At the widest point of the Lost Mare river, where the Nightwash River joins it, running deep and fast down out of the Destriel Mountains, there is a most curious formation of stoney structures. These are very tall (hundreds of feet) stony pillars, in the middle of the Lost Mare, called the Quills of Barthemius. The Lost Mare is almost a mile wide at this point, and flows much slower than the Nightwash does, when its fast flowing and frigid waters come crashing into the Lost Mare. At the base of Mount Estelle, where the Lost Mare flows out from under the Iore Glacier, there is a valley with numerous hot water springs, that not only feed into the Lost Mare, but have a warming effect on the waters, so that although it flows out of the icy heights of the Destriels, it is quite warm for a northern river.
Where the Lost Mare is met by the Nightwash, along a two mile long stretch, there are numerous of these tall stone pillars. They are often about 400-500 feet tall, and 60 or 70 feet across at the base, narrowing little in their towering heights. The pillars are thick in the river, and are too close together for all but the smallest craft to navigate through them. There are channels to the west and east of the pillars where somewhat larger craft can navigate, but the river grows shallower there, so only barges and low draft longboats are often found here. The space between the pillars is sometimes as narrow as 10 or 12 feet, sometimes as wide as 30 or 40 feet.
The tops of the pillars make for an interesting There is a breed of curious eight legged goats known as Spider Goats that dwell there. [gamer's note, these are not the monstrous fanged blood drinking Spider Goats that are found in the game, "Mutant Future", but they are interesting enough as they are]. The goats were joined, years and years ago, by a band of Satyrs that came over from the realm of Faery, through one of the many portals in the Harp hills. These were led by a Satyr druid named Balthemius. Balthemius and his brethren, taught the spider goats how to use their latent telepathic ability, and awakened an intelligence in them. The descendents of the Satyrs, as well as a number of Fawns, have taken up permanent residence on the plateau of stony islands, along with the spider goats. Northguard rangers that have visited the Satyrs report that their reason for remaining on this side of Faery is by order of King Oberon to keep an eye on the Unseely Court creatures that rise up out of the huge sinkholes to the east, along the southern banks of the Nightwash river. Balthemius himself is still alive, and it is not know just how old he is, or how long he has lived here, but he was not here in the time of the Old Ones. The Quills are named in his honor, and he performs a great number of good deeds (although, being a Satyr, he is also known to be mischievious, or certainly his brethren and their telepathic Spider goat companions, are).
It is supposed, by a large number of druids and naturalists, that whatever it is that has given the spider goats the ability to use telepathy, as well as their intelligence, is similar to the similar abilities found in the Great Horses of the Darkearth Plains.
The great sinkholes on the southern bank of the Nightwash river is where parts of the Nightwash disappear in vast waterfalls, deep into the earth. The region is riddled by layers of underground realms, many with permanent portals to the Unseely Courts. Without the diligence and watchfulness of Barthemius and his satyrs and goat allies, as well as the Great Khan of all the Horses, there would no doubt be more incursions of the darker, evil races into the surface world.
The spider goats are a curious breed, with a number of special abilities, other than their intelligence and telepathy. They have the ability to climb sheer walls, and although the Satyrs have constructed a number of bridges connecting the wider separated Quills, the goats have an incredible leaping ability, able to jump 20 or 30 feet, as an adult. The females have an uncharacteristic development, even for a magical creature. They have spinnerets, and can generate a web (same effects as the spell) that has a range of 40 feet. This web is used only for capturing prey and enemies, and not used for building webs or nests. The thick flocks of nesting black geese provide food for the spider goats, and the breeding cycle of the breed has adapted to this cycle, so that when the black geese come north from the south parts of the Lost Mare river in the early spring to nest and lay eggs in the crags on the sides of the Quills, the goats are also ready with their young, and feed on goose while nursing their young.
Other than in their natural habitat of the Quills, there is a group of Spider Goats that can be encountered abroad. A successful raid by a number of Drow elves (actual Drow, as per the AD&D race, rather than the more typical Dark Elves encountered in the Valley - proper Drow in this setting usually only occur as temporary incursions from the Unseely Realms, but this group has come over permanently, and lives in one of the underground realms in the nearby countryside) captured a number of young spider goats some decades in the past, and have been raising and multiplying them, imprinting their evil alignment and philosophy on them. These are sometimes encountered, with the members of the Aa'Lega Coven of Drow Elves, and others.
Name: Spider Goats (Drow variant)
No. Encountered: 2-12 (with a Drow hunting party, or as part of a Drow lair)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Movement: 90' (can jump 30'; can scale sheer surfaces)
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 2 Kicks, 1Bite; or 1 charge
Damage: 1d4+1 (kick); 1-4 (bite); 1d6 (charge)
Save: MU2
Morale: 9
Hoard Class:VI (remains on dead victims)
Special: Half of all spider goats encountered can shoot out a web 30', acts as the spell was cast by a 4th level magic user (lasts for 8 turns). On a successful charge attack, victims Man sized or smaller have to make a saving throw vs. paralyzation or be knocked down. Against a knocked down opponent, a spider goat that makes a successful Bite attack, will remain attached to their victim, doing 1d6 damage automatically every round, until the spider goat is slain. The Drow version of the Spider Goat has also been trained to use a psychic shriek attack, based on their telepathy. This causes all characters below 3rd level (or creatures below 3HD) that are within 80' of a spider goat to make a save vs. magic each round that they want to act. Spell casters within 80' of a spider goat are particularly vulnerable to the psychic shriek. They may not employ any spells that requires a Verbal component.
Showing posts with label encounters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encounters. Show all posts
Apr 11, 2013
Jesting Birds - Encounter on the Tiazarr River
In the Nightside region of the Valley, where the Tiazarr river bows out to the east, almost reaching the Nell Nod forest, there is a very curious relationship among two animals that has developed.
The first is the Jesting Bird. These are very large, but slim, flighless birds. They can reach 10 or 12 feet in
height, and are very slender. They spend their days, mostly, among the slender greywillow trees that grow in small clumps in the riparian earth on the eastern banks of the Tiazarr. The Jesting Bird has long grayish legs, and a long grayish beak, and would blend in with the tall, smooth trunks of the greywillows, except for the very light colored plumage of the birds. They vary in color, between white and very pale blue. During cooler months, this will darken, the white becoming itself a dark gray (much darker than the bare gray branches of the greywillows), and the blue species becoming a dark blue. This dark color only lasts for a few months, and when warm weather returns, the darker plumes are shed, and lighter ones replace them. During this process, a light, airy fluff forms on the tails of the males, and it is used to attract the females. The Jesting Birds are usually quite amiable, and will not be scared off too easily. They will approach people and riding animals, and they make a strange koo-klucking noise while tilting their heads from side to side. With their great height, they can look down on a person riding a horse quite easily. Encountered in the environment they love so much between the banks of the Tiazarr and the Nell Nod, they are often in family groups of 2-12 adult birds, and depending on the time of year, could have half again as many chicks, ranging from two to six feet in height.
With the long thin beaks that they have, it would be natural to think that the Jesting Bird gets meals from the banks of the river - either burrowing creatures, or fish. This is not true, but to see what the Jesting Bird eats, taking a look at the other animal that partners with it is a necessity.
In the same region of the Valley, there exists a small winged mammal. It is very similar to a bat, and is
sometimes called the Fool's Bat. The Archivists at Parn Tandalorn, certain rangers and druids, and other sages will refer to it, however, as the Cenotaph Bat. These creatures are quite small, smaller than a human hand, even with their wings extended. And they fly almost silently, lacking the flap-flapping common to bats. What makes them so dangerous is that they have a curious magical effect to their bite (it doesn't seem to be a physical poison, just some magical effect of the creature itself). This effect will render the victim quite immobile for 1-4 turns (each turn, remember, being 10 minutes). A saving throw vs. paralysis is allowed, but with a -2 - the effect is quite strong. The Bats seem to feed off of the warmth and life force of warm blooded creatures, so once they paralyze a victim, a dozen or so bats will come and roost on the body.
Now, what makes the Cenotaph Bat so dangerous in concert with the Jesting Bird, is that the Bats tend to roost in the same Greywillows that the Birds often nest and graze near. And when a victim comes near by (any mammal, human, demi-human, or humanoid will do), it is often set on by a half dozen or so (1d6 +2) of the Bats. Once the Bats have had paralyzed the victim, and the body fills up with a dozen or so bats, then the Jesting Birds will come in. The Jesting Birds, you see, are blood drinkers. They will use their long beaks to pierce the paralyzed bodies, and begin draining blood. Once they make a successful hit against the armor class of the paralyzed victim, they begin draining blood at the rate of 1 point of constitution per round. Given the large size of the Birds, they can only manage to get 2 or 3 birds - at most - feeding off of a man-sized body at one time. The worst aspect of this habit of the Jesting Bird, is that the victim, although paralyzed, is quite conscious and aware of what is happening during the entire ordeal...
The reason for the name of the Jesting Birds is that once they have drained a victim of all of its blood, then they will do a little strutting dance around the body, and sing a different song. Rather than the usual "koo-kluck! koo-kluck!" that they do when just roosting or waiting for a meal, once they have fed then they will sing a song that goes "koo-Ha! koo-Ha! koo-Ha! Ha! Ha!". It sounds, disconcertingly like laughter.
Name: Jesting Bird
No. Encountered: 2-12
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 80'
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 1 Kick, 1 Beak Stab (self defense)
Damage: 1-6 (kick); 1-4 (stab)
Save: F3
Morale: 9
Hoard Class:VI (remains on dead victims)
XP: 75
If the Jesting Bird successfully scores with a Beak Stab, then next round it will begin draining Constitution from the victim, 1 point at a time. It takes 1 full week to recover a point of Constitution lost in this way, although a Cure Light Wounds will restore 1 point, and a Cure Serious Wounds will restore 1d6 points.
The Cenotaph Bats, on the other hand, are completely silent, all the time. Especially when flying or hunting, however.
Name: Cenotaph Bats
No. Encountered: Swarm of 1d6+2 per mammal larger than a house pet.
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (fly)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 0 (1hp)
Attacks: 1
Damage: A successful hit does no damage, just requires a save vs Paralyzation.
Save: F1
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: None
XP:15
The first is the Jesting Bird. These are very large, but slim, flighless birds. They can reach 10 or 12 feet in
height, and are very slender. They spend their days, mostly, among the slender greywillow trees that grow in small clumps in the riparian earth on the eastern banks of the Tiazarr. The Jesting Bird has long grayish legs, and a long grayish beak, and would blend in with the tall, smooth trunks of the greywillows, except for the very light colored plumage of the birds. They vary in color, between white and very pale blue. During cooler months, this will darken, the white becoming itself a dark gray (much darker than the bare gray branches of the greywillows), and the blue species becoming a dark blue. This dark color only lasts for a few months, and when warm weather returns, the darker plumes are shed, and lighter ones replace them. During this process, a light, airy fluff forms on the tails of the males, and it is used to attract the females. The Jesting Birds are usually quite amiable, and will not be scared off too easily. They will approach people and riding animals, and they make a strange koo-klucking noise while tilting their heads from side to side. With their great height, they can look down on a person riding a horse quite easily. Encountered in the environment they love so much between the banks of the Tiazarr and the Nell Nod, they are often in family groups of 2-12 adult birds, and depending on the time of year, could have half again as many chicks, ranging from two to six feet in height.With the long thin beaks that they have, it would be natural to think that the Jesting Bird gets meals from the banks of the river - either burrowing creatures, or fish. This is not true, but to see what the Jesting Bird eats, taking a look at the other animal that partners with it is a necessity.
In the same region of the Valley, there exists a small winged mammal. It is very similar to a bat, and is
Now, what makes the Cenotaph Bat so dangerous in concert with the Jesting Bird, is that the Bats tend to roost in the same Greywillows that the Birds often nest and graze near. And when a victim comes near by (any mammal, human, demi-human, or humanoid will do), it is often set on by a half dozen or so (1d6 +2) of the Bats. Once the Bats have had paralyzed the victim, and the body fills up with a dozen or so bats, then the Jesting Birds will come in. The Jesting Birds, you see, are blood drinkers. They will use their long beaks to pierce the paralyzed bodies, and begin draining blood. Once they make a successful hit against the armor class of the paralyzed victim, they begin draining blood at the rate of 1 point of constitution per round. Given the large size of the Birds, they can only manage to get 2 or 3 birds - at most - feeding off of a man-sized body at one time. The worst aspect of this habit of the Jesting Bird, is that the victim, although paralyzed, is quite conscious and aware of what is happening during the entire ordeal...
The reason for the name of the Jesting Birds is that once they have drained a victim of all of its blood, then they will do a little strutting dance around the body, and sing a different song. Rather than the usual "koo-kluck! koo-kluck!" that they do when just roosting or waiting for a meal, once they have fed then they will sing a song that goes "koo-Ha! koo-Ha! koo-Ha! Ha! Ha!". It sounds, disconcertingly like laughter.
Name: Jesting Bird
No. Encountered: 2-12
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 80'
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 1 Kick, 1 Beak Stab (self defense)
Damage: 1-6 (kick); 1-4 (stab)
Save: F3
Morale: 9
Hoard Class:VI (remains on dead victims)
XP: 75
If the Jesting Bird successfully scores with a Beak Stab, then next round it will begin draining Constitution from the victim, 1 point at a time. It takes 1 full week to recover a point of Constitution lost in this way, although a Cure Light Wounds will restore 1 point, and a Cure Serious Wounds will restore 1d6 points.
The Cenotaph Bats, on the other hand, are completely silent, all the time. Especially when flying or hunting, however.
Name: Cenotaph Bats
No. Encountered: Swarm of 1d6+2 per mammal larger than a house pet.
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (fly)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 0 (1hp)
Attacks: 1
Damage: A successful hit does no damage, just requires a save vs Paralyzation.
Save: F1
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: None
XP:15
Apr 8, 2013
Gof Annish - Tower of the Necromancer
There is a nearly barren heath, on the southeast border of the Craggy Hills, in the rough triangle formed by the Craggy Hills, the slopes of Fire Mountian, and the City of Botts, in the region of the Sildur Reaches. The heath is often referred to as Gof Annish, although the title refers, properly. to the strange, ancient tower at the center of the 10 mile heath.
The tower is ancient, built no doubt by the Old Ones. Today it is home to a mysterious figure known only as The Necromancer. The tower is peopled with all sorts of undead constructs and creations, and the immediate country side is not contested by anyone.
There is a nearby town (maybe half a day's walk) to the tower, but it is outside of the barren heath. The town is home to a small number of farming peasants who not only tend to their own needs, but also support the nearby monastery known as the Hove of Enlightenment. It is a place of meditation, study and reflection for a community of Kyclos, the consort of Nadene, the Goddess of Fertility. It seems that the Brothers of the order are quite fascinated with the difference between living and dead, and so have made a study of the undead creatures of Gof Annish. The inhabitants of the town know some of the following goings-on at the heath.
The heath itself is kept cursed and freed from most life (no animals live there, and very few plants, other than the Annish vine). This is done by the hand of the Necromancer and his serving hordes of undead. Twice a year, a massive procession of skeletons, led by 12 bone devils, lead the Bell of the Damned in a circle around the edge of the heath, three times, starting at midnight on the Equinox, and taking over three days. The circuit around the edge of the heath is over 30 miles, and the Bell itself is huge. It is a massively large bell, weighting thousands of pounds, and mounted in a tall (25') wooden scaffold, on wheels. Hundreds of skeletons, pulling on ropes and chains, heave the scaffolding out of the Tower of Gof Annish, out to the edge of the heath, and then begin their thrice encirclement of the lifeless land. During this parade of death, the bell is rung continually, and a faint unearthly moaning rises up from the skeletal mouths. The 12 bone devils at the head of the procession are shouting loud shrill blasphemies against life and the three Goddesses and will attack anything living in the path of the procession.
The only thing, above the level of lichens and short scrubby grass, that lives on the heath are the Annish vines. These are curious plants, appearing basically as large clumps of massive radial tubers, growing out of a common thick root. The tubers are some 30-40 feet long, and at their base some 8-10 inches around, tapering to only an inch or so across at the end. They react to the presence of life, and if encountered at any time during the year, may attack whatever creature comes near them (these are located, not thickly, but placed fairly randomly all across the heath. Since they tend to lay down, limp, in a radial splayed out pattern when they are not active, they are hard to spot until a traveler is somewhat close). During the procession of the Bell of the Damned, however, they come to life. The Annish Vines wave their horrid tubers in the air, violently and randomly, and unroot themselves. Somehow they can drag their root ball out across the surface of the ground, and will attempt to fall into place behind the procession, before settling down again. An active Annish Vine does not travel too fast, but then again neither does a horde of thousands of undead hauling on a bell that weighs thousands of pounds. The Vines, after following the procession for a short time, will return to a random spot on the heath, and take up root again.
Name: Annish Vines
No. Encountered: 1-3
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Movement: 30'
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 10 (65hp)
Attacks: Up to 16 (no more than 4 against any one man sized foe).
Damage: 1-12+2
Save: F10
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: VI
XP: 850
The Annish Vine has many fibrous tubers to attack with, but can not bring any more than 4 at a time against any one foe. It can, however, attack any foes within 30' of its base. The Treasure Hoard that it might have are items that are to be found in the ground, at the base of the root ball that the vines grow out of. These are the remains of any victims that have been slain and eaten previously.
The Annish Vine is immune to normal missile fire, but takes normal damage from fire and acid based attacks. Against magic, it has a 25% magic resistance, but has not concentrated mind so is immune to spells such as Sleep and Charm.
Occasionally, some group or another, typically Knights from the City of Air (Botts), or an order of Errant Paladins (such as the Paladins of the White Lady), will want to take up arms against the Procession, or even against the seat of power at Gof Annish tower itself. They have always been stopped in the past by both the Priests and Monks of Kyclos from the Hove of Enlightenment, or by members of the Silver order of Druids. Occasionally, in recent history, this has been by the Master of the Silver Order himself, from the Star Tower in the Aghanz Hills.
The tower is ancient, built no doubt by the Old Ones. Today it is home to a mysterious figure known only as The Necromancer. The tower is peopled with all sorts of undead constructs and creations, and the immediate country side is not contested by anyone.
There is a nearby town (maybe half a day's walk) to the tower, but it is outside of the barren heath. The town is home to a small number of farming peasants who not only tend to their own needs, but also support the nearby monastery known as the Hove of Enlightenment. It is a place of meditation, study and reflection for a community of Kyclos, the consort of Nadene, the Goddess of Fertility. It seems that the Brothers of the order are quite fascinated with the difference between living and dead, and so have made a study of the undead creatures of Gof Annish. The inhabitants of the town know some of the following goings-on at the heath.
The heath itself is kept cursed and freed from most life (no animals live there, and very few plants, other than the Annish vine). This is done by the hand of the Necromancer and his serving hordes of undead. Twice a year, a massive procession of skeletons, led by 12 bone devils, lead the Bell of the Damned in a circle around the edge of the heath, three times, starting at midnight on the Equinox, and taking over three days. The circuit around the edge of the heath is over 30 miles, and the Bell itself is huge. It is a massively large bell, weighting thousands of pounds, and mounted in a tall (25') wooden scaffold, on wheels. Hundreds of skeletons, pulling on ropes and chains, heave the scaffolding out of the Tower of Gof Annish, out to the edge of the heath, and then begin their thrice encirclement of the lifeless land. During this parade of death, the bell is rung continually, and a faint unearthly moaning rises up from the skeletal mouths. The 12 bone devils at the head of the procession are shouting loud shrill blasphemies against life and the three Goddesses and will attack anything living in the path of the procession.
 |
| Procession of the Damned from Gof Annish, around the cursed heath |
The only thing, above the level of lichens and short scrubby grass, that lives on the heath are the Annish vines. These are curious plants, appearing basically as large clumps of massive radial tubers, growing out of a common thick root. The tubers are some 30-40 feet long, and at their base some 8-10 inches around, tapering to only an inch or so across at the end. They react to the presence of life, and if encountered at any time during the year, may attack whatever creature comes near them (these are located, not thickly, but placed fairly randomly all across the heath. Since they tend to lay down, limp, in a radial splayed out pattern when they are not active, they are hard to spot until a traveler is somewhat close). During the procession of the Bell of the Damned, however, they come to life. The Annish Vines wave their horrid tubers in the air, violently and randomly, and unroot themselves. Somehow they can drag their root ball out across the surface of the ground, and will attempt to fall into place behind the procession, before settling down again. An active Annish Vine does not travel too fast, but then again neither does a horde of thousands of undead hauling on a bell that weighs thousands of pounds. The Vines, after following the procession for a short time, will return to a random spot on the heath, and take up root again.
Name: Annish Vines
No. Encountered: 1-3
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Movement: 30'
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 10 (65hp)
Attacks: Up to 16 (no more than 4 against any one man sized foe).
Damage: 1-12+2
Save: F10
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: VI
XP: 850
The Annish Vine has many fibrous tubers to attack with, but can not bring any more than 4 at a time against any one foe. It can, however, attack any foes within 30' of its base. The Treasure Hoard that it might have are items that are to be found in the ground, at the base of the root ball that the vines grow out of. These are the remains of any victims that have been slain and eaten previously.
The Annish Vine is immune to normal missile fire, but takes normal damage from fire and acid based attacks. Against magic, it has a 25% magic resistance, but has not concentrated mind so is immune to spells such as Sleep and Charm.
Occasionally, some group or another, typically Knights from the City of Air (Botts), or an order of Errant Paladins (such as the Paladins of the White Lady), will want to take up arms against the Procession, or even against the seat of power at Gof Annish tower itself. They have always been stopped in the past by both the Priests and Monks of Kyclos from the Hove of Enlightenment, or by members of the Silver order of Druids. Occasionally, in recent history, this has been by the Master of the Silver Order himself, from the Star Tower in the Aghanz Hills.
Sep 23, 2012
Floating Horror - Vile menace to man and beast
A single floating horror is similar to a gelatinous cube (similar in size, composition and mass - but round, like a jelly fish, rather than cube-shaped) that floats along, usually without apparent goal or intellect guiding its path, about 10 feet above the ground. They tend to follow the curve of the earth, sometimes slowly rising up hill sides, sometimes moving more rapidly down slope, and along river valleys. They trail a wicked assortment of stinging tentacles, however, that have the ability to paralyze, and then draw whatever they ensnare up into the jelly-like body for decomposition and digestion.
Such a beast is horrible enough, but they tend to move about in swarming flocks, sometimes as many as hundreds across, covering acres and acres of country side (they spread out, and their tentacles can cover a patch of ground some 30' x 30' underneath them, and extending 20' in each direction). The swarm will move over the land, attempting to avoid extremely rough cuts and cliffs, and also forest, but otherwise not stopping. Occasionally, a floating horror will collide with a large stone structure and become ensnared there, while it's tentacles search out inside the building looking for prey and food. Most smaller buildings, or those made of materials less dense than iron or stone, will be bumped into by the floating horror, and it will slowly bobble over the structure, damaging it with their acidic tentacles, and making a meal out of whatever living that they encounter along the way.
Electricity, fear, hold person or hold monster, paralyzation, polymorph and sleep based attacks will have no affect, the same as with gelatinous cubes (see standard reference here). Fire and heat based attacks entitle the floating horror to a saving throw vs. magic, and if failed, will do a maximum of 1d4 points of damage.
A strike by a tentacle will cause the victim to make a save vs. paralysis, or be paralyzed for 5-20 rounds. Regardless, a strike will do damage (see below). Every 5' square within the 30' x 30 area covered by the tentacles is attacked once each round. There are simply too many tentacles to effectively remove them, without killing the floating horror.
All normal weapons do damage, but thrown or missile weapons are then lost inside the floating horror, to be retrieved after combat. Wood and leather inside the floating horror takes days to be decomposed by the acidic jelly, so recovered weapons that have only been inside a short amount of time should be okay. Metal and gems are not affected, making the floating horror that has recently been near a populated area likely to contain treasures (as per the gelatinous cube, again).
The biggest danger floating horrors pose is that they are completely and utterly silent, and largely clear, making them extremely difficult to spot in anything but pure daylight. A settlement that is aware of them, can ward them off (usually) with fire and long polearms. A settlement that is overrun without warning will only react with the first horrific screams of acid burns from tentacles, and the disappearance of livestock and family members up into the floating horrors.
Floating Horror
Num Appearing: 2d6 (minor group); or 1d6x100 (mass migration - very rare)
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 30'/round
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 4hd
Attacks: 1 attack per 5' square, in a 30' x 30' area - tentacle sting
Damage: 1d6+2; save vs. paralysis (if fail, then par. 5d4 rounds)
Save: F4
Morale: not applicable
 | |
| Floating horrors getting close to a forest, and turning away. |
Such a beast is horrible enough, but they tend to move about in swarming flocks, sometimes as many as hundreds across, covering acres and acres of country side (they spread out, and their tentacles can cover a patch of ground some 30' x 30' underneath them, and extending 20' in each direction). The swarm will move over the land, attempting to avoid extremely rough cuts and cliffs, and also forest, but otherwise not stopping. Occasionally, a floating horror will collide with a large stone structure and become ensnared there, while it's tentacles search out inside the building looking for prey and food. Most smaller buildings, or those made of materials less dense than iron or stone, will be bumped into by the floating horror, and it will slowly bobble over the structure, damaging it with their acidic tentacles, and making a meal out of whatever living that they encounter along the way.
Electricity, fear, hold person or hold monster, paralyzation, polymorph and sleep based attacks will have no affect, the same as with gelatinous cubes (see standard reference here). Fire and heat based attacks entitle the floating horror to a saving throw vs. magic, and if failed, will do a maximum of 1d4 points of damage.
A strike by a tentacle will cause the victim to make a save vs. paralysis, or be paralyzed for 5-20 rounds. Regardless, a strike will do damage (see below). Every 5' square within the 30' x 30 area covered by the tentacles is attacked once each round. There are simply too many tentacles to effectively remove them, without killing the floating horror.
All normal weapons do damage, but thrown or missile weapons are then lost inside the floating horror, to be retrieved after combat. Wood and leather inside the floating horror takes days to be decomposed by the acidic jelly, so recovered weapons that have only been inside a short amount of time should be okay. Metal and gems are not affected, making the floating horror that has recently been near a populated area likely to contain treasures (as per the gelatinous cube, again).
The biggest danger floating horrors pose is that they are completely and utterly silent, and largely clear, making them extremely difficult to spot in anything but pure daylight. A settlement that is aware of them, can ward them off (usually) with fire and long polearms. A settlement that is overrun without warning will only react with the first horrific screams of acid burns from tentacles, and the disappearance of livestock and family members up into the floating horrors.
Floating Horror
Num Appearing: 2d6 (minor group); or 1d6x100 (mass migration - very rare)
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 30'/round
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 4hd
Attacks: 1 attack per 5' square, in a 30' x 30' area - tentacle sting
Damage: 1d6+2; save vs. paralysis (if fail, then par. 5d4 rounds)
Save: F4
Morale: not applicable
Sep 21, 2012
Ice Serpent - Giant electrified Snake
The Ice Serpent is a fearsome beast, often found burrowing, and appearing up out of the ground in an ambush, attacking humans, beasts of burden, and sometimes even armed bands and convoys.
They travel in groups of up to 6, and will coordinate their appearance from underground such that they will attempt to surround a group.
It has been conjectured that the Ice Serpent is some relative to the Remorhaz This is unknown.
The Ice Serpent will attack by biting, or by smashing. It can smash up to 2 M or 4 S size targets, provided they are all adjacent to each other. It can only bite one, but if it does, it will not let go, and will continue to do damage. Once a victim has taken half of it's total damage from biting, it means it has been swallowed, and will have 1d4+1 rounds to live, unless cut out of the Ice Serpent. Only targets of up to M size can be swallowed.
Use of magical items (including weapons that try to strike, but only including armor if the wearer was the target of a melee attack), or casting of magical spells, within 15' of an Ice Serpent will cause it to arc electricity. The electricity will arc out and strike all targets (friend or foe) within 15 feet of the Serpent, doing 5d6 (save vs. spell for half damage). There is no limit to how many times this may happen, but only once per round.
The head of the Ice Serpent is covered in thick, armored plates, but the armor is much softer. The main foe of an Ice Serpent (whomever the Serpent is trying to bite) can only attack the head (AC 2)- others can attack the body (AC 4). Other that the target fighting the head, up to 5 other M size foes can strike a serpent.
If the Ice Serpent performs a successful smashing attack, the smashed foe has been knocked down and cannot further act this round.
Ice Serpent
Num Appearing: d4 + 2
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Movement: 90' - will ambush from underground
Armor Class: 2 front (4 side and rear)
Hit dice: 10d8
Attacks: bite OR smash (vs. 2 or more foes); electrical discharge when near magic
Damage: Bite does 2d6 damage; Smash does 1d8+2; Electrical discharge does 5d6.
Save: F8
Morale: 8 (drops to 6 if faced with fire magic or heat magic)
They travel in groups of up to 6, and will coordinate their appearance from underground such that they will attempt to surround a group.
It has been conjectured that the Ice Serpent is some relative to the Remorhaz This is unknown.
The Ice Serpent will attack by biting, or by smashing. It can smash up to 2 M or 4 S size targets, provided they are all adjacent to each other. It can only bite one, but if it does, it will not let go, and will continue to do damage. Once a victim has taken half of it's total damage from biting, it means it has been swallowed, and will have 1d4+1 rounds to live, unless cut out of the Ice Serpent. Only targets of up to M size can be swallowed.
Use of magical items (including weapons that try to strike, but only including armor if the wearer was the target of a melee attack), or casting of magical spells, within 15' of an Ice Serpent will cause it to arc electricity. The electricity will arc out and strike all targets (friend or foe) within 15 feet of the Serpent, doing 5d6 (save vs. spell for half damage). There is no limit to how many times this may happen, but only once per round.
The head of the Ice Serpent is covered in thick, armored plates, but the armor is much softer. The main foe of an Ice Serpent (whomever the Serpent is trying to bite) can only attack the head (AC 2)- others can attack the body (AC 4). Other that the target fighting the head, up to 5 other M size foes can strike a serpent.
If the Ice Serpent performs a successful smashing attack, the smashed foe has been knocked down and cannot further act this round.
Ice Serpent
Num Appearing: d4 + 2
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Movement: 90' - will ambush from underground
Armor Class: 2 front (4 side and rear)
Hit dice: 10d8
Attacks: bite OR smash (vs. 2 or more foes); electrical discharge when near magic
Damage: Bite does 2d6 damage; Smash does 1d8+2; Electrical discharge does 5d6.
Save: F8
Morale: 8 (drops to 6 if faced with fire magic or heat magic)
Sep 15, 2012
Frost Rhino - Eldritch version of an Ice Age horror
The Frost Rhino appears, at first glance, to be a larger version of a wooly rhino. However, other than being much larger, it is (like a Wooly Rhino) colored between brown and nearly white, but the massive horn of a Frost Rhino is made of an incredibly dense rock/ice mixture, leading some to think it may have some of the characteristics of a gargoyle.
The creature is capable of three physical attacks - the massive horn, and two vicious front hooves. If the Rhino charges, the horn does double damage, but the hooves cannot attack that round.
Additionally the Rhino's horn is a source of powerful magic. Whenever a Frost Rhino is struck, a small band of Kobolds (1d6) will appear and begin fighting the Rhino's enemy. The Rhino itself and all Kobolds within 20' of it can only be struck by magical weapons of at least +1 magic. There is no limit to the number of Kobolds that can appear, and in fact up to 8 of them can ride on the Rhino itself flinging missiles and squeeking horrible obscenities.
The Frost Rhinos were first created by a servant of Dralizar, known as Kuuv, the master of the Blue Devils (kobolds). Kuuv intended his magical version of a wooly rhino to be the mystic mounts on which his blue devls would storm out of the Unseely Realms (where they are despised and abused by the goblinoid races), to conquer the whole valley, taking it from the Old Ones. Well, the Goblin King of the Unseely Realm had other ideas, and released the Frost Rhinos into theworld, without the blue devils.
In addition to the magical link to the Kobbolds, the Frost Rhino has a frigid breath wapon, and a magic resistance to any fire or heat based magic attacks (35%).
Frost Rhino
Num Appearing: d2
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Movement: 120'
Armor Class: 3 front (5 side and rear)
Hit dice: 10hd
Attacks: horn, 2 hooves, cold breath (3x per day)
Damage: horn 2d12 (double on charge), hooves 1d8+2 each, cold breath 6d6, save for half
Save: F10
Morale: 9
The creature is capable of three physical attacks - the massive horn, and two vicious front hooves. If the Rhino charges, the horn does double damage, but the hooves cannot attack that round.
 | |
| Frost Rhino - displaying curious magical horn |
Additionally the Rhino's horn is a source of powerful magic. Whenever a Frost Rhino is struck, a small band of Kobolds (1d6) will appear and begin fighting the Rhino's enemy. The Rhino itself and all Kobolds within 20' of it can only be struck by magical weapons of at least +1 magic. There is no limit to the number of Kobolds that can appear, and in fact up to 8 of them can ride on the Rhino itself flinging missiles and squeeking horrible obscenities.
The Frost Rhinos were first created by a servant of Dralizar, known as Kuuv, the master of the Blue Devils (kobolds). Kuuv intended his magical version of a wooly rhino to be the mystic mounts on which his blue devls would storm out of the Unseely Realms (where they are despised and abused by the goblinoid races), to conquer the whole valley, taking it from the Old Ones. Well, the Goblin King of the Unseely Realm had other ideas, and released the Frost Rhinos into theworld, without the blue devils.
In addition to the magical link to the Kobbolds, the Frost Rhino has a frigid breath wapon, and a magic resistance to any fire or heat based magic attacks (35%).
Frost Rhino
Num Appearing: d2
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Movement: 120'
Armor Class: 3 front (5 side and rear)
Hit dice: 10hd
Attacks: horn, 2 hooves, cold breath (3x per day)
Damage: horn 2d12 (double on charge), hooves 1d8+2 each, cold breath 6d6, save for half
Save: F10
Morale: 9
Sep 13, 2012
Ice Wyrm - the source of the cold
The Ice Wyrm is much smaller than it's larger, semi-mythical cousin, the Frost Worm. There are those explorers - rangers and others - who claim to have encountered Frost Worms in the far northern reaches of the Destriel Mountains. That may or may not be, but in the Darkearth Plains, in areas as far south as King's Highway, the smaller - and very dangerous - Ice Wyrm has been encountered. And where ever it is found it is a true ecological disaster.
The Ice Wyrm appears to be a large snake (approximately 8-12 feet in length, in adult form), blue in hue, and given to burrowing. It appreciates softer, less rocky, soils - and especially near waterways. Like it's larger cousin, the Frost Worm, the Ice Wyrm gives off a field of intense cold, however it is not so strong a field of cold as to cause damage. It will, however, affect physical objects in contact with the Ice Wyrm (see below).
The Ice Wyrm, where it burrows, tends to give the ground some of the characteristics of a tundra region affected by permafrost. This will cause the air layers above the ground to cool significantly, and when Ice Wyrms infest a region - say a valley, or dale - then it can even impact the local micro-weather patterns. This results in more frequent snows, longer lasting snow accumulation, rain the becomes hail, and damage to livestock and crops.
If the Ice Wyrm comes in contact with water, however, the reason for it's name becomes apparent. All but the swiftest moving bodies of water will instantly freeze, within a 100' radius of the Ice Wyrm. The Wyrm itself can then burrow through the ice as quickly as a sea snake could swim through water. This ice effect extends in all directions, including down. Such an ice impact could take days to thaw out, and of course there are other Wyrms in the area chilling down the ground around the waterway, and even the air around the region - making it even more difficult that the ice will melt. Converting a stream that is flowing out of some highlands into Ice at some point, will immediately serve as a dam, and the blackflow of water will wash over the ice, and out over the banks onto the surrounding land. That will also, of course, freeze under the influence of the Wyrms, creating vast ice fields next to waterways.
The intense cold of the Wyrm's body makes contact with it for physical objects very dangerous. Any non-magical weapon that strikes the Wyrm will shatter 50% of the time - roll 1d6, on a 4-6 the weapon shatters. The weapon still does full damage against the Wyrm for that strike, but after that it is useless.
The withering icy gaze of the Ice Wyrm is one of the things that makes it dangerous to deal with. It is a gaze that will petrify the victim (range 20'), if the victim fails a petrification saving throw. The effect will last approximately 1 hour, and at that time the victim will be completely rattled from being frozen, that it will move at half speed, and no attacks or spells, for another hour. During that second hour, the victim is blind. The defense against the icy gaze is to not look at the Ice Wyrm.
Ice Wyrm
Num Appearing: 1d6
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 60'/round (120' through ice or snow)
Armor Class: 4 (frosty blue scales)
Hit Dice: 4hd
Attacks: Bite; Cold Gaze
Damage: 1d8 per bite
Save: F2
Morale: 9
The Ice Wyrm appears to be a large snake (approximately 8-12 feet in length, in adult form), blue in hue, and given to burrowing. It appreciates softer, less rocky, soils - and especially near waterways. Like it's larger cousin, the Frost Worm, the Ice Wyrm gives off a field of intense cold, however it is not so strong a field of cold as to cause damage. It will, however, affect physical objects in contact with the Ice Wyrm (see below).
The Ice Wyrm, where it burrows, tends to give the ground some of the characteristics of a tundra region affected by permafrost. This will cause the air layers above the ground to cool significantly, and when Ice Wyrms infest a region - say a valley, or dale - then it can even impact the local micro-weather patterns. This results in more frequent snows, longer lasting snow accumulation, rain the becomes hail, and damage to livestock and crops.
If the Ice Wyrm comes in contact with water, however, the reason for it's name becomes apparent. All but the swiftest moving bodies of water will instantly freeze, within a 100' radius of the Ice Wyrm. The Wyrm itself can then burrow through the ice as quickly as a sea snake could swim through water. This ice effect extends in all directions, including down. Such an ice impact could take days to thaw out, and of course there are other Wyrms in the area chilling down the ground around the waterway, and even the air around the region - making it even more difficult that the ice will melt. Converting a stream that is flowing out of some highlands into Ice at some point, will immediately serve as a dam, and the blackflow of water will wash over the ice, and out over the banks onto the surrounding land. That will also, of course, freeze under the influence of the Wyrms, creating vast ice fields next to waterways.
The intense cold of the Wyrm's body makes contact with it for physical objects very dangerous. Any non-magical weapon that strikes the Wyrm will shatter 50% of the time - roll 1d6, on a 4-6 the weapon shatters. The weapon still does full damage against the Wyrm for that strike, but after that it is useless.
The withering icy gaze of the Ice Wyrm is one of the things that makes it dangerous to deal with. It is a gaze that will petrify the victim (range 20'), if the victim fails a petrification saving throw. The effect will last approximately 1 hour, and at that time the victim will be completely rattled from being frozen, that it will move at half speed, and no attacks or spells, for another hour. During that second hour, the victim is blind. The defense against the icy gaze is to not look at the Ice Wyrm.
Ice Wyrm
Num Appearing: 1d6
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 60'/round (120' through ice or snow)
Armor Class: 4 (frosty blue scales)
Hit Dice: 4hd
Attacks: Bite; Cold Gaze
Damage: 1d8 per bite
Save: F2
Morale: 9
Sep 12, 2012
Frost Moth - winged terror of the Darkearth Plains
Imagine a white moth, the size of a draft horse, that can breathe a deadly cone of cold attack. Now imagine a group of 5 or 6 monstrosities attacking your herd of animals, or your family. That is the reality that rural Westroners and Storm King Barbarians have to deal with on a daily basis in the Darkearth Plains.
This monstrosity is the Frost Moth. A truly terrifying creature, but worse so because they hunt in packs. There is a type of pine tree that grows in the Darkearth Plains called the Cloudscraper Pine, which grows to truly large and impressive heights. The extremely caustic resin the trees give off make sure that not too many grow in one place, so they may appear in a forest, surrounded by smaller hardier plants, or they may appear out in the plains, or on rolling hills, as singleton trees. This is where the Frost Moth makes it's home - high in the branches of these gargantuan trees, but only where the weather is quite cold. It appears as a very large, white moth, with strange fire and flame symbols in it's wing design.
The Frost Moth is almost universally feared, and fought with extreme prejudice whenever encountered by landowners or feudal armsmen, but there are a few who actively seek it out. Both Rangers and Druids would have knowledge of how to remove the heartstones, a curious gem-like mineral deposit that gathers on the heart of the Frost Moth. A heartstone will, if carried or worn as a piece of jewelry, provide protection to the bearer against heat and fire based attacks (+2 saving throw). An adult Frost Moth will likely have 1d4-1 heartstones (not all moths have them, but most have one or more).
The larvae of the Frost Moth are about as big around as a large dog, and perhaps twice as long. They danger they pose is that they have a curious habit of wanting to DESPERATELY eat any long dead, and dried out timber. As this includes houses and wagons, they are often found wallowing in the a semi-consumed structure or vehicle, the morning after a food frenzy for the larval moth. Physically they are largely defenseless, however, their body juices are dangerous, and if a limb is coated in them for much more than a few seconds, the extremely frigid nature of the juices can render a dangerous case of frost bite to the coated limb.
Frost Moth
Num Appearing: 1d4+2
Alignment: neutral
Movement: Fly 180'/round
Armor Class: 4 (tough hide)
Hit Dice: 7hd
Attacks: Bite, Wind Blast, Cone of Cold
Damage: Bite - 1d8+2; Wind Blast - 2d6, and d20 vs. Dex to avoid falling down; Cone of Cold - 5d6, Save vs. Breath Weapon for half.
Save: F7
Morale: 9
The Bite of the moth is dangerous enough, doing 1d8 +2 points of damage. The Wind Blast, however, is powerful enough to affect everyone in a 60'x60' area. By attacking with the Wind Blast, however, the Frost Moth exposes it's weakness. The spot where the body meets the wings is only AC 8. Further, if the Frost Moth suffers 7 points or more to the underside of a wing, that wing is disabled, and the Moth cannot fly or do a Wind Blast attack until healed. The Frost Moth may perform it's Cone of Cold attack once per hour.
 | |
| Fiery designs of the wings of a Frost Moth |
This monstrosity is the Frost Moth. A truly terrifying creature, but worse so because they hunt in packs. There is a type of pine tree that grows in the Darkearth Plains called the Cloudscraper Pine, which grows to truly large and impressive heights. The extremely caustic resin the trees give off make sure that not too many grow in one place, so they may appear in a forest, surrounded by smaller hardier plants, or they may appear out in the plains, or on rolling hills, as singleton trees. This is where the Frost Moth makes it's home - high in the branches of these gargantuan trees, but only where the weather is quite cold. It appears as a very large, white moth, with strange fire and flame symbols in it's wing design.
The Frost Moth is almost universally feared, and fought with extreme prejudice whenever encountered by landowners or feudal armsmen, but there are a few who actively seek it out. Both Rangers and Druids would have knowledge of how to remove the heartstones, a curious gem-like mineral deposit that gathers on the heart of the Frost Moth. A heartstone will, if carried or worn as a piece of jewelry, provide protection to the bearer against heat and fire based attacks (+2 saving throw). An adult Frost Moth will likely have 1d4-1 heartstones (not all moths have them, but most have one or more).
 | |
| Larval Frost Moth, approximately 8 feet long |
Frost Moth
Num Appearing: 1d4+2
Alignment: neutral
Movement: Fly 180'/round
Armor Class: 4 (tough hide)
Hit Dice: 7hd
Attacks: Bite, Wind Blast, Cone of Cold
Damage: Bite - 1d8+2; Wind Blast - 2d6, and d20 vs. Dex to avoid falling down; Cone of Cold - 5d6, Save vs. Breath Weapon for half.
Save: F7
Morale: 9
The Bite of the moth is dangerous enough, doing 1d8 +2 points of damage. The Wind Blast, however, is powerful enough to affect everyone in a 60'x60' area. By attacking with the Wind Blast, however, the Frost Moth exposes it's weakness. The spot where the body meets the wings is only AC 8. Further, if the Frost Moth suffers 7 points or more to the underside of a wing, that wing is disabled, and the Moth cannot fly or do a Wind Blast attack until healed. The Frost Moth may perform it's Cone of Cold attack once per hour.
Sep 11, 2012
Shagmen - Primitive men from the Aghanz Hills
In and around the Aghanz hills there dwells a race of very, very primitive people. They are very similar to what we, from our own Earth natural history, would term "neanderthals". Incredibly bulky and thick, with heavy duty skeletal structure capable of supporting massive muscle structure, the Shagmen are a very strong and fierce people - which they need given the types of prey that they hunt for survival.
Each small family tribe of Shagmen is led by a Shamen, a cleric type figure of approximately 6th level (6HD), capable of casting either clerical or druidical spells, but one less per spell level than an equivalent cleric.
Shagmen women and children have 1 hit dice, and an AC of 8. They will not attack in hand-to-hand, but will throw rocks (doing 1d4+1 damage), and are very accurate, getting +2 to hit (THAC0 18).
Sometimes larger groups will come together under a chief, who will be a 7th level fighter, he will have 1 subchief for every tribe group (approximately 10 shagmen, more or less). A subchief is a 5th level fighter.
Shagmen Tribal Warrior
Num Appearing: 2d6 (per tribe); 2d6 tribes in a war party
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 90'/round
Armor Class: 5 (extremely tough skin, and animal hides)
Hit Dice: 3hd
Attacks: 2/round; may be Stone weapons (axe head, primitive hammer), Throwing Spear, or Bite; +2 to hit
Damage: 1d6+3 (stone axe, spear, OR bite)
Save: F4 (due to toughness)
Morale: 9
Shagmen are very adept at coordinating attacks, and will always use their numbers to surround a foe, and attack from multiple sides (enabling flank and rear attacks).
Shagmen have incredibly thick skins, and only take half damage from blunt weapons, including stones thrown by the women and children of the tribe, so while the warriors are engaged in combat with a foe, the women and children will stand back and continually pelt the combat area with thrown stones, not having any regard for striking their resistant male counterparts.
Shagmen fear no natural foe, but magical attcks, and spell use is very disconcerting to them, and they will lose two points from their morale value when facing a foe using magic that is visible (magic weapons, spell use, etc).
Shagmen are particularly dangerous because they view more modern versions of humans, as well as all demi-humans, as potential food. They are particularly fond of small demi-humans (gnomes and halflings).
Each small family tribe of Shagmen is led by a Shamen, a cleric type figure of approximately 6th level (6HD), capable of casting either clerical or druidical spells, but one less per spell level than an equivalent cleric.
Shagmen women and children have 1 hit dice, and an AC of 8. They will not attack in hand-to-hand, but will throw rocks (doing 1d4+1 damage), and are very accurate, getting +2 to hit (THAC0 18).
Sometimes larger groups will come together under a chief, who will be a 7th level fighter, he will have 1 subchief for every tribe group (approximately 10 shagmen, more or less). A subchief is a 5th level fighter.
Shagmen Tribal Warrior
Num Appearing: 2d6 (per tribe); 2d6 tribes in a war party
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 90'/round
Armor Class: 5 (extremely tough skin, and animal hides)
Hit Dice: 3hd
Attacks: 2/round; may be Stone weapons (axe head, primitive hammer), Throwing Spear, or Bite; +2 to hit
Damage: 1d6+3 (stone axe, spear, OR bite)
Save: F4 (due to toughness)
Morale: 9
Shagmen have incredibly thick skins, and only take half damage from blunt weapons, including stones thrown by the women and children of the tribe, so while the warriors are engaged in combat with a foe, the women and children will stand back and continually pelt the combat area with thrown stones, not having any regard for striking their resistant male counterparts.
Shagmen fear no natural foe, but magical attcks, and spell use is very disconcerting to them, and they will lose two points from their morale value when facing a foe using magic that is visible (magic weapons, spell use, etc).
Shagmen are particularly dangerous because they view more modern versions of humans, as well as all demi-humans, as potential food. They are particularly fond of small demi-humans (gnomes and halflings).
Sep 10, 2012
Darkearth Plains - Wilderness Encounter System
Taking a break from finishing the Ostigaar Web dungeon, I have decided that it is time to present the encounter charts that I have been working on for the Darkearth Plains (see map here).
[NOTE: This has been edited, as of Sept 14]
As mentioned earlier, the region of the Darkearth Plains is one of conditions very similar to the Pleistocene era on Earth. Many of the animals we are familiar with from the fossil record of that time are present in the Valley of the Old Ones, specifically in this region. Also, even as far south as the Great River, the weather in the Darkearth Plains is notably cold. These two features (the presence of the large animals we think of as Ice Age mammals; and the very cold weather) combine to provide an interesting wilderness encounter matrix.
The encounter system works like this:
Each day is divided up into four 6-hour periods. They are called Dawn, Day, Dusk and Night.
From this rough outline of time periods, for each one that the players spend the majority of the time outside of human habitation, roll 2d6. On a basic score of 9+ there is an encounter. If the season's weather has been particularly rough, then add +1 to the roll (more of these creatures - which represent the aggressors in the food chain - will be prowling for food when the weather is tough). If the player party has any rangers or druids in it, add or subtract one each, at the player's whim.
If the score is successful, then check the following table to see what the chance for surprise is, as well as the likely range of the initial encounter.
If the surprise number is rolled, this means that the encounter is present before the party is aware of them. If the surprise roll is failed, then the party is somehow aware of the encounter at the same time as it appears. Once it appears, normal rules for surprise and perception should apply.
Once an encounter has been determined, then roll two 6 sided dice, and consult the following table. Add +1 to the Red dice if they players are within 10 miles of a sizeable human settlement/habitation (sizeable means more than 100 humans, demihumans, or humanoids living in a regular place - such as a town, castle, fortress, etc).
This will generate a letter. Then for each of the terrain types listed below, this will give an encounter. Many of these are already detailed with statistics inside the OSR reference document (posted here). Other creatures will be detailed in a future posting on this blog.
There are several entries that call for consulting a subtable. These are presented below, with regional specific notes (for instance, human encounters in the Aghanz hills are likely to be Shagmen, whereas human encounters near any of the three Baronies in the region are likely to be typical medieval period humans).
Humans
Ever since the invasion of the Westroners into the Valley of the Old Ones, they have dominated the landscape, at least from the point of view of civilized beings. The Westron Baronies (independent Kingdoms in all but name) represent the only really organized political entities within the Valley. Before the Westroners arrived, of course, the barbarians (the Sun King tribes, the Storm King tribes, and oddities like the Shagmen) existed, but not in the same numbers. This subtable is a way to determine what sort of band of humans are encountered, when they are.
Others
This entry represents intelligent beings, that may have a reasonable level (not necessarily advanced, however) of organization and structure, but that are not Humans or Demi-Humans.
In some regions of the Darkearth Plains, it is not necessary to roll on this table.
Demi-Humans
This subtable is a way to determine which of the several types of Demi-Humans that are present within the valley get encountered. When encountered, Demi-Humans are almost always on their own (nearly inscrutable) business. This table just gives the broad type that might be expected.
In certain regions of the Darkearth Plains, there is little reason to roll the dice. For instance, in the Harp Woods or the Great Owl Forest, almost all Demi-Human encounters will be with Elves. In the Aghanz Hills, especially near Flintgate, they will be Gnomes. Up in the Destriel Mountains it will be Dwarves. Halflings mingle with human habitations, especially with the many towns that are dependent on the Baronial cities.
In other areas, or if variety is simply wished for, the following table can be consulted.
Giants
In the case of Ogres and Hill Giants, these will be led by an evil, high level human (such as an evil high priest, an evil thief, or an evil fighter). Trolls may be being followed (35%) by a band (3d6) of goblins that worship trolls. If so, these will join in any fight that the trolls themselves get involved in.
Dragons
If there is more than 1 of these creatures in an encounter, there will be a nest somewhat nearby, that contains 1d4 young.
Special
[NOTE: This has been edited, as of Sept 14]
As mentioned earlier, the region of the Darkearth Plains is one of conditions very similar to the Pleistocene era on Earth. Many of the animals we are familiar with from the fossil record of that time are present in the Valley of the Old Ones, specifically in this region. Also, even as far south as the Great River, the weather in the Darkearth Plains is notably cold. These two features (the presence of the large animals we think of as Ice Age mammals; and the very cold weather) combine to provide an interesting wilderness encounter matrix.
The encounter system works like this:
Each day is divided up into four 6-hour periods. They are called Dawn, Day, Dusk and Night.
From this rough outline of time periods, for each one that the players spend the majority of the time outside of human habitation, roll 2d6. On a basic score of 9+ there is an encounter. If the season's weather has been particularly rough, then add +1 to the roll (more of these creatures - which represent the aggressors in the food chain - will be prowling for food when the weather is tough). If the player party has any rangers or druids in it, add or subtract one each, at the player's whim.
If the score is successful, then check the following table to see what the chance for surprise is, as well as the likely range of the initial encounter.
| Time of Day |
Chance of Surprise (2d6) |
Opening range of Encounter |
|---|---|---|
| Day | 9+ | 100-600 yards (1d6 x 100 yards) |
| Dawn, Dusk |
7+ | 40-240 yards (4d6 x 10 yards) |
| Night | 5+ | 20-80 yards (2d4 x 10 yards) |
- If the dice roll for surprise is successful, then the party is unaware of the encounter, initially, and the encounter range is half of what is rolled.
- If the encounter takes place in mountains or forest, halve the encounter range that is rolled.
- If the encounter is primarily a flying creature, then double the encounter range that is rolled.
If the surprise number is rolled, this means that the encounter is present before the party is aware of them. If the surprise roll is failed, then the party is somehow aware of the encounter at the same time as it appears. Once it appears, normal rules for surprise and perception should apply.
Once an encounter has been determined, then roll two 6 sided dice, and consult the following table. Add +1 to the Red dice if they players are within 10 miles of a sizeable human settlement/habitation (sizeable means more than 100 humans, demihumans, or humanoids living in a regular place - such as a town, castle, fortress, etc).
| White Dice |
Red Dice | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| 1 | L | Q | S | U | W | X | N |
| 2 | L | B | H | H | D | N | N |
| 3 | K | B | F | E | D | N | N |
| 4 | K | A | E | F | C | M | M |
| 5 | J | A | G | G | C | M | M |
| 6 | J | P | R | T | V | Y | M |
This will generate a letter. Then for each of the terrain types listed below, this will give an encounter. Many of these are already detailed with statistics inside the OSR reference document (posted here). Other creatures will be detailed in a future posting on this blog.
| Encounter | Plains | Hills | River Valley | Forest | Mountains |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Deer | - | A,B | A,B | A | A,B |
| Mammoth | A,B | C | C | - | - |
| Mastadon | C | D,E | D,E | - | - |
| Giant Stag | D | F,G | F,G | - | C |
| Sabre Tooth Tiger | E | H | H,J,K | B,C,D | D |
| Dire Wolf | F | J | L,P | E,F,G | E,F,G |
| Cave Bear | - | K,L | - | H,J,K | J,K,L |
| Flightless Bird | G | P,Q | Q | - | - |
| Axebeak | H | - | - | L | - |
| Hammer Head (Titanothere) |
J | - | - | - | - |
| Humans (see subtable) |
M | M | M | M | M |
| Others (see subtable) |
N | N | N | N | N |
| Gargantua (Baluchitherium) |
K,L | - | - | - | - |
| Frost Moth | P,Q | R | Q | P,Q | P |
| Ice Wyrm | R | - | - | R,S | Q,R |
| Frost Rhino | S | S | S | - | - |
| Ice Serpent | T | T | - | T,U | S,T |
| Floating Horror | U | U | T,U | - | - |
| Giant (see subtable) |
V | V | V | V | U,V |
| Dragon (see subtable) |
W | W | W | W | W |
| DemiHuman (see subtable) |
X | X | X | X | X |
| Special (see subtable) |
Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
There are several entries that call for consulting a subtable. These are presented below, with regional specific notes (for instance, human encounters in the Aghanz hills are likely to be Shagmen, whereas human encounters near any of the three Baronies in the region are likely to be typical medieval period humans).
Humans
Ever since the invasion of the Westroners into the Valley of the Old Ones, they have dominated the landscape, at least from the point of view of civilized beings. The Westron Baronies (independent Kingdoms in all but name) represent the only really organized political entities within the Valley. Before the Westroners arrived, of course, the barbarians (the Sun King tribes, the Storm King tribes, and oddities like the Shagmen) existed, but not in the same numbers. This subtable is a way to determine what sort of band of humans are encountered, when they are.
| Dice | Humans |
|---|---|
| 1 | Warrior |
| 2 | Religious |
| 3 | Merchants |
| 4 | Craftsmen |
| 5 | Raiders |
| 6 | Elite |
- Warrior
- A body of armed soldiery appropriate to the area encountered in.
- In the Aghanz Hills, or nearby, these will be Shagmen (2d6 warriors; 6d6 women and children)
- In the east, anywhere the Terrapin or Greywater rivers, they will be Storm King Barbarians (2d6 huscarls; 4d6 bondi)
- Anywhere near the Baronies or the Great River, they will be Westroners - Baronial Armsmen (2d6 knights; 4d6 sargents; 8d6 peasants)
- Anywhere else, it will likely be a band of Freebooters (2d6 fighters; 2d6 thieves; 4d6 thugs). These may be looking for work, or may be looking for mayhem.
- Religious
- 1d3 significant clerics (or druids); 2d6 lesser clergy (same order); 6d6 pilgrims, followers
- Merchants
- 1d6 Merchants or Family members; 2d6 armed guards (missile weapons and polearms); 4d6 servants and attendants.
- Craftsmen
- 2d6 craftsmen; 2d6 armed guards. 50% chance that an appropriate camp/settlement will be nearby to support the craft (charcoal burning camp; mine; lumber camp; fishing village; windmill; etc.
- Raiders
- 1d6 powerful leaders; 2d6 strong lieutenants; 4d6 thugs - from some culture "somewhere else" - here for thievery and mischief
- Elite
- This is some sort of out of the ordinary group of Humans, met traveling through the local area. If encountered at night, they will have a nearby camp.
- Adventure Party
- Questing Paladin; or Patrolling Ranger (with a unit of Northguard)
- Errant Knight
- Shaman (primitive) on vision quest
- Assassin on a mission
- Evil High Priest (otherwise, as Religious)
Others
This entry represents intelligent beings, that may have a reasonable level (not necessarily advanced, however) of organization and structure, but that are not Humans or Demi-Humans.
In some regions of the Darkearth Plains, it is not necessary to roll on this table.
- In the western part of the plains, near the Lost Mare River, any encounter of this type will be of the intelligent horses of the Great Herd, led by the Khan of All Horses.
- The area just north of the King's Highway near the Great Owl Forest is home to a federation of tribes of Broo (chaotic evil goat headed beastmen), called the Horned Ones.
- Along the Greywater River, in the lands of the Storm King Barbarians, there are tribal areas of the Furlingga (a particular language group of Gnolls, very advanced and organized compared to other bands of Gnolls).
- Between the Great Owl Forest and the Terrapin River, in the Terrapin Marsh, there are the notorious Marsh Trolls.
- In the west, where the great sinkholes near the Nightwash River are located, the influence of the Dark Elf Buccaneer kingdoms is significant.
- At the south end of the Lost Mare River, there is the Arriott Bottom Swamp. A very large community of Lizard Men dwell here.
| Dice | Others |
|---|---|
| 1 | Orcs (3d6) |
| 2 | Gnolls (3d6) |
| 3 | Goblins (5d6) |
| 4 | Bugbears (3d6) |
| 5 | Yeti (2d6) |
| 6 | Forest Folk (random type) (2d6, unless Badger, then only 1) |
Notes: In all cases, these will be appropriately armed as per their type, and will likely be accompanied by a number of lesser supportive beings, or henchmen. For instance, a band of Orcs will likely have a variety of different weapons, and shards of leather and metal armor, and will likely be accompanied by as many, again, half-orcs, and perhaps half as many goblins. In all cases, if possible, these will engage first with missile weapons. Entries #1-5 will be led by an evil human (either wizard, evil high priest, thief, or fighter) 40% of the time. Entry #6 has the same chance of being accompanied by a human leader, but in some cases he will be good. If entry 6 turns out to be Badger Folk, then the human is a Questing Partner, on a vision quest together.
Demi-Humans
This subtable is a way to determine which of the several types of Demi-Humans that are present within the valley get encountered. When encountered, Demi-Humans are almost always on their own (nearly inscrutable) business. This table just gives the broad type that might be expected.
In certain regions of the Darkearth Plains, there is little reason to roll the dice. For instance, in the Harp Woods or the Great Owl Forest, almost all Demi-Human encounters will be with Elves. In the Aghanz Hills, especially near Flintgate, they will be Gnomes. Up in the Destriel Mountains it will be Dwarves. Halflings mingle with human habitations, especially with the many towns that are dependent on the Baronial cities.
In other areas, or if variety is simply wished for, the following table can be consulted.
| Dice | Demi-Human |
|---|---|
| 1 | Elves (3d6) |
| 2 | Dwarves (3d6) |
| 3 | Gnomes (3d6) |
| 4 | Halflings (5d6) |
| 5 | Dark Elves (3d6) |
| 6 | Faery Folk (5d6) |
Elves
Number appearing are mounted elfin knights (elven chainmail, shield, lance, longsword, barded horse), with twice as many foot warriors in attendance (chainmail, polearms).
Dwarves
Each dwarf is a professional - miner, brewer, gemcutter, etc - but also a warrior. Likely to be armed with axes and crossbows, with shield and scale mail.
Gnomes
Each gnome is wearing flexible metal armor (usually chainmail) and armed with short bow, short sword, and carrying a small round shield. 70% chance to be led by an illusionist, either gnome or human.
Halflings
Led by a Sheriff, mounted on a small pony or ass. Others likely to have leather armor, slings, throwing axes, and short spears.
Dark Elves
If encountered during daylight hours, likely to be disguised as good elves. If encountered after dark, likely (65%) to be led by some high level organizer(s) of the band (1d6 driders; mindflayer; evil high priest; vampire
Faery Folk
There are likely to be a mixture of types here - faeries, brownies, pixies, leprechauns, talking animals, and others. Likely (65%) to be led by a noble faery (male or female) mounted on a Pseudo Dragon, with 1d6 retainers similarly mounted.
Giants
| Dice | Giants |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ogres (2d6) |
| 2 | Trolls (1d6+2) |
| 3 | Firbolg (1d6) |
| 4 | Hill Giants (2d6) |
| 5 | Frost Giants (1d6) |
| 6 | Mountain Giants (1d4) |
In the case of Ogres and Hill Giants, these will be led by an evil, high level human (such as an evil high priest, an evil thief, or an evil fighter). Trolls may be being followed (35%) by a band (3d6) of goblins that worship trolls. If so, these will join in any fight that the trolls themselves get involved in.
Dragons
| Dice | Dragons |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ice Wyrm (1d4+1) |
| 2 | Wyvern (1d4) |
| 3 | Roc (1) |
| 4 | White Dragon (1d2) |
| 5 | Red Dragon (1d2) |
| 6 | Green Dragon (1d2) |
If there is more than 1 of these creatures in an encounter, there will be a nest somewhat nearby, that contains 1d4 young.
Special
| Dice | Special |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wildfire (1d6 x 5 miles wide) |
| 2 | Zombie Horde (5d6 zombies) |
| 3 | Single, powerful undead (lich, vampire, etc) |
| 4 | Battlefield |
| 5 | Natural Hazard (cliff, quicksand, lightning, etc) |
| 6 | Stampeding herd/tribe (roll another encounter to see what it is) |
Sep 9, 2012
Dungeon Key - Web of Ostigaar (5)
This is the continuation of the dungeon that began in Web of Ostigaar (4) (map detail here).
Room descriptions (rooms 11-20)
11.The Observatory - This room is full of all sorts of (mostly broken) metal implements and instruments useful for navigation, or the drawing of charts and maps. The ceiling is home to a magical construct, the Star Portal of Oo'Zondra (described here). Of note, in the etheric landscape visible in the Star Portal, there is a wrecked hull of a strange wooden ship, designed to travel amongs the moons, suns, and other astral bodies. Spilling over the side of the wreck, and down into the room, at the rate of 1d3 every 10 rounds (1 turn), are Giant Scorpions (see standard stats here). When the room is visited, there are already 5x of the Giant Scorpions in the room. Toppled and ancient furniture clutters the outer edge of this room, with a round stain dais in the middle. In the corner of the room, there is a large stuffed chair, covered in cobwebs, and with stuffing coming out of the cushions. If the seat is rummaged through, there is a small box, with 2000gp worth of highly polished purple gemstones inside it. The box is locked and trapped, however, and any attempt to handle it roughly (picking, smashing, etc) will result in 1d4 poison needles striking the offender. Each of these will do 1d6+1 damage, save for half.
12. The Cistern - This room consists of a spiral staircase that descends, with the outer edge against rock, and the inner edge open, down 60' to a pool of water. Disturbing the water in any way will bring on the attack of an 8hd Giant Sea Snake (see standard stats here). Down inside the cistern itself, it is 30 feet deep. At the bottom is the skeleton of a dead ogre. He is holding a giant golden key in his hand, which weighs 80 pounds. This could be difficult to lift up through 30 feet of water. If the key does break the surface of the water, it causes a 5d6 lightning bolt to shoot around in the room. All must make a save vs. breath weapon to avoid being hit. If one IS struck, then save vs. spell to avoid half damage.
13. Shrine of the Reptal - This room is dominated by two features. The first is a large stone sarcophagus, in the eastern part of the room. It is a large diamond shaped stone sarcophagus, with an outline carved in the top of a curious reptile-man type figure, with a chameleon head and tail. This is a Reptal, and the sarcophagus is the magical construct, the "Sarcophagus of Wim" (detailed earlier). In the western part of the room is a very large grating on the floor, that leads to a drop shaft that goes down some 60 feet to a chamber of water, contains three greater Filth Prawns (detailed earlier). At the bottom of the pool is a sealed stone urn that contains a bag of holding (empty).
In the room, ready to engage the characters should they enter, are a Dark Elf Captain (she is named "Sidlar U'Zella") and 8 Dark Elf Warriors. Sidlar U'Zella is wearing a curious necklace set with gemstones that glow different colors based on who is wearing it (worth 1000gp). She also is in possession of several magical components, described earlier. She has 1 dose of Revenant Lace, 1 dose of Cat's Paw, and 2 doses of Firecaps. Upon entering combat, she will immediately take the Revenant Lace and the Cat's Paw, rendering her invisible and able to climb walls. She is completely dedicated to the Artaxil Coven, and will fight to the death.
The Dark Elf Warriors have, on average, 200gp worth of jewelry each. Among the group there is a potion of healing, and a potion of extra healing.
All of the Dark Elves - Captain and Warriors - are capable of spell use.
The Dark Elf group has with it a strange chest, bound in iron straps. The straps are held by a strange stone disc (about 2" across) with a spider on it. It is thin, and must be smashed to release the iron straps and open the chest. Once the disc is smashed, if it is not by an Artaxil Dark Elf, it will summon 4 Stone Spiders to attack those who are attempting to open the chest. Inside the chest are 5000gp worth of gems and also an ioun stone that grants the bearer the ability to cast Faerie Fire once per hour.
14. The Charred Room - This room was once adorned with fantastic tapestries of all types, covering the walls. In the past, however, some conflagration burned up the major part of every tapestry. Only charred remains are left hanging on the walls, and covering the floors. The room is otherwise unfurnished. In the room, however, are five large skeletal ogres (ac4, 30hp, thac014, 2 attacks (1d8+3 each), piercing and slashing weapons do half damage). These can be turned by a member of clergy typically able to do so, but treat the skeletal ogres as 4th level undead for this purpose.
15. Meditation Rise - This room slopes up, at a steep angle, from north to south (the highest point). At the southern end, there is a flat area, and there were once open grates in the ceiling opened up to the sky. Since the layers of the city were built over this layer, that has closed up. There is a dead body in the chair below the grate (a sort of throne like chair, but with no special material value or gems or anything out of the ordinary). The body is unremarkable except for the (magical) gold band on the right arm.
As the players may want to ascend the steep ramp up to where the chair is with the dead body, they must climb. It requires 3 checks in all, each check is of 1d20 trying to roll less than the dexterity of the checker. Unfortunately, the whole way, a ghostly arm extending from the armband on the corpse, will attempt to attack the players using a ghostly long sword. The long sword strikes twice per turn, with a thac0 of 11. It will do 1d10+2 damage per strike. The arm has an ac4, cannot be struck by non-magical weapons, and will take 24hp to diactivate.
The armband will summon the arm for whomever is wearing it, and it will be equipped with whatever weapon that person has in the arm of the arm band. It will attack with that weapon, twice per round, with a +2 better than the wearer. It will do damage +2. The ghostly arm does not need to be concentrated on, but if the wielder loses consciousness it is disappears. Deactivating it (by doing 24hp to it) results in the ghost arm being banished for 1d6 turns (10 min each).
16. This is a curious room. First, to the east, there is a section of the room that is separated by a curtain. The curtain is made of very heavy dark blue cloth, and there is a pale white glow coming out from under and on the sides of the curtain. The rest of the room is full of dense clouds of steam. The steam clouds are quite hot, and have peculiar properties that disrupts both infra and ultra vision. Only normal sight works, and it is limited to approximately 10 feet in any one direction. The only thing that can be made out upon entering from the northwest door or the south door is that there is a pale light coming through the mist from the eastern edge (the curtain). In the floor, on the west, the floor all gathers down to a low point, with a grating, to allow any water gathered in the room (from the steam) to run out of the grating, down deep into an underground pool some 100' below. Within the mists, in the western half of the room, there are lurking three blind trolls in the room. They have learned a peculiar troll skill - blind fighting (typically trolls can regenerate lost eyes, but these for some reason cannot). The trolls do not suffer negative effects in combat from the loss of eyesight, but they cannot make distinction between foes, and will always attack the nearest, regardless of the nature of that foe.
Behind the curtain is a large, glowing hot, pillar of stone. It is 3' across the base, and 10' tall (the room ceiling in this room is approximately 12' tall, so the pillar does not go all the way to the ceiling). The top and bottom of the pillar are encircled by a curious white metal. The pillar is a magical construct, the Column of Fa'Tar (detailed earlier). In the corners of the room, aimed at the column, are four hideous statues of feather covered gargoyles, each spitting a stream of water at the column, which explains the presence of the prodigious clouds of steam. Curious note - if the gargoyles are removed from the wall in any way, they will continue to spit out a 15-20 foot stream of water, continuously, absent a dispel magic spell.
17. The Beating Room - This room was evidently originally designed to somehow separate people into groups, now it serves as hideous trap. The two portcullis structures will come slamming down, as soon as they divide the party up into at least two groups. At that point 6 filth prawns will be released into each section, and will attack whatever is there.
18.The Shining Room - There is a curious white globe floating in the middle of the room that gives off enough light (30' radius) to dimly illuminate the entire room. The globe is weightless and can be moved. It will continue to work. In the room is a a large iron chest in the middle of the floor (near the globe, but apparently not related), which is locked. Opening the lock will trigger a poison gas trap that will fill the room. Make a d20 save vs. Constitution to see if breath can be held long enough to leave the room. If passed, character immediately moves to the nearest door in panic, and crosses out of the room. If failed, it means that they are stuck in the room, or didn't move fast enough, and suffer the effects of the gas (jittery and nauseous for 1 hour; lose 1d3 each from Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution; heal one random point back each day, cure disease will cure 1d3 points per day). Beyond the gas trap, the iron chest has 3 platinum bars worth 1000gp each (very heavy, 40# each), and a magic broadsword (constructed by Storm King barbarians, a very long time ago), +2, with Ainark Runes that, if read, reveal (1) that the sword is named Nightfoe, and (2) if the name is uttered when the broadsword strikes the killing blow on an Intelligent foe, it transforms the body into 1d12 Death Birds. If the wielder is of neutral or good alignment, the birds will remain for 2d12 rounds, attacking any foes that the wielder is an enemy of, but the shriek of the birds affects all in range; if the wielder of the sword is rather of evil alignment, then the birds' shriek only affects the enemies of the wielder.
The inhabitants of the room are swirling schools of large toothy fish. They will modestly avoid any characters, as they swim in seemingly meaningless patterns around the room. If one is molested or attacked the fish immediately become hostile. There are enough for 6 to attack each player. They have the following stats:
Airacuda
Num Appearing: 5d6
Alignment: neutral
Movement: Swim (through air) 120'/round
Armor Class: 4 (hard metallic scales)
Hit Dice: 2hd
Attacks: Bite; if successful then automatically do bite damage per round until removed; if not successful, attempt a second Bite attack vs. same target.
Damage: 1d6+3
Save: F2
Morale: 9
19. Mantis Room - Five Thri-Kreen (see stats here) have taken up residence in here. The grating over the floor opening (the whole room slopes down to this opening) has been pushed aside, and the Thri-Kreen have obviously climbed up out of the deep shaft, that 60' down opens up into underground cisterns. The Thri-Kreen have a side cave, leading to a compound of their nest/hive; it is down about 30' in the shaft. One of the mantis-men has a strange pot hanging around his neck, it is obviously very expensive, but not of Thri-Kreen manufacture. If the party somehow enters the cave that the nest/hive of the Thri-Kreen are from, they will find an ancient burial crypt, with a half dozen of sarcophagi, each having 3 or 4 of the very expensive pots arranged on it. Each pot (there are 20 in all) is worth 1000gp. In the room, however, there are 3 mummies (see stats here) that will work to defend the pots against any warm blooded invaders.
20. Copper Room - The walls of this room are lined in copper, and there are strange astronomical symbols etched on them in acid. The copper is untarnished and highly polished. Standing the middle of the room are two tall stone humanoids, with wings wrapped around them, and covering their face. Touching either the statues or the copper will awaken the two Gargoyles (see stats here) that will attack fiercely and without hesitation.
Room descriptions (rooms 11-20)
11.The Observatory - This room is full of all sorts of (mostly broken) metal implements and instruments useful for navigation, or the drawing of charts and maps. The ceiling is home to a magical construct, the Star Portal of Oo'Zondra (described here). Of note, in the etheric landscape visible in the Star Portal, there is a wrecked hull of a strange wooden ship, designed to travel amongs the moons, suns, and other astral bodies. Spilling over the side of the wreck, and down into the room, at the rate of 1d3 every 10 rounds (1 turn), are Giant Scorpions (see standard stats here). When the room is visited, there are already 5x of the Giant Scorpions in the room. Toppled and ancient furniture clutters the outer edge of this room, with a round stain dais in the middle. In the corner of the room, there is a large stuffed chair, covered in cobwebs, and with stuffing coming out of the cushions. If the seat is rummaged through, there is a small box, with 2000gp worth of highly polished purple gemstones inside it. The box is locked and trapped, however, and any attempt to handle it roughly (picking, smashing, etc) will result in 1d4 poison needles striking the offender. Each of these will do 1d6+1 damage, save for half.
12. The Cistern - This room consists of a spiral staircase that descends, with the outer edge against rock, and the inner edge open, down 60' to a pool of water. Disturbing the water in any way will bring on the attack of an 8hd Giant Sea Snake (see standard stats here). Down inside the cistern itself, it is 30 feet deep. At the bottom is the skeleton of a dead ogre. He is holding a giant golden key in his hand, which weighs 80 pounds. This could be difficult to lift up through 30 feet of water. If the key does break the surface of the water, it causes a 5d6 lightning bolt to shoot around in the room. All must make a save vs. breath weapon to avoid being hit. If one IS struck, then save vs. spell to avoid half damage.
13. Shrine of the Reptal - This room is dominated by two features. The first is a large stone sarcophagus, in the eastern part of the room. It is a large diamond shaped stone sarcophagus, with an outline carved in the top of a curious reptile-man type figure, with a chameleon head and tail. This is a Reptal, and the sarcophagus is the magical construct, the "Sarcophagus of Wim" (detailed earlier). In the western part of the room is a very large grating on the floor, that leads to a drop shaft that goes down some 60 feet to a chamber of water, contains three greater Filth Prawns (detailed earlier). At the bottom of the pool is a sealed stone urn that contains a bag of holding (empty).
In the room, ready to engage the characters should they enter, are a Dark Elf Captain (she is named "Sidlar U'Zella") and 8 Dark Elf Warriors. Sidlar U'Zella is wearing a curious necklace set with gemstones that glow different colors based on who is wearing it (worth 1000gp). She also is in possession of several magical components, described earlier. She has 1 dose of Revenant Lace, 1 dose of Cat's Paw, and 2 doses of Firecaps. Upon entering combat, she will immediately take the Revenant Lace and the Cat's Paw, rendering her invisible and able to climb walls. She is completely dedicated to the Artaxil Coven, and will fight to the death.
The Dark Elf Warriors have, on average, 200gp worth of jewelry each. Among the group there is a potion of healing, and a potion of extra healing.
All of the Dark Elves - Captain and Warriors - are capable of spell use.
The Dark Elf group has with it a strange chest, bound in iron straps. The straps are held by a strange stone disc (about 2" across) with a spider on it. It is thin, and must be smashed to release the iron straps and open the chest. Once the disc is smashed, if it is not by an Artaxil Dark Elf, it will summon 4 Stone Spiders to attack those who are attempting to open the chest. Inside the chest are 5000gp worth of gems and also an ioun stone that grants the bearer the ability to cast Faerie Fire once per hour.
14. The Charred Room - This room was once adorned with fantastic tapestries of all types, covering the walls. In the past, however, some conflagration burned up the major part of every tapestry. Only charred remains are left hanging on the walls, and covering the floors. The room is otherwise unfurnished. In the room, however, are five large skeletal ogres (ac4, 30hp, thac014, 2 attacks (1d8+3 each), piercing and slashing weapons do half damage). These can be turned by a member of clergy typically able to do so, but treat the skeletal ogres as 4th level undead for this purpose.
15. Meditation Rise - This room slopes up, at a steep angle, from north to south (the highest point). At the southern end, there is a flat area, and there were once open grates in the ceiling opened up to the sky. Since the layers of the city were built over this layer, that has closed up. There is a dead body in the chair below the grate (a sort of throne like chair, but with no special material value or gems or anything out of the ordinary). The body is unremarkable except for the (magical) gold band on the right arm.
As the players may want to ascend the steep ramp up to where the chair is with the dead body, they must climb. It requires 3 checks in all, each check is of 1d20 trying to roll less than the dexterity of the checker. Unfortunately, the whole way, a ghostly arm extending from the armband on the corpse, will attempt to attack the players using a ghostly long sword. The long sword strikes twice per turn, with a thac0 of 11. It will do 1d10+2 damage per strike. The arm has an ac4, cannot be struck by non-magical weapons, and will take 24hp to diactivate.
The armband will summon the arm for whomever is wearing it, and it will be equipped with whatever weapon that person has in the arm of the arm band. It will attack with that weapon, twice per round, with a +2 better than the wearer. It will do damage +2. The ghostly arm does not need to be concentrated on, but if the wielder loses consciousness it is disappears. Deactivating it (by doing 24hp to it) results in the ghost arm being banished for 1d6 turns (10 min each).
16. This is a curious room. First, to the east, there is a section of the room that is separated by a curtain. The curtain is made of very heavy dark blue cloth, and there is a pale white glow coming out from under and on the sides of the curtain. The rest of the room is full of dense clouds of steam. The steam clouds are quite hot, and have peculiar properties that disrupts both infra and ultra vision. Only normal sight works, and it is limited to approximately 10 feet in any one direction. The only thing that can be made out upon entering from the northwest door or the south door is that there is a pale light coming through the mist from the eastern edge (the curtain). In the floor, on the west, the floor all gathers down to a low point, with a grating, to allow any water gathered in the room (from the steam) to run out of the grating, down deep into an underground pool some 100' below. Within the mists, in the western half of the room, there are lurking three blind trolls in the room. They have learned a peculiar troll skill - blind fighting (typically trolls can regenerate lost eyes, but these for some reason cannot). The trolls do not suffer negative effects in combat from the loss of eyesight, but they cannot make distinction between foes, and will always attack the nearest, regardless of the nature of that foe.
Behind the curtain is a large, glowing hot, pillar of stone. It is 3' across the base, and 10' tall (the room ceiling in this room is approximately 12' tall, so the pillar does not go all the way to the ceiling). The top and bottom of the pillar are encircled by a curious white metal. The pillar is a magical construct, the Column of Fa'Tar (detailed earlier). In the corners of the room, aimed at the column, are four hideous statues of feather covered gargoyles, each spitting a stream of water at the column, which explains the presence of the prodigious clouds of steam. Curious note - if the gargoyles are removed from the wall in any way, they will continue to spit out a 15-20 foot stream of water, continuously, absent a dispel magic spell.
17. The Beating Room - This room was evidently originally designed to somehow separate people into groups, now it serves as hideous trap. The two portcullis structures will come slamming down, as soon as they divide the party up into at least two groups. At that point 6 filth prawns will be released into each section, and will attack whatever is there.
18.The Shining Room - There is a curious white globe floating in the middle of the room that gives off enough light (30' radius) to dimly illuminate the entire room. The globe is weightless and can be moved. It will continue to work. In the room is a a large iron chest in the middle of the floor (near the globe, but apparently not related), which is locked. Opening the lock will trigger a poison gas trap that will fill the room. Make a d20 save vs. Constitution to see if breath can be held long enough to leave the room. If passed, character immediately moves to the nearest door in panic, and crosses out of the room. If failed, it means that they are stuck in the room, or didn't move fast enough, and suffer the effects of the gas (jittery and nauseous for 1 hour; lose 1d3 each from Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution; heal one random point back each day, cure disease will cure 1d3 points per day). Beyond the gas trap, the iron chest has 3 platinum bars worth 1000gp each (very heavy, 40# each), and a magic broadsword (constructed by Storm King barbarians, a very long time ago), +2, with Ainark Runes that, if read, reveal (1) that the sword is named Nightfoe, and (2) if the name is uttered when the broadsword strikes the killing blow on an Intelligent foe, it transforms the body into 1d12 Death Birds. If the wielder is of neutral or good alignment, the birds will remain for 2d12 rounds, attacking any foes that the wielder is an enemy of, but the shriek of the birds affects all in range; if the wielder of the sword is rather of evil alignment, then the birds' shriek only affects the enemies of the wielder.
The inhabitants of the room are swirling schools of large toothy fish. They will modestly avoid any characters, as they swim in seemingly meaningless patterns around the room. If one is molested or attacked the fish immediately become hostile. There are enough for 6 to attack each player. They have the following stats:
Airacuda
Num Appearing: 5d6
Alignment: neutral
Movement: Swim (through air) 120'/round
Armor Class: 4 (hard metallic scales)
Hit Dice: 2hd
Attacks: Bite; if successful then automatically do bite damage per round until removed; if not successful, attempt a second Bite attack vs. same target.
Damage: 1d6+3
Save: F2
Morale: 9
19. Mantis Room - Five Thri-Kreen (see stats here) have taken up residence in here. The grating over the floor opening (the whole room slopes down to this opening) has been pushed aside, and the Thri-Kreen have obviously climbed up out of the deep shaft, that 60' down opens up into underground cisterns. The Thri-Kreen have a side cave, leading to a compound of their nest/hive; it is down about 30' in the shaft. One of the mantis-men has a strange pot hanging around his neck, it is obviously very expensive, but not of Thri-Kreen manufacture. If the party somehow enters the cave that the nest/hive of the Thri-Kreen are from, they will find an ancient burial crypt, with a half dozen of sarcophagi, each having 3 or 4 of the very expensive pots arranged on it. Each pot (there are 20 in all) is worth 1000gp. In the room, however, there are 3 mummies (see stats here) that will work to defend the pots against any warm blooded invaders.
20. Copper Room - The walls of this room are lined in copper, and there are strange astronomical symbols etched on them in acid. The copper is untarnished and highly polished. Standing the middle of the room are two tall stone humanoids, with wings wrapped around them, and covering their face. Touching either the statues or the copper will awaken the two Gargoyles (see stats here) that will attack fiercely and without hesitation.
Aug 15, 2012
Developments
The past month have been a quiet one here at the Valley of the Old Ones blog, this is with good reason, however creative work on my game setting has not stopped.
First, the reason for the slow down - I have started a new position as an Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science, at Columbus State University, in Columbus Georgia. This involved not only a change in job locations, but also a major move (across 4 states) for my family. But the move is done, and we are slowly getting things in our new (great) house settled.
Second, the creative work HAS been continuing, and I will begin posting again this week. This has been in four areas.
First, the reason for the slow down - I have started a new position as an Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science, at Columbus State University, in Columbus Georgia. This involved not only a change in job locations, but also a major move (across 4 states) for my family. But the move is done, and we are slowly getting things in our new (great) house settled.
Second, the creative work HAS been continuing, and I will begin posting again this week. This has been in four areas.
- First, I have finished out rooms 11-41 of the Web of Ostigaar dungeon. Some great surprises there, and once I am finished I plan to gather the whole adventure into a pdf and post it as a downloadable product.
- Second, I have been gathering up the materials for the Cult of the White Shadow adventure, and am planning to enhance it somewhat (including the map and key to the estate that the dungeon is attached to, and some NPS stats), and also package it as a pdf file.
- Third, I have been working on wilderness encounters for the whole Darkearth Plains region of the Valley, where these adventures are located. The far eastern portion of the Darkearth Plains were developed when I discussed the various settlements of the Storm King Barbarians and their holdings, but the rest of the region have a very distinctive feel. It is a cold region (more-so in the north, but true throughout), and the local flora are very similar to the last major ice age on Earth, especially in North America. There are not only the typical late-Pleistocene era animals (megatherium, wooly mammoth, saber cats, wooly rhino, etc), but also some distinctive fantasy variations of these (dire sloth, frost rhinos, etc), and an approximation of fantasy neanderthals (the Shagmen of the Aghanz Hills).
- Fourth, I have resurrected an old dungeon that I wrote up a very long time ago, the Bear Caves of the Mad Dwarf. It features, among other things, some most excellent undead bears, a crazed dwarf jongleur, and a shrieking gargoyle. I am writing this up, and setting it in the Valley of the Old Ones setting, and also to submit it to an online project collecting content featuring interesting skeleton encounters. Skeletal Cave Bears will count for that, I hope. Especially when they have the ability to phase through walls.
Jul 17, 2012
Dark Elf Captain in and near Werms
A Dark Elf Captain is more than a simple leader. It is, in the Artaxil Coven, a special religious leader that brings members of the community together in order that they may explore the magical nature of the world around them together, and to bond and protect the enclave. They are individuals of renown and high reputation, and are often trusted with important missions and placed in charge of enclave installations and outposts.
Captain of Dark Elves
Num Appearing: 1
Alignment: chaotic evil
Movement: 120' on the ground
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 8hd (56hp)
Attacks: 2 weapon attacks, or 2 light crossbow shots
Damage: Per magic weapon
Save: F8
Morale: 9
Treasure: Carry approximately 1000gp each in jewelry and coins. Worn conspicuously. Often in position of magic items (rings, scrolls, potions).
Special: Sorcerous compounds; magic weapons; spell use.
Dark Elf Captains will always have on hand 3-5 (1d3+2) different of the Sorcerous Compounds that the Dark Elf Scouts carry.
Dark Elf Captains typically carry magic weapons made of the same metal as that of Dark Elf Warriors. The typical weapon is a spear, which has a +2 to hit, and a +2 damage. Their training and specialization allow two attacks per round with such a weapon. In addition to any speed benefit these weapons would normally get (if using a weapon initiative system in your game - which I do), consider them to get an additional +2 speed bonus. If not using such a system, then the Captain will strike first in any round, unless a 6 is rolled on 1d6. If the Dark Elf Captain wishes to shoot, then the light crossbow will do 1d6+1 damage, and the special construction enables 2 shots per round. In addition. the bolts of the crossbow will be poisoned (save vs. poison, or paralyzed 1d4 rounds).
Dark Elf Captains have the following spell use available to them: The following spells at will - Hold Portal, Shocking Grasp, and Feather Fall. And the following spells 3x per day - Web, Blur, Fly, Monster Summoning 1.
The Captain can mindspeak with his Warriors and Scouts assigned to him, removing the requirement for them to speak to each other in order to coordinate in combat. In addition to their Monster Summoning spell ability, the Dark Elf Captains of Artaxil Coven will frequently (50%) have a Stone Spider on call within 2-8 rounds (2d4), if they are encountered underground. Finally, once per day, they can pass between the normal world, into the Unseely Realms. A portal or other method of doing this is not required. For all purposes the Captain is gone, unless his pursuers can also pass (at will) into the Unseely Realms. Then he may be followed.
Captain of Dark Elves
Num Appearing: 1
Alignment: chaotic evil
Movement: 120' on the ground
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 8hd (56hp)
Attacks: 2 weapon attacks, or 2 light crossbow shots
Damage: Per magic weapon
Save: F8
Morale: 9
Treasure: Carry approximately 1000gp each in jewelry and coins. Worn conspicuously. Often in position of magic items (rings, scrolls, potions).
Special: Sorcerous compounds; magic weapons; spell use.
Dark Elf Captains will always have on hand 3-5 (1d3+2) different of the Sorcerous Compounds that the Dark Elf Scouts carry.
Dark Elf Captains typically carry magic weapons made of the same metal as that of Dark Elf Warriors. The typical weapon is a spear, which has a +2 to hit, and a +2 damage. Their training and specialization allow two attacks per round with such a weapon. In addition to any speed benefit these weapons would normally get (if using a weapon initiative system in your game - which I do), consider them to get an additional +2 speed bonus. If not using such a system, then the Captain will strike first in any round, unless a 6 is rolled on 1d6. If the Dark Elf Captain wishes to shoot, then the light crossbow will do 1d6+1 damage, and the special construction enables 2 shots per round. In addition. the bolts of the crossbow will be poisoned (save vs. poison, or paralyzed 1d4 rounds).
Dark Elf Captains have the following spell use available to them: The following spells at will - Hold Portal, Shocking Grasp, and Feather Fall. And the following spells 3x per day - Web, Blur, Fly, Monster Summoning 1.
The Captain can mindspeak with his Warriors and Scouts assigned to him, removing the requirement for them to speak to each other in order to coordinate in combat. In addition to their Monster Summoning spell ability, the Dark Elf Captains of Artaxil Coven will frequently (50%) have a Stone Spider on call within 2-8 rounds (2d4), if they are encountered underground. Finally, once per day, they can pass between the normal world, into the Unseely Realms. A portal or other method of doing this is not required. For all purposes the Captain is gone, unless his pursuers can also pass (at will) into the Unseely Realms. Then he may be followed.
Dark Elf Scouts in and near Werms
Other than keyed encounters with Dark Elf Scouts from the Web of Ostigaar adventure, then Dark Elf Scouts should be used whenever Dark Elf encounters occur, but far away from a Dark Elf enclave. These are the long range patrol duty soldiery of an enclave, such as Artaxil Coven. A Dark Elf Scout group can operate alone for a long time, partially from their combat and survival training, and also augmented by their spell use abilities.
Scout Dark Elf
Num Appearing: 1d6
Alignment: chaotic evil
Movement: 120' on the ground
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 4hd (30hp)
Attacks: 2 weapon attacks, or 2 light crossbow shots
Damage: Per weapon (+2)
Save: T5
Morale: 10
Treasure: Carry approximately 100gp each in jewelry and coins, almost always secured so as to be silent.
Special: Sorcerous compounds; magic weapons; spell use.
A party of Dark Elf Scouts will carry an assortment of sorcerous compounds, made by Dark Elf alchemists and sorcerers from particular subterranean mushrooms and fungi. Each group will have one or more doses (see below for details), and the group (when encountered) is likely to have at least 2 of these in effect immediately (1d8). Other compounds (rarer than these) may be in possession by the Scouts, the basic guideline is that it should grant a personal ability that would be useful to a long range patrol, and have an effect that lasts approximately 1 hour.
Dark Elf Scouts carry a curious mix of magic weapons, made of the similar magical metal as those of their Warrior kin. First, they fight with two weapons, typically a short sword, and a long sword as a combination. The short sword has the curious ability of being able to ignore magical protections. It ignores magical bonuses on armor, shield spells, and other defenses of a magical nature. It has no bonus to hit or damage, and is still affected by normal armor classes, and also dexterity bonuses to AC. The long sword has the ability to break (easily) non-magical weapons. On any round that the Dark Elf Scout does not use his long sword to attack, if his/her foe strikes that round, the striker must make a saving throw vs. spell, if it fails, then it's non-magic weapon is broken and useless. This ability has no effect on magic weapons, nor ranged weapons if employed at range.
Dark Elf Scouts have the following spell use: Purify Food/Water (3x day), Slow Poison (3x day), Detect Life (3x day), Pass Without Trace (at will), and Goodberry (1x day). In this case Goodberry is actually a Dark Elf variant called Goodfungus, and rather than affecting a handful of just picked berries, it affects a handful of just picked subterranean mushrooms or fungus.
Dark Elf Scout Sorcerous Compounds
Scout Dark Elf
Num Appearing: 1d6
Alignment: chaotic evil
Movement: 120' on the ground
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 4hd (30hp)
Attacks: 2 weapon attacks, or 2 light crossbow shots
Damage: Per weapon (+2)
Save: T5
Morale: 10
Treasure: Carry approximately 100gp each in jewelry and coins, almost always secured so as to be silent.
Special: Sorcerous compounds; magic weapons; spell use.
A party of Dark Elf Scouts will carry an assortment of sorcerous compounds, made by Dark Elf alchemists and sorcerers from particular subterranean mushrooms and fungi. Each group will have one or more doses (see below for details), and the group (when encountered) is likely to have at least 2 of these in effect immediately (1d8). Other compounds (rarer than these) may be in possession by the Scouts, the basic guideline is that it should grant a personal ability that would be useful to a long range patrol, and have an effect that lasts approximately 1 hour.
Dark Elf Scouts carry a curious mix of magic weapons, made of the similar magical metal as those of their Warrior kin. First, they fight with two weapons, typically a short sword, and a long sword as a combination. The short sword has the curious ability of being able to ignore magical protections. It ignores magical bonuses on armor, shield spells, and other defenses of a magical nature. It has no bonus to hit or damage, and is still affected by normal armor classes, and also dexterity bonuses to AC. The long sword has the ability to break (easily) non-magical weapons. On any round that the Dark Elf Scout does not use his long sword to attack, if his/her foe strikes that round, the striker must make a saving throw vs. spell, if it fails, then it's non-magic weapon is broken and useless. This ability has no effect on magic weapons, nor ranged weapons if employed at range.
Dark Elf Scouts have the following spell use: Purify Food/Water (3x day), Slow Poison (3x day), Detect Life (3x day), Pass Without Trace (at will), and Goodberry (1x day). In this case Goodberry is actually a Dark Elf variant called Goodfungus, and rather than affecting a handful of just picked berries, it affects a handful of just picked subterranean mushrooms or fungus.
Dark Elf Scout Sorcerous Compounds
- Ear of the Troll - When taken, any wounds suffered over the span of 1 hour will regenerate at the rate of 2 points per combat round. No effect on wounds suffered earlier.
- Spider Root - When taken enables to consumer to spider climb (as the spell) for 1 hour.
- Quick Minnow - For the period of 1 hour, the imbiber of this fungal compound is under a haste spell.
- Revenant Lace - The Scout is rendered invisible (as per the spell) for 1 hour.
- Catspaw - The Scout moves completely silently, at 180' for 1 hour.
- Slug's Blood - The Scout secretes an acidic goo, that flings from him/her in combat, landing on any foe that the Scout attempts to strike, or who strikes the Scout. It burns for 1d4 points of damage for 3 rounds, save vs. poison for half.
- Eye of the Beetle - The Scout has complete 360 degree awareness, out to a range of 60'. This extends through curtains and doors, but not through solid rock.
- Firecaps - The Scout can generate, at will, a blinding flash that will render all who see it at -4 for 2d6 rounds. Once the Firecaps is taken, this ability can only be used once, but it can be used at any time within 1 hour of being taken.
Dark Elf Warriors in and near Werms
There are several dark elf communities near Werms, however the group described here are a splinter group from the group dwelling in the caves that open up from the eastern edge of the Cambio Delve, approximately 200' down below the surface.
That group, self named the Artaxil Coven,are known for being tamers and riders of a huge species of giant bat. Some of the group were caught during a raid on Eindar Pillar, (a specific raid, not just random harassment). The hid their bats in the old Aery, but they were captured by the goblins and fed to the wyverns. The party retreated into the deep ruins, where they encountered Ostigaar. Both (the Dark Elf party, and the arachnoid monstrosity) recognized each other as a likely partner in a proper relationship, and the Elfs decided to stay.
Note that these renegades from the Artaxil Coven are meaner and more dangerous than their raiding cousins detailed in the "Staff of St. Varina" encounter.
There are three different types of Dark Elf detailed here, Warriors, Scouts and Captains. While male pronouns may dominate this article, Dark Elf society is generally gender balanced, where possible.
Warrior Dark Elf
That group, self named the Artaxil Coven,are known for being tamers and riders of a huge species of giant bat. Some of the group were caught during a raid on Eindar Pillar, (a specific raid, not just random harassment). The hid their bats in the old Aery, but they were captured by the goblins and fed to the wyverns. The party retreated into the deep ruins, where they encountered Ostigaar. Both (the Dark Elf party, and the arachnoid monstrosity) recognized each other as a likely partner in a proper relationship, and the Elfs decided to stay.
Note that these renegades from the Artaxil Coven are meaner and more dangerous than their raiding cousins detailed in the "Staff of St. Varina" encounter.
There are three different types of Dark Elf detailed here, Warriors, Scouts and Captains. While male pronouns may dominate this article, Dark Elf society is generally gender balanced, where possible.
Warrior Dark Elf
Num Appearing: 2d6
Alignment: chaotic evil
Movement: 120' on the ground/30' on vertical surfaces
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 5hd (30hp)
Attacks:2 weapon attacks, or 2 light crossbow shots
Damage: Per magic weapon (+2)
Save:F6
Morale:9
Treasure:Various magic items (scaling irons, magic weapons), often 1 or more potions in a group, and approximately 200gp worth of jewelry per warrior, as badges of rank, awards, etc. These are worn proudly by Warriors.
Specials: Climb walls and ceilings (see scaling irons below); spell use (see below); magic weapons.Alignment: chaotic evil
Movement: 120' on the ground/30' on vertical surfaces
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 5hd (30hp)
Attacks:2 weapon attacks, or 2 light crossbow shots
Damage: Per magic weapon (+2)
Save:F6
Morale:9
Treasure:Various magic items (scaling irons, magic weapons), often 1 or more potions in a group, and approximately 200gp worth of jewelry per warrior, as badges of rank, awards, etc. These are worn proudly by Warriors.
The dark elf warriors from the Artaxil community that are serving Ostigaar have access to some very interesting magic items. The first of these are scaling irons. These are made of a curious magical metal from deep within the pillar that Artaxil warriors know about. Similar to certain Drow magic items. the Unseely Realms teaches some magic that is intended to function only underground. This is an example of such magic - if the scaling irons (which are fitted to boots and around hands) are exposed to sunlight, the magic in them fades immediately. While working, and while worn, however, they allow the wearer to scramble up and along any stone surface, at a rate of 30' per round. It only takes one limb to hold oneself to the surface (foot or hand), and the other limbs are perfectly usable, in combat, without penalty. Artaxil warriors are trained in spell use.
Dark Elf Warriors can cast the following spells, each 3x per day - Hold Portal, Shocking Grasp, and Feather Fall. And the following spells 1x per day - Web, Blur.
Dark Elf Warriors typically carry magic weapons made of the same metal as their scaling irons. The typical weapon is a spear, which has a +2 to hit, and a +2 damage. Their training and specialization allow two attacks per round with such a weapon. In addition to any speed benefit these weapons would normally get (if using a weapon initiative system in your game - which I do), consider them to get an additional +2 speed bonus. If not using such a system, then these Warriors will strike first in any round, unless a 6 is rolled on 1d6. If the Dark Elf warrior wishes to shoot, then the light crossbow will do 1d6+1 damage, and the special construction enables 2 shots per round.
Warriors are the typical Dark Elf encounter, so if these are used as part of a random encounter anywhere near a Dark Elf enclave (such as Artaxil Coven), then roll up how many Warriors appear before consulting anything else.
Next posting, Dark Elf Scouts.
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