OSE - Through-the-Valley-of-the-Manticore

THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THEMANTICORELOW TO MID L EV E L ADV EN TU R E FO R 4 O R MO R E P LAY E R SFANTASY ROLEPLAYING ADVENTURE MODULEBY JACOB FLEMING

MAP OF THE HU

ULOROR CANYON

FANTASY ROLEPLAYING ADVENTURE MODULE1ST PRINTINGWritten and Illustrated byJACOB FLEMINGEdited byDAVID CAMERONTHROUGH THE VALLEY OF THEMANTICORE

© 2022 Gelatinous Cubism PressOld-School Essentials is a trademark of Necrotic Gnome.The trademark and Old-School Essentials logo are used withpermission of Necrotic Gnome, under license.Introduction.......................................................................................... 1The Setting ........................................................................................... 1History of the Canyonlands ................................................................... 2Getting to the Canyon........................................................................... 3The Manticore ....................................................................................4Fort Davelmag ...................................................................................5Huloror Canyon .................................................................................9Gnoll Den .......................................................................................... 11Northern Route ................................................................................13The Statuary ....................................................................................... 15Rak-Rosar Ruins.................................................................................. 17Southern Route ................................................................................20Salt Cauldron Tunnel........................................................................... 21Coven Lake ........................................................................................ 23Lair of the Manticore........................................................................... 24Temple of For’gothu .........................................................................25Appendix............................................................................................ 35Reading the Map ................................................................................ 37The Dungeon Maps ............................................................................ 38TABLE OF CONTENTS

1THROUGH THE VALLEYOF THE MANTICOREINTRODUCTIONThrough the Valley of the Manticore isan adventure module which can be usedin any fantasy campaign setting wherehigh desert or canyonlands can be foundor if the party is traveling between twoadventure locations.With that in mind, the referee and playersshould be aware thatcombat and explo‐ration in HulororCanyon can be deadly. Aminimum party of four play‐ers is recommended as well assome hired retainers. If they canbrave the dangers herein and sur‐vive, there is treasure and magicitems that will help them ontheir adventures as they travelbeyond the canyonlands.The book contains a detailedmap of Huloror Canyon, threedungeons, and Fort Davelmag,the gateway settlement thatserves as a an entry point. If theadventure is run as written, itis suggested to have the play‐ers introduced to thecanyon via Fort Davel‐mag, so they have somewarning and context asto what is currentlyhappening. Other‐wise, on page 3 thereis a list of possible ru‐mors the players mightknow about thecanyon.As often as possible, the layout of thebook is presented so that all relevant in‐formation for a location can be found onthe same page as the map.The module requires the Old-School Es‐sentials Classic Fantasy and AdvancedFantasy or the classic Basic/Expert rulesto play.THE SETTINGThe world Huloror Canyon exists in is aclassic fantasy setting in a similar vein tosettings of yore, like Greyhawk. If it’s inthe rule books, you’re bound tofind it here—or not, that’s up toyou. The setting is intentionallyminimal to allow for inputfrom the referee and the players.Moreover, this should allow for theHuloror Canyon region to begrafted onto yourown world, howeveryou choose.

2HISTORY OF THECANYONLANDSOver eons past, the canyon has been thebackdrop to much drama and conflict.Dynasties have risen and crumbled, warsfought, and blood spilled on the redsandstone ground of this land. Cultureshave tried to leave their mark in the pagesof history, only for the valley’s cruelwinds to erase it from existence. Somehave buried what remains of their legacydeep under the mesas, in the under‐ground ruins of their civilization. Othersthat remain have retreated even furtherbelow and claimed territories in the dark‐ness.Today, the canyon is a much less hos‐pitable place and is little more than a bar‐rier one must pass through to reach theirdestination. Hidden in caves and ruinsare the treasures and relics from thoselong forgotten peoples. One very power‐ful relic in particular has recently resur‐faced, though not discovered by treasureseeking adventurers.ENTER THE MANTICOREAs if by some cruel chance of fate, a par‐ticularly cunning manticore from thecanyonlands happened upon one of theseruins and through its greed and curiosityuncovered a rare artifact—a collar onceowned by a powerful Androsphinxnamed For’gothu.The collar amplifies the mental fortitudeof the wearer and gives them the power tocontrol the minds of others. The collarhas given this already malevolent creatureunprecedented intelligence.The Manticore, with it’s new foundpower, has set its sights on the valley atlarge and the one settlement in thecanyon is now in grave danger. Thecanyon roads are now deemed too dan‐gerous and travel through Huloror hasceased.See page 4 for more on the Manticore.FORT DAVELMAGThe lonely supply town, Fort Davelmag,is the last settlement for many miles in ei‐ther direction. The Fort serves as a reststop for travelers on the canyon road andas a military outpost. There is only amodest standing militia as there havebeen no battles fought here in several gen‐erations.Typically, the day to day operations of theFort entail resupplying caravans and es‐corting travelers as they make their wayfrom one end of the canyon to the other.Very rarely, does the captain of the guard,and default mayor of Fort Davelmag,need to exercise their authority to keepthe peace.See Fort Davelmag on page 5.

3GETTING TO THE CANYONIn the high desert of the canyonlands, theremnants of lost civilizations lie hiddendeep within caves and underground ruins.Few know about them and fewer are fool‐hardy enough to venture into the canyonlooking for treasure. The canyonlands arean unforgiving landscape and travelersseeking passage tend to make haste and trynot to outstay their welcome.WHAT THE PLAYERSMIGHT KNOWBelow are some rumors about HulororCanyon that the players might have heardprior to venturing there. Assign theseto players or roll for them as yousee fit. Some of the rumorsmay have false details tothem which will beshown initalics. The players should be none-thewiser.1. Fort Davelmag is a military outpostand the only settlement for miles eitherside of the canyon.2. There are hidden ruins within thecanyon and more treasure in them thanany adventurer could hope to carry out.3. Wealthy merchant caravans travelthrough the canyon. They are oftenlooking to hire guides to escort themthrough the canyon.4. Half men, half scorpion monstrosi‐ties inhabit the canyonlands.5. It is said that ancient cult which set‐tled the canyon so long ago is still active.6. There are multiple paths to takethrough the canyon, but the safest path isto stick to the river.7. Being ambushed by goblins or othercreatures is not as rare an occurrence asone might hope.

4The central antagonist of the adventure isthe Manticore. The referee must keep themotivations of the creature in mind, aswell as how it moves around. Its power ismuch more than that of the average man‐ticore, it’s intelligence vastly amplifieddue to the magic collar it now wears(seeCollar of For’gothu below) which also giveit some additional magic abilities.AC 4[15], HD 50hp**, Att [2 x claw(1d4), 1 x bite (2d4)] or 6 x tail spike1d6), THAC0 13[+6], MV 120' (40')/180’ (60’) flying, SV D10 W11 P12 B13S14 (6), ML 9, AL Chaotic, XP 575» Tail Spikes: 180’ range. 24 in total; 2regrow each day» Track and ambush: Follow humansand attack with tail spikes when theystop to rest.COLLAR OF FOR’GOTHUThe collar is a heavy golden choker thatwas created to fit around the neck of abeast such as a sphinx which happens toalso fit perfectly around the neck of themanticore. It imbues the wearer with thefollowing powers and abilities.» Intelligence and Wisdom areincreased to 18» At will, the wearer can cast CharmPerson.» Once per day, the wearer can castMind Control (see Appendix pg 35).PLAYING THE MANTICOREThe motivations of most manticore boildown to savage greed and malice. With‐out the collar, this particular creature isno different and so it’s goals and person‐ality are mostly unchanged. What themanticore has gained is the ability to eval‐uate risk and visualize complex outcomes.When playing as the manticore, choose acourse of action that is most advanta‐geous:» It will rarely attack during the day.» It will be resourceful in it’s approachusing its newfound powers to gainadvantage.» The manticore knows when toretreat.If the Manticore is forced to retreat it willfly directly to its refuge at Coven Lake, lo‐cated on the Salt Cauldron Swell (E6). Ifinjured, it will remain there and rest untilit feels well enough to venture out again.Normal healing rules apply.THE MANTICORE

5FORT DAVELMAGAt the western mouth of HulororCanyon, the remote Fort Davelmag is theonly vestige of civilization in this desolatelandscape. The grandiose golden bannersof the crown wave defiantly in the con‐stant wind that threatens to tear themfrom the fort walls. The lonely keepstands as a sanctuary for travelers whomust pass through the unforgivingcanyon.ARRIVING AT THE FORTThe road through the canyon passesright by the front of the Fort. Typically,the gate remains open to welcome travel‐ers, but at this time the massive iron gateis shut and travelers arriving here are metby a group of confrontational guards out‐side the fort—all with swords and bowsdrawn. Travel through the canyon hasbeen halted and the guards are advisingtravelers to turn back as a matter of safety.The guards question travelers as they ar‐rive, but once they are deemed no threat,they will be welcomed inside and shownwhere the amenities are located withinthe Fort (see Fort Davelmag map on the fol‐lowing page) so they may prepare them‐selves for an unexpected return journey.The guards are not at liberty to divulgethe nature of the dilemma but will in‐form the curious to direct questions toCaptain Mossak.Outsiders and travelers all gather in thecaravanserai and camp within the walls ofthe fort. Spiced aromas of food beingcooked over smoky campfires waft fromthe merchant camp which is filled withthe din of constant chatter. Newcomersare eyed suspiciously.At the center of the camp is a large opu‐lent tent of colorful silk and tassels. Out‐side the tent stand two formidable guardswearing bronze armor and turbans. Thebig tent belongs to Sundu Zahra and heradviser, Vaudric.WHAT IS HAPPENINGSeveral nights ago, one of the merchantswithin Sundu’s caravan was found mur‐dered at the hands of one of the militia.The killing was unprovoked and thescene a brutal mess. Later, the guardsmanclaimed he wasn’t in control of himself,saying he was asleep under some mannerof magic spell. Many would vouch for theman’s character, but the evidence tells adifferent story. The prisoner is being keptin the fort’s holding cell.Since the event, tensions have been highbetween the militia and the merchanttravelers. Sundu is calling for justice andthe merchant caravan is refusing to leavethe fort until the matter is resolved.To make matters worse, the fort is nowalso being stalked by a particularly nastybeast—a manticore. During the first in‐stance of an attack, night duty guards‐men on the wall were taken by surpriseand two lost their lives. One was mauledviciously and the other is presumed deadas he was taken by the flying monstrosity.The beast returns every couple of nightsto try and pick off what prey it can.Travel through the canyon has beenhalted until the manticore is taken careof.F5

6RUMORS IN THE FORTSome of the merchant travelers or fortmilitia have information the players mayfind useful. Below are a list of rumorsthat could be known and shared by thosein the Fort. A page number will also beprovided below to note where in themodule the rumored information contin‐ues.1. The Merchant’s SonsAn old wealthy merchant by the name ofRalp Donpullo is looking for his threesons. A couple of nights ago, Ralp’s sonsventured into the canyon in hopes of re‐covering antiquities from among the ru‐mored underground temples. They leftunder cover of darkness and intended toreturn the next evening, with treasure orat least with information on a potentialsite. Ralp now fears his sons have becomelost and has fruitlessly begged the fortmilitia to send a party to find them. Themilitia won’t lend aid because it is toorisky at this time. (pg. 19)2. The Dream ThiefIn the past, travelers who have beenrobbed have claimed they we’re cursedwith sleep magic and robbed while un‐conscious. Travelers have come to call theculprit the “Dream Thief”. They say it at‐tacks lone merchants or small groupsmaking their way through the canyon.Those that have fallen prey to the DreamThief have beenmarked with terri‐ble nightmares af‐terward. Dreams arevisited by a laughingjackal who torments them.The afflicted travelers all reportsome version of this dream lend‐ing credence to the rumor.(pg. 13)3. Water ShortageQuite suddenly and seemingly withoutcause, the spring that feeds water to theFort has begun to dry up. Now there is amere trickle compared to the constantflow they were accustomed to. Some haveresorted to hauling water up from theriver but this source has caused some tofall ill from water sickness. With supplydiminished and demand higher with somany people currently at the fort, some‐thing must be done. Captain Mossak andthe militia are debating a course of action.(Pg. 11)4. Relic RecoverySundu Zahra, the caravan merchant lord,is hunting for one particular item of leg‐end. Though there are currently a lot ofother urgent matters to address at thefort, Sundu’s main goal during her pas‐sage through the canyon was to make adetour and search for the fabled Rug ofHiad. With the threat of the Manticorelooming, a search attempt is nigh impos‐sible. If the players can gain the favor ofSundu, she may entrust this quest tothem and would pay very handsomely.(Pg. 16)

71. Gate EntranceThe massive entrance is protected by aniron gate. Typically, the gate is open fortravelers to come and go but the gate isshut and sentries are posted out front aswell as on top of the gate structure. Thegate is comprised of two iron lattices thatslide in from either side.2. CaravanseraiMerchant caravans that visit the Fort areable to set up camp within the courtyard.Currently, the caravanserai is packed wallto-wall with colorful tents, carts, andhorses all belonging to a merchant cara‐van lead by Sundu Zahra, a wealthy mer‐chant lord.There are many skilled tradespeople suchas blacksmiths and leather workers inSundu’s camp. If players need to pur‐chase supplies during their stay, anythingthey could find in the rules’ equipmentlist can be found here for sale (within rea‐son).» Merchant Lord Sundu: Abeautiful, wealthy, middle-agedwoman, Sundu hails from a far-offdesert region and is no stranger tothe harsh arid conditions the canyonprovides. Her caravan is heading tothe nearest major city to do businesswith the ruler there. The recentcrime has put a pause on that plan asSundu demands recompense for thedeath in her party. With her always isher adviser, Vaudric—a silent manwearing an ornate silk uniform,turban, and a jeweled mask. Vaudricis a mystic that Sundu keeps nearbyprimarily to protect her fromassassins. “The life of a wealthymerchant is fraught with peril and neverdull.”-Sundu Zahra3. BarracksThe militia use this building as their ar‐mory and living quarters. A week agothere were fifteen soldiers in total, but af‐ter the recent attack, only thirteen re‐main—including the prisoner being heldin the fort’s holding cell (see area 6). Thefort’s arsenal consists of 15 sets each oflight armor, swords, shields, spears, andcrossbows and bolts. As there was nolonger concern for a major conflict in thisregion, only a modest stockpile ofweaponry was maintained.4. Captain’s QuartersThe tallest structure in the fort, standsthree stories tall. The bottom floor of thetower is a open meeting hall with a largetable which can seat twenty for celebra‐tion or official gatherings. Several bra‐ziers surround the space to providelight and warmth for colder seasons.Captain Mossak uses the second flooras his quarters. There he also has hisoffice where he keeps his records of visi‐tors passing through and the fort supplyinventory.FORT DAVELMAG CONTINUED

8The upperfloor is the ob‐servatory. The mili‐tia are rarely stationedon the wall for watch as thewind is quite punishing. Instead,two soldiers are stationed here and canring a bell to warn of approaching dan‐gers. After recent events, the fort is onhigh alert so half the militia are on watchat all times—most posted along the wall.» Captain Mossak: Serious andcontemplative with a gray beard andrough skin from years of windexposure, Captain Mossak is friendto no one. Though not mean or evil,Mossak takes his post very seriouslyand expects the same of everyone inhis charge.5. Supply StorageThe fort’s primary storage for suppliessuch as food, tools, clothing, etc. It iskept locked and a guard posted outside atall times—especially when there are visi‐tors staying in the caravanserai.6. Holding CellThe holding cell is little more than a largehole in the ground. There is an iron grateover the top that is locked and two sol‐diers posted to guard it. It is dug wideenough to hold several prisoners at onceand deep enough that a ladder is neededto get out.The man being held here is Jorr Gullot,one of the fort militia. He was foundstanding over the mutilated body of amerchant that belonged to Sundu’s cara‐van. Though Jorr claims he was not atfault, he clearly committed the act. Therewere no eyewitnesses. The guards will notpermit anyone but Captain Mossak tospeak to the prisoner.» What Jorr Knows: On the night ofthe killing, Jorr was posted guardingthe storage building. The last thinghe remembers before he blacked outwas the sound of terrible wingsbeating on the wind and then in hismind he saw glowing eyes. When heawoke, his hands were covered inblood and he was standing over thedead merchant.Jorr wails in terror whenever themanticore attacks the fort, at somepoint he will lose himself to madnessand despair.

9HULOROR CANYONTRAVEL CONSIDERATIONSThe region the canyonlands inhabit is aharsh and unforgiving landscape. Be‐tween the high elevation and the lack ofplentiful water or flora, exploration andtravel are risky. Adventurers will need toensure they have packed enough food andwater and plan their expeditions accord‐ingly. No doubt they would be cautionedon such when they arrive at the Fort.FOOD AND WATERMany, if not most adventure modules areset in a temperate climate where waterflows generously and food can be foundwith some effort. Huloror Canyon is notlike that. The river is afflicted with somemanner of disease or curse and is not safeto drink. The only known potable watersources are the four springs: DavelmagSpring—which feeds water to the Fort,Temple Wash and Stoneglow Draw alongthe North Route, and Bitter Sleep to theSouth.Food is just as difficult to find. If the ad‐venturers are out of other options andmust attempt to hunt for food, theycould do so but at an extreme penalty toreflect the scarcity of game present. How‐ever, there is always the possibility thatfood may find them first. Refer to theWilderness Encounters table, a few po‐tential food sources could be encoun‐tered during their journey.Note: Some table entries are fromOld-school Essentials Advanced Fan‐tasy. Those entries will be followed by(adv.).WEATHERTo add to the adventure and help bringthe canyonland setting and overlandtravel to life, the weather should be some‐what unpredictable and present chal‐lenges of it's own. However, in some in‐stances, the weather forecast can be moreaccurately predicted based on experienceand common knowledge. If you are anadventurer or a merchant who travelsoverland from one town to the next, overvarying topography, your experiencewould likely inform you of weather pat‐terns to be aware of. You might hunkerdown if you know a storm is brewing in‐stead of risking travel. Or you might tryand beat the storm with a forced march,if you're feeling lucky.The idea of the weather table is to givethe players something to react to. Some‐thing that may complicate their plans andpresent unforeseen challenges. If a stormis coming within the next couple days,then the party can decide whether tohead back to town with their treasure orD12 WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS1 1 Troll2 1d4 Mountain Lions3 1d4 Leucrocotta (adv.)4 1d6+1 x 3 Dervish (pg. 13)5 3d6 Gnolls6 1d4 Giant Rattlers7 1d3 Giant Hawks8 3d6 Traders9 3d10 Goats10 1d4 Jackleweres (adv.)(pg. 13)11 2d6 Mule12 The Manticore (pg.4)

10press onward. They take a risk either way,but having some variability in their win‐dow of opportunity adds to the drama.ROLLING FOR WEATHERRoll on the weather table once perdaythen adjudicate the results. The weathercan change at any time.MILDThe weather is mild, within the contextof the current season.WINDYTypical weather in the canyonlands canbe characterized by its relentless howlingwinds. Dust and debris are a constanttravel companion as one makes their waythrough the valley. It is wise to wear a facecovering to help keep dust and sand fromgetting in your eyes.PRECIPITATIONRain or sleet ,depending on the season.This can be a welcome turn of events asrain can provide drinkable water. Onthe other hand, rain can also lead todangerous flash flooding. Adven‐turers will need to take care not tobe caught in a narrow canyon asthat could spell their doom.EFFECTS:» Travel speed is slowed by25%.» Chance of losing direction isincreased by 1-in-6.» On a weather roll of 17, theprecipitation level is high and flashflooding can occur.DUST STORMOne of the most dangerous threats theweather can pose are dust storms. It is im‐possible to see through and can poten‐tially remove the flesh from your bones ifexposed for too long.EFFECTS:» Travel speed is slowed by 70%.» Chance of losing direction isincreased by 4-in-6» Suffocation: If an adventurer iscaught out in a dust storm for toolong, they aren’t likely to survive.Each character can only survive for 3+ Constitution modifier turns beforesuccumbing to the choking sands.D20 WEATHER1-5 Mild6-15 Windy16-17 Precipitation (normal for theseason) (2d6 hours)18-20 Dust Storm (2d4 hours)

11S124357T 6TTCWATER SHORTAGE(Continued from page 6)Before too long, Captain Mossak willhave no choice but to take action and pri‐oritize the ongoing water shortage at theFort. Though it is risky, a party will needto be sent to check the spring-fed streamat its source. The Davelmag Spring flowssouthwest from the Edran Mesa. If theparty elect not to go, Captain Mossak willsend four members of the militia.WHAT IS HAPPENINGIn the Manticore’s cleverness, it has co‐erced a local gnoll clan into helping de‐stroy the human settlement. The gnollsfear the manticore and see it as another oftheir dark and twisted deities; a sugges‐tion placed into the mind of the packleader.Now that the gnolls are doing the Manti‐core’s bidding, they have dammed up thestream causing the sudden drought. Thedam is located right at the source of thespring and is a crudely dug trench andboulders, but effective enough to nearlystop it’s flow from reaching the fort.APPROACHIf the dam is found, it will be apparentthat it was constructed recently andtracks from the location show the pathright back to the gnoll den to the north‐east.There are four gnolls (AC 5[14], HD 2(9hp), Att 1 x weapon (2d4 or by weapon+1), THAC0 18[+1], ML 8)posted on theridge south of the den as lookouts. If theyobserve any creatures they deem a threat,they will retreat back to the den and warntheir clan of an attack. If there are fewerthan five in the party they may risk am‐bushing them instead.1. The floor is trapped at the entrance.Once triggered, a board with sharpenedwooden stakes springs from the floor toimpale the victim(3d6 damage). In thecenter of the room, three corpses hangfrom the ceiling by nooses. Each isdressed in armor and uniforms of FortDavelmag militia that were captured re‐E4 GNOLL DEND2 WANDERINGMONSTERS1 1d6 Goblins2 1 Giant Scorpion1 square = 5 ftPIT TRAPA covered 10’deep pit. Iftriggered, acreature takesfalling damage.

12cently. There are doors on the east andwest walls and and an archway that leadsto room 2 at the north.2. A group of gnolls (5)(AC 5[14], HD 2(9hp), Att 1 x weapon (2d4 or by weapon+1), THAC0 18[+1], ML 8)are eating meatfrom a recent hunt around a fire. Como‐tion from room 1 will alert them.▶Treasure: one of the gnolls has fourgems in a belt pouch (100gp each)and a 10gp gemstone fashioned as apendant and worn around it’s neck.3. Giant Scorpions(3)(AC 2[17], HD4* (18hp), Att 2 x claw (1d10), 1 x sting (1d4+ poison), THAC0 16[+3], ML 11)are kepthere as pets. The floors here are slick withrotting blood and scattered with bones.4. The door to this room is trapped. Iftriggered there is a poisoned needle thatwill stab whoever tripped it. However thepoison used on the needle is from one ofthe scorpions kept in room 3 and is not alethal dosage. A creature only takes 1d6damage and has -1 to saves for 1 hour. In‐side, several barrels and crates are stackedagainst the north wall. The room smellsstrongly of rotting meat.▶Treasure: There are three swordswhich were taken from the bodies ofthe captured militia. In a small boxare two gems (500gp each). Thecrates and barrels are stolen goodsfrom travelers which are mostly filledwith food (rotting).» Secret Door: Behind the stackedcrates is a hidden cubbyhole. Inside isa sword +1 and a potion of healing.5. The door to this room is locked. In‐side is a worn wooden chest.▶Treasure: The chest contains6,000gp.6. This hallway is trapped. Once trig‐gered, two portcullises fall and trap agroup of up to 6 between them (see mapfor trap layout). Once triggered, the en‐tire den will be alerted and all gnolls willdescend on this location. Any creaturesthat are caught outside of the portculison the north end will be attacked by thegnolls and gnoll pack leaderin room 7.If the only creatures left are those stilltrapped, the gnolls will fetch a giant scor‐pion from room 3 and lure it to attackand feed on them.7. Four gnolls(AC 5[14], HD 2 (9hp), Att1 x weapon (2d4 or by weapon +1), THAC018[+1], ML 8) and their pack leader(AC5[14], HD 3 (16hp), Att 1 x weapon (2d4 orby weapon +1), THAC0 18[+1], ML 8)arewaiting in this room. There is a small firepit in the center of the room where thepack gathers for sleep.▶Treasure: The gnoll pack leader car‐ries a large gem in it’s pouch(1000gp) and wears a silver medal‐lion with a black gemstone (see ap‐pendix pg. 35).

13NORTHERN ROUTEBetween the two main routes; north andsouth, the northern route is considered tobe the least risky. This is mostly due tothe presence of two water sources thatmeet the road and afford travelers the op‐tion to make camp and pace their jour‐ney. However, the northern route is notwithout its perils.Below are some optional encounters ad‐venturers or travelers might encounteralong the north road.THE DREAM THIEFEven though the canyon is very remote,the danger of having your goods andvaluables pilfered is there—though, notby ordinary bandits. In this lonely land‐scape exist shape-shifting creatures thatsurvive through guile and deception. Thejackalwere (AC 3[16], HD 4* (18hp), Att 1x bite (2d4) 1 x weapon (1d6 or by weapon),THAC0 16[+3], ML 7) prefer to attackwhen their targets are most vulnerable—in their sleep or if they are few and out‐numbered.During the day, the jackalwere take theform of a normal jackal and may use tac‐tics to throw the potential victims offtheir guard such as feign injury orhunger. If the opportunity presents itself,they will use their sleep magic to subduevictims. The jackalwere will take food,preferably meat or one of the victims, andthe easiest to carry and highest apparentvalued items they can find in their be‐longings.THE RAK-ROSAR DERVISHFar to the northeast, on the Rak-RosarMesa, a nomadic and reclusive tribe ofdesert dwellers have carved out a meagerexistence. They are neutral in nature anddo not seek conflict with travelers. TheDervish (AC 6[13] or 4[15], HD 1 (4hp), 1 xweapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19[0],ML 10),as they are known, view them‐selves as stewards of the canyon. If theyfeel their holy land is threatened, theygather their strength to fight it. Howeverthe rise of the Manticore in the canyonhas given them pause. They see the crea‐ture as a demon come to lay waste to theworld. Their fear has overcome their fer‐vor and the council deliberates on whatto do next.If the adventurers encounter the dervishin the canyon and the dervish are im‐pressed by the party’s prowess, they maybe invited to their camp in the northeast.STONEGLOW DRAW CAMPTravelers on the northern route have es‐tablised a campsite that has been usedover and over through the years. A largefire pit is surrounded by smooth stonesfor sitting and cleared areas for tents andbedrolls. If the camp is searched success‐fully, an adventurer may find a leathermap case buried beneath one of the sit‐ting stones.▶Treasure: The leather map case con‐tains: a treasure map (pg. 36), and aring of protection +1C3A1

14

15S134 52678C GAPPROACHIf the players have taken thealternate route up the LurZahki trail, they would arrive atthe far side of the Lur-Zahki Bencha day after leaving the north route. Thetrail is not dissimilar to much of thecanyon—buttes and mesas rise on eitherside and flowing stream to the west of thetrail can be accessed for most of the hike.The entrance of the Statuary can be seefrom a mile off during the day and atnight under moonlight. Two huge sphinxstatues sit partially crumbled on eitherside of the entryway which is tunneledinto the foot of the huge mesa. Tall 50’columns are carved into its sandstone ver‐tical face. The entryway is about 20 feethigh and the walls are quite smooth. Sandhas drifted in over time creating sand rip‐ples over a smooth marble floor and lead‐ing to massive double doors.1. A scorpionoid(AC 1[18], HD8*(36hp),Att 1 x giant weapon(3d6) or 1 x tail sting(1d10 + poison) , THAC0 12[+7], ML 10)guards the area and will attack intruderson sight. The large room is lined with sixmarble pillars and four doors. At the farend of the room is a tall archway thatleads to another separate large room(room 6). Once the massive marble doorsare opened, sconces along the wall lightthemselves, illuminating everything intorchlight.2. On the far side of the room there is adoor. The room is empty.3. The door to this room is locked. In‐side are mounds of long-ago decomposedbodies of various humanoids. The exitside wall and door are all clawed andscraped desperately.▶Treasure: One of the corpses buriedbeneath others wears a silver medal‐lion with a black gemstone (see ap‐pendix).4. On the far wall of the room, four setsof rusted shackles are mounted and hang‐ing on their chains.5. There is a door on the west wall and alocked door on the east. The room is oth‐erwise empty.6. At the center of the high-ceiling roomsits a marble altar. On the far wall a 20’statue of a woman points down at the al‐tar with her hand. The braziers are allalight, ignited when the main doors wereD4 WANDERINGMONSTERS1 1d6 Giant Scorpions2 1d8 Traders3 1 Djinni(Lesser)4 1d10 StirgeD3 THE STATUARY

16opened.» Altar: The altar is approximately 6ftin length and made of pristinemarble. A sacrifice or offering isrequired to activate it. Onceactivated, the secret door slides opento reveal a hidden room.» Secret Room: A chest covered indust sits in the room.▶Treasure: the chest contains a silvermedallion with a black gemstone (seeappendix pg. 35), 500gp, 600sp, flyingcarpet (Rug of Hiad, pg. 6).7. The room is very cold. Frost clings tothe walls and surfaces. If the playersspend more than 3 turns here, any waterthey are carrying freezes solid. Standing atthe top of the stairs in the circular roomis a 10’ diameter ring made of jaggedblack glass. Clinging to the ceiling are sev‐eral frozen stirges.» Ring: The black glass ring is agateway powered by dark magic.When activated it opens a portal to adistant gate. The device requires alot of power and thus has siphonedall the energy from the surroundingroom, causing everything to freeze.The ring device is very warm to thetouch.The location of the connecting gateis in the Temple of For’gothu(pg. 32),room 17. To active the gate, onemust have the key (see appendix).8. There is a chasm with no visible bot‐tom where the 15’ section of stairs usedto be. The uppermost part of the room isabout 10’ higher than the entrance sideand the walls are shear — very risky to at‐tempt to scale.At the top of the would-be stairs is a mar‐ble statue of a robed figure. The figure isholding a very large smooth red gem‐stone.▶Treasure: The red gemstone is worthat least 3000gp. A suitable buyer maypay more.REFEREE’S NOTEThere could be many solutions toactivating the sacrificial altar. A crea‐ture can spill blood on the altar oreven perhaps a corpse found in an‐other part of the dungeon can beplaced upon it.

17B2 RAK-ROSAR RUINSs1 23845671 square = 5 ftGROUNDLEVELAPPROACHTravel on the Rak-Rosar Mesais risky due to the lack of trailsor geographical features tohelp plot a course and due toexposure. The winds here areconstant and punishing, kick‐ing up sand and dust. Becom‐ing lost on the Mesa is a 3-in-6chance.If the adventurers are fortu‐nate, they may come upon along unused road. The roadheads northeast for a mile or soand ends at an ancient ruinedsettlement. Much of the build‐ings are scoured away. Thereare hoof prints of at least four horsesleading into one of the buildings (room4).1. A giant rattler (AC 5[14],HD4*(18hp), Att 1 x bite (1d4 + poison) ,THAC0 16[+3], ML 8)has taken up resi‐dence here and will attack anything thatenters. From what remains of this room,it was apparently the main living quartersof this dwelling. All the furniture herewas long ago removed and all that re‐mains intact is a door on the east wall.2. The room is empty except for a bro‐ken cupboard in the north east corner.Compared to the rest of this building it issurprisingly intact.▶Treasure: Inside the cupboard is asmall jade statuette of a coiled snake(worth 100gp).» Secret Trap Door: Hidden underthe cupboard is a trap door that leadsto room 9.3. Most of this dwelling has collapsed.Only two of the walls remain partiallystanding.4. A group of dervish(4)(AC 6[13] or4[15], HD 1 (4hp), 1 x weapon (1d6 or byweapon), THAC0 19[0], ML 10)are shel‐tering here out of the wind. They areaware of the snake in room 1, but theirphilosophy is to not disturb or harm thecreatures of the desert so they haveavoided it. They may take issue if the ad‐venturers kill the snake. The dervish carrynothing of value but enough food andwater to sustain them.If the adventurers are on good standingwith the dervish and have not offendedthem, they may be invited to the dervish’scamp in the north east.D4 WANDERING MONSTERS11d6+1 x 10 Dervish (groundlevel only)2 1 Krell (adv.)3 2d4 Giant Centipedes4 1d4 Giant Rattlers

185. This room was an entryway to thislarger building. It contains nothing ofvalue.6. Giant Centipedes(6)(AC 9[10], HD½* (2hp), Att 1 x bite (poison), THAC019[0], ML 7) dwell in this large room.They are desperately hungry and will at‐tack anything that enters the room. Thereare stone steps that descend to room 13and two doors, east and north.7. There was at one time a kitchen areahere. The only evidence left is a largestone oven.8. Nothing but a pile of stones and rub‐ble remain of the dwelling that stoodhere.» Secret Trap Door: Hidden underthe rubble is a trap door that leads toroom 11.9. This was the basement for thedwelling above. An old ladder descendsfrom the trap door. The storage barrelshave all been broken or burrowed intoand all their contents long since eaten bypests. The south wall has been tunneledthrough by some manner of large crea‐ture.10. A krell (AC 3[16], HD5**(22hp), 1 x beak (1d6), 10 x ten‐tacle(1d4 + paralysis), THAC015[+4], ML 8) has made thisarea its home. It is aggressiveand will gladly make an unwit‐ting adventurer its meal. Theroom is large and cavernouswith a substantially high ceil‐ing, burrowed out by large in‐sects and used as a nest. Thekrell has since eaten the previ‐ous residents.11. This was a basement forthe dwelling above. An old lad‐der, used to get to the trapdoor above, is all that remainsin this room. In the northwestcorner of the room, the wallhas been tunneled through.12. This is the basement level of thelarge building above. There are barrelracks along the south wall, all rotted anddusty with holes burrowed into them.The now empty barrels at one time con‐tained mead, but all that remains is a faintsour reduction smell of the dried residue.Stone stairs ascend to room 6 above andthe north wall has been tunneledthrough.13. The tunnel from room 10 descendsto this smaller burrow. A pile of refusehas been deposited by the creatures thatdug these tunnels. The pile has all man‐ner of objects the insectile beasts wouldnot have found useful—several bones ofhumanoid creatures, shredded leather ar‐mor, broken bits of furniture, currency,jewelry, and weapons.▶Treasure: In the pile: 962gp, 438sp,ring of delusion, war hammer +1. 910131211CCLEVEL 11 square = 5 ft

19

20SOUTHERN ROUTEThe southern road is often regarded asthe more risky of the two options totravel because of the sparse water sources.Though, the risk is somewhat offset bythe much smoother road. Larger caravanstend to take the southern route if theyhave many wagons in tow.Below are some optional encounters ad‐venturers or travelers might encounteralong the south road.THE BULETTEA bulette(AC 0[19], HD9*(40hp), Att 1 xbite(4d12), 2 x claw(3d6), THAC0 12[+7],MV 150’ (50’)/ 30’ (10’) burrowing, ML 11)bull has found it’s way into the canyonlooking for a mate. It is particularly agi‐tated as a mate is nowhere to be found.SOUTH ROAD CAMPMuch like the camp on the north road,the south road’s camp is a frequent rest‐ing point for travelers. The drawback tothis camp is there is no nearby stream.There is a 2-in-6 chance a group oftraders (14)(AC 6[13], HD1(4hp), Att 1 xweapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19[0],ML 7) are using the camp when the ad‐venturers arrive. They are not hostile un‐less provoked and will gladly welcomeweary travelers to join them.The traders have a number of items avail‐able for trade: 4 spare riding horses, 20 ra‐tions, 10 waterskins,5 swords, 5 spears, 5shields, 3 sets of leather armor, 3 bows,and 100 arrows. They also have a map(pg. 36) that they would part with, butonly for the high price of 500 gp (equiva‐lent or higher).Among their belongings are a number ofother high value items they are con‐tracted to deliver to a town beyond thecanyon. The traders are not willing topart with these, but the items can be seenif they show their other wares on offer: 3ornate casks of rare elvish brandy, 2 setsof plate mail armor, a beautifully wovenarea rug, girdle of giant strength.BRIDGE TO THE HEAVENSAt the far east end of the canyon, wherethe north and south road intersect, is amassive stone bridge of impressive con‐struction. The bridge is supported by anumber of stone pillars and reaches 200’above the river basin at it’s apex. Some‐one who is knowledgeable of stoneworkcan see that it is dwarven in design or per‐haps dwarves assisted with it’s construc‐tion. The bridge is so named because ofvarious symbols of gods and lesser deitiesthat are engraved over much of its sur‐face.C4A320

D4 WANDERINGMONSTERS1 1d4 Mountain Lions2 2d4 Bugbears3 1d6 Snake (Giant Rattler)4 1 Flail SnailLEVEL 121APPROACHLaughing Devil Trail narrows to aslot-canyon and ends at the mouthof a cavern; apparently a natural for‐mation created by millennia of wa‐ter erosion. Howling wind shrieks off thesmooth walls as the cave narrows andgradually ascends for several hundred me‐ters. Navigating through some of thetighter sections requires a bit of squeez‐ing and shimmying. Eventually the natu‐rally worn cavern gives way to a tunnelthat has been worked with tools.A keen eye may notice there are severalanimal tracks leading in and out of thecave. Careful observation of the tracks re‐veal they belong to a large predator.1. The tunnel opens up to a rough cir‐cular room with a set of steps on the farend(lead up to room 2). There are someancient tools scattered on the ground—the wooden handles have mostly rottedaway and all that remain of them are therusted pickaxe heads. The air is thick withthe stench of rotting meat and decay.The animal tracks continue into thisroom and to the stairs.2. Mountain Lions(3) (AC 6[13],HD3+2(15hp), Att 2 x claw(1d3), 1 x bite(1d6) , THAC0 16[+3], ML 8, pursuit) havemade this area their den. There is a 3-in-6chance they are sleeping, but they willlikely hear any creatures approaching andwill act accordingly. The den is strewnabout with bones and carcasses frommonths of the lions’ hunting of prey inthe vicinity. There is a large double dooron the far wall(to room 3) and the walladjacent has a set of stairs that lead up toanother door (leads to the hall betweenrooms 2 and 5).» Corpses: Among the bones of goatsand horses are the recently eatenremains of two humans. Some oftheir torn clothing remains—colorful silk garments stitched withgold thread.▶Treasure: A coin pouch, evidentlycarried by one of the victims, hasbeen torn open and it’s contentsthrown all over. Players will need tosearch the room in order to find allthe gold—800gp in total.F7 SALT CAULDRON TUNNEL 21 45G31 square = 5 ftLEVEL2�Coven Lake�(Pg. 23)LaughingDevil Trail�

223. A roper (AC 0[19], HD12**(54hp), Att1 x bite(5d6) or 6 x tentacle (grab + weak‐ness), THAC0 10[+9], ML 10)hangs dis‐guised as a stalagmite over the pit. Theentrance of the room extends 15’ fromthe door and then opens up to the 20’ by20’ space which has a 10’ by 10’ pit at it’scenter. This leaves a 5’ wide walkwayaround the opening in the floor. The pitis 40’ deep and is a void with no walls toclimb down.4. To the east, the hallway leads to a nat‐ural tunnel. After about an hour of twist‐ing and squeezing through tight passages,the tunnel exits atop Salt CauldronSwell(E6, Huloror Canyon map).5. The door sealing room 5 is a stoneslab with no visible handles. There arefour circles made of bronze that are setinto the door in a horizontal row. Eachcircle has a shape marked on it—square,diamond, triangle, square. The stonedoor will raise itself if the circles areplaced in the correct order (triangle,square, square, diamond).The room is very cold. Frost clings to thewalls and surfaces. If the players spendmore than 3 turns here, any water theyare carrying freezes solid. Standing by thefar wall is a 10’ diameter ring made ofjagged black glass.» Ring: The black glass ring is agateway powered by dark magic.When activated it opens a portal to adistant gate. The device requires alot of power and thus has siphonedall the energy from the surroundingroom, causing everything to freeze.The ring device is very warm to thetouch.The location of the connecting gateis in the Statuary(pg. 17), room 7. Toactive the gate, one must have the key(see appendix).6. At the bottom of the pit is a large cav‐ernous room. There are rocks and debriscovering much of the ground— left herelong ago when this tunnel was excavated.Hidden beneath some rubble is a bat‐tered metal chest. On the top of thechest, someone has crudely engraved foursymbols(▲■■◆). Also hidden elsewhereamong the rubble is a magic staff.▶Treasure: The contents of the chestare: 11,000sp 800gp, 2 gems (100gp,500gp), and a silver medallion with ablack gemstone(see appendix). Themagic staff is a staff of the healer.REFEREE’S NOTEBoth the chest and the staff are hid‐den separately and each need to besearched for and discovered. If theplayers search and manage to findsomething, there is a 3-in-6 chance itwill be the battered chest.C6LEVEL 2

23E6 COVEN LAKEAPPROACHThe wind is gusty at this elevation, evenbelow the ridgeline. From the tunnel, thelake is a two mile hike down a gradualscree slope devoid of a trail. There is littlein the way of cover besides sporadic boul‐ders so approaching discreetly is difficult.Nearer to the shore, the smell of deathand the salty lake water hangs strong onthe wind. Grey skeletal trees twist fromthe salt-crusted shore where a few rottingcarcasses of vultures and mountain goatslay. The northern half of the lake andshore is frozen and sheets of thick brokenice drift gently over murky water.ENCOUNTERING THEMANTICOREThere is a 3-in-6 chance during the dayand 5-in-6 chance at night that the Man‐ticore will be in its lair. If the Manticorehas been injured previously and retreatedfrom battle, it is in its lair trying to restand heal its wounds. The location of theManticore’s lair is a cave above the northshore shown on the map below.THE BLACK PUDDINGThe only living thing that inhabits thelake region besides the Manticore is amassive black pudding (AC 6[13],HD10*(45hp), Att 1 x touch(3d8) THAC011[+8], ML 12). It waits underwater andgenerally prefers to search for sustenanceat night, though it will attack anythingthat disturbs the water or walks on theice. Any creature camping near the lake atnight will be attacked.Coven LakeL a u g h i n gDe v i lT r ai lS a l t C a u l d r o n S w e l lLair of theManticoreSalt CauldronTunnelCoven Lake4.710.37000750075007500650060008000½ 1 Mile

2413 24CC1 square = 5 ft1. The entrance of the cave is cold andslick with ice. Thick fog drifts about afoot from the cavern floor. The partiallydevoured remains of a human male andtwo gnolls have been discarded here. Theman’s bloodied face is frozen in an expres‐sion of absolute terror. It is the body ofone of the fort militia, taken just daysprior.2. The cavern opens up to a much largerarea. The stalactite covered ceiling ex‐tends upward 40’. Every inch of the cav‐ern is damp with moisture. Along theground there are small mushrooms thatare frozen solid. If a creature touchesthem, which is hard to avoid as they car‐pet the cavern, they glow with an eerieblue light. The light emitted from themushrooms is enough to see in a 15’ ra‐dius. If it weren’t for the ice chilling thefungi, they would glow continuously. Ifany are taken from the cave and thawed,the caps will glow for 1d4 days. It is possi‐ble to harvest the spores and grow themushrooms elsewhere. The mushroomshave natural healing properties if pre‐pared correctly.3. This room is a dead end. The Manti‐core may try to ambush the adventurershere if it is not too injured to initiate anattack.4. The Manticore (see pg. 4) resideshere when it is not outside its lair. This iswhere it will return to if injured and seek‐ing rest. In the creature’s greed, it hasgathered some items of value to hoard.The items are stored in two woodenchests in the back of the room.▶Treasure: 4 gems (2 × 100gp, 2 ×500gp), 7 pieces of jewelry (500gp, 2× 700gp, 800gp, 1200gp, 1400gp,1600gp)LAIR OF THEMANTICORE

25TEMPLE OF FOR’GOTHUAPPROACHThe rough, solitary, red sandstone struc‐ture of the temple can be seen from acouple of miles away by day or by thelight of the full moons. The once impos‐ing building has been eroded by millen‐nia of constant wind and exposure. A fewsporadic columns and piles of carvedstone are all that remain of the aboveground portion of the temple. The en‐trance is hidden within the ruins andleads down.AT A GLANCE1. Entrance Room: The air is chilledand the stone surfaces are cold to thetouch. reliefs carved into the walls depicta sphinx controlling masses of humanoidservants. (Secret passage leads to room15.)2. Sheltering Bugbears: Six Bugbearshave taken refuge here.3. False Pillars: Pit trap in the hallwaybetween rooms 2, 3, and 4. Each of thepillars in this room has a false stone. (Se‐cret passage leads to room 10)4. Stone Statue: A living statue made ofiron stands with its back to the west wall.Will attack once it is triggered and acti‐vated.5. Fount of the Void: Yellow mouldscover the south wall and ceiling. A poolfilled with a writhing black liquid inflictshideous visions on a failed Spell Save.6. Offering Chamber: Giant Centipedescrawl along the floor and walls. A largestone container sits towards the southwall.7. Secret Treasure Room: Dark anddank. There is a battered and rottingchest in the corner.D6 WANDERING MONSTERS1 1d6 Gnolls2 2d4 Bugbears3 1d6 Snakes(Giant Rattler)4 1 Flail Snail5 1d6 Wights6 1d8 Yellow MouldsB3

SSSSS11078119121314161523654TTCCC268. Lurker Ledge: A Lurker Above clingsto the north wall in wait for prey. Secretpassage leads to room 7.9. Upper Ledge: Magically locked eastdoor. Lurker Above clings to the southledge below.10. Map Room: Rotting furs are hungon the west wall to conceal the relief.11. Treasure Vault: The stairs are ac‐tually a mimic waiting for prey. Theroom is warmer and drier than the rest ofthe temple. There is a large stone con‐tainer against the wall.12. Pillars Room: Faces with differentexpressions are carved into the pillars.Each pillar has a hidden function.13. Epic Relief Part I: Chaotic begin‐nings of the Canyon’s recorded history.(Pit trap in hallway between room 13 and14.)14. Epic Relief Part II: Tranquil mid‐dle era of the Canyon’s recorded history.(Secret passage leads to room 1.)15. Shrine of For’gothu: Impressivestatue of a sphinx, Like the one depictedin reliefs throughout the temple, butstrangely missing the jeweled collar de‐picted in the reliefs.16. The Gate: The door to the room ismagically sealed. Inside is a foreboding,10’ high ring of black glass. The walls arecovered in frost.MAP OVERVIEW1 square = 5 ft

271. ENTRANCE ROOMSand covers the cold stone stairs whichlead below. The air is chilled and the wallsecho the howling canyon winds.At the bottom of the stairs a large set ofheavy double-doors barred from the in‐side, leads to room 2. To the left, an arch‐way leads to a large open room.A heavy door on the far corner leads tothe hallway between rooms 13, 14, and15.» Reliefs: On each wall are a series ofcarved reliefs. They depict a sphinxsubjugating a group of humanoids.In each, the sphinx sits atop a temple.Across all of the reliefs, thesubjugated creatures go fromcowering in fear to bowing to thesphinx in worship. The sphinx wearsa jeweled collar.» Secret door: The temple on the westcarved wall relief is actually a hiddendoorway, when pressed, it opens upto a short passageway. The passageleads to room 15.2. SHELTERING BUGBEARSBugbears(6)(AC 5[14], HD 3+1 (14hp), Att1 x weapon (2d4), THAC0 16[+3], ML 9),have taken refuge within this large roomand have barred the doors from theinside. They are hostile and will pro‐tect their stolen supplies to the death.The S door leads to the trapped hallwaybetween rooms 3, 4, and 5.▶Treasure: iron rations(12 days), sword+2, 880gp.3. FALSE PILLARSAt the far side of the room stand twostone pillars made of stacked sandstonecylinders. The walls are marked withgraffiti, much of it illegible.» Pillars: Upon close inspection, acharacter may notice that neitherpillar is load-bearing—they are infact secret stashes for hiddenvaluables. The bottom stone on eachpillar can me removed with someeffort revealing the hollow cavitiesfilled with coins.▶Treasure: The two pillars, contains atotal of 700 sp and 300 gp.» Graffiti: Aside from the illegiblesymbols and scratches, a few clearmessages have been scraped into thestone. Common, goblin, and evensphinx is used. All of the readablegraffiti is some variation of:“For’gothu is the Master.”» Secret door: Over time, thevandalizing of the walls has obscuredthe seams of a hidden doorway.Leads to room 10.TEMPLE OF FOR’GOTHU 1-4

HALLWAY PIT TRAPOnce triggered, the victim falls 10’ into a thick rotting sludge. The smell isoverwhelming and, while the sludge itself is harmless on contact, thefumes will make the victim suffocate in two turns if left in the pit. It is alsohighly flammable—causing 2d6 fire damage.SS1234284. STONE GOLEMOn the west wall stands a 10’ stonestatue. It resembles a massively muscularhumanoid figure, albeit missing its head.Set into the center of the ceiling is aslowly rotating sphere that looks like aswirling black marble about a handslength in diameter. Large sturdy doubledoors at the north side are locked.The east door is spring-loaded and willswing shut and lock itself, unless pre‐vented. Once the door locks, the spherebegins to descend, floating toward thestatue, spinning rapidly. After 3 rounds,the sphere will alight where the statue’shead ought to be, thus activating thestatue.» Sphere: Guided and movesmagically and cannot be moved byany physical force. The only wayto retrieve it is by some magicalmeans or by defeating the golem.▶Treasure: The sphereis a key stone meantfor the door in room 9.» Stone Golem(AC4[15], HD 14*(63hp), Att 1 x fist (3d8), THAC09[+10], ML 12) will attack for 4rounds then deactivate and return toits original spot. The sphere willreturn to its original spot. Once thegolem is deactivated the east doorwill unlock.1 square = 5 ft�ENTRANCERoom 10�(Pg. 31)�Room 15(Pg. 33)Stairway to 5�(Pg. 30)Hallway�(Pg. 33)Hallway�(Pg. 33)

295. FOUNT OF THE VOIDAt the bottom of the stairs, in a largeroom, sits a 10’ by 15’ pool filled with awrithing black liquid. Covering a largesurface of the ceiling and south wall areyellow moulds(3)(AC None, HD 2* (9hp),Att 1 x spores (1d6 + choking), THAC018[+1], ML 12).At the northeast corner, the room leadsto a large set of double doors. Stairs as‐cend from the west side to a hallway thatleads to rooms 2, 3, and 4.» Pool: The liquid in the pool movesand reacts to anyone who gets close,although it resembles a blackpudding, it isn’t a creature. The poolwas created by For’gothu to use as adevice for divination—a way toglimpse the future, or at least apossible future. Thus, the pool ismuch too dangerous for lowlyhumanoids of poor intelligence totouch. Creatures with intelligenceless than 16 are overwhelmed withnightmarish visions that may drivethem mad —save vs. spells or take1d6 damage and fall unconscious for6 turns. Creatures with intelligenceless than 9 must save vs. spell ordie—the power within the fountaindestroys their mind.6. OFFERING CHAMBERThe door to this room is locked. GiantCentipedes(5)(AC 9[10], HD ½* (2hp),Att 1 x bite (poison), THAC0 19[0], ML 7)skitter over every surface. A rough stonesarcophagus sits by the south wall.» Sarcophagus: The sides and lid havebeen carefully carved with primitiveembellishments. Thick layers of dustcover much of the detail. Within thesarcophagus rests the remains of ahumanoid priest still wearing theirholy vestments, studded with jewelsand clutching a golden rod.▶Treasure: 800gp, gems (100gp, 2x500gp), .7. LURKER LEDGEThis room is at the bottom of a 30’ verti‐cal wall. The wall appears to beclimbable, but with much difficulty orproper tools. Camouflaged against thewall is a large Lurker Above(AC 5[14],HD 10* (45hp), Att 1 x smother (1d6),THAC0 11[+8], ML 12) waiting for unsus‐pecting prey to stumble into its trap.REFEREE’S NOTEA possible way to use the visions isto give players a heads up to dangersthat may lie ahead within the dun‐geon. Depending on what conditionthe party is in, the referee may electto show the lurker above in room 8or the trap in the hallway, in orderto cut them a break.

S SS10789365CCTHALLWAY TRAPA pressure activated trap thatlaunches arrows at whomevertriggers it. Once tripped, threearrows fire from holes in theeast wall, one for each 5’square within the bracketshown. Note marching orderand formation to know whois at risk of being hit.308. SECRET TREASURE ROOMThe rough tunnel that leads to this room is onlyhigh enough for a normal size humanoid to crawlthrough. The room is similarly rough, hastilytunneled out by workers ages ago in order to hidetreasure in. All that appears to be stored here is avery old battered chest.▶Treasure: 10,000sp, Potion of Heroism, dag‐ger +2 (biter)» Secret Door: The seems of the hidden doorare covered with a plaster that is only faintlyoff color to the rest of the wall’s stonesurface. After a bit of effort scraping theplaster, the door can be pulled open.TEMPLE OF FOR’GOTHU 5-8�Stairs to Hallway(Pg. 28)40’ Ledge to 9�(Pg. 31)1 square = 5 ft

S SS107119126C1133311 square = 5 ft9. UPPER LEDGETo the south there is a vertical drop of30’ to room 7. A large golden door standson the east wall. A smaller wooden doorexits on the north wall to room 12 and ahallway turns and leads out to room 10to the west.» Door of the Three Moons: At theeast side of the room stands a largegilded door. Ornate patterns fill thespace that surround three concavehalf-spherical indentations that areabout a hands-width in diameter.The door is magically sealed andrequires the three spherical keys to beplaced in order, to be opened.» Ledge: Also noted in room 7, thereis a Lurker Above(AC 5[14], HD 10*(45hp), Att 1 x smother (1d6), THAC011[+8], ML 12) clinging to the ledgewall and will attack any creature thatdisturbs it, attempts to climb down,or puts itself in a vulnerable position.10. MAP ROOMThere is a strong, musty stench from themoth-eaten animal furs that are hung upand covering the walls here. The south‐MOON STONE KEYSThe three key stones necessary toopen the sealed golden door inroom 9 are each found within adungeon in Huloror Canyon.The key stone in this temple isfound in room 4. Each is identi‐cal in it’s polished sphericalshape and size but are cut fromdifferent types of stone.TEMPLE OF FOR’GOTHU 9-1240’ Ledge to 9�(Pg. 30)�Hallway(Pg. 33)�Room 3(Pg. 28)

32west corner leads to a hallway that deadends.» Under the Fur: Beneath the furs onthe west wall is a floor to ceiling reliefwhich is a rough geographicalapproximation of the canyon. Itshows the locations of the threetemples, including this one, eachmarked with their own color ofgemstone. This temple is a black jet,the north temple, a ruby; and thesouthern temple is a blue sapphire.▶Treasure: Each gemstone on the re‐lief map can fetch 100 gp.» Secret Passage: A door is hiddenunderneath the furs hanging at theend of the south hall. The passagewayleads to room 3.11. TREASURE VAULTBeyond the golden doors, stairs(mimic)ascend to the temples’ main treasurevault. The floor is scattered with gold andsilver coins and several gems. All of whichsurrounds a very plain and smooth stonecontainer with a thick heavy lid.» Stairs: The stairs up to the vault areactually a mimic(AC 6[13], HD 9*(40hp), Att 1 x pseudo-pod (3d4),THAC0 12[+7], ML 9) that has cleverlydisguised itself to catch unsuspectingadventurers. It will attack as soon as acreature steps on it.» Treasure Trap: The stone containeris trapped with a poisonous gas that isset to trigger with any tampering ofthe lid.▶Treasure: The vault contents, in‐cluding the trapped chest, are:17,000sp, 10,000gp, 16 gems(6 ×10gp, 2 × 50gp, 4 × 100gp, 3 ×500gp, 1,000gp), ring of djinni sum‐moning, crossbow +2 (Accuracy), andChainmail + 112.PILLAR ROOMIn each quadrant of this large roomstands a large pillar, each is carved withfour distinct faces directed towards thecenter of the room. A large archway onthe north side leads to a set of stairs thatascend to room 13. On the south wall, adoor exits to room 9.» Face Pillars: The face pillars allresemble the same grotesquehumanoid creature, but withdifferent expressions. Below each facethere is a lever made of solid iron.Once activated each pillar executes adifferent function.1. Joy: The northeast pillar has a facethat exudes pure joy. Once the lever ispulled, a heavy barred gate slidesdown from the archway and the doorlocks itself. The room opens up againonce every lever is pulled.2. Anger: The southwest pillar’s face isone of menacing anger. Once thislever is pulled, the door to room 17opens and the trap is disarmed. Thedoors to room 4 also open. Anaudible click is the only indication acreature might hear that somethinghas changed.3. Sadness: The northwest pillar has aface that is droopy with deep sadness.If this lever is pulled, the StoneGolem(AC4[15], HD 14* (63hp), Att 1 xfist (3d8), THAC0 9[+10], ML 12) inroom 4 will activate and beginpatrolling throughout the templelooking for intruders.4. Fear: The southeast pillar has a facethat is wide-eyed and fearful with itsmouth agape. Once activated, a loudpiercing sounds erupts from themouth of the pillar, alerting nearbycreatures and the Stone Golem fromroom 4 (if active).

SSSS110131416 G15234T3313. EPIC RELIEF — PART IAlong the west, north, and east walls ofthis room is a long relief depicting primi‐tive humanoids hunting, gathering, andfighting each other with spears and clubs.At the center of the relief, high above theprimitive creatures, sits a magnificentsphinx with a jeweled collar around itsneck. The sphinx appears to be observingthe actions of the primitive humanoids.The end of the relief shows all of the crea‐tures bowing in worship to the sphinx.Below the relief, words are carved in thesphinx language. If understood, it reads:“The time of chaos. For’gothu came andshowed us the path of enlightenment.”14. EPIC RELIEF —PART IIAlong the walls is a long relief.There are large double doors on thenorth and south walls. The south doorsexit to a long hallway leading to rooms 4and 16. To the northwest end of theroom, double doors lead to room 15.The relief shows events involving groupsof humanoids. At one end, a sphinxwatches the humanoids from atop a highcanyon ledge as they discard theirweapons into a fire. The creatures arethen shown farming and herding live‐stock. Following that, they are buildingwhat appears to be this temple. In the lastpart of the relief, the humanoids are gath‐ered before another who is donning holyvestments. Behind this person stands thesphinx with a jeweled collar. The carvinghas been vandalized with gashes andscratches, particularly the image of thesphinx.TRAPPED DOORThis door is magi‐cally sealed with aspell that will inflict3d6 spell damage ifsomeone attemptsto open it by nonmagical means. Itcan be opened fromthe inside withoutconsequence.ALARM TRAPIf activated, a highfrequency ringingalerts creatures upto two rooms awayin all directions.�Room 4(Pg. 28)Room 1 �(Pg. 28)Room 12�(Pg. 31)1 square = 5 ftTEMPLE OFFOR’GOTHU13-16

34Below the relief, words are carved in thesphinx language. If understood, it reads:“The time of Tranquility. For’gothu’s wordsguide and protect us.”» Secret Door: On the east wall, onthe portion of the relief showing thecreatures constructing a temple, is ahidden doorway. The temple underconstruction can be pushed inwardswith some effort, revealing a shortpassageway that leads to room 1.15.SHRINE OF FOR’GOTHUA statue of a sphinx sits atop a sarcopha‐gus. Before the sarcophagus is a marble al‐tar covered in gold and beautiful jewels.» Sphinx Statue: The statue depictsthe being which the temple isdevoted to, For’gothu. The sphinxhas a very dignified and regal pose.The neckline is discolored, lessweathered and worn than the rest ofthe statue.» Sarcophagus: Contained within arethe skeletal remains of the sphinx,For’gothu, but nothing else of value.▶ Treasure: On the altar are 2,000sp,200gp, 4 pieces of jewelry (700gp,1000gp, 2x 1,300gp).16. THE GATEThe walls are frost-covered and the floorsslick with ice. By the far wall stands a 10’diameter ring made of jagged black glass.Near the ring, a hunched robed figure isfrozen in ice facing towards it.» Ring: The black glass ring is agateway powered by dark magic.When activated it opens a portal to adistant gate. The device requires alot of power and thus has siphonedall the energy from the surroundingroom, causing everything to freeze.The ring device is very warm to thetouch.The location of the connecting gateis in the south temple, room 6. Toactive the gate, one must have the key(see below).» Frozen corpse: The frozen figure is ahobgoblin, clothed in a dark robe. Itsfeatures are frozen in agony and itshand is outstretched toward the ringgate. Around its neck is a silvermedallion with a black gemstone.▶Treasure: The medallion found onthe hobgoblin corpse is a ring gatekeystone (see appendix).�(Pg. 31)

35APPENDIXSPELLS & MAGIC ITEMSMIND CONTROLThe Mind Control spell is referencedtwice in this adventure—it is an innateability the Collar of For’gothu(pg. 4).Range: 60’A single, humanoid creature must saveversus spells or be controlled, as follows:» Telepathic Link: The caster can seewhat the controlled creature sees andcan be issued commands viatelepathy.» Commands: The subject can begiven commands even if they do notshare a language. No command canbe ignored and must be followed.» Restrictions: Undead creatures areunaffected.» Duration: The spell last for onehour or until successfully savedagainst. If the subject takes damagethey may make another save versusspells to free themselves. If thesubject’s INT score is below 8, theydo not get a save regardless of thecircumstances.RING GATE KEYSTONESIn the ancient ruins of Huloror Canyonthere are three gates that can be used toinstantly transport a creature from one tothe other. Gates can only be accessed ifone possesses a gate keystone. These aremagical devices—a black swirling gem‐stone set in a silver medallion. Onceworn, the wearer may step through thegate and out of the connecting gate. Theside affects of teleportation may includedizziness, nausea, and numbness.STONEGLOW DRAW MAPThis map is found hidden at the Stone‐glow Draw campsite located at C3. Themap (shown opposite) is a simple render‐ing of Hurloror Canyon north of theriver. The location that is marked as trea‐sure is approximately five miles to thesouth west. It is a buried cache of itemsand treasure left by someone decadespast. There are also two other notes ofpotential importance on the map—Ru‐ins that are northeast of the camp and aREFEREE’S NOTEAs always, the golden rule applies.Ensure that at no point a player ismade to feel uncomfortable or vio‐lated. Communicate with the play‐ers—this is a game and should beenjoyed by everyone.

36mentioning of “dangerous no‐madic desert tribe” which onlyindicates that it is also to thenortheast.▶Treasure: The buriedcache: a chest containing3,227 GP, Amulet of Protec‐tion Against Scrying, and aSentient Sword (roll to de‐termine).TRADER’S MAPThis map is only acquired by either barteror taking the map from the trader (pg.20). The directions lead to the top ofChapel Rock in C5 which is only a fewmiles south east from the South Roadcampsite. Though, there is no treasure ac‐tually buried there. In fact, no one haseven set foot here in some time.As it turns out, the map is a fake whichthe traders fabricated to fool anyonegullible enough to trade for it. Thetraders will have moved on, and in ahurry, to avoid confrontation once thedeception is revealed.

37The map covering Huloror Canyon (insidefront cover) is a traditional topographictrail map with a hexagonal grid over top.Elevation is noted on contour lines and ar‐eas of dense vegetation are displayed. Eachtrail has it's mileage calculated to the tenthof a mile when ruling how far the playerstravel per day. The trail distances shownare the miles between trail junctions or lo‐cations of interest.The idea is to present the overland travelto the players in a similar fashion as dun‐geon exploration—give them meaningfulchoices in how they get from point A to B.*Note: Take care not to show the overlandmap to the players. As with dungeon maps,the mapper should work to draw their ownmap as they explore.HEX NUMBERSLocations on the map are organized andlocated in this module by their hex num‐ber. Referring to the example hex maphere, we can locate our example town onhex C3.MAP LEGENDTOWN:The town is the hub ofcivilization and relative safety.SETTLEMENT: Camps, homesteads,and small villages.RUINS: Remains of ancienthumanoid civilizations. Pair wellwith dungeons.CAVE: Dark, creepy, usually a giantscorpion is lurking about.BRIDGE: It goes over water.TRAIL: It's where you put your feet.RIVER: Don't put your feet there.TREASURE: If you find a treasuremap, this is where it may guide you.READING THE MAPA123345ABBCCDD

38THE DUNGEON MAPSDIRECTIONSIn some descriptions for dungeon room orwilderness areas, cardinal directions maybe given.APPROACHUnder each dungeon entry in this module,there will be a section that describes thesurrounding area, and possible encoun‐ters, leading to the dungeon. This may beuseful for the referee as players search forthe dungeon entrance.STUCK DOORSFor simplicity, every instance of a doorin a dungeon that isn't locked or secrethas a 50% chance of being stuck.LIGHTUnless otherwise noted, every space in adungeon is dark. The only light sourceswould be ones carried by the party or bywandering monsters that need light tosee (ie. Brigands).sCTALTARARCHWAYBRAZIERCHESTCORPSEDAISDOORDOOR,LOCKEDDOOR, SECRETPILLARPIT, COVEREDPORTCULLISRUBBLESECRET DOORIN CEILINGSECRET DOORIN FLOORSHAFT INCEILINGSARCOPHAGUSSINKHOLE ORCHASMSTEPSSTAIRWAYSTAIRWAY,NATURALSTAIRWAY,SPIRALSTATUESTATUE, HUGETRAP ORTRIGGERTRAPDOOR,CEILINGTRAPDOOR,FLOORWATER,STANDINGRING GATEFG

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