Logos Location #4: Kamroth's Cairn

Introduction

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 is a quick dungeon adventure aimed at a party of 3-6 characters of levels 4-5 using the B/X D&D rules with a few of my own creations. 

Kamroth was a vicious and notorious worshipper of Chaos and a raider and reiver on the borderlands in the north of Karameikos. For more than 20 years from 922AC to 943 AC he caused terror and misery among the Traldar humans (of which he was once a member) and the Callarii elves, launching raids south from his base to the north of Karameikos. In battle he wielded a terrible blood red sword called Widowmaker while one of his lieutenants would bear the Screaming Standard, a cursed banner that would utter encouragement of vile deeds, praise to dark powers of Chaos and blood curdling shrieks.  He was slain by a champion of Law in an ambush set in an apparently defenseless village called Threshold. His warband was dismayed and fell back, retrieving his body for burial befitting his status in their eyes. They constructed a mighty underground tomb complex. Many of his original followers then wandered off or died, but some still remember his brutal exploits. 

Now a new up and coming Chaos Warrior, Lord Tergian, has decided to take up Kamroth's mantle, and Kamroth's Cairn has once again become a base of evil and aggression. The final straw that has prompted the civilized authorities to action was raiders slaughtering several farmsteads only a few miles from Threshold. Although orcs and goblins might have done similar, the few survivors reported that these raiders bore the Screaming Standard into the fray. This incursion of Chaos must be stopped now and the Screaming Standard and those who stand with it must be destroyed. 

Cartography by Dyson Logos, source

Note about the dungeon: Most of the areas here are lit by torches and lanterns because the chaotic human inhabitants cannot see in the dark. 

Repeatedly encountered monsters with the same stat blocks are given stats further down. Although default hit points are given, feel free as DM to roll hit points yourself if you prefer. 

Key to the map: 

1. Upper guard post: 1 ogre + 1 chaos guard (F3). These two are on guard duty and will attack any intruders. There is a small table and 3 stools. There are tankards of ale on the table. 
   1a) Latrine. The cupboard on the east wall is the latrine for the dungeon, with a big sturdy bench with a hole cut out over a very deep pit. The stench is horrible and anyone opening the door or entering the latrine must save vs poison or be nauseated (-2 to hit & saving throws for 1d6 turns). 
2. 4 gnolls + Vestagar the chaos vicar (AC 2, Mv 60ft, HD C4 (16 hp) THAC0 16, Att 1 mace for 1d6+2, Save C4, Ml 10, Align C, XP 200, equipment: banded armour, shield +1, mace +1, dark robes, unholy symbol, 66gp, 20pp, spells: Cure Light Wounds, Rage, Hold Person)
3. 2 ogres +1 ogre Leader Garroth (AC 4, Mv 90ft, HD 6+2 (28hp), THAC0 13, Att 1 oversized axe for 1d10+2, Save F6, Ml 11, Align C, XP 350, equipment: oversized chainmail, oversized axe). This room has 5 oversized mattresses and is the ogres' main room. Garroth has accumulated a lot of treasure, both from bribes and plunder, which he now keeps in a big leather sack under a flagstone (containing 2300gp, 12,000sp and 500pp), which is not well-hidden (anyone looking around this room will notice the flagstone looks wonky). 
4. Lower guard post: 1 troll (AC 4, Mv 120ft, HD 6+3 (33hp), THAC0 13, Att 2 claws/1 bite for 1d6/1d6/1d10, Save F6, Ml 10, Align C, XP 650, renegerate 3hp/round except from fire & acid) stands guard here. He has only a small bandolier with 3 pouches, first one has a collection of rat skulls (just the troll's hobby, nothing magical), second has 3 amber gems worth 200gp each, and third one has a silver and jade necklace of elven design worth 1000gp. 
5. This grand chamber has a central lower section with huge square pillars along its length. To either side are balconies 10ft up with low (2ft) metal railings running along the edges and a high ceiling (20ft above the balconies, 30ft above the lower centre). 
   a) Grand chamber north: 3 ogres in lower centre, 4 gnoll archers (stats as gnolls but also carrying longbows and 10 arrows each) up on the west balcony. The ogres will charge straight into melee while the gnolls have a bit more tactical sense and will use their bows to attack spellcasters and the like
   5b) Manticore nest: Here is a manticore (AC4, Mv 120ft/fly 180ft, HD 6+1 (hp 34), Att 2 claws/1 bite for 1d4/1d4/2d4 or 6 tail spikes for 1d6 each (180ft range), Save F6, Ml 9 Align C, XP 650). It has had its treasure confiscated after it ate an ally (an ogre) though it has managed to hold onto one item, a perfect opal gem worth 2000gp. The manticore will use the layout of the room, its flying and its shooting spikes to its advantage, flying from one side of the chamber to the other to avoid stronger intruders and attack weaker ones. 
   5c) Grand Chamber south: 2 monstrous statues that are actually 2 gargoyles (AC5, Mv 90ft/fly 150ft), HD 4, hp 18, 19, THAC0 16, Att 2 claws/1bite/1 horn for 1d3/1d3/1d6/1d4, Save F8, Ml 11, align C, XP 125 each, immune to non-magical attacks) that will attack if touched. Also up on the balconies are 2 cupboards. One (the west) is empty but the other (east) is trapped with a pair of crossbows (2 bolts, THAC0 14, Dam 2d4 each).
   
6. Guard barracks: 2 chaos guards are resting here. This room has 3 bunk beds that 6 of the chaos guards use. 
7. Gnoll chief Regthak (AC 5, Mv 90ft, HD 3 (hp 16), THAC0 17, Att 1 battleaxe for 1d8+2, Save F3, Ml 10, Align C, XP 35, equipment: chainmail, battleaxe +1, dagger, key to treasure chest) + 3 gnolls.  This room has various straw mattresses littered around and it has become the gnolls' informal headquarters. Regthak has a locked chest (the key is around his neck). Inside are 1000gp, 3 zircon gems worth 100gp each, 2 potions of extra healing (heals 3d6+3 damage) and a potion of flying. 
8. Kamroth's tomb. The door to this chamber has a notice scrawled in common tongue: "Show respect or face Kamroth's wrath!". This chamber is dominated by a stone sarcophagus in the centre. If disturbed, Kamroth's spirit rises and attacks as a wraith (AC 3, Mv 120ft/fly 240ft, HD 4 (hp 21),  THAC0 16, Att 1 touch for 1d6 + level drain, Save F4, Ml 12, Align C, XP 175, wraiths are immune to non-magical weapons, silver weapons do half damage, immune to poison, sleep and charm. The touch of a wraith drains 1 energy level per hit). There is no treasure here - inside the sarcophagus are the mouldering skeletal remains of Kamroth himself. 
9.  Training room & armoury. There are 3 gnolls + 2 chaos guards sparring with each other. Against the wall are several wooden dummies, two archery targets and racks with mundane weapons (spears, swords, battleaxes, gnollish longbows) and a barrel with 100 arrows, plus a rack with 4 sets of human-sized scale mail, 3 sets of human-sized chainmail and 3 sets of gnoll-sized scale mail (a bit big for humans). 
10. Chaos sergeant Bruffun (AC 2, Mv 60ft, HD F5 (30hp), THAC0 14, Att 1 halberd for 1d10+1, Save F5, Ml 10, Align C, XP 225, equipment: Plate Mail +1, halberd , dagger, 65gp, 22pp)  + Magnata the chaos curate (AC 2, Mv 60ft, HD C5 (hp 20), THAC0 16, Att 1 warhammer for 1d6+1 or spell, Save C5, Ml 10, Align C, XP 225, equipment: plate mail, shield, warhammer +1, unholy symbol, dark robes, 40gp, 42pp, spells: Cause Light Wounds, Darkness, Aura of Shadows, Hold Person).
    Magnata is the leader of the chaotic clerics in the cairn and Bruffun is Lord Tergian's right-hand man, mainly responsible for the chaos guards but also keeping the peace between the gnolls and the ogres. They live together here. 
11. 
    a) Long hall north: 2 Chaos Priests (AC 3, Mv 90ft, HD C3 (hp 10 & 9), THAC0 19, Att 1 mace for 1d6 or spell, Save C3, Ml 10, Align C, XP 50 each, equipment: banded armour, shield, mace, unholy symbol, dark robes, 20gp each, spells: Rage, Cure Light Wounds). They have been tasked to help guard the Screaming Banner. 
    11b) Long hall centre: The Screaming Standard. This grim icon is an ivory white banner with a monstrous face painted on with some sort of dried blood, mounted vertically on a bronze pole. It is enchanted in several ways. Firstly on command when held by a chaotic character it will utter exhortations to chaotic troops and yelling praise to the powers of Chaos - this is similar to a Bless spell, giving friendly chaotic creatures within 120ft +1 to hit rolls, damage and morale checks. Secondly if a lawful character approaches within 10ft while it is unattended it will behave as if a Shrieker, screaming for attention (alerting the chaos priests at 11a and chaos guards at 11c and any other creatures within 60ft). Thirdly on command by a chaotic character of 5th level or more it will roar, causing any unfriendly creatures to save vs spells or be affected by a Fear spell. All the chaotic creatures in this dungeon revere it as an unholy artifact, a gift from the dark powers of Chaos. The banner is in its own alcove between two monstrous looking statues. Unlike area 5c these really are just statues. 
    11c) Long hall south: 4 chaos guards who will respond if the Screaming Banner is disturbed. 
12. Chamber of Serpents: This room contains a pool in which there are 3 rock pythons (AC 6,  Mv 90ft, HD 5 (hp 21, 24, 18), THAC0 15, Att 1 bite for 1d4 or 1 squeeze for 2d4, Save F3, Ml 8, Align N, XP 300, If bite attack is successful the python will wrap itself around target and squeeze for automatic 2d4 damage per round (no need to roll to hit)) which attack anyone who comes near. 
13. Lord Tergian the Chaos Warrior (AC 1, Mv 90ft, HD F7 (hp 40), THAC0 10, Att 1 sword for 1d10+3, Save F7, Ml 12, Align C, XP 950, equipment: Plate Mail +2, Widowmaker (two-handed sword +2, Chaotic alignment, Int 8, Ego 8, spec powers Bleeding Wounds: anyone hit by widowmaker suffers damage as normal and also loses 1d4hp per round for 2d4 rounds or until healing magic is used), dagger, 2 x potion of extra-healing (3d6+3 hp healed). This is Lord Tergian's quarters, including his bed, chest of personal belongings and some rather sick trophies. Both Lord Tergian's armour and Widowmaker are suitably gothic and ornate, both being made out of Hellforged Iron. 
14. empty
15. 1 Rhinoman (AC 3, Mv 90ft, HD 7+7 (35hp), THAC0 12, Att 1 weapon/1 horn for 1d8+2/1d4+2, Save F7, Ml 11, Align C, XP  450, Charge:20ft or more charge distance gives +2 to hit with both attacks & double damage)+ treasure. This rhinoman is utterly loyal to Tergian who saved it from the sadistic wizard that created it. In return the rhinoman guards Tergian's treasure hoard, 2 chests, the first contains 25,000sp and 4000gp, the other contains 2400gp, 480pp, a scroll with the MU spells Sleep, Magic Missile and Ventriloquism, a wand of Web spells (6 charges left), a silver and ivory helmet of dwarven design with intricate engravings of dwarven heroes worth 600gp and 6 gems worth 300gp each (2 tourmalines, 2 spinels and 2 beryls)
16. empty
17. Storage chamber: this is guarded by 2 gnolls + 1 chaos guard.  It contains the provisions used by the residents, including lots of bread, salted meat, potatoes, barrels of beer and wine, and less savoury items for the more ravenous monsters.  
    17a) Stairs down. At the DM's discretion this could be a simple dead end, or it could lead on to deeper and darker dungeons. 
    
    

Stats for commonly encountered monsters

Chaos Guard: AC 4, Mv 90ft. HD F3 (14hp each), THAC0 16, Att 1 sword for 1d8+1, Save F3, Ml 9, Align C, XP 50, equipment: chainmail, sword, shield, dagger, 2d6gp

Gnoll: AC 5, Mv 90ft, HD 2 (9hp each), THAC0 18, Att 1 weapon for 2d4, Save F2, Ml 8, Align C, XP 20, equipment: scale mail, shield, spiked club or gnoll-axe, 4d6sp

Ogre: AC 5, Mv 90ft, HD 4+1 (19hp each), THAC0 15, Att 1 club for 1d10, Save F4, Ml 10, Align C, XP 125, equipment: oversized club, 2d6gp

Destroying the Screaming Standard and Widowmaker 

The Screaming Standard (from area 11b) and the intelligent sword Widowmaker are both useful magic items in themselves and also revered symbols of the power of Chaos. Whoever wields them commands respect from many chaotic humans and other creatures, as Kamroth once did and as Lord Tergian does now. Destroying them would remove two rallying points for the forces of chaos and thus be a good thing for the forces of Law and civilization. Although these two chaotic magic items could be considered by the DM to be just as breakable as non-magic equivalents (i.e. the banner could just be burned and the sword broken with a sledgehammer to the flat of the blade), I prefer the idea that such vile magics are not so easily undone.  

Destroying Widowmaker can only be done in a place where magical weapons are forged. It is suggested that there is an abandoned dwarven Forge of Power lost somewhere in the southwest of Rockhome, but nobody knows who or what lurks therein these days. The Screaming Standard is more problematic as magic (such as Silence 15' radius) is needed just to shut it up and stop it attracting attention. But it can be destroyed by having a high level (12th or higher) lawful cleric casting Dispel Magic and then Dispel Evil on it (the Dispel Evil drives out the lesser demon actually bound to the standard). This will temporarily render the banner inactive and vulnerable, but then it must be washed in a fountain of holy water within an hour or else the demonic spirit will return and reanimate the Screaming Standard.