflowing then the house will be used for housing.

There are archer-holes cut in the wall facing the grounds.

Estrella and Mikel

Once Estrella was a flighty and vain Rhennee maiden and Mikel was a warrior-thief Rhennee bargeman. One day while travelling on the Velverdyva on their way to Verbobonc and points west they left their barge for a tryst on the banks near the Gnarly forest and were set upon by a werewolf. Mikel was gravely wounded and Estrella managed to strangle the werewolf with her silver necklace and a power drawn from deep within her. Mikel became a werewolf and Estrella became something, different.

As Rhennee women age they become witch-priestesses of Khona the Goddess of the Moons, All at once young Estrella became a livinng embodiment of Khona and her power and influence over the Children of the Moon became dreadful.

Now Estrella and Mikel haunt the Gnarly Forest and rule over a ever growing band of werewolves, none stronger than Mikel. She is feared and respected by the Rhennee but as of yet outsiders are unaware of who leads a growing pack of werewolves in the Gnarly.

NPC - Jaroo's Mother

 North-east of the village of Hommlet is a small wood covering several hills and valleys. Towards it center, on the crest of a hill, a small cabin is home to the druidess Dien mother to Jaroo Ashstaff and once a leader of the Old Faith in Verbobonc. She dwells in the cabin with her animal companions Owl and Fox and protects the wild creatures of the wood, no longer concerning herself with the viscounty at large.

It is said her strength and knowledge of the Old Faith remains unmatched and in her youth she spent much time out among the people of Verbobonc. For a time she was much honored at the castle in the city and there are tales that Wilifrick needs look no further for an heir of his blood than Jaroo.

The Manor is surrounded by a moat.

1. The Moat

The Moat is twenty feet wide and twenty feet deep. The bottom of the Moat has iron spikes embedded in it. The spikes are coated with an enchanted paint that is meant to prevent rust, but about half the spikes have rusted through. There is a stream that feeds the Moat to the upper north-east of the keep and an escape tunnel from the well at the bottom of the old tower (Area 11b) opens up at the bottom of the Moat in this north-east corner.

Occasionally a large animal or monstrous creature will find its way from the stream into the most but the nearness of the farms and villagers makes it too dangerous to keep such creatures as further defenses for the manor and they are normally slain or charmed and removed.

2. The Draw-Bridge

The Draw-Bridge is a huge twenty by forty foot construction of wood and iron. Huge chains are set into iron rings to either side and a set of enchanted pulleys are set in the arch above the gateway. The enchantment allows a normal strength human to raise the Draw-Bidge as if it weighed only a small fraction of its true weight and to let it descend gently and quickly without smashing down on the far bank of the Moat. When raised the Draw-Bridge completely fills the gate.

3. The Gate Towers

The Gate Towers are identical structures. When under siege the towers act as barracks for members of militia. Normally only four guardsmen are stationed inside each tower. 

The first floor of each tower has no openings in the walls but the second, third and fourth all pierced with archer holes allowing two men to fire from the sides and four men from the front or back. The exception is the front wall of the second floor. Each tower has two large openings on the second floor with a bolt thrower at each. The four guardsmen always assigned to the Gate Towers are stationed here two to each bolt thrower. These are cumbersome weapons but very powerful. One man fires but it takes two men to load.

Each tower has a door on the third floor that opens on the Wall Walkway and a door on the fourth floor that opens Gate Walkway.

Verbobonc - Sir Anglrieve's Manor - Part 2 The Map

Each square is 10x10 feet
Walls are worked stone with a dirt center 10 feet thick with last 10ft crenelated. 30ft high with top 10ft crenelated


1.  Moat
2. Drawbridge
3. Gate Tower
4. Gate Walkway
5. Wall Walkway
6. 10ft verge at base of wall
7. Workshop - Tanner/Hideworker
8. Wagonshed
9. Wainright
10. Stables
11. Main Buildings
11a. Great Hall
11b. Old Tower - Armory, Barracks, Treasury
11c. Barracks covered entrance.
11d. Family and Servants Residence
11e. Connection between buildings
11f. Kitchen, Brewery, Servants Residence, Food Storage
11g. Workshop, Storage
12. Smithy
13. Kennels
14. Well House
15. Stream connecting to Moat
16. Packed earth grounds.

Verbobonc - Sir Anglrieve's Manor - Part 1

Sir Anglrieve is a distant relation of the Viscount. he served the Verbobonc Guards with distinction in the Battle of Emridy Meadows but is now retired to his manor on the south-eastern edge of the Viscounty in a wide valley within the Kron Hills. The lands are a bit more wild than those closer to the city and the surrounding area is just starting to repopulate after the last rising of the Temple of Elemental Evil. The forests are near, though the elven kingdom of Celene patrols the woods the Wild Coast is still near enough to bring bandits, monsters and trouble without much warning.

All the farms are close and many of the farm families have members who work within the manor, Two of the three nearest towns are still abandoned and the third, Waymarket, survived only because the large inn, The Wyverns Tail, was almost as well fortifed as the manor. Waymarket now sports a wooden pallisade and watch towers with most farmers living inside the walls and going out to work their land.

There are a score of professional guardsmen inside the manor while the farmers have a militia that Sir Anglrieve leads in times of trouble. 

NPC - Delia

Delia is a thief by trade but a survivor by nature. Some locals call her the Weeping Mask or the Black Kiss but not to her face. Her main residence is in the City of Verbobonc and she spends most of her time at the Mercenaries Guild when she is in the city. Otherwise she will be hired on with treasure seekers for the most part. Her skills are as well known as her remarkable face and the Viscount hires her for tasks that require someone with agile hands and a cautious attitude.

In her younger days Delia found herself in a magician experiment one wrong and no bears the burden of it. Delia's kiss will cause 1d10 damage and the chance to afflict the Black Rot (a magical disease that will turn the kiss-e into a shadow). Delia is immune to many of the effects of the Negative Material Plane and cannot be harmed by Shadows and resists all such attacks by undead creatures very strongly. She can see Shadows and any Undead perfectly clearly regradless of their abilities to hide or conceal themselves.

Baba Yaga - In my campaign Iggwilv the Mother of Witches is also known as Baba Yaga among the Wolf Nomads, Rovers of the Barrens, Bisselites, Tenh, Hold of Stonefist and Ratik, among the Blackmoorish and the Volke (erroneously called Suel Barbarians) she is called Pohja, an evil queen of winter.

Cities of Greyhawk - Verbobonc Part 12 - Farmers

The bulk of the population of the viscounty is made up of the humble farmer. These folk fill the towns and villages, though not the city itself. Numerous farms do surround the city though far enough from the walls to prevent any buildings from being used as cover by a besieging force. Three towns have been built within one mile of Verbobonc and each is center for farm goods entering the city, much to feed the citizens but much to be sent downriver in trade to Dyvers and the City of Greyhawk.

Farmers are freefolk in the viscounty. They belong to small militia that take care of much of the law and order beyond the city walls usually commanded by some minor noble cleric or proseprous land owner, but some villages will have retired guardsmen or Verbobonc Lancers. One notable militia in the village of Hommlet is commanded by an experienced warrior with a mage, his partner, in support.

Farmers provide not only the manpower for the Verbobonc army should it be necessary to call upon them but also represent most of common society of the viscounty. Adventurers will no doubt encounter farmers more often than any other type of inhabitant and they can prove to be a great aid for all those things that go beyond simply slaying monsters and creatures. They can help with shelter and hirelings, pass on information, be a source for rumors and supplies. It is on their backs or in their wagons that many a hoard of coin has been brought from lairs to the city. 

Most farmers in Verbobonc follow the Old Faith, but a goodly number of Cuthberite worshippers have been growing even in smaller villages. Many follow both Cuthbert and the Old Faith and this is especially true further from the city. In any case there is no conflict between the druids of the viscounty and the clerics of Cuthbert.

Adventure Idea - The Thing Under the Bed

In a hidden chamber within the walls of the castle of Verbobonc Darena the daughter of Istarnus the wizard advisor to the Viscount is kept. An adept of magic herself she has become caught between the planes of existence. But she is not alone.

Something dark and loathsome has crawled from the nightmare realm of Incabulos and has been bound to her. This monstrosity of evil is a pale multi-limbed creature whose hair is black as the pit and her face a festering maggot-filled wound. 

Istarnus has been unable to aid her and the clerics of Rao and Saint Cuthbert are powerless. Somewhere between the planes a part of Darena is trapped. Word has come that the Tower of Eldorath has been opened and beneath its ancient foundations a portal has been found that might lead across and between the planes. Istarnus seeks adventurers willing to step beyond the Oerth and into the great beyond to rescue his daughter. The risks are great but so are the promised rewards. 

Adventure Idea/Alternate Oerth - The Nightmare of Incabulos

From time to time I'd run a Greyhawk campaign that would have some element that would take over the setting so I'd run it as alternate Oerth campaign. I ran a CthulhuHawk campaign where the Lovecraft pantheon and creatures were taking over the Flanaess, or a Gunpowder and Greyhawk game with a major introduction of guns and cannon, this idea is a zombie apocalypse theme where a plague settles over the Flanaess.

All across the Flanaess every human and humanoid is afflicted by the same nightmare vision of Incabulos rising from a sea of bones. A fire rages in the distance, the air is choked with ash and black bats, the Oerth has become a world of death.

From this point on all clerics have lost the ability to turn undead. Those who die rise as zombies and attack the living and the gods themselves have become remote and distant to the anguish of their worshippers.

Plague is sweeping the land and the spells of priests cannot cure it. (The plague causes 1d4 damage 1st day, 1d6 2nd day... progressing to a greater die of damage till the 6th day causes 1d20). Infection is by zombie attack, but anyone who dies for any reason rises as a zombie. Cities become necropoli as the streets soon fill with hordes of the dead. Only those of power can survive or those kept from the touch of the dead. The player characters must find a way to survive and hopefully a way to find the source of the rising dead and stop it.

NPC - Durbar of Clan Steel Mountain

Durbar is an experienced dwarven warrior currently recovering from wounds in the city of Verbobonc. He is a mountain dwarf but from a clan and kingdom long thought dead. The Clan Steel Mountain is very old and its last holding is a fortress city in the Jotens where they have remained cut-off from the Flanaess for centuries. The recent rising of the giants and the stirring of the UnderOerth has ended their generations of hiding and now they are sending scouts out far beyond their borders.

Somewhere in the Lortmils there was a dwarven kingdom, cousins to the dwarves of Steel Mountain. Long ago this kingdom perished and Durbar has only been made aware of this when his party of fellow dwarves were forced from its ruined halls. Before returning to Steel Mountain Durbar seeks to return to the ruins, which are considered a holy place  by the small groups of dwarves and gnomes nearby. Now he looks for a party of adventurers to join him in his search. He knows that such adventurers will despoil the ruins and loot any treasure but Durbar is more interested in finding the archives of the city than the treasury and will guide any adventurers to fulfill that goal while talking, truthfully, of the wealth once held in this city.

Durbar is a powerful fighter. His weapons are good Mountain Dwarf made with a shield of arrow attraction and a spiked mace named Morgenstern the Bonebreaker which is both enchanted and intelligent.

Item - The Pot of Infinite Tea

The Verbobonc wizard Symes receives the Pot of Infinite Tea from the enchanter Kasaamat of Ket during his visit.

The Pot of Infinite Tea is a powerful item of magic from legendary lands far west of Zeif and the plains of the Paynim. What Symes, perhaps the greatest wizard who calls Verbobonc home, and one to be noted even in the City of Greyhawk, did to receive such a precious gift, payment or reward is unknown.

The Pot is filled with enough tea for a dozen servings and each cup of the tea has a random effect upon the imbiber. Some allow the casting of extra spells, some allow the seeing of visions past, present or future, some leave the drinker inebriated. Each cup produces a different effect with results that last no longer than a day.

After the first drop is poured the pot we refill itself in 24 hours. Drinking from an additional cup of tea will dispell the previous effects.

NPC - The Raven Queen

She is a mysterious figure seen wandering the lower Kron Hills east of Hommlet where the ruins of old villages and farms remain from the time of the Temple of Elemental Evils first rising and defeat. Many of the locals fell under its sway at the time or were driven out or killed and the area became wild and abandoned. Now that the temple has again been defeated and Hommlet risen in prominence with the outer walls of the castle completed people are again returning to the area. To the south one of the garrisons of the Verbobonc Lancers is no more than 10 leagues away and they have made great inroads on the monsters and tribes and bandits which had been calling these lands home.

The Raven Queen been spotted many times but never approached. Always great flocks of ravens and crows surround her and she herself can disappear among them perhaps transforming into one of the birds herself. She is seen as a good omen to the returning farmers and offerings are made to her and her conspiracy of ravens and murder of crows. She is said to have driven of monsters and predatory beasts from the newly formed villages forming in this wild land, but no one really knows who or what she is.

Monster/NPC - The Green Woman

In the Gnarley Forest east of the Town of Nulb can be found a dryad grove, now deserted, the beautiful and dangerous tree-maidens having been slain or captured. This grove is now haunted by a creature much like them but far more elusive and dangerous.

She is called the Green Woman by those who have seen her. There is no fear in her but she is approached only by those with no intent of harm within their hearts. Quick as the strike of lightning, strong as the roots of trees, the Green Woman is immune to magic. She can summon trees and plants to aid her. Her flesh is as tough as ironwood and her hands clawed with razor-edged thorns.

The Green Woman is an elemental of nature and has been summoned from that plane by the death-cry of the dryads. Deep within the grove hidden by paths that are both on the Oerthly plane and the Plane of Nature is the portal that allows the Green Woman and her sisters entranced to Oerth. They are here to exact vengeance on those who have slain the dryads. Elves are seen as potential allies and they hold no animosity to rangers and druids, but creatures such as orcs and goblins they kill on sight.

Adventure Idea - The Bullywugs of Gnatsmarsh

The Bullywugs held a fairly inhospitable area of the Gnatsmarsh as their home and were seldom encountered. Within the last generation they have made alliance with the Wives of Incabulous and their numbers have swelled. A large colony of Bullywugs has been established by the monastary the Wives use as their base and temple. The Bullywugs now provide large patrols of 30-50 who keep the more common interlopers from surving the marsh while also providing the monastary with an early warning of any strong enough to overmatch them.

Bullywugs are not particularly powerful but the Wives have armed them a pole-arm that has been steeped in disease. If struck by a polearm 1d8 dmg their is a 25% chance that the person struck will be infected. The disease prevents normal healing for six days and cause 1d4 on the first day, 1d6 the second, progressively  up to 1d20 on the sixth day. A cleric or paladin needs to cast cure disease to stop this process. Once cured the character can be reinfected and if they die during this process will rise as an infected zombie who serves the will of Incabulos.

This pole-arm  also has a dart that can be shot from its top at the center. The darts range is 20ft for close range +1 to hit, 40ft medium and 60ft long -3 to hit. The dart cause 1d4 dmg and a chance to infect the same disease as the pole-arm, Bullywugs carry a pouch with 10 more darts in it. It takes 1 combat round to reload the pole-arm.

Adventure Idea - The Wives of Incabulos

Somewhere lost in the Gnatmarsh is an ancient half-sunken monastary. What diety was once worshipped here was forgotten long ago but now like the slithering mire around it the Sisterhood of Incabulos has claimed it for their. No place could be better suited for the worshipers of evil, disease and nightmare.

The sisterhood is powerful and growing within the borders of Nyrond. Priestessess, Necromancers, Sorceressess, Paladins of Darkness and Assassins fill their ranks. They are ruled by the Wives of Incabulos, powerful leaders of each calling. Three sisters by birth, Korza the Priestess, Kiva the Necromancer and Rusalka the Sorceress lead the temple and monastary while Soriena the Paladiness and Marica the Assassin are active in the towns and cities of Nyrond.

The three sisters have grown ambitious and have instigated a plague that is creeping from the swamp. Kiva has been drawing all who die to rise in undeath and come to the temple. This has lead the Nyrondese to hire adventurers to search the Gnatmarsh while they combat the plague.

Cties of Greyhawk - Verbobonc Part 11 The Cult of Elemental Evil

There is no greater evil, nor more insidious an organization in the Viscounty of Verbobonc than the Cult. It is, of course, centered at the Temple of Elemental Evil, but its tendrels spread wide and have found no greater purchase than the city of Verbobonc. The Temple is the pulsing heart of the Cult, it is that which creates nightmares and like a Black Hole it draws even light into itself and leaves only darkness behind. The Temple is the soul of evil, the brain that directs all its parts, but the City is the strong right hand. 

No matter how man times the Temple is brought down and its forces scattered or destroyed it will grow strong again until its center has been cleansed and all its limbs withered and uprooted. So far the Heart of Evil at the Temple remains and its true infestation of the City has never been eliminated or fully discovered.

The Cult of Elemental Evil has its hands in almost all crime and most business in the City of Verbobonc. Its members are not even aware of each other until it is necessary for them to draw on the strength of one another. Many involved with the Cult are unaware that they are dealing with anything except other criminals, some organized others singular or small gangs.

The Cult has one or two members within every guild, every oranization such as the Verbobonc Guard, the Cavalry, the Militia, the Lancers, even the Viscount's Council. 

Members of the Cult tend to be entire families, and marriage between cultists is encouraged with children raised in the Cult. From villages to towns to cities the Cult has corrupted one or two households and carfully grows in strength encouraging the young to become leaders, to become skilled and influential. The Cult thinks in terms of decades for plans to come to fruition all the while that the Temple draws in the monstrous and the completely corrupted.

The forces at the Temple tend to be impatient and strike too soon, while the Cult is part of plan that may take a century. Members of the Cult come to light when they are called upon to immediately aid the forces of servants of the Temple, but will never all come out the shadows; always some will be hidden and silently work on the long, long plan of evil domintion and corruption that has allowed it to survive for decades.

The Tower of Eldorath 

Part 3

The land surrounding the tower is wild and overgrown. The ruins of several small buildings are close to the base of the tower, all roofless and some no more than two broken walls meeting at a corner. The water is nearby and what was once a collection of several small houses and the stubbs of beams which once supported a dock are all that can be found. There are nearby woods and the field around the tower which once must have been cleared is thick with weeds and small trees.

Hunting or fishing for supplies should present no problems but any shelter outside of the tower must be constructed. It appears that the area surrounding the tower has been unoccupied for many years.

The tower is constructed of grey stone that appears smooth but has a rough texture. It provides good tranction as a flooring and even if wet or coated with a slick substance grants firm footing. The doors and stairs in the tower appear to be of untarnished copper but show no signs of wear or verdigris.

The base of the tower has a small set of stairs leading to a pair of large doors. These are shut and show no sign of lock. No normal or commonly magical means can open these doors (at least in my campaign).

The players have been given a map of the interior levels of the tower though not of any dungeon levels, and an explanation of the odd system of locks that the tower possesses. The tower is 120ft tall and entrance is through the roof. The mage Talberth will provide 4 scrolls allowing levitation up or down for a weight matching the size of the party (up to 10) and a reasonable amount of supplies but the players may want to secure some means of at least descending the tower in an emergency, such as ropes and pulleys.

The interior and even the roof of the tower prevents any shapechanging maic or abilities. It stops planar travel or contact, It stops any magic or abilities that allow sight or travel through its walls, doors or floors.

Roof Battlements 

1. A great, apparently copper, valve is set into the floor of the roof. Near its southern edge is a lock in the shape of cat's head with four needle-like fangs. A person placing their living hand in the cat's mouth and compressing the mouth of the lock upon it so that the hinged mouth shuts will cause the four fangs to painfully bite down upon their hand. Releasing the head will let the jaws open and the fangs to withdraw. This will cause 1hp of damage which cannot be healed naturally or magically within 1/2mile of the tower. This wound will continually drip blood but causes no more damage.

Once the lock is opened the valve will split into three sections and slide into the surrounding stone. The valve will remain open for 5 minutes unless triggered to close from the inside of the tower (a small figure of a cats head on the wall at the top of th spiral stairs. Press the head to open or close the valves. Any item short of a magical weapon or item will be sheared away by the slowly closing valves (It takes about 10 seconds for the vavles to close). Something caught in the vavles can easily be pulled free to allow them to shut.

The open valve reveals a set of copper stairs that ends with another copper valve set in the 11th level floor of the tower. There is no light inside the stairwell and even natural light is dim and only reveals 10ft of space. If magical light is used it causes something to give a muffled howl and the darkness to only be illuminated in a 20ft radius. If detected for the stairwell radiates powerful energy fron the Negative Material Plane.

2. The tower appears unworn and undamaged excpet for this 30ft arc of merlons which are melted into lumps of greenish material. This material, like the undamaged portions of the tower, cannot be damaged further in any way available to the players. To those who have studied artifacts from the Sea of Dust the damage is exactly the same to some damage found on building stones found in that desolate locale.

3. The tower slants slightly down from the center. A dwarf might detect such a slant even if not searched for. The edges of the tower at the base of the circular wall have small gaps allowing for liquid to run off and down the sides of the tower.

Tower Level 11

This level radiates energy from the Negative Material plane. Normal Light illuminate a 10ft radius, magical light a 20ft radius. Dispell Magic is of no effect. If magical light is  used onb this floor it will cause a howl from room #2.

1. The central stairwell contains a section of circular stair leading to the roof. The floor is a similar copper valve as the roof cutting off further decent. There is a cat's head lock set on the edge of the floor valve but its jaw is shut and something is needed to open it (pressing the cat's head on the wall in room. The doors to this room are shut but may be opened in the fashion of the roof, each causing 1hp damage. They draw sideways into the wall when opened and will lock if allowed to close. Each time the door is locked it will require 1hp of blood and biting damage to open unless prevented from closing. Normal items will be sheared through by the slow but steady preasure of the copper door . Magical items will stop the door from closing. It Will require a strength total of 36 to force a partially closed door back open. The door will try to shut again after 5min.

Opening the door to this room causes a cacophony of howling, growling and barking erupt from its darkened interior. For decades 12 Shadow Mastifs have been trapped inside. They will immediately attack anyone who opens the door and try to escsape the room. Their first action will be escape and they will flee as far as they are able only attacking anyone blocking their path. If they find themselves still trapped in the tower they will beging hunting down anyone or anything nearest to the.

The interior of the room is a shambles. The Mastiffs have torn appart evrything inside to scrap. The only remaining objects are a series of silver-metal cages that have been broken open but not destroyed. This metal is silver imbued with moonlight and is quiet valueable. The bars are animical to creatures from the Negative Metarial Plane and can be used to cage such monsters. The metal can be reforged into weapons or armor that would be especially powerful against them.

If they debris on the floor is sifted several wooden arms, legs or limbless bodies of dolls or puppets can be found. The rest  is broken glass, bent metal bits and bits of wooden furniture. Any paper items have long since been destroyed beyond recognition.

End Part 3

The adventure begins in the City of Greyhawk.

For those looking for such work the word has gone out for adventurers who will brave dangers in return for some coin and what treasure they can find within the ancient abandoned tower of Eldorath. 

The mage Talberth is much respected within the city. He is said to have been (or perhaps still is) an agent of the city, the Circle of Eight, or the Grey College. He is a tall, thin man with a scarred face but a friendly manner. He has recently acquired knowledge and, at least within the society of mages in the city, ownership of an old tower. It is ancient and unoccupied for several years and Talberth offers an intriguing amount of gold and any items or treasure that may be recovered from the tower, (he just wants the tower), to any who will venture forth and empty the place of occupants from cellar to ceiling. 

Research into the tower will easily reveal its known history. It is located on a peninsula on the Wild Coast (97-F4 on the Darlene Map) overlooking Woolly Bay. It is elven-built from before human settlement of ther area by a powerful Elf-Mage named Eldorath who occupied it for centuries. It was found abandoned and no word of Eldorath has been heard since. It was a monster filled ruin when humans settled the area and the Flan avoided it for the most part with heroes occasionally venturing inside though none chose to occupy it for themselves. With the coming of the Suel the tower was occupied again, but here the stories about are scanty and if Eldorath's Curse (as it has been called) descended upon these Suel occupiers no records tell of it. 

Eldorath's Curse is the sudden and complete disappearance of the tower's occupants. It has happened to those staying in the tower for as little as a month while others have stayed decades without any ill or surprising effects. No one has found out what causes the Curse to trigger or if there is even a curse at all. 

The tower itself radiates powerful magic at artifact intensity. It allows no form of tranportation through its walls or interior. It inhibits transformation either from abilities or spells. The stones cannot be damaged through physical or magical means, and the tower shows no wear or damage except for a section of merlons on the battlement of the roof which are strangely melted.

The doors of the tower are also immune to damage and possess a strange lock. The front, ground level gates can only open from the inside are currently shut. The roof is the only form of entrance.

No key is needed for the lock on the roof or on any of the doors within the tower but all doors can only be opened with blood. The lock is in the shape of mouth set with needle fangs. Someone must push their hand onto the fangs to unlock the door. This will cause the door to unlock and 1HP damage. The wound will not heal while within the tower and it will drip blood continuosly at a low pace. Each door in the tower has the same mechanism and the wounds are cummulative. Doors will lock if shut and will swing shut if not prevented from doing so.

The tower is 120ft high and players must find a way to reach the roof to gain entrance.

Adventure Idea - The Girl Who Burns with Fire

Reports have come to the Viscount Wilfirick of a beautiful young girl with strange eyes who can summon and control fire. She is said to be able to conjure fire into her hands at will. To shape it into creatures that animate and attack, to cast it in stream or throw and expanding ball of flame. She has burnt several Inns and village shops and seems to taking a meandering route through the center of the viscounty toward the city of Verbobonc. Several people including guardsmen have tried to stop her only to be consumed by fire. Thrown or shot weapons have incinerated before touching her. The Viscount has offered a 5,000 gp for her dead and 10,000 for her safely captured.

Cities of Greyhawk - Verbobonc Part 10 - The Old Faith

Verbobonc the city has the largest number of Cuthberites, a large following of those who worship Rao, especially among the Veluneese in the city, but it is still the Old Faith that dominates the beliefs of the common folk. Within the Viscounty nearly 4 in 5 of the populatiion still worship the Old Faith including many converts to Cuthbert who follow both paths.

The Old Faith is hard to pin down as it has no pantheon of deities. The spiritual leaders are druids and there is a hierachy within their ranks but for the most part each druid tends his own grove and flock without interference. There are 4 main ceremonies each year;  First Day when the winter ends (Vernal Equinox), Long Day (Summer Solstice) marking the longest day of the year, Harvest (Autumnal Equinox), Long Night (Winter Solstice) marking the longest night of the year and the begin of winter. The druids gather during these ceremonies though those with flocks of followers conduct the ceremonies at their village or town groves and wandering and unattached druids join them. Even druids of more hermit-like dispositions attend these ceremonies and for some it is the only time when they will see another human or demi-human face.

In the Viscounty the Old Faith is very humancentric. While the concern is for the balance of nature and a harmony with Oerth most druids see the integration of humans and demi-humans within this balance as their goal. The lay population of the viscounty follow many rituals and this can be seen in their daily lives. They do not eat or drink without thanking the water, the food, or the animals they kill. Butchering animals is an important ritual with an apology to the creature and a thanks to them for providing sustenance. 

Members of the Old Faith despise cruel behavior to people or animals and will step in to stop it, but they are also not seeking converts and have no animosty to other beliefs. The spread of Cuthbertism in the Viscounty is aided by this attitude. 

Druids who follow other paths are welcome in the viscounty and many visiting druids find themselves converted to the Old Faith over time.

Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up! This is my Boom Stick!

Ash would fit wonderfully in a Greyhawk campaign. Well, at least my kinda campaign.

After the Rain of Colorless Fire Slerotin gathers survivors amid the ruins of Charodon, a large city of the Imperium on the eastern edge of what is now the Sea of Dust.

NPC Sefa

Far from her Baklunish home Sefa is not what she appears, a dancing girl at the Bakluni House in Verbobonc. She is a spy and an assassin, a skilled thief and an even more skilled seducer. But even those roles hide her true nature, a nature that only her grand-daughter Tolora is aware of

Sefa is that darkest of once human monsters, a vampire. Long ago she swore her life to the service of Baklunni and so she has sworn her undeath. Unlike most vampires her dedication is entirely to the Baklunni deities and she is a kind of holy monster. She bears several ritual tattoos that grant her immunity from detection, damage from sunlight, cleric abilities to turn undead, or holy symbols. She cannot shapechange or assume gaseous form. Holy water does double damage to her and she must spend time in contact with blessed Baklunni soil once per month or begin to perish, aging and losing her strength each day unless she consumes the constitution of the living. Each time she bites someone she drains 1d6 points of constitution. When she drains all of someones constitution they die and will rise as a normal vampire at the new moon. She can maintain her strength by consuming victims once a day but will survive only nine days without contact with blessed Baklunni soil or a victim a day. She will need to consume extra victims to regain strength loss for any days missed.

The Verbobonc Lancers number somewhere around 900 men and women. They are split into 4 companies of over two hundred in each, comanded by single captain who reports directly to the Viscount. Each captain is law unto himself able to dispense high and low justice to any but the nobility of the viscounty. 

Pictured is a typical Lancer sans lance, though with the bow that most carry. They ride light warhorses, dress in green and red with a grey cloak that they can act as a cover at night. A large quiver of one hundred arrows  is hung from one side of their saddles and a sheathed longsword from the other. A steel cap is on their head and studded leather armor on their backs. The Viscount provides all this to each trooper while officers provide their own gear and the wealthier among them provide their command with any extras they can afford.

Each Lancer is an experienced warrior with a smattering of rangers among their ranks. Druids, clerics and magic-users can be found as officers or auxiliaries in each company and at the minimum every company has a cleric, usually of Rao, and a druid of the Old Faith in their garrison.

There are 4 fortifications which the companies of Lancers maintain with somewhere between 50 to 100 Lancers always in garrison. While villages and small towns are near no civilians are allowed to dwell closer than a few miles and each fortification is self-sufficient.

All Lancers must prove their combat ability and horsemanship before entering the ranks. Each officer is someone of extraordinary ability. While some are rich and of the nobility many are not having risen through the ranks in service of the Viscounty. Ability is the key requirement for any officer or enlisted to become a Lancer.

The Viscount has seen the Lancers double in size during his reign and his own bodyguard are chosen from their ranks. Lancers are rarely seen in the city though many originate from city inhabitents. The Verbobonc Cavalry is stationed permenatly in the city and they provide both a quick military force and guardsmen for important caravans within the borders. Most Lancers begin their service as members of the Verbobnc Cavalry.

The wives and children of most Lancers dwell in their fortified garrisons. All labor within a garrison is done by Lancers or their family, from cook to carpenter.

Each company has its own pennant and the deeds of each company are recited on holy days and at celebrations. While visitors often come to the garrisons most never get beyond the outer gates and vistors audience hall. Holding pens for prisoners are in dungeons beneath these areas while the inner and stronger fortifications are for the homes, stables and barracks of the garrison and few strangers ever enter these areas.

Verbobonc Lancers are highly respected throughout the Viscounty and in the outlying areas as well, such as Celene, the Kron Hills and even as far as the City of Greyhawk itself. 

Monster - Aerial Servant

Aerial servants can be found across Oerth, since, as summoned creatures they will appear wherever a caster has sufficient knowledge and power to bring them forth. Their home is the Elemental Plane of Air but it is said they were commonplace in Suel households at the height the Imperium. The Sea of Dust is said to be haunted by wild and dangerously insane Aerial Servants though those who live on the fringe of that ancient and accursed land call them Dust Devils

They can be found in any large city especially in temples and colleges of wizardry. They are also commonly encountered in the dwellings of hermit mages and small forgotten ruins where they have never been dismissed back to their own plane of existence.

Derek - Champion of the Horned Society and his retainer Wollfeblud

Once Derek was human, some say a Shieldlander warrior captured and used as a demonic host by the Horned society. Wollfeblud may never have been human at all. He is rumored to have been a hellhound once or a winter-wolf changed to human form.

Whatever remains of the human Derek is hiden beneath his enchanted armor. As for Wollfeblud his senses are more than human making a superlative tracker.

Darkbreaker is a wood-elf from Geoff. During the invasion he stayed and fought withdrawing deep into the Dim Forest only to lead his warriors in raids as far south as the Hornwood. He blames Owen and most of the human population for the losses among the wood-elves and will no longer aid any humans, trusting only other elves.

The Lords of Steel are a mercenary company composed of soldiers and adventurers from throughout the Flanaess. Their strength varies as does the leadership. They accept anyone who proves themselves no other questions asked. Members must be brave, loyal and obey orders. Currently there are over 300 in their company, mostly human but with half-elves, dwarves, gnomes and even half-orcs in their ranks. Warriors are the most common found but wielders of magic, thieves, priests, clerics and even thieves as well.

Blue - Lord Kalevi - A Warrior Mage

Red - Lady Anneke - A Sorceress

Green - Kalevi and Liisa - Husband and Wife lleaders of the Celene Rangers