Scenario #17: The Hamlet of Hawthornfield

Introduction and Background

This is a short adventure for a party of characters of levels 2-4 using the B/X D&D rules

In west-most Karameikos, near the border with the Five Shires there was the hamlet of Hawthornfield, a tiny village, now abandoned for over 20 years. It sat on the Cruth River, and around it are the Cruth Highlands, leading up to the Cruth Mountains in the north. Its water supply was Pendle Stream, a stream that feeds into the Cruth river. 

Nearby there is Vurparnu Mansion, the centre of civilization in this corner of the Known World. And recently there has been a burst of enthusiasm in the Manor about regaining lost territory and reestablishing the old Vurparnu estate. Hawthornfield is of particular interest because of reports it still has a functioning water mill - an asset of great use to any grain-growing community. Thus brave adventurers are being asked to investigate and clear out the hamlet so that it can once again produce fine-ground flour for western Karameikos. 

20 years ago the village was raided by orcs  - nearly half the inhabitants were killed and most of the survivors fled to safer settlements. Soon afterwards Hawthornfield was taken over by a powerful necromancer looking for a quiet base of operations. He went to work building an army of the undead, using all sorts of dead bodies for reanimation. However, about 2 years ago he had an unfortunate encounter with a wandering cockatrice, and is now a stone statue in the middle of the hamlet. His undead minions are still milling about, uncontrolled and mindless. 

The buildings are dilapidated but still structurally intact and upright. For the sake of simplicity, all buildings here are single storey. However, dotted around the hamlet there are various petrified remains of wildlife and livestock - a cow, or a rabbit or a badger frozen as statues. As far as clearing out the hamlet is concerned, the cockatrice is the principle problem. Dealing with animated undead, kobolds and wandering wildlife is secondary although still appreciated by civilized folk.

Key to map:

1) The Mill. Note that outside the mill's front door (the star on the map) is a statue of a wizard-like human with his hands thrown up in defence and a look of horror on his face. If somehow brought back to life, his name is Ezzorius and he is a 10th level chaotic magic user who can command any of the undead creatures in the hamlet. He will be grateful enough to let the PCs leave with their lives but is otherwise not a nice person to deal with. 

a) Empty

b) The milling room. This is dominated by a pair of millstones linked by cogs and axels to the waterwheel outside. Lurking in the rafters here is a giant crab spider that will attack any intruders. 

Crab Spider: AC 7, HD 2*, hp 6, Move 120ft/Climb 120ft, THAC0 18, ATT 1 bite for 1d8 + poison, Save F1, Ml 7, Align Neutral, XP 25,  Poisonous bite: Anyone bitten by giant crab spider must make a save vs poison at +2 to the roll or die in 1d4 turns. 

c) The miller's house main room

d) The miller's house bedroom. Under a floorboard is the miller’s savings, a sack containing 25gp, 122sp and 270cp

from AD&D 1E MM, art by Tom Wham

e) Sluice and Millpond. The sluice controls the flow of water out of the millpond and through the waterwheel. It has been left open for decades and the water flowing through is not enough to turn the wheel, just flowing around it.  The sluice also acts as a footbridge over Pendle Stream. Deep in the millpond near its centre there now lurks a giant pike:

Giant Pike: AC 5, HD 4, hp 20, Move swim 360ft,  THAC0 16, Att 1 bite for 4d4, Save F2, Ml 9, Align Neutral, XP 75. Sudden Speed: Pike can surprise opponents on 1-4 on d6. Entirely Aquatic: Giant pike can breathe underwater but cannot breathe air, and similarly cannot move on land. 

2) The Hairy Halfling Tavern

a) Bar room. The front door here has been smashed , allowing animals access inside. Inside the bar room amidst broken furniture and glassware there is a cockatrice that will attack any intruders. Behind the bar the creature has amassed a small hoard of trinkets: 4300sp, 950gp, 56pp and 5 gems worth 50gp (agate), 50gp (Tigereye), 100gp (amber), 100gp (pearl) and 300gp (beryl). Note that the cockatrice may wander around the hamlet during the day and will attack any living thing, though it generally ignores undead monsters.   

Cockatrice: AC 6, HD 5**, hp 25, Move 90ft, fly 180ft, THAC0 15, Att 1 beak for 1d6 + petrification (save vs Petrification or be turned to stone), Save F5, Ml 7, Align Neutral, XP 425

b)  Kitchen: This room is empty apart from petrified remains of 4 giant rats. 

c) Store room. Most of the foodstuffs and drink here has long since perished, but there is a gallon-sized barrel of finely aged gnomish whiskey worth 300gp

d) Innkeeper's bedroom. Nothing of value here. 

Image by Jeff Dee, from D&D Expert Rulebook

3) Shrine of Law. This building has been descrated and now no longer functions as holy land. However, lawful clerics and others respectful of such matters may aspire to re-consecrate this shrine.

a) Vestibule. In here are 8 crawling claws that will attack living things.

Crawling Claw: AC 8, Move 60ft, HD 1/2, hp 2, THAC0 20, Att 1 claw for 1d3, Save NM, Ml 12, XP 5  

b) Main Shrine. This room is dominated by a broken statue of a saint who lived in the area over a century ago (Saint Verbian the Defiant who was renowned for protecting farmers from marauding monsters). 

4) The Alnithons' Farm 

a) Sheep Shed - This flimsy building now holds 5 skeletons (formerly human) that have been standing aimlessly for decades. They will attack any intruders. 

Skeleton: AC 7, HD 1, hp 4 each, Move 60ft, THAC0 19, Att 1 weapon for 1d6, Save F1, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 10. Undead traits: As undead, skeletons are immune to Charm, Sleep, Poison and disease

b) Farm shed - includes various farming tools, storage bins and a small plough, plus 2 skeletal horses. They will stand absolutely still unless either touched or attacked, in which case they spring into action. 

Skeletal Horse: AC 7, HD 3, hp 15, 13, Move 90ft, THAC0 18, Att 2 hooves for 1d4/1d4, Save F2, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 35, Undead traits: As undead, skeleton horses are immune to Charm, Sleep, Poison and disease

c) Farmer Alnithon’s main room. This is empty, and has nothing of value.  

d) Alnithon’s bedroom. Farmer Alnithon has been transformed into a ghoul by a cursed amulet. He hungrily attacks any intruders. The amulet around his neck is silver and moonstone, worth 200gp, but anyone wearing it for a week will be transformed into a ghoul - Detect Evil will reveal something very wrong with it, while Detect Magic will show a strong aura of Necromancy about the amulet. 

Ghoul: AC 6, HD 2*, hp 10, Move 90ft, THAC0 18, Att 2 claws/1 bite for 1d3/1d3/1d3 + paralysis, Save F2, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 25

5) The Borthons' Farm 

a) Borthons’ front room: 4 skeletons (formerly orcs) are here, guarding the farmhouse. They attack any intruders. 

Skeleton: AC 7, HD 1, hp 4 each, Move 60ft, THAC0 19, Att 1 weapon for 1d6, Save F1, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 10. Undead traits: As undead, skeletons are immune to Charm, Sleep, Poison and disease

b) kitchen & storeroom. There is nothing of interest here - broken crockery and cooking utensils, plus a metal stove next to barrels of long-decayed foodstuffs.   

c) Borthons’ bedroom. This room holds 6 stirges that will initially attack but will fly out of the window if they fail morale checks 

Stirge: AC 7, HD 1 (4hp each), Move fly 180ft/crawl 30ft, THAC0 19, Att 1 beak for 1d3, Spec abil Swooping strike (+2 to first hit roll), Blood drain (automatic 1d3 damage/round after successful hit), Ml 9, Save F2, Align Neutral, XP 13

d) Cattle shed & dog kennel. In here are 3 reanimated large dogs, using the same stats as zombie wolves. 

Zombie Dog: AC 6, Mv 90ft, HD 3+2 (hp 17, 14), THAC0 16, Att 1 bite for 1d6+1, Save F2, Ml 12, Align C, 50 XP, Spec Quality: undead - immune to poison, disease & mind-affecting spells, turned by clerics as ghouls. 

e) chicken coop. This is empty apart from various feathers, straw and bits of egg shell.  

6) The Clacktors' Farm: This farm has recently been taken over by a band of kobolds. They are rightly terrified of the cockatrice and will avoid it at any cost. They might be open to negotiation as long as they are not asked to fight "the feathered horror". They know it wanders around during the day and thus they only emerge from the farmhouse at night. If the cockatrice is slain the kobolds might be persuaded to move out peacefully. 

a) Clacktons's front room: The front door here has been reinforced and is not easy to break down. Inside are 6 kobolds + 6 kobold slingers. 

Kobold: AC 7, Mv 60ft, HD 1/2 (2hp each), THAC0 20, Att 1 weapon for 1d4, Save NM, Ml 6, Align C, XP 5, equipment: dagger (slingers also have slings + 10 stones each)

b) Dining room and kitchen: 4 kobolds are here. The window has been heavily boarded up. 

Kobold: AC 7, Mv 60ft, HD 1/2 (2hp each), THAC0 20, Att 1 weapon for 1d4, Save NM, Ml 6, Align C, XP 5, equipment: dagger 

c) Clacktors' bedroom: Quarters for the kobold leader and 3 kobold slingers. In a crude chest under the bed there is the kobolds' treasure: 2100sp, 620gp and 2 potions of healing. The windows have been heavily boarded up.

Kobold Leader: AC 5, Mv 60ft, HD 2 (12hp), THAC0 18, Att 1 weapon for 1d6, Save F2, Ml 8, Align C, XP 20, Equipment: chainmail armour (halfling-sized), shortsword

Kobold: AC 7, Mv 60ft, HD 1/2 (2hp each), THAC0 20, Att 1 weapon for 1d4, Save NM, Ml 6, Align C, XP 5, equipment: dagger (slingers also have slings + 10 stones each)

d) Farm shed.  The door here has been broken down and inside are 4 petrified kobolds in poses of terror and panic. Up above in the rafters on the ceiling there are 3 giant bats which may attack if PCs loiter or cause a racket. 

Giant Bat: AC 6, HD 2, hp 6, 8, Move 30ft/fly 180ft, THAC0 18, Att 1 bite for 1d4, Save F1, Ml 8, Align N, XP 20 each

e) Sheep shed. In here are the inanimate remains of a dozen sheep. 

7) The Dirrinors' Farm: This was where the necromancer lived until his unfortunate transformation (see area 1).  Note that wandering around the farmyard is a skeletal ogre, patrolling endlessly. 

Skeletal Ogre: AC 7, HD 4+1, hp 18, Move 90ft, THAC0 17, Att 1 club for 1d10, Save F4, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 125, undead - immune to poison, disease & mind-affecting spells, turned by clerics as zombie

a) Dirrinors' front room. This room has a front door that has been trapped with a crossbow and trigger wire (2 shots, THAC0 12, dam 2d4 per hit), but there is also a smashed-in window so any observant character can bypass the trap. 

b) first bedroom. 2 Bone Warriors are guarding this room. 

Bone Warrior: AC 5, HD 3, hp 14. 15, Move 120ft, THAC0 17, Att 1 weapon for 1d8+1, Save F3, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, undead - immune to poison, disease & mind-affecting spells, turned by clerics as wight

c) kitchen and storeroom: 10 skeletal giant rats are here, and they will attack intruders. 

Skeletal Rat: AC 7, HD 1/2, hp 2, Move 90ft, THAC0 20, Att 1 bite for 1d3, Save NM, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 5, undead - immune to poison, disease & mind-affecting spells, turned by clerics as skeletons

d) Necromancer's quarters. This place is clearly more recently used and has a neat bed, and a bookshelf stacked with mystical and terrible grimoires and tomes. There are 10 of these books and are worth 1d6 x 100gp each. Although Read Magic is necessary to understand these books, once cast the reader sees that the books are about necromancy and various ways to animate and control the undead as well as treatises on the nature of undead creatures. Under the bed covers is the necromancer's spellbook. It has the following spells

• 1st level spells: Read Magic, Detect Magic, Charm Person, Shield
• 2nd level spells: Continual Light/Darkness, Web, Caustic Bolt, Stinking Cloud
• 3rd level spells: Dispel Magic, Lightning Bolt, Protection from Evil 10ft Radius
• 4th level spells: Remove Curse/Curse, Wall of Fire, Dimension Door
• 5th level spells: Animate Dead, Cloudkill

8) Independent cottages. These were used by non-farmer residents of the hamlet. 

a) The door here has been broken down. Inside are two petrified kobolds, one of them frozen while trying to climb out of the window. 

b) This place now holds 3 skeletons plus a skeletal horse. If the place is searched it is clear this belonged to a tailor, with needles, threads and pieces of cloth on a workbench, and a wardrobe with finished and partially made cotton and linen items. In a box under the workbench is a Robe of Protection +1 and a large roll of fine silk worth 200gp. 

Skeleton: AC 7, HD 1, hp 4 each, Move 60ft, THAC0 19, Att 1 weapon for 1d6, Save F1, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 10. Undead traits: As undead, skeletons are immune to Charm, Sleep, Poison and disease

Skeletal Horse: AC 7, HD 3, hp 15, 13, Move 90ft, THAC0 18, Att 2 hooves for 1d4/1d4, Save F2, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 35, Undead traits: As undead, skeleton horses are immune to Charm, Sleep, Poison and disease

c) Empty

d) Empty

e) Coiled up here is a large pit viper that will lash out at any thing that approaches it. 

Pit Viper: AC 6, HD 2*, hp 11, Move 90ft, Att 1 bite for 1d4 + poison, Save as F1, Ml 7, Align Neutral, XP 25, Venomous bite: Anyone bitten must save vs poison or die instantly. 

f) 5 stirges are roosting here in what was the hamlet's bakery. There is a large oven here; inside of it are lots of ashes but in the ashes is a single green Chrysoberyl gem worth 300gp. 

Stirge: AC 7, HD 1 (4hp each), Move fly 180ft/crawl 30ft, THAC0 19, Att 1 beak for 1d3, Spec abil Swooping strike (+2 to first hit roll), Blood drain (automatic 1d3 damage/round after successful hit), Ml 9, Save F2, Align Neutral, XP 13

 

 

 

Orc Clans of the Eastern Cruth Mountains

art by Stanton Feng, source

The orcs of the Cruth Mountains have long been the most persistent and frequent enemies of the halflings of the Five Shires. As with orcs in other regions they band together in clans that consist of multiple tribes, with tribes being from 20 to 100 individuals and usually gathered into a single lair, whereas a clan may have tribes over quite an area and may include up to 1500 individuals. Clans typically have a central stronghold where the clan chief presides with his advisors and where tribal leaders deliver reports and receive orders. 

Here are some of the most significant orc tribes in the mountains north of Eastshire. This is by no means exhaustive. My homebrew rules for orc shaman and orc warrior NPCs can be found in this post. 

The Flaming Axes Clan

Headquarters: Shatterpick Mine (former dwarf tin mine)

Population & Fighting Strength: 450 (300 warriors)

Notable Troop Types: 

• The Brethren of Gruumsh (elite unit of 2nd level orc warriors, numbering 25. They listen to their shaman Wazzugga the Blessed and are led by Malrax)
• Headslammer’s Slammers: 10 ogres and 1 ogre leader sometimes hired as mercenaries. 

Notable NPCs: 

• Wazzugga the Blessed: 9th level orc shaman. He is convinced he is receiving visions of war and conquest from the Great Orc Gruumsh himself. He is unhappy with his chief’s timid leadership
• Zothog Hinslayer: 9th level orc warriors, leader of the Flaming Axes clan. He is naturally cautious and not attacking until victory is close to certain. He rides his pet cave bear Rendclaw into battle. He is getting fed up with his chief shaman’s rantings about launching immediate invasions of the Shires. 
• Malrax of the Brethren of Gruumsh: 7th level orc warrior, wielder of the two-handed sword Fleshripper. He is a true believer of Gruumsh and is on Wazzugga’s side, and is considering how to take the chief’s throne, either by open challenge or by treachery.  

The Red Spears Clan

Headquarters: Overcliff Tower (crude orc-built tower on top of steep precipice)

Population & Fighting Strength: 600 (400 warriors) + 40 undead

Notable Troop Types: 

• Varrath’s Dead Company (about 40 animated skeletons and zombies under Varrath Ghostspeaker’s command). 
• Red Spears Spear-orcs. About half of the Orc warriors are equipped with spears and trained to set spears and fight in close formation.  

Notable NPCs:

• Gornax the Brute: 10th level Orc Warrior with 18 Strength & 16 Constitution. Nominal leader of the Red Spears clan. He can defeat most living foes, even hill giants and trolls, but fears the supernatural and respects his shaman, nearly always listening to his shaman’s advice. 
• Varrath Ghostspeaker: 11th level Orc Shaman. Varrath has visited the tomb of Shordoth and is more interested in the force of Chaos than the orc immortal Gruumsh. He is interested in necromancy and has acquired some unholy items that help him command the undead. He finds it easy to manipulate his chief, Gornax the Brute, and considers him a useful figurehead. 
• Dalgosh: 6th level orc warrior. More intelligent than Gornax. Dalgosh has spoken with members of the Circle of Forgotten Secrets about hiring the Red Spear orcs as mercenaries. Varrath has not directly intervened but does not trust the human mages either.   

The Hill-Stomper Clan

Headquarters: Pikehead Camp (palisade & ditch on hill top with wooden buildings) not far from Darokin

Population & Fighting Strength: 650 (430 warriors) + 200 kobold slaves

Notable troop types: 

• Kobold Slingers. Those kobolds trusted with weapons are generally used as scouts and skirmishers, equipped with slings and long daggers. Currently there are 40 of them. 
• Worg Riders: About 15 of the most elite warriors (3rd level orc warriors) ride worgs into battle. 

Notable NPCs:

• Eegorn Warhunter: 8th level orc warrior. Eegorn has begun a process rather unusual for orcs - trade with certain humans. Such humans are usually amoral and sometimes aligned to Chaos. This means that Eegorn can get better weapons and armour. He has recently got kobolds to mine gems from local seams and selling the gems to these humans for gold. 
• Norstrol Swordbreaker: 6th level orc warrior. Leader of the largest tribe within the Hill-Stomper Clan, Norstrol is not interested in trade and thinks that any non-orcs should be attacked. However, he keeps being put back in his place by the chief, Eegorn. 
• Barrvoss: 6th level orc shaman. Barrvoss is not sure about his chief’s new business ventures. As a follower of Gruumsh, Barrvoss believes in bloodshed and conquest, but he can also see the benefits of prosperity. He has had several non-violent interactions with chaos cultists and although he is not going to convert to their cause, he can see they can be useful allies. 

The Screaming Raven Clan

Headquarters: Raven Roost, a large natural cave complex halfway up a mountain, with many traps and pitfalls. However, deeper in the cave are a roost of Deep Glaurants who have started attacking the orcs

Population and fighting strength: 750 (500 warriors) + 50 kobold slaves. 

Notable Troop Types: 

• Raven Archers (about 100 warriors from all the component tribes are trained with shortbows and arrows)
• Raven Slayers: 15 experienced orc warriors (2nd level) with better than average dexterity (13 dex, +1 to hit with missiles and -1 to AC) armed with longbows.
• Gannish’s Rockhurlers (30 orcs and kobolds trained and equipped with ballistae and onager catapults)

Notable NPCs:

• Scarrag The Angry: 10th level orc warrior. Scarrag has found himself having to fight two separate opponents, the halflings of the shire and the Deep Glaurants who have taken a dislike to his orcs. 
• Gannish the Clever: 7th level orc shaman. Gannish has spent time with the mysterious Modrigswerg (molder dwarves) of the Northern Reaches and has learned much about craftsmanship and contraptions from them. He now oversees the crews for several siege weapons and has organised the construction of traps guarding the clan's caves. 

The Hungerers

Headquarters: The Bone Pit, a large natural cave in the mountains with excavated extensions. Decorated with lots of bones. 

Population and Fighting Strength: 500 (340 warriors) + 20 ogres + 30 gnolls

Notable troop types: 

• 40 orc berserkers (1st level orc warriors) & 20 battle ragers (2nd level orc warriors) who never check morale and never retreat, getting +1 to damage like human berserkers
• Droog’s Hackers: 10 ogres + 1 ogre leader equipped with huge battleaxes (1d10+2 damage)

Notable NPCs

• Hraak the Eyegouger: 7th level orc shaman. Hraak has spent time in the Altan Tepes along side The Ravening Maw cult and has picked up their beliefs and gruesome traditions and brought them over to his tribe in the Cruth Mountains. As far as orcs go he is very charismatic and has swayed most of the Hungerer clan to his newfound cult, even changing the name (formerly they were the Broken Boulder clan). Every full moon he organises a horrible feast where their slain enemies and other hapless victims are devoured. 
• Marvorg: 6th level orc warrior. Marvorg is nominally the chief of the clan but he has conceded that now Hraak is running the show. But as a Gruumsh-following traditionalist, he is not comfortable with these new-fangled beliefs. Marvorg is uncomfortable with cannibalism: orcs eating humans, halflings and even kobolds is understandable, but orcs eating other orcs just seems wrong. He is considering leaving the Hungerers clan for a less radical one; Perhaps the Hill-Stompers will accept him?
• Reshhee the One-Eyed: 5th level orc shaman. As a Gruumsh-believing traditionalist, Reshhee is not happy about Hraak and the Ravening Maw cult. She is also a female orc shaman which is not common, and is facing prejudice from other orcs who want to keep their females firmly under control. Unlike Marvorg she is not intending to leave but to kill Hraak and re-establish the old order of Gruumsh. 
• Droog the Paunch: Ogre leader. Droog is not an orc, but he is Hraak’s strongest ally, and he and his ogre gang are more than happy to brutally suppress dissent within the clan and promptly devouring those slain. His epithet is as a result of his prodigious appetite. 

The Unhallowed Tomb of Shordoth

History

Over one and a half thousand years ago there was a powerful sorcerer of Chaos known as Shordoth. He made his home in the Cruth Mountains between Highshire and the town of Dolos in the Republic of Darokin. Despite his dark allegiances, he kept a low profile and was content with influencing rather than conquering the lands nearby, though his instigations were often baleful. It is claimed by his followers that he encouraged the discord and infighting among the halflings that led to the Clanstrife of 811BC where the hin descended into civil war. It is also believed that he encouraged King Thrail of the orc tribes to invade the halflings’ lands in 802BC. For the next fifty years Shordoth tried to coordinate the forces of Chaos, particularly orcs and gnolls, to subjugate the hin while he stayed hidden in his mountain lair. Humans, dwarves and even corrupted halflings also served as his agents and footsoldiers while kobolds worked on his stronghold. However, in 740BC he was slain by brave halfling heroes after his identity and activities were revealed to the leaders of the Five Shires by the spy Meriadoc Hardbottle. 

Source

His surviving followers placed him to rest in a tomb under his mountain stronghold and there his mortal remains have stayed. However, his corrupt influence endures, particularly within his stronghold. There are a number of orc tribes around his stronghold who still fear the place, and orc shamans will refer to it as the tomb of the ancient master. Many of his followers who died in that fortress have become undead, while chaotic creatures are now drawn to the ruins.   

The Surface Ruins

The stronghold of Shordoth has a significant presence on the surface, with the central keep, curtain walls and wall towers still mostly standing though many of the smaller buildings have completely collapsed. The Ragged Eyesocket tribe of gnolls are based in one of the towers and gnolls will patrol the rest of the surface buildings unless there are more dangerous monsters than they can handle - the gnolls avoid the central keep for this reason where a Red Ogre and a number of normal ogres have made their lair.  

The Dungeons and its visitors

Beneath the main keep the first level of dungeons is believed to contain many barracks and guardian monsters, while the second dungeon level holds Shordoth’s extensive libraries and laboratories. The third level is the catacomb where Shordoth and many of his faithful minions were buried, as well as shrines to the cosmic force of Chaos, foul chaotic immortals and Chaos Princes. This third level has a powerful unhallowed aura that disrupts the spellcasting of lawful creatures and also makes them both fearful and nauseous. Even clerics cannot turn undead creatures as they would in other dungeons, and given the wraiths and spectres in these catacombs this is a dangerous situation for mortal adventurers to enter. 

And yet mortals do still enter. Some are simply after treasure, both mundane and magical - a risky proposition though one or two adventurers have emerged with gems, jewellery and unusual magic items.  Some are followers of Chaos, sent by their patrons or masters to retrieve books and scrolls from the libraries or strange ingredients and equipment from the alchemical laboratories. These chaotic folk are often completing tests of service, and proving themselves capable and worthy of continued patronage.  Because they are of chaotic alignment they are not as affected by the unhallowed aura, although they generally do not get a free pass from the monsters and undead. The rarest type of explorers are those trying to put a final end to the evil influence of Shordoth. None have succeeded, and only one has made it out alive. 

The Circle of Forgotten Secrets 

The Circle of Forgotten Secrets is a relatively small group of chaotic mages and their followers, not based in Shordoth’s keep itself but in a manor house in the Cruth Mountains nearby. They claim to be the successors to Shordoth’s apprentices and followers, and the circle is intent on both learning Shordoth’s secret research (hence occasional expeditions into the dungeon libraries and laboratories) and carrying on Shordoth’s plan of encouraging the humanoid tribes to disrupt and possibly overrun lawful civilisations such as the Five Shires. Like their dark hero, the Circle of Forgotten Secrets is unlikely to reveal itself, preferring to operate behind the scenes. 

The most senior member of the Circle is Druusheena (20th level human mage), a powerful mage exiled from Darokin for her unacceptable interest in the Cult of Chaos and abhorrent experiments on kidnapped citizens. 

Her second in command is Zorpheus, (16th level human Twisted Summoner) a Glantrian wizard who tried (and failed) to kill and usurp his master using summoned monsters. 

Farloth the Bloody is a Chaos Warrior (16th level) who dreams of leading legions of Chaos to devastate his Darokin homeland which he hates with a passion. 

Ralsheeni (8th level halfling) is their main spy. She is bitter with her fellow halflings for what she sees as unfair treatment and disrespect as well as being passed over for appointments in the Shires. Her fellow halflings would point out her previous awful behaviour as their real reason. Nonetheless, she will often visit the Five Shires, keeping a low profile, and then report back to the Circle. 

 

Guardian Gargoyles

source

Gargoyles are well known to adventurers as chaotic, evil monsters with horns, fangs, claws and wings. They are clearly unnatural, as they are immune to normal weapons, thus making them even more fearsome to humans without such weaponry. Their fundamental natures are of great curiosity to sages. They are similar to constructs, and like golems and living statues they can appear as inanimate statuary when staying still. Yet it is quite rare for a powerful mage to go to the bother of creating them - the money, time and resources for creating a construct often seem better spent on more powerful minions. 

The evidence is that gargoyles are indeed constructs, but ones twisted from their original forms by forces of Chaos. They can now reproduce, unheard of for nearly all other constructs, albeit asexually (there are no male or female gargoyles, just ugly ones). Although they can be created by powerful mages, usually they are considered too selfish and unpredictable to be reliable guards. Powerful leaders of Chaos such as nagpas can still press them into service. 

Guardian gargoyles are the original gargoyles, the uncorrupted ones. They are quite rare but they are much more conventional as constructed creatures. They are carved from stone and animated by powerful magic. They are typically positioned perched on the tops of grand buildings such as cathedrals, temples, universities and city halls, staying perfectly still and appearing to be an ornate part of the architecture.They still have monstrous appearances, having bestial faces, bat-like wings and taloned hands. Guardian gargoyles also have a few features not seen by their chaotic cousins, namely the ability to detect invisibility in a 60ft range and also they constantly have Detect Ethereal creatures in 60ft range. Like normal gargoyles they can fly, though given their stoney weight this flight is more magical than aerodynamic. They also have one trick they will use in a pinch - once a day they can spew out gutter water from their mouths at an opponent's eyes temporarily blinding it.

They have a capacity to take orders, and are particularly good at instructions on who to let pass and who to prevent entering, being able to discern race and class (though not a creature's alignment). Guardian gargoyles are popular in both Alphatia and Glantri, guarding the rooftops of wizards' towers and arcane schools. 

Guardian Gargoyle
Armour Class	4
Hit Dice	6*
Avg. HP	30
Movement	90ft/fly 180ft
THAC0	14
Attacks	2 claws/1 bite
Damage	1d6/1d6/2d4
No. Appearing	1-10
Morale	12
Save As	F12
Treasure	none
Alignment	Neutral
Intelligence	7-8 (Low)
Size & Type	Medium Construct
XP Value	500

Features:

• Immune to non-magical weapons (similar to normal gargoyles & golems)
• immune to poison, disease, charm & sleep as constructs
• Detect Invisible & Ethereal 60ft range at will
• Surprises opponents on 1-3 on d6 when staying still and blending in with architecture
• 1/day gutter water spew - target within 20ft must save vs death ray or be blinded for 1 turn

source

My thoughts about Gaz8: The Five Shires and high-level Halflings

 

Art by Clyde Caldwell, source

I like this one. Interestingly it is written by Ed Greenwood, who of course is famous for being the creator of the Forgotten Realms. It's interesting that TSR also asked him to work on other worlds such as Mystara here, and I think he rose to the challenge well. 

It's difficult to write about D&D halflings without thinking about Tolkein's hobbits. The name of the nation, the Five Shires, is a clear homage to the Shire where Frodo and Bilbo Baggins lived and where Tolkein's most famous adventures (The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings) started. So are these halflings just hobbits with a name changed for copyright reasons? Not exactly. There are similarities, with the rolling countryside and sylvan forests. But these halflings are tougher and are more willing to both defend themselves and explore the wider world. In fact there is a halfling militia, halfling commandos/vigilantes known as Fangs and halfling pirates on whom there is a whole chapter. This differentiates them from Tolkein’s hobbits sufficiently to grab my interest. 

And they do need to defend themselves. The biggest and most obvious threat is the orcs of the Cruth Mountains. Throughout the history of the land the orcs have raided, invaded and occasionally tyrannised the halflings. However, the hin (the halflings' name for themselves) have also had major problems with both humans and dwarves. The dwarves are no longer a substantial influence in the area. The most significant human threat is from the Black Eagle Barony in the east, just over the border in Karameikos, though pirates on the Sea of Dread (from Ierendi and possibly Minrothad and other coastal realms) have also been an occasional problem, particularly around maritime trade. Halflings have also had horrible experiences with mages of Glantri, whom they now fear and distrust. Although it can be assumed that orcs and halflings are automatically enemies, the halflings of the Five Shires have enough friendly and business interactions with humans that many more opportunities for intrigue and diplomacy can be found. Is that merchant from Karameikos actually a spy for the Black Eagle Barony? Is it possible to persuade the pirate captain to leave the coast of Seashire alone? The wandering Glantrian wizard has generated a lot of suspicion but is he responsible for some disappearances in nearby villages? 

And despite mostly being peaceful villages and rolling countryside, the Five shires have their own collections of carnivorous monsters, particularly the Deep Glaurant. Unlike some gazetteers, the opportunities for adventures and dungeons are plentiful in the borderlands of the Five Shires, and I am glad for that, even if the resident halflings have reservations.  

High level Halflings

One of the aspects of halflings explored in this gazetteer is what happens with halflings after 8th level. According to the B/X rules, halflings can reach a maximum level of 8 (Sheriff, or in this gazetteer Knight-Guardian). This is a severe restriction even in Expert-level campaigns where halflings will find themselves left behind while human characters are continuing on to name level, and even elves and dwarves have a bit more growth available. There are two possible answers to this. Firstly the attack ranks and accompanying abilities detailed in the Companion Rules are a solution for those halflings that prefer to keep a martial focus and develop their weapon skills. Secondly this gazetteer introduces the Halfling Master, a sort of prestige class that gives halflings that qualify powers similar to druids. However, at least according to the Gazetteer these halfling masters are guardians of the Five Shires, not wandering adventurers. If DMs stick to this idea then perhaps becoming a Master is not a good option for a halfling PC hoping to join his high-level adventuring companions in far off lands and deep dungeons. If the DM drops this requirement then Masters could become a bit too popular, eclipsing the martial halflings progressing through attack ranks. I have not quite decided on my prefered way of handling this. 

This does sort of reflect my post on high level elves where borrowing ideas from Gaz5: Elves of Alfheim, I went with the idea of high-level elves progressing as either Elven Lords (with relatively simple advancement) or Elven Wizards (who require specialist training in Alfheim to progress to the next level).  What if halfling masters could wander from the Shire and join their human and elven adventuring party, but when they are ready to level up they need to spend time (two months or so) in the Shires, training with their fellow masters?  If they don’t or cannot return to the Shires then their progression is paused. This seems like a reasonable compromise though I have not playtested it. 

Long-running followers of this blog might remember I created the Halfling Defender class long ago, a sort of fighter/cleric for halflings. But that was for Kaelaross, long before I got hold of this gazetteer. I have barely noted its existence since writing about Mystara, and as such I don’t think I’ll use it, at least not in Mystara. In some ways this is a bit of a pity. Dwarves have the standard dwarf warriors and also dwarf clerics (a class from Kaelaross that I have brought over to Mystara) while elves have their standard elf spellswords (casting magic user spells while wearing full armour) and the elven ranger. Halflings, at least at low levels, seem to just have one class to choose from. But seeing as Halfling Masters fulfil the role of halfling clerics, Halfling defenders now seem rather redundant. I shall ponder this but for the moment defenders are out, masters are in. 

Pre-Cataclysmic Cultures of the Great Waste

There are ruins in the Great Waste of Sind. They are not prolific, but the sages of Sayr Ulan, the main city of Sind, believe that these ruins predate the Great Rain of Fire that devastated the  ancient civilizations of Blackmoor and Arvoria, causing the collapse of the first and forcing the survivors of the second underground. The Great Rain of Fire caused massive dramatic climactic upheavals as Mystara was tilted on its axis. What was the north pole became southeastern Brun and the pole shifted to where it is now, where a continent-sized hole in the crust leads to the Hollow World. 

Before the Great Rain of Fire the area that would become the Great Waste was the Kallinth Forest, a great woodland, mostly conifers to the east but shifting to deciduous woods such as oak and elm towards the west. As well as plentiful wildlife the Kallinth forest host several different tribes of humans as well as sylvan creatures such as dryads, centaurs and pixies. Some of the tribes stayed nomadic, wandering the forest but others, most notably the Kallinthians (naming themselves after their forest home), the Hyskians and the Darvonians settled into early cultures with cattle and horse farming in cleared areas. 

The Kallinthians

The semi-nomadic Kallinthians espoused moderation and common sense in their approach to life. Of the three, the Kallinthians were the closest to nature, and also were friendly towards tribes of elves and centaurs in the forest. They  dwelt in the eastern part of the forest, around what is now Sind. 

The Hyskians

These were the most volatile and ruthless of the three tribes, and their clerics would worship the primal forces of Chaos. They also had great mages and were pioneers in their explorations of magic, some of which would be considered dark sorcery. It is believed that their most powerful sorcerers opened up portals to the Planes of Chaos, one of which is still found in a ruined temple in the Great Waste (see B4: Master of the Desert Nomads, the section on the Buried Temple). Some of these mages would use corrupted forms of magic to extend their lifespans, and inadvertently turned themselves into the first nagpas, vulture-like creatures with magical powers, though the Hyskians are not the only culture to have spawned these vile sorcerous monsters.    

The Darvonians

The Darvonians were great craftsmen, pioneers of bronze and copper as well as pottery and architecture. Some suggest they learnt this from the dwarves or gnomes, though their own legends speak of being gifted this knowledge by the scorpion god Ixitak (possibly the avatar of an immortal). They also used cuniform writing on clay tablets and became a structured society with laws. 

Their most devoted clerics were sometimes transformed by Ixitak into Scorpion-men, monstrous looking centauroid beings with the lower bodies of giant scorpions and the upper body, arms and heads of humans. Despite their scary appearances, these scorpion-men remained benevolent and lawful at least until the Great Rain of Fire. 

The Great Rain of Fire

The first effect to be noticed in the Kallinth Forest when the Blackmoor device exploded was the massive earthquakes as shock waves rippled out from the epicentre of the explosion and travelled across the planet of Mystara. Many were killed as buildings collapsed, crushing people in and around them. Others fell into the crevasses that suddenly opened up across the lands. Further to the east a chunk of Brun was torn from the south coast; The parts that did not sink beneath the waves would become the Ierendi Islands. To the east the previously modest Black Mountains had been pushed up into taller, more jagged and volcanically active peaks.   

Then came the actual rain of fire, the fallout of the explosion. Flaming hot debris fell from the sky, catapulted from Blackmoor. Conflagrations fell amidst the devastated towns and farmland, setting buildings, crops and people on fire. The people were in abject terror, convinced it was the end of the world and they were all going to die. For some of them this was true. 

This all happened within a space of three days as the ground convulsed and the sky pelted the land with fire. Afterwards there was an eerie calm. The survivors had no idea what had happened. Were the immortals angry with them? They noticed that the stars in the sky had changed position - even the heavens had been shaken. There were various attempts to rebuild shattered towns and livelihoods . 

Then the climate shifted. The change in Mystara’s axis meant that temperatures became warmer, the rains stopped falling on the forest and after a year or two the process of desertification began. The smaller plants died first, then the trees, then grazing animals and after three years the human survivors of the Great Rain of Fire realised that the disaster had not concluded yet. 

The Migrations and Aftermaths

As the land dried up and became a desert waste, the Kallinthians, who were already used to migration, set off east into what is now Atruaghin and Darokin. Their connection to nature and balance may have been shaken by the cataclysm but still remained. Their flexibility and adaptability allowed many of them to survive though no longer in their homeland. Their culture disappated but many of their lineages blended in with the human tribes that would become the Atruaghin clans. 

The Hyskians did what they had to do to survive and moved west through the Black Mountains which were now far more formidable. Not all the Hyskians survived that journey west, but those that did found themselves in the great basin that would eventually become Hule. Their belief in Chaos has remained, and Hule these days is still a chaotic hagiocracy. There was a split, as some Hyskians decided to stay and endure the changing climate. Many of them became the ancestors of the human desert nomads that now roam the great wastes.

The Darvonians suffered the most. They had become so reliant on a stable, predictable society that when the Great Rain of Fire struck, they had no way of coping with the complete upheaval of the world around them. Some of their clerics and even the blessed scorpion-men lost their faith and renounced their patron Ixitak. They instead turned to Chaos. Some of them joined the Hyskians in Hule, while others were offered a new transformation to help them survive in the desert. A mysterious being (actually a Chaos Prince) called Serathis transformed those who swore loyalty to him into Manscorpions, vicious and corrupted versions of the noble scorpion-men of Ixitak. A lucky few found the newly formed Asanda river and settled along its banks. Although not the true founders of Sind, they would merge with the Urduks, a tribe migrating from the east that would also settle in the fertile Asanda valley who would be instrumental in the settling and growth of Sind. 

source

Author’s Note 

I was considering moving B4: The Lost City to this region but I think at the moment it is well established to be in the Emirates of Ylaruam, as indicated in the Mentzer Expert set. The culture of the Cynidiceans seems closer to Mesopotamia or maybe ancient Turkey than ancient Egypt (which is the inspiration for the Nithians of northern Ylaruam). Nonetheless I believe it is simpler to go along with canon on this one. There is also the level difference - B4 is for levels 1-3 while the adventures set in the Great Waste are for levels 6 to 10, both official ones and my own humble attempts. In terms of the flow of the campaign, B4 seems more suited to Ylaruam. 

The principal published adventure set in the Great Waste is of course X4: Master of the Desert Nomads. The sequel, X5: The Temple of Death is really set in the land of Hule to the west of the Great Waste. There are two main ruins in X4: the Buried Temple and the Abbey of Evil. The Abbey of Evil feels too new to be linked to the ancient cultures discussed here. My suggestion is that it was originally founded by Sindhi Mystics and built about 100 years ago, but they were infiltrated and then killed by the Bhuts about 10 years ago. 

The  Buried Temple dates back to those pre-cataclysmic centuries and is actually my main inspiration for this blog post. My two dungeon posts set in the Great Waste, The Pillared Halls of Serathis and The Tower of the Nagpas have both drawn from B4, especially the section on the Buried Temple. This post is my attempt at explaining and giving historical context to the Buried Temple as well as my own two dungeons of the Great Waste. I hope it proves satisfactory.

Logos Location #16: Tower of the Nagpas

 

Cartography by Dyson Logos, source

Thanks to Dyson Logos' generosity, he has made a large number of his high quality maps available for use. I have decided (with his approval) to incorporate these into locations within Mystara.

This adventure is intended for characters of levels 7-9, and it uses my version of nagpas rather than the official one. This adventure involves multiple spellcasting creatures and as such it could be very dangerous for PC parties who are geared towards melee. 

Background to the Tower of the Nagpas

On the northern edge of the Great Waste of Sind, near the western end of the Khurish Massif, there are ruins of a once-great culture. The sages of Sayr Ulan (the capital of the Kingdom of Sind) have long been interested in their predecessors and about a month ago a wandering merchant brought to these sages a very old scroll found in the ruins which has generated much excitement in the academic community. One particularly adventurous sage, Mehnaz, set off north to the ruins but has not been seen since. The PCs are approached by two groups of sages: The first group would like to find their errant colleague and bring him back, alive if possible. The second is simply interested in retrieving more scrolls for research. 

Adventurers setting off can easily follow the trail to an outpost called Gunga Keep in the desert, which was the last known stop of Mehnaz before he headed north. The Sindhi soldiers know of an old abandoned tower north of Gunga Keep and suggest the PCs investigate that. 

Key to the map

1) Outbuilding: 2 minotaur skeletons stand guard. They were previously guards of the nagpa who died in combat and have been reanimated. There is a flight of stairs heading down into the ground (to room 9). This outbuilding is covered with a flimsy wooded roof on top of its stone walls, 

Minotaur skeleton: AC 6, HD 6, Move 120ft, THAC0 14, Att 1 gore or 1 bite for 1d6, Save F3, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 275. Undead: As undead minotaur skeletons are immune to poison, disease, Sleep and Charm.  

2) 1 lesser nagpa is posted here, keeping an eye on the minotaur skeletons. There is also a spiral flight of stairs that go up to area 5 and also down to area 8

Lesser Nagpa Antoris: 

Memorised spells: Dispel Magic, Web, Read Magic

Treasure: 40pp

 

3) 1 minotaur is resting here, ready to act as muscle if the lesser nagpa in room 2 is in trouble. 

4) Empty

5) Empty apart from rubble and broken furniture. There are some books on the ground - most are too badly chewed up by vermin but there are two that are intact: one is an elvish history of the civilizatons that used to dwell in the area before it became the Great Waste, worth 1000gp to history scholars. The other is written in a form of Hulean, an account of a mage finding out his colleagues and rivals are making dark pacts with powers of Chaos and becoming Nagpas, worth 500gp. 

 

6) Tower summit. Here is a lesser nagpa and its pet, a gargoyle. They are supposed to be watching the surrounding land for approaching threats but neither is paying attention, being stuck in an argument about the gargoyle’s poor behaviour. 

Lesser Nagpa Breekill: 

Memorised spells: Clairvoyance, Levitate, Sleep
Treasure: 22pp + 1 beryl gem worth 300gp

Gargoyle: AC 5, HD 4, 14 hp, Move 90ft/fly 150ft, THAC0 16, Att 1 bite/1 horn/2 claws for 1d6/1d4/1d3/1d3, Save F8, Ml 11, Align Chaotic, 

Gargoyles are immune to normal weapons and require spells or magic weapons to hit. 

7) 1 Nagpa has its quarters here. 

Nagpa Chanaktor:

Memorised spells: Wall of Ice, Dispel Magic, Web, Sleep 

Treasure: 20pp + potion of extra healing (restores 3d6+3 hp)

8) Stairs leading up to area 2 and down to area 14

9) 3 minotaurs are dismembering the carcass of a desert antelope. They will attack strangers on sight. There are also several other butchered animal carcasses hanging from hooks on the ceiling.  

10) No creatures although there are numerous sleeping couches here, used by the nagpas. 

11) Corridor. Halfway along there is a branch north  that has caved in behind a door. The door still opens and on the floor immediately beyond is a scroll. Anybody looking at the writing on the scroll  activates the Explosive Rune, causing 6d4+6 fire damage to all within 10ft range. A save vs spells reduces this to half damage. The explosion may also attract the attention of nagpas in room 12.

12) The Study. Here are 2 lesser nagpas reading books. They will attack strangers on sight. Also on the east wall there are 2 shelves, one with books, one with scrolls. The scrolls are of interest to scholars though not as much as the ones in room 18. These ones are worth 100gp each and there are 20 of them. On the bookshelf there are 3 spell books that are shared by the nagpas for their memorised spells. 

Book 1: 

    1st level: Magic Missile

    2nd level: Levitate

    3rd level: Dispel Magic, Explosive Rune (borrowed from AD&D)

    4th level: Dimension Door, Wall of Ice 

Book 2: 

    1st level: Read Magic

    2nd level: Caustic Bolt, Detect Invisible

    4th level: Polymorph Self

Book 3: 

    1st level: Sleep

    2nd level: Web

    3rd level: Protection from Normal Missiles

Note that the DM can add new spells here if wanted. 

Lesser Nagpa Dorrishon: 

Memorised spells: Dispel Magic, Levitate, Sleep 

Treasure: 36pp

Lesser Nagpa Eigorn:
Memorised Spells: Magic Missile, Caustic Bolt, Protection from Normal Missiles

Treasure: 20pp + Potion of Flying

13) Stairs down. This is the lair of a minotaur boss who acts as if the leader of the minotaurs here, though he realises that even he answers to the nagpas. He wears an oversized chain mail shirt and wields a halberd, There is also a flight of stairs heading down to area 15.  In his chest he holds the minotaur tribe's treasure: 12,500sp, 4300gp and 260pp as well as a Crossbow +2 and a Dagger +2 +4 when used to Backstab/Sneak Attack. 

Minotaur Boss: AC 4, HD 9, hp 45, THAC0 11, Att 1 polearm for 1d10+3, Save F9, Ml 11, Align Chaotic, XP 900

Art by Bill Willingham
from B2: Keep on the Borderlands

14) The cells. This passageway has stairs going up to area 8 as well as 4 small chambers, each with a locked door. 

a) Empty apart from rubble from partially collapsed ceiling. 

b) Menhaz the Scholar (human male, MU4, AC 9, hp 5, Move 90ft, att none, save MU4, Ml 5, Align Neutral), a prisoner of the nagpas who is not very heroic but will cooperate with any rescuers. 

c) Boxes with supplies of ink, vellum, quills, blank books and alchemical glassware. No creatures.  These stores are worth about 150gp but weigh 50lb. 

d) Minotaur imprisoned for trying to attack a nagpa. Due to be used as test subject in the nagpas’ experiments. He is raging and will attack any creature (including other minotaurs) that release him. 

 

15) 1 Nagpa +1 minotaur. This particular nagpa has the keys to unlock to cell doors in room 14

Nagpa Forzzen: 

Memorised spells: Wall of Ice, Dispel Magic, Web, Sleep 

Treasure: wrought Silver medallion worth 500gp

16) The menagerie. Held in 4 forcefields are creatures the nagpas and minotaurs have captured for study and possible dissection: 

Red forcefield: 1 Otyugh

Yellow forcefield: 1 Displacer Beast

Cyan forcefield: 1 Rhagoddessa. 

Purple forcefield: 1 Centaur chief

There are also 4 gems embedded on pedestals around the room - each controls the forcefield of the same colour - pressing it down into the pedestal lowers that particular forcefield, pressing it again and the gem pops back up like the button on the end of a ballpoint pen, and the forcefield is turned back on.  They are Amber (yellow) on northwest, Amethyst (purple) on northeast, Aquamarine (cyan) on southeast, and garnet (red) on southwest. If prized from their pedestals each gem is worth 500gp. This will deactivate that forcefield and unleash that monster. The Rhagodessa and Displacer beast are both feral and will desperately try to get out of the dungeon, attacking anything in their way. The otyugh is less aggressive but still wants to get out. The centaur chief (called Wehhill) is wary of humans and demihumans but may recognise they are potential allies against the nagpa and minotaurs who have been attacking his centaur tribe. 

There is a nagpa here who will try to unleash the monsters if threatened. 

Nagpa Galazi:

Memorised spells: Polymorph Self, Dispel Magic, Web, Sleep
Treasure: 34pp + amber gem worth 100gp

Otyugh:AC 3, HD 7, hp 33, Move 60ft, THAC0 13, Att 1 bite/2 tentacles for 1d4+1 + disease/1d8/1d8, Save F7, Ml 10, Align Neutral, XP 450. Disease: anyone bitten by the otyugh must save vs poison or be infected by a rotting disease that causes 1d4hp damage per day as well as -2 to the sufferer’s saving throws until cured by a cleric 

Displacer Beast: AC 4, HD 6*, hp 30, Move 150ft, THAC0 14, Att 2 tentacles for 2d4/2d4, Save F6, Ml 11, Align Chaotic, XP 500. Displacement gives -2 bonus to AC (raising it up to AC 2) and +2 to all saving throws. 

Rhagoddessa: AC 5, HD 4+2, hp 20, Move 150ft, THAC0 15, Att 1 leg/1 bite for special/2d8, Save F2, Ml 9, Align Neutral, XP 125, Hit with leg means target is grappled and can automatically be bitten for 2d8 damage each round thereafter until released

Centaur chief: AC 7, HD 6, hp 24, Move 180ft, THAC0 14, Att 2 hooves for 1d6/1d6, Save F6, Ml 8, Align Neutral, XP 275

17) Alchemy labs. Here is a nagpa in deep research assisted by 2 gargoyles. It will react badly to anyone interrupting its study and instruct its stony lab assistants to attack.

Note that this lab is full of shelves and tables with bottles, flasks and brewing pots of strange chemicals and volatile compounds.  Roll 1d6 for any liquids investigated:

1. Acid 1d6 damage per round of contact

2. Volatile oil. Can be used as lantern oil or thrown as burning oil

3. Poison, as per poison potion

4. Noxious but not fatal. Save vs poison or suffer -2 to hit and to saves and to ability score checks for 2d4 turns. Vomiting is optional. 

5. Water

6. Potion - roll on random potion table in treasure section of the rules 

Nagpa Hessex: 

Memorised Spells: Magic Missile, Detect Invisible, Fly, Dimension Door

Treasure: 40pp + Potion of Extra Healing (restores 3d6+3hp)

Gargoyle: AC 5, HD 4, 14 hp, 16 hp, Move 90ft/fly 150ft, THAC0 16, Att 1 bite/1 horn/2 claws for 1d6/1d4/1d3/1d3, Save F8, Ml 11, Align Chaotic, 125xp

Gargoyles are immune to normal weapons and require spells or magic weapons to hit. 

 

18) Greater Nagpa’s quarters. As well as the leader of the nagpas, this room also contains a shelf at the east end which holds the scrolls of the ancients. Although not magical they are very valuable to scholars and sages (30 scrolls worth 500gp each). In addition the greater nagpa has a conventional treasure chest which is unlocked but has an Explosive Rune on the inside of the lid (causing 6d4+6 fire damage to all within 10ft range. A save vs spells reduces this to half damage). There is a lever on the side of the lid that covers up the rune so the chest can be opened safely. Inside is 8800pp + 4 rubies worth 1000gp each and a large blue diamond worth 6000gp

Greater Nagpa Izzthork: AC 1, HD 12**, hp 48, Move 120ft, THAC0 8, Att 1 bite for 1d8 or special, Save MU12, Ml 8, Align Chaotic, XP 2700 

Create Flames (3/day), causing a burnable object (such as clothes or knapsack) to burst into flames, causing 2d6 damage per round of contact with a creature,
Darkness (3/day), 

Phantasmal Force (3/day)
Paralysis (1/day): all lawful creatures within 10' of the nagpa must save vs Spells or be paralysed for 1d4 rounds
Corruption (3/day) - this will cause a single non-living item within 60' to decay into uselessness. Magic items are allowed a saving throw vs spells as the character using them
Memorised Spells: Wall of Force, Dimension Door, Fireball, Web, Sleep

Art by Keith Parkinson
from X4: Master of the Desert Nomads

Common Monster Stats

Lesser Nagpa: AC 5, HD 6**, 24hp, Move 120ft, THAC0 12, Att 1 bite for 1d6 or special, Save MU6, Ml 7, Align Chaotic, XP 725. Spec abil: 

Create Flames (3/day), causing a burnable object (such as clothes or knapsack) to burst into flames, causing 2d6 damage per round of contact with a creature, 

Darkness (3/day), as per 1st level cleric spell, 5ft radius around point or creature

Phantasmal Force (3/day), as per 2nd level MU spell 
Memorised spells: 1 x 1st level MU spell, 1 x 2nd level MU spell, 1 x 3rd level MU spell

Minotaur: AC 6, HD 6, hp 28, Move 120ft, THAC0 14, Att 1 battle axe for 1d8+2, Save F6, Ml 12, Align Chaotic, XP 275

Nagpa: AC 3, HD 9**, hp 40, THAC0 11, Att 1 bite for 1d8 or special, Save MU9, Ml 8, Align Chaotic, XP 2300 Spec abil:

Create Flames (3/day), causing a burnable object (such as clothes or knapsack) to burst into flames, causing 2d6 damage per round of contact with a creature, 

Darkness (3/day), as per 1st level cleric spell, 5ft radius around point or creature

Phantasmal Force (3/day), as per 2nd level MU spell 

Paralysis (1/day): all lawful creatures within 10' of the nagpa must save vs Spells or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds

Memorised Spells:  1 x 1st level MU spell, 1 x 2nd level MU spell, 1 x 3rd level MU spell, 1 x 4th level MU spell 

The Selenica Pass

In a previous post I discussed how I would go about gaming an overland journey from Karameikos to Ylaruam. The route I suggested involved going through the mountain pass between Selenica and Ylaruam, which is a vital trade road but with very little detail given in the Gazetteers. So here are my ideas about the Selenica Pass. 

Formation of the Selenica Pass

The Selenica Pass is unusually straight and consistent, providing a fast overland route through the Altan Tepes mountains from Selenica in Darokin to Parsa in Ylaruam. Initially this was a massive crack that opened up in the crust of Mystara when Blackmoor was destroyed in the Great Rain of Fire. Yet even this does not fully explain the straightness - some clerics have speculated that immortal intervention may have guided the initial chasm opening up. Further earthquakes, both during the Great Rain of Fire and also  when the polar holes were opened meant that rubble from convulsing mountains of the Altan Tepes filled in most of the chasm, leaving a shallow scar across the mountain range.

Since then mortals have worked to make the pass more navigable, particularly dwarves living in the mountains using their engineering and stonecrafting skills and also Nithians, using a combination of slave labour and powerful sorcery. The remnants of Nithian civilisation can occasionally be seen along the pass while the dwarves still maintain a small presence (see Torrag Gullonor below). 

Current Use of the Pass 

Source

For trade between nations in the Known World, the Selenica Pass is vital, being the only clear route through the Altan Tepes mountains. Caravans from Darokin, Ylaruam, Alfheim, Karameikos, the Five Shires, Rockhome and further afield all take the Selenica Pass. The only realistic alternative is by sea, sailing around the Thyatian peninsula between the Sea of Dawn and the Sea of Dread. Some merchants in fact prefer the maritime route, considering the overland route to be slower and more dangerous in terms of monsters and bandits. Nonetheless, for land-locked regions who wish to trade there is little alternative. There is the Thyatian route from Fort Nikos to Ctesiphon but even this is a lot rockier and steeper, not always suitable for wagons and for Darokin and Alfheim it is too far away anyway. 

Ylaruam and Darokin, particularly the government of Selenica, realise how important the pass is and have come to an understanding. Most of the length falls under Darokin’s borders and jurisdiction , so it is Darokin army patrols setting out from either Selenica or Fort Hobart that keep the pass relatively safe. Once caravans leave the mountains to the east and enter the foothills they are in Ylaruam and Ylari patrols from Parsa will be encountered.  Karameikos has no official role as the pass is not within Karameikian territory but both the Grand Duke and traveling traders of Karameikos recognise the importance the route is to the Grand Duchy's prosperity. 

Caravans and other civilised travellers can be encountered along the road and most of the time there is no more exchange than polite acknowledgement. Those who travel this route regularly understand that little interaction is needed. Those in distress by the side of the road are sometimes treated with caution, even suspicion as bandits have sometimes used such situations as bait to get other caravans and travellers to stop and lower their guard, though most requests for help are genuine enough.  

Locations of Note

Parsa is the capital of Makistan, the west-most of the Emirates. Parsa has 2,000 residents but its population is often higher (around 3000) due to the traders and caravans regularly stopping off before heading into the mountain pass. Parsa also does its own trade, both in wool and horses as well as caravan supplies. 

Selenica is the eastmost city of Darokin and an important trade centre, with a population of 39,000, detailed in Gaz11 and discussed in this post. 

Orstinel: A fortified village with a substantial inn and manor house halfway between Selenica and Parsa in the mountain pass, popular as stopping point for caravans and other travellers. There are 120 long-term residents but the population is often double that when caravans are staying the night. There is also a chapel and shrine to a lawful minor immortal, Saint Thoria, manned by 4 dwarf clerics. 

Torrag Gullonor: A dwarven stronghold set into the mountainside overlooking the pass. There are 320 dwarves here. They are quite cautious about letting non-dwarves in but will often do business with merchants in either Selenica or Orstinel. Torrag Gullonor has both coal and iron ore seams nearby and does its own smelting, exporting iron ingots and buying food and drink. There are some older dwarf residents who remember fleeing Tarrag Duun when they were young. 

Doomskull Shrine: Just off the trail is a goblin shrine with a massive goblin skull carved into the mountainside. The nearby goblin tribes are occasional caravan raiders but will launch all-out war if adventurers commit sacrilege in their shrine. 

Nehirill’s Tower is a wizard’s tower, still occupied by the Glantrian exile, Nehirill (15th level mage, human female, chaotic). She is unpredictable and some say quite mad, but she tends to leave other folks alone. She has three human apprentice mages who also act as servants, as well as various golems, living statues and conjured elementals who serve as guards, fending off the monsters that roam the mountains as well as foolish uninvited visitors. Nehirill is rarely seen but her apprentices often visit Orstinel to buy food and other supplies. 

Possible Encounters

Ambush with ogres supported by hobgoblins led by a red ogre. Hobgoblin archers are behind walls while ogres have set up a road block with boulders and tree trunks, 

A passing merchant and his caravan are convinced they are being preyed on by something - guards keep disappearing. They are right - a doppelganger is killing then impersonating guards. One of the guards offers to join the PCs party as he thinks it is safer. He is of course the doppelganger. 

A damsel in distress is being pursued by an undead monster. The undead is a revenant and the damsel is not so innocent, having slain her tutor in magical arts and stolen his spellbook. The master has returned for vengeance with combined powers of a revenant and an 8th level magic user. 

Two dragons dwell near the Selenica Pass. 

Naxavorious is small male red dragon, nearly always hostile and predatory though his hunting has no pattern and is hard to predict. He is liable to attack caravans first and fly off with loot rather than making demands.

Sestarinia Skyscale is a large female blue dragon. She is served by a band of stone giants who sometimes set up a toll point along the pass. The fees are reasonable and if travellers pay and don't fight the giants Sestarina let them through without problems. She is sometimes seen watching over her stone giant minions from a vantage point high above the pass. Darokin authorities are reluctant to challenge her because they reckon she keeps the Frost Giants to the south in check. 

Random Encounters in the Pass

1d8+1d12	Encounter
2	DM's Choice
3	Griffon
4	Ogre
5	Cave Bear
6	Mountain Lion
7	Wolf Pack
8	Dwarf Patrol
9	Goblin Bandits
10	Merchant Caravan
11	Human Soldier Patrol
12	Herd Animals (d6: 1-3 wild goats, 4-5 Ibexes, 6 Yak)
13	Human Bandits
14	Adventuring Party
15	Wild Boar
16	Giant Hawk
17	Wyvern
18	Frost Giant
19	Stone Giant
20	Dragon (d6: 1-3= Red, 4-6= Blue)

This table is loosely based on the ones at the back of the AD&D Monster Manual II. Clearly DM discretion is advised and if a party of PCs is not ready to handle some of these encounters then the DM can choose a different encounter or say that there was no encounter. Similarly there are various possible encounters that could not fit on this table (hobgoblins, hippogriffs, trolls) that the DM can introduce as they wish.