The Wand of Archeal was developed for use in the RPGA@

Network’s tournament program in 1988 and was very well

received. The Network staff now presents a revised and Archeal and His Wand
updated version of this work for your use at home. We Archeal is a 15th~level Celestial Order wizard who
hope this adventure brings you as much enjoyment in your presently has no body, Poisoned by the Cabal member
home campaign as it did in tournament play. Venon’s fatal darts, Archeal died at the Battle of Fort
The isolated location of this adventure allows you to use Hope. Because of a contingency spell he had previous-
it as is in your campaign if the PCs are exploring a part of ly cast in conjunction with a magic jar, however, his
your world as yet unknown to them. With a little modifica- consciousness entered the gem at the tip of his rod of
tion, you can also integrate it into an active part of your rulership. The Cabal wizard Barillus removed the rod
world. The two factions of wizards may be any groups of from the scene of battle, but Archeal was unable to
professional magic-using rivals, so long as some event seize his enemy’s body because of the latter’s amulet of
brings their conflict to military proportions. life protection.
This is an adventure for six to eight player characters of When this adventure begins, the rod-along with
6th~8th level. Archeal’s mind-is in a cave deep within Mount
Antloch. Archeal has managed to possess passing
guards for brief periods-just long enough to deter-

Grayisle Background mine where he is and gather some information on the

enemy’s forces. This has caused some consternation
within the Cabal complex, but no one has guessed the
A century ago, six powerful wizards sought out the truth. Archeal is loath to leave the enemy fortress
remote island continent of Grayisle, intending to found a without his wand, and he believes he owes it to the
school of magic there and further their craft in peace. Order to discover the exact whereabouts of Miliara’s
Grayisle’s royal family and nobility welcomed the magi- Star, which is reputed to be here as well. These con-
cians, who promised protection to the land in exchange for cerns plus his precarious current existence have con-
the freedom to work undisturbed (and untaxed). Under vinced him that rescue must come from outside, so he
this arrangement, both the School of the Celestial Arts and awaits the arrival of Order troops or spies as patiently
the populace prospered, living in peaceful coexistence for as possible.
several decades. In his normal form, Archeal has a stem face and a
Forty years ago, however, everything changed. gray beard. A strict disciplinarian with four decades of
Erasmus, one of the founding wizards, died in an accident magical experience, he is unlikely to accept suggestions
while trying to construct an artifact that would give physi- from those of lesser rank. He displays a condescending
cal form to the user’s thoughts. The so-called Star Crown attitude when dealing with beings he considers
would have consisted (primarily) of a heavy platinum beneath him. Archeal has no compunctions about read-
crown that had belonged to a faerie king set with a huge ing the mind of anyone in his presence with his helm of
star sapphire reputedly taken from the heart of a real star telepathy, and he occasionally uses its suggestion ability
that had fallen to earth. to get his way, although he never does this with people
While Erasmus’s colleagues met to decide who would he respects. Archeal is a brilliant tactician, which
carry on his life’s work, his two assistants, Gambrillon explains why he commands most of the Order’s impor-
and Miliara, each stole a component of their master’s tant military maneuvers.
experiment-he the crown and she the star sapphire. The The Wand of Archeal is really a rod of rulership.
two younger mages both had their own followings with- Slightly larger than the standard rod, it is a 3-foot-long,
in the School, and their departure resulted in a schism ivory shaft carved with a high-relief pattern of crowns
that divided the wizards into two groups-the Celestial and swords. The 40-karat diamond set in its tip raises
Order that Gambrillon founded and the Mages of the its pure jewelry value to 35,000 gp. The rod glows faint-
Red Cabal, which consisted of Miliara’s followers. These ly when in use, either as a rod of rulership or as
two cartels, evenly matched in power and resources, Archeal’s magic jar.
have been waging a magical cold war ever since, even Ever since Archeal found the rod, he has referred to
though their founders died some years ago. Neither car- it as his wand. Whether this is to confuse those who
tel is predominantly devoted to good, evil, law, or chaos; would speculate about its powers or just a matter of
both are solely dedicated to achieving magical suprema- personal preference, no one save Archeal himself
cy through completing the artifact. knows. Nevertheless, everyone now refers to it as the
Since the schism, the rulers of Grayisle have been Wand of Archeal.
keeping a wary eye on both groups, for each now seems
far more interested in defeating the other than in serving Archeal, male human M15: AC 2 (bracers of defense AC 2);
the country. Fortunately, neither group is terribly large, MV 12; hp 45; THAC0 16; #AT 1 (staff); Dmg 1d6+2; SZ M (6’ tall);
and the rivalry has consisted primarily of intrigue, with ML elite (14); Str 14, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 16;
AL LN; XP Nil.
each side attempting to infiltrate the other and gain the Special Equipment: cloak of eluenkind, helm of telepathy, rod of
missing piece of the artifact. Therefore, collateral dam- rulership (34 charges).
age from destructive magic has been minimal. For the Spells Memorized* (5/5/5/5/5/2/l): lst-detect magic, light,
most part, Grayisle’s inhabitants have remained more magic missile (x2), protectionfrom evil; 2nd-bind, detect evil, levitate;
concerned with their own lives than with disagreements 3rd-clairvoyance, phantasmal force: 4th-charm monster, polymorph
self, remove curse; 5th-cone of cold, hold monster, passwall, sending,
over things they could not understand. teleport; 6th-geas, project image; 7th-teleport without error.
Recent events, however, have shifted the arcane cold *List indicates spells remaining in Archeal’s memory at the
war into full-blown armed conflict and drawn some of the time he entered his magic jar.
citizenry into the struggle.
2
Escalation of the Conflict At this juncture, both sides are evenly matched, but the
Mages of the Red Cabal have just dealt the Celestial Order
Grayisle is now a realm caught up in a whirlwind of magi- forces a blow that may bring the war one step closer to res-
cal and military strife. The Celestial Order recently discov- olution.
ered that the enchantments Erasmus had fixed into the
platinum crown were slowly degrading its material form.
The same thing was happening to the star sapphire in the
The Wizard War
hands of the Red Cabal. Hastily conducted research When the Wizard War, as the locals call it, first broke out,
revealed that the enchantments intended to bring physical the Celestial Order immediately converted one of its tow-
form to mere thoughts were having the opposite effect on ers, located on the Castellon River, into a small fortress.
the artifact’s components because of the long delay in join- Fort Hope, as it came to be known, received considerable
ing them. It had become imperative that the crown and the support from the Order in the form of troops and supplies,
sapphire be joined as soon as possible, before both faded to for it was positioned at a key strategic point along the
mere memories. river. Recently, judicious scrying has indicated that the
Now engaged in a life-and-death struggle, the two magi- Cabal also maintains an outpost in this area, somewhere
cal cartels have devoted all their resources to warfare. Each within nearby Mount Antloch, though this intelligence has
has hired mercenary troops from the local populace, sparing not yet yielded its exact location, Here, the Order suspect-
neither magical nor monetary enticements. In fact, fighting ed, rested the star sapphire of Miliara.
for one of the cartels has become the highest-paying work The Order dispatched Archeal, one of its highest-rank-
in Grayisle, and by far the most hazardous. Even a few ing wizards, to Fort Hope to provide magical support for a
career military officers from Grayisle’s army have suc- raid on Mount Antloch. But the Cabal had already learned
cumbed to the lure of generous pay and resigned their com- of this plan from spies, and its leaders decided to make a
missions for high-placed positions in the new cartel armies. preemptive strike. While the Celestial Order was consult-
The wizards, most of them unaccustomed to true warfare, ing with its military experts to plan the attack, the Cabal
now find themselves supporting military operations on bat- leaders were recruiting hundreds of lizardmen from the
tlefields in the hinterlands of Grayisle. nearby swamps to serve as infantry and training them to
The war has thus far involved few of the side effects approach a target under the cover of invisibility.
usually associated with wider-ranging conflicts, however. Shortly after Archeal teleported into Fort Hope, the new
Since the wizards’ troops lack for nothing and are fighting Cabal forces approached the fortress under the cover of a
on their native soil, they have no reason to disturb villages mass invisibility spell, then launched a surprise attack.
and the peasantry. Therefore, Grayisle has thus far lost little Though the Celestial Order’s forces were unprepared for
in the way of crops or human life. the assault, Archeal’s spells and his rod of rulership
hip helped
 the defenders hold back the oncoming forces-at least ini-
tially. In fact, the Fort Hope troops and their powerful ally For decades now, these two magical cartels have main-
could easily have repelled the invaders had it not been for tained a bitter rivalry bordering on a co ld war. At one time
a small commando force sent to eliminate Archeal himself. there was only one magical order here on the continent of
The Cabal wizard Barillus, the mage/thief Venon, and two Grayisle, but an argument over construction of an artifact
human officers teleported invisibly into the fort, made their resulted in a schism, with each of the two resulting groups
way to Archeal’s position, and attacked him by surprise. holding one component of the so-called Star Crown. The
Barillus’s wand of negation prevented the Order wizard Celestial Order had Gambrillon’s faerie crown, while the
from using his magic, and Venon’s poisoned darts eventu- Red Cabal held Miliara’s star sapphire. Each group has
ally slew the brave Archeal. Without him, Fort Hope even- engaged in considerable intrigue and behind-the-scenes
tually fell, and the victorious lizardmen took the few sur- maneuvering in hopes of regaining the other’s piece of the
viving defenders prisoner. artifact and completing its construction, Recently, however,
Unbeknownst to the Cabal forces, however, Archeal had the two groups discovered that the long delay in joining
foreseen the dangers of participating in armed conflicts the pieces is causing them both to degrade. This informa-
when the Wizard War began and had taken special precau- tion has elevated the conflict to military levels. Both cartels
tions. Casting a contingency spell in conjunction with a have hired mercenary soldiers and specialists, and open
magic jar, he arranged to transfer himself into the gem at warfare is the order of the day. At present, the mages sup-
the top of his rod of rulership if his body should die. From ply Grayisle’s citizens with the most lucrative and danger-
there, he reasoned, he would have a fighting chance of sur- ous work. But though the mages often lend their magical
viving the battle, recovering and restoring his body, and might to skirmishes, it is almost unheard of for one of
living to fight another day, them to fall in battle. Yet this is what Ezakion is saying,
So when Archeal’s body died under the ram of poisoned and you know it bodes ill,
darts, his essence entered the rod, causing it to glow softly. ‘Sit down, all of you,” he says. “As you know, when
Barillus, ever cautious about possible traps on enemies’ the war broke out, we converted ane of our towers-the
magic items, used telekinesis to place the wand and one on the Castellon River-into a fortress known as Fort
Archeal’s other magic items into a specially prepared lead Hope. Besides its strategic importance in controlling river
box. Then he and Venon teleported back to the Mount traffic, it was the closest outpost we had to the Red Cabal’s
Antloch outpost. hidden base in Mount Antloch, where we suspect that
In the meantime, the sudden lack of communication Miliara’s Star is kept. Our spies within the Cabal told us
from Fort Hope alarmed the Celestial Order. They had that because of Fort Hope’s presence, the enemies were
expected word from Archeal following his inspection of the planning to abandon Antloch. To prevent them from mov-
troops there, but none came. So the Order wizards scanned ing the Star, we planned to launch an attack on the moun-
Fort Hope with crystal balls and beheld the destruction. An tain from Fort Hope, even though we had not yet pin-
emergency strategy session ruled out the option of sending pointed the hidden entrance to the Cabal’s complex, We
an army against Mount Antloch, for the wizards consider sent Archeal, one of our finest mages, to the fort to direct
the safety of Archeal to be of paramount importance. Thus, strategy. It was to have been a short visit-he planned only
they have decided to send a small raiding party to Fort to consult with the commander of our forces, then return
Hope to find out what has become of Archeal and to return before the attack on Antlorh began. We expected a tele-
him-or at worst, his body--to the Order, along with his pathic message from him after his inspection of the fort,
most important magical item. but it never came.”
Indicating a crystal ball on the table, he continues.
"Scrying provided the answer to the mystery: Fort Hope
lay in ruins-burned to the ground. A few lizardmen,
whom we assume to be hirelings of the Cabal, were pick-
ing through the wreckage, Unfortunately, we could discern
but little of what had brought about the tragedy. What is
curious, however, is that there seems to be no sign of
In this section, the player characters investigate the Battle Archeal-alive or dead-in the carnage. This is why I have
of Fort Hope and the nearby town of Kayleigh’s Folly, called for you.
seeking clues as to what has become of Archeal. Their “You are to go to Fort Hope and look for anv sign of the
search eventually leads them to the swamp and the lizard- wizard Archeal. As you know, he is a man in his late
men who live there. The lizard king has Archeal’s body, but fifties, with a gray beard and a dark complexion. He typi-
the PCs must fight and kill him to obtain it. cally wears the robes of our Order, adorned with celestial
Once the player characters have come into the employ bodies. Most importantly, he always carries the Wand of
of the Celestial Order by whatever means you choose, read Archeall, one of our most potent weapons The wand is
or paraphrase the following text to the players: responsible for routing many a Cabal army through its
devastating ability to dominate foes. Even if the Cabal has
succeeded in slaying Archeal, we must have the wand
"Archeal has been lost,” announces Ezakion, one of the back to maintain our strength. It is unlikely that any Cabal
Celestial Order’s middle-ranking mages, as you file into mage can divine how to use it, but it could mean the dif-
the audience chamber, Minutes ago, one of the younger ference between victory and defeat for us.
mages shook each of you awake and announced that the “The Cabal is probably keeping any prisoners or booty
Order had a mission for you. Given the war in progress, from the Battle of Fort Hope in its hidden Mount Antloch
it’s a reasonable bet that it involves the rival order of wiz- base. We fear for Archeal’s safety if we attack the moun-
ards known as the Mages of the Red Cabal. tain with an army, as we had originally planned. Thus, we

4
 have decided to send a small group to search for and
recapture Archeal and his wand. That’s where you come
On the Road
in. Obviously, you must first go to Fort Hope and search The two-day trip from the Celestial Order’s main citadel to
for clues. If you can recover survivors from the devastation Kayleigh’s Folly is uneventful. The PCs can use the time to
of Fort Hope, by all means do so. If your search calls for plan strategy and to become acquainted with Jamal. The
infiltrating Mount Antloch, you must find the rumored young mage is short and slim, but wiry. He has blond hair
secret passage into the Cabal’s complex there to enter and dark eyes, but his skin is pale, as is the case with many
unnoticed. The Mount Antloch station is well-guarded, of the younger students of magic in the Citadel. He is not
and it is unlikely that a frontal attack would succeed, particularly talkative or curious, but responds freely to
Stealth is of the utmost importance-a direct assault could questions about himself.
be deadly for you and Archeal. So, please, be careful. The Jamal began studying magic about two years ago. He
Cabal mages have a reputation for making potions from has done some adventuring in the local area since the war
the bones of their captives. began, participating in several scouting parties, but he does
“Unless you have any questions, you can gather your not know the terrain particularly well. The loss of Archeal
things and travel at once to the town of Kayleigh’s Folly, concerns him greatly, for the older mage was his mentor at
near Fort Hope. I will send Jamal, one of our younger the Citadel. Though he requested a part in this assignment,
mages, along with you as far as the town. He will wait he is unwilling to accompany the PCs any farther than
there for you until you have finished investigating the town. He will wait for them at the Drowned Muskrat Inn,
ruins of the fort, then inform us telepathically of what you where he will pose as the son of a nearby farmer. Ezakion
have found. If necessary, he can arrange to transport items will contact him each night at a preappointed time via
back here, should you need to continue onward to Mount sending for reports.
Antloch. Are you prepared?” Jamal, male human M3: AC 10; MV 12; hp 11; THACO 20
(19 with dagger +l); #AT 1 (dagger +1) or 3 (darts); Dmg 1d4 +1 on
Ezakion, a gray-bearded wizard, will answer the party’s ld3/ld3/ld3; SZ M (5’2” tall); ML elite (14); Str 8, Dex 7, Con 9, Int 16,
Wis 10, Cha 12; AL NG; XP Nil.
questions to the best of his ability His knowledge of the Special Equipment: cloak of invisibility.
recent events, however, is limited. Ezakion can supply the Spells Memorized (2/1): N-charm person, magic missile; 2nd-knock,
following pieces of information, if asked.

l The Order had stationed approximately one hundred sol- Kayleigh’s Folly
diers at Fort Hope. Only a few of them were very experi- The small, walled town known as Kayleigh’s Folly is home
enced, but many were talented archers. With Archeal’s to 138 human residents (sixty-two adults and seventy-six
help, they should have been able to repulse a Cabal children) who cater to travelers and merchants. The people
attack. of the settlement are happy to trade with any who come in
l Archeal’s rod of rulership has value both as a magic item peace, but they stop short of offering support to any politi-
and as a piece of jewelry. It is a 3-foot-long carved ivory cal or magical faction.
shaft set with a huge diamond at its tip. Ezakion does Kayleigh’s Folly was named for its founder, whom people
not know the rod’s command word. thought mad to establish a trading post so far from the protec-
l The nearby human settlement called Kayleigh’s Folly is tion of a major city. But Kayleigh proved all his critics wrong
not allied with the Cabal or the Order. It caters primarily two years ago when he established a trade pact with the
to travelers and merchants, but its residents did trade lizardmen in the nearby swamp. This proved lucrative
freely with Fort Hope. enough that the tiny post flourished, attracting merchants and
* The mayor of Kayleigh’s Folly is a diplomat of sorts who craftsmen. Within the first year, the town had become quite
is famous for forging a trade treaty with lizardmen in the prosperous. Its founder became its mayor, and Kayleigh still
area. likes to offer a personal welcome to any visitors.
Homes and stores line the streets of Kayleigh’s Folly,
If the PCs ask Ezakion for equipment, he tells them that the though none of the shops is particularly well stocked. Most
Order has no extra gear available-they must rely on what of the residents are friendly to travelers, but a trifle skittish
they have. Ezakion emphasizes the need for the characters about lizardmen, despite the treaty that has brought them so
to act quickly and gives them only minimal time to ready much prosperity. (The residents just don’t trust bipeds with
themselves before beginning their mission. When they are scales, even though Kayleigh frequently assures them that
prepared, he introduces them to Jamal, a thin, studious- there is no danger.)
looking young mage, and provides the group with horses
for the trip to Kayleigh’s Folly (see “On the Road”).
Arrival in Kayleigh’s Folly
Ezakion, male human M13: AC 5 (cloak of protection +4, The characters arrive at Kayleigh’s Folly about midmorning
Dex bonus +l); MV 12; hp 37; THACO 16; #AT 1 (staff); Dmg ld6;
SZ M (5’6” tall); ML elite (14); Str 13, Dex 15, Con 11, Jnt 18, Wis 18, on their third day out from the Citadel. High stone walls sur-
Cha 17; AL LN; XP Nil. round the little town, which is situated on an island at a fork
Special Equipment: brooch of shielding, cloak of protection +4, periapt of in the Castellon River. Small rowboats (four-person capacity)
proof against poison +3, potion of extra-healing, ring of warmth, line the bank, offering to take travelers into town for 1 sp
Spells Memorized (5/5/5/4/4/2): lst-charm person, comprehend lan- each. If the PCs hire one, they arrive safely at the town’s
guages, feather fall, hold portal, magic missile; 2nd-detect evil, ESP, forget,
know alignment, strength; 3rd--clairaudience, clairvoyance, dispel magic, main gate. Those who choose to swim also arrive safely, but
fireball, invisibility 10’ radius; 4th-charm monster, fire shield, ice storm, wet. Jamal takes a ferryboat to town, warning the PCs that
magic mirror; 5th-cone of cold, contact other plane, sending, wall of stone; wet travelers have to pay a premium fee for entrance.
6th-geas, globe of invulnerability. The fee for entry at the gate is a flat 5 sp, or 7 sp for those
who arrive wet. (The town gets a cut of the ferryboat fees in
taxes, so officials tend to frown upon those who try to avoid The voice comes from Mayor Kayleigh. The mayor has
taking the boats.) Four guards stand watch at the gate and just emerged from the Drowned Muskrat Inn, where he
collect money, dropping it into a slot in the top of a heavy was relaxing over a drink when he heard the ruckus.
metal box, which is anchored to the ground. Ten more If the PCs take no action to prevent it, their companion
guards man the towers that flank the entrance. Visitors may casts magic missile at the old woman. This action earns
leave the town and re-enter the same day without paying a Jamal a night in jail and a fine. Mother Lazaar survives the
second fee; those wishing to do so must request a special experience, however, shrieking at full volume until her
token from the gate guards before departure. Anyone trying assistants, Caleb and Joseph (see “Doing Business in
to climb over the town wall becomes a target for bowfire Kayleigh’s Folly: Area 5”), arrive to take her home. If the
from all ten tower guards. characters restrain Jamal in any way, he does not cast his
Jamal pays his entrance fee and recommends that his spell, and the altercation dies down to a shouting match.
companions do the same. Go to “A Charm by Any Other Unless the PCs actually participated in an attack on
Name . . .” when all the characters have entered the town. Mother Lazaar, the authorities neither fine nor jail them,
even if Jamal succeeded in harming the old woman. If the
Gate Guards, male and female humans F2 (14): AC 4 (chain mail rest of the group did attack Mother Lazaar, ten guards (two
+ shield); MV 6 (encumbered); hp 17 each; THACO 19; #AT 1 (short from the gate and eight from the towers) try to take the
sword) or 2 (longbow); Dmg ld6 or ld6/ld6; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady
(12); Int average (9); AL LN; XP Nil. party into custody. Those who surrender are sentenced (by
Special Equipment: flight arrows (quiver of 10), longbow, short the mayor, on the spot) to pay a fine of 1 gp each and
sword. spend one night in jail. If they pay the fines and serve their
time, they are released in the morning with no repercus-
A Charm by Any Other Name.. . sions. Party members who fight their way out of town,
however, can gain no cooperation from anyone in
As soon as the PCs enter the city, Jamal spots an old Kayleigh’s Folly from this point onward.
acquaintance of his-Mother Lazaar, the local witch who Mother Lazaar is in fact a charlatan, and everything
professes to know juju magic. Jamal purchased a potion Jamal said about her was true. (See “Doing Business in
from her on his last trip to town and nearly died from Kayleigh’s Folly: Area 5” for details about her and her
ingesting it. (It was a bottle of foul-smelling liquid that she companions.) From here, go to “The Mayor.”
claimed would repel swamp creatures, but it only made
Jamal violently ill,) The Mayor
Mother Lazaar is standing in the street conversing with
a traveler, showing him a silver medallion. As soon as Assuming the PCs do not alienate the mayor and towns-
Jamal sees her, he leaves the party and approaches her at a folk with armed conflict in the streets, Kayleigh invites
run. Read or paraphrase the following to the players:

The sun shines brightly overhead, and the citizens of

Kayleigh’s Folly go cheerfully about their business.
Travelers, farmers, and street vendors move about the
main avenue of the town, and shopkeepers hawk their
wares from doorways. Ahead of you and a bit to your left,
an old, snaggletoothed woman barters with a traveler for a
silver medallion. “It’ll save your life in the swamps,” she
avows, a mercenary gleam in her eyes. “You want to be
flayed alive and eaten by those lizardmen?”
As the man ponders the medallion doubtfully, your
companion Jamal bolts into the street, heading for the
woman with fury in his dark eyes. “Charlatan!” he shouts,
pointing at the old lady. “You know nothing of the ways of
magic-all you know is how to cheat honest people!”
A crowd begins to gather as the woman steps back,
assuming an expression of bewilderment. “Whatever do
you mean, young sir?” she inquires in a quavering voice.
“I don’t think I know you. You must have mistaken me for
someone else. I’m Mother Lazaar, known and respected
throughout Kayleigh’s Folly for the power of my charms
against the swamp terrors.”
“I’ll teach you to give mages a bad name!” shouts
Jamal, raising his hand as though to cast a spell. The
sound of armored footsteps behind you indicates that the
gate guards have noted the disturbance. “Stop!” shouts a
commanding voice from farther down the street. “I’ll
brook no disturbances in my town!” A rotund man with a
handlebar mustache bustles down the street, favoring his
right leg slightly. From the deference everyone shows him,
it is obvious that he is someone with authority.

6
them into the Drowned Muskrat for a drink. A fifty-year- Doing Business in Kayleigh’s Folly
old retired fighter, the mayor is a roly-poly man with a
thick handlebar mustache and a hearty laugh, Read or par- Though Kayleigh maintains that his post is fully honest, he
aphrase the following text to the players if they join the tends to look the other way regarding any shady dealings
mayor for a drink: unless the merchants’ behavior is likely to give his town a
bad reputation. Honest businessmen charge nonresidents
150% of book price for any goods or services. The follow-
“Gerrold!” barks the plump man you now know as Mayor
ing encounter key corresponds to the locations marked on
Kayleigh, as he leads you into the Drowned Muskrat Inn,
the “Kayleigh’s Folly” map.
the town’s only tavern. “A round of drinks on me, for our
If the PCs mention anything about lizardmen while talk-
visitors!” A dour-faced, taciturn man behind the bar nods
ing to the locals, the townsfolk helpfully direct them to
and busies himself preparing drinks. “Welcome to
Mother Lazaar (see “Area 5”), the witch who sells
Kayleigh’s Folly!” crows your rotund host, wincing slight-
“charms” to protect against lizardmen and other nasty
ly as he sits down at a table with an unfinished ale on it.
reptiles.
“I’m Mayor Kayleigh. Pardon my creaky old bones; the
When the player characters have finished their business
‘gator that ended my adventuring career left me a game
in town, go to “The Road to the Fort” if they have not yet
leg to remember him by. I used to be quite the fighter in
been there, or to “Part 2: The Mountain Passage” if they are
my day though. And I still enjoy that fancy alligator-skin
ready to approach Mount Antloch.
sheath I had made for my longsword when I got back from
the swamps.
1. The Front Gate. There are four guards on duty here at all
“But enough about me. Why don’t you tell me a bit
times. They charge humans and demihumans a flat 5 sp per
about yourselves?”
person for entry into Kayleigh’s Folly, or 7 sp if the person is
wet (from swimmin g the river and thus avoiding the ferry-
Mayor Kayleigh is both a good talker and a good listen- boat fee). They charge lizardmen 10 sp each unless Kayleigh
er. Though he’s happy to recount his own adventures in is present.
great detail if the PCs ask, he is also interested in theirs.
Tales of the Wizard War earn the characters another round Gate Guards, male and female humans F2 (14): AC 4 (chain mail
of free drinks, as well as questions regarding the fate of Fort + shield); MV 6 (encumbered); hp 17 each; THACO 19; #AT 1 (short
sword) or 2 (longbow); Dmg 1d6 or 1d6/1d6; SZ M (6’ tall); ML
Hope. (The townsfolk do not yet know of the disaster there, steady (12); Int average (10); AL LN; XP Nil.
but they have had no visits from the soldiers for a couple of Special Equipment: longbow, short sword.
days and are beginning to wonder about it.) If told that Fort
Hope has fallen, the mayor expresses sorrowful acceptance
of the ways of warfare. Kayleigh shows surprise, however, 2. The Docks. Here the PCs can purchase boats of various
if informed that the local lizardmen played any role in the types, including river barges, swamp boats, and small sail-
tragedy there. ing vessels. A 20-foot-long river barge costs 50 gp, and a
If asked, Kayleigh readily reveals the following information: swamp boat costs 28 gp. But boat sales are secondary;
repair work is the main occupation of those employed on
l “Them lizardmen have never harmed anyone from this the docks. Travelers can also hire pilots here at a rate of 3
town. They’ve been as good as their word about that,” sp per day for normal work. As soon as the PCs mention
l “The lizardmen I negotiated that trade agreement with either swamps or lizardmen in describing the deal, howev-
weren’t no pacifists, but they never would’ve mounted a er, the asking price skyrockets to at least 30 sp per day
raid on an armed fortification. Something must’ve Prices are triple the normal rates for night travel, but no
changed their minds about humans and warfare.” barger will go into the actual lizardman lair, regardless of
* “I haven’t seen any lizardmen for several months-I’d the pay offered. In addition to the fee, the PCs must agree
just assumed that they didn’t need anything from my to pay for any damage to a boat and understand that hired
town for a while.” crew members will never fight or risk their lives for their
l “I know where the lizardmen’s lair is, and I can tell you employers.
how to get there if you’re interested. It’s tough going If the player characters agree to all these special terms,
through the swamp though.” they can hire Caplis, a strong, bearded barger who firmly
l “The swamps are full of snakes and alligators. If you’re believes in the ethic of hard work. He does not show fear,
heading in there, you’d best take some precautions first.” but he has a reputation for taking few risks with his pas-
sengers or his life. He wears a silver medallion that he
Though he is too busy to accompany the PCs about town, believes will keep away hostile reptiles, courtesy of Mother
Kayleigh happily tells them where to get whatever it is that Lazaar’s shop.
they want. If the PCs have Regis along (see “The Boy
Fisherman”), Kayleigh tells the lad that his parents have Caplis, male human F1: AC 10; MV 12 (unencumbered); hp 4;
been worried sick about him and he should run home THACO 20; #AT 1 (dagger); Dmg ld4; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady (12);
Str 16, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 8; AL LN; Xp Nil.
immediately If the PCs need to purchase equipment or Special Equipment: bargepole.
stay the night, go to “Doing Business in Kayleigh’s Folly.”
If they have returned here from the swamps with Archeal’s
body, go to “Delivering Archeal’s Body.” 3. The Drowned Muskrat Inn. The town’s only inn and
tavern is not much more than a glorified log cabin. There
Mayor Kayleigh, male human F3: AC 10; MV 9 (unencumbered, are two small private rooms for rent (each costs 10 sp per
but limping due to old leg injury); hp 14; THACO 18; #AT 1 (long- night), plus a large common room, where guests can sleep
sword); Dmg ld8; SZ M (5’8” tall); ML elite (14); Str 14, Dex 10,
Con 13, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 15; AL N; XP Nil. in blankets on the floor in front of the fireplace for 3 sp per
Special Equipment: ring of mind shielding. person per night. Meals cost 1 sp each and include a
7
sermon on the joys of good works from Debbot, the local Delivering Archeal’s
lst-level priest. Gerrold, a sour and taciturn man, owns the
Drowned Muskrat and serves as both innkeeper and bar- After the player characters have investigated the devastat-
tender. He is exceptionally unfriendly to lizardmen. ed fort and visited the lizardmen, they may wish to come
Jamal takes a room here to await word from the PCs. back to Kayleigh’s Folly to drop off the survivors from Fort
The Order will contact him via sending at a set time each Hope and deliver Archeal’s body to Jamal. (They can take
evening. the body with them to the mountain if they have the means
to transport it, but Jamal recommends against this if they
4. The General Store. This large store specializes in sup- discuss such a plan in his presence.) If the PCs do give the
plies for boats, trappers, and fishermen. There are no slain wizard’s body to Jamal, he informs the Citadel about
weapons or armor for sale here, save for a few hunting it that very night, and the Order wizards send out a special
knives and machetes. Prices are the standard 150% of book detail to retrieve their dead colleague. Jamal continues to
value, and the management frowns upon bargaining. wait in town in case the PCs need a contact there.
The survivors and their families are grateful to the char-
5, Mother Lazaar’s Magic Shoppe. Mother Lazaar profess- acters for their rescue efforts. If the PCs have returned
es to be a 135-year-old witch, but she is really just an 80- hostages safely, anything they need from now on in
year-old charlatan. She has decorated her home inside and Kayleigh’s Folly is at 100% of book value instead of the
out with idols, symbols, dolls, frightening pictures, and usual 150%.
potions galore. Mother Lazaar says she is a mistress of juju Go to “Part 2: The Mountain Passage” from here.
magic - a lost art-and can make charms to protect one
from all manner of foes, particularly those in the swamps.
Should the PCs consult her, she tries to sell them silver The Road to the Fort
medallions that she says ward off hostile reptiles. Though The locals do not visit Fort Hope often, but the soldiers
she asks 50 gp for these, they do nothing. (They are real dealt in town frequently Therefore, the trail connecting the
silver, however.) She also offers foul-smelling herb pack- two sites is well-marked and well-traveled, It takes only
ages at 10 gp each to keep away swamp creatures, but they three hours to get from town to the fort on horseback. Fort
are really better at keeping friends away. Hope is nestled among rolling hills along the banks of the
Several decades ago, Mother Lazaar apprenticed herself River Castellon. Far to the east are gradually rising moun-
to a wizard long enough to learn how to cast cantrip. She tains (including Mount Antloch, which is the second-
has two burly, fiercely loyal bodyguards-the twin broth- highest peak).
ers Caleb and Jonah-who protect her from those who
would steal her magic or remonstrate with her about its
effectiveness. Scavengers
Read or paraphrase the following to the players when they
Mother Lazaar, female human Ml: AC 10; MV 12; hp 3; get near the fort:
THACO 20; #AT 1 (staff); Dmg ld6; SZ M (5’ tall); ML average (10);
Str 6, Dex 8, Con 8, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 17; AL N; Xl? Nil.
Special Equipment: flash powder, four herb packages, two silver To the north is the Castellon River, a portion of which
medallions. peeks through the two hills you have just traversed. A thin
Spells Memorized (1): cantrip.
plume of smoke rises lazily from behind a hill, upon which
Caleb and Jonah, male humans F2 (2): AC 10; MV 12; hp 12 each; stand a few nearly motionless figures. Beside them is a
THACO 18 (Str bonus); #AT 1 (mace or dagger); Dmg ld6+3 or ld4+3; pole with what looks like a huge crossbow mounted atop
SZ M (6’2” tall); ML steady (12); Str 18/01, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 9, it--pointed in your direction!
Wis 10, Cha 8; AL N; XP Nil.
At the top of the 100-foot-tall hill before the PCs, nine
6. Regis’s House. The boy Regis (see “The Boy Fisherman”) lizardmen stand guard beside a makeshift ballista (actually
lives in this humble house with his aged father (who is an oversized crossbow swivel-mounted atop a pole) as
very strict) and his young mother (who is very lax). When their fellows ransack the remains of Fort Hope. The hilltop
Regis comes home from his latest adventure at the fort, his has plenty of trees, bushes, and rocky outcroppings to pro-
father will punish him severely unless the PCs stand up for vide cover for both sides. Unless the player characters
him. immediately take precautions to avoid detection (such as
invisibility, use of cover, or just giving the hilltop a very
7. Kayleigh’s Home. The mayor’s house is a well-appoint- wide berth), the sentries spot them and warn them (in
ed three-room cabin. He lives alone, with only the trophies Common) to stop, opening fire with the “ballista” and their
from his adventuring days (including the head of a carrion own crossbows if the party does not obey. If the PCs do
crawler mounted above the fireplace) for company. He stop, they have three rounds to convince the lizardmen that
keeps a locked chest with 75 gp, 6 pp, and 50 sp under his they are not raiders sent by the Order or the sentries will
bed. He also has a longsword, a longbow, and a polished attack anyway-this time with longswords. If the charac-
suit of banded mail. ters successfully sneak past the lizardmen, go to “Fort
Hope.” If they try to parley, see “Negotiations.”
Mayor Kayleigh, male human F3: AC 10; MV 9 (unencumbered,
but limping due to old leg injury); hp 14; THACO 18; #AT 1
(longsword); Dmg ld8; SZ M (5’8” tall); ML elite (14); Str 14, Dex 10, Negotiations
Con 13. Int 15, Wis 14. Cha 15: AL N: XP Nil.
Special Equipment: banded mail (not worn), ring of mind shielding. The player characters may try any strategy they wish to con-
vince the lizardmen that they are not affiliated with the
Celestial Order. Only one member of the sentry party
8
 (Garrar) actually speaks Common very well, so he will speak invisible. He intends to let the intruders walk into the
for the lizardmen. If the characters attempt to negotiate, any ambush, then attack them from behind to prevent their
of three possible gambits has a good chance of success: escape. (Go to “Fort Hope.“)
l If his sentries are still alive, but obviously in trouble,
* The PCs can claim that they have come from Kayleigh’s Jarga signals his troops to rush the hill. He himself
Folly to trade with the fort. Garrar knows about his peo- remains nearly invisible, choosing an appropriate target
ple’s non-aggression pact with the unallied humans in in the confusion before attacking.
( town and will not break treaty by attacking humans from
there. However, he feigns an interest in trading with Go to “Aftermath” when the PCs have finished fighting
them on the basis of the treaty, asking them what they lizardmen.
have to offer. If they can produce nothing that resembles
trade goods, Garrar orders his men to attack. Armed Escort
* A clever group of player characters might be able to
assuage this group with offers of gifts. All are greedy, If the sentries decide to bring the PCs to Commander Jarga,
and they happily let the PCs pass unharmed for bribes four lizardmen march them roughly down the hill toward
worth 20 gp each. If the characters offer bribes but then the smoking ruin that is the fort. If the party tries to fight
cannot produce the requisite amount (180 gp value total), the escort or escape, the scuffle draws Jarga’s attention. He
the lizardmen attack. orders his ten soldiers at the fort to attack the intruders,
* The PCs might try to convince the lizardmen that they then uses his cloak of elvenkind to become 98% invisible and
are affiliates of the Red Cabal rather than the Celestial chooses an appropriate target (such as a spellcaster) before
Order. Discerning the minor differences between humans joining the fray. Go to “Aftermath” when the PCs have fin-
is beyond Garrar’s capability, so he asks the party to ished fighting lizardmen, or to “Port Hope” if they go
accompany him to his commander, Jarga. Four of the peacefully,
lizardmen serve as an armed escort for the PCs if they
accede to this request (see “Armed Escort”).
Aftermath
If the lizardmen decide to attack the party, Garrar (or The PCs may interrogate any lizardmen they have cap-
another if he is dead) mans the mounted crossbow, which tured alive. Such prisoners are unwilling to talk, but bribes
serves as 25% cover (giving the operator a -2 Armor Class or threats may persuade them to do so-assuming the lan-
bonus). The others split into pairs and run behind large guage barrier does not prohibit communication altogether.
rocks, which provide them with 50% cover (-4 Armor Class These lizardmen know the following:
bonus). The lizardmen use crossbows as long as possible,
switching to longswords when PCs close with them. If seri- l Thev work for the Red Cabal at the behest of their new
ously threatened (half or more of their number wounded to king, Aargaz.
3 hp or less), the sentries run down the hill to the Fort Hope l Their employers taught them how to approach a target
ruins where their compatriots are, bellowing warnings all invisibly, which is how their companions took the fort by
the way. If the characters try to run past their attackers, the surprise. Except for Jarga, they cannot turn invisible by _
lizardmen pursue with longswords. themselves; one of the men in the red robes must do that
Any armed conflict on the hilltop alerts the eleven for them.
lizardmen at the fort (see “Reinforcements”).
They know nothing of Barillus, Venon, Archeal, or
Garrar, lizardman: AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+1; hp 9; Archeal’s wand. Go to “Fort Hope” when the characters
THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (dagger, heavy crossbow, or
decide to investigate the ruins.
longsword), Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6 or ld4 or ld4+1 or ld8; SZ M (7’ tall);
ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; XP 65.
Special Equipment: “Ballista” (heavy crossbow mounted on a pole;
fires one quarrel every round for Dmg 2d6 to a range of 32”), heavy
Fort Hope
crossbow (wood-and-bone construction; designed to fire underwater Read or paraphrase the following to the players when the
without penalty), quiver with twenty heavy quarrels. characters enter Fort Hope:
Lizardmen (8): AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+1; hp 9;
THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (dagger, heavy crossbow, or The remnants of Fort Hope smolder before you. A few
longsword), Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6 or ld4 or ld4+1 or ld8; SZ M (7’ tall); charred support beams of the wooden building still stand,
ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; Xl’ 65 each.
Special Equipment: quarrels (quiver of 10).
but the roof and upper floors are gone. Scattered around
the tower and the surrounding grounds are hundreds of
bodies-both humans and lizardmen.
Reinforcements
Jarga, leader of this lizardman occupational force, hears
any combat occurring on the hill. After ordering his troops
Approaches
to find cover and wait to ambush any intruders, he investi- Fort Hope has been burned to the ground. The group of
gates the disturbance, using his cloak of elvenkind to become lizardmen scavenging the ruins is an occupational force led
98% invisible. Jarga arrives at the bottom of the hill after by Jarga, a commander of some repute. He has ten lizard-
three rounds of combat have occurred there to assess the men with him in the ruins, plus the nine stationed at the
situation. His tactics thereafter depend on what he finds: sentry post atop the hill (unless the characters have already
dispatched these).
l If his sentries are already dead, he allows the PCs to pass What happens when the PCs enter Fort Hope depends
him on their way to the fort, then follows behind, still on how they approach:
9
 state their business. He wears Archeal’s cloak of elvenkind,
which bears the pattern of celestial bodies common to the
mages of the Order. Jarga speaks fluent Common, but
prefers that his enemies underestimate his intelligence, so
he affects broken Common as long as that is convenient.
Read or paraphrase the following to the players:

The tall lizardman clad in what could only be a fragment

of Archeal’s garb eyes you coldly, longsword in hand.
Behind him, his troops stand ready to attack, with the cold
gleam of avarice lighting their reptilian eyes. “I be
Jaaargaaaaa,” hisses the imposing figure before you.
“What want you here, intruderssssssss? Perhapsss you
want to ssservvve ussss like the fleshy wormsssss you be?”

Jarga says little more than this until he has made a decision
about these intruders. He is not likely to believe that the
PCs have come to trade, nor can they bamboozle him into
thinking they are Cabal members-ven if they are espe-
cially convincing. Though he may be persuaded that such a
heavily armed party is headed for Kayleigh’s Folly, he will
not allow those who discover his lizardmen in the fort to
leave unless presented with a suitable bribe. In his case,
only a powerful magic item would be acceptable. If such is
not forthcoming, he orders his men to attack, intending to
capture or slay the party. (See “Lizardman Strategy.“)

Lizardman Strategy
If combat occurs within the fort, the lizardmen attempt to
surround the party and fire missiles (crossbow bolts,
spears, or javelins) while staying out of the characters’
reach. Though the fort is in ruins, there are toppled stones
l If the player characters have managed to avoid combat and beams that can provide 25% to 50% cover for combat-
with the sentries and approach stealthily, they see eleven ants on both sides, and the lizardmen take full advantage
lizardmen (one wearing a cloak covered with celestial of this.
designs) gathering loot from the dead bodies. They can Though most of the lizardmen are unimaginative fight-
approach them openly and in peace, perhaps using one ers, Jarga is not. At the earliest opportunity, he uses
of the stories noted in the “Negotiations” section (see Archeal’s cloak to turn nearly invisible and try to attack
“Parley” for results). from behind, targeting a spellcaster if possible. (Note that
l If the PCs have come under armed escort, ten of the all the lizardmen are well-trained in fighting while invisi-
lizardmen stand ready to fight, and Jarga approaches the ble, so they may be able to keep track of Jarga even while
group to assess the situation (see “Parley”). he is using the cloak.)
l If the lizardmen are waiting here in ambush, all ten leap In addition, as the fort is on the river’s edge, the lizard-
out and attack with longswords, hoping to surprise the men can use the water to their advantage. At any time, a
party (14 chance). After the surprise round (if applica- lizardman may leap into the water and surface at a new
ble), see “Lizardman Strategy” position, or lurk just underwater until he can reach out and
l If the PCs have managed to slay all twenty lizardmen grab a character’s leg. (Treat this as a wrestling attack. If
from both locations, they can explore the rums freely (see successful, the lizardman drags his victim underwater.)
“Exploration”). The lizardman troops will fight to the death unless their
leader calls for surrender. Jarga himself will not fight to the
Hundreds of bodies, both lizardman and human, lie within death, but neither will he betray his fellow lizardmen if he
the charred wreckage. Jarga’s troops have been busy gath- can avoid it. He calls for an escape to the water if his men
ering any personal treasures and weapons they can salvage seem to be losing the fight. At his bidding, all the lizard-
from the casualties of both sides. Jarga himself is wearing men dive into the river and swim for their lives toward the
one of the few magic items left from the battle: Archeal’s swamp. (The PCs may be able to pursue if they can match
cloak of elvenkind. It is black and festooned with stars and the lizardmen’s swimming speed.) If all else fails, Jarga
other heavenly bodies-like the raiment worn by the high- uses the cloak to turn himself nearly invisible and swim
est mages of the Celestial Order. downstream as fast as possible. If Jarga runs, several of the
other lizardmen will be inclined to surrender, as they are
Parley fearful of the wrath of King Aargaz should they return
home without a victory.
If the PCs arrive in the company of the sentries from the
hilltop, or even under their own power, Jarga separates
himself from the group and eyes them warily until they
10
 Jarga, male lizardman war leader: AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12;
Aftermath HD 6; hp 22; THACO 15; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (dagger, heavy
crossbow, or longsword), Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6 or ld4 or ld4+1 or ld8;
If Jarga and his forces capture the PCs (or if they surrender SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; XP 270.
to him), he instructs his men to ready themselves for Special Equipment: cloak of elvenkind, kelp-based potion of healing
departure. The lizardmen eat any horses the player charac- (heals ld8+2 hp for a lizardman, aquatic elf, or other gilled creature;
ters have brought. Jarga then escorts the intruders to the heals ld4 hp for a human or other land-based creature, but also causes
lair as his prisoners, ensuring that each PC has at least one nausea for 10 rounds prior to taking effect), quarrels (quiver of 10).
guard at all times. Adjudicate any escape attempts normal-
Lizardmen (10): AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+1; hp 9;
ly, using the tactics described in “Lizardman Strategy” as THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (dagger, heavy crossbow, or
appropriate for combat. If the characters do not escape, longsword), Dmg 162/162/1d6 or ld4 or ld4+1 or 1d8; SZ M (7’ tall);
they arrive in the swamp lair under guard five days later. ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; XP 65 each.
Go to “The Lizard Kingdom.” Special Equipment: quarrels (quiver of 10).
If the PCs emerge victorious, they can interrogate any
surviving lizardmen, including Jarga. All of them are unco-
operative about answering questions, but appropriate
Exploration
bribes or threats loosen their tongues. They know that their There is little left to see here save for carnage. Most of the
victorious invasion force brought Archeal back to the important salvageable items were taken to either Mount
swamp lair along with some prisoners, though they are not Antloch or the lizardmen’s lair in the swamp immediately
sure whether the “big wizard” was dead or merely uncon- after the battle. The lizardman salvage crew has managed
scious at the time. Jarga took Archeal’s cloak and soon dis- to gather only a bit of money and some usable weapons.
covered its magical properties. None of the lizardmen There is no sign of Archeal or his wand,
know who Barillus and Venon are, though Jarga did see
what appeared to be a couple of other mages battling
Archeal before the latter fell. Should the PCs ask any ques- The Boy Fisherman
tions about the lair or the lizardman king, they discover Regis Polter, a precocious twelve-year-old lad from
that these soldiers have serious doubts about King Aargaz Kayleigh’s Folly, sneaked out of bed a few nights ago,
and his motives. Go to “Swamp Guides” when the charac- packed some food, stole his parents’ boat, and rowed to
ters have finished at Fort Hope. Fort Hope in hopes of convincing a few soldiers to play
cards with him. Finding a battle in progress, the boy hid
Swamp Guides his boat and watched, too frightened to show himself. He
witnessed the battle and most of what has transpired since,
Any live lizardmen whom the PCs have captured are including the party’s arrival.
uncooperative prisoners at best. If the PCs want them to Ten minutes after the commotion stops at the fort, the
serve as guides to the lair, they flatly refuse unless the boy inches his tiny rowboat out of the rushes along the
characters agree to kill their king. (Even Jarga, who alone bank and moves in for a closer look. (He fears the lizard-
among his unit is happy under Aargaz’s rule, realizes that men terribly now, having witnessed their attack on Fort
defeat means death at the hands of his leader. Therefore, Hope.) If the PCs seem to be negotiating with the lizard-
he decides that his fate would be better if the PCs kill men, he tries to follow the group, but does not make con-
King Aargaz.) If the characters do not agree to this pro- tact. However, if the PCs have routed the lizardmen com-
posal, they can still coerce the lizardmen to serve as pletely, Regis approaches triumphantly. Read or paraphrase
guides with appropriate threats. (Coerced guides, howev- the following to the players if Regis approaches them:
er, will do their best to lead the party into traps and dan-
gerous situations along the way.) If the PCs agree to kill
the king, even Jarga becomes cooperative, though he “Hail, fellow adventurers!” cries a childish voice from the
requests that they promise to kill only the king and no direction of the river. From the rushes along the bank steps
other lizardmen, a mop-topped lad no more than thirteen years of age. He
The lizardmen have been gathering the arms, armor, waves a crude bludgeon in the air and smiles broadly,
and personal treasure of both the slain defenders and their though his face reflects what could be relief as well.
fallen companions to take back home. They have piled the “Humans have nothing to fear from armies of lizardmen
weapons (predominantly spears, hammers, longbows, and while great fighters like you and I are here!” he shouts.
daggers), shields, studded leather armor, and chainmail
into small, unorganized heaps. Among the piles are numer- If the PCs welcome Regis, he approaches confidently,
ous pouches containing 4-11 gp, 2-10 sp, and 3-30 cp each. boasting of his exploits in battle. If not, he returns to his
There are literally hundreds of items and money pouches boat and sets off for home.
here-so many that it would take the PCs days to sort Though Regis had no part in the Battle of Fort Hope, he
through it all. The lizardmen had not yet even finished swears he was in the thick of the fighting, alongside his
their gruesome task, so many of the bodies are still friends the soldiers. Although that isn’t true, the boy did
armored and in possession of their treasure. see the battle, and he can answer some of the PCs’ ques-
Each lizardman carries 6 gp, 10 sp, and 20 cp. Jarga car- tions about it. Regis knows the following:
ries 13 gp, 20 sp, and 12 cp in a watertight belt pouch.
Go to “The Boy Fisherman” if the characters do not l The lizardmen attacked from “not being there.” (He is
acquire a lizardman guide for the swamps. If they do have not familiar with the term “invisible.“)
a guide and want to visit the swamp next, go to “The l He didn’t see any Cabal wizards, but he was amazed at
Swamp.” how fast the lizardmen took the fort.
* Several of the attackers exploded in fireballs, and he
cheered each one.
11
l After the battle, the lizardmen torched the fort and took If the PCs accompany Regis home, go to “Doing
boatloads of prisoners downstream. Business in Kayleigh’s Folly: Area 6.” If desired, the party
l He saw the lizardmen carry someone in a star-covered can make arrangements in town for the proper interment
robe onto one of their boats, of the human remains at the fort before proceeding to the
swamps. (Jamal can manage this for them if they request
Regis does not know where the lizardman lair is, if such it.) Neither Regis nor Jamal will accompany the group to
exists, but he assumes that someone in town must know. He the swamp under any circumstances, If the characters set
would be happy to accompany the characters back to out for the swamp directly from Fort Hope (without stop-
Kayleigh’s Folly, even offering to take up to two of them in ping in town), go to “The River Trail.” If they strike out for
his boat if they wish. However, he does his very best to Mount Antloch from Fort Hope, go to “Journey to the
maneuver the PCs into going to his parents’ house and Mount.”
vouching for his activities. (He knows he is in for a beating
from his father for running away, but thinks that coming Regis Pelter, male human child: AC 10, MV 12 (unencumbered);
home as the recognized sidekick of a group of heroes would hp 3, THACO 20; #AT 1 (club); Dmg ld6; SZ M; (5’4” tall);
ML unsteady (7); Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 9; AL CN;
do much to reduce his punishment.) XI? Nil.
If the PCs accompany Regis, he chatters happily about
life in Kayleigh’s Folly. He doesn’t know much about the
treaty with the lizardmen, but has no qualms about making
something up if he thinks the PCs are interested in that The River Trail
topic. The soldiers from Fort Hope frequented the town’s It takes two hours for a mounted party to get to the swamp
business establishments, and he became acquainted with from Fort Hope, and four hours for an unmounted party.
several of them. This was not the first time that Regis had The PCs have no encounters along the way. Go to “The
made a midnight visit to the fort for a card game. Swamp.”
Regis knows most of the people in town by both name
and reputation, but he is just “Old Man Polter’s boy” to
them. His dad, a crotchety barger in his late sixties, is a The Swamp
cruel disciplinarian. He lives with his third wife (Regis’s The swamp is not a hospitable place, as anyone can tell at a
mother), a young woman who mollycoddles their preco- glance. Cattails and sedgegrass abound, as do mosquitoes,
cious son, Regis runs away often, and nearly everyone in leeches, and all manner of biting, stinging insects.
Kayleigh’s Folly has taken him home at least once. After Alligators sun themselves on the banks, sliding into the
witnessing this battle, however, Regis wants nothing more water to follow any potential prey that passes, The sub-
than to go home. merged rocks and snags in the shallow waterways are
enough to keep even an alert barger busy.
The PCs may come here alone, or they may approach
the swamp with any of several guides (friendly or hostile
lizardmen, or even a hired human from Kayleigh’s Folly).
It takes the characters five uncomfortable hours to reach
the lizardmen’s lair by barge or swampboat, or ten hours
on foot. Flying characters have no chance of spotting the
lizardmen’s lair from the air, as the overhanging branches
of the ancient trees shield it from view.
The party faces a different swamp hazard depending
upon its mode of travel:

l Walking/Swimming: If the PCs are traversing the

swamp on foot, either alone or with a hostile guide, they
are vulnerable to bites from a wide variety of disease-
carrying insects. Each character must make a successful
Constitution check every hour or contract swamp fever.
Those so afflicted become queasy after a number of turns
equal to their Constitution scores. Thereafter, each infect-
ed character must make a successful Constitution check
each turn to avoid collapsing until a cure disease spell is
applied. If a hired guide or friendly lizardman is with the
party, he or she gives the characters a pot of foul-
smelling grease with which to smear themselves before
entering the swamp; this prevents the insects from biting.
l Barge or Swampboat: If the characters are traveling by
boat, either alone or with a hostile guide, there is a 50%
chance each hour that the boat strikes a submerged rock
and becomes disabled, unless at least one PC is actively
checking ahead for underwater hazards at all times.
Both friendly lizardmen and the hired guides from
Kayleigh’s Folly automatically do this, negating the haz-
ard potential.

12
 apologize afterward for not seeing the danger.
Swamp Encounters l If the PCs have hired a human guide from Kayleigh’s
In addition to the hazards noted previously, the player Folly, they experience only Encounters 1 and 3 on the
characters may have various encounters while searching Swamp Encounters List until they reach a point one mile
the swamp for the lizardmen’s lair. These encounters vary from the lizardmen’s lair. The guide stops there and
according to what (if any) companions they have along, as directs the characters into the bogs, waiting patiently for
follows: their return if so contracted. The party members have
one additional encounter from the list (DM’s choice) dur-
l If the PCs are traveling alone and without a map, they ing the last leg of their journey. They do not, however,
quickly become lost, wandering the swamps for an extra have a chance to become lost.
five hours (over and above the time required for their l If the characters have charmed someone (human or lizard-
mode of travel) before stumbling upon the lizardman man) into serving as a guide, they experience Encounters 1
colonv. Thev have all the encounters from the Swamp and 3 on the Swamp Encounters List because the charm has
Encounters List, in order, one every two hours. a deleterious effect on the guide’s ability to spot danger.
l A group with one or more friendly (but not charmed)
lizardmen as guides experiences only Encounter 1 on the When the PCs reach to the lizardman lair, go to “The
Swamp Encounters List because of the guides’ expertise Lizard Kingdom.”
in navigating the swamps safely.
If the characters have come here with lizardmen who
l

want to see them killed but cannot manage it themselves, The Lizard Kingdom
they have Encounters 1,3, and 4 on the Swamp Several months ago, the assassination of old King Daar
Encounters List, in that order. In each case, the guides threw this relatively stable and peaceful lizardman tribe

Swamp Encounters List stopped it by one method or another, they crawl aboard
and attack anyone (human or lizardman) still inside it.
Any or all of the following encounters may occur while the The alligators follow the boat until three of their number
player characters search the swamp for the lair of the lizard- are dead.
men. See “‘Swamp Encounters” for details on which encoun-
ters occur under the party’s particular cimumstances. Alligators (5): AC 5; MV 6, swim 12; H D 3; hp 15,13,12,12,10;
THACO 17; #AT 2 [bite and tail lash); Dmg 2d4 and ldl2; SA sur-
prise; SZ L (10’ long); ML average (9); Int animal(1); AL N;
1. Mosquitoes! A mosquito swarm descends on the party. XP 65 each.
The PCs can hear it coming 1 round before it hits, but Special Abilities: SA-surprise (-2 penalty to opponent’s surprise
lizardmen hear it 4 rounds ahead of time because of their roll).
familiarity with swamp sounds. Hostile lizardman guides
do not aid the PCs with avoiding the insects; they merely 3. Snake Attack, Two asps slide off a tree branch onto
remark that beings with such soft hides should stay out non-reptilian characters (determine their targets random-
of swamps. (The insects cannot bite lizardmen because of ly), surprising on l-4. They bite immediately.
their scaly hides.) Guides of an type who are well-dis-
posed toward the party (hired humans, friendly lizard- Asps (2): AC 6; MV 15; HD 2+1; hp 7,4; THACO 19; #AT 1 (bite);
Dmg 1; SA poison; SZ S (4’ long); ML average (8); Int animal (1);
men, or even charmed lizardmen) throw blankets to the AL N; XP 175 each.
PCs if they are aboard a boat and tell them to cover up, or Special Abilities: SA-poisonous bite (victim must save vs. poison
shout for them to submerge if they are walking or swim- or suffer 3d4 points of damage after ld6 rounds).
ming. Those who do so avoid all mosquito bites, but can-
not fight or cast spells. Human guides aboard a swamp- 4. Lizardman Watch Party. The lizardman colony always
boat next light a fire in a cauldron and use a blanket to has a six-member watch party patrolling the area. These
direct its smoke at the swarm, driving it off in ld4 sentries are very quiet, surprising on l-3. All of them use
rounds. (Lizardmen use fire only rarely, so this is not a longbows to attack , staying at the far end of medium
tactic that occurs to them.) Any PC who dives underwa- range. They have 50% cover (-4 bonus to AC) at all times
ter to avoid the bugs must make a successful Constitution unless a character manages to close with one. The watch
check, as described in “The Swamp: Walking/Swimming.” party follows the PCs for ld4+1 rounds, peppering any
Exposed characters suffer 10dl0 mosquito bites during visible targets with arrows. (If the player characters have
the swarm’s attack. This causes a total of only ld4 points hostile lizardmen along, the latter have led them into this
of damage, but is extremely uncomfortable and requires a encounter purposely and will join the attack as soon as
Constitution check for every ten bites suffered. Failure firing commences.) The watch party will not report this
indicates that the victim has contracted swamp fever (see encounter to anyone in the colony-its members do not
“The swamp: Walking/Swimming"). want to let the king know that humans are wandering the
swamps, for fear he will mount an all-out offensive. They
2 Alligator Alert. Five alligators are sunning themselves just want the invaders to leave.
on rocks near the water’s edge. They slide into the water
to attack anythin passing. If the characters are in a boat, Lizardmen (6): AC 5; MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+l; hp 9 each;
THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/&w/bite) or 2 (longbow); Dmg ld2/
the alligators buffet the vessel with their heads, trying to ld2/ld6 or ld6/ld6; SA surprise; SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12);
drive it against a rock or onto the bank. Each round, there Int Iow (7); AL N; XP 65 each.
is a 5% chance er attacking alligator that the creatures Special Equipment: arrows (quiver of 10).
succeed in disabling or beaching the boat. Once they have Special Abilities: SA-surprise on l-3.

13
into chaos. The killer, a foreign lizard king named Aargaz, the colony outright. Any friendly lizardmen accompa-
seized the throne and instituted a reign of terror such as nying the party try to dissuade the group from attack-
the colony had never seen, He demanded human sacrifices, ing their friends and families. Hostile lizardman guides
and when his subjects objected, Aargaz slew some of them turn on the group as soon as armed conflict begins. The
in response. The terror Aargaz has inflicted upon these lizardman sentry party on duty mounts a credible
lizardmen through such tactics has bent many of them to defense while raising the general alarm, This brings
his will. Trade with Kayleigh’s Folly has stopped, and all sixty combat-ready lizardmen to the scene over the
lizardmen have orders to capture any humans they find for course of 3 rounds. Seeing the characters as invaders
sacrifice. threatening their colony, these lizardmen attack with
Aargaz’s subjects have been less than enthusiastic so far intent to kill unless the PCs manage to communicate
about hunting humans outside the swamps, so captures other intentions during the battle. If they do so, the
have been few. Unhappy with the number of potential sac- lizardman soldiers change tactics and attempt to take
rifices he has acquired so far, the new king recently the party into custody, delivering them to the prisoners’
demanded war on humans-any humans. cage (see “Colony Detail: Area 4”) if successful.
When word of this situation spread to the Red Cabal, its Should the characters somehow manage to defeat the
leaders recruited Aargaz and his followers to attack Fort entire military contingent, the remaining lizardmen flee
Hope, promising them all the survivors as sacrifices. An the area, abandoning their homes and the prisoners.
outcry went up among the older lizardmen, who felt there Aargaz and Haggaal emerge to face the party; they fight
was no reason to become involved in a human war. But to the death.
when Aargaz sacrificed the most vocal objectors as war l Approach with Hostile Lizardmen. If the characters
offerings, all opposition to his plan ceased. The Cabal wiz- come here in the company of lizardmen who want them
ards then instructed the king’s subjects in how to move killed, their guides seize an opportune moment to rebel
and attack while invisible. The lizardmen stormed Fort and call for help. One watch party arrives the first round;
Hope under a muss invisibility spell and emerged victori- the other the second. If these sentry parties find the PCs
ous, but at a very high cost-about a third of the colony’s too tough, they raise the general alarm, bringing sixty
population died in battle. Now the remaining residents combat-ready lizardmen into the fray over the next three
have serious doubts that Aargaz’s rule will leave any rounds.
lizardman alive, Still, none are willing to challenge him. All * Approach with Friendly Lizardmen, If the PCs have
the leaders of the old regime died in Aargaz’s takeover, friendly or charmed lizardmen as guides, they can negoti-
and no new leaders have emerged to date. ate various means of entry. Their guides can show them
Read or paraphrase the following to the players as the an entrance around the back of the colony if they want to
PCs approach the edge of the swamp: get to the lizard king without going through the entire
lair. If asked for advice on how to proceed, they recom-
mend against marching in and trying to gather allies
Before you lies an expanse of deep green vegetation. Small
against Aargaz, as the lizard king can easily rally the
waterways, little more than creeks, wend their way
lizardmen against rebels and invaders. Instead, they sug-
through the damp hillocks of land, disappearing into dark-
gest entry by swimming rather than walking for the sake
ness under the overhanging branches. Insects buzz lazily of stealth, offering the PCs their foul-smelling grease to
past, and occasionally something splashes in the nearly prevent insect attacks in the water (see “The Swamp:
still water Moss and vines hang from the tree branches, Walking/Swimming”). If the players come up with other
almost concealing the trunks from view, A fetid smell aris-
potentially feasible ideas for entry, adjudicate them
es from the murky swampwater.
appropriately.

Lizardmen Soldiers, male (72): AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12;

HD 2+1; hp 9 each; THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (dagger,
heavy crossbow, or longsword), Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6 or Id4 or ld4+1
How the PCs go about penetrating the lizardmen’s domain or ld8; SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; XP 65 each.
may depend in some measure upon how they got here. Special Equipment: heavy crossbow (designed to work underwater
Two six-member lizardman watch parties, identically without penalty), quarrels (quiver of 10).
armed, patrol the perimeter of the colony at all times.
Various possible approaches, with the lizardmen’s Rallying Support
response to each, are listed below.
As noted above, there is widespread discontent in the
l Neutral Approach (No Guides): If the PCs approach the lizardman camp over the events that have transpired since
colony on their own and request entry peacefully, one of Aargaz came to power, but fear of challenging him keeps
the lizardman watch parties attacks and tries to capture his subjects compliant with his policies, Few have the
them as sacrifices, These soldiers ignore any requests to courage to resist carrying out a direct order from the king,
speak with the king and do not accept bribes, for they and ten of them (the royal guards) are completely loyal to
know the king’s loyalists are probably watching them, Aargaz. (The royal guards spend most of their time either
ready to report any deviations from Aargaz’s orders. protecting the king’s person in his hut, or off-duty in their
They call for assistance if the characters prove too tough own quarters, so the PCs will not encounter them in a
for them, bringing the other watch party into the fray on covert negotiation attempt,)
the next round. If the lizardmen succeed in capturing the Unless told otherwise by friendly guides, the lizardmen
PCs, or if the latter surrender, their captors place them in of this colony view the presence of any PC in their lair as
the prisoners’ cage with the survivors of the Rattle of an invasion and attack to kill. (They have expected retalia-
Fort Hope to await sacrifice. See “Colony Detail: Area 4.” tion for their recent acquisitions of sacrificial victims for
* Frontal Assault. The characters may choose to attack some time now, and they assume that’s why the characters
14
are there.) The PCs may be able to change their minds by would simply kill a few dozen lizardmen to improve the
protesting their good intentions while defending them- vigilance of the others. Only a plan to challenge the king to
selves, but they would not do well to kill any lizardmen at fair combat has any chance of winning support.
all-even opponents in a fight-while trying to win their
way into the colony’s good graces. Challenging Aargaz
Should they succeed in getting the rank-and-file lizard-
men to talk with them, the best the PCs can hope to If the PCs strike an agreement with the lizardmen to chal-
achieve is the right to challenge Aargaz to individual com- lenge their king in return for the tribe’s cooperation, the
bat without interference. So great is the colony’s fear of lizardmen form a cordon around the characters to mask
Aargaz that the residents agree to let the PCs challenge him their presence from onlookers and escort them to Haggaal’s
only if convinced that they stand a better-than-average hut. There, they convince the shaman to deliver the party’s
chance of killing him. Tales of the party’s battle prowess challenge to Aargaz. The characters may also approach
from friendly guides are sufficient; otherwise they request Haggaal independently if they can sneak into the encamp-
a test fight between one PC and one lizardman. If the char- ment and identify the correct hut without arousing suspi-
acter wins handily but does not kill his or her opponent, cion. In that case, Haggaal puts the same challenge propos-
the lizardmen are impressed enough to agree to the plan. If al to them and considers their qualifications in the same
the PCs kill any lizardmen here or do not wish to challenge manner that his people would.
the king, the lizardmen deny their support and request that If the challenge comes via Haggaal, the king agrees to
the party leave quietly No lizardmen-not even Jarga or fight up to three PCs simultaneously in the Kill Pool. If the
any of the other military subcommanders-are willing to characters try to challenge the lizard king themselves, he
stand with the PCs and fight Aargaz directly, though they does not accept, simply ordering his royal guards to attack
may agree to keep the fight fair by preventing Aargaz’s them.
loyalists from aiding him. Should the king accept the PCs’ challenge, go to “The
If the PCs describe Archeal, the lizardmen affirm that his Challenge Match.”
body arrived here after the Battle of Fort Hope. As best they
know, Aargaz has it in his hut as a war prize. The lizardmen The Challenge Match
will not support a PC plan to sneak into the king’s hut and
retrieve Archeal; in fact, they threaten to expose and capture All official challenges are resolved in the Kill Pool (see
the PCs if they insist on trying. They know what would “Colony Detail: Area 5”). The royal guard escorts the PCs
happen if such a plan were successful-the enraged king to the pool, where lizardmen have already begun to gather.

15 points--on an attack roll 5 or more greater than the score needed

Important Lizardmen to hit. In other hands it functions as a normal trident.)

Only two members of the colony are out of the ordi- Haggaal, the Shaman
nary-the king and the shaman. Neither of them appears The PCs may be able to gain an ally in Haggaal, the
unless there is a major disturbance; if the PCs have pene- shaman. He is slightly older than the average lizardman
trated the colony quietly, the two remain in their huts, and wears a blue-green hide kilt in honor of Semuanya,
unaware of the incursion. the lizardman god. A very forceful individual, Haggaal
commands the respect and admiration of the tribe-thus,
King Aargaz he is the only one capable of leading the colony if Aargaz
A hulking brute of a lizardman, Aargaz is also smarter dies. He has no particular aspirations toward leadership,
and tougher than his subjects. He has an amulet that pro- but he would not shirk it if the lizardmen became leader-
vides him with 20% magic resistance, plus a trident with less. Haggaal is still alive because of his clerical power
which he can inflict terrible damage on his enemies, (In and because he had the wisdom to welcome Aargaz as a
hands other than his, the weapon functions as a normal sending from Semuanya. (He knows this is not true, hav-
trident.) ing long ago determined Aargaz’s alignment, but pru-
Aargaz is extremely evil and quite arrogant. He will dence demanded that he preserve his own life so that he
accept any challenge (see “Colony Detail: Area 5”) as a could aid his people.)
matter of personal honor. But if he starts to lose, he aban- In the absence of other options, Haggaal accepts
dons the concept of a fair fight and commands his royal Aargaz’s authority, tending to the spiritual health of his
guards to intercede for him, which they do if Jarga or tribe and biding his time. If presented with a good chance
some other lizard soldier friendly to the party does not to free the tribe from Aargaz’s tyranny without additional
prevent it. Aargaz cares for nothing but himself and his lizardman losses, however, he will seize it. If the PCs
personal gratification, and he will sacrifice even his own have gained his confidence and cooperation, he will
guards to preserve himself or gain an advantage. demand a Kill Pool contest from Aargaz on their behalf,
then act as the judge.
Aargaz, male lizard king: AC 3; MV 9, swim 12; HD 8; hp 48;
THACO 13; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (trident); Dmg ld2/1d2/ld8 Haggaal, male lizardman C7: AC 5; MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+1;
or 3d6+2 (double damage or 15 points, whichever is greater, on an hp 15; THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (club);
attack roll 5 or more greater than the score needed to hit); MR 20%; Dmg 1d2/1d2/1d6; or ld6+1; SZ M (7’ tall); ML elite (14); Int aver-
SZ L (8’ tall); ML champion (16); Int average (10); AL CE; XP 975. age (8); AL N; XP 975.
Special Equipment: amulet (confers 20% magic resistance on the Spells Memorized (3/3/2/l): lst--cure light wounds, detect evil, pro-
wearer), trident. (in his hands only, this weapon inflicts 3d6+2 tection from evil; 2nd--augury, snake charm, speak with animals; 3rd--
points of damage on a Successful hit, or double damage--minimum dispel magic, prayer; 4th-tongues.

15
Any PCs not involved in the challenge must watch the Special Abilities: SA-poisonous bite (victim must save vs. poison or
suffer 3d4 points of damage after ld6 rounds).
fight from Haggaal’s side, under the observant eyes of a
full sentry party charged with ensuring that they do not
interfere. Of course, Aargaz feels free to break the Kill Pool Numbered locations on the colony map are defined below.
rules with impunity. If he thinks he’s losing, the king calls Unlabeled buildings are huts containing no furniture. Each
for his followers to dive in and aid him or rain arrows on hut does, however, have a few interior decorations (alliga-
the PCs. Haggaal counters by forbidding interference from tor teeth, bone tools, hides, and so forth) that serve to make
any lizardman--this prevents all save the royal guard from each dwelling unique.
obeying the king’s command. If any military subcomman-
ders (Jarga or others within the colony) are well-disposed 1. Totems. At each of these points is a totem-a large,
toward the characters, they forcibly prevent the royal X-shaped, wooden cross festooned with alligator hides.
guard from joining the fray. Otherwise, the PCs in the Kill Collectively, these structures define the boundaries of the
Pool must contend with the king and his guards. lizardmen’s lair. These are warning signs; those who ven-
If the PCs win and do not deliver the killing stroke to ture past them without escort are considered trespassers
Aargaz, one of the military commanders enters the pool and subject to attack by a guard patrol of six lizardmen
and does so. Go to “The King is Dead” from here. Should armed with longswords. The totems also have religious sig-
the king win, he orders any surviving characters and nificance, so the lizardmen are zealous about their upkeep.
Haggaal thrown into the bamboo cage for sacrifice that
very night. At this point, no lizardmen cooperate any fur- Lizardmen (6): AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+1; hp 9 each;
ther with the PCs; they must escape on their own or THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (longsword); Dmg
ld2/ld2/ld6 or ld8; SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N;
become sacrifices to the lizard god. XP 65 each.

Colony Detail 2. Altar to Semuanya. A stone altar stands in front of an

The lizardman colony currently consists of 132 noncombat- effigy of the lizardman god, Semuanya. The granite statue
ant males, 175 noncombatant females, 72 soldiers, 189 chil- is so crude that most casual observers cannot even identify
dren, 35 alligators, a few snakes, and 28 Fort Hope sur- the shape. The top of the altar bears many bloodstains-
vivors, plus King Aargaz and Haggaal. The lizardmen live some very recent.
with their families in crude huts made of sedgegrass and
cattails, situated on land that is about half solid ground 3. Haggaal’s Home. The shaman lives in a simple hut like
and half swampwater. Cross-shaped totems bedecked with most of the other lizardmen, but he has decorated the inte-
alligator hides surround the outer boundary of the colony. rior and exterior of his home with dozens of totems, idols,
The residents of the colony move freely about the interi- and hangings. If the PCs have an audience with Haggaal, it
or of the compound, but few approach the boundary occurs here.
defined by the ring of totems. There are two lizardman sen-
try parties on duty at all times, patrolling just outside the 4. Bamboo Cage. This crude cage constructed of swamp
boundary. bamboo holds the twenty-eight human survivors of the
Battle of Fort Hope. The lizardmen have not sacrificed any
Alligators (35): AC 5; MV 6, swim 12; HD 3; hp 12 each; of them yet, but they plan to begin the process in two days.
THACO 17; #AT 2 (bite and tail lash); Dmg 2d4 and ld12; SA surprise; (Haggaal has convinced Aargaz to delay until the signs are
SZ L (10’ long); ML average (9); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 65 each.
Special Abilities: SA-surprise (-2 penalty to opponent’s surprise right, but he cannot hold off the lizard king’s appetite for
roll). carnage too long.) A wooden bar secured with coiled vines
serves as a lock for the cage, and a sentry party of six
Lizardmen, male and female noncombatants (307): AC 5; MV 6, lizardmen stands guard.
swim 12; HD 2+1; hp 9 each; THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 All the prisoners are exhausted, unarmored, and-in
(club), Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6 or ld6; SZ M (78 tall); ML steady (12); Int about half the cases-wounded. Haggaal has allowed them
low (7); AL N; XP 65 each. to tend their wounds as best they could, but has not pro-
Lizardmen Soldiers, male (72): AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12; vided them with any first aid.
H D 2+1: hp 9 each; THACO 19: #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (dagger, If the lizardmen capture the PCs, they imprison them
heavy crossbow, or longsword), Dmg 1d2/1d2/ld6 or’ld4 or 1d4+1 here. If the characters appear to be powerful and capable,
or ld8; SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; Xl’ 65 each. however, the sentry party on guard approaches the cage
Special Equipment: heavy crossbow (designed to work underwater that same night, offering to free the PCs in exchange for
without penalty), quarrels (quiver of 10). their promise to kill the king. Go to “Rallying Support” if
Lizardmen, juvenile (189): AC 6; MV 6, swim 12; HD l+l; hp 5
they agree.
each; THACO 20; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite), Dmg ld2/ld2/ld3; SZ M
(7’ tall); ML unsteady (5); Int low (7); AL N; XP 25 each. Lizardmen (6): AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+1; hp 9 each;
THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (longsword); Dmg
Lizardman subleaders, male (4): AC 5; MV 6, swim 12; HD 4; ld2/ld2/ld6 or ld8; SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N;
Xl? 65 each.
hp 17 each; THACO 17; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (longsword);
Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6 or ld8; SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12); Int low (7);
AL N; XP 120 each.
5. The Kill Pool. This 5-foot-deep swampwater pool in the
Asps (4): AC 6; MV 15; HD 2+1; hp 5 each; THACO 19; #AT 1 (bite); center of the colony is where all official challenges and
Dmg 1; SA poison; SZ S (4’ long); ML average (8); Int animal (1); important meetings take place. Custom dictates that all
AL N; XI’ 175 each. able-bodied members of the colony witness the event from
the sides of the pool, but no one save the combatants may
actually enter.
17
 6. Aargaz's Compound. This is the former hut of Old King “Colony Detail: Area 6”). Though the wizard’s corpse is
Daar. A wall built of small rocks surrounds it on three quite the worse for wear, it is obvious that neither a trident
sides, leaving only the main entrance open. Ringing the hut thrust nor rending by claws was the cause of Archeal’s
are six of the ten royal lizardman guards. (The remaining death. Venon’s dart is gone, but a search reveals the tiny
four are inside their own huts, asleep.) hole it made in his neck. If the PCs have the means to detect
Within the hut are King Aargaz (if still alive), four terri- poison, they find traces of it around the wound. Archeal’s
fied female lizardmen, and Archeal’s body, as well as wand is nowhere to be found, and no lizardman remembers
Aargaz’s personal possessions (hides of swamp animals, a seeing anything like it.
sapphire worth 500 gp, and 350 gp in assorted coins). The PCs may also release the human prisoners, tend their
Aargaz has mounted the wizard’s corpse, still clad in the wounds, and take them along when they leave. The colony’s
robes of the Celestial Order, on his wall as a prize of war, new leader provides the PCs with barges and willing guides
even though he did not kill him. to take the prisoners back to Kayleigh’s Folly But the leader
will not agree to commit his people to battle on behalf of the
Lizardmen, female (307): AC 5; MV 6, swim 12; HD 2+1; hp 7 each; Order, or anyone else. His war-weary tribe needs to rest, and
THACO 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite); Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6; SZ M (7’ tall); talk of allegiances can wait for another day
ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; XP 65 each.
If the PCs want to drop off the ex-prisoners at
Lizardman royal guards (10): AC 4 (shield); MV 6, swim 12; HD 6; Kayleigh’s Folly, go to “Delivering Archeal’s Body”
hp 22 each; THACO 15; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite) or 1 (dagger, heavy Otherwise, go to “Part 2: The Mountain Passage.”
crossbow, or longsword); Dmg ld2/ld2/ld6 or 1d4 or ld4+1 or ld8;
SZ M (7’ tall); ML steady (12); Int low (7); AL N; XP 270.

The King is Dead art 2:

If the PCs defeat the lizard king by any means, the tribe
hails them as liberators. Haggaal, if he is alive, assumes
control of the colony; otherwise Jarga or another subcom- When the PCs are ready to proceed to Mount Antloch, they
mander takes over, Haggaal knows a new king will appear must journey up the Castellon River to the mountains.
someday, but will maintain the status quo until that time. Unless they can find the secret passage of which Ezakion
The shaman intends to reaffirm the trade agreement with spoke, they have little hope of locating the Cabal’s secret
Kayleigh’s Folly at the earliest opportunity as well. lair unless they have access to find the path or similar magic.
The PCs may enter Aargaz’s compound and take any- Read or paraphrase the following information to the
thing they wish from it. Archeal’s body is there (see players when they begin their journey along the Castellon:

18
 Far in the distance, you can see the mountains rising to The golden-furred rodents are army lemmings. More
meet the sky. Order intelligence indicates that Mount than six thousand of them live in and around this hill. Any
Antloch, the second-highest of those peaks, harbors a secret noise other than birdsong or the soothing voice of Theolyn
Cabal outpost, It is there that the search for Archeal’s wand spooks these highly nervous creatures, who immediately
must continue. Ezakion said a frontal attack on the enemy charge the source of the disturbance en masse. The sound of
stronghold would be too risky and would give the Cabal hoofbeats, the scraping of the boat against the dock, or just
time to destroy the item for which you seek. Therefore, you conversation between party members is sufficient to start a
must find the secret passage that he says lies somewhere charge.
underneath the mountains. This action amounts to a single attack against the source
The silvery Castellon River winds its way between the of the disturbance. The moment an unfamiliar sound reach-
mountains and the swamp. You know the river heads east es their ears, the creatures burst from cover en masse and
for several miles, turning in and out of gradually higher race pell-mell toward the offending sound, Their target
hills. Then it veers north, away from Mount Antloch. always gains initiative, but must make a successful saving
throw vs. death or be rooted to the spot in terror. The crea-
tures’ razor-sharp claws tear up earth, vegetation, animal
The PCs can travel on the Castellon by river barge (see life, structures, and anything else unfortunate enough to be
“Kayleigh’s Folly: The Docks”) or move along the trail by in their path. Army lemmings do not bite upon reaching
the water’s edge on foot or horseback. No encounters occur their target; they simply trample it and continue on past it
during the eastbound leg of the party’s journey, in a straight line. Thereafter, they run until exhausted or
until they reach water. (A good dousing brings them back
The Bend in the River to whatever senses they have and stops the charge,)
Though not suicidal by intent, charging army lemmings
The trip from Kayleigh’s Folly to the bend in the Castelion ignore the presence of any hazards.
takes one and a half days of travel by boat or on horseback, Read or paraphrase the following to the players if the
or two and a half days on foot. If the player characters PCs disturb the lemmings:
have been traveling by river barge, they must disembark
here to continue toward the mountains, and the Castellon
turns abruptly north, From the hillside arises an anxious chittering sound, which
At the bend in the river lives an elderly gray elf named shortly becomes a deafening roar. The ground shakes
Theolyn Theobourn. Once a member of the Celestial Order, beneath your feet as hundreds of golden-furred rodents
he left some years ago to pursue his true interest-breeding burst forth from the ground and race toward you, their tiny
new kinds of animals. Theolyn has recently been experi- red eyes fixed in deadly purpose. Dirt flies everywhere as
menting with the local rodent population and has created an they charge down the hill, a relentless wave of destruction.
unusual strain. These rodents, which Theolyn has named Sunlight glints off huge metallic claws on the feet of those
army lemmings, are unusually nervous and prone to using in the forefront of the charge.
their special attack form-a wild charge-against anything
that disturbs them, Each character in the party must make a successful saving
Read or paraphrase the following to the players when throw vs. death magic or be rooted to the spot in fear, los-
the PCs reach the bend in the river: ing his or her action for this round. Success indicates that
the character can stand and attack, dive into the river, or
You have followed the gently-flowing Castellon through take some other evasive action, as desired.
grasslands and around ever-rising hills toward the moun- If the party is on the same side of the river as the lem-
tains that are your goal. Now you have reached the snot mings, any characters who fail to evade them suffer the full
where the river bends north, forcing you to leave its sil- brunt of their attack as the creatures trample them and con-
very waters behind as you proceed overland toward tinue on into the water. If the party is on the opposite bank,
the lemmings’ charge takes them into the river first, which
-

Mount Antloch.
Just at the bend of the river is a large hill, atop which breaks up the charge before it reaches the PCs. The incident
sits a small, cozy-looking house. Birds sing in the trees also destroys the dock. Once the charge is over, the lem-
near the house, and multicolored flowers surround the mings climb out of the water, chittering, and return at a
path leading to its door. The lower portion of the hill has normal pace to their holes in the ground.
little vegetation, however. The ravaged ground is packed
Army lemmings (6,321): AC 9; MV 12; HD 1-1; hp 2; #AT 0; Dmg 0;
down hard in some places and churned up as though by SA fear, group attack; SZ S (6”); ML unreliable (2); Int animal (1); AL N;
some armed conflict in others. A few golden-furred XP 5 each.
rodents peek out of holes in the ground, their tinv red eyes Special Abilities: SA-fear (those witnessing a charge must save vs.
marking your every move. A dock stretches out into the death magic or lose an action), group attack (a charging herd attacks
water from the bank nearest the house, and a small row- once as a 15 HD creature vs. each target in its path for 8d6 points of
damage).
boat bobs beside it.

The rowboat belongs to Theolyn. Anyone examining the Army Lemming Research Station
dock can see that it has suffered some terrible damage. The Once the attack of the lemmings is over, Theolyn comes out
supports are intact, but there are gaping holes in the boards to assess the situation. Read or paraphrase the following to
along the top, and several of the planks are split. It will the players:
hold the weight of one human-sized individual, but no
more. If the PCs have come here by river barge, they can tie
up their boat here in preparation for continuing overland.
19
 table, and in the corner is an unmade bed with a single
wooden chair beside it. Theolyn’s clothes, hopelessly out of
elven fashion, are piled near the bed.
Though nothing fascinates Theolyn so much as his army
lemmings, he is rather lonely and willing to converse at
length with his guests on any topic that interests them, The
PCs can obtain the following information from him. He
begins with the first two points and continues on the sub-
ject of army lemmings indefinitely unless diverted. The
characters must steer the conversation with questions to
obtain any of the other information on the list.
* “Theolyn Theobourn, at your service. I’m a sage special-
izing in breeding and development of unusual creatures.
And who might you be?”
* “Yes, I bred those lovely little creatures out there. I call
them Rodentae Theolynia Rabie, or army lemmings for
short. Aren’t they amazing? They can destroy houses,
farms--anything in their path. I’m so sorry you had to
find that out the hard way, so to speak, but any noise
with which they’re unfamiliar spooks them and starts a
charge. It’s all the inbreeding I had to do to develop their
claws, I expect-it made them incredibly nervous and
high-strung. I’ve been working on ways to harness their
digging ability for use in farming-why, no one would
need plows anymore! But I’m still in the early stages of
research on these creatures.”
l “I’ve lived here ten years. Before this I lived at the

Citadel of the Celestial Order-you’re not Red Cabal

people, are you? Such an unfortunate business, that feud.
You’d think such intelligent beings as mages could get
along. That’s why I finally left; I just couldn’t stand all
the intrigue and sneaking around anymore. No one was
As the destructive rodents return to their homes in the hill-
getting any magical research done unless it had to do
side, a green-robed elf emerges from the house on the hill,
parchment and pen in hand, He gazes at the creatures, the with defeating the Cabal. I much prefer working alone---
dock, and you, makes a few notes, then hides the pen and
1 can pursue my research in peace here. I do get lonely
paper in the folds of his robe. Motioning for you to
though-the lemmings pretty much prevent me from
approach, he calls out, “Come on up; it’s all over Soup’s
having visitors.”
l “I’ve never been to Mount Antloch, but I’ve run into
on, and it’s dry inside.”
The house is made of stone except for its door, which
Garth, the stone giant who guards the pass leading up
seems to be metal, Candlelight glows from unshuttered
there. He lives alone, with just some wolverines for pets,
windows. Vegetables grow in a garden on the west side of but he’s in the employ of the Cabal. He once tried to
the tiny building, and flowers line the walkway.
drive me off this hilltop-thought I was too close to his
masters, I guess. I shooed him away with a lightning bolt,
but not before I read his mind with the helm of telepathy I
True to his word, Theolyn has hot soup and warm blankets brought with me when I left the Order. Found out there’s
ready for the PCs if they take him up on his offer of hospitali- a secret passage that runs under Mount Antloch. It starts
ty. If they attack him, he defends himself as best he can until at the base of the first southern foothill.”
the lemmings charge again-which they will as soon as they
hear the sounds of battle. Because of his familiarity with Though he will certainly be as helpful with information as
these creatures, Theolyn does not have to make a saving he can, Theolyn will not accompany the PCs or allow them
throw vs. death magic to have a chance of avoiding the crea- to take any of his lemmings for an assault on Mount
tures. He immediately attempts to disengage himself from Antloch. He is quite busy with his research, and the lem-
any opponent and hide in his cellar (accessible through a mings do not take well to travel, as the slightest noise
trapdoor in the floor) when he hears them coming. From spooks them.
there, Theolyn watches from a peephole and waits for a The PCs are welcome to stay here as long as they wish.
chance to grow one of the army lemmings to massive pro- There is plenty of room on the floor in front of Theolyn’s
portions. He can control any one lemming via his helm, fireplace for them to sleep.
breaking its charge and directing it against the PCs. He does When the PCs are ready to continue their journey,
not wish to kill anyone--only to force any hostile invaders Theolyn bids them farewell and invites them to stop back
away from his home. on their return journey. Go to “Journey to the Mount.”
If the PCs accept Theolyn’s hospitality, he offers them
fresh vegetable soup, herbal tea, and healing for their Theolyn Theobourn, gray elf C7/M9: AC 0 (bracers of defense AC 2,
wounds (to the extent of his clerical ability). The inside of Dex bonus); MV 12 (unencumbered); hp 40; THACO 16 (14 with quar-
terstaff +2 #AT 1 (quarterstaff +2 or dagger); Dmg ld6+2 or ld4; SZ M
the one-room stone cabin is cluttered with books, scrolls, (5’ tall); ML elite (14); Str 12, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 12;
and notes in many languages. Piles of paper cover the lone AL LN; XP Nil.
20
 Special Equipment: bag of holding, boots of elvenkind, comb*, dagger move through the pass after sundown, they may be able to
(x2), dissecting tools’, frog*, green robe (with a deeppockets spell upon avoid fighting (and detection) entirely
it), handkerchief*, helm of telepathy, ink*, pen: ring of invisibility, neck-
lace of adaptation, ring of spelt storing (magic missile (x3), fireball, lightning
bolt, cure serious wounds (x2), protectionfrom normal missiles), sandwich*.
*In deeppockets.
Parleying with Garth
Priest Spells in Memory (5/5/2/l): 1st--cure light wounds (x2), detect If, instead of fighting, the PCs call to the cave and feign
evil, penetrate disguise, sanctuary; 2nd-dust devil, enthrall, hold person,
speak with animals, silence 15' radius; 3rd-create food and water, death’s friendship, Garth listens to whatever story they tell, then
door; 4th-detect lie. warns them to go back. He has received no instructions to
Spellbook (4/3/3/2/l): lst--armor, magic missile*, shield, sleep* (x2), let anyone pass, he says, so no one will. He does, however,
spook, unseen servant*; 2nd-deeppockets, ESP, invisibility*, know align- offer to uncork his eversmoking bottle to let the guards know
ment*, levitate; 3rd-clairaudience*, ctairvoyance*,fly, monster summoning someone is here; they always send down a squad of soldiers
I, slow*; 4th-charm monster*, minor globe of invulnerability, plant growth, to check the situation when he does that. That would enable
stoneskin, wall of fire*; 5th-animal growth*, hold monster, passwall.
*Indicates memorized spell. the PCs to tell their story to the guards themselves. Barillus
has informed Garth in no uncertain terms that Order spies
are everywhere, so the stone giant adheres to the letter of his
Journey to the Mount instructions, regardless of what the party says.
Garth has 64 gp in a hide pouch hanging from his belt.
If the PCs travel directly to Mount Antloch, they have no In his unkempt lair is a bearskin bed and a week’s supply
encounters until they reach the stone giant’s lair (see of rotting meat. A wooden chest contains three bags full of
“Garth’s Pass”). coins (total value: 2,000 gp).

Garth’s Pass Garth, male stone giant: AC 0; MV 12; HD 14+ld3 hit points;
ho 59. THACO 7: #AT 1 (fist or club); Dma ld8 or 2d6+8; SA rock
throwing, surprise; SD catching large missiles; SZ L (18’ tall);
Assuming the PCs approach Mount Antloch from the west, ML champion (16); Int average (10); AL N; XP 7,000.
they must go through (or, if they can fly, over) Garth’s Pass Special Equipment: eversmoking bottle, stone club.
to reach the base of the mountain where the hidden Special Abilities: SA-throw rocks to 300-yard range for 3dlO points
entrance to the Cabal base lies. They can avoid the pass by of damage, blend in with rocks to surprise enemies on 1-4; SD-catch
circling the mountain; otherwise they must deal with its rocks and similar missiles 90% of the time,
stone giant guardian, Garth.
Garth’s lair is in a small hill (less than a quarter mile Giant wolverines (3): AC 3; MV 12; HD 6; hp 30 each; THACO 11
(ferocity bonus); #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite); Dmg 2d4/2d4/2d4+2; SZ M
wide) that stands in the midst of the pass, dividing it into (6’long); ML steady (12); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 240 each.
two narrow trails that rejoin on the other side and lead into
the foothills of Mount Antloch. The sparsely forested hill
has several rocky outcroppings, plus a small cave on its Guards to the Rescue!
southwest side, about halfway up the 700-foot rise. This
cave is where Garth spends most of his time. If Garth summons help from Mount Antloch by opening
The stone giant is somewhat lazy, so he lets his three his eversmoking bottle, one squad (one of those awake but
giant wolverines do most of the work in guarding the pass. not previously on duty) arrives in 2 turns to investigate.
One of the animals patrols each side of hill, while the third They search carefully for intruders as they approach. The
sleeps in the cave mouth. The three wolverines rotate posi- combat mage maintains invisibility until he chooses to join
tions every few hours so that each may rest in turn. The only the fight.
time all three are together is at sundown, when Garth calls
them in for dinner. Combat Mage, male human M3: AC 9 (Dex bonus); MV 12 (unen-
On the floor of the pass, the wolverines are visible to cumbered); hp 7; THACO 20; #AT 1 (darts); Dmg ld3; SZ M (5’6” tall);
ML steady (12); Str 8, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 12; AL LN;
scouts, as they are slightly taller than the high grasses. If a XP 175 each.
wolverine sees a stranger, its first actions are to screech, Spellbook (2/l): lst--armor, burning hands*, magic missile*, shield,
spray musk, and run for the hill, in that order. This alerts shocking grasp, read magic; 2nd--flaming sphere, invisibility: mirror image,
Garth and the other wolverine in the cave with him. Garth stinking cloud.
begins throwing rocks at the intruders from a camouflaged *Indicates memorized spell.
position against a stony backdrop (50% cover). The two
Sergeant, male human F3: AC 4 (chain mail + shield); MV 6
wolverines from the pass regroup on the hillside, then (encumbered); hp 15; THACO 18; #AT 1 (heavy crossbow or
attack the party together. longsword); Dmg ld4 or ld8; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady (12); Str 14,
The third wolverine stands its ground to prevent a Dex 10, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8; AL LN; XP 175.
diversionary attack unless Garth whistles for it, which he Special Equipment: quarrels (quiver of 10).
does if he suffers more than 50% of his hit points in dam-
age. In that case, the wolverine from the cave mouth Soldiers, male human Fl (8): AC 4 (chain mail + shield); MV 6
arrives in two rounds to attack the intruders from behind (encumbered); hp 5 each; THACO 20; #AT 1 (short sword) or 2 (long-
bow); Dmg ld6 or ld4; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady (12); Str 12, Dex 9,
while Garth uncorks his eversmoking bottle and flings it Con 10, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 8; AL LN; XP 35 each.
toward the hilltop to serve as a signal for the Cabal that Special Equipment: arrows (quiver of 10).
dangerous intruders are approaching. Neither Garth nor
the wolverines follow the PCs if they retreat to the west;
the stone giant considers his duty done if he has managed The Mountain Outpost
to signal the Cabal. If the characters go straight up the hill A few hundred feet up on the western face of Mount
rather than through the split pass, they only have to fight Antloch is a wooden fort, barely big enough to accommo-
Garth and one wolverine for the first 2 rounds, until the date a few dozen men. This serves as the outer fortification
other two can respond to the stone giant’s whistle. If they for the secret entrance through one of the southern foothills.
21
 The secret entrance to the Crimson Caverns is in full Sergeants, male human F3 (3): AC 4 (chain mail + shield); MV 6
view of the wooden fort, and sentries watch it continuous- (encumbered); hp 15; THACO 18; #AT 1 (heavy crossbow or
ly. The actions of the guards depend on what the PCs do, longsword); Dmg ld4 or ld8; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady (12); Str 14,
Dex 10, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8; AL LN; XP 175.
but typically they just watch to the west. For security Special Equipment: quarrels (quiver of 10).
against threats from the east, the men in the fort depend on
Garth to signal them of incoming danger, as they cannot Soldiers, male human Fl (24): AC 4 (chain mail + shield); MV 6
see over his hill. They are expecting an Order army to (encumbered); hp 5 each; THACO 20; #AT 1 (short sword) or 2 (long
come and attack the mountain, so they are not prepared for bow); Dmg ld6 or ld4; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady (12); Str 12, Dex 9,
a small commando force. Con 10, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 8; AL LN; XP 35 each.
Special Equipment: arrows (quiver of 10).
In the fort are three squads, each consisting of eight sol-
diers, one sergeant, and one combat mage. Also stationed
here is Arduan, the high elf who commands this outpost. At
any time, one squad is combat-ready, another is awake, and Part 3:
the third is asleep. The soldiers who are awake can gird for
battle in 11-14 rounds; those who are asleep take 12-19
rounds. Arduan is the only one present who wears red
The Crimson Caverns
robes (over his elven chain mail), as he is both a fighter and The Crimson Caverns deep inside Mount Antloch house
a wizard. He is a good commander, capable of directing his one of the Red Cabal’s most important strongholds.
troops to their full advantage. Originally, the Cabal’s leaders had intended to establish a
The PCs must decide how they wish to approach the permanent gate here to the Elemental Plane of Earth. That
entrance, which is simply a hole in the mountainside cov- plan failed when a miscast spell generated an earthquake
ered by a curtain of brush. The soldiers immediately spray that sealed the partially finished gate and its creators
the area with arrow fire if the brush moves. Should this not beneath tons of rock. The accident did, however, open a
cause the motion to cease, one squad moves down to inves- series of interconnected caverns higher within the moun-
tigate personally. Any sounds of combat here alert the tain, and the Cabal leadership decided that caves no one
guard squadron just inside the entrance (see “Cavern else knew existed would provide the perfect hiding place
Detail: Area 1”). If the PCs decide to remove the watchers at for Miliara’s Star, as well as other magical treasures the
the fort before exploring the entrance, Arduan and his organization had collected. A small community of wizards
troops defend themselves as best they can. They do not kept watch here while pursuing magical research.
have a way to warn anyone inside the Crimson Caverns, When the rivalry with the Celestial Order erupted into
nor can they get into the complex through any other means. open warfare, the Cabal fortified this location with addi-
In combat, Arduan uses his web spell first, followed by tional mages and soldiers, intending to use it as a launch
sleep or magic missile. If he has time, he also casts protection point for attacks against various Order strongholds. But
from normal missiles on himself and uses the stoneskin spell word of its approximate location leaked to the enemy
from his scroll before wading into combat with his sword. through spies within the Cabal’s infrastructure. Realizing
Arduan is a clever, conniving elf convinced of his own that it was only a matter of time before the enemy discov-
greatness, and he accepts orders from no one except ered the precise location of the caverns, the Cabal instituted
Barillus. His belt pouch contains 10 pp, 10 gp, and a potion a preemptive strike on Fort Hope while arranging to move
of extra-healing. its greatest treasure-Miliara’s Star-to a more secure site.
The fort has three rooms-a watch room, a barracks, and This relocation has not yet occurred, however, and the sap-
an office for Arduan. (Arduan has his own chamber within phire remains hidden in Barillus’s chamber pending its
the complex; all the other troops sleep here while assigned official removal.
to the outer fortification.) On a table in Arduan’s office are But spies work both ways. When Barillus, leader of the
battle plans detailing Cabal responses to the approach of an mages at the Crimson Caverns, learned that Archeal-one
army from any direction, including the air. There are no of the Order’s finest tactical minds-would be inspecting
maps of the cavern complex here, and Arduan keeps his the troops at Fort Hope, he decided to eliminate the wiz-
spellbooks in his chamber (see “Cavern Detail: area 13”). ard. His attack was successful, but unbeknownst to him,
Once the PCs deal with the defenders and enter the Archeal’s life essence now resides in the gem at the top of
cave, go to “Part 3: The Crimson Caverns.” his wand, which Barillus is keeping in his conjuring cham-
ber as a prize of war.
Arduan, high elf F8/M6: AC 1 bracers of defense AC 3, Dex bonus),
MV 12; hp 32; THACO 13 (11 with longsword +2): #AT 3/2 (longsword
+2); Dmg ld8+2; SZ M (5'6" tall); ML elite (13); Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13,
Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 15; AL NE; XP 1,400.
Special Equipment: potion of extra-healing, scroll (stoneskin).
Entering the Complex
Spellbook (4/2/2): lst-comprehend languages*, detect magic, magic mis- The positions of the Cabal personnel in the caverns when
sile*, message*, read magic, sleep”, ventriloquism; 2nd-continual light, the characters enter depends on whether the guards in
knock, know alignment*, web*, wizard lock; 3rd-hold person*, protection the outer fortification managed to raise the alarm. The
from normal missiles*.
*Indicates memorized spell.
Cabal members are not organized to counter a small
group penetration of the caverns; they expect an army to
Combat Mages, male human M3 (3): AC 9 (Dex bonus); MV 12 come against them. See “Stealthy Approach” if the PCs
(unencumbered); hp 7; THACO 20; #AT 1 (darts); Dmg ld3; SZ M (5’6” enter without setting off an alarm. Go to “Full Alert”
tall); ML steady (12); Str 8, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 12; anytime the PCs do trigger an alarm while they are in the
AL LN; XP 175 each. Caverns.
Spellbook (2/l): lst-urmor, burning hands*, magic missile*, shield,
shocking grasp, read magic; 2nd--flaming sphere, invisibility*, mirror image,
stinking cloud.
*Indicates memorized spell.
22
Stealthy Approach or through other means), all of the cavern inhabitants begin
girding for battle. Barillus stays in area 24, preparing spells
Should the PCs manage to pass the outer fortification with- to defend Miliara’s Star. His three assistants move into the
out alerting anyone inside, the complex is operating front portion of area 24 to serve as the first line of defense
according to its usual schedule. Barillus is in his conjuring there. Commander Ferron issues orders to the six off-duty
chamber (area 24), and his three assistants are in their quar- squads, then drinks his potion of invisibility and moves
ters (area 22). Commander Ferron is in his study (area 10), toward area 1 to locate and assess the threat. The three off-
and Venon is in his chambers (area 19). duty squads who were not asleep take 11-14 rounds to
Two squads of guards (each consisting of eight men, a ready themselves for battle; the others take 12-19 rounds.
combat mage, and a sergeant) are on duty, one on watch in They move toward the entrance (area 1) unless Ferron reap-
area 1, and the other guarding the prison (area 14). Of the pears to instruct them otherwise. The on-duty squads, if still
three squads that are awake but not combat-ready, one is in alive, hold their positions.
the soldiers’ common room (area 19), another is in the bar- Venon moves into the prison (area 15), where he uses his
racks (area 9), and the third is in a briefing room (area 16). The hut of disguise to impersonate Archeal and locks himself in a
other three squads are asleep in the barracks. Archeal (as Old cell. He feels that allowing the invaders to “rescue” him
Scat) is locked in the pantry section of the mess hall (area 5). constitutes his best chance both to survive the battle and to
infiltrate the Citadel of the Celestial Order. Venon cares
Full Alert nothing for the lives of the others in this complex and does
not participate in its defense.
If at any time the PCs trigger a general alarm (either by One of the cook’s assistants runs to hide in the pantry,
allowing the guards at the entrance to strike the watch bell inadvertently releasing Archeal/Old Scat as he does so.

Archeal in the Caverns away from his usual environs in search of rodents. Old
Scat, a veteran of many catfights, is an orange tabby with
Archeal’s options are limited while he resides in the magic mismatched eyes (one blue and one yellow), a missing
jar. He can sense life essences within his range (150 yards) ear, and a crooked tail. Archeal soon realized that this
and determine their nature (positive or negative energy). body could be quite useful for exploring the halls and
He can also determine relative power levels within a worming into small spaces in search of components.
group of life forces, But he cannot tell precisely who is in Unfortunately, the chef, Bertram by name, found his way-
his presence, nor can he use any of the spells still in his ward pet a bit too quickly and imprisoned him in the
memory from within the jar. All he can do is select a tar- pantry Archeal, now stuck in this form because he is too
get among any life forces he senses and try to possess it. far from his wand to switch back, awaits an opportunity
If he succeeds, his essence trades places with that of his to slip out and return to Barillus’s quarters.
target, leaving him in control of the body and his victim Unless the PCs find and release him first, Archeal will
in the wand. He can also reverse this process at any time escape from the pantry when any sort of alarm sounds in
so long as he is within range of the wand. the caverns, as a panicked kitchen assistant opens the
Since Barillus’s chamber is the hiding place of door intending to hide in there. As soon as he is loose,
Miliara’s Star, it is in the most remote area of the com- Archeal attempts to join the PCs by any means he can. If
plex. Few people pass this way save Barillus, and he is they are not the ones who set him free, he runs toward
invisible to Archeal because of the amulet of life protection any sound of battle, then ducks into the shadows to con-
and ring of mind shielding he wears. Nevertheless, Archeal sider his options when he sees a small party engaged
has succeeded in making two brief excursions into the with the Cabal troops. Should the opportunity present
caverns using “borrowed” bodies. On both occasions, he itself, he attacks a Cabal mage to disrupt a spell, or leaps
was able to possess one of a pair of guards on patrol. This onto a soldier’s head and scratches at his face. (This latter
allowed him to determine where he was and get some costs the soldier his attacks until he can remove the cat.)
idea of the stronghold’s layout, as well as gain confirma- When the battle is over, Archeal follows the PCs through
tion that Fort Hope had indeed fallen. Realizing that the complex if they haven’t already adopted him. He
these caverns were where the Cabal had stored Miliara’s attempts to prod them in the direction of area 24 as much
Star, he decided that he might have an opportunity to as possible-leading them down corridors if they seem
recapture it if he could determine its precise location, inclined to follow him, or yowling and butting his head
gain some spell components, and plan an escape route. against their legs if they try to go another direction. If
So far, he has not been successful in any of these ven- they refuse to go where he indicates, he proceeds toward
tures. Twice Barillus caught someone he supposed was a area 17 anyway, intending to hide near that door until
guard (actually Archeal in a guard’s body) ransacking his someone opens it and allows him to get to area 18. Once
chambers. In both instances, Archeal immediately there, he returns to his wand, feeling that he would be
returned to the wand, leaving the somewhat confused safer inside it than in such a weak body.
guard to try to explain his presence there. His goals are to retrieve his wand, find and obtain
In view of these incidents, Barillus has declared his Miliara’s Star, remove the person posing as himself, and
chamber and the hallways around it off-limits, even to escape from the caverns intact.
guard patrols. Archeal, now sensing even less traffic with-
in his range than before, seized upon the first life force he Archeal/Old Stat: AC 6; MV 9; HD 1/2; hp 3; THACO 20; #AT 2
detected for his next sojourn. To his chagrin, he found (claws/bite); Dmg ld2/1 hp; SA rear claw rake, surprise; SD rarely
surprised; SZ T (1’ tall); ML elite (14); Jnt genius (18); AL LN; XP Nil.
himself in the body of a kitchen tomcat contemptuously Special Abilities: SA-rear claw rake (Dmg ld2) if both front claws
known about the complex as Old Scat, who had wandered hit, -3 penalty to opponent% surprise rolls; SD-surprised only on 1-2.
 manner well enough to impersonate him flawlessly with
The Forces of the Cabal his hat of disguise.
The wizard called Barillus is in charge of the Cabal forces Venon, half-drow M7/T8: AC 2 (bracers of defense AC 6,
at the Crimson Caverns. His chief aides are Venon, an evil Dex bonus); Mv 12; hp 39; THAC0 17 (16/15 with dagger +1/+2 vs.
mage/thief, and Commander Ferron, an officer lured smaller than man-sized opponents); #AT 1 (hand crossbow or dagger
from actual military service by the promise of great rich- +1/+2 vs. smaller than man-sized opponents), Dmg ld3 or
es. Also stationed here are sixty-four men-at-arms, eight ld4+1/ld4+2; SA backstab; SD resistance to sleep and charm; SZ M
sergeants, and several mages of varying experience, plus (5’4” tall); ML average (10); Str 14, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 14,
civilians charged with managing the complex’s daily Cha 12; AL NE; XP 3,000.
operations (such as Bertram the chef and a few scullery Special Abilities: SA-backstab for triple damage; SD--resistance
(30%) to sleep and charm; thieving skills (PP 7O, OL 55, FT 45, MS 50,
maids). Only Barillus and his assistants wear red robes. HS 46, HN 20, CW 90, RL 25); infravision (60’); find concealed doors
(1 in 6 passing, 1 in 2 searching) or secret doors (1 in 3 searching).
Barillus Special Equipment: hand crossbow (6” range, 1d3 damage, hit
requires a save vs. poison at a -2 penalty hat of disguise, Murlynd's
The high mage of the Mount Antloch outpost, Barillus is spoon, ring of invisibility
arrogant, authoritarian, and spiteful. Though he is very S pellbook (4/3/2/l): 1st--alarm*, change self , charm person*, detect
curious about Archeal’s wand, he realizes that trying to magic, friends, read magic, shield*, sleep*; 2nd--blindness, darkness 15‘
use it without knowing its command word would be radius*, detect invisibility, glitterdust, knock*, misdirection*; 3rd--blink,
nondetection*, slow*, suggestion*; 4th-dimension door, improved invisi-
very risky, and he is not a man who enjoys taking risks. bility, wizard eye?
He considers it unwise to tamper with a powerful magi- *Indicates memorized spell
cal item previously owned by an enemy spellcaster while
he’s stuck in a backwater outpost. Besides, people are
depending on him to lead forces into war. So he keeps the Commander Ferron
item in his conjuring chamber (area 24), but does not This veteran officer is in charge of the soldiers at Mount
touch it. His spellbooks are in his chambers (area 23). Antloch. He takes his general orders from Barillus, but it
Barillus has instilled in his troops a great fear of the is he who decides the best way to carry them out.
Order, painting the Cabal members as good mages and Though he does not like or trust the high mage personal-
the Order wizards as evil ones. He is charismatic enough ly his military training demands that he show his com-
that most believe him. manding officer proper respect.
Barillus, male human M12: AC 3 (cloak of protection ,+4
Ferron is absolutely loyal to the Cabal, having fully
Dex bonus); MV 12; hp 44; THACO 17 (14 with dagger +3); #AT 1 absorbed Barillus’s indoctrination against the Order. He
(dagger +3);Dmg ld4+3; SZ M (5’9” tall); ML champion (16); Str 14, is a popular commander, but his troops avoid making
Dex 17, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 15; AL LN; XP 3,000. him angry, as he can be brutal when enraged. He is also a
Special Equipment: amulet of life protection, cloak of protection +4, great tactician, capable of planning brilliant strategies.
helm of teleportation, potion of fire breath, ring of mind shielding, rod of Recently, Ferron has had to imprison two of his best
rulership (Archeal’s wand, for which Barillus does not know the men for sneaking around in Barillus's chambers. This
command word), wand of negation (35 charges). concerns him, as does the fact that both protest their
Spellbook (4/4/4/4/4/l): lst-alarm, charm person*, detect magic, innocence vehemently. Ferron has started to wonder if
enlarge, feather fall*, jump, light, magic missile*, read magic, sleep, unseen Barillus is keeping something important from him, and
servant*, write; 2nd-continual light*, deeppockets, forget*, invisibility*,
knock*, know alignment, levitate, shatter; 3rd--blink, clairaudience, clair- he is waiting for an opportunity to have a look around
voyance*, dispel magic*, lightning bolt*, protection from evil 10' radius, the high mage’s chambers himself.
tongues*, water breathing; 4th--fear*, fire shield, fumble*, minor globe of
invulnerability*, wall of ice 5th-cloudkill*,
*; hold monster, sending, Commander Ferron, male human F8: AC 1 (chain mail +2, shield
telekinesis*, teleport*, transmute rock to mud*; 6th-death spell, disinte- +I); MV 6 (encumbered); hp 51; THACO 12 (Str bonus; 11/10 with
grate*. longsword +1/+2 vs. magic-using and enchanted creutures); #AT 3/2
*Indicates memorized spell. (longsword +1/+2 vs, mugic-using and enchanted creatures); Dmg
ld8+4/ld8+5; SZ M (6’1” tall); ML champion (16); Str 18/08 Dex 10,
Con 17, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 16; AL LN; XP 975.
Venon Special Equipment: potion of healing, potion of invisibility.
Venon is a half-elven mage/thief, and his dark skin shows
that the elven strain is drow. Though he happens to be a Assistants to Barillus
personal friend of Barillus, Venon is nonetheless in this war The high mage has three lower-ranking wizards for assis-
only for the money the Cabal pays him. If things look bad, tants. Gareth, Callan, and Boleph hope to work their way
he will not hesitate to save his skin at the expense of others’ up the ladder in the Cabal hierarchy and eventually
lives-even those of personal friends. Venon’s ability to kill
become high mages themselves. Though not apprentices,
is well known among the troops, and none will cross him. they nevertheless follow Barillus’s orders without ques-
He is a master at creating poisons, and he carries a hand tion-primarily because his power exceeds even their com-
crossbow similar to those used by the drow. He does not bined wizardly might. They do not enjoy this situation,
like toe-to-toe combat, preferring to attack from invisibility
and then disappear.
however, finding Barillus a cruel and exacting taskmaster.
Gareth is impetuous and flashy in both personality
Venon is intelligent and very quiet, preferring to work
in the shadows and let others have the credit (or blame). and choice of magic, CalIan is calm and studious, and
Boleph is a schemer and a dreamer. All their spellbooks
He takes no special pleasure in killing, but knows he is are in area 21, their shared quarters.
good at it. He usually wears solid black clothing, some-
times with leather armor of the same hue. Gareth, male human M5: AC 9 (Dex bonus); MV 12; hp 10;
Venon studiedArcheal at various battles prior to Fort THACO 20; #AT 1 (dagger); Dmg ld4; SZ M (5’10” tall); ML elite (14);
Hope, and it was he who dealt the killing blow to the Str 10, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 9, Cha 9; AL LN; XP 270.
wizard there. He knows Archeal’s appearance and

24
 Special Equipment: potion of levitation.
Spellbook: 1st--affect normal fires, feather fall, magic missile* (X 2),
read magic; 2nd-Tasha’s uncontrollable hideous laughter*, The lead fighters of the complex are sergeants only in
*Indicates memorized spell.
title; they are all more powerful than average for that
Callan, male human M5: AC 10; MV 12; hp 9; THACO 20; #AT 1
rank. Each sergeant commands a squad of eight men plus
(quarterstaff); Dmg ld6; SZ M 5'10" tall); ML elite (14); Str 9, Dex 11, a combat mage and reports directly to Ferron. The ser-
Con 12, Int17, Wis 11, Cha 14; AL LN; XP 270. geants are careful to follow orders to the letter, for Ferron
Special Equipment: scroll (Slow spell). frequently punishes them for anything their men do
Spellbook (2/l): 1st--detect magic, magic missile*. read magic, shock- wrong. The sergeants are always with their squads.
ing grasp*, write; 2nd--web*, wizard lock.
*Indicates memorized spell. Sergeant, male human F3 (8): AC 4 (chain mail + shield); MV 6
(encumbered); hp 15 each; THACO 18; #AT 1 (heavy crossbow or
Boleph, male human M5: AC 10; MV 12; hp 11; THACO 20 (18 longsword); Dmg 1d4 or ld8; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady (12); Str 14,
with dart of the hornets’ nest +2); #AT 1 (darts or dart of the hornet’s Dex 10, Con 12, lnt 9, Wis 8, Cha 8; AL LN; XP 175 each.
nest +2); 1d3 or 1d3+2; SZ M (5’ 10” tall); ML elite (14); Str 8, SpecialEquipment:quarrels(quiverof10).
Dex 12, Con 4, lnt 15; Wis 7, Cha 13; AL LN; XP 270.
Spellbook (2/l): lst-armor*, erase, grease*: read magic; 2nd---- stink-
ing cloud* vocalize. Soldiers
*Indicates memorized spell The men-at-arms are divided into eight squads of eight
men each. At arty time, two squads are combat-ready and
Combat Mages on-duty three are off-duty, and three are asleep, Some of
the soldiers still wonder why they had to train lizardmen
Each of the eight squads of soldiers includes a combat to fight in a battle in which they themselves did not par-
mage specially trained to provide magical support in bat- ticipate. After hearing of the carnage there, however, most
tle. All these mages cast invisibility upon themselves as are relieved that it fell to them to guard the complex
their first action (prior to entering battle, if possible). instead. Barillus has told the soldiers that the Order’s
They are quartered with their squads and under the con- alchemists routinely use captives for magical experiments
trol of the appropriate sergeants. These mages know the or distill their bodies into various potions. Therefore, the
location (area 24 of both the Wand of Archeal and troops fight to the death to avoid such a prospect. The sol-
Miliara’s Star. diers do not know the Wand of Archeal or Miliara’s Star
by name, but all have heard rumors that Barillus has some
Combat Mage male human M8 (8): AC 9 (Dex bonus); MV 12 powerful magic item sealed in his conjuring chamber.
(unencumbered); hp 7 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1 (darts); Dmg ld3;
SZ M (5’6” tall); ML steady (12); Str 8, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 10,
Cha 12; AL LN; XP 175 each. Soldiers, male human Fl(64): AC 4 (chain mail + shield); MY 6
Spellbook (2/l): 1st--armor, burning hands*, magic missile*, shield, (encumbered); hp 5 each; THACO 20; #AT 1 (short sword) or 2 (long-
shocking grasp, read magic; 2nd--flaming sphere, invisibility* mirror
bow); Dmg ld6 or ld4; SZ M (6’ tall); ML steady (12); Str 12, Dex 9,
image, stinking cloud. Con 10, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 8; AL LN; XP 35 each.
Special Equipment: arrows (quiver of 10).
*Indicates memorized spell.

Both Barillus and Commander Ferron can assume com- PCs’ actions, so be sure to track the locations of
mand of any troops they find if needed. The sergeants are Archeal/Old Scat and the important NPCs at all times. The
always in command of their own squads, and each has a NPCs know the layout of the caverns and can use it to
50% chance of rallying any other squad whose sergeant is their advantage.
not present.
1. Entrance. The entryway is a large cave concealed by
Cavern Detail brush. Inside it waits a full squad consisting of eight men
and a sergeant. On the north wall of the entrance chamber
The entrance to the caverns is a cave in the foothills (area 1) is a large gong, which the defenders will strike if a threat
from which both exit passages lead deeper underground. merits alerting the entire complex. Next to the gong is a
All the caverns are effectively on a single level, but the metal mallet, but a mace or the hilt of a sword can serve
whole complex slopes gradually downward, so that the just as well. The gong is audible as far north as the bar-
northern end of the complex (area 24, Barillus’s conjuration racks.
chamber) is 70 feet deeper than the entrance. The two exits from this room both lead deeper under-
Torches in wall sconces placed every 15 feet in most cor- ground, though a pile of wood partially blocks the west-
ridors provide ample lighting. These caves are natural only ernmost exit. The soldiers are not under orders not to go
in the sense that an explosion in a huge cavern farther any farther into that passageway than the woodpile.
underground once relocated some earth downward, creat-
ing this complex. 2. Blocked Passage. A pile of wood blocks this passageway,
The PCs begin their penetration from a point immedi- which has no lighting of any sort. The floor drops off just
ately outside area 1. A large brush curtain masks the cave beyond the entrance to area 3. Only Barillus comes down
entrance. If the characters make unnecessary noise, they this passage, as the pit serves as something of a torture
alert the guard squad inside. The sergeant sends two sol- chamber.
diers to investigate the noise before sounding the alarm. As
these troops do not know the guards in the outer fortifica- 3. Pit Trap. This room has no floor save for a 2-foot-wide
tion are dead, they do not expect an attack. ledge ringing the walls. Light directed into the huge central
The numbered areas on the Crimson Caverns Map are hole reveals water far below and a glint of gold from a spot
defined here. Note that inhabitants can move based on the near one wall, about twenty feet down.
25
 Anyone who enters the room without checking the floor if so requested. Jeannie is generally a happy person, but
carefully must make a Dexterity check to avoid falling into she misses her friends and intends to seek them out as
the pit. Twenty feet below the ledge is a 10-foot-deep pool soon as she can leave this place.
in which live twenty quippers. These piranha-like fish
attack anything that falls into their pool. Once one of them Jeannie Brassarm, female human F5: AC 2 (chain mail +I,
scores a hit, every quipper attacks twice per round instead Dex bonus); MY 6 (encumbered); hp 46; THACO 16 (14/12 with
of once. Victims in the water can still use shields to longsword +1/+3 against regenerators, Str bonus); #AT 1 (longsword +1/+3
vs. regenerators); Dmg ld8+2/ld8+4); SZ M (5’1” tall); ML elite (14);
improve their frontal AC scores, though the fish attacking Str 17, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 15; AL N; XP Nil.
from the rear and flanks have the usual bonuses to their Special Equipment: potion of fire resistance.
attack rolls. A single lightning boIt might be enough to kill
all of the quippers, but that would inflict the spell’s full 4. Central Meeting Room. This small chamber serves as a
damage (successful saving throw vs. spell for half) to any central meeting hall for the guards who patrol the caverns.
PCs in the water. At present, the room is empty
The golden glint in the pit is really a shiny brass bottle on
a small ledge 3 feet above the water’s surface. Anyone who 5. Mess Hall. This large room houses the kitchen and din-
removes the bottle’s brass stopper is instantly replaced by a ing area for the complex. There are benches for about one
bewildered woman in chain mail. The bottle reseals itself hundred men here, plus a long serving table, chopping
immediately thereafter, trapping the person who opened it blocks, and a huge fireplace with a large stewpot hanging
inside. inside. Ceramic plates and cups are stacked in a large cabi-
The woman is Jeannie Brassarm, and she has been net in the comer. The pantry, a separate section secured by a
trapped for what seemed to her like a few months. She was locked door, holds foodstuffs of all sorts, including bags of
with a full party in another dungeon when she found and gram, flour, sugar, preserved meat, and vegetables.
opened the bottle, and she has no idea how it came to be (Archeal/Old Scat is locked in here when the party arrives.
here-wherever “here” is. A few judicious questions from A plate of meat scraps and a dish of milk serve as his meal.)
the party can establish that her entry into the bottle Bertram, the cook, is also a hunter, so fresh game is usually
occurred four years ago and several hundred miles away. on the menu. During the day, Bertram is either here or out
Jeannie is a capable fighter and strategist, though she is hunting. His three helpers are here all day.
no djinn and cannot grant wishes. Grateful to the PCs for
freeing her, she will gladly aid them in any way she can 6. Bertram’s Quarters. The cook and his three helpers live
that does not involve re-entering the bottle. She does not in this room. Bertram is a voracious reader, so there are
know how the item works; she merely opened it and dozens of books piled on his bed. Several spears and bows
appeared inside. She can describe the contents of the bottle stand in a comer near two of the four beds.

7. Secret Door. This secret entrance to area 8 is not flush

with the stone walls, so it is fairly obvious to anyone look-
ing at it. Elves and half-elves notice it immediately. Barillus
has wizard locked this stone door to ensure that no one acci-
dentally releases the trolls inside. The door opens inward.

8. Troll Quarters. When preparing these caverns for habi-

tation, Barillus discovered a family of trolls that he decid-
ed would make an excellent addition to his force-if
tightly controlled. He had his stonemasons (unfortunately
not the most skilled of their ilk) fashion a secret stone
door, which the high mage then wizard locked. Barillus is
the only human who enters this room, and they fear his
magic. Should anyone else negate the wizard lock and
open the door, the trolls would leap out and attack
instantly, fighting for their freedom. If the PCs gained the
advantage in such a fight, they might be able to negotiate
with the trolls, as the adult female speaks some Common.
The creatures know nothing of the rest of the complex,
however, and they are not likely to keep a bargain for
long. The child is very curious and tends to get clawed a
lot for misbehaving.
Against the southeast wall of the room is a wooden
chest that the trolls will defend with their lives. Inside are a
set of fancy women’s dresses (worth a total of 220 gp), a
man’s vest with gold trim (worth 40 gp), two gems (worth
100 gp each), 30 gp in assorted coins, plus a rod ofsplendor
with 6 charges left. The command word for the rod, "whel-
la,” is etched on its side.
Trolls (2): AC 4; MV 12; HD 6+6; hp 37 each; THACO 13; #AT 3
(claw/claw/bite), Dmg ld4+4/ld4+4/2d4+4; SA attack multiple
opponents, severed parts attack independently; SD regeneration; SZ L
(9’ tall); ML elite (14); Int low (6); AL CE; XP 1,400 each.
26
 Special Abilities: SA-can direct attacks at up to three opponents which is adjacent to this room. He keeps his door slightly
simultaneously, severed parts attack independently; SD-regenerate 3
hp/round starting 3 rounds after injury unless burned with fire or
ajar so that he can hear any unusual occurrences in the bar-
acid. racks. (He started this practice after Barillus imprisoned
two of his men for ransacking his chamber.)
Juvenile Troll: AC 4; MV 12; HD 4+4; hp 19; #AT 3 (claw/claw/ Most of the sleeping soldiers keep their personal treas-
bite), Dmg ld4/ld4/2d4; SA attack multiple opponents, severed parts ures under their beds. This is one of the few rooms where
attack independently; SD regeneration; SZ M (5’ tall); ML elite (14); even someone who is not a mining expert can see that the
Int low (6); AL CE; XP 650.
Special Abilities: SA-can direct attacks at up to three opponents
caverns slope slightly downward, since the southern and
simultaneously, severed parts attack independently; SD-regenerate northern doors do not appear to be exactly level.
2 hp/round starting 3 rounds after injury unless burned with fire or If attacked in their chambers without notice, the soldiers
acid. defend themselves as best they can. Should this occur
while Ferron is nearby, he sends a soldier to warn Barillus
9. Barracks. These barracks contain beds for one hundred and raise the general alarm, if it has not already sounded.
twenty soldiers. Normally, three full squads (including ser- Then he drinks his potion of invisibility and departs for area
geants and combat mages) are asleep here at any given 14 to rally the troops guarding the prison. The soldiers
time. (Two of these squads are short one soldier each- fight to the death to avoid the horrible fate that awaits
these two are currently in the prison in area 5 for ransack- them (according to Barillus) should the Order’s forces cap-
ing the high mage’s chamber.) Another squad is awake, but ture them.
not fully combat-ready.
Should a general alarm sound, the soldiers prepare for 10. Commander Ferron’s Study. Commander Ferron is
combat under the direction of their sergeants, arriving here preparing combat strategies for his troops unless a
wherever Ferron directs them in 11-14 rounds if already general alarm has sounded. This room contains a desk, a
awake, or 12-19 rounds if roused from sleep. pair of candle stands, and about twenty books on the art of
Commander Ferron is usually in his study (area 10), war stacked neatly on a shelf. One of these books, entitled
“The Wizard on the Battlefield,” contains a spell-protection
from normal missiles-that a mage can read as though from
New Magical Item: Brass Bottle a scroll.
On the desk are unfinished defense and attack plans for a
The brass bottle is similar to an efreeti bottle, save that battle centering around Mount Antloch. Ferron has devised
it must have a resident at all times. Anyone who strategies whereby a small Cabal force can defeat a larger
opens the bottle instantly shrinks to about one-tenth Order army. A thick curtain separates this chamber from
of an inch in height and vanishes, reappearing a area 11.
moment later inside the item. Whatever creature was
already within expands to its normal size and 11. Commander Ferron’s Quarters. Ferron has organized
appears on the spot where the opener previously this room to highlight the various trophies he has garnered
stood. This effect works with any living creature, in war. On one wall, an ogre’s spear hangs over a mino-
including monsters. The method of opening is imma- taur’s axe and horns. Under the bed is a locked chest con-
terial; using ropes or even telekinesis produces the taining 60 gp, a necklace (worth 750 gp), a portrait of
same effect. Only the individual who actually pulls Ferron’s wife, and a potion of treasure finding.
the stopper out is affected, even if he or she did not
intend to do so. (Therefore, even a quipper or an 12. Soldiers’ Common Room. An off-duty squad relaxes
unconcious character could enter the bottle if he or here over a low-stakes card game. The sergeant is winning
she were somehow made the agent of the action.) by a small margin. These soldiers can hear any commotion
Whoever opens the bottle appears inside a huge in areas 4 and 9. They are armed, but not armored.
room that appears to be at least 500 feet across.
Dozens of colorful tapestries and curtains cover the 13. Arduan’s Room. This is the chamber of Arduan, com-
brass walls, and plush cushions litter the floor. The mander of the outer fort defense forces. He keeps the door
ceiling appears to be about 1,000 feet high. A thief wizard locked (as a 6th-level caster). The room is awash in
could climb the brass walls, but the curtains are not colored tapestries, which are artfully arranged to frame
strong enough to support a PC’s weight. Nothing several swords mounted on the walls. Hooded lanterns
here indicates that the victim is inside a bottle, or that containing continual light globes provide illumination. On
he or she is any smaller than normal. the bookshelf over the desk are various books of elven
Time passes much more slowly inside the bottle prose, plus Arduan’s spellbooks.
than outside, and the inhabitant need not eat or
drink. In addition, the bottle magically heals its 14. Prison Entry. A guard squadron is always on duty here
inhabitant at the rate of 5 hp per round (outside to restrict access to the prison cells. Barillus ordered two of
time). their comrades quarantined here, and none of the guards
There is no way to open the bottIe from the inside, are allowed to speak to them. These soldiers will run to area
and even an enlarge spell only serves to double the 4 if an alarm is sounded, and then to area 1. If they hear
victim’s height (to two-tenths of an inch). An outside battle sounds, they will also go to area 1 and, if necessary,
agent who breaks the bottle releases the victim, but sound the gong. The lever to the portcullis is on the north-
he or she remains small. A dispel magic cast from western wall.
inside or outside the bottle, on the other hand, causes
the inhabitant to expand to full size instantly, suffer- 15. Prison. Two of the cells currently house Rallus and
ing ld8 points of damage as the bottle shatters. Sedge, the two guards who were caught ransacking
Barillus’s chamber. Neither remembers precisely how he
27
got into the high mage’s chamber, or why he was poking wand as quickly as possible, and to eliminate the fake
about in the latter’s spell components. Rallus, however, Archeal, if he is with the group.
does remember seeing a wand matching the description of Give a copy of Archeal’s character sheet to the player
Archeal’s on a table in the high mage’s room as they took whose character the wizard now occupies. Let the player
him away. Both men are furious about their imprisonment know that for the time being, he or she is the real, true
and bewildered about the whole incident. They will not Archeal and should play accordingly.
fight against their fellow soldiers, but the PCs may be able
to persuade them to lead the way to Barillus’s chamber in 19. Venon’s Room. Venon’s room is spartan; its only furnish-
return for their freedom. ings are a bed, a chair, and a workbench for making poisons.
If the general alarm has sounded, Venon is also locked The distilling system he uses seems quite complex and
inside one of these cells, disguised as Archeal (see “Venon’s arcane, at least to those not of drow descent. On the work-
Plan” for his tactics). bench are three vials of blue sleep poison, plus three darts
for a hand crossbow. Four other vials contain other poisons
16. Briefing Room.A full squad of soldiers (including a at various stages of completion. None are yet in the lethal
sergeant and a combat mage) is using this chamber to dis- category, but anyone drinking something from the
cuss the problem with men-at-arms invading Barillus’s
quarters. The sergeant is explaining to his men that they
should be vigilant against Order magic, for that may have
been what turned their fellows to evil. The room’s furnish-
Venon’s Plan
ings include a long table with seats for twenty men and an Should the PCs find Venon disguised as Archeal in the
impressive head chair. If the PCs attack these soldiers, the prison cell or elsewhere that he can instigate this plan,
latter beat a fighting retreat through one of the doors, he orders them to release him and escort him back to
escaping to either the prison or the common room. the Citadel. Should the PCs question him, he makes up
whatever responses he thinks will get him out of the
17. Sealed Door.Barillus had this metal door covered complex in their company. For example:
with magical sigils installed to protect his chamber from
any other soldiers who might want to ransack his quar- * “The lizardmen had my body? Obviously it wasn’t
ters. He wizard locked it for additional security and placed really me, now was it? That was just a simulacrum I
a permanent illusion on the small window at eye level. created for the fight in hopes of directing enemy
Anyone looking through this window sees a 100-foot attacks away from me. Unfortunately, the Cabal
square room lined with mummy sarcophagi. Ghouls wan- found the real me as well.”
der throughout the sparsely lit chamber polishing the
mummy cases, retouching their paint, and so forth. l “They’ve been keeping me prisoner to use as a bar-
Occasionally a ghoul opens a case and talks to the inhabi- gaining chip should the attack they plan against the
tant for a while. There are only two ways to remove the Order go against them.”
illusion: by casting dispel magic or by shattering the glass.
Touching the pane has no effect. The PCs may, of course, l ‘I’m afraid I can’t be of much help in combat at the
try to disbelieve the illusion, but it won’t disappear even moment. All the spells I had memorized vanished
if they are successful. from my memory when I lapsed into unconsciousness
at the fort. Of course, they confiscated my traveling
18. Trap Point. A wire strung across the corridor at this spellbooks before putting me in here.”
point rings a bell overhead if anyone trips it. (All the
guards know about the trip wire, so friendly soldiers, such l “We must consider the wand a loss of war. Barillus
as Rallus or Sedge, will warn the PCs about this trap.) If gloated that he had altered it so that it would no
the bell goes off, Barillus and his assistants immediately longer be safe for me to use. Your mission now must
realize that someone either unwelcome or clumsy (or both) be to return me safely to the Order.”
is in the complex. Callan goes from area 21 to the bend in
the passage and listens. If he hears anything other than a If Archeal/Old Scat is anywhere in the vicinity when
soldier calling an apology, he warns the other assistants, the PCs find this fake Archeal, he goes berserk, attack-
and all three run to Barillus’s chamber for instructions (see ing Venon with teeth and claws until someone stops
area 22). him. Thereafter, he continues to meow indignantly, nip-
This spot also represents the farthest range of Archeal’s ping at the false wizard’s clothing and shoes at any
magic jar. If Archeal/Old Scat is with the party at this opportunity. After he calms down, he tries to catch the
point, he instantly returns to the wand. Old Scat, once “wizard’s” pouch in his teeth and tear it open. If he suc-
again himself, gives the party a baleful stare and flees ceeds, poisoned darts tumble out. (The PCs won’t
down the corridor the way he came. On the next round, notice the poison on them unless they look closely,
Archeal attempts to seize control of a random PC (saving however.) If the cat cannot convince the characters to
throw allowed). If he fails, he continues making attempts abandon “Archeal” and seek out the wand, he contin-
until the PCs pass out of his range at the bend in the corri- ues toward area 17. He hides near the wall there until
dor. someone opens the door, allowing him to get to area 18
If Archeal does manage to possess a PC, that character’s and return to his wand.
consciousness replaces Archeal’s in the wand. The charac- If the PCs insist on retrieving the wand, Venon reluc-
ter can take no actions of any kind until Archeal returns to tantly accompanies them. Should they give up the quest
the magic jar. (A trapped PC cannot attempt to possess any- and return with him to the Order Citadel, go to “The
one from a magic jar; only the caster can do that.) Archeal’s Wrong Archeal.”
goals now are to get to Barillus’s chamber and retrieve his
28
workbench must make a successful saving throw vs. poison Archeal, adjusting the plan detailed in “Venon’s Plan” as
or suffer one of the following effects (roll 1d4 to determine needed to fit the situation. Otherwise, he joins in the fight,
which): using his invisibility and poison to the best advantage and
fleeing if the fight turns against him.
1. nausea for 1d4 turns Should the PCs find him in his room and offer to parley,
2. 2d6 points of damage Venon pretends to have a change of heart about working
3. 1d8 points of damage, plus loss of ability to speak for for the Cabal. He “lets it slip” that the real Archeal is not
2d4 rounds dead-Barillus is holding him captive in his conjuring
4 sleep for 1dl0 rounds. chamber. He offers to accompany the PCs there invisibly to
help free Archeal. If they agree to this, he turns invisible
Under the workbench is a metal chest secured with a com- and precedes them into area 24, then turns visible, using
plex lock (-10% penalty to Open Locks attempts). Anyone his hat of disguise to impersonate Archeal. If Barillus is
trying to open it without first disarming traps (normal there, Venon manages to signal him as to his true identity,
chances) must make a successful saving throw vs. poison or and the high mage plays along with the ruse. If the PCs
suffer 3d6 points of damage from the poisoned pin trap “rescue” Venon, he continues with his plan to use them to
concealed in the mechanism. The chest contains a book on infiltrate the Celestial Order Citadel (see “Venon’s Plan”).
drow methods of poison distilling, 20 pp, a tiara worth
1,000 gp, Murlynd’s spoon, Venon’s spellbooks, and a diary 20. The Magicians’ Study. Approximately one hundred
written in the ancient drow tongue. The key to the chest is books are neatly stacked on a long bookshelf that occupies
in a hollow leg of the bed; using it disarms the trap, which one wall of this room. A long table with reading candles and
then resets automatically when the chest is closed. a few chairs complete the furnishings, None of the tomes are
If no general alarm has sounded by the time the PCs spellbooks; all are simply treatises on magic written by vari-
reach this point, they find Venon here. (Otherwise, he ous Cabal members.
moves to the prison (area 15) disguised as Archeal. Should
the PCs attack him in his quarters, he turns invisible and 21. The Assistants’ Chamber. All three of Barillus’s assis-
either backstabs a PC or runs for the barracks, depending tant mages live here. Hanging curtains divide the chamber
upon how formidable the party appears. (He deliberately into three parts, each of which reflects the personality of its
trips the bell wire himself as he runs down the corridor if inhabitant. Each assistant’s area contains a bed, a night-
he decides to flee.) If there are still able-bodied guards in stand, and a small bookshelf on which the mage keeps his
the barracks, Venon instructs them to pursue the PCs, then spellbooks.
follows invisibly to assess the situation. Should the oppor- Gareth has decorated his area in bright colors. The
tunity present itself, he uses his hat of disguise to pose as mounted head of a gnoll occupies a prominent position on
the wall, and the bookshelf contains a book on magical frame, and Gareth casts magic missile at the lead character.
combat as well as Gareth’s spellbooks. In a foot locker near Any character caught in the stinking cloud suffers a 4
the bed is a thick leather bag containing 15 gp, 10 sp, and a penalty on his or her saving throw vs. the web.
ring worth 75 gp. Round Two: Boleph uses the lever to release the three car-
The largest item in Callan’s portion of the chamber is a nivorous apes from area 23; these creatures attack only the
rolltop desk littered with scrolls. The writings on them are PCs. Gareth casts his second magic missile spell, and Callan
not spells, but Callan has been trying to decipher and copy reads a slow spell from his scroll.
them nonetheless. Callan has wizard locked the desk drawer,
which contains some writing utensils and Callan’s treasure: Any PCs who escape the web must cope with the grease.
30 gp, 15 sp, a gem worth 50 gp, and three paper-wrapped Each enemy wizard still has a magical attack and a physi-
feathers from a pegasus. cal weapon with which to continue the fight. The assistants
Boleph’s area is sparsely decorated, but several books know that Barillus has wizard locked the door to the conjur-
are piled in a corner. Most of these tomes are flights of ing chamber, so he won’t be helping them. Note that if
fancy, but his spellbooks are among them. Wedged under Venon is with the group and it looks like the assistant
his bed is a locked iron chest which is trapped with a poi- mages have a chance of winning, he may decide to turn on
soned dart. The dart causes ld2 points of damage and the party here, becoming invisible and backstabbing a con-
forces a saving throw vs. poison. Failure indicates that the venient PC.
victim suffers an additional 2d6 points of damage. Inside If the PCs have already defeated the assistants else-
the chest are 37 gp, 2 pp, a worthless fake diamond, and a where and no alarm has sounded, Barillus himself is here
wavy-bladed dagger. when they arrive. He casts lightning boIt at party, then tele-
Gareth, Callan, and Boleph are all here unless the bell in ports (via his helm) into the conjuring chamber (area 24).
area 18 has sounded or a general alarm has been raised. If This room is Barillus’s personal quarters. The furnishings
attacked without warning in their chambers, the assistants consist of a large feather bed, a desk, a lantern lamp, a large
first shout for help, hoping Barillus will hear. He does, but mirror, a wardrobe, and a bookshelf. Inside the desk are
does not respond-instead he prepares to make a stand in his manuscripts detailing various Cabal plans, including the
own chambers, realizing that intruders are probably here for taking of Fort Hope and the training of the lizardmen.
the wand, the star, or both. Meanwhile, the assistants defend There is also a sketch of the Wand of Archeal with these
themselves as follows, unless PC actions make other options papers, but the page bears no notations about where it is or
more appropriate. what it does. Beside the desk is an ivory chest filled with
components for all the spells in the high mage’s spellbook.
Round One: Callan casts a web over the doorway. Gareth The wardrobe contains several red robes, various dress
casts magic missile, preferably at a wizard. Boleph throws clothes, and several pairs of boots. Barillus keeps his helm of
his darts. teleportation in the wardrobe when he sleeps. The bookshelf
Round Two: Callan uses the slow spell from his scroll. contains Barillus’s diaries and spellbooks.
Gareth drinks his potion of levetation Boleph casts his armor
spell. 23. Ape Lair. Three carnivorous apes live behind the
portcullis that closes off this room from the complex. Barillus
The assistants defend themselves with their remaining and his assistants keep them well fed, so the apes know and
spells as best they can, but they are perfectly willing to sur- respect them. They are quite willing to kill anybody else they
render if they are in serious danger. can grab, however. The room contains straw beds and a
jungle gym, but no treasure.
22. Barillus’s Quarters. The high mage’s three assistants
run to this room if an alarm sounds. Barillus tells them to Carnivorous apes (3): AC 6; MV 12, in trees 9; HD 5; hp 28 each;
defend the Cabal from the “forces of Archeal,” then goes THACO 15; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite); Dmg ld4/ld4/ld8; SA surprise;
SZ L (6’ tall); ML steady (12); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 175 each.
into the chamber with the wand to protect it. Special Abilities: SA-bonus of +2 to surprise rolls.
Assuming the assistants have at least 2 rounds to prepare
for the PCs arrival, the three take the following actions:
24. Barillus’s Conjuring Chamber. Barillus keeps the metal
Gareth drinks his potion of levitation (duration: 6 turns) door to the conjuring chamber wizard locked. The room’s floor
and assumes a position by the left wall, within sight is a mosaic in the pattern of a unicorn’s head. In the center is
range of the door. a small table upon which rests the Wand of Archeal. Below
Callan stands behind an overturned table, which pro- this table is a 2-foot-square trapdoor in the floor (treat as a
vides him 75% cover, plus a direct line of sight to the secret door for detection purposes because of the remarkable
door. fit with the rest of the floor’s design), which Barillus has also
Boleph casts armor on himself and a grease spell on the wizard locked. In a small, lead-lined, cubic chamber (2 feet per
floor just inside the door, then takes a position next to the side) beneath the trapdoor is Miliara’s Star-or what is left of
lever on the north wall. it. The sapphire has lost about one-third of its mass, which
makes it look as though someone has cleaved off a portion of
Normal initiative applies when the PCs open the door. The it. It radiates enchantment magic.
assistant mages plan the following actions for the first 2 As soon as any alarm sounds, Barillus tries to get to this
rounds of combat. (They will, of course, adjust their actions chamber. Thereafter, he takes as many of the following
to fit the circumstances.) actions (in order) as he can before the PCs arrive:

Round One: As soon as the PCs open the door, Boleph 1. Cast wall of ice on the other side of the doorway, then
immediately casts stinking cloud on the area around it. close the door.
Callan casts web to secure any PCs in the doorway to its 2. Cast clairvoyance, so that he can monitor the PCs’ movements.
30
3. Drink his potion of fire breath. Thereafter, he congratulates the PCs on a job well done.
4. Cast minor globe of invulnerability on himself. If there is still danger, he tells them to gather together,
then he and Archeal teleport them all to the Celestial Order
If the PCs break or melt a hole in the ice, Barillus opens the Citadel. Otherwise, he asks for a quick report, then takes
door and casts hold monster on up to four of the PCs. If he Miliara’s Star and as many party members as possible back
can, he then casts transmute rock to mud on the ceiling, to the Citadel, telling Archeal to follow with the other PCs
thereby dumping 22 cubic yards of mud on the PCs. (This as soon as the location is cleared and secured.
inflicts 4d4 points of damage on anyone caught under-
neath; successful Dexterity checks to avoid). Thereafter, What To Do With Archeal
Barillus attacks to best effect with his spells and his wand of
negation. Whenever the PCs are close to getting through the Archeal has no intention of keeping the body of any PC he
doorway, the high mage casts a lightning bolt at what has possessed, but he would like to discuss options before
remains of the wall of ice. Anyone in front of it when it shat- returning to his jar. If the characters have arranged for the
ters suffers 2d6 points of damage from the shrapnel, as return of his body to the Citadel, he assumes (correctly)
well as the damage from the lightning bolt. (Victims who that priests there can restore it to working order via neutral-
make successful saving throws vs. spells suffer only half ize poison and raise dead. This should allow him to re-enter
damage.) Once the wall is gone, Barillus may, depending it when he gets back. He would prefer to retain this body
upon the circumstances: until he has his own back, but he will agree to return the
PC’s body as soon as the party is safely back inside the
l employ his fire breath (from the potion) Citadel if so requested. The wizard is also agreeable to bor-
l cast invisibility to protect himself rowing the body of a Cabal soldier until he returns to the
l close the door and force the PCs to deal with the wizard Citadel, if the PCs have left any alive.
lock while he prepares additional spells. If the PCs left Archeal’s body in the lizardmen’s camp,
the mage asks that they go and retrieve it. He is willing to
If the PCs actually get close to Barillus, he grabs the wand accompany them and provide any magical support they
(and Miliara’s Star, if possible) and uses his helm of telepor- need. The lizardmen are happy to comply with their request
tation to go to another Red Cabal fortress. He will not aban- if the PCs killed Aargaz. If they left the lizard king alive, he
don the mountain except in the absolute direst of circum- has since eaten Archeal’s body in that case, Archeal asks
stances, however. that the party accompany him back to the Citadel. There, he
Archeal stands an excellent chance of preventing arranges with his peers to borrow a body from one of them
Barillus from escaping with his wand. If he can remove or periodically, so that he can participate in planning. He does
disable the high mage’s amulet of life protection (his geas no more traveling outside the Citadel until a permanent,
spell might be helpful here), or convince the PCs to do so, willing host can be found for his life force.
he returns to his magic jar in the wand and immediately
tries to possess Barillus. (The high mage registers as a more
powerful life form than the party members do when
The Wrong Archeal
Archeal senses them from inside the jar. So does Venon- If the PCs escort Venon back to Kayleigh’s Folly as Archeal,
therefore if the latter is present, Archeal tries for either of Jamal reports Archeal’s safe return to his superiors.
them.) Ezakion teleports into Jamal’s room at the Drowned
If Archeal gains control of Barillus’s body, he immedi- Muskrat to retrieve his friend. Unless the PCs report suspi-
ately stops fighting the party and surrenders. If they con- cious behavior, Ezakion takes Venon back to the Citadel,
tinue attacking, he returns to the jar and tries to possess a where his infiltration plan proceeds unchecked. Within two
PC instead. Thereafter, he aids them in defeating Barillus, weeks, the faerie crown of Gambrillon disappears from the
but tries to ensure that they capture the high mage alive. If Citadel, which falls to Cabal forces one week thereafter.
the PCs accept his surrender, he explains that he is Archeal, If the characters mention anything about “Archeal” that
complying with whatever requests the PCs make to verify would arouse Ezakion’s suspicions, the elder mage still
that to their satisfaction. If Archeal gains control of Venon’s returns with him to the Citadel, but orders surreptitious
body, he fights alongside the party to defeat Barillus, but watch kept over him. Within the week, the Order mages
again tries to ensure that the group takes the high mage discover Venon’s true identity and eliminate him.
alive. Go to “Getting Out” once the characters have defeat-
ed Barillus.
The Star Crown
If the PCs aid the Order in retrieving Miliara’s Star, the
Getting Out Citadel mages spend an additional month working to cre-
If there is a Cabal force coming to attack the PCs, Archeal ate the artifact, which does indeed give form to the user’s
grabs his wand and uses it to hold off the approaching thoughts. It has a flaw, however; the user can neither
soldiers while the PCs search Barillus’s conjuring cham- remove it nor control which thoughts assume form-they
ber and quarters for Miliara’s Star, Barillus’s spellbooks, all do. This flaw eventually results in the fall of the Citadel
and any spell components Archeal still needs. (He partic- and the loss of the Star Crown.
ularly wants the copper coils for his sending spell.) When The characters can, if desired, suggest to their employers
the PCs have the components, he asks them to take over that it would be best to heal the schism between the two
holding off the enemy forces while he sends a message to factions before assembling the Crown. The Order wizards
Ezakion. resist this notion strongly at first, but can be convinced. If
Ezakion teleports into the conjuring chamber one round mages from both groups work together on the Star Crown,
later. He of course does not recognize Archeal in his cur- the finished product is still unremovable, but the user can
rent form, so some explanation is needed to gain his help. select which thoughts assume physical form.
33
Character Sheet: Archeal
Name: Archeal Class: Wizard
Race: Human Gender: Male
Level: 15 Alignment: LN

Ability Scores
Strength (as PC)
Dexterity (as PC)
Constitution (as PC)
Intelligence 18
Wisdom 17
Charisma 16

Armor: (as PC)

Armor Class: (as PC)
Move: (as PC)
Hit Points: (as PC)
THACO: 16

Weapons: (as PC)

Spells Memorized* (5/5/5/5/5/2/l): 1st-detect magic**, light**,

magic missile** (x2), protection from evil; 2nd-bind, detect evil**,
levitate; 3rd-clairvoyance, phantasmal force; 4th-charm mon-
ster**, polymorph self**, remove curse**; 5th-cone of cold, hold
monster, passwall, sending, teleport**; 6th-geas**, project image;
7th-teleport without error**.
*Indicates spells remaining in your memory at the time you
entered your magic jar.
**Indicates spells requiring no material components.
You did find your wand on a table in his conjuring cham-
You are a 15th-level wizard who has spent considerable time lan- ber, but before you could do much more than pick it up, he
guishing in a magic jar of your own creation since your body’s caught you there-both times. In each case you quickly
death at the Battle of Fort Hope. Knowing the perils of war, you transferred back into your wand, restoring the guard’s mind
arranged this transfer some time ago by casting a contingency to his own body in the process. You are sure the bewildered
spell in conjunction with a magic jar. The vessel you chose to guards got some punishment they didn’t deserve, but such
house your life force was the 40-karat diamond at the tip of your are the ways of war.
own wand. (It’s really a rod of rulership, but you’ve always Then a long time went by before you sensed another life
referred to it as your wand, and now everyone else does too.) essence. You easily took possession of that body, only to dis-
Since your death, you have attempted possession whenever cover that it was a tomcat-obviously the veteran of many
you sensed life forces within the range of your spell. This is battles himself. This body might have been ideal for sneaking
the fourth successful possession you have managed. This body around, but almost immediately the cat’s owner (the cook)
apparently belongs to one of a small party of invaders to this found you and imprisoned you in the pantry, far out of range
complex, probably sent by your compatriots in the Celestial of your jar. You finally escaped and returned to it when the
Order to rescue you. door to the hidden corridor leading to the high mage’s cham-
The first two people you possessed were men-at-arms. bers was opened.
You used them to explore the complex in which you found You have seen someone in this complex posing as you-
yourself, discovering it to be the Red Cabal’s hidden base someone who has managed to duplicate your human appear-
within Mount Antloch. You might have been able to escape ance almost exactly. Obviously, he is an imposter whom you
then, but the other guards with you were already suspicious will have to eliminate at the earliest opportunity. That, plus
of your sudden lapses of memory and changed behavior. retrieving your wand and the Star, if it’s here, then escaping
Besides, escape would have meant abandoning your wand with them, are presently your highest priorities. Perhaps this
and potentially being stuck in a body not your own for the group can help you accomplish those things. You must now
rest of your life. Not only would this have been unpleasant decide whether to tell them who you are, and how best you
for you, but trapping another person inside a magic jar for can all accomplish your mission and escape.
life while using his or her body is surely an evil act. In addi- You still have only the spells in your memory; fortunately
tion, you had no spellbooks or spell components, and you some do not require components. Barillus’s sleeping quarters
never have been good with a sword, so defending yourself have some spell components, as do the quarters of his three
on a long, cross-country trek would have been problematical. assistant mages just down the corridor. Their spellbooks are
Therefore, you decided to make your way to the chambers of also in their chambers. You’ve noticed that Barillus wears
the high mage in charge of this complex-Barillus by name-- some sort of amulet. This is probably what has kept you from
and ransack his chambers for your wand, any spell compo- being able to sense and seize his body when he’s been in the
nents you could use, his spellbooks, and perhaps even chamber with the wand.
Miliara’s Star, which the Order believes is in this complex.
32