THURKASIA elves, but they have to change locations frequently as
Capital: Chellon the local monsters become aware of their presence.
Population: 403,400; human (95%), gnome (2%), Some small pools and springs in the forest are reputed
dwarf (2%) to have magical powers.
Government: Republic (with token monarchy) Dunn River: This river is swift and cool. A
Religions: Durann (dwarves), Eanius, Soggelos, small group of Thurka nomads pilot cargo
Tephaneron, Uhanam (gnomes) rafts down the river to Valarn, towing them
Imports: Cheese, sweets, rice back upriver with the help of strong horses.
Exports: Horses, wine, grain, The river is a hunting ground for crocodiles
lumber and dire crocodiles, including one half-dragon CHAPTER 4:
Alignment: NG, CG, N, CN dire crocodile that is thought to be the off- COUNTRIES
spring of Sauri-
Thurkasia is a land consisting of grass- vadartak the
lands and a young, tangled Green in Sura-
forest. Declining herds Khiri. Small
of krenshars and colonies of
other predators hunt shocker liz-
small game animals ards gather in
here, and the hu- parts of the
man residents fol- shore, and the hu-
low suit, although mans have learned
some communities to avoid provoking these crea-
have settled and cul- tures.
tivate crops of the nat- Varlin Mountains: The south-
ural wheatlike plains ern slopes of this mountain range
grasses and ferment are more sparse in terms of
wines from wild ber- vegetation but densely popu-
ries. Famous for lated by humanoids such as bug-
their bears, hobgoblins, and orcs, as
large, well as ogres. Hidden
strong among them are sev-
horses, the eral small colonies of
people of this land MD dwarves (unrelated to the Death-
elect “barons” for their tribes, who decide laws for the wardens of Manifest or Grumnyr of Tereppek) and
country as a whole. Frequently attacked by strange gnomes who occasionally trade with the humans.
monsters from the mountains and forests, the Thurka The dwarves and gnomes are dug in deep to prevent
rely upon their equestrian and archery skills to harry attacks from evil humanoids and the dragons and
the larger creatures, moving in with powerful great- wyverns that fly over the peaks from the northern
swords to finish the job. The Thurka have a culture that sides. The dwarves and gnomes became citizens of
is rapidly evolving due to outside influence, and Thurkasia after a treaty was signed by their leaders
unlike in other nations, the people as a whole embrace and the barons.
change, possibly a trait necessary for their nomadic Durhan Coast: This entire coastline is rocky, with
lifestyle. Arcane magic is uncommon in Thurkasia, dangerous cliffs and hidden reefs. The only safe place
with most arcane spellcasters being bards or rare sor- to make port is at the mouth of the Dunn River, which
cerers (probably due to infrequent intermingling with has been smoothed by its cool waters and dredged by
the people of Bazareene). industrious Salkirian traders. The rough waters are
the site of frequent attacks by aquatic monsters such
Major Geographical Features as scrags, but the cliffs usually prevent any of these
Defined by the peaks of the Varlin range to the north things from coming to shore. Tribes of territorial
and a rocky badland of gorges and mesas to the south, lizardfolk live in the many cliffside caves, rarely inter-
Thurkasia is a strip of land roughly 100 miles wide and acting with humans.
500 miles long, ending at the Durhan Coast.
Chenurall Forest: This forest has a small marsh in Life and Society
its center, possibly caused by an underground spring. The Thurka are of the same racial stock as the Salkiri-
Unlike Sura-Khiri, no elves or fey live here, and it is ans, although they tend to be somewhat taller. Tan,
instead home to strange and bizarre creatures that with black straight or curly hair, the Thurka usually
sometimes leave the forest to hunt humans. The keep their hair short. Their faces are usually broad,
Thurka cut lumber here without fear of reprisal from with strong cheekbones, and facial hair is very rare.
151
CHAPTER 4: They speak a dialect of Salak, and most know at least a The Arts
few dozen words in the Trade Tongue. Horses are very Thurka song and dance are strongly tied together,
COUNTRIES important to the nomads, both in terms of daily living with traditional songs each having a correspon-
and lore. A wise Thurka of either gender can gain great ding dance. The two most important dances are the
esteem in the eyes of his or her future in-laws with a Song of the Old and the Song of the New. Both songs
gift of a fine horse. tell stories, and their dances are reenactments of
those events.
Most Thurka are born in mobile tent villages, learn The Song of the Old is passed down through the
to ride and tend horses at an early age, and grow up generations by community singing. It tells the history
seeing much of their homeland. Only a relative few of the tribes and the people of Thurkasia, and incorpo-
come from a permanent settlement, but because the rates elements of the Trade Tongue so that even the
Thurka often foster children from other villages, even most ignorant child of the tribe can communicate in a
the town-born can gain a wider perspective of their limited fashion with outlanders. The Song of the Old
world. Women are considered to be better riders than ends with the arrival of the Salkirian delegation that
men, and men better archers, but other than that the changed the country from a collection of allied tribes
two genders are treated equally, and a village is as to a loose group of baronies.
likely to have a male baron as a female one. The The Song of the New begins with that event and
Thurka are a spiritual people and believe in making proceeds forward to the modern day, incorporating
prayers to Eanius before meals and at sunrise. important historical events since that time. New
verses are written by the master bards of the tribes and
The Thurka tend to have large families, and must meet certain criteria set forth by the elders. The
because they foster children, they might have sib- Song of the New is considered to be unfinished,
lings in three or more distant villages. Reunions are although some great world-changing event in the
times to tell stories and compare what has been future might start a new song in the manner of the
learned. Part of the ritual of adulthood (at age six- Salkirian diplomats.
teen) is the drinking of strong berry wine, and most
travelers from Thurkasia carry a bottle of this wine Roles for Character Classes
with them as a departing gift from their family, both Barbarian: Some of the warriors of Thurkasia have
to be used as a libation to Eanius and as a trading
item with the northerners, for Thurka wines are pop- learned to invoke their inner rage when combating
ular in nearby lands. the strange creatures that attack the tribesfolk, but it is
considered cowardly to use this ability against any-
The two dwarf and two gnome colonies of the thing other than monsters (essentially any creature
mountains are part of Thurkasia, and the dwarf and that is not a humanoid). Because of this, most Thurka
gnome royalty of each colony carry the title of baron, barbarians multiclass as fighters or rangers on the off
even though they are strict monarchists who do not chance they have to fight “civilized” creatures.
elect their successors. In fact, because of the lifespans
of these nonhumans, the barons ruling the four Bard: Thurka bards are expected to know both of the
colonies today are the same ones who agreed to the great Songs, and it is tradition that any uses of bardic
friendship treaty ninety-one years ago. While the dif- music rely upon parts of these songs rather than the
ference in maturity rates means that few Thurka foster songs of outlanders. Bards are preservers of the her-
their children into one of the colonies (or vice versa), itage of the tribes and a living record of their history
a few exceptional gnome chil- and culture. Their magic is considered different
dren have asked to learn to from sorcerer or wizard magic and does not have the
become horseriders, and a same stigma.
few dwarf smiths have fostered
their children to human settle- Cleric: Far less common than druids in Thurka-
ments to teach metalcraft. These sia, clerics of Tephaneron have held their place
arrangements strengthen the in this society by filling the need for battle
bonds between the dwarves, clergy. They prefer healing magic or that
gnomes, and humans, and despite which enhances their combat skill, for
their differences they have few dis- destructive spells are seen as aspects
agreements. of arcane magic and are there-
fore distrusted.
A typical Thurka warrior is Druid: The druids of
mounted, wears a Thurkasian breast- Eanius are the back-
plate (see the Equipment section of bone of the Thurka reli-
Chapter 1), and carries a greatsword gion, for they still make
and longbow or (if he can afford it) com- peace with the spirits of
posite longbow. The Thurka typically animals they hunt and
use standard saddles instead of examine natural omens
military saddles.
152
for guidance in daily matters. Druids present an air of leaders accepted, and Thurkasia was partitioned into CHAPTER 4:
being mysterious and wise, and they view clerics as a dozen baronies. However, when the barons eventu-
rivals and upstarts drawing on outlander practices. ally began to die of old age, the common folk chose to COUNTRIES
elect new barons in the same fashion as they did
Fighter: Thurka fighters practice the use of the before, rather than allowing a direct inheritance as
greatsword and mounted archery. They prize strength the Salkirian nobility used. The borders of the bar-
and success in battle, and a fighter with many victories onies became looser over time and were eventually
under his belt is considered a better candidate for abandoned.
leadership than someone with similar ideals but less
combat experience. In the following decades the Thurka adopted other
aspects of the Salkirian culture, yet growing more
Monk: Monks are unheard of among the Thurka, for independent all the while. The barons even convinced
the rigorous training needed for this career is unavail- the leaders of the dwarf and gnome colonies to the
able there and impractical in the Thurka’s mostly north to join with them officially in peace and friend-
nomadic culture. ship, an act of which even the Salkirians were inca-
pable. Eight years ago the Thurka petitioned for and
Paladin: A few paladins have been known to the were granted independence by the King of Salkiria. In
Thurka, but all have been visitors from Salkiria intent the intervening time they have been adjusting to their
on wiping out perceived evil influences (whether a political freedom and to other changes as their culture
member of one of the nastier tribes or a truly evil thing continues to shift from a completely nomadic one to a
from the mountains or forest). The concept of a rigid somewhat agrarian one.
warrior of law is completely foreign to the Thurka, and
one who cultivates such ideas usually leaves the tribes Important Sites
upon reaching maturity. Thurkasia’s few permanent settlements tend to be
small and open, built to allow for tall people and a lot
Ranger: Many of the scarred veterans of monster of horse traffic.
battles are rangers, channeling their deep-seated Chellon (Small City, 6,100): The original agree-
loathing of the vile beasts that plague the tribes into ment with Salkiria named this village as the capital of
lethal swordplay. Thurka rangers still prefer the great- Thurkasia, and the Thurka have honored that agree-
sword and so rarely exercise the two-weapon fighting ment, if only to the letter. It is used as a meeting
style common to rangers of other lands. place for the barons every season, but other than
that there are few indications that this town is any
Rogue: While thieves and lockpicks have little more important than the others. Fields of cultivated
place in nomadic Thurka society, some are finding uses wheat and berries surround the eastern half of the
for their skills in the settled communities. The town, but the western parts are left bare for stacks of
nomadic ones use their gifted hands to craft weapons, lumber harvested from the Chenurall Forest. Every
lie in wait for game animals, and negotiate with out- nomadic village of Thurka passes through Chellon at
landers who would otherwise try to trick or swindle least once a season, leaving news and trade goods for
the tribes. relatives.
Ferrisin (Large Town, 2,900): This town is the trad-
Sorcerer: Arcane magic is mistrusted by the Thurka, ing center for the “hill tribes,” as the humans call the
and even innocent sorcerers who have the talent for dwarf and gnome colonists. Only about 200 of the
magic through no fault of their own are often town’s residents aren’t human, but they produce most
shunned. Some scar themselves in an attempt to purge of the durable goods, particularly armor, weapons, and
themselves of magic, and when this fails they decorate leatherwork. The town is encircled by an intermittent
themselves with more scarring and tattoos to enhance wall, helpful but not perfect at aiding the residents.
their power. Because of this, Thurka sorcerers are usu- Jajin (Large Town, 2,600): Horses are the primary
ally twisted individuals who do nothing to improve trade of Jajin, as all of the tribes bring their best here in
their tribe’s perception of them. hopes of fetching a fine price, while local breeders
arrange trade caravans to Valarn and northward. It is
Wizard: Lacking any facilities to meet with other said that Jajin is the best place to get Thurka horses, for
wizards or share spells, there have been no native wiz- the best ones are bought long before the caravans
ards in Thurkasia for over a hundred years. reach Salkiria.
Valarn (Large Town, 4,000): The Thurka call this
History city the “door to the world,” for nearly all contact with
Until only three centuries ago, Thurkasia was a collec- outlanders comes through this town. Most of the
tion of nomadic horse tribes, too busy battling mon- workers at the port are descended from the Salkirian
sters from the Chenurall Forest and southern Varlin traders who helped build it, for the Thurka dislike
Mountains to consider fighting each other. Mobile open bodies of water and have little interest in work-
and free, they lived and died as their ancestors had
done for hundreds of years before.
In the heat of summer 292 years ago, the Salkirian
king sent an envoy of diplomats with gifts to the
Thurka leaders, offering them titles in the kingdom
in exchange for their fealty and annual tribute. The
153
ing on a pier. The tribes stop by here at least once a year ited to hit-and-run tactics, slaving raids, and battalions
to barter and show their children some of the things of of mindless undead transported via ship or magic to
the outside world. places where they can kill and harass the living.
CHAPTER 4: Plots and Rumors Major Geographical Features
COUNTRIES For a culture that respects the old and embraces the Xaphan has its share of strange places to visit.
new, the Thurka have their share of problems. The Forest of Khul: This small forest is haunted by
Three-Armed Plague: A tribe of athachs living in undead and monsters powerful enough to fend off
the forest has been making raids on Chellon, stealing undead attackers. Particularly common is a sort of
gems, food, and horses (presumably for food). The goatlike monster with a skeletal head, which are used
Thurka don’t know why the athachs are living in the by some undead as mounts. The forest is slowly dwin-
forest or what has caused them to make these attacks dling from logging while it simultaneously becomes
on the city, but the elders suspect one of the magical more corrupted by negative energy.
pools is responsible.
Phyrrian Isles: These four islands off the western
The Vanishing: One of the thirteen tribes has com- coast hold the remnants of a civilization that predates
pletely vanished and has not been heard from for over the founding of Manifest but apparently had no inter-
a month. Their last known campsite is empty, but there action with the Deathwarden dwarves. Some undead
are no tracks of them leaving that location. The only from Xaphan roam here amid the ruins, and occasion-
clues are eight metal hoops found on the site, each ally one of the vampire councilors investigates the area
made of a different material and adorned with differ- for old magic, but warding spells and old curses have
ent gems and carvings. prevented much from being discovered.
XAPHAN Life and Society
Capital: Inilith
Population: 167,200; human (4%), undead (95%) Xaphan is unfit for human life. Necromancers and
Government: Theocracy many kinds of horrible undead roam there, perform-
Religions: Nessek, Orcus, Phaant ing foul experiments and covering the land with their
Imports: Iron, slaves, lumber corruption. The flatlands are decaying into areas of dry,
Exports: Jewelry, marble, herbs and spices, strange gray soil that is often stirred up by the wind into blind-
ing clouds. The forests are being chopped down almost
magic items before the dark energies permeating the environment
Alignment: CE, N, NE can twist them into mockeries of living things. Even
the waters around the islands are foul and polluted,
Xaphan is a terrible realm of oppression and evil, bear- with thousands of dead fish piling up and rotting on
ing the constant stench of undeath. Ruled by a council beaches until discovered by scavengers. The native ani-
of vampires, most of the island’s native population was mals have nearly been wiped out, with the exception
slain and converted to undead of various kinds. Now of vermin and other creatures too small to be easily
the few thousand living humans on the island live in caught by ghouls and other hungry undead.
slavery, existing only to provide food for vampires and
ghouls and give up some of their children to swell the The humans who live in the area are treated more
ranks of the undead. like cattle than slaves, herded by powerful undead
lords and either used for food or sold to other lords for
Few people ever visit Xaphan, and those who do are evil magic. The humans work in small gardens in the
usually very powerful or very foolish. Most of the lords’ manors, scrounging what they can from the few
island’s trade is conducted through intermediaries, for fertile spaces and eating rats and other small animals
few would willingly deal with agents of such a they find. In desperate times they even fall upon each
depraved country. The council of vampires that rules other. Only a handful of people manage to escape the
Xaphan is beset with internal power struggles and con- island in any given decade, usually sorcerers with a
flicts between personal armies, for the council lacks a hidden talent for magic that helps them cross the
true leader who can unite them in the manner of water. These poor souls wash ashore on the Hikirian
Xaphan himself. Aggression from Xaphan against peninsula, Salkiria, or (rarely) Tereppek, bearing tales
Manifest and isolated outposts in nearby lands is lim- of misery and depravity.
The undead have a quite different experience. The
vampires who rule the place have doled out parcels of
land to their more powerful spawn, as well as to other
intelligent sorts of undead, who subdivide their own
territories into smaller pieces for their lieutenants to
control. Because the undead are tireless and have no
real need for food, considerations such as available
154
game or fresh water are irrelevant, and so all territories have other primary duties like practicing great battle CHAPTER 4:
are approximately equal in importance (although a spells or keeping the slaves in line.
piece of land near a mine or in the forest is still more COUNTRIES
valuable). This means that the undead have “commu- Druid: There are no druids in Xaphan. Any that
nities” anywhere on the island, in and out of the orig- were there were slain or fled in grief when the destruc-
inal cities, though some plots of land are little more tion became too prevalent.
than bare earth with a command post and a battalion
of zombies. The undead “nobles” of all ranks fight Fighter: Because many undead make excellent com-
each other for territory and resources, batants just with their brute strength and innate
following the example of their leaders. powers, it is difficult for an undead fighter to stand out
The vampire councilors sometimes ally in the eyes of a superior. The best one can hope for is
in groups of two or three against their
fellows, but these alliances quickly col- to become a lieutenant to a more
lapse or are opposed by rival alliances powerful undead, and this usually
that form to prevent their enemies requires creative thinking or an
from taking power. unusual opportunity.
Monk: The turbulent political
Since the primary deity of the coun- landscape of Xaphan makes it nearly
try is Orcus, there are frequent
demonic rites and sacrifices, and each impossible for the proper level of
of the monthly meetings of the vam- concentration and discipline to
pire councilors (all of whom are clerics become a monk.
of Orcus) begins with a human sacri-
fice. Given that the human popula- Paladin: For obvious reasons,
tion is low on the island, they often there are no longer any paladins
have to buy slaves (often criminals) native to Xaphan, having been
from other lands or simply kidnap killed in the hundred years since
people. Ruled by undead at all the Liche War.
levels, the only living beings that
have any power in Xaphan are Ranger: Xaphanian rangers
necromancers, and most of hunt down renegade undead and
those hope to eventually be- scout for the armies. Some of them
come undead. become assassins and are pitted
against one vampire councilor or
Roles for Character Classes another on suicide missions.
Barbarian: There are not
Rogue: Rogues fulfill the same
many barbarians among the functions as rangers but are less
undead, but gangs of barbarian common because they are relatively
ghouls and ghasts are used as weaker, given that they cannot
shock troops by the more power- sneak attack undead.
ful lords of Xaphan. A raging Sorcerer: Most of the native sor-
undead barbarian does not gain an cerers of Xaphan died in the Liche
increase in Constitution (or any- War. The few survivors have become
thing dependent upon Constitution undead and act as coordinators for the
such as hit points or Fortitude saves) but strike teams into Manifest, usually
uses its normal Charisma modifier instead because they have access to multiple
of its Constitution modifier to determine how long a teleport spells each day and can ferry
rage lasts. Because undead are immune to fatigue, an creatures magically.
undead barbarian is not penalized when a rage ends. Wizard: The responsibility for new
arcane necromancy spells falls upon the
Bard: Most bards of Xaphan are undead bonesingers bony shoulders of Xaphan’s wizards. They also create
(see the Monsters chapter). They support the undead the magic items that the senior undead use. At least
armies with healing magic and use Enchantment one is trying to build a permanent one-way teleporter
spells to confuse living opponents. from Xaphan to Manifest, but the power of the Mani-
fest Ward is somehow interfering with the process.
Cleric: Xaphanian clerics animate and control
undead, moving mindless ones to where they are History
needed and forcing compliance from the more Once known as Inuitea, this island was a peaceful place
independent-minded kinds. Even clerics of Nessek of merchants and fisherfolk who venerated Soggelos
and Phaant are involved in this task, although they and Wyst. Ruled by a loose monarchy, they had a large
navy but almost no army, for any attacks against them
would have to cross the sea. The lack of a strong inter-
nal militia led to its downfall when the cult of Neis-
155
CHAPTER 4: tra’demos predicted the appearance of a living manifes- Inilith (Small City, 7,200): The original capital of
tation of their deity. Neistra’demos was believed to be a Inuitea survives as a gloomy mockery of its former
COUNTRIES minor death deity, but Xaphan the Harbinger revealed self. Much of the city was destroyed when Xaphan’s
that this was actually Orcus, Demon Prince of the cult took over and little has been rebuilt, leaving large
Undead. Xaphan and his followers (both undead and areas of rubble where undead prowl and skulk. The
demonic) overwhelmed the
token resistance of the Inu- remaining buildings
itean military and proceeded have all been converted
to slaughter most of them to and redecorated, each
create hordes of undead. holding a shrine to one
King Oryn is said to exist to of the evil deities wor-
this day as the debased shiped here. Many
spawn of the most powerful buildings are protected
vampires on the island. by an unhallow spell,
and actual temples
The fleet was converted to always have that spell
warships filled with undead with a bless spell affect-
and an attack was mounted ing worshipers. Inilith
against the mainland. There is the location of the
were many great battles, vampire court, and each
with destructive magic vampire councilor has
unleashed by both sides. The claimed one of the city’s
fallen defenders of life were mansions for personal
revived with necromancy, use. They take turns
many demons were ban- casting control weather
ished, and ghosts took arms spells to keep clouds
to slay the abominations. above the city to keep
Finally, the mages of the out direct sunlight.
Piran Sedestadel created
seven great magical crowns Plots and Rumors
that were given to the gener- Xaphan is the closest
als of Manifest’s defenders, organized foe to the
and with their combined people of Manifest and
power, they were able to is periodically responsi-
break the back of the ble for its troubles.
Inuitean army and send
it back across the sea. The Godsplinter:
Xaphan himself was A long sharp piece of
slain, but one of his vam- Xaphan’s thighbone was taken
pire lieutenants was able to by a Xaphanian necromancer ghast
take the avatar’s skull as he fled, which is now rumored named Turrekh. In the hundred years since
to be a relic of great unholy power. the Liche War, he has coaxed several magical powers
out of this item, including the ability to travel through
The retreating army returned to Inuitea and smoth- shadows and temporarily render any kind of undead
ered the last remaining resistance. The lieutenants incorporeal. He believes he is on the brink of being
declared themselves the new masters of the island, able to get the avatar’s bone to fire blasts of negative
renamed their home Xaphan in honor of their fallen energy, and once he does so, he plans to lead a
leader, and began fighting each other for total control squadron of empowered undead into Manifest to
of the place. This constant struggle exists to this day, wreak havoc.
keeping the forces of Xaphan from being a coherent Pretty Death: Reports are circulating in Manifest
threat. Occasionally groups sail or teleport to the city, about several pieces of magical jewelry developed in
but the likelihood of another mass invasion is small Xaphan that turn their wearers into undead. The items
while the councilors struggle for supremacy. are hard to identify because they do not radiate magic,
and so any piece of jewelry (and to an extent any jew-
Important Sites eler) is suspect. The jewelry enslaves victims after con-
Only one city in Xaphan remains, the rest having been verting them to undead creatures, rendering them
razed in the past hundred years and functioning more totally subservient to one of Xaphan’s generals.
like military camps.
156
ost of the creatures the PCs can face in a Ghost-
walk campaign are identical with those found
in other types of D&D campaigns. However,
some monsters in this setting are different from the
versions found in the Monster Manual or are com-
pletely new.
ARTAAGLITH (DEMON)
Medium-Size Outsider (Chaotic, Evil)
Hit Dice: 5d8+10 (32 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural)
Attacks: Battleaxe +8 melee
Damage: Battleaxe 1d8+3
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, spells
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/+1, SR 11,
tanar’ri qualities, turn undead
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 13
Skills: Concentration +10, Heal +7, Jump +8, Knowl-
edge (religion) +6, Listen +10, Spellcraft +6, Spot +10
Feats: Power Attack, Weapon Focus (battleaxe)
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or company (1 artaaglith and
2–8 HD of skeletons and zombies) or cult (2–5
artaagliths and 5–20 HD of skeletons and zombies)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: As cleric
Artaagliths are ram-headed demonic servants of Orcus.
Their role is to create and control undead armies to be
used in the service of their evil master.
An artaaglith is built much like a satyr, with a hairy
goat body from the waist down and humanoid arms and
torso above the waist. Its head is the hairless head of a
ram, with glowing red eyes and dark red curving horns.
Its skin is as pale as death, its hair is coarse and black,
CHAPTER 5: and its hooves are a fiendish red. An artaaglith nor- BONESINGER (TEMPLATE)
mally carries a battle axe inscribed with skulls and
MONSTERS other symbols of death, and this battleaxe functions A bonesinger is a kind of skeletal undead formed from
as its holy symbol for the purpose of the creature an evil bard. It retains its power of song and gains
using its cleric magic.
other strange abilities, including the
Artaagliths are commonly called goat power to enhance the spells of other
demons, although that is a misnomer, bonesingers.
since they are ram-headed rather than Bonesingers look like skeletons
goat-headed. An artaaglith can dressed in tattered bard’s clothing,
be summoned with summon which is often decorated with
monster VI or called with lesser skulls and other images of death.
planar ally or similar spells. They are constantly surrounded
by a subtle swirling breeze that
COMBAT whistles across the grooves and
Artaagliths are adequate channels in their bones, creat-
combatants, but they ing a faint, haunting keening.
prefer to use their spell- These undead usually assist
like abilities and un- more powerful spellcasters or
dead servants to fight act as lieutenants or support
enemies, rather than members to undead battal-
doing so themselves. ions. They have a reputation
They use their magic for being seers and sometimes
to enhance their undead experience prophetic visions
and often channel nega- from Orcus.
tive energy to bolster
them as well. They are CREATING A BONESINGER
aware that they and undead “Bonesinger” is a template that can
are both immune to poison, be applied to any creature that
so they often choose to soften up a group of has at least one level as a bard
enemies with a stinking cloud spell before (referred to hereafter as the base
charging in to fight, ignoring the cloud’s ef- creature). The creature’s type
fects. Cruel and vindictive, they are fond of us- changes to undead. It uses all the
ing death knell on a fallen opponent, even while other base creature’s statistics and spe-
foes remain standing. cial abilities except as noted here.
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—animate dead, cause A cleric of 12th level or higher
fear, death knell, desecrate, stinking cloud. These abilities can create a bonesinger with the
are as the spells cast by a 5th-level cleric. create undead spell. The cleric or
Spells: Artaagliths cast spells as 5th-level clerics and another person assisting must have
have access to the Evil and Undeath domains.
Tanar’ri Qualities: Like all demons, artaagliths are at least 5 ranks in Craft (sculpture)
immune to poison and electricity, have cold, fire, and and 5 ranks in Perform in order to prepare the body
acid resistance 20, and can communicate telepathically before the spell.
with any creature within 100 feet that has a language
(except dretches). Hit Dice: Increase to d12.
Turn Undead (Su): Artaagliths turn AC: A bonesinger gains a +3 natural armor bonus. If
undead as 5th-level clerics. the base creature already has natural armor, use the
better value.
ARTAAGLITH CHARACTERS Special Attacks: A bonesinger retains all the spe-
Artaagliths normally advance as cler- cial attacks of the base creature and gains the follow-
ics. Any cleric levels they gain stack
with their spellcasting ability, ing special attack.
their effective caster level for Wind of Death (Su): Once per day, a bone-
spell-like abilities, and their singer can create a roiling area of
ability to turn undead. winds that smells of rotting
corpses. The wind of death works
like a gust of wind, plus any crea-
ture caught in it must succeed
on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2
158
bonesinger’s HD + bonesinger’s Cha modifier) or be Bonesinger CHAPTER 5:
nauseated for 1d4+1 rounds. Medium-Size Undead
Hit Dice: 3d12+3 (22 hp) MONSTERS
Special Qualities: A bonesinger retains all the spe- Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
cial qualities of the base creature and gains the follow- Speed: 30 ft.
ing abilities. AC: 17 (+3 natural, +3 masterwork studded leather,
+1 Dex)
Cooperative Magic (Sp): A bonesinger can use a stan- Attacks: Masterwork short sword +3 melee
dard action to increase by 2 the save DC of a spell cast Damage: Masterwork short sword 1d6
by an adjacent bonesinger or a wind of death attack Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
made by an adjacent bonesinger. The bonesinger must Special Attacks: Spells, wind of death
ready an action to help in this manner; the trigger is Special Qualities: Bardic knowledge, bardic music,
the other bonesinger beginning to cast a spell or use its cooperative magic, corrupt healing, singing bones,
wind of death attack. undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +5
Corrupt Healing: A bonesinger pro- Abilities: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 8, Int 14,
duces inflict effects with its spells Wis 12, Cha 15
instead of cure effects. Skills: Balance +3, Concentration +5,
Jump +2, Knowledge (arcana) +5,
Singing Bones (Sp): Before Listen +7, Perform +10, Scry +8,
it is animated as an undead, Spellcraft +5, Tumble +7, Use Magic
the bones of a bonesinger Device +8
are carved with grooves and Feats: Combat Casting, Improved
tiny holes by a master musi- Initiative, Toughness
cian. The unnatural breeze Climate/Terrain: Any land and
that surrounds a bonesinger underground
augments its musical per- Organization: Solitary or band (2–5)
formance, giving it a +2 Challenge Rating: 3
bonus on all Perform checks Alignment: Neutral evil
as if it had the Skill Focus Advancement: By character class (bard)
(Perform) feat. It loses this
bonus when it is within an area Combat
of silence or in any place with The Fortitude save DC for this bone-
no air (underwater, in a singer’s wind of death attack is 13.
vacuum, and so on). Because Bardic Music: 3/day in any com-
of the constant noise about it, bination: countersong, fascinate, in-
a bonesinger takes a –10 spire competence, inspire courage.
penalty on Move Silently Magic Items Carried: cloak of
checks. resistance +1, potion of invisibility,
scrolls of cause fear, grease, hold person,
Abilities: As an undead and shout.
creature, a bonesinger has no Bard Spells Known (3/2; base
Constitution score.
DC 12 + spell level; 15% chance of
Skills: Same as the base spell failure): 0—detect magic, ghost
creature. sound, mage hand, open/close, prestidig-
itation, read magic; 1st—charm person,
Climate-Terrain: Same as the inflict light wounds, sleep.
base creature and underground.
Undead Traits: Immune to mind-
Organization: Solitary or affecting effects, poison, sleep, paraly-
band (2–5). sis, stunning, disease, death effects,
necromantic effects, and any effect that re-
Challenge Rating: Same quires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects.
as the base creature. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability
damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from mas-
Treasure: Same as the base sive damage. A bonesinger cannot be raised, and res-
creature. urrection works only if it is willing. The creature has
darkvision (60-foot range).
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
or chaotic evil.
Advancement: Same as the base creature;
most bonesingers continue to advance as bards.
SAMPLE BONESINGER
This example uses a 3rd-level human bard as the base
creature.
159
CHAPTER 5: DREAD RAM
MONSTERS Large Undead
Hit Dice: 6d12+3 (42 hp)
Initiative: +0 When used as a mount,
Speed: 40 ft. the dread ram is often
Armor Class: 13 (–1 size, +4 natural) directed to bull rush a
Attacks: Butt +6 melee character through the
Damage: Butt 1d8+6 square of another character, in effect
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. trampling the second character. The rider usually
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, attacks one of the targeted characters.
Breath Weapon (Su): The green flames in its
frightful presence, trample 1d8+6 mouth give the dread ram a cold breath weapon,
Special Qualities: Turn resist- which it can use once per day to create a 10-foot cone
that deals 5d6 cold damage (Reflex DC 16 half ).
ance +2, undead bulk, undead Frightful Presence (Su): This ability takes effect
traits automatically when the dread ram charges. It affects
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5 only opponents within 30 feet with fewer than 6 Hit
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con Dice or levels. The affected creatures must make a suc-
—, Int 3, Wis 11, Cha 10 cessful Will save (DC 12) or become shaken for 5d6
Skills: Hide –4, Jump +11, rounds. Success indicates the target is immune to that
Listen +4, Spot +4 dread ram’s frightful presence for one day.
Feats: Improved Bull Rush, Trample (Ex): As a standard action during its
Toughness turn each round, a dread ram can run over an oppo-
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground nent at least one size category smaller than itself. The
Organization: Solitary or flock (2–5) trample deals 1d8+6 points of bludgeoning damage. A
Challenge Rating: 3 trampled opponent can either attempt an attack of
Treasure: None opportunity at a –4 penalty or a Reflex save (DC 16) for
Alignment: Always neutral evil half damage.
Advancement Range: 7–12 HD (Large); 13–21 HD Undead Bulk: Saving throw DCs for a dread ram’s spe-
(Huge) cial attacks are based on a Constitution score of 16 (the
ability score it would have if it were a living creature).
Dread rams are horrible undead war steeds made to Undead Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects,
ferry slower undead into battle and strike terror into poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects,
living opponents. necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a For-
titude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject
A dread ram looks like a large, undead ram with to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability
rotting flesh. Its head is completely skeletal, and drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A
green flames lick in its eye sockets and mouth. A dread ram cannot be raised, and resurrection works
dread ram stands about 6 feet tall at the shoulder and only if it is willing. The creature has darkvision (60-
is about 10 feet long. It weighs about 2,000 pounds. A foot range).
dread ram is intelligent enough to understand a
single language (usually the Trade Tongue) but can-
not speak.
A dread ram can be created by a cleric of 14th level
or higher with the create undead spell.
COMBAT
Dread rams rarely act independently and usually are
seen among other undead creatures, being used as
steeds, pack animals, or shock troops. When acting on
their own, they charge opponents (using bull rush if
foes can be pushed off cliffs or into dangerous areas)
and trample, use their breath weapon to destroy
annoying creatures, and expect their frightful pres-
ence to scare off most foes. A charging dread ram has a
total modifier of +10 on its Strength check to initiate a
bull rush (+2 charge, +4 size, +4 Strength).
160
Tiny Small Medium-Size
Tiny Vermin Small Vermin Medium-Size Vermin
Hit Dice: 1/2 d8 (2 hp) 1d8 (4 hp) 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex) +2 (Dex) +2 (Dex)
Speed: 20 ft., climb 10 ft. 40 ft., climb 20 ft. 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex) 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex) 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural)
Attacks: Bite +4 melee Bite +3 melee Bite +3 melee
Damage: Bite 1d3–4 plus poison Bite 1d4–2 plus poison Bite 1d6 plus poison
Face/Reach: 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft. 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison Poison Poison CHAPTER 5:
Special Qualities: Evasion, fast healing 1, Evasion, fast healing 1, Evasion, fast healing 1, MONSTERS
light sensitivity, vermin traits light sensitivity, vermin traits light sensitivity, vermin
traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0 Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0 Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Str 7, Dex 15, Con 10, Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12
Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2 Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2 Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +4, Hide +10, Climb +6, Hide +6, Climb +8, Move Silently +6,
Move Silently +6, Move Silently +6, Spot +8, Tumble +6
Spot +8, Tumble +6 Spot +8, Tumble +6
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite) Weapon Finesse (bite) Weapon Finesse (bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground Any land and underground Any land and underground
Organization: Colony (9–16) Colony (9–16) Colony (9–16)
Challenge Rating: 1/3 1/2 1
Treasure: None None None
ECTOPLASMIC VERMIN
Ectoplasmic vermin are multilegged, bizarre, insect-
like creatures that attack in groups and are capable of
harming living creatures and ghosts equally well.
Whether they are a natural side effect of the Manifest
Ward, a strange mutated form of insect, or a magical
crossbreed by a demented ectomancer, ectoplasmic
vermin—often called ghost bugs—plague the buried
cities on the way to the Veil of Souls. They resemble
many-legged insects made of semitransparent hard-
ened ectoplasm, although the shape of their bodies
varies from individual to individual, as do their number
of eyes and legs. Visible within their carapaces are tiny
translucent organs. They skitter about on walls and
floors, attacking any creatures they see. They breed
quickly, so the seasonal purges sponsored by various
churches cull their numbers only for a short while.
When their numbers swell, they have been known to
attack surface creatures at night, but they usually con-
fine themselves to the dark places underground.
Ectoplasmic vermin are made of living ectoplasm
and are affected by attacks that affect ectoplasm, such
as disrupt ectoplasm. Unlike ghosts, they have dis-
cernible anatomies and are therefore subject to critical
hits and sneak attacks.
COMBAT
Ghost bugs search for prey in packs in a manner simi-
lar to that of hunting spiders. When slain, they dis-
solve into puddles of ectoplasm, which evaporate in
the normal fashion.
161
Poison (Ex): Ghost bugs have a poison bite, with a Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative,
DC and effects as indicated on the following table. Lightning Reflexes, Touch Attack Specialization
Ectoplasmic vermin poison affects living creatures and
ghosts. Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or gang (2–5)
Size Fortitude Initial and Challenge Rating: 6
Tiny Save DC Secondary Damage Treasure: None
Small 1d2 Dex Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Medium-size 11 1d3 Dex Advancement Range: 6–15 HD (Medium-size)
11 1d4 Dex
14 Fire spectres are undead creatures whose only purpose
is to burn living flesh. They are dangerous incorporeal
CHAPTER 5: Fast Healing (Ex): Ectoplasmic vermin have fast beings made of dark flames and smoke.
healing 1, but this ability does not work in bright sun-
MONSTERS light or within the radius of a daylight spell. It Most fire spectres are the restless undead forms of
is thought that the light causes the vermin evil people who died in burning buildings, but
some discomfort or damages their sometimes one arises from the body of
internal organs. someone tortured to death with fire. In
either case, the creature wanders aim-
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Ecto- lessly, ignoring normal combustible
plasmic vermin are sensitive to materials in search of living crea-
light and take a –1 penalty on tures to burn and destroy.
attack rolls in bright sunlight A fire spectre normally looks
or within the radius of a day- like a humanoid creature made
light spell. Ghost bugs usu- of smoke, with small dark
ally flee from such areas. flames licking across the sur-
face of its body. In the pres-
Vermin Traits: Ectoplas- ence of strong light, the
mic vermin are immune to creature’s blackened skele-
all mind-affecting effects ton is visible through the
(charms, compulsions, smoke. At all times, its eyes
phantasms, patterns, and are like two white-hot
morale effects). They burning coals. It is an
also have darkvision (60- incorporeal creature that
foot range). sometimes wanders
through walls in a daze,
FIRE leaving behind humanoid-
SPECTRE shaped scorch marks.
Fire spectres speak any
Medium-Size Undead languages they knew in
(Incorporeal) life, but they normally ig-
nore all attempts to commu-
Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp) nicate by any creatures other
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 than their own kind.
Improved Initiative) COMBAT
Speed: 40 ft., fly 40 ft. Fire spectres are fearless and
prefer to attack opponents
(good) whom they see using fire or fire
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, magic. They use few tactics,
although if given the chance, they
+2 deflection) use their breath weapon to affect mul-
Attacks: Incorporeal touch +4 tiple opponents. Since they are
unharmed by fire, they are not adverse to
melee breathing flame into an area where an ally stands.
Damage: Incorporeal touch Although they are incorporeal, they prefer to remain
on the ground and fly only to escape danger or cross
1d6+2 plus 1d6 fire an obstacle, such as a pit.
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. Breath Weapon (Su): 10-ft. cone of fire, once every
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, burn 1d4 rounds, damage 3d6 fire, Reflex DC 12 half.
Special Qualities: Illumination, fire immu-
nity, incorporeal, turn resistance +2, undead
traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str —, Dex 15, Con —, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 14
Skills: Hide +8, Intimidate +10, Intuit Direction +6,
Listen +8, Search +10, Sense Motive +6, Spot +8
162
Burn (Ex): Those hit by a fire spectre’s incorporeal punishment. They otherwise have the same memories CHAPTER 5:
touch attack must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 12) or and personality they did when they were alive.
catch fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds (see Catch- MONSTERS
ing on Fire in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s CREATING A GHOST
Guide). A burning creature can take a move-equivalent “Ghost” is a template that can be applied to any living
action to put out the flame. Creatures hitting the fire humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the char-
spectre with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take acter). The creature’s type changes to outsider (incor-
fire damage as though hit by the spectre and also catch poreal). It uses all the character’s statistics and special
fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save. abilities except as noted here.
Speed: When incorporeal, a ghost can fly at a speed
Illumination (Ex): A fire spectre’s presence auto- of 30 ft. (good).
matically suspends nearby magical darkness or deeper AC: When incorporeal, a ghost gains a deflection
darkness as if a daylight spell had been cast, although the bonus to AC equal to its Charisma modifier (always at
creature does not shed a significant amount of light. least +1, even if the creature’s Charisma score does not
normally provide a bonus).
Incorporeal: A fire spectre can be harmed only by Attacks: An incorporeal ghost has no natural ability
other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic to affect material creatures. Certain feats can allow a
weapons, spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural ghost to manifest fully (and therefore use material
abilities. The creature has a 50% chance to ignore any weapons at the attack bonus it had as a character) or
damage from a corporeal source, except for force harm a material creature in various ways.
effects or attacks made with ghost touch weapons. A Special Qualities: A ghost retains all the special
fire spectre can pass through solid objects, but not qualities of the character and gains those described
force effects, at will. Its attacks ignore natural armor, below.
armor, and shields, but deflection bonuses and force Low-Light Vision (Ex): A ghost can see twice as far as
effects work normally against them. A fire spectre a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and simi-
always moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen lar conditions of poor illumination. It retains the abil-
checks if it doesn’t wish to be. ity to distinguish color (in a
limited fashion; see
Undead Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects, Ectoplasmic Body,
poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, below) and detail
necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a For- under these cir-
titude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject cumstances.
to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability
drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A
fire spectre cannot be raised, and resurrection works
only if it is willing. The creature has darkvision (60-
foot range).
GHOST (TEMPLATE)
A ghost is the semitangible soul of a creature that has
died. Instead of a physical body made of muscle, bone,
and blood, it has a ghost body made of transparent
ectoplasm. Ghosts are not undead, although they are
often mistaken for undead by the truly ignorant. They
do not need to eat (although they can if they want to)
or sleep as they did when alive. When a ghost is
wounded, it leaks ectoplasm like a living creature
leaks blood.
In general, a ghost appears as it did at the
moment its physical body died, although some
ghosts learn how to reshape their ectoplasm and
alter their appearance. A ghost body is made of
transparent ectoplasm, and an alert observer
can easily recognize the identity of the ghost
and that the ghost is not a physical person.
Most ghosts try to get their bodies raised from
the dead (which causes the ghost to merge with
the physical body) or search for whoever was respon-
sible for their death, while others become ghosts
willingly to pursue some goal or escape some terrible
163
CHAPTER 5: Disembodied Soul (Ex): As a disembodied soul of a Abilities: A ghost retains all of its original ability
living creature, a ghost can be raised or resurrected if scores. When the ghost is incorporeal, it has no
MONSTERS its physical body is present (this causes the ghost to Strength score.
merge with its physical body). A true resurrection, mira-
cle, or wish spell can restore a ghost to life, even if its Skills: A ghost receives a +4 racial bonus on Hide
body is missing. A ghost counts as a living creature for checks. Otherwise same as the character.
the purpose of effects that affect living creatures. As an
outsider, a ghost is subject to spells that affect out- Climate/Terrain: Same as the character.
siders and extraplanar creatures, such as banishment. A Organization: Same as the character.
ghost’s native plane is beyond the Veil of Souls, and a Challenge Rating: Same as the character +1.
ghost banished from the Material Plane is sent to the Treasure: Same as the character.
True Afterlife. Alignment: Same as the character.
Advancement: By character class.
No Discernible Anatomy (Ex): A ghost has no dis-
cernible anatomy and is therefore immune to criti- SAMPLE GHOST
cal hits, sneak attacks, or bonuses such as a ranger’s This example uses a 1st-level dwarf warrior from the
favored enemy bonus that do not work on creatures city of Manifest as the character.
without a discernible anatomy. It can be polymor-
phed, but a polymorphed ghost is still an ectoplas- Ghost
mic creature with no discernible anatomy. A ghost Medium-Size Outsider (Incorporeal)
is unharmed by diseases or poison that would affect Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
a physical body. Other diseases and poisons that Initiative: +0
affect only ghosts do exist. Ghosts do not need to Speed: 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (good)
eat, breathe, or sleep (although spellcaster ghosts AC: 11 (+1 deflection)
still need to rest in order to prepare spells). Ghosts Attacks: —
are subject to stunning effects that would affect Damage: —
living creatures. Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Dwarf traits
Ectoplasmic Body (Ex): Because an ectoplasmic body is Special Qualities: Dwarf traits, low-light vision,
a poor imitation of a true living body, physical sensa- disembodied soul, ectoplasmic body, no discernible
tions for a ghost are somewhat muted. Ghosts cannot anatomy, incorporeal, ghost weakness, sense physi-
become fatigued or exhausted. Certain sensations, cal body
such as the taste of food or the feel of another person’s Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +4
skin, cannot be detected by ghosts except in the most Abilities: Str 11 (—), Dex 10, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 13,
limited way, which drives many to find other ways to Cha 8
experience and remember the sensations of life. When Skills: Appraise +2, Craft (metalworking) +2, Hide
killed, a ghost’s body reverts to raw ectoplasm, decay- +4, Listen +2, Spot +2
ing into nothingness after 10 minutes. A gentle repose Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dwarven waraxe)
spell preserves a ghost’s body as if it were a normal Climate/Terrain: City of Manifest and underground
corpse. A ghost’s body is the same temperature as its Organization: Solitary
environment, unlike a physical body. Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: As character
Incorporeal: A ghost has all the benefits and draw- Alignment: Lawful good
backs of incorporeality as described in the DUNGEON Advancement: By character class
MASTER’s Guide. Some ghosts learn feats that allow
them to manifest fully and interact with the material Dwarf Traits: +1 bonus on attack rolls against orcs
world in a normal manner. and goblinoids; +2 bonus on Will saves against spells
and spell-like abilities, +2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Sense Physical Body (Su): A ghost can attempt an Intuit against all poisons; +4 dodge bonus against giants; +2
Direction check (DC 15) once per round to determine racial bonus on Appraise checks and Craft or Profes-
the general direction of its physical body. If a ghost sion checks related to stone or metal (already figured
doesn’t have the Intuit Direction skill, it can attempt a into the statistics above). Darkvision with a range of 60
Wisdom check (DC 15) for the same purpose. feet. A dwarf also has stonecunning (+2 racial bonus on
checks to notice unusual stonework; can make a check
Ghost Weakness (Ex): If a ghost is hit by a sneak attack for unusual stonework as though actively searching
or a critical hit from a silver weapon, it must make a when within 10 feet and can use the Search skill to find
Fortitude save (DC 15) or be stunned for 1 round. stonework traps as a rogue can; intuit depth).
Other than this possible stunning effect, a critical hit
or sneak attack does not deal any more damage than a
normal hit from that weapon.
164
GHOSTEATER COMBAT CHAPTER 5:
Ghosteaters attack only when ghosts are present.
Medium-Size Aberration (Incorporeal) Groups of delvers with no ghosts present have seen MONSTERS
Hit Dice: 5d8 (22 hp) ghosteaters wander by, passively observing nearby
Initiative: +2 (Dex) creatures and then ducking through a nearby wall or
Speed: 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) floor. Parties with ghosts, however, are always attacked
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 deflection) or 14 (+2 unless the ghosteater believes itself to be outmatched.
A ghosteater attacks by extending a thin tentacle
Dex, +2 natural) from two of its fleshy sacks and touching its chosen
Attacks: 2 incorporeal touches +5 melee touch or 2 food—a ghost. When it is incorporeal, these attacks
are incorporeal touch attacks. When it is forced to
touches +3 melee, bite +3 melee manifest fully, they are touch attacks. When attacked
Damage: Incorporeal touch 1d4 Wisdom, touch 1d4 by material creatures, it backs up these tentacle
touches with bite attacks.
Wisdom, bite 2d4 Cannibalize Spells (Ex): If a ghosteater consumes
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. a ghost who has the ability to cast spells, the ghosteater
Special Attacks: Cannibalize spells, consume ghost, can cast spells as if it were that ghost, using the ghost’s
prepared spells or unused spell slots. As long as the
Wisdom damage consumed ghost has the material
Special Qualities: Incorporeal, ethereal jaunt component or focus for a spell,
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +8 the ghosteater can cast
Abilities: Str —, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 15, it. Material compo-
nents are consumed
Cha 15 normally. The ghost-
Skills: Concentration +8, Hide +6, Knowledge eater cannot
(arcana) +7, Knowledge (ghost lore) +7, Listen +10,
Move Silently +8, Search +5, Spot +12
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Incorporeal Form,
Iron Will
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2–5)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Half standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 6–10 HD (Medium-size);
11–15 HD (Large)
Ghosteaters are strange, predatory creatures
that feed on ectoplasmic beings. Their attacks
allow them to defend themselves against
material beings, which they usually ignore.
A ghosteater looks like a bizarre cousin of
the phantom fungus, with a central oblong
body bearing a toothy mouth, two or
more fleshy nodules on its back, and
four stumpy legs, all made out of blue
or gray ectoplasm. Ghosteaters are nat-
urally incorporeal, although they
have adapted to life in a manifested
fully state, such as within the Mani-
fest Ward.
Ghosteaters are intelligent and
seem to have the ability to communicate
with others of their kind, although
they do not speak any known lan-
guages or reciprocate attempts to
communicate. They seem to be
content to be high-end preda-
tors of very specialized prey.
165
CHAPTER 5: cast spells with an XP cost in this manner. The ghost- bestial and are merely powerful hunters with new dan-
eater can cast the ghost’s spells, even if the ghost is gerous abilities augmenting their normal ones.
MONSTERS dead, up to the point that its victim’s body is digested
(which takes 1d4 days). A dead body regains no spell A monstrous vampire appears much as it did in life,
slots and cannot prepare additional spells. although like normal vampires, its features are often
hardened and feral; creatures that already have such an
Consume Ghost (Ex): If a ghosteater reduces a appearance sometimes acquire red glowing eyes,
ghost’s Wisdom to 0 or touches a helpless ghost with longer teeth, and larger claws. Monstrous vampires
one of its touch attacks, it automatically absorbs the often suffer a chromatic change after their transfor-
target’s ghost body into one of its fleshy sacs if the mation, becoming darker or lighter in color. Thus, a
target is its own size or smaller. The ghost is treated as monstrous vampire displacer beast might become
if the ghosteater had the swallow whole ability. A con- midnight black with red eyes, or instead become a
sumed ghost takes 1d4 points of Wisdom damage and very pale white color. A monstrous vampire yuan-ti
1d4 hit points of damage every round. In the unusual
event that a swallowed ghost becomes no longer abomination might have dark gray and black scales,
helpless while it is consumed, it can attempt to cut or pale yellow and white, like an albino. Like
itself free with natural slashing weapons or a normal vampires, monstrous vampires cast
light slashing weapon by dealing 15 points of no shadows and throw no reflections in
damage to the fleshy sac (AC 15). Once the mirrors.
ghost exits, the fleshy sac cannot hold Monstrous vampires usually do not have
another ghost until it heals, which takes 1d4 coffins, but they are tied to the site
days. Each fleshy sac can hold one Medium- of their burial just as any normal
size, two Small, four Tiny, or eight Dimin- vampire. They bond to a particu-
utive ghosts. lar large stone at the site of their
burial (called the tombstone, but
Wisdom Damage (Su): The touch of a usually without any carving or
ghosteater’s tentacle deals 1d4 points of markings), and it is to this stone
temporary Wisdom damage. A creature that a monstrous vampire must
reduced to 0 Wisdom falls into a deep sleep return if reduced to 0 hit points
filled with nightmares and is completely help- or lower. A monstrous vampire
less. If the creature is a ghost, it succumbs to the can cross running water on a
ghosteater’s consume ghost ability. ship or if it is resting in a con-
tainer bearing its tombstone.
Incorporeal: A
ghosteater can CREATING A
be harmed MONSTROUS VAMPIRE
only by other “Monstrous vampire” is a tem-
incorporeal plate that can be applied to any
creatures, +1 aberration, animal, beast, drag-
or better magic MD on, fey, giant, humanoid, magical
weapons, spells, spell-like beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin (referred to
abilities, and supernatural abilities. The creature hereafter as the base creature). The creature’s type
has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal changes to undead. It uses all the base creature’s statis-
source, except for force effects or attacks made with tics and special abilities, except as noted in the vampire
ghost touch weapons. A ghosteater can pass through template in the Monster Manual and as noted below.
solid objects, but not force effects, at will. Its attacks
ignore natural armor, armor, and shields, but deflection Sample Monstrous Vampire
bonuses and force effects work normally against them. Here is an example of a monstrous vampire using
A ghosteater always moves silently and cannot be heard a human-armed yuan-ti abomination as the base
with Listen checks if it doesn’t wish to be. creature.
Ethereal Jaunt (Su): A ghosteater can become ethe- Monstrous Vampire Yuan-Ti Abomination
real three times per day as if under the effect of an ethe- Large Undead
real jaunt spell. Hit Dice: 9d12 (58 hp)
Initiative: +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
MONSTROUS VAMPIRE Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
AC: 30 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +1 bracers of armor, +1 deflec-
(TEMPLATE) tion, +16 natural)
Attacks: Masterwork falchion +16/+11 melee or bite
A monstrous vampire is a creature similar to a normal +15 melee or slam +15 melee; or masterwork
vampire, but it can create vampire spawn out of crea-
tures that are not humanoids. Some are intelligent and
act similarly to normal vampires, while others are
166
mighty composite longbow (+2 Str bonus) with MUMIA (TEMPLATE) CHAPTER 5:
masterwork arrows +11/+6 ranged
Damage: Masterwork falchion 2d4+10, bite 2d6+7 A mumia is a kind of undead created when a living or MONSTERS
plus poison, slam 1d8+7; or masterwork mighty recently dead creature is subjected to a profane ritual
composite longbow (+2 Str bonus) 1d8+2 in which its organs are removed and preserved, the
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. flesh is slathered in unholy ointment, and the blood is
Special Attacks: Blood drain, children of the night, replaced with strange ichor. Often, the corpse is
create spawn, domination, energy drain, poison, wrapped in treated cloth or strips of leather. This
psionics, constrict 1d6+6 process makes the creature undead and gives it several
Special Qualities: Alternate form, fast healing 5, magical abilities. This process is normally used to
cold and electricity resistance 20, damage reduction revive or extend the life of a creature that cannot exist
15/+1, gaseous form, spider climb, SR 16, turn as a ghost and is particularly common among the
resistance +4, undead traits, vampire weaknesses yuan-ti. A mumia is a different sort of creature from
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +11, Will +11 the mummy presented in the Monster Manual.
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 17, Con —, Int 20, Wis 20,
Cha 20 A mumia resembles its previous self, but it is more
Skills: Bluff +13, Concentration +15, Craft (any two) desiccated and is sometimes wrapped in cloth or
or Knowledge (any two) +10, Hide +19*, Listen +24, leather as described above. An aura of strange chemi-
Move Silently +11, Search +13, Sense Motive +13, cals pervades the air near it, and some that wish to pass
Spot +24 among the living undetected wear scented oils to
Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, mask this distinct smell.
Dodge, Expertise, Improved Initiative, Lightning
Reflexes CREATING A MUMIA
Climate/Terrain: Warm forest and underground “Mumia” is a template that can be applied to any living
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (2–4), troupe (2–13 creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
purebloods, 2–5 halfbloods, and 2–4 abominations), The creature’s type changes to undead. It uses all the
or tribe (20–160 purebloods, 10–80 halfbloods, and base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as
10–40 abominations) noted here.
Challenge Rating: 9 Hit Dice: Increase to d12. Hit dice from class levels
Alignment: Always chaotic evil are unaffected.
Advancement: By character class AC: A mumia gains a +3 natural armor bonus. If the
base creature already has natural armor, use the better
Combat value.
The Will save for this monstrous vampire’s charm abil- Special Attacks: A mumia retains the special
ity and the Fortitude save to regain levels lost to its attacks of the base creature and gains the following
energy drain have a DC of 19. special attack.
Psionics (Sp): All yuan-ti can produce the following Withering Touch (Su): A creature hit by one of a
effects at will: alternate form, aversion, chameleon power, mumia’s natural attacks must attempt a Fortitude save
detect poison, produce acid. (DC 10 + 1/2 mumia’s HD + 1/2 mumia’s Cha modi-
Skills: *Yuan-ti using chameleon power receive a +8 fier) or lose 2 points of Constitution as the attacker
circumstance bonus on Hide checks. absorbs moisture and energy from its target. This
Constrict (Ex): An abomination deals 1d6+6 points effect is in addition to any other effects of the crea-
of damage with a successful grapple check (using its ture’s natural attack.
bite attack bonus) against a Large or smaller creature. Special Qualities: A mumia retains all the special
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and sec- qualities of the base creature and gains the following
ondary damage 1d6 temporary Constitution. special qualities.
Undead Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects, Fast Healing (Ex): A mumia heals 2 points of damage
poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If
necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a For- reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed.
titude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject Turn Resistance (Ex): A mumia has turn resistance +2.
to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability Abilities: As an undead creature, a mumia has no
drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A Constitution score.
monstrous vampire cannot be raised, and resurrection Skills: Same as the base creature.
works only if it is willing. The creature has darkvision Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature and
(60-foot range). underground.
Magic Items Carried: bracers of armor +1, brooch of Organization: Same as the base creature.
shielding, ring of protection +1. Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.
Treasure: Same as the base creature.
167
CHAPTER 5: Alignment: Usually evil; few neutral or good base tude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject to
creatures are willing to submit to this ritual or become critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability
MONSTERS an undead creature. drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A
mumia cannot be raised, and resurrection works only if
Advancement: Same as the base creature. it is willing. The creature has darkvision (60-foot range).
SAMPLE MUMIA Magic Items Carried: potion of haste, +1 cloak of
This example mumia uses a medusa as the base creature. resistance, +1 shortbow.
Medusa Mumia NECROPLASM
Medium-Size Undead
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Medium-Size Undead
Initiative: +2 (Dex) Hit Dice: 5d12+3 (35 hp)
Speed: 30 ft. Initiative: +1 (Dex)
AC: 30 (+2 Dex, +3 natural)
Attacks: +1 shortbow +9/+4 Speed: 30 ft., climb 15 ft.
ranged; or dagger +6/+1 melee, AC: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural)
and snakes +3 melee Attacks: 2 claws +3 melee
Damage: +1 shortbow 1d6+1; or Damage: Claw 1d6+1
dagger 1d4, snakes 1d4 plus Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
poison Special Attacks: Create
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./ spawn, drain fluids, improved
5 ft. grab
Special Attacks: Petrifying Special Qualities: Fast healing
gaze, poison, withering 3, turn resistance +2, undead
touch traits
Special Qualities: Fast Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +6
healing 2, turn resist- Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con —,
ance +2, undead traits Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 11
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will Skills: Climb +9, Hide +8, Jump
+7 +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +10
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Feats: Improved Disarm,
Con —, Int 12, Wis 13, Toughness
Cha 15 Climate/Terrain: Any land and
Skills: Bluff +11, underground
Disguise +11, Move Organization: Solitary or gang
Silently +9, Spot +10 (2–5)
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Challenge Rating: 3
Precise Shot, Weapon Treasure: Standard
Finesse (snakes) Alignment: Always chaotic
Climate/Terrain: Any evil
land and underground Advancement: 6–10 HD
Organization: Solitary or (Medium-size); 11–15 HD
covey (2–4) (Large)
Challenge Rating: 8
Alignment: Usually lawful evil Necroplasms are foul undead
Advancement: By character class beings consisting of a few bones and an
envelope of ectoplasm. They suck fluids out of their
Combat opponents and create others like themselves.
This mumia prefers to strike at a distance with her Created by a necromancer with some skill at ecto-
bow, retreating in between strikes to let her fast heal- mancy, a necroplasm looks like a skull and a pair of
ing take care of any damage her foes deal. skeletal hands wrapped in a vaguely humanoid blob of
Petrifying Gaze (Su): Turn to stone permanently, ectoplasm. Instead of a pair of legs, its “body” becomes
30 feet, Fortitude DC 15 negates. a column of ectoplasm, upon which it slides around on
Poison (Ex): Snakes, Fortitude save DC 14; initial the ground or walls with surprising speed. A
damage 1d6 Strength, secondary damage 2d6 Strength. necroplasm leaves a trail of ectoplasmic slime behind
Undead Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects, it, so any creature following it within 10 minutes of its
poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, departure can usually track this trail.
necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Forti- A cleric of at least 16th level can create a necroplasm
with the create undead spell.
168
COMBAT ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death CHAPTER 5:
Necroplasms often attack in packs, but usually don’t from massive damage. A necroplasm cannot be raised,
share opponents unless they outnumber the opposi- and resurrection works only if it is willing. The crea- MONSTERS
tion. Each grabs onto its chosen opponent and doesn’t ture has darkvision (60-foot range).
let go until either it is destroyed or the enemy is dead.
Create Spawn (Su): A necroplasm that kills a living SPECTRAL STEED
creature uses its next turn to vomit forth ectoplasm
over the fallen opponent’s body. One minute later, the Large Undead (Incorporeal)
corpse rises as a new necroplasm. The original necro- Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp)
plasm has no control over this creature. This transfor- Initiative: +1 (Dex)
mation process can be delayed by casting consecrate, Speed: 60 ft., fly 100 ft. (good)
gentle repose, or delay poison on the body (delaying the AC: 11 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +1 deflection) or 11 (–1 size,
process until the spell runs out), or negated entirely
with heal, neutralize poison, or remove disease. +1 Dex, +1 natural)
Drain Fluids (Ex): A necroplasm that successfully Attacks: 2 incorporeal hoof touches +2 melee touch,
grapples an opponent automatically drains fluids from
its target, dealing 1d2 points of permanent Constitu- and incorporeal bite touch +0 melee touch; or 2
tion drain each round. If the target is a living creature, hooves +1 melee, bite –1 melee
the necroplasm’s ectoplasm quickly turns a deep red Damage: Incorporeal touch 1d4 cold, incorporeal
(or to the color of the victim’s blood, if not red). bite 1d6 cold plus energy drain, hoof 1d4 cold, bite
Improved Grab (Ex): If a necroplasm hits a 1d6 cold plus energy drain
Medium-size or smaller creature with a claw attack, it Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as Special Attacks: Energy drain, soul charge
a free action without provoking an attack of opportu- Special Qualities: Incorporeal, scent, sunlight
nity. A necroplasm always uses its entire body on a suc- powerlessness, turn resistance +2, undead traits
cessful grapple (not just its limb). Each successful Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6
grapple check it makes (at the same attack bonus as its Abilities: Str —, Dex 13, Con —, Int 5, Wis 14,
claw attack) during successive rounds automatically Cha 10
deals claw damage. Skills: Hide +4, Listen +7, Spot +9
Undead Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects, Feats: Lightning Reflexes
poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a For- Organization: Solitary or herd (2–12)
titude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject Challenge Rating: 3
to critical hits, subdual damage, Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 5–8 HD (Large) 169
Spectral steeds are incorporeal undead horses, often
ridden into battle by other incorporeal undead. Skit-
tish without riders, they are fierce combatants when
under the direction of a strong master.
Spectral steeds are thought to arise on the rare occa-
sions when an energy draining incorporeal
undead, such as a spectre, slays a horse or simi-
lar animal. They appear as intangible black,
gray, or white skeletal horses, sometimes with
skeletal wings. They live on remnants of ether,
ectoplasm, and darkness and usually flee mate-
rial creatures, but they can be tamed by incorpo-
real undead and used as battle chargers. Very fast
and, like all undead, completely tireless, they
have been used to ferry beings from Xaphan to
Manifest.
A cleric of at least 14th level can create a spec-
tral steed with the create undead spell.
COMBAT
Spectral steeds without riders
usually attack for 1 round, then
flee by using their soul charge on
JJ
CHAPTER 5: the way out of combat. Those with riders are usually against them. A spectral steed always moves silently
directed to attack the same opponent as the rider. and cannot be heard with Listen checks if it doesn’t
MONSTERS wish to be.
Energy Drain (Su): A spectral steed that hits a
target with its bite bestows one negative level upon the Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex): Spectral steeds are
target. The Fortitude save to remove the negative level utterly powerless in natural sunlight (not merely a day-
has a DC of 12. light spell) and flee from it. A spectral steed caught in
sunlight cannot attack and can take only partial
Soul Charge (Su): Once per day, a spectral steed can actions.
make a charge attack at a single corporeal creature. The
steed passes through the target’s square and the target Undead Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects,
itself (provoking an attack of opportunity for doing so) poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects,
and bestows 1d4 negative levels upon the target, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a For-
which must also make a Fortitude save (DC 12) or be titude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject
stunned for 1 round. The spectral steed can continue to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability
moving after using this attack, up to its normal speed. drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A
It cannot use this attack on incorporeal opponents or spectral steed cannot be raised, and resurrection works
those protected by force effects (such as mage armor). If only if it is willing. The creature has darkvision (60-
it has a rider, the rider also passes through the target, foot range).
and the target can use its attack of opportunity against
the steed or the rider. SPIRIT TREE
Incorporeal: A spectral steed can be harmed only Huge Plant
by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic Hit Dice: 7d8+35 (66 hp)
weapons, spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural Initiative: –1 (Dex)
abilities. The creature has a 50% chance to ignore any Speed: 10 ft.
damage from a corporeal source, except for force AC: 20 (–2 size, –1 Dex, +13 natural)
effects or attacks made with ghost touch weapons. A Attacks: 2 slams +12 melee
spectral steed can pass through solid objects, but not Damage: Slam 2d6+13
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft.
force effects, Special Attacks: Trample 2d12+4
at will. Its Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., fire vulnerabil-
attacks ig-
ity, half damage from piercing, plant traits, plurality
nore natural of minds, potion sap, spell-like abilities, tree leader,
armor, armor, wood speech
and shields, but Saves: Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +6
deflection bo- Abilities: Str 28, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 15,
nuses and force Cha 13
Skills: Concentration +10, Diplomacy +3, Hide –9*,
effects work Intuit Direction +5, Knowledge (any one) +6,
normally Knowledge (ghost lore) +6, Knowledge (nature) +9,
Listen +11, Sense Motive +9, Spot +11, Wilderness
Lore +9
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will, Spell Penetration
Climate/Terrain: Temperate or warm forest
Organization: Solitary or grove (4–7) plus 1–3
Arboreal Guardians
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Standard coins, goods, and items; double
potions
Alignment: Often chaotic good
Advancement: By character class
Spirit trees are the repositories of elf and half-elf
souls. They practice nature magic and preserve the
knowledge and history of the souls within them.
Superficially resembling treants, spirit trees may or
may not have portions of their bark that resemble
elven faces. Their speech is like rustling leaves and
creaking branches, and they can draw upon the mem-
170
ories, personalities, and consciousness of any of the Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range CHAPTER 5:
souls residing within them. Spirit trees originate from of its blindsight ability.
normal trees; some quirk of sprouting or development MONSTERS
causes a tree to attract elf souls, and after a few have Plant Traits: A spirit tree is immune to poison, sleep,
come to rest there, it develops a communal conscious- paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing. It is not sub-
ness and the powers of an adult spirit tree. ject to critical hits or mind-affecting effects. The crea-
ture also has low-light vision.
Spirit trees have the best and worst qualities of elves:
their joy, their belief in personal freedom, their arro- Plurality of Minds (Ex): A spirit tree advances by
gance, and their xenophobia. It is thought that the first character class but never takes an experience point
few elf souls a tree acquires help penalty for multiclassing. Spirit trees are not subject
shape its personality, and there- to the special restriction of monks or paladins who
after, most of the souls it attracts multiclass.
are those of similar tempera-
ment. As such, most spirit Potion Sap (Su): A spirit tree has the abil-
trees are chaotic good (like ity to create potions from the materials
most elves), but trees of a within its own body. The tree can create a
darker and more cruel potion of any spell or spell-like ability of
mindset also exist in up to 3rd level that it can use. Making
the Spirit Wood. a potion takes 8 hours. The tree
takes 2 points of Constitu-
The trees develop tion damage per spell level
bonds with certain of the potion created and
living creatures, usu- must consume rare herbs
ally elf or half-elf and ingredients with a
druids or rangers. value equal to the cost
These beings, called to create the potion
Arboreal Guardians, using the Brew
are the trees’ agents and Potion feat. These
their contact with the out- potions are normally
side world and living elven hidden under the tree
communities. The Arboreal and given only to its
Guardians usually live near Arboreal Guardians to use.
their bonded tree, and the tree Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—
prefers to keep at least one of animal friendship, create water, cure
its guardians within 300 feet of light wounds, cure moderate wounds,
it at all times. A tree attracts entangle, faerie fire, goodberry, light,
guardians of an alignment move earth, speak with animals, speak
similar to its own, and usu- with plants, summon nature’s ally
ally the soul of a slain IV. Caster level 7th; save
guardian merges with DC 11 + spell level.
its tree. Tree Leader (Su):
A spirit tree can
COMBAT cause up to three
Spirit trees usually rely trees within 100 feet to
on their Arboreal Guardians to protect animate and follow it at
them, and the spirit trees use their magic to heal a speed of 10 feet. The ani-
their allies or to summon help. When they are mated trees are not intelligent
forced to, they pound opponents with huge tree and do not gain any combat abili-
limbs or trample. ties. Animated trees lose their ability
Trample (Ex): A spirit tree can trample Medium-
size or smaller creatures for 2d12+4 points of damage. to move if the spirit tree that animated
Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity them is incapacitated or moves out of range. This abil-
against the spirit tree can attempt a Reflex save ity is normally used by a spirit tree to relocate other
(DC 22) for half damage. trees from an area of danger or to repopulate a defor-
Blindsight (Ex): A spirit tree has no visual organs, ested area.
but they can sense all creatures within 30 feet by using
sound, scent, and vibration. Invisibility and darkness Wood Speech (Su): A spirit tree can telepathically
are irrelevant, though the tree still can’t discern ethe- communicate with its Arboreal Guardians or any other
real beings. The tree usually does not need to make spirit tree at a range of 1 mile.
Skills: Spirit trees receive skills as if they were fey.
*They have a +16 racial bonus on Hide checks made in
forested areas.
171
CHAPTER 5: UNDEAD MARTYR COMBAT
An undead martyr attacks directly only if all its pos-
MONSTERS Small Undead sible undead allies are slain. It prefers to support a
Hit Dice: 4d12+3 (29 hp) more powerful creature, so it lets its ally attack its foes.
Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex) An undead martyr uses its touch attack when forced
Speed: 5 ft., fly 20 ft. (good) into combat.
Armor Class: 17 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural) Profane Touch (Su): An undead martyr’s touch
Attacks: Touch +3 melee touch inflicts 1 point of negative energy damage, similar to
Damage: 1 (see text) an inflict minor wounds spell. Because it is negative
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. energy damage, the profane touch heals undead crea-
Special Attacks: Improved grab, profane touch tures of 1 point of damage per use. If an undead
Special Qualities: Cold resistance 10, electricity resist- martyr’s profane touch deals damage to a living crea-
ture, the undead martyr heals a like amount of damage.
ance 10, fast healing 5, flight, shield other, undead traits Flight (Ex): An undead martyr’s body is naturally
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5 buoyant, which allows it to fly, as the spell, as a free
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 13, action at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a
permanent feather fall effect with personal range. The
Cha 12 ability also allows any creature to carry an undead
Skills: Balance +4, Escape Artist +7, Hide +13, Jump martyr or pull it along (such as when it grabs onto an
undead ally) as if it were of negligible weight.
+2, Listen +6, Move Silently +9, Spot +8, Tumble +7 Shield Other (Sp): An undead marytr may use a
Feats: Toughness shield other spell once per day. Caster
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground level 4th.
Organization: Solitary Undead Traits: Immune to
Challenge Rating: 2 mind-affecting effects,
Treasure: None poison, sleep,
Alignment: Always evil paralysis,
Advancement Range: 5–8 HD (Small); 9–12 stunning, dis-
ease, death effects,
HD (Medium-size) necromantic effects,
and any effect that
An undead martyr is the animated corpse of a crea- requires a Fortitude
ture that sacrificed itself to save an evil being. In save unless it also works
unlife, it protects undead at its own expense. on objects. Not subject
to critical hits, subdual
An undead martyr is a skeletal being from the damage, ability damage,
waist up, trailing off into ectoplasm and vapor ability drain, energy
below that. Its eyes give off a violet glow, and drain, or death from
its body is usually surrounded in a similar glow, massive damage. An
although it can dampen this at will. The crea- undead martyr cannot
ture moves by slow flight and usually floats about be raised, and resurrec-
horizontally. Because its abilities are better at tion works only if it is
aiding another undead willing. The creature
than striking has darkvision (60-foot
directly at its foes, range).
it normally floats
behind an undead ally,
with its skeletal hands rest-
ing on the shoulders of the ally.
While they sometimes arise sponta-
neously, undead martyrs can be created
by a cleric of at least 14th level using the
create undead spell.
172
YUAN-TI (TEMPLATES) most combat situations (see Special Attacks). CHAPTER 5:
Broodguards have sharp claws and vicious bites they
One of the most insidious aspects of the yuan-ti is MONSTERS
their humanoid heritage, for this vile race of serpent can use in melee. They use the base attack values they
folk is descended from humans who were corrupted had as the base creature, but their claws deal 1d4 points
by a powerful and evil reptilian being. In their mon- of damage and their bite deals 1d4 points of damage.
strous evil, the yuan-ti continue this mingling of ser-
pentine and humanoid blood, creating two types of Special Attacks: Tainted ones and broodguards
agents and servitors that are not quite retain all the special attacks of the base creature.
humanoid—nor fully yuan-ti. Tainted ones also gain the following two special attacks.
These servitors are created by essen- Psionics (Sp): The transformation activates latent
tially the same process. If the process is a psionic potential in humanoid minds, granting tainted
success, the result is a tainted one. ones spell-like abilities similar to those of true yuan-ti.
These creatures appear just as they A tainted one can create the following effects through
did prior to their infection— the power of its mind as a sorcerer of its character
generally able-bodied humanoids, level: poison (Fortitude DC 13 + tainted one’s Con mod-
usually of 3rd to 6th level. Though
their bodies do not show signs of ifier) and polymorph self (into snake or snakelike
their tainted blood, their personal- forms only).
ities and mannerisms do; they
often develop habits such as fre- Poison Bite (Ex): The saliva of a tainted one is
quently licking their lips, drawing poisonous when ingested or introduced into the
out their sibilants, or keeping large blood. A tainted one can inject its venom only
serpents as pets. Tainted ones serve
the yuan-ti as agents who can pass while grappling a foe with exposed skin. The
unnoticed among other races and Fortitude save to resist this poison has a DC of 10
infiltrate where even a pureblood
yuan-ti might risk discovery. + 1/2 the tainted one’s HD + the tainted one’s
Con modifier. Victims who fail this save
If the process goes awry, the take 1d4 points of temporary Constitution
result is a broodguard (called a damage. After 1 minute, they must
histachii by some). These make another save; failure means
near-mindless abominations another 1d4 points of temporary
are hairless creatures with ema- Constitution damage. A tainted
ciated bodies. Their gray or one’s kiss is also poisonous, though
yellow-green skin is tough in this case the save DC is reduced
and scaly and smells faintly by 2.
of rotting meat. They have Broodguards do not
beady, bloodshot eyes, and gain these two special at-
their forked tongues con- tacks, but instead gain a
tinually dart in and out of their mouths. rage ability.
Broodguards, as their name suggests, are most often Rage (Ex): Once per
found guarding yuan-ti brood chambers. day, a broodguard can
enter into a berserk state
Tainted ones and broodguards speak the languages similar to a barbarian’s rage. In
they knew before their transformation and usually this state, the broodguard gains +4
learn Draconic within a few months of becoming
infected. to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus
on Will saves, but it takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class.
CREATING A YUAN-TI
“Tainted one” and “broodguard” are templates that can Special Qualities: Tainted ones and broodguards
be added to any humanoid (referred to hereafter as the retain all the special qualities of the base creature and
base creature). The creature’s type changes to humanoid gain some of the following qualities, as indicated.
(reptilian). The templates use all the base creature’s sta-
tistics and special abilities, except as noted here. Yuan-ti Blood: For all special abilities and effects,
Hit Dice: As base creature. tainted ones and broodguards are considered yuan-ti.
Speed: As base creature. For example, they can use special yuan-ti weapons or
AC: As base creature. Broodguards do not wear armor. magic items with racially specific yuan-ti powers as if
Attacks and Damage: As base creature. Tainted they were yuan-ti. This also means that, like yuan-ti,
ones also gain a poisonous bite, but this is useless in tainted ones and broodguards cannot become ghosts.
Poison Immunity (Ex): Tainted ones and broodguards
are immune to all forms of snake venom, including
their own poison.
Spell Resistance (Ex): Tainted ones gain spell resist-
ance of 12 +1 per three levels.
Mental Resistance (Ex): Broodguards are immune to
hold and charm spells.
173
CHAPTER 5: Saves: As the base creature. SAMPLE YUAN-TI
Abilities: Tainted ones gain +2 to Constitution. Here is a tainted one and a broodguard, each using the
MONSTERS Broodguards gain +2 to Dexterity and +2 to Constitu- same 5th-level human rogue as the base creature.
tion, but lose –4 to both Intelligence and Charisma.
Skills: As the base creature. Tainted One
Feats: Tainted ones and broodguards gain Alertness Medium-Size Humanoid (Reptilian)
as a bonus feat due to their heightened senses. Hit Dice: 5d6+5 (22 hp)
Climate/Terrain: Warm land. Initiative: +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Organization: Tainted one, solitary; Broodguard, Speed: 30 ft.
clutch (2–8) or tribe (9–20). AC: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 leather)
Challenge Rating: Tainted one, same as the base Attacks: Short sword +7 melee
creature +1; Broodguard, same as the base creature. Damage: Short sword 1d6+1
Treasure: Standard. Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil. Special Attacks: Psionics, sneak attack +3d6, poison
Advancement: Tainted one, by character class; bite
Broodguard, —. Special Qualities: Evasion, uncanny dodge (Dex
bonus to AC), poison immunity, yuan-ti blood, SR 13
CREATING TAINTED ONES Saves: Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1
Yuan-ti create most of their servitors from humanoid Abilities: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8
prisoners. They also may transform humanoid sup- Skills: Bluff +7, Climb +9, Diplomacy +11, Hide +11,
plicants who voluntarily agree to become tainted Intimidate +9, Listen +10, Move Silently +11,
ones. Humanoids become tainted ones by drinking a Search +10, Sense Motive +8, Spot +10
mixture of yuan-ti venom and strange herbs or by Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Weapon
being exposed to one of the unclean substances Finesse (short sword), Weapon Focus (short sword)
exuded from the flesh of Traagash Daur, the mother Climate/Terrain: Warm land
of all yuan-ti. Organization: Solitary
Any humanoid who drinks this mixture, whether by Challenge Rating: 6
choice or by force, must make a Fortitude saving Treasure: Standard
throw (DC 16). If the saving throw fails, the victim Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
must make a Constitution check (DC 15). Success on Advancement: By character class
this check means the character becomes a tainted one
in a painful transformation that lasts 1d6 days. Failure Broodguard
means the character slowly becomes a broodguard in Medium-Size Humanoid
7–12 (1d6+6) days. Hit Dice: 5d6+5 (22 hp)
If the Fortitude save is successful, the victim imme- Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
diately lapses into a coma; death follows in 1 hour. A Speed: 30 ft.
comatose victim can be revived with a delay poison or AC: 14 (+4 Dex)
neutralize poison spell if the spell is cast within 1 hour Attacks: 2 claws +4 melee, and bite –1 melee
after the mixture has been swallowed. Human-headed Damage: Claw 1d4+1, bite 1d4
yuan-ti have the ability to use neutralize poison, and they Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
may save a comatose victim themselves. It is not for Special Attacks: Rage, sneak attack +3d6
the victim’s benefit. A humanoid who fails his save Special Qualities: Evasion, uncanny dodge (Dex
after drinking the mixture may suddenly find himself bonus to AC), immune to hold and charm spells,
conscious again, only to face another flask of the mix- poison immunity, yuan-ti blood
ture when the yuan-ti attempt another transformation. Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
If a humanoid fails his saving throw after consum- Abilities: Str 12, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 4
ing the mixture, a few desperate measures may pre- Skills: Bluff +5, Climb +9, Diplomacy +9, Hide +12,
vent his transformation into a tainted one. If Intimidate +7, Listen +10, Move Silently +12,
neutralize poison, dispel magic, remove curse, and heal are Search +10, Sense Motive +8, Spot +10
cast on the victim, in that order, the transformation Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Weapon
process is reversed. However, the victim perma- Finesse (short sword), Weapon Focus (short sword)
nently loses 1 point of Intelligence. A wish, limited Climate/Terrain: Warm land
wish, or miracle spell reverses the transformation with Organization: Clutch (2–8) or tribe (9–20)
no loss of Intelligence. Once the transformation is Challenge Rating: 5
complete, only a wish or a miracle can restore the Treasure: Standard
victim to his former self. Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: —
174
his chapter, designed to be read by the Dungeon
Master but not by players, contains a collection of
adventures to start off a Ghostwalk campaign. They
are not linked in any way, and you (the DM) can use
them in whatever order you want; they are presented
in order of recommended character levels from lowest
to highest. Some of them are full-fledged adventures
that take the characters to several locations in and
around the city of Manifest, while others are simply
site-based encounters that can be placed wherever you
wish within the Undercity (or elsewhere, with some
modifications).
Of course, as with all adventures, you need a copy of
the three D&D core rulebooks—the Player’s Handbook,
the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide, and the Monster Manual—
in order to use these adventures effectively. You should
also read through each adventure ahead of time to
familiarize yourself with the particulars.
Text that appears in shaded boxes is player informa-
tion, which you may read aloud or paraphrase, as
appropriate. Text in sidebars contains important DM
notes for you, offering insight into issues peculiar to
the situation. Monster and nonplayer character (NPC)
statistics are provided with each encounter in abbrevi-
ated form. Full monster statistics for standard monsters
are in either the Monster Manual or in Chapter 5 of this
book. You should review all of these statistics before
the game starts to refresh your memory of the crea-
tures’ abilities. Each encounter is given an Encounter
Level (EL) to let you know how challenging it should
be for the adventurers.
TOUCH AND GO
An introductory Ghostwalk adventure for 1st-level
characters.
SYNOPSIS
While in the Tombyards (see the map of Manifest in
Chapter 2), the PCs are accosted by a ghoul. A strange
note in the ghoul’s possession leads them to a clandes-
tine meeting with some members of the Golden,
Manifest’s thieves’ guild. The thieves have stolen a
device they believe to be a powerful magic item from
CHAPTER 6: a wizard, but what they don’t realize is that the item you think that will interest them). Only you know
is unfinished and unstable. It marks them all what will attract your players.
ADVENTURES (including the PCs) with strange magical sigils and
then begins summoning monsters eager to slay. In ENCOUNTERS
the fight, the lantern disappears, and the PCs must The following encounters make up the adventure
track it down or be plagued forever by the monsters “Touch and Go.”
it sends after them.
Encounter 1: Hunger (EL 1)
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND This encounter takes place in the afternoon in the
Dras’s Wondrous Devices is located in the Portal Ward. Tombyards. Read or paraphrase the following para-
Dras makes magic items for money. Recently, some graph to tell players what their characters see.
minor thieves got lucky and managed to break into
his heavily warded shop. The only item they could Rows upon rows of long, narrow buildings of dark
boost was a lantern with red sigils painted upon it. stone stretch in all directions. The streets are
They had no idea that the reason it was left unpro- quiet; it’s more like a cemetery than a neighbor-
tected was because it was unfinished. Now, what was hood. And the smell—it’s not overpowering, but it
to be a lantern of revealing malfunctions and becomes is just enough to set you on edge: a rotting, sour
something much more sinister. The thieves sent a odor that drifts about on the wind throughout this
message to a man named Chornoy, a low-level wizard place they call the Tombyards. The sky is overcast
willing to work with criminals, who they hoped could and gloomy, lending an even more sinister air to
identify the lantern. the place.
Chornoy, however, was eaten by a ghoul in the
Tombyards on the way to the meeting place given him Creatures: Herst, the ghoul, is intelligent but moti-
by the thieves in the message. vated only by hunger. He was part of a larger pack of
Meanwhile, a ghost rogue named Othere, who also ghouls that sought to rob the Tombyards, but the rest
earns his living as a thief, has stumbled upon the other of them were destroyed by Morticians’ Guild soldiers.
thieves and wants the lantern for himself. Now, he Now, he hides amid the long shadows of the mau-
waits invisibly, hoping for an opportunity to steal it. soleum warehouses, dressed in a long, brown cloak,
looking for prey. He recently found and killed a lone
ADVENTURE HOOKS mage, but the mage was a skinny meal for a human,
The PCs need to be in the Tombyards. There are many and Herst wants more.
reasons they could be there, including the following.
1. One of the PCs is contacted by the Guild of Mor- It is important that Herst speak during the
ticians to view a body stored there for identification encounter and refer to himself in the third person.
purposes. “You think you are so powerful, but Herst will feed on
2. The PCs are hired (5 gp each) to help protect the your liver—gobble it up like candy!” This is so the PCs
body of a particularly important individual (some do not think the note addressed to Chornoy (see
minor noble from Salkiria) that is only going to be below) refers to the ghoul.
kept in the Tombyards one night.
3. PCs new to town are simply wandering about, Ghoul: 14 hp; see Monster Manual page 97.
getting to know Manifest.
4. A mid-ranking Guildsman from the Guild of Mor- Tactics: Herst would really like to find someone
ticians summons the PCs to come to his home and alone, or relatively alone. Barring that, he looks to a
discuss a potential job. single target in a small group and calls out to one of
them (not an elf ), beckoning him closer, tantalizing
If the PCs do not intercept the note on the ghoul or him with some interesting goods to sell cheaply. If
do not follow up on it, there are a couple of fallback seriously threatened, Herst attempts to paralyze a
options:
pqs
1. Have them stumble into the situation by accident.
2. Have Dras contact them for help in recovering CHORNOY’S GHOST
the lantern. He does not know what the item’s cur- After Chornoy is killed by the ghoul, his ghost wisely chooses
rent state is, but he does suggest that it might be dan- to enter the Material Plane far from the ghoul’s location. He’s
gerous and, thus, is willing to pay them some potions too busy getting some friends together to help reclaim his
for its return. body and possessions to worry about Tarl’s request. Chornoy’s
attempts to reclaim his things from the heroes can be used as
If the note does not seem like it will be enticing to the a hook for encounters after this adventure is completed.
PCs, alter it so that it seems more sinister (if the PCs
are benevolent do-gooders) or more mysterious (if pqs
176
Warehouse
3
Dorin Street CHAPTER 6:
Lander Street
4 ADVENTURES
0 5 10 20 40 E Key
Scale in feet T
R =Rogue
A W =Warrior
WW E =Enbri
WW T =Tarl
R Crate
5
single victim and then threaten to kill him (with a Development: If Herst runs away (or is turned so
coup de grace) unless the others back off. that he gets away), the note should instead be found
on the dead body, rather than on Herst.
Treasure: Herst has a small pouch that contains
some human fingers (still bloody—they’re quite Encounter 2: Attentiveness (EL 2)
fresh) and a note. The note reads: The encounter begins as the PCs arrive on Lander
Street and find Warehouse 4.
Chornoy,
We have a really great treasure this time, but we need you to As the sun sets, the buildings of the Merchant
identify it for us and tell us what it can do. Meet us on the Ward grow dark. This area is mostly warehouses,
7th on Lander Street in the Merchant Ward. Warehouse 4, making it seem oddly similar to the Tombyards
shortly after dark. where you just were. Most of the structures in the
area are wood, about 20 feet high with few, if any,
Tarl windows. Loading docks for moving goods on and
off wagons are connected to most of the ware-
The 7th is today. houses. You spot signs by the doors, numbering
Investigation down the narrow alley between the most of the warehouses. You finally come upon
warehouse 4.
two mausoleum warehouses where Herst was lurking
(Search DC 10) reveals the partially hidden, grisly It appears that the warehouse has two entrances:
remains of a human body that has been mostly a large set of sliding double doors on the loading
devoured. Gnawed bones, scraps of torn cloth, and dock and a side door.
things too hideous to mention are crammed into a
small niche, mostly under an old sheet. Easily recov- The double doors are locked with a chain and padlock
ered from the area are an ordinary dagger, 14 sp, 2 gp, (Open Lock DC 25 to open; hardness 10; hp 10; AC 8;
and some strange, blood-covered odds and ends. A break DC 35). The side door is currently unlocked.
Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 12) identifies these The thieves currently occupying the place had a key
odds and ends as spell components. A Search check made to open the side door lock so that they can use
(DC 15) allows a PC to recognize that one of the the place as a hideout at night. They never steal or
blood-covered bits is actually a pearl worth 100 gp. damage anything in the warehouse so that no one gets
Another Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 15) recog- suspicious.
nizes this as a component for the identify spell.
177
CHAPTER 6: A 1st-level rogue watches from the rooftop of the to the Golden headquarters, but he follows procedure
next warehouse (number 5). His Hide modifier is +10, to do so, which is to take a long, circuitous path all
ADVENTURES including a +2 circumstance bonus for the quality of across town that is likely to lose pursuit (three suc-
his hiding place. If he sees the PCs snooping around cessful Spot checks to follow him; Hide check result
Warehouse 4, he lets out a signal whistle. by the rogue sets the DC).
Creatures: Four 1st-level warriors hang around in Development: If the fight with the warriors goes
the small side chamber of the warehouse. (Each war- on for more than 4 rounds (or fewer than that if, in the
rior is identified on the map by a W.) If they hear or DM’s estimation, the fight is particularly noisy), the
see anyone snooping around, or if they hear the signal rogues in Encounter 3 can make Listen checks (DC
whistle from the rogue on the roof, they move out to 20) to see if they hear the sounds of fighting. If they
the street to attack. do, they investigate.
Thugs (4): Male human War1; CR 1/2; Medium- Encounter 3: Greed (EL 3)
size humanoid; HD 1d8+2; hp 8, 7, 6, 4; Init +1; Spd 20 The door into the main warehouse area (marked A on
ft.; AC 18 (+1 Dex, masterwork banded mail, small the map) is slightly ajar. Voices come from the other
wooden shield), touch 11, flat-footed 17; Atk +5 melee side. If the PCs try, they can hear the following con-
(1d10+2/19–20, bastard sword); AL NE; SV Fort +4, versation through the door (Listen DC 5). Of course,
Ref +1, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 12, they are free to take actions at any point, potentially
Cha 8. interrupting the conversation.
Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +4; “When is he going to get here?” a gruff male voice
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Weapon says.
Focus (bastard sword).
“You know Chortnoy. He’s always late,” replies a
Possessions: Masterwork banded mail, small wooden female voice.
shield, masterwork bastard sword, potion of cure light
wounds, 2 gp. “This thing is starting to give me the creeps.”
“The creeps? What are you talking about? This
Rogue on Rooftop: Male human Rog1; CR 1; thing is probably worth 10,000 gold coins, at least.
Medium-size humanoid; HD 1d6–1; hp 5; Init +6 (+2 It’s going to make us fabulously wealthy.”
Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+2 “Yeah, but why was it just sitting out? Why wasn’t
Dex, masterwork studded leather armor), touch 12, it protected in a vault like the other items? You
flat-footed 13; Atk +1 melee (1d6+1/19–20, short don’t suppose it wasn’t finished, do you?”
sword); or +3 ranged (1d6/19–20, masterwork light “What difference does it make? It’s clearly magi-
crossbow); SA sneak attack +1d6; AL N; SV Fort –1, cal. Look at those rune-things.”
Ref +4, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 12, Wis 11, “It makes my skin crawl, though.”
Cha 14. The female sighs. “Don’t be an idiot. It’s just a
lantern.”
Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Climb +5, Hide +8, Jump
+5, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Search If the PCs look into the room, read the following
+5, Spot +4; Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Hide). description.
Possessions: Masterwork studded leather armor, short This large warehouse is about half full of crates. Two
sword, masterwork light crossbow, 10 bolts, master- humans sit on crates with another large crate between
work thieves’ tools, whistle, 11 gp. them. Perched atop a makeshift table are two lanterns.
One is lit, while the other appears to have some sort of
Tactics: The rogue on the rooftop has a light cross- writing on it. The two figures both tense and grab
bow and attempts to make a sneak attack, if possible. weapons. Just as they begin to stand, the lantern that
Under no circumstance does he come down off the is not lit flares momentarily with energy.
roof and engage in melee. If the PCs obviously wipe
out the thugs, he retreats to the middle of the roof. If
the PCs attempt to go up and get him, he tries to climb
down another side and get away. If able, he runs back
pqqqqrs
THE THIEVES authorities to find them. These rogues and warriors are not
The thieves in Encounter 2 are members of the Golden, but ruthless cutthroats for the most part—they won’t fight to
have chosen to use the old warehouse as an occasional base the death if they can help it. They are much more likely to
of operations. Members of the Golden only go to their Under- surrender to an overwhelming force, or—preferable to them—
city lair occasionally. That makes it that much harder for the run away.
pqqqqrs
178
Possessions: Masterwork studded leather armor,
longsword, mighty shortbow (+2 Str bonus), 10
arrows, 2 gp.
Tarl: Male human Rog1;
CR 1; Medium-size human-
oid; HD 1d6+1; hp 7; Init +2;
Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 Dex,
leather armor), touch 12,
flat-footed 12; Atk +3 CHAPTER 6:
melee (1d6+1/19–20, ADVENTURES
masterwork short
sword); or +2 ranged
(1d8/×3, shortbow);
SA sneak attack
MD +1d6; AL N; SV Fort
+1, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 13, Dex 15,
Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 13.
The glow fades, and you see a strange red sigil Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Hide +6, Jump +5, Listen
beginning to form on your flesh, like a very precise
welt. The mark appears on the skin of the two +4, Move Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Search +4, Spot
people in the room as well—they seem just as
caught off guard by the experience as you are. +4; Iron Will, Weapon finesse (short sword).
The PCs must immediately make Fortitude saves Possessions: Leather armor, masterwork short sword,
(DC 15). If they are successful, they resist the
lantern’s malfunctioning effect, and the sigil disap- shortbow, 10 arrows, masterwork thieves’ tools, whis-
pears. If a character fails, he has the sigil embla-
zoned on his skin (someplace readily visible). It tle, 11 gp.
resembles one of the sigils on the lantern. This sigil
has only a single effect, and that is to attract sum- Small Ectoplasmic Vermin (4): hp 4 each; see
moned monsters. Chapter 5.
At the beginning of the next round, the malfunc- As if things weren’t complicated enough, there is
tioning magic of the lantern calls four Small ectoplas- another player involved in this situation. Othere is a
mic vermin within 10 feet of it. The rogues appear just ghost who wants the lantern for himself. Using a
as surprised by this as everyone else. The monsters potion of invisibility, he lurks amid the crates (Move
seek out and attack everyone with a sigil, ignoring Silently modifier +6) waiting for an opportunity (such
anyone else until all those with sigils are dead. as during a big fight) to race over, grab the lantern,
and make off with it.
Creatures: The rogues Enbri (the female) and Tarl
(the male) defend themselves and the lantern against Othere: Human ghost Rog1/Eidolon1; CR 3;
intruders. However, when the lantern malfunctions, Medium-size humanoid; HD 1d6+3 plus 1d8+3; hp 16;
they both get sigils and must also fight the ectoplas- Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+2 Dex, masterwork studded
mic vermin. Thus, most likely, a three-way brawl leather armor, small wooden shield), touch 12, flat-
ensues. footed 14; Atk +5 melee (1d6+1/19–20, +1 short sword);
or +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, light crossbow); SA sneak
Enbri: Female human Rog1; CR 1; Medium-size attack +1d6; SQ no discernible anatomy, ghost weak-
humanoid; HD 1d6; hp 6; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 ness; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 11, Dex 14,
Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+2 Dex, mas- Con 16, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 11.
terwork studded leather armor), touch 12, flat-footed
13; Atk +2 melee (1d8+2/19–20, longsword); or +2 Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Hide +6, Jump +5, Listen
ranged (1d8+2/×3, mighty shortbow [+2 Str bonus]); +5, Move Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Search +4, Spot
SA sneak attack +1d6; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +5; Dodge, Incorporeal Form, Weapon finesse (short
+1; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 12. sword).
Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Hide +6, Jump +6, Listen Possessions: +1 short sword, masterwork studded
+5, Move Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Search +4, Spot leather armor, small wooden shield, light crossbow, 12
+5; Dodge, Improved Initiative. bolts, masterwork thieves’ tools, 19 gp.
Tactics: If up against someone who is subject to
sneak attacks, Enbri and Tarl flank him to get sneak
attack bonuses. More likely, however, they spend
much of the battle fighting the ectoplasmic vermin.
179
CHAPTER 6: If things look bad (which they probably do), they do man named Errim attacks them with a broom. A ghost
not hesitate to attempt to leave (they can be an inter- named Nimi helps with her sword. Remember that
ADVENTURES esting part of the adventure later on; see Encounters the vermin attack only the PCs, ignoring anyone
6 and 7). else—even to their detriment.
Development: Othere flees, with the lantern, to his Others might attempt to use the confusion created
home in Forestview if he can. as a diversion. A rogue named Queane attempts to lift
the moneybox (if in a place of business) and/or pick
The lantern’s strange sigil-marking ability affects the pocket of one of the PCs during the fight. Queane
only creatures with physical bodies. The newly sum- has nothing to do with the whole situation with the
moned monsters ignore the ghost and make their way lantern, but the PCs don’t know that. An opposed
through the night to where the PCs are, drawn magi- check (Pick Pocket check result opposed by Spot
cally to them. check result) determines whether the PC notices the
Pick Pocket attempt. Otherwise, each PC can attempt
Ad Hoc XP Adjustment: The EL of this area is a Spot check (DC 15) to notice Queane take the cash-
altered because the rogues are going to be helping to box (again, if they are in a tavern or store). NPCs
fight the ectoplasmic vermin. Award 25% fewer XP around them are too busy looking at the vermin to
for all the creatures and characters encountered in notice her.
this fight.
If confronted, Queane attempts to flee with her
Encounter 4: Determination (EL 2) loot. If cornered, she defends herself. If given the
This encounter happens in one of two ways; either the opportunity to return her stolen goods rather than
PCs have the lantern or they don’t. If they have the fighting, she does so. In fact, the PCs may find that
lantern, about an hour after the encounter with the Queane is actually a friendly and likable person—just
rogues, read the following text. down on her luck. If the characters do not turn her in
to the authorities or hurt her, she might even join up
Without warning, the lantern begins to glow and with them if asked, to help figure out where these
shake. Then, suddenly, it flares with power. conjured monsters are coming from.
Moments later, when you can see again (albeit with
some spots before your eyes), you spy three Creatures: The malfunctioning lantern calls three
strange, multilegged creatures crawling around ectoplasmic vermin that hunt down whoever bears
you—ready to attack! the runelike markings given to them by the lantern.
The ectoplasmic vermin attack all characters with the Small Ectoplasmic Vermin (3): hp 4 each; see
sigils. If the PCs do not have the lantern, the monsters Chapter 5.
are still called and head directly for the characters
with sigils. However, it probably takes the monsters at Errim: Male human Com1; CR 1/2; Medium-size
least a couple of hours to get across the city to where humanoid; HD 1d4; hp 3; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2
the PCs are. In this event, a few hours after Encounter Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 10; Atk +0 melee (1, sub-
4, read the following to the players. dual damage only, broom); AL NG; SV Fort +0, Ref +2,
Will +2; Str 11, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13.
You hear a strange scratching sound. Something is
scuttling across the floor. Suddenly, something Skills and Feats: Craft (woodworking) +6, Listen +3;
small but terrifying launches itself at you, with a Iron Will, Skill Focus [Craft (woodworking]).
horrible stinger tail.
Possessions: Broom, 12 cp.
This encounter works great if the PCs are someplace
relaxing, such as in an inn or restaurant, or perhaps Nimi: Female human ghost Ftr1; CR 2; Medium-
simply in their rooms. The ectoplasmic vermin are size outsider; HD 1d10+2; hp 12; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC
determined, and thus able to get into just about any 12 (+2 Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 10; Atk +6 melee
location. However, if the PCs are in a particularly (1d8+3/19–20, masterwork longsword); SQ no dis-
secure area, you can rule that the vermin just wait out- cernible anatomy, ghost weakness; AL CG; SV Fort +4,
side for them to come out. They are magically com- Ref +4, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 10,
pelled to attack the PCs, so if there’s nothing else for Cha 11.
them to do, they wait.
Skills and Feats: Jump +7; Dodge, Lightning Reflexes,
If the PCs are in a public place, the encounter is Weapon Focus (longsword).
even more interesting. At the sudden appearance of
these vermin, people scream in terror. Bystanders run Possessions: Masterwork longsword, 34 gp (she is cur-
for cover, although a few people might try to help. A rently not wearing armor because she is relaxing in
the city).
Queane: Female halfling Rog1; CR 1; Small
humanoid; HD 1d6; hp 6; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4
Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+3 Dex, mas-
180
terwork leather armor), touch 13, flat-footed 13; Atk Check Result 25+: Someone—perhaps a ghost—was CHAPTER 6:
+1 melee (1d6/19–20, short sword), +2 ranged (1d6, seen with a strange lamp covered in runes and sigils
shortbow); AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 11, in Forestview, near Banil’s Bakery. ADVENTURES
Dex 16, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 14.
Speaking with Dras: Perhaps acting on knowledge
Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Hide +9, Jump +4, Listen gained from a Gather Information check, the PCs
+6, Move Silently +9, Open Lock +6, Pick Pocket +6, could go to Dras’s shop in the Portal Ward.
Spot +6; Improved Initiative.
Broken glass covers the wooden floor inside this
Possessions: Masterwork leather armor, short sword, shop. The window next to the door is shattered.
shortbow, 10 arrows, thieves’ tools, 5 cp. Tables stretch out on either side of you, with vari-
ous strange objects on them: a pair of books, a thin
Encounter 5: Desperation (EL 3) wand made of wood inlaid with silver, a lyre with
This encounter occurs only if the PCs don’t have the golden strings, and a pair of goggles. Each item is
lantern. Most likely, it’s in Othere’s hands. He doesn’t encased in a container of brass and what looks like
have a mark from the lantern (it affects only creatures glass, but something about it suggests that it’s far
with physical bodies), but he has no idea why this stronger. Other metal boxes lie amid these more
lantern he stole magically produces horrible monsters ornate containers.
that then immediately scuttle away.
The PCs need to figure out what’s going on. Most The walls are covered in strange things: wrapped
likely, they have realized the connection between the planks of wood leaning against them, bags of
sudden appearance of the ectoplasmic vermin from strange-smelling herbs hanging from nails, animal
earlier. If not, another encounter with more called pelts and horns, jars of herbs, beakers and vials, and
creatures may drive the point home. numerous books on shelves.
There is a clicking sound from above and behind A tall, thin man with a gaunt face framed by
you. Suddenly, dark shapes are scuttling around straight, very long black hair and a short black
you, attacking. beard stands staring at you with a look on his face
that could probably curdle milk. Standing directly
This event occurs about 8 hours after the previous behind him is a 9-foot man of metal, wood, and
attack. Like the one before, this encounter can happen stone, all fashioned into a hulking monstrosity. Just
anywhere, but it is perhaps best used outdoors and when you think it might actually be a piece of art,
perhaps around other people—like on a city street. it turns its faceless head to seemingly gaze in your
direction with a creaking sound.
Creatures: Four ectoplasmic vermin drop down
from the nearby walls to attack the PCs from above. “What do you lot want?” the man says. “I’ve no
time for foolishness today.”
Small Ectoplasmic Vermin (4): hp 4; see Chap-
ter 5. Dras is not normally a friendly man, and the current
break-in and theft has left him in unusually bitter
Encounter 6: More Desperation spirits. His responses might go something like this:
If it was not clear before, it should be clear now that
the PCs are going to be hounded by conjured mon- “Yes, some damnable thieves broke in here. They’re
sters until they destroy them at their source. They lucky to be alive, with some of the curses and wards
have a few options. that guard this place . . . and there be more, now. Trust
Gather Information: If the PCs ask around, me on that one.”
attempting to learn what they can about the situation,
they may make a Gather Information check. What “The lantern; it was going to be a fine creation. One
they learn depends on the check result. that parted the Veil and allowed the unseen to be
Check Result 10: Ghost bugs were seen flying seen.”
through the streets earlier, near Carver Street, where
the Portal Ward meets Forestview (DMs should “Oh, I suspect it parts the Veil, all right. Parts it right
change this location so that it is someplace between down the middle. Who knows what it might do. Send
where the PCs are and the central part of the Forest- things far away, call things from other places. . . .”
view Ward).
Check Result 15: Some thieves stole a magic lantern “An unfinished item of magic is a dangerous thing.
from Dras, a wizard. The item was unfinished. There’s no telling what it might do. It doesn’t have to
Check Result 20: Dras says that the lantern might have anything to do with what the intended powers
actually be dangerous. are—the proper ensorcelments were not there to
bind it together safely. Unchecked magic . . .”
“What are those marks on your skin, there?”
“If I could get my hands on the lantern, I could
quell its malfunctions. I could put it to rest and per-
haps even finish it as I had intended. I might even be
able to provide a bit of a reward. . . .”
181
CHAPTER 6: Dras can be convinced to offer a reward of a 1st- Encounter 7: Justice (EL 3)
level potion of each character’s choice for the Othere lives in a flat over a bakery in Forestview. Once
ADVENTURES return of the lantern. If one of the PCs can make a the PCs (possibly with the thieves) find Othere’s
Diplomacy check (DC 20), Dras’s mood softens and home, they can either try to reason with him, or they
he throws in an extra potion for the group (not for can bust in and attempt to destroy the lantern (the
each individual). thieves favor the latter course, if they are present).
Othere is hostile to the PCs (see Handling NPCs in
Under no circumstances does Dras begin to tell Chapter 5 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide), so he is dif-
these obviously novice adventurers what sorts of traps ficult to reason with. He might be willing to sell the
and protections he has, what his item inventory is, or lantern to them, but not for less than 1,000 gp (proba-
what the glasslike substance is that encases some of bly far out of their reach). Most likely, they have to
the items (it’s permanently invisible steel). fight Othere and take the lantern by force.
If seriously threatened, Othere would rather flee
The Golden: If any of the thieves from Encounter than defend his home to the “death.” Thus, he uses his
2 or 3 survived, the PCs might track them down to Incorporeal Form feat to escape. See Encounter 3 for
find out whatever they can. This would normally be Othere’s statistics.
virtually impossible (they would be in hiding, proba-
bly in the Undercity), except that if Enbri and Tarl are ENDING THE ADVENTURE
alive, they’re also looking for the PCs. The lantern has Once the PCs have the lantern, they have some
been calling ectoplasmic vermin to send after them as options. Returning it to Dras is the best and easiest
well. If the PCs attempt to ask around or find them, thing to do. However, destroying it also solves the
they succeed fairly quickly. problem of the conjured vermin.
Enbri and/or Tarl are willing to agree to a truce if Lantern: hardness 10; hp 10; AC 7; break DC 24.
they can mutually put a stop to the creatures hunting
them down. Best of all, the thieves know Othere’s Once the adventure is successfully concluded, it’s
name. It is much easier to find him with that infor- likely that the PCs have made some allies (Dras and
mation. A Gather Information check (DC 18) allows maybe the Golden), as well as at least one enemy
the PCs and thieves to find Othere’s home, but only (Othere, if he escaped). Of course, they may feel obli-
because they have his name. gated to turn over the thieves to the authorities, but
that might be easier said than done.
Divination Magic: It’s most likely out of the
hands of the PCs and probably too expensive to hire FOR ABSENT FRIENDS
someone or buy a scroll, but some divination magic
would certainly make the investigation easier. A A Ghostwalk adventure for 4th-level characters.
locate object spell cast to find the lantern might work,
but only if the PCs were lucky enough or smart SYNOPSIS
enough to be in the Forestview Ward already. If The PCs go looking for some lost adventurers. Their
something as powerful as a divination spell is used, investigation takes them to various places about town,
the PCs learn Othere’s name and where to start look- and they eventually run afoul of a powerful black-
ing for him. A Gather Information check (DC 18) guard. As they discover that the lost adventurers were
allows the PCs to find Othere’s home, but only up against an evil necromancer and a drug smuggler,
because they have his name. the adventure takes them out into the wilds of the
Spirit Wood, where the lost adventurers disappeared
The Information Broker: If the PCs don’t know at the hands of their enemy. Guided by a new ally—a
his name, Gather Information won’t actually allow the member of the Arboreal Guardians—to a mysterious
PCs to learn Othere’s or the lantern’s location. How- location known as the Lost Spring, they find the dead
ever, they can find out that there is a gnome woman bodies of the adventurers.
named Saraen Whistlefar (female gnome Exp6) who But the story doesn’t end there. Eventually, the PCs
specializes in information and secrets. She is located return to Manifest for a startling conclusion—the
in the Merchant Ward, operating out of the back of a adventurers they are looking for are still alive, held
crystal shop. captive by a necromancer and a force of undead in a
horrible place called the Theater of Bone.
For the price of 50 gp, Saraen tells the PCs that she
has indeed heard of the break-in at Dras’s shop and BACKGROUND
that she has heard that a ghost named Othere has Three adventurers—Ferrel Hass, a fighter; Chenni
recently come into possession of a strange lantern. the Younger, a Piran Sedestadel sorcerer; and Ennic
Othere, apparently, is looking for a wizard who will Kardathalost, a priest of Aluvan—went into the Spirit
identify the lantern’s powers for him discreetly.
A Gather Information check (DC 18) allows the PCs
to find Othere’s home, but only because they have his
name.
182
Wood to meet a fourth, Seahan Vestinet, a ranger. Check Result 20: Seahan Vestinet, the ranger, was the CHAPTER 6:
They never arrived. Seahan went into Manifest to see last of the adventurers to be seen by witnesses. He was
if he could find them or ascertain where they went. apparently searching for the others, who had already ADVENTURES
Shortly thereafter, he disappeared as well. These four disappeared. He mentioned something about a loca-
were well known and well liked in the city, and many tion called the Lost Spring, in the Spirit Wood.
mourn their loss. But others are not so convinced that
they are gone for good. Piotran Lorestrae, proprietor Check Result 25: Three of the missing adventurers
of a tavern known as the Blueleaf, has taken up a col- left from the Blueleaf to travel out to the Spirit Wood
lection and is offering a reward for their recovery or to meet up with Seahan to learn how he fared in his
news of what happened to them. initiation into the Arboreal Guardians about a week
ago. They never showed up. Seahan came to town to
ADVENTURE HOOKS look for them the next day and disappeared himself
There are a few different ways to get the player char- after about a day.
acters involved in this adventure.
1. There is a reward posted everywhere for the miss- In Town
ing people’s return. The postings read: Since it is easiest, the PCs probably start their investi-
gation in town.
Missing: The Blueleaf: If the characters visit the Blueleaf,
four stalwart companions and friends of read the following aloud:
all goodly folk in the city The Blueleaf is a large tavern, made of rich-
A reward in considerable gold offered for their return colored wood kept well polished and clean. It
appears that the clientele is made up mostly of
Inquire with Piotran Lorestrae at the Blueleaf. equal parts human and elf. A good many of those
drinking and eating here look as though they may
2. Well before the adventure, the PCs encounter have just walked out of the wilderness—animal
Ferrel, Chenni, Ennic and/or Seahan. They are lik- hides are as common as store-bought clothing,
able, honorable people, and likely to be well thought and twigs and leaves woven into wild, unkempt
of by the PCs. Perhaps these adventurers can even hair grace as many countenances as conventional
come to the aid of the PCs. Thus, when the PCs hear jewelry. Elven wine flows as freely as hearty ale,
of their mysterious disappearance, they are self-moti- and food is plentiful and heavily seasoned with all
vated to investigate. manner of herbs, judging from the smells coming
from the kitchens.
3. The PCs are enjoying an evening in the Blueleaf,
oblivious to the fate of the missing adventurers, when Piotran, the elf proprietor of the tavern, is a fine
Chenni sends a whispering wind into the tavern that person to start with in an investigation. He doesn’t tell
they accidentally intercept. It says: “This is Chenni just anyone vital information about his friends, how-
the Younger. Help us! The Theater of Bone must be ever. A successful Diplomacy check (DC 15) puts him
stopped, or we are doomed. Find Thyrence; he will at ease (consider him unfriendly to begin with; see
know.” If this plea inspires investigation, it is easy to Handling NPCs in Chapter 5 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s
learn who Chenni is and that she and her friends are Guide). An earnest speech about truly trying to help or
missing. the words of Chenni’s whispering wind (see Adventure
Hooks) also helps.
THE INVESTIGATION
Since this is an investigation, it is probably best not to Piotran is tall and thin, with a hawkish nose and
let the whole process boil down to a Gather Informa- brown hair tied into dozens of long, beaded braids. He
tion check. Allow the check to be made, but use it as a gives the PCs free drinks and tells them what he
springboard to send the PCs to some of the areas they knows of the missing adventurers. Although he goes
will want to investigate. A Gather Information check on at length about their good qualities and friendship,
reveals the following information, based on the result. he tells the PCs one fact that becomes very important.
Check Result 10: The missing adventurers spent a lot
of time at the Blueleaf. The missing adventurers had a single enemy—a
Check Result 15: One of the adventurers, Chenni, was ghost by the name of Ambrosh. They had crossed
a member of the Piran Sedestadel. Another, Seahan paths with the nefarious Ambrosh on multiple occa-
Vestinet, was newly inducted into the Arboreal sions. Although they had put an end to his importing
Guardians. of magical, ghost-affecting narcotics (see Wraithweed
Check Result 18: The missing adventurers were well in Chapter 1 of this book), they were never able to pin
liked by most people who knew them. They had done anything on him directly. Ambrosh lives in Phantom
some exploring in the Undercity, and they had also Hill, on Lingering Street (near the center of Phan-
fought against some criminal elements importing tom Hill, and near the top of the hill itself ).
into the city deadly narcotics that affect only ghosts.
183
CHAPTER 6: Piotran can also tell the PCs that when Seahan came character succeeds on a Search check (DC 20), in one
back to town after his friends never met him, he told Pio- of the back rooms can be found a small jar of black
ADVENTURES tran that they were all to gather near a place called the powder. This is powdered wraithweed. It consists of
Lost Spring. Piotran doesn’t know exactly where that is, 10 doses—quite illegal to possess, but worth 5 gp
but he knows it is south of the city in the Spirit Wood. each to an interested buyer (however, selling it is an
evil act).
If the PCs did not get the whispering wind message
(see Adventure Hooks), then Piotran did. He tells Creatures: The necromancer Destridien (see the
them about it, specifically mentioning the Theater of sidebar) has left behind a pair of shadows to watch the
Bone and Thyrence, although he isn’t familiar with house and report back to him if they see anyone
either name. poking around. These shadows do not attack and
attempt to keep hidden from the exploring PCs (Hide
Piotran has collected 648 gp to offer as a reward for modifier +8). If they are spotted, they flee.
the recovery of the missing adventurers.
Shadows (2): hp 24, 17; see Monster Manual.
Ambrosh (EL 5)
If the PCs visit Ambrosh, read the following aloud.
This large house is located in a quiet section of Development: The mask is the real clue here. A
Phantom Hill—although just about all sections of Gather Information or Knowledge (local) check (DC
that ward could be called quiet. Nevertheless, there 20) indicates that this is the sort of mask used at the
are very few people about, and all around the house Lion’s Theater in the Portal Ward. This is an important
is still. fact because the Lion’s Theater is really a front for
Destridien’s Theater of Bone. If the PCs do not follow
The front door hangs slightly open, wood splin- up on this clue, however, it’s all right. There will be
ters indicating that it was smashed in. The house other clues.
looks like it was well appointed—Ambrosh must
have been a ghost who still felt the need for crea- An Unexpected Attack! (EL 6)
ture comforts. If the shadows escape from Ambrosh’s house, they
report to Destridien. When it becomes obvious that
Once they go inside, continue with the following text. the PCs are poking around in areas that they shouldn’t
be, Destridien sends Garothos to attack them at an
A few overturned tables and broken pottery sug- opportune time—such as when they are in a back
gests that there was a fight here. In fact, not far alley, in Ambrosh’s house, or sleeping.
from the door lies a pile of bones. The skull seems Creatures: Garothos is Destridien’s lieutenant. He
to be wearing a bronze theater mask, and a sword was once a multiclass ranger/paladin of some renown
lies near the bones. Strangely enough, however, the until he was nearly killed by a powerful necro-
bones appear very old. mancer’s energy drain spell. Enraged at how his powers
failed him and on death’s door, he turned to darkness
A Knowledge (religion) check or a Spellcraft check and embraced the mantle of blackguard. He
(DC 15) reveals that these bones were once a part of an exchanged eight of his paladin levels for blackguard
animated skeleton. The mask is nonmagical, but a levels, but he lost four levels as a side effect of the
detect magic spell reveals a lingering dweomer of feeble spell. Now, he wraps himself in comforting misery
potency (it was once a single-use magic item, but it and cruelty.
has been used). Garothos is imposing at 6 1/2 feet tall. He wears a
helmet with a mirrored faceplate and carries a spiked
The house has eight rooms, but there is little of shield (mostly just for effect).
interest to find other than the bones by the door. If a
Garothos: Male human Rgr2/Blk4; CR 6; Medium-
pqs size humanoid; HD 6d10+12; hp 51; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.;
AC 20 (+1 Dex, masterwork full plate, masterwork
WHAT HAPPENED TO AMBROSH? spiked steel shield), touch 11, flat-footed 20; Atk
Ambrosh made a deal with Destridien, a necromancer. Together, +11/+6 melee (1d8+4 plus 1d6 cold/19–20, +1 frost long-
they would finance and smuggle a shipment of wraithweed sword); or +9/+4 ranged (1d8+3/×3, masterwork mighty
into the city. Once he had all the information, however, composite longbow [+3 Str bonus]); SA aura of despair,
Destridien had Ambrosh destroyed by Garothos and some poison use, sneak attack +1d6, smite good 1/day; SQ
skeletal servants. Garothos looted the house for anything command undead, dark blessing, detect good, lay on
particularly valuable and then left. This all happened within hands (12 points); AL CE; SV Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +5;
the last 24 hours. Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16.
pqs
184
Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Knowledge (religion) +9, Garothos, CHAPTER 6:
Ride +10, Hide +8, Listen +5; Power Attack, Cleave, After you dispose of the meddlers poking around
Sunder, Weapon Focus (longsword). ADVENTURES
Ambrosh’s house, go into the Spirit Wood and find the last
Possessions: Masterwork full plate, masterwork witness that we have to worry about—Thyrence of the
spiked steel shield, mirrored helm, +1 frost longsword, Arboreal Guardians. He is south of the city, near the Lost
masterwork mighty composite longbow (+3 Str Spring. He wears green-dyed leather armor and a silver
bonus), 20 arrows, potion of cure moderate wounds, 53 gp, earring. He has a blond beard and a wolf companion.
2 silver candlesticks (worth 75 gp each). Slay him.
Blackguard Spells Prepared (2/1; base DC 13 + spell Destridien
level): 1st—doom, inflict light wounds; 2nd—bull’s
strength. In the Wood
The PCs might attempt to go into the Spirit Wood to
Nightfire: Fiendish heavy warhorse mount; Large find the place where the missing adventurers were
outsider; HD 6d8+18; hp 42; Init +1; Spd 50 ft.; AC 15 supposed to meet, either after talking to Piotran, after
(–1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14; finding the note on Garothos, or on their own. Most
Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, 2 hooves) and +2 melee (1d4+2, likely, they are looking for the Lost Spring, a person
bite); Face/Reach 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.; SA smite good named Thyrence, or both.
1/day; SQ cold and fire resistance 10, DR 5/+1, SR 12, Attempting to learn anything about Thyrence in
blindsight 120 ft., improved evasion, share spells, town produces no results. However, if a character
empathic link, share saving throws; AL CE; SV Fort makes a Gather Information check or Knowledge
+8, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 6, Wis (local) check (DC 15), he learns the basic location of
13, Cha 6. the Lost Spring—straight
south of town, not as far
Skills and Feats: Listen +7, Spot +7. off as the Monastery
of Kreel.
Tactics: Garothos has already cast bull’s
strength on himself. He starts the combat by
using a sneak attack bow
shot on the weakest-looking
target. Then he and Nightfire
(assuming that the attack is taking
place someplace where Nightfire can
enter and move around—and Garo-
thos tries very hard to wait for just such
an opportunity) charge in and attack.
Garothos is overconfident, at least at first.
He assumes that he will defeat the PCs
handily. If it becomes obvious that he is
wrong, he attempts to withdraw.
However, he does not lead
the PCs back to the
theater—he doesn’t
actually live there,
anyway. Instead,
he flees out of
town and into
the woods.
Treasure: If a
character succeeds
on a Spot check (DC 15),
she notices that the can-
dlesticks that Garothos
carries match the decor of
Ambrosh’s house (he stole
them from there after destroy-
ing Ambrosh). Further, Garothos
carries a short note, written in
Common:
185
A Random Encounter (EL 4) Eventually, you come to a small clearing, where a
Staying on the road after leaving Manifest accom- number of bedrolls and animal pelts circle a small
plishes little. The roads are fairly safe and well trod- campfire surrounded by stones. It appears as if this
den. To find the Arboreal Guardians, the characters camp has been used for some time. A few men and
have to wander off into the woods themselves. How- women—mostly elves, but a few half-elves and
ever, that’s very dangerous. About an hour after the humans—stand warily as you approach. Many
PCs venture into the woods, read the following to the have arrows nocked in longbows.
players.
Caraste points with her thumb at a man with
CHAPTER 6: Suddenly, you hear the sound of branches breaking long, sandy blond hair and a bushy beard. Then she
and leaves crunching. In the dim light, through the looks at you. “Thyrence, these people came here
ADVENTURES branches, you see a huge form lumbering quickly looking for you.”
toward you. A mix of dark feathers and fur, this
hulking biped has a vicious-looking beaklike Thyrence’s initial attitude toward the PCs is unfriend-
mouth that lets loose with a terrible screech. Its ly. He is upset by the disappearance of his friends, and
clawed arms reach out for you as it closes. he generally does not like people from the city.
Charisma or Diplomacy checks are needed to win him
Creatures: This owlbear is simply hungry. If the over and convince him that the PCs are really work-
PCs deal more than 20 points of damage to it, it ing for the best interests of his friends. Once the char-
attempts to flee. acters have improved his attitude to indifferent or
better, Thyrence takes them into his confidence; read
Owlbear: 47 hp; see Monster Manual. Thyrence’s words below to the players.
The Arboreal Guardians “Ferrel, Chenni, and Ennic were to meet Seahan
Thyrence is one of the Arboreal Guardians, a friend of and me here. Seahan had just joined the Guardians
Seahan and the others. He knows about Ambrosh and here and hadn’t seen his friends in a while. But
the connection with Destridien, but he does not know there’s more to it than just that. See, they had been
exactly what happened to his friends. having run-ins with this ghost named Ambrosh in
Looking for him is difficult, however. You don’t really the city. He was bringing in some drug that affected
find the Guardians. You wait for them to find you. only ghosts. A shipment was coming in through
And so they do. Wandering around in the woods, the woods, here, and the five of us were going to
the PCs encounter two female elf rangers named Ani- put a stop to it.
tatia (female elf Rgr6) and Caraste (female elf Rgr5).
These Arboreal Guardians are not interested in help- “But they never showed up. Seahan went looking
ing the PCs. Consider them Unfriendly. Even if influ- for them in the city, and he never came back.
enced to be friendlier, they do not direct the PCs to
the Lost Spring. Instead, they instruct them to go “Perhaps they went to the Lost Spring on their
back to town or at least keep to the main roads. They own and encountered trouble there. I don’t know. I
honestly do not believe that it is safe for the PCs to be have not been there since.”
wandering around in the woods (and they are right).
However, if the PCs mention Thyrence by name, If asked for more information about the drug, the
and if they have favorably influenced the rangers to shipment, or Ambrosh, all Thyrence knows is that
an attitude of at least indifferent, Anitatia and Caraste Ambrosh was working with a man named Destridien,
take them to Thyrence. who controls an organization of undead and humans
called the Theater of Bone, which is secretly based at
The two elf rangers lead you through thick forest, the Lion Theater in Manifest.
following a path that seems to appear ahead of you
from nowhere and disappear again behind you. Creatures: Thyrence and his wolf companion are
Navigating these woods on your own would be quite capable of protecting themselves.
quite difficult. The sun’s rays barely penetrate the
canopy of branches above you, and a few birds flut- Thyrence: Male human Rgr5; Medium-size
ter silently amid the treetops. humanoid; HD 5d10+5; hp 38; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC
16 (+3 Dex, masterwork studded leather armor),
Occasionally, out of the corner of your eye, you touch 13, flat-footed 13; Atk +9/+6 melee (1d8+4/
catch an impression of movement—but if you turn 19–20, longsword); or +9/+6 melee (1d8+1/19–20,
to look, you see nothing. It’s as though the trees short sword); or +10 ranged (1d8+3/×3, masterwork
themselves occasionally shuffle about as you pass by. mighty composite longbow [+3 Str bonus]); SQ
favored enemies (undead +2, beasts +1); AL CG; SV
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10,
Wis 12, Cha 8.
186
Skills and Feats: Heal +5, Hide +5, Listen +9, Move As if on cue, the undead left behind by Destridien CHAPTER 6:
Silently +5, Spot +14, Wilderness Lore +9; Point Blank lurch out of the pool and attack.
Shot, Track, Weapon Focus (longsword). ADVENTURES
Creatures: Eight zombies and a ghast wait in the
Possessions: +1 longsword, masterwork short sword, pool. They were created by Destridien and placed here
masterwork mighty composite longbow (+3 Str to ambush anyone who would disturb this secret loca-
bonus), 20 masterwork arrows, masterwork studded tion, in which the necromancer hopes to do business
leather armor, eyes of the eagle, potion of lesser restoration. with the smugglers later on.
Ranger Spells Prepared (1; base DC 12): 1st—pass with- Medium-Size Zombies (8): hp 16 each; see Mon-
out trace. ster Manual.
Wolf Companion: 13 hp; see Monster Manual.
Development: Now that they have the lead about Ghast: hp 26; see Monster Manual.
the Lion Theater, the PCs are ready to find and take on
Destridien. If they have influenced Thyrence so that Development: It’s possible that this will look like
he is friendly or helpful, he goes with them. They may the end of the line. The adventurers the PCs sought
wish to investigate the Lost Spring first, however. are dead, and here is the proof. However, Thyrence
Thyrence shows them how to get there. points out that Seahan is still to be found, and that
around here, death is not necessarily the end. In any
The Lost Spring (EL 6) event, he encourages the PCs to keep looking, in
This is where Destridien and Ambrosh meet with the order to avenge the adventurers’ deaths.
wraithweed smugglers from Tereppek. The PCs may
find this location on their own, but it is more likely Ad Hoc XP Adjustment: This encounter was
that they have come here with Thyrence, perhaps designed with the idea that Thyrence is with the PCs.
looking for more clues. If he is not, the DM may wish to reduce the number
of zombies by two. Remember that if Thyrence par-
The more time you spend in these woods, the more ticipates, he gains a full share of the XP earned.
you get the feeling that the trees are watching you
and speaking in whispered voices—whispered Garothos (EL 6)
elven voices—in the wind. If Garothos is still alive, he attempts to complete his
assignment and kill Thyrence. He strikes after the
As the foliage parts into a clearing, you hear the zombies have weakened his target and the PCs, charg-
soft babbling of water. In the middle of the open ing in on Nightfire.
space, a pool forms from the flow of water from a
small, rock-covered hillock. The water stretches Doing Something Wrong (EL 8)
about 100 feet across or more, ringed by trees. The Spirit Wood is a dangerous place. If the PCs do
something particularly foolish, such as start a fire,
At the edge of the water, on the opposite side of chop down a number of trees, or attack Thyrence, one
the clearing, you see three dark forms sprawled on of the spirit trees of the wood attempts to show them
the ground. As the water gently laps at these forms, the error of their ways. If Thyrence is with the PCs, he
you realize that they are dead bodies. does whatever he can to stop PCs from taking these
actions, which angers the Spirit Wood itself.
The three bodies are Ferrel, Chenni, and Ennic. Their
corpses are a week old and, thus, are no pleasant sight You hear a creaking sound, like wood bent almost
to see. Allow the PCs to make Spot checks (DC 15). If to the breaking point. The creaking becomes a
any succeed, they note that, although the corpses have moan as a tree near you suddenly moves as if it were
been clawed as well as hacked with weapons, no an animated creature. Huge limbs reach toward you
animal has fed upon them. If Thyrence is present, he like clawed arms, and the bark of the trunk forms
suggests (if none of the characters do) that perhaps
something has been keeping animals away.
pqqqqrs
WHAT WERE THEY DOING HERE? coming from town were ambushed on their way and killed.
The missing adventurers found out about Ambrosh’s new Their ghosts were captured and taken in phasestones. Seahan
shipment of narcotics coming in. They knew that he and his was kidnapped (still alive) later. Thyrence knew about the
ally, Destridien, would be there to meet it at the Lost Spring. adventurers’ plans but did not participate.
However, it was all a lie—the setup for a trap. The three
pqqqqrs
187
CHAPTER 6: the accusing faces of at least half a dozen elf men knows that the concealed entrance is in his office. He
and women with hatred and anger in their eyes. does not know what those people are up to, nor does
ADVENTURES he care. Destridien pays him well, keeping the the-
This is a formidable challenge, so do not impose this ater afloat.
encounter upon the characters lightly—they may
very well not survive it. There are also four stagehands, a propmaster, a
seamstress, and a group of a dozen actors, singers, and
Creatures: Possessed of multiple eternal elven dancers who work here. All are 1st-level commoners,
spirits, the spirit tree acts just like a treant.
except the propmaster, who is a 2nd-level expert.
Treant: hp 66; see Monster Manual. They are of various races and genders.
During the day, the stagehands are cleaning
Development: If the PCs survive this up and moving props around, and the prop-
encounter, either by fleeing or by success in master is most likely painting backdrops. Five
combat, they should leave the forest immedi- to six actors are present, rehearsing. Sach is
ately. If they do not, they should expect always there, trying to control everything. The
another such encounter within 20–30 min- workers at the theater are not welcoming to visi-
utes. And another; and another. . . . tors, unless Sach believes them to be financiers.
At night, there’s likely a show going on, with
Eventually, the Arboreal Guardians show up, all members of the staff present, and an audi-
and they are just as unforgiving and merciless as ence of 5d20 people. It costs 2 cp to get in, and
the trees themselves. a vendor is near the door selling candied apples.
Back to Town Upper Level Layout
After gathering more information (and possibly an The Lion Theater is laid out as follows:
NPC ally) in the woods, the PCs should probably
return to the city. Of course, it is quite possible that 1. Entrance/Lobby
they could have followed leads that brought them This is where people come in, and where
here without ever having gone into the woods at all. the vendor is during the show. The stage-
hands take the admission.
THE THEATER OF BONE 2. Auditorium
Destridien operates his own secret organization This place is filled with benches and could
called the Theater of Bone from within the Lion seat 100 people and provide standing room
Theater in the Portal Ward. The Theater of Bone for another 100, but it is never that full.
seeks, ultimately, the downfall of Manifest. Destri-
dien particularly hates ghosts and plans to spread 3. Stage
wraithweed throughout the city, addicting and even- Five feet above the auditorium floor, the wooden stage
tually destroying the ghost population. is rigged with trapdoors that allow characters to rise
The organization has four living members and a up and sink down into the stage for special effects.
number of undead servitors. The undead servitors There is also a catwalk reached by ladders over the top
hide their presence by means of living masks. There are of the stage for lowering things down, as needed.
also a number of actors and stagehands working for
the Lion Theater who have no idea that the Theater of 4. Office/Dressing Room
Bone exists. This is Sach’s office, which doubles as a dressing room
at night. The door into the auditorium is usually
The Lion Theater locked (Open Lock DC 20). There is a secret door in
The PCs might come here fairly early on, if they pick the back of the room (Search DC 20 to find) that leads
up the clue of the mask in Ambrosh’s house. However, to the secret room. The door slides to one side, behind
they won’t really know what to look for, or even who a bookcase filled with manuscripts written by Sach.
Destridien is.
5. Storage
Staff Props and costumes are stored here. The door into the
The Lion Theater is run by Sach Rillian (male half-elf auditorium is usually locked (DC 20 to open).
Com3), a playwright/director/manager. This tall,
handsome man would like to think that he is devel- 6. Backstage
oping a following in Manifest, but the truth is, no Still more props are stored here, and in big produc-
one’s really heard of him yet. Sach knows that some tions, this is also used as a dressing room for some per-
people have a secret lair under the theater, and he formers.
188
Ground Level Theater of Bone
75
63 2 1
8 CHAPTER 6:
4
ADVENTURES
3 2 11
4 1 8
7 D 9
6 DMM
MMD
D
PP 10
PP
5
0 5 10 20 40 Basement Level
Scale in feet
7. Storage 1. Entrance
Still more costumes and props, as well as general When the PCs first enter this area, read the following
storage. aloud.
8. Secret Room A chamber much unlike the one above lies at the
This is the room that the PCs must find and get to. bottom of the stairs. Here, the walls are covered in
A staircase descends to a landing and another stair- black cloth, and where the stone shows, skulls,
case, and finally to the secret subterranean lair of bones and other death images have been carved
the Theater of Bone. Two actors stand here, with into its surface. The room is cold, and a bone-white
masks on and holding stage swords—except that rug lies in the middle of the floor. Next to the stairs,
they are not actors (they are skeletons with living you see a small silver gong on a stand with a black
masks) and the swords are not stage weapons (they mallet on the floor next to it.
are real).
Creatures: The two skeletons are here to ward off It is expected that visitors and residents will ring the
anyone who stumbles into this room by mistake. gong. If they do not and the zombies in area 2 hear any
They motion intruders away with their fake-looking noise, the zombies come and attack the intruders.
swords.
Medium-size Skeletons (2): 6 hp each; see Monster 2. Zombie Guards (EL 5)
Manual. Each has a longsword it uses in lieu of claw Read the following aloud.
attacks.
Black curtains cover most of the walls here, and a
Lower Level Layout black rug covers most of the floor. Two doors lead to
Each of the doors is a sturdy wooden specimen (2 in. the west.
thick; hardness 5; hp 20; AC 5; break DC 23).
The ceilings are all 15 feet high. Unless mentioned Creatures: If they have not yet moved to area 1,
otherwise, the walls of the rooms and hallways are fes- there are eight zombies here. If the gong in area 1
tooned in black drapery, with the occasional stone sounded, they do not attack unless one of the living
support covered in carved skulls and other macabre members of the Theater of Bone commands them to
images. do so.
189
Medium-Size Zombies (8): hp 16 each; see Mon- There has been no battle; Eddimar is just a maniac. A
ster Manual. Search check of the room (DC 20) reveals 24 gp and 35
sp, as well as a gem worth 50 gp and a masterwork
Development: If these zombies hear sounds from shortspear, amid the clutter.
area 1, but are not quelled by the sound of the gong,
they come to attack the intruders. Creatures: Eddimar is insane. He smashes what-
ever he can get his hands on and lives for destruction
3. Ungart’s Chamber (EL 3) and death. He wears a skull-mask and bears scars all
Read the following aloud. over his body. His hair is long and black—he is
hideously ugly, even for a half-orc.
CHAPTER 6: Spartan and tidy, this bedchamber has far less fur- Eddimar the Bloody: Male half-orc Bbn3; CR 3;
niture than it could have for its size. Furnishings Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d12+3; hp 28; Init +2;
ADVENTURES include a wooden bed, a chest, a small table, and a Spd 30 ft; AC 17 (+2 Dex, masterwork breastplate),
single chair. touch 12, flat-footed 15; Atk +9 melee (1d12+6/×3,
masterwork greataxe); SA rage; SQ uncanny dodge;
The chest is locked (Open Lock DC 25; Ungart has AL CE; SV Fort +4; Ref +3, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 14, Con
the key), but it contains only personal gear and 13, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8.
clothing.
Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Intuit Direction +7, Jump
Creatures: Ungart is one of the living members of +5, Listen +7; Weapon Focus (greataxe), Dodge.
the Theater of the Dead. She wears armor decorated
with skulls and symbols of death. Her head is shaved Possessions: Masterwork breastplate, masterwork
and covered with abstract red tattoos. greataxe, climber’s kit, 2 potions of cure moderate wounds,
potion of delay poison, potion of lesser restoration.
Ungart: Female human Ftr3; CR 3; Medium-size
humanoid; HD 3d10+6; hp 27; Init +1; Spd 20 ft; AC Rage: 1/day add +4 Str , +4 Con, +2 Will save, –2 AC,
20 (+1 Dex, half-plate armor, large metal shield), touch all for 6 rounds.
11, flat-footed 19; Atk +8 melee (1d8+3/19–20, mas-
terwork longsword); or +5 ranged (1d8+3/×3, master- Tactics: While he doesn’t have the power to com-
work mighty composite longbow [+3 Str bonus]); AL mand the zombies in area 2, Eddimar won’t hesitate to
LE; SV Fort +5, Ref+2, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 15, get their attention to fight against intruders, if pos-
Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. sible. Eddimar is utterly fearless and foolhardy and
does not wait for allies to leap into battle.
Skills and Feats: Ride +7, Climb +1, Jump +1; Cleave,
Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (longsword), Development: If the gong sounds in area 1, Eddi-
Weapon Specialization (longsword). mar goes to see what’s happening.
Possessions: Half-plate armor, large metal shield, mas- 5. Mastioth’s Chamber and Lab
terwork longsword, masterwork mighty composite Read the following aloud.
longbow (+3 Str bonus), 20 arrows, two potions of cure
light wounds, potion of bull’s strength, two gold rings (50 An acrid smell is the first thing that strikes you in
gp each), key to her chest, 21 gp. this room. The long chamber appears to be an
alchemical lab. Large tables fill the room, with all
Tactics: While she can’t actually control the zom- manner of liquid-filled vials, flasks, and beakers,
bies in area 2, Ungart can certainly get their attention jars of powders and herbs, small flame-pots, meas-
to aid her in a fight. If Ungart is going up against mul- uring spoons and various delicate tools, and still
tiple opponents, she would prefer to have Eddimar more strange objects covering their surfaces. Two
around. corpses lie on smaller tables, their flesh cut open
and carefully pinned to reveal the contents within.
Development: If the gong sounds in area 1, Ungart In the southeast corner sits an unmade bed.
goes to see who it is. Anatomical charts hang on the walls, along with
grisly depictions of hideous operations performed
4. Eddimar’s Chamber (EL 3) on what appears to be both the living and the dead.
Read the following aloud.
Mastioth, another of the Theater of the Dead mem-
A chaotic jumble of tousled sheets, blankets, cloth- bers, uses this lab to study necromancy. Destridien
ing, and trash hints that this is probably a bed- also uses this lab to animate the dead. If a character
chamber. The furniture is broken and smashed, as who has encountered wraithweed before makes a
though there has been a terrible battle here. Search check (DC 20), she finds three more doses of
the freshly powdered narcotic here.
190
Creatures: Mastioth is an orc with a real talent for The floor in this long chamber is polished black CHAPTER 6:
necromancy. When Destridien encountered him, he marble. The pillars that run along its length in two
took the orc under his wing to train him to be a necro- rows are bone-white—in fact, they may actually be ADVENTURES
mancer. Mastioth cannot actually animate the dead made of fused bones. They reach up to the 20-foot-
yet, but he is an excellent study. high ceiling. The eastern end widens, and there is a
wide platform on both the north and south walls.
Mastioth: Male orc Nec4; CR 4; Medium-size The platforms are about 10 feet off the floor, with
humanoid; HD 4d4+8; hp 17; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 white rugs covering the areas beneath them. A pair
(touch 10, flat-footed 10); Atk +4 melee (1d6+2, of wooden doors, each marked with a skull of
quarterstaff ); AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4; Str bronze, lead to the east.
15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 8.
Creatures on the platform get one-half cover from
Skills and Feats: Alchemy +5, Concentration +6, those below and attack with a +1 circumstance bonus
Knowledge (arcana) +6, Spellcraft +8; Brew Potion, because of their higher position.
Great Fortitude, Scribe Scroll.
Creatures: After the PCs enter this room, the
Possessions: Wand of ghoul touch (10 charges), potion guardians appear over the top of each platform. Four
of invisibility, scroll of shield, quarterstaff, 12 gp. skeletal bowmen are on each platform, with an
undead martyr that starts out on the north side but
Wizard Spells Prepared (5/5/3; base DC 11 + spell can fly back and forth to support the undead on either
level): 0—detect magic, disrupt undead*, mage hand, read side.
magic, resistance; 1st—burning hands, magic missile, ray of
enfeeblement*, shield, sleep; 2nd—scare*, summon monster Medium-Size Skeletons (8): hp 6 each; see Monster
II, web. Manual. Each has a longbow and 20 arrows that it uses
in lieu of claw attacks.
Spellbook: 0—arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect
ghost, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt ectoplasm*, dis- Undead Martyr: hp 29; see Chapter 5: Monsters.
rupt undead*, flare, light, mage hand, mending,
open/close, preserve ectoplasm, prestidigitation, ray of frost, Development: When the combat starts, the skele-
read magic, resistance; 1st—burning hands, cause fear, tons all begin to moan a terrible, low-pitched sound.
charm person, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement*, shield, Two rounds later, the giant skeletons from area 8
sleep; 2nd—ghoul touch, invisibility, scare*, summon come to aid them.
monster II, web.
*These spells belong to the school of Necromancy,
which is Mastioth’s specialty. Prohibited school:
Illusion.
Tactics: If he knows that danger is on its way, Mas- 8. Giant Skeletons (EL 4)
tioth makes himself invisible with his potion, then he Read the following aloud.
casts shield. If intruders come into the lab, he attempts
to take the fight elsewhere. More of a niche than a room in itself, this area is
filled with gigantic bones that must have once
Treasure: The materials here have the value of an belonged to giants. A few large weapons lie amid
alchemist’s lab (500 gp). the bones, but they are rusted and pitted. A drum-
ming sound comes from the south.
6. Storage Chamber
Read the following aloud.
This room has bare walls and a rough stone floor Creatures: Destridien intends to animate more
covered with boxes, crates, and barrels. A few rats giant skeletons from these bones, but so far, he has
scatter as you approach, but you can still hear their assembled only two. They attack intruders coming
rustling. from either direction or prisoners in area 9 who
manage to slip out of their bonds.
This is a simple storage room. The gear and foodstuffs Huge Skeletons (2): hp 26 each; see Monster
here are of little interest, although there is a supply of Manual.
120 arrows and three longbows.
Development: If the skeletons in area 7 begin to
7. Great Hall (EL 5) moan, these giant skeletons go through the doors and
Read the following aloud. attack whatever living intruders they find.
191
CHAPTER 6:
ADVENTURES
9. The Theater (EL 4) (DC 15) or become mesmerized, and the effects last
Read the following aloud. for 1d4 rounds.
A drumming sound fills the air. Four skeletons Creatures: Aside from the skeletons, the missing
beat bones against flesh-covered drums in the adventures are held prisoner here, three now as
center of the room. Other skeletons dance to the ghosts, one still alive. It should be noted that, while
beating of the drums, moving as though they were each is presented with equipment listed and full capa-
marionettes on strings, but you can clearly see that bilities, each prisoner actually has nothing (their pos-
they are not. As this macabre scene continues, you sessions are in the chest in area 10), all the spellcasters
feel a heavy weight upon your very soul. There is are out of spells, and each has only 1d4 hit points.
an evil power to this place that is invisible but still
quite palpable. Medium-Size Skeletons (8): hp 6 each; see Monster
Manual. These skeletons do not attack.
In the south part of the room, there is a recess
through a wide arch. Within this area, four people Chenni the Younger: Female elf ghost Sor4; CR 5;
struggle against tight bonds. One is a dwarf, one an Medium-size outsider; HD 4d4; hp 13; Init +2; Spd 30
elf, and the other two are human. ft; AC 13 (+2 Dex, bracers of armor +1), touch 12, flat
footed 11; Atk +1 melee (1d8–1/×3, shortspear); or +6
This is the Theater of Bone, and it is a strange place. ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); SQ
The area is under the effect of an unhallow spell. All elf traits, no discernible anatomy, ghost weakness; AL
good-aligned, living beings here take a –1 circum- NG; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5; Str 8, Dex 15, Con 10,
stance penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 16.
throws, and checks involving physical movement.
This effect ends if the skeletons stop beating the Skills and Feats: Alchemy +7, Concentration +8,
drums. Spellcraft +7, Spot +3; Brew Potion, Point Blank Shot,
Toughness.
The skeletons’ dance functions similarly to a daze
spell, with the following changes: It affects only Possessions: Shortspear, masterwork light crossbow,
living creatures, who must make Will saving throws 10 masterwork bolts, bracers of armor +1, wand of magic
missile (32 charges), potion of cure moderate wounds,
potion of endurance, scroll of invisibility, dagger.
192
Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/4; base DC 13 + spell Swim +8, Wilderness Lore +6; Point Blank Shot, Track, CHAPTER 6:
level): 0—daze, detect magic, flare, light, ray of frost, read Weapon Focus (battleaxe), Weapon Focus (composite
magic; 1st—color spray, magic missile, shield; 2nd—whis- longbow). ADVENTURES
pering wind.
Possessions: masterwork chainmail, +1 large wooden
Ferrel Hass: Male dwarf ghost Ftr3; CR 4; Medium- shield, +1 battleaxe, masterwork mighty composite
size outsider; HD 3d10+9; hp 30; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 longbow (+3 Str bonus), 20 arrows.
Improved Initiative); Spd 20 ft.; AC 21 (+1 Dex, full
plate armor, large metal shield), touch 11, flat-footed Ranger Spells Prepared (1; base DC 12): 1st—delay
20; Atk +7 melee (1d10+2/19–20, masterwork bastard poison.
sword); or +5 ranged (1d8+2/×3, masterwork mighty
composite longbow [+2 Str bonus]); SQ dwarf traits, Development: This may very well be where Destri-
no discernible anatomy, ghost weakness; AL LG; SV dien chooses to confront the PCs.
Fort +6; Ref +2, Will +2; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10,
Wis 12, Cha 8. 10. Destridien’s Chamber (EL 7 if Destridien is
here, 4 otherwise)
Skills and Feats: Climb +0, Ride +6, Jump +0; Exotic
Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Weapon Focus The door here is locked (Open Lock DC 25). Only
(bastard sword), Toughness, Improved Initiative, Destridien has the key. The door is also trapped.
Power Attack. Saying “Xaphan is my home” before opening the door
allows safe entry.
Possessions: Full plate armor, large metal shield,
masterwork bastard sword, dagger, masterwork Glyph of Warding: CR 2; 5-ft. cold spray (2d8); Reflex
mighty composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), 20 arrows, DC 15 half; Search DC 28; Disable Device DC 28.
potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of endurance.
This room contains a large canopy bed covered
Ennic Kardathalost: Male human ghost Clr4; CR with black sheets. A book lies on the bed. A large
5; Medium-size outsider; HD 4d8+8; hp 29; Init –1; chest is in one corner, a bloated statue of a goat-
Spd 20 ft; AC 19 (–1 Dex, full plate armor, large metal headed fiend sitting atop it. A table covered in wine
shield), touch 9, flat-footed 19; Atk +5 melee (1d8+1, bottles, goblets, and a few dishes and some silver-
masterwork heavy mace); or +2 ranged (1d8/19–20, ware is in another corner. Finally, a wardrobe stands
light crossbow); AL LG; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +7; Str near the bed with a lit lantern hanging from a hook
13, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12. on one side of it and a draped black cloak hanging
on the other side. Two bronze, theater-style masks
Skills and Feats: Spellcraft +7, Concentration +9, hang from a hook on the east wall.
Heal +9; Brew Potion, Lightning Reflexes, Scribe
Scroll. This is Destridien’s chamber. It is unlikely that the
PCs actually encounter him here. It is far more likely
Possessions: Full plate armor, large metal shield, mas- that, upon being made aware of the intruders, he has
terwork heavy mace, light crossbow, 10 bolts, potion of moved to someplace more defensible. If nowhere else,
blur, potion of invisibility, potion of fly, 5 scrolls of cure he would make his stand in the theater itself (area 9).
light wounds, silver holy symbol.
The book on the bed is an unholy book of devotions
Cleric Spells Prepared (5/6/4; base DC 13 + spell level): and prayers to Orcus.
0—cure minor wounds, detect magic (2), light (2); 1st—
bless (2), protection from evil*, summon monster I (2); Creatures: Destridien is a cleric of Orcus and a foul
2nd—aid* (2), enthrall, spiritual weapon. necromancer.
*Domain spell. Deity: Aluvan. Domains: Good (cast Destridien: Male human Clr6; CR 6; Medium-size
good spells at +1 caster level), Protection (give some- humanoid; HD 6d8+12; hp 42; Init +0; Spd 20 ft; AC
one a +4 resistance bonus on one save 1/day). 21 (+1 full plate armor, large metal shield), touch 10,
Seahan Vestinet: Male human Rgr5; CR 5; pqs
Medium-size humanoid; HD 5d10+10; hp 40; Init +3;
Spd 30 ft.; AC 22 (+3 Dex, masterwork chainmail, +1 PLACEMENT OF THE NPCS
large wooden shield), touch 12, flat-footed 20; Atk +10 Remember that, as intelligent individuals, the living members
melee (1d8+4/×3, +1 battleaxe); or +9 ranged of the Theater of Bone act and react intelligently. They do not
(1d8+3/×3, masterwork mighty composite longbow wait in their rooms if they know that something is going on.
[+3 Str bonus]); SQ favored enemies (goblinoids +2, They may attempt to confront the PCs in the Lion Theater if it
undead +1); AL CG; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 17, seems beneficial to them. They can even take undead with
Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 11. them, having them wear living masks.
Skills and Feats: Animal Empathy +3, Handle Animal pqs
+5, Hide +7, Intuit Direction +3, Knowledge (nature)
+5, Listen +5, Move Silently +7, Ride +8, Search +4,
193
CHAPTER 6: flat-footed 21; Atk +6 melee (1d8+1, masterwork This shrine is unholy, as the result of an unhallow
morningstar); or +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, light cross- spell. The site has a permanent protection from good
ADVENTURES bow); AL LE; SV Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +9; Str 13, Dex effect, and the unholy aura confers a –4 profane
11, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 12. penalty on attempts to turn undead (or a +4 profane
bonus on attempts to rebuke undead). The unhallow
Skills and Feats: Spellcraft +8, Concentration +10, spell also continually grants all evil beings the bene-
Heal +11; Brew Potion, Lightning Reflexes, Scribe fits of aid while they are in this room.
Scroll, Combat Casting.
Treasure: Hidden in a secret compartment in the
Possessions: +1 full plate armor, large metal shield, altar (Search DC 20 to find), Destridien has hidden a
masterwork morning star, light crossbow, 10 bolts, stick of incense of meditation.
horn of fog, pearl of power (2nd-level spell), potion of
blur, potion of levitate, potion of bull’s strength, scroll of CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE
cure moderate wounds and cure serious wounds, silver The return of the missing adventurers results in a
unholy symbol, 98 gp, key to his room, key to the great many good things. If the PCs know where
chest in his room. Ferrel, Chenni, and Ennic’s bodies are, the three
adventurers attempt to get themselves raised—or
Cleric Spells Prepared (5/5/4; base DC 14 + spell level): perhaps they stay in ghost form for a while. The PCs
0—cure minor wounds (3), resistance (2); 1st—bless, cure get the reward from Piotran and his—and a number
light wounds, doom, protection from good*, summon mon- of other Blueleaf patrons’—gratitude. Most of all,
ster I; 2nd—death knell*, endurance, hold person (2), they earn the abiding respect and thanks of all four
silence; 3rd—animate dead*, cure serious wounds, dispel adventurers. The DM should consider using them as
magic, magic circle against good. long-term allies and contacts in the city.
*Domain spell. Deity: Orcus. Domains: Evil (cast KINSHIP OF VERMIN
evil spells at +1 caster level), Death (death touch 6d6
damage 1/day). An encounter site for 5th-level characters.
Tactics: In a fight, Destridien uses his horn of fog SYNOPSIS
to unleash a thick mist and then attacks with silence This is a small lair used by an ettercap cleric of
near a spellcaster and hold person on a fighter. Khostren and his monstrous spider allies. They have
Unless caught completely unaware, he already has become a very effective team of hunters in the area,
protection from good, endurance, and bull’s strength combining magic, poison, and webs to capture prey.
(from his potion) cast upon himself. He may, in
times of great need, retreat to the shrine to Orcus THE LAIR
(area 11). This location is a series of caves carved out of the
packed earth that makes up one of the outer walls of
Treasure: The masks on the wall are living masks the Undercity.
that Destridien uses if he needs to get some of the
undead up into the city. 1A. Pit
Read the following aloud.
The statue on top of the chest depicts Orcus. It is
worth 100 gp to someone willing to buy such an awful This pit is almost 10 feet across and about 20 feet
thing. The wine on the table is worth 25 gp a bottle, deep. A 10-foot-wide bridge of thick webbing spans
and there are 10 bottles. The dishes and cutlery are the center of the pit from this side to the far side.
worthless.
The chest is locked (Open Lock DC 25) and trapped
with another glyph of warding, identical to the one on
the door (see above). Destridien keeps all the prison-
ers’ equipment within the chest until he can get it all
identified to use for himself.
11. Shrine to Orcus Tursik the ettercap has covered the pit with a sheet of
The door to this room bears a symbol of a skull sticky webbing so it appears to work like some sort of
mounted atop a black metal rod. bridge. However, he and the spiders climb the walls
This chamber is cold and smells of incense. The
stone floor is smooth, white, and bare. A black altar
sits upon a dais in the center of the room with an
unlit brazier on either side of it. Each corner has
skulls piled up into it, like a carefully made pyra-
mid. The walls are covered with black drapes.
194
and avoid the pit and webbing entirely, leaving it as a Kinship of Vermin
trap for intruders.
3
Trap: Any creature that moves onto the web
automatically becomes entangled in it. An entan- 2 Pit 4
gled creature can escape with an Escape Artist 1b
check (DC 20) or burst the web with a Strength
check (DC 26). The web has 6 hit points and takes Pit CHAPTER 6:
double damage from fire. An entangled creature
gets a +5 bonus on an attempt to escape or burst the 5 ADVENTURES
webbing if she can grab onto something (such as 1a Pit
the unwebbed wall or a pole held by a strong ally)
while trying to pull free. 6
7
The web can support 100 pounds of weight. Any
more weight than that causes key strands to break and Ruins 0 5 10 20 40
plunges the web and all it carries to the bottom of the Scale in feet
pit, where those within the web remain entangled.
Falling creatures take 2d6 points of damage and may 2. Husks
not make Jump or Tumble checks to reduce this Read the following aloud.
damage.
Similar to the large room adjoining it, webs adorn
Burning this web or any other significant web in the walls and hang from the ceiling here. Under
the lair creates enough noise that the spiders in other thicker sections of web are at least a dozen
parts of the lair can make a Listen check (DC 15 + 1 humanoid bodies, either piled in the corner or
per 10 feet of distance) to hear it. attached to the wall.
Web Bridge Trap: CR 2; entangle (automatic);
Escape Artist check (DC 20) or Strength check (DC
26) breaks free; hp 6.
1B. Main Room
Read the following aloud.
Three large sheets of webbing hang from the ceil-
ing here, with several large patches of webbing on
the walls, as well. The webs make it difficult to see
more than about 20 feet.
The hanging webs are thin and not sticky and give any Each of the bodies has been dead anywhere from a
creature more than 20 feet away one-quarter conceal- few days to a few weeks. The bodies have been
ment (10% miss chance). They interfere with lights stripped of all valuables and moved here by Tursik so
enough to treat any area 20 feet or more distant from the rest of the lair isn’t cluttered. The bodies are vari-
a light source as being in shadow (which gives Tursik ously human, elf, half-elf, dwarf, gnome, orc, and
a bonus on Hide and Spot checks when he is in those lizardfolk.
areas).
3. Eggs
Each hanging web has 1 hit point. Fire burns a web The pit that blocks access to this room is a simple 10-
away in 1 round, dealing 1 point of fire damage to foot-deep pit, lacking a web bridge like the one in area
anyone standing within it. It takes 3 rounds of burn- 1A. The spiders and the ettercap can easily crawl along
ing to remove all the webs from this room. The webs the walls and avoid the pit.
can be torn down, taking a total of 6 rounds of work.
This room is nearly bare, except for two ovoid
Fire or noise in this room attracts the attention of all cocoons made of silken threads fixed in two cor-
the inhabitants of the lair, who come out to attack the ners of the room by more spider web. One ovoid
intruders. Because the Large spiders are too wide to fit has a large hole in it and is filled with hollow spher-
through the 5-foot-wide hallways to areas 2 and 4, ical husks, each with a small hole in it.
they have to crawl sideways on the walls (they take up
a 5 foot-wide by 10-foot-long space on the floor in
these circumstances). Tursik holds back the Huge
spider in area 5 long enough to cast shield of faith on it.
195
CHAPTER 6: This is an egg chamber. One batch of eggs has hatched Huge Monstrous Hunting Spider: hp 56; see
already, and the young spiders have scattered them- Monster Manual. Tursik’s shield of faith spell increases
ADVENTURES selves about the Undercity. The other batch is due to its AC to 18 (touch 13, flat-footed 15).
hatch in about a week, releasing ten Tiny monstrous
spiders that will do the same, although they’ll swarm 6. Tursik’s Lair (EL 7)
any enemy in their egg chamber when they hatch. The pit leading into this room is 20 feet deep and com-
The immature spiders can be slain automatically and pletely covered with sticky webbing (although the pit
can’t fight, even if forced out of their eggs early. itself is still visible), as are the walls. Creatures (other
than Tursik or the spiders) walking on the web or
4. Spider Lair (EL 3) climbing the walls become entangled as described in
Read the following aloud. area 1A. These webs can support up to 150 pounds,
which means that Tursik can walk across them safely,
This room is bare except for the dead body of a male but greater weights cause them to break free, drop-
elf, which appears to be desiccated. Small patches ping into the pit as described in area 1A.
of web cover parts of the walls. Another chamber is At the bottom of this pit is the miscellaneous gear
visible beyond a slight narrowing of the room. from the other victims of the spiders. Tursik takes
what he considers valuable and dumps the rest
This room and the one beyond it are the lair of some (including weapons, heavy armor, rope, and so on).
of Tursik’s monster pets, and they are encountered
here if they haven’t already moved to area 1B. This room has several sheets of web stretching from
floor to ceiling, obscuring what’s behind them.
Creatures: The two spiders attack anything that
enters their private lair (except Tursik). They aren’t Like those in area 1B, these webs provide con-
hiding if discovered here. Noise in this area attracts cealment to creatures behind them and cause
the other residents of the lair. the effect of shadows if between a creature
and a light source (which gives Tursik his
Large Monstrous Hunting Spiders bonus on Hide and Spot checks).
(2): hp 24, 21; see Monster Manual.
5. Spider Lair (EL 4) Web Bridge Trap: CR 2; entangle
The pit blocking the hallway to this (automatic); Escape Artist check (DC
room is 10 feet deep and has some 20) or Strength check (DC 26) breaks
web fragments along its edges, but
no actual web bridge. free; hp 6.
This large chamber is the Creatures: Tursik has a small
lair of another spider, appar- 10-foot-high shelf made of web-
ently a very large one. Webs bing in the southeastern part of
cover the western portion this room. If caught unaware in his
of this room, and wedged in lair, Tursik casts invisibility on him-
the middle of that mass is
the fragmented skeleton of self to buy some time and
an immature minotaur. retreats to a more remote por-
tion of his room to cast divine
This room is the lair of favor, shield of faith, and healing
Tursik’s favorite and biggest spells on himself.
pet.
If not caught unaware,
Creature: If it hasn’t Tursik normally casts invisibility
already moved to area 1B, on himself before a fight, then
the spider attacks any intrud- divine favor, then black lungs, then
ers who come here. Noise here bites an enemy to deal damage,
attracts Tursik’s attention and
that of the spiders in area 4. poison damage, and the
Tursik normally casts invisibil- penalties from the spell all
ity on himself and then tries to cast at the same time.
shield of faith on the Huge spider. If If the fight turns against
things go badly for Tursik here, he retreats to area 6.
him, he casts obscuring mist,
retreats through the fog (he
knows the location of the
webs and can move around them
easily), and heads for the secret exit at
196
area 7. Once out of sight of his enemies, he casts torn apart as a free action, and a moving creature can CHAPTER 6:
change self to look like a human rogue and tries to pass through it without a reduction in speed or any
escape the area entirely, returning later to pick up other penalties. The dirt and webbing conceals the ADVENTURES
the pieces. tunnel from the outside as well. If he flees this way,
the ettercap breaks through the web and climbs
Tursik: Male ettercap Clr3; CR 7; Medium-size down to ground level and tries to escape into the
aberration; HD 5d8+5 plus 3d8+3; hp 44; Init +4; Spd Undercity.
30 ft., climb 30 ft.; AC 20 (+4 Dex, +1 natural, +1 stud-
ded leather, +1 ring of protection), touch 15, flat-footed 16; THE DEVIL’S CELLAR
Atk +5 melee (1d8 plus poison, bite) and +3 melee
(1d3, 2 claws); or +5 melee (by spell, touch); SA poison A Ghostwalk adventure for 6th-level characters.
(Fort DC 13, 1d6 Dex/2d6 Dex), rebuke undead 2/day,
web; SQ darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; AL NE; SV SYNOPSIS
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +9; Str 10, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 6, In a deep shaft called the Devil’s Cellar by those who
Wis 15, Cha 8. explore the Undercity beneath Manifest, the yuan-ti
have built a magical gate to the demiplane called Coil.
Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Concentration +4, Craft The PCs learn that yuan-ti have been seen in the area
(weaving) +2, Hide +3*, Listen +10, Spot +10*; Combat and investigate. They learn that not only are the yuan-
Casting, Multiattack. ti now much closer to invasion, but they plan an assas-
sination in Manifest as well. Using information
Skills: *Ettercaps in shadow receive a +4 racial bonus gained in the Devil’s Cellar, the PCs stop the plot in
on Hide and Spot checks. the city and most likely put an end to the gate.
Cleric Spells Prepared (4/4/3; BACKGROUND
base DC 12 + spell level): 0— The yuan-ti hate Manifest and
create water, detect magic, mend- want nothing more than to
ing, purify food and drink;
1st—change self*, divine favor, crush it anyway they can. That
obscuring mist, shield of faith; much is certain. About a year
2nd—black lungs, cure moderate ago, a pureblood yuan-ti
wounds, invisibility*. named Essinthras began to put a
plan into motion that would
*Domain spell. Deity: Khostren. allow him to kill Jaesicha Milli-
Domains: Destruction (smite 1/day, cen, an influential member of
+4 attack bonus, +3 damage), Trickery Manifest’s council of warders.
(Bluff, Disguise, and Hide are class When looking for a base of oper-
skills). ations, he came upon Dreig Ithin,
a half-orc assassin. Originally intending to
Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 simply pay the assassin for his assistance, Essinthras
ring of protection, wand of cure light learned about an old shaft under the city from the
wounds (15 charges), holy symbol, half-orc. This place, the Devil’s Cellar, proved to be
150 gp, 100 sp, 1 copper statue of perfect for Essinthras’s needs, and the yuan-ti got
Khostren (40 gp), two 50-gp gems. ready to put his plan into motion. In exploring the
deep reaches of the shaft, he discovered a magical
Treasure: At the bottom of the pit is the discarded pool that would allow for the relatively easy creation
equipment from previous victims: 3 suits of chainmail of a magical gate to another plane—such as the
(Medium-size), a breastplate (Small), 2 suits of stud- yuan-ti demiplane of Coil. He realized that some
ded leather (Small), a +1 small steel shield, a light flail, 3 assistance from other yuan-ti would be very benefi-
longswords, a masterwork short sword, a steel holy cial to his plan, and he created the gate. But now
symbol of Uhanam, a rotten spellbook (unsalvage- things have moved beyond simple assassination.
able), 31 crossbow bolts, two 50-foot lengths of frayed Without even realizing he was doing it, Essinthras
and bug-eaten rope, and many broken items (includ- has given the yuan-ti a secret way into the city. When
ing crossbows, lanterns, mirrors, and bottles). the moment is right, they can stream through the
gate and invade the city from below.
7. Secret Exit
Read the following aloud. ADVENTURE HOOKS
All of these adventure hooks have nothing to do with
This hallway narrows to a little over 3 feet wide the assassination plot. That’s because the plot is
before coming to an abrupt end. intended to be a twist in the adventure, which may
A Search check (DC 5) reveals that the end of this
tunnel is just thin webbing covered in dirt. It can be
197
CHAPTER 6: seem at first to be nothing more than a simple under- feet wide, which plummets down into darkness
ground exploration. below. A platform made of wood is suspended by
ADVENTURES ropes to a pulley system anchored into the rocky
1. There is a 100-gp bounty on yuan-ti paid by the ceiling 20 feet above. It’s tied off on a metal spike
Yisa-khardomas or 1,000 gp if one can be captured and near the edge of the hole now, but once loosened, it
brought back alive for questioning. The PCs, seeking could probably support the weight of five or six
bounties, have heard that yuan-ti have been spotted in people and could raise and lower like a scaffold.
the area under Phantom Hill and eventually find the Another pulley is hammered into the ceiling, with
Devil’s Cellar. a rope dangling from it down into the pit.
2. Derroal Yan, a young man, accidentally killed his The platform is indeed sturdy and holds up to 1,000
father (he believed that a man had broken into his pounds before the strain breaks the rope, the pulley,
house and was attacking his mother, and didn’t realize or the platform. It is 8 feet square and has a wooden
his father had returned from a trip early). The PCs are railing around the side for safety. The platform can
contacted by Thedrin Yan, the ghost of Derroal’s easily be raised or lowered by someone either beside
father, who is hoping someone can find the young the shaft or on the platform itself. At any point, as a
man, who now travels down into the Devil’s Cellar, full-round action, the operator can tie off the rope to
seeking atonement or punishment. His father does the platform so that it no longer moves down. Using
not hold a grudge and wants his son to be safe. the pulley, a character can lift or lower twice the
amount he or she could normally drag. Four Medium-
3. Enourth Custon, a cleric of Aluvan, contacts the size characters easily fit on the platform; eight can
PCs. She has been plagued with nightmares that she crowd aboard, if necessary.
believes are sendings from her god. She has seen the
city overrun with yuan-ti, coming up from a deep pit If the rope is released, the platform falls along with
below Phantom Hill. She asks the characters to everything on it. Characters aboard the platform can
investigate. attempt Reflex saves (DC 20) to grab the rope. If suc-
cessful, a character must succeed on a Strength check
GETTING TO THE SHAFT (DC 15, + 1 per 100 pounds of load) to stop the plat-
Basically, the trip to the Devil’s Cellar can be as simple form. Failure, in addition to the normal damage from
or as difficult as you want it to be. The area of the falling, causes a severe rope burn that deals 1 point of
buried city in which it lies is not completely aban- subdual damage.
doned or unknown by those who have experience
with the areas beneath the city. A Gather Information Characters taking violent or reckless actions on the
check (DC 20) is all that is needed to get directions platform must succeed on a Balance check (DC 10) to
right to it. See Chapter 2: The City of Manifest for stay on. Those who fall can attempt to grab hold of the
more information on adventuring in the Undercity. edge by making Reflex saves (DC 20).
THE DEVIL’S CELLAR The platforms are located on the southern edge of
The following is a key that matches with the map of the shaft, so only those areas along that edge (areas 1,
the Devil’s Cellar. There is no map for the top of the 2, and 8) can be easily reached.
shaft.
Of course, the PCs could just fly down, or levitate,
Top of the Shaft or climb. The shaft is 200 feet deep.
Amid a rubble-choked section of the buried city, well
off the Ghostwalk path, the top of the Devil’s Cellar Level One
can be found in a long cave that was once a city street. The first level is just a single shelf about 50 feet below
The Devil’s Cellar is 200 feet deep. It was originally the top of the shaft. It’s tucked into the wall of the
created as an exploratory shaft by adventurous explor- shaft and not visible from the top, even for someone
ers decades earlier. Its sides are relatively smooth but with darkvision.
unfinished. The yuan-ti have carved a narrow little
path (Spot DC 20 to notice) so that in viper form, they 1. Shelf (EL 3)
can slither in a spiral up or down the shaft. Read the following aloud when the characters arrive.
All around are the remnants of a long-dead, long- After you begin to descend, you see a shelf set into
buried city—the Manifest of an earlier age. The the side of the shaft. It appears to hold some equip-
buildings are destroyed and full of rubble, but the ment and rope.
street is at least partially clear, forming a 30-foot-
wide corridor that runs for at least 500 feet. Even- This ledge holds 100 feet of rope, 20 pitons, and two
tually, you come upon the top of a round shaft, 50 mallets. The yuan-ti keep this equipment here in
198
The Devil's Cellar
Level Two
50 ft. 80 ft. 7 CHAPTER 6:
down down 6
ADVENTURES
1 T 28
27
Level One 2
4 26
3
5
Level Three
14 13 11
10
120 ft.
down
89 12
15 25
17 16 19
A 200 ft.
down
Brazier 18 22 24
Chest 21 20 V 23
Pit Trap D
Snake Statue
Table 0 10 20 40
Stone Urns Scale in feet
Bed/Cot
Door
Shackles
199
CHAPTER 6: case they need it to help maneuver up or down the sits in the southeast corner. Candles in sconces on
shaft. the wall are also unlit. A knife target hangs on the
ADVENTURES north wall with a throwing knife stuck into it.
Creatures: Six stirges have recently made their
roost in this little-used shelf, unbeknownst to the The table serves as a crude alchemist’s lab for con-
yuan-ti. They only attack to defend the ledge from cocting acids and poisons. Some clothes of all types
intruders when someone comes to the ledge. If a (for disguises) are shoved under the cot.
stirge gets its fill of blood (4 Con points), it flies up
and out of the shaft. Dreig has hidden his keys in a small niche in the
northeast corner (Search DC 20 to find). This includes
Stirges (6): hp 5 each; see Monster Manual. a key to the doors in area 2 and area 3, as well as to his
iron box.
Level Two
This level and the level below were once constructed Creatures: Dreig Ithin has made this his home for
by enterprising brigands who hoped to make this almost five years, away from the authorities and other
their long-term lair. They were attacked and wiped bothersome aspects of the surface. About ten months
out by minotaurs, who finished some of their work. ago, the half-orc made a deal with the pureblood
One of the minotaurs survives today but was subdued Essinthas. In exchange for showing the yuan-ti the
by the yuan-ti (see area 17). location of the Devil’s Cellar, Dreig was paid hand-
somely. Of course, he knows that they plan on dispos-
2. Trapped Cave (EL 3) ing of him eventually, but he intends to be long gone
There are two traps here. The first is a tripwire that by then.
activates a spear trap located at the mouth of the cave.
Dreig Ithin: Male half-orc Mnk4/Rog1/Asn1; CR
Spear Trap: CR 2; two +10 ranged (1d8/×3 each) 6; Medium-size humanoid; HD 4d8 + 1d6 + 1d6; hp
plus poison (1 Con/1d2 Con; Fort DC 13 negates); 27; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.;
Reflex save (DC 25) avoids tripwire; Search DC 20; AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10; Atk +5 melee (1d8+2,
Disable Device DC 20. unarmed strike); or +6 melee (1d4+2/19–20, master-
work dagger); SA death attack, flurry of blows, poison
A cave has been hacked out of the side of the shaft use, sneak attack +2d6, stunning attack 4/day; SQ eva-
here, 80 feet below the top. It’s dark and empty sion, fast movement, slow fall 20 ft., still mind, traps;
except for rocks and rubble. An old unlit lantern AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +3; Str 15, Dex 18,
sits in the middle of the room. Con 10, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 10.
The door to the south is locked (Open Lock DC 25). Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Disguise +8, Hide +12,
Dreig Ithin (area 3) has the key. Jump +10, Move Silently +12; Deflect Arrows, Dodge,
Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike.
The second is a pit trap immediately in front of the
door to the south. The pit is 40 feet deep, the bottom Assassin Spells Prepared (1): spider climb.
of which is actually area 9. Dreig uses his Disable Spellbook: 1st—change self, spider climb.
Device skill to jam the trap when he needs to get over Possessions: 2 masterwork daggers, potion of cure mod-
it (if he’s in a hurry to escape, he jumps over it or erate wounds, potion of fly, 254 gp.
climbs down the pit (Climb DC 15).
Tactics: Dreig has no desire to get into a fight. He
Pit Trap: CR 2; 40 ft. deep (4d6); Reflex DC 15 likes to say (to himself, since he has no friends), “I
avoids; Search DC 17; Disable Device DC 17. don’t fight; I kill.” Thus, if he hears intruders dealing
with his traps in area 2, he goes to area 5 and hides.
Development: Essinthas the pureblood yuan-ti He studies one intruder through the crack in the
may be here hiding as a viper (see area 7). door between areas 3 and 5 so he can make a death
attack, if need be. His best-case scenario would be for
3. Assassin’s Lair (EL 6) intruders to go to areas 6 and 7 first, so he can sneak
The door to this room is locked (Open Lock DC 25). up on them while they fight Essinthas (and flee back
The key is hidden inside the room. toward the shaft, if need be). The second-best sce-
nario for him would be for intruders to come into his
A well-used cot, a small iron box, and a table made area, not notice him hiding, and leave, so he can
by boards laid across two chairs furnish this room. attack them with surprise at some point to recover
The makeshift table and the floor underneath it are whatever they steal.
covered with small pots and jars. An unlit brazier
Treasure: The iron box holds Dreig’s valuables. It is
locked (Open Lock DC 25). Inside, Dreig keeps 254
gp, a flask of alchemist’s fire, 2 masterwork daggers,
and a potion of lesser restoration.
200
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D&D 3.5 - Ghostwalk
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