Another look at Gemstones, Part 1

Gems are a frequent form of treasure; Weight for weight they are more valuable than coins but are still purely monetary in value, unlike magic items that will impact game play in other ways. And of couse since both B/X D&D and AD&D use treasure as the main basis of experience points, this makes gems little nuggets of XP. They may have symbolism, and thus may be used in the creation of magic items or crushed to use in potions or scroll ink but on their own they have no special powers. Way back in the early days of this blog I already did a blog post on this topic and this post is more of an update. 

In the real world gem value is not easy to determine. Gems are named primarily according to their chemical composition - colour, shape and clarity are all secondary, You can have yellow sapphires, blue spinels, pink diamonds and black pearls. And of course the price someone is willing to pay will depend on rarity, size, clarity, cut and colour. That’s not simple to translate into D&D gp value. So there will be compromises and simplifications here, shown by random dice rolls to determine the value of each type of gem for any given size. A low roll indicates either an uncut stone or one with clear flaws - likewise a high roll indicates a well-cut gem with no flaws. Size is left up to the DM but it is assumed that most gems are medium size. As always these are suggestions and the DM has a final say, particularly if a certain amount of treasure-based XP is required. Similarly the assumption is that the largest gemstones found are no more than 3" across; the DM is welcome to place even larger ones with commensurately higher value. On this list the largest piece of Malachite is usually worth a maximum of 120gp  but if the PCs found one the size of a man's skull, particularly if it was well-carved and pure, it could be worth maybe 500gp. 

I was thinking about fantasy gem types here - I included them in my old post. But these days I reckon that there are enough weird and wonderful real minerals and crystals that I don’t need to add fictional ones. Besides, if I wanted to add new types of fantasy gemstone, I would probably want to give them particular properties or powers, similar to Eldritch Crystals, or the Arkenstone from The Hobbit, while the ones listed here are pretty and valuable, but not magical. 

The alphabetical list here are the lower value stones, particularly the opaque ones. I hope to look at the more expensive jewels in another post. I've included photos of each stone type borrowed from the web. Although this has increased the size of this post considerably, I feel (at least for myself) it is good to have an image of whatever the PCs find in the treasure hoard - it makes the obscure mineral name more real. 

Ornamental Stones

Agate 

Source

Colour: Varies, usually bands of different colours

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 1d10 x 5gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d10 x 5gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 2d10 x 10gp

Azurite 

Colour: Bright to deep Blue

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 4d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d10 x 5gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 2d10 x 10gp

Banded Onyx 

Colour: Black with White Bands

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 4d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d8 x10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 3d6 x10gp

Bloodstone 

Colour: Black or Deep Green with Red Flecks

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 1d6 x10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d6 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size) 2d12 x 10gp

Blue Quartz 

Colour: Pale Blue

Clarity: Transparent or Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 1d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 2d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d6 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 3d6 x10gp

Carnelian 

Colour: shades of Red (orange to deep red)

Clarity: Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size):  1d6 x 10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d6 x10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size) 2d6 x 20gp

Chalcedony 

Colour: Varies but usually white or pale blue or pale grey

Clarity: Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 3d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 6d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d6 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 4d6 x10gp

Charoite 

Colour: Purple or Mauve

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 1d4 x 10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 1d10 x 10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d10 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 2d10 x 20gp

Chrysoprase 

Colour: Pale Green or Bright Green

Clarity: Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 3d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 2d4 x10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d8 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 2d8 x 20gp

Clear Quartz 

Colour: Clear 

Clarity: Transparent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size):  2d10 gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 4d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d10 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 3d10 x 10gp

Coral 

Source

Colour: Pink-Red

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 4d10 gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d10 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size) 2d10 x 10gp

Dioptase 

Source

Colour: Deep Green

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10 gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 4d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d8 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size) 2d10 x 10gp

Labradorite 

Colour: Grey but with Iridescent sheen

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 1d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 2d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d10 x 5gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 2d10 x 5gp

Lapis Lazuli 

Colour: Deep Blue

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size):  1d20gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 4d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d12 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size)  3d12 x 10gp

Malachite 

Source

Colour: Pale to Deep Green

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 1d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 2d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d6 x 5gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size) 4d6 x 5gp

Moonstone 

Colour: White or pale gray

Clarity: Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 1d6 x 10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d6 x10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 4d6 x10gp

Obsidian 

Source

Colour: Black

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 1d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 2d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d6 x 5gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 3d6 x 5gp

Rhodochrosite 

Colour: Bright Pink

Clarity: Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 3d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 6d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d6 x 10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 4d6 x 10gp

Rose Quartz 

Colour: Pale Pink

Clarity: Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 3d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 1d6 x10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 3d6 x10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 2d10 x 20gp

Smoky Quartz 

Colour: Clear with dark tint

Clarity: Translucent or Transparent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 2d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 4d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d8 x10gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 3d6 x10gp

Tiger’s Eye 

Colour: Golden Brown & Black or Dark brown

Clarity: Translucent

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 1d10 x 5gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 1d10 x 10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 2d10 x5gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 2d10 x 10gp

Turquoise 

Source

Colour: Bright Cyan

Clarity: Opaque

Suggested Value

• Small (Pea-size): 1d10gp
• Medium (Hazelnut-size): 2d10gp
• Large (Walnut-size): 1d6 x 5gp
• Huge (Tangerine-size): 3d6 x 5gp

B6: The Veiled Society and Urban Investigations

 

source

My thoughts on B6: The Veiled Society

A few days ago I bought the PDF version of B6 from DrivethruRPG and I have been browsing through it. Full disclosure: I have not actually played through it so my point of view is limited in that respect. It's written by David Cook, co-author of the Expert Rules and X4 & X5 modules. The module does not have a great deal of information about the city of Specularum and I suspect the author assumed the DM would have access to Gaz1: The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, where Specularum is given more detail. Actually given the differences between Specularum in this module (5000 population) and in Gaz1 (50,000 population) I suspect TSR had not hammered out the details of what the capital city was actually like when they commissioned this module.  

I won’t give away too much of the plot but it involves three competing families, the Radu, Torenescu and Vorloi, who each hold considerable power and influence within Specularum. Then there is the titular Veiled Society, a criminal group that is stirring up trouble and may be linked to one of the houses. There are a number of urban encounters - a religious procession is interrupted, the PCs are confronted by masked men and there is a riot that the PCs get caught up in. There is a dungeon under a widow’s house that then leads to a murder mystery and political shenanigans.

Would I use it as written? I think I would give it a go with the caveat that improvisation on the DM’s part may be required to link the various encounters together (see my thoughts below). Some of the situations in the module seem a bit arbitrary such as requiring the PCs to split up between different inns, and at one point if they don’t face questioning by a clerical tribunal they will be hanged for murder within a week. DM discretion is a good idea, particularly for this adventure. The author is keen on the idea of different PCs dealing with different factions, thus splitting the party somewhat. My feeling is that this should not be necessary and only done if the players and the DM feel they can handle it. 

I feel like this could be a good introduction to Specularum and the groups and factions within it. After the adventure the PCs could get involved in other schemes and investigations or perhaps delve into previously forgotten dungeons underneath the city. The three families may have had some upsets and some deaths as a result of B6 but they are still functioning and will want to reestablish their power bases whether criminal, courtly or mercantile. Maybe new factions and groups want to establish themselves, perhaps the Dmitrov family or merchants from Minrothad Guilds or even a cult of Chaos.  And of course Duke Stefan Karameikos III and his own ministers and officials will want to maintain their governance.  

Personal Thoughts on Urban Investigations

Those of you who follow my blog will know that I tend to stick to dungeon adventures. This module is quite a radical departure from that format, both for myself and I suspect for early TSR - the previous module in the B series, B5: The Horror on the Hill, was a combined wilderness trek and dungeon crawl beneath a ruined monastery. One of the things about a dungeon is that rooms, corridors and locked doors are very good at keeping a controlled flow of the adventure. The PCs have to get through one room to get to the one beyond, or when they reach a junction in a passageway it is a simple (though not always foreseeable) choice of which passage they take. Dungeons are in some ways flow diagrams made solid. 

Urban adventures like this are considerably more up in the air, with the PCs coming up with unusual ideas for how to handle situations and NPCs, sometimes clever, sometimes stupid. The adventure author cannot predict how player characters will react, and usually neither can the DM running the adventure. The bottom line is that these urban investigations can have a certain amount of structure - in B6 this is the various events such as the interrupted procession, the widow asking for help (which leads to a relatively conventional dungeon under the streets) and the riot. But getting the PCs from one event to the next is far more fluid. Trying too hard to steer PCs in the right direction can turn into railroading, but in a city like Specularum (and here it is only 5000 people, nowhere near the size of some fantasy cities) it is very easy to get distracted or go off chasing red herrings. The investigation aspect can be quite unpredictable and some parties may solve it quickly while others just don’t put things together or even notice the clues. Occasionally the PCs figure things out before the author expects them to and they will rush straight to confront the bad guy. It is tempting to me to add side encounters that adventurers in a city might come across but the PCs might well assume they are part of an intricate plot connected to the main adventure. This module (The Veiled Society) has a section at the front where random encounters are discouraged. Understandable though perhaps rather boring and timid. The author also has the interesting idea of coopting the PCs into fleshing out the shops and NPCs, encouraging the players to make notes on where newly created establishments and NPCs are and what they are like. 

I may be a bit harsh and pessimistic here. I’m sure that most DMs can run this adventure relatively smoothly and most adventuring parties can pick up the clues and figure out whodunnit. Of course a certain amount of improvisation will be needed by the DM, both when PCs get into conversation with NPCs and also when they want to explore the city, perhaps taking their investigation into corners the module author had not considered. This requires a different set of skills, both character skills and player skills, and indeed DM skills, than those required for traditional dungeon crawls. And sometimes I’m not entirely confident in my own skills here. 

One of the ways I have approached this style of plot-based adventure is to not enforce a strict order of events - or at least if the events do happen in an order, it is not dependent on the players and their characters doing the expected thing. It is more of a sandbox but with things going on around the PCs that (hopefully) the PCs will notice and get involved with. You've heard of dungeon crawls and wilderness hex crawls? I introduce to you the street crawl. I don’t like the idea of PCs being expected to follow a specific storyline and having to be guided back on track if they stray. Strict storylines in a relatively free and open environment like a city impinge too much on player agency - are the PCs allowed to make meaningful choices about how they solve mysteries and deal with complex situations? Admittedly this still requires considerable improvisation from the DM, but I suspect they were going to need to do that anyway. 

Regardless of my hesitations, fantasy cities have been a major part of fantasy worlds, whether in the Hyborean age of Conan the Barbarian, Lankhmar where Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser call home, Immyr, the dreaming city that is the capital of Melnibone where Elric used to rule or Greyhawk City where the first D&D games were set or Waterdeep in the Forgotten Realms. It is cities where politics, crime, trade and magic are most concentrated and therefore are the obvious place for so many adventures above ground. 

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 called Ezzorius, 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 Ezzorius 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, 5 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.