Deep Chantry: April 2016

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Hex 6

6. Hargeth’s Temple
(Southern Hex)
On a small rise in the forest here, in a clearing, is a huge ruin largely forgotten by even the locals. The people of Woodbridge know about these ruins, though they shun them as haunted, and the monks of St. Albaran’s Monastery know of the ruins, believing they have removed everything of value here. Once Hargeth attempted to settle this region, he established the Grand Temple to Great High God here in the southernmost part of this hex. While the faith was of the Northmen, the people of the Highlands began to embrace their hero-conqueror-king’s religion. When the kingdom fell, the temple fell with it and over the centuries, it has fallen to ruin.

Everything is on a grand scale, as if built for ogre-sized beings, or maybe Hill Giants. It is whispered that Hargeth was half-giant, though his remains are long lost to the ages (or so it is believed) so there’s no way to challenge this rumor. The size of the Temple does, however, suggest there might be some truth to it.

Unless noted, no doorway has a door.

6.1. Grand Entry
This once impressive narthex has fallen to disrepair. Much of the frescoed plaster that once decorated the eastern wall has fallen down and is little more than dust. Enough plaster remains to discern the general sense of some of the frescoes: A giant being (the god?) hurls thunderbolts at tiny figures (humans? Humanoids? Details are lost to time). The stones of the floor here are loose and tilted, keeping anyone walking through here a little off balance. Running requires a Dexterity of 14 or greater to accomplish without slowing to 2/3rds full running speed and those with a Dexterity of less than 14 fight at a 1 point penalty to Armor Class because of the uncertain footing.

Little remains of the former glory but the expanse of the chamber – 50’ high ceiling, grand pillars (8’ in diameter round pillars, 10’ square pillars) supporting the still perfectly fitted roof and balcony above.

6.2. Petitioner’s Walk
The stone floor of this long hall shows signs of continuous wear, a trail down the center from one end to the other. Holes in the wall indicate that torch brackets were once mounted to the wall and great archways lead to smaller side corridors which run parallel, to the north and south. Anyone who utters a curse here (blasphemy, swearing, whatever) will find themselves overlaid by the ghostly image of a priest of the Northmen’s Faith. Where ever the offending party goes, whatever he or she does, his or her countenance will be merged with the dour, bald-headed, scarred face of a Northman priest. Remove curse causes the apparition to disappear.

6.3. Hall of the Faithful
This massive room is clearly the sanctuary. A large, dark-stained altar is centered in the room. The walls, floor and ceiling are carved in bas relief, images of the Northmen’s religion, violent deities enthralling humans and demi-humans. There is evidence that the carvings were once painted. Tumbled stones from a collapse of the north wall are neatly piled below the hole in the wall and the entire floor of this sanctuary seems to have been swept clean.

A great balcony, 25’ above the floor, dominates the Eastern end of the room, with stairs leading up on either side and stairs leading from the balcony up to the next level above (though these are broken and do not reach the second story any longer). The curved balcony has a stone balustrade across the front, pockmarked and broken by time.

Beneath the balcony are unmoving shapes in the shadows – dozens of statues (39), people of all walks of life in all manner of positions. If the statues are examined, they are deformed, some in impossible positions, some with misshapen heads, torsos, arms and legs – as if the sculptor didn’t have a good grasp of human anatomy.

Hiding in the shadows among the statues, at the farthest point East under the balcony, is a serpentine Stone Mistress. The stone mistress will use her ability to animate stone to command the statues of the Sanctuary to defend her if attacked. She has no interest in combat, preferring to be left alone or, at worst, bargained with, shout she will defend herself if attacked. She can animate one statue per round, as long as she can see the statue (she may have animated 1d6 statues in the shadows under the balcony before this encounter began). If seriously threatened, she will try to maneuver herself to be able to animate the large statues in the alcoves marked 5 down the narrow corridors. If desperate, she may try to animate the bas relief carvings on the floor and ceiling.

The Stone Mistress has claimed this ancient ruin as her home and will be loathe to leave. She has little in the way of treasure, though she has a great deal of knowledge she could barter: she has many dealings with the Coven of Five, she knows that the goblins of the Chantry have recently experienced a coup-de-etat, though she doesn’t know the details, she has heard whispers that the King Under the Mountain and the Gnome King have allied with one another and that they are petitioning the Silver Queen for an alliance. She has had a run-in with the Five Brothers (Treants) in the forest, since then she has been unwilling to leave her sanctuary, preferring to send her animated statues to do her business instead.

Searching the stone altar carefully (as secret door) can reveal a secret latch in the side which, if thrown, releases a lock in a carving near the main entrance door (with an audible click).

The carving near the entrance swings inward revealing a lever (trapped – poison needle, though the poison has long since evaporated, the needle remains discolored and the PCs should be led to believe it is poison). The lever, if pulled, opens yet another secret door in the ceiling (the face of the chief god of the Northmen swings down with a creak).

There is no obvious access to the 80’ ceiling (fly or levitate being obvious solutions). The 40’ square chamber above is nearly filled with skeletal linorm (frost), which has been animated and will attack. The skeletal linorm guards three chests

Chest #1: 7 potions: Potion of Speed, Potion of Green Dragon Control, Potion of Sweet Water, Potion of Healing (4) and 4 scrolls: Spell Scroll (Mage: Hold Person), Spell Scroll (Mage: Strength), Scroll of Protection - Undead - Ghouls, Scroll of Protection - Lycanthropes - All Lycanthropes

Chest #2: Red Leather Armor +3; Sword: Singer (Sword +1, +3 vs. lycanthropes and shape changers Unusual Abilities: Int: 16, Alignment: Neutral Good, Communication: speech, Languages: 2 (Silver Dragon, Common), Extra Ability: read non-magic languages, Powers/Abilities: detect magic in a 1" radius, detect gems, kind, and number in a 1/2" radius, detect evil/good in a 1" radius)

Chest #3: 30212 cp, 28871 sp, 34444 ep, 21121 gp, Jewelry (30): 700 gp Bracelet, 400 gp Medal, 800 gp Tiara, 1100 gp Crown, 500 gp Small Box, 600 gp Statuette, 500 gp Diadem, 1300 gp Collar, 200 gp Belt, 80 gp Anklet, 6400 gp Locket, 600 gp Clasp, 400 gp Decanter, 700 gp Locket, 6000 gp Buckle, 900 gp Comb, 1800 gp Belt, 500 gp Buckle, 800 gp Arm Band, 4000 gp Bracelet, 1000 gp Medal, 6000 gp Sceptre, 6700 gp Statuette, 150 gp Locket, 50 gp Goblet, 1700 gp Pin, 1300 gp Decanter, 90 gp Idol, 500 gp Goblet, 1000 gp Sceptre.

6.4. Ashrorn’s Rise
This balcony is about 25 feet above the sanctuary floor below. If any being which has been cursed with the visage of a Northman High Priest (area 2) stands near the center of this balcony, a bright white light will shine down from the ceiling on that being, causing the visage to become the being’s actual appearance (save vs. spells to negate) permanently, or until dispelled with a remove curse spell (that is, it is no longer a ghostly overlay, it is now the being’s face). As long as the being is cursed with the Nothrman Priest’s appearance, he or she will gain the spell casting abilities of a cleric, level 1-4 (1d4) or, if already a cleric, additional spells per day equal to level 1-4 cleric (1d4).

6.5 Effigies of the North Gods
The four alcoves marked with a number 5 on the map each contain a giant (30’ tall) statue of the Northmen’s gods, though time and manipulation by the Stone Mistress have warped them into twisted parodies of their original appearance. The dirt in the corridors and the alcoves has been disturbed, perhaps revealing giant foot prints.

The second and third stories consist of (because of the effects of time) essentially a single huge chamber on each level with rubble scattered across the floors. Square holes in the floor indicate where wooden poles or beams once held up dividing walls. There isn't anything particularly interesting among the pigeon nests and droppings which dot the two levels (perhaps a few copper pieces or a tiny idol of the Northmen's gods).

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Hex 3

3. Old King's Watch
Every 20 miles along the road are these 80' tall round towers, most of which have fallen to ruin. The people of the Highlands use the Watches as waystations along the King's Road. Here, just north of the King's Road, is one of the few towers fully intact.

3.1 The Waystation
Over the years, travelers have added beds, a table, chairs and a small sideboard to this room. The fireplace has ashes from an old fire in it. Once a wooden staircase climbed to the second story, but only the top few steps dangle from the opening as travelers have scavenged the wood for fires. A stack of branches is piled up next to the fireplace. Generally, this is a safe haven for travelers.

If the Eye of the Moon (see the King Under the Water) is brought into this room, phantom soldiers will be seen living out their daily life - talking, walking around, climbing the phantom stairs to the second story. After 2d8 rounds, one of the phantom soldiers will "open" the secret trap door in the floor and descend.

The secret trap door can be detected by normal means as well. It is locked and was once trapped, but the trap was long ago sprung by a curious Highland traveler.

3.2 Second Story
Untouched for generations, there is little left here. A candle chandielier composed of five 12" diamter rings soldered together side-by-side hangs from a chain from the ceiling. The candles have long since been pillaged.

The rings are the circlets which control the skeleton warriors in the crypt below.

3.3 Third Story
A few broken chairs and an overturned table, an empty weapons rack and a dozen broken arrows. Tucked among the rafters is skeletal human hand clutching a small leather pouch containing 3 gp, a tiny ruby (50 gp value) and a medallion of St.Turias (Silver plated brass medallion with the image of St. Turias on one side and the Reliquary, hex14, on the obverse - medallion is magical, TO BE DETAILED LATER)

The Grave of the Five Champions of St. Turias
3.4 Grave Entrance
The stairs lead to a small chamber with five doors onthe east wall. A headless human skeleton lays at the foot of the northern most door, the skull behind the steps. The doors are unremarkable iron-strapped wooden doors, and there is nothing to indicate what caused the beheading.

Doors can be numbered 1-5 from north to south. When any door is opened, the skeleton warrior in the tomb behind the door south of the room is awakened and will exit its tomb in 3 rounds (if door 1 is opened, the skeleton warrior behind door 4 is roused and comes out of his tomb to attack the intruder). Any door opened from the outside, freezes the skeleton warrior in its tomb as long as the door is left open. Any animated skeleton warrior will seek to dispatch intruders and close any open doors. The solution is to begin with door 5, the door farthest south, as there is no door to the south of it and opening the door will freeze the skeletal warrior in his sarcophagus. Inanimate skeleton warriors appear to simply be armored skeletons and their weapons and armor can be removed (though if the skeleton warriors animate, they will attempt to track down the looters and retrieve their equipment). Four of the five knights wear full chainmail and bear two-handed swords, the fifth (in the southernmost tomb) wears full platemail and a longsword +1 (Turias' Wrath, a sword+1, +3 vs. demons, devils and undead, continuous detect evil, heals 2d4 hp once per day).

TO FINISH: Map, images

Monday, April 25, 2016

Hex 3

3. The Fishermen of Boeh Hect
On the north bank of the Whitewater River here, a promintory rises about100' above the river. On the slope is the tiny fishing village of Boeh Hect. Boeh Hect was the great hero of this village, single-handedly fighting back a horde of goblins by using his greatsword called Skysplitter.

The fishermen of Boeh Hect are secretive and standoffish. Each of the thirteen men is clearly related, with strangely narrow heads, flat noses and a far off look in their eyes. All of them seem to be between the age of 50 and 70, bald, and all wear a tattoo on their right cheeks, though each mark is slightly different: some variation of a sword, a star and a lightning bolt.

The fishermen of Boeh Hect are:
Garen, Dylan, Finian, Filian, Danas, Geral, Andar, Pillian, Aerias, Tular, Gemmel, Danid, Marcan

The Fishermen of Boeh Hect arm themselves with nets, long fishing poles and fileting knives. Travelers are not exactly shunned, nor are they welcomed. There is nowhere for a traveler to stay, however, so the Fishermen of Boeh Hect will try to discourage anyone staying past sundown. The men don't seem to ever go fishing. Whenever the Village of Boeh Hect is entered, the men are milling around in small groups of two or three. If the hovels are searched, there are no personal items in them, only a couple beds, a table and a couple chairs. There isn't even any food in any of the shacks.

If encountered at night, the Fishermen of Boeh Hect wll be gathered on the promintory point, staring at the sky. If there is a storm in the area, lightning will strike the the point 1d4 times througout the duration of the storm, striking one of the Fishermen of Boeh Hect as they chant a prayer to the great hero.

Buried in the ground on the point is the sword of Boeh Hect, Skysplitter (sword +2, +3 vs. sky creatures, summon lightning 4x/week) which attracts the lightning of storms. When a Fisherman of Boeh Hect is struck by lightning, he leaves the village to kill and eat the heart of a living creature. Usually, they find a rabbit or even a deer and snare it with a net or whip it with their poles (which they are quite adept at using as weapons). If a struck Fisherman encounters a person, however, he will try to kill the person encountered and eat his or her heart.

Dumped in their cesspit is the treasure the Fishermen have taken from a handful of victims: a sword and leather armor, thieves' tools, six daggers, nine arrows, a shortbow, 87 gp, 55 sp, three potions (stealth, invisibility, heroism).

Friday, April 22, 2016

Hex 40

40. Hills of the Fallen Fathers

These hills were an ancient burial ground for a nomadic people who lived in this area eons ago. In this hex, normal encounter checks are not made. All encounters in this hex are (roll d20) 1-3 Wights (1-8), 1-3 Wraiths (9-16), Ghost (17-18), Haunt (19), Vampire (20). Random treasures (typically golden items) are buried throughout the hills of this hex. Disturbing a grave guarantees an encounter with undead.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Hex 24

24. Hamlets (Southern Hex)

Along the road are scattered nine tiny hamlets, ranging from three to six houses in each, surrounded by a ditch and possibly a wooden palisade. Fields of crops, pastures and fruit trees stretch to the north and south of the road. 2d4 adults, 2d8 children and 1d4 elderly tend the animals and crops.

Typical farm implements, items of everyday life, and some small amounts of food can be found at any of the hamlets along with cows, chickens, sheep, etc.

If the goblins are rampaging the area, all of these hamlets will be abandoned, each with a 60% chance of having been ravaged by the goblins (crops will be burned, animals slaughtered, 50% chance that the people will have been butchered as well).

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Hex 24

24. Lake Fincher (Eastern Hex)

At the top of a 100’ tall plateau the locals call Demalias Tor is a small lake called Lake Fincher. Here, on the western edge is a small fishing village, simply called Fincher or Lake Fincher. The village is home to seventeen men, eight women and eight children who live in 8 ramshackle huts. The men fish during the day with nets from boats which are pulled up on the shore at night. Nighttime the men gather in one of the huts to drink and tell stories. The villagers are rather xenophobic, shunning strangers to the point of aggression. The men will threaten strangers, but they are more bluster than bravery. Once a week the fishermen take their wares (fresh fish and dried, smoked and salted fish) and trade with the people of Tiresh Village (Hex 30A).

The women of the village are allies of the Witch of the West Wind (See NPC encounters) and two nights a month go off in the forest to dance pagan dances with the witch. If the village is molested in any way, the Witch of the West Wind will seek out those who bother her “innocent daughters” or their families. Indeed, there is a 5% chance that the Witch will be encountered near the village if she still lives.

The villagers have little treasure (2d6 sp and 4d12 cp) but each of the women has a tiny charm around her neck which offers protection from disease and can be used to call the Witch of the West Wind (by rubbing it and calling her Truename).

TO FINISH: Map?

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Hex 15

15. The Watchers In The Woods (Eastern Hex)

Three Ettercaps live in trees here. They have rarely preyed on humans because the Sisters of Mercy (Hex 25) and their Treant allies (Hex 19) have kept them under their thumbs. However, they have grabbed a couple goblins and have not had any reprisals from the Sisters or the treants, so they are becoming more bold. If their lair is invaded, however, they will defend themselves.

Around the lair are game trails leading to pit traps and trip wires strung between trees that cause spiked logs to crash down (for 2d10 damage) or to grab prey at the ankle and hoist high up in a tree, both DEX check (at -2) to avoid.

The lair is interconnected webs and branches high up in the trees here. The husks of two goblins are webbed in the lair as is a pouch containing 132 sp, a dagger, the bones of many animals and the husk of a giant spider, the last of a group of spiders that laired with the ettercaps for a time.

ETTERCAPS (3): AC 6; MV 120'; HD 5; hp 19, 21, 21; THAC0 15; #AT 3; D 1-3/1-3/1-8; SA Poison; SD Traps; SZ M; Int Low; AL NE; XP 260, 270, 270.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Hex 9

9. The Drowning Pool (North Hex)

A Water Weird haunts a deep, slow moving pool in the river in the northern part of this hex, attacking creatures as they come within 20’ of the pool unless they throw something blue into the water as they pass. The locals call this part of the river the Drowning Pool, though they pass on the tradition of tossing small blue stones and the traders who boat through this area always carry a bag of tiny blue stones which they toss in a few at a time when the water stirs.

The Weird will travel up or down the river a bit to chase prey but generally won’t leave the bounds of the hex and doesn’t like the typically fast moving current of the river. Evidence that the party has rid the river of the monster would certainly gain the thanks of the people of the region, and possibly a bounty to boot. The Weird’s lair is at the bottom of the center of this pool in a deep muddy hole, containing 164 small blue stones, a blue silk scarf, 7 blue topaz (worth 70 gp each), a blue bonnet, a blue painted shield (Banan’s Wall, shield +1, can create a wall of force once per day).

Friday, April 15, 2016

Hex 14

14. Faller Village and The Tumble (Western Hex)

This village sits at the cross roads of King’s Way (East West) and the Forest Road (south) which becomes Mine Road (north). About 50 buildings are arrayed around the village square, most of which are homes. Notable buildings in the village are a Common Barn (A), village Chapel (B), Traveler’s Rest (C) and local Headman’s House (D). Most of the townspeople are farmers, though one is also a decent farrier and another works leather competently. The village is fairly poor, though not destitute. Most of the people look out for one another and, while travelers come through fairly regularly, they are wary of strangers. Some unusual goods might be able to be obtained in the village, though at a steep cost.

On the east side of the village the ground rises in a steep slope topped with ruins. The locals call the ruins "The Tumble" and rarely bother with them, unless they need stone for some project or another. Occasionally children will play in the tumble, though parents (rightfuly) discourage it. These are the Ruins of St. Turias' Reliquary. Deep beneath the ruins is a secret which enthralls the people of Faller Village.

NOTE: Faller Village and the Tumble are fully detailed elsewhere.

TO FINISH: Maps, Image

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Hex 42

42. The Chantry of the Deepflame

On the mountainside here are the ruins of the Chantry. Two towers of radically different design and construction mark the obvious entrance. A bit higher up to the the East is another pile of ruins, a chaple or temple. Much higher up, to the West, is a somewhat hidden entrance to the ruins. If watched, goblinswill be seen coming and going through the small, eastern tower and possibly some griffons winging above the Eastern ruins.

TO FINISH: smaller outdoor map for chantry? Image

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Hex 39

39. The Whispering Tree (North Hex):

A huge, twisted yew tree grows here, apart from any other trees in this clearing. When the wind blows, it sounds like a voice whispering indistinct and haunting words from the trunk of the tree.

The trunk is hollow. High up in the branches (treat as a secret door unless someone climbs the tree searching for an entrance) is a hole in a V in the main trunk that provides access to the hollow trunk.

Inside, the hollow trunk is 3’ in diameter, but nearly smooth, running the full height of the tree (from the V to the ground is 30’, and an additional 22’ below ground beyond that). It is difficult climb inside the tree trunk (nearly impossible for non-thieves, so non-thieves fall through the trunk to the small chamber below, though the slight angle of the trunk slows the fall a bit, damage for a fall is 2d8. Thieves suffer -20% penalty for climb sheer surfaces because of the tight quarters inside the trunk.

Beneath the tree is a chamber, completely encased in the roots of the yew tree. The chamber is a sphere, about 11’ in diameter. Those who fall into the chamber are entangled by the roots (treat as entangle spell, DEX or lower on d20 extricate). Those who climb down into the chamber do not suffer such a fate. Hidden amid the roots of the tree are five Coffer Corpses which will emerge one every two rounds beginning two rounds after the first person enters the chamber. The second Coffer Corpse that emerges has a broadsword, the fourth Coffer Corpse has a magical shortword (Harishar, the Queen’s Blade a shortsword +2 that shines as a Light spell on command and detects evil). Buried among the roots are 343 gp, a silver chalice (with winged horsed engraved on the inside and angels in bas relief on the outside – worth 120 gp) and a leather pouch containing three rubies (worth 100gp, 200 gp, and 500 gp).

TO FINISH: Image

Monday, April 11, 2016

Hex 22

22. Burnt Forest

This hex, and several to the south (not labeled or shown on the map) burned in a fairly recent forest fire (2 years ago). Burnt tree trunks rise like blackened fingers reaching up toward the sky. The ground in these hexes is becoming overgrown with knee to waist-high saplings and grasses, flowers and brush. Still, there is little cover available in these hexes. Among the debris all throughout this area are hundreds of small creatures known as Ash Dwellers (see new creatures).

Ash Dwellers: AC 9; MV 120’; HD ¼; hp 2; THAC0 20; #AT 1; D 1; SA nil; SZ S; Int Animal; AL N; XP 32

There are a total of 142 Ash Dwellers in this area. To determine the number of Ash Dwellers in the vicinity of the PCs at any given time, roll 4 random dice and add the total.

See the monster description for what will provoke the Ash Dwellers. Typically, they will ignore other creatures unless threatened.

Also in this hex is a goblin deadfall trap. Among the burned out trunks of a copse of trees is a hidden tripwire which causes two logs to swing down, one from ahead, one from behind, slamming into any dwarf sized or larger creature(s) in the immediate vicinity. Tripwire tripper saves vs dragon breath at -5 to avoid the trap, those close by save vs dragon breath with no penalty to avoid the trap. Those hit by the trap are crushed between the two huge logs for 4d6 hp damage (1/2 of which is CON damage in DRRPG). Those who fail their save by only one take half damage. Those who fail their save with a roll of “1” are crushed by the logs and trapped between them, stabbed by a broken off branch. Carefully searching the area around the tripwire reveals the lower part of a deer leg, a (probably) human hand with a silver ring on it (engraved with the name Earis on the inside, grape leaves twined on the outside with three purple amethyst “grapes” set in it – worth 200 gp).

Friday, April 8, 2016

Hex 26

26. Griffon Lair (Northern Hex)

A cliff rises above the lowlands here and on the cliff face are eight griffon nests. Each nest has a mated pair and is 75% likely to have either 1-2 eggs (spring) or 1-2 young (summer/fall). By winter, the young are driven off to establish their own griffon prides and territories. The young are AC 6, HD 2, Dam 1-2/1-2/1-8.

If they see horses, the griffons will swarm the horses, dragging them off to the nests to feed. Locals know about the griffons and typically use mules and oxen as beasts of burden in this region (hexes15,16,20,21,25,26,29,30 - the road is even known as Griffon Way). The griffons typically leave the road alone (as they have been on the receiving end of magic and weapons enough times to deter them), although the lone traveler may prove to be a temptation and the lure of horseflesh is irresistible to them.

The nests contain a mixture of bones, debris, bits of clothing and broken weapons and armor. Thorough searching turns up 6023 cp, 181 sp, and the following potions: Potion of Flying, Philter of Love, Potion of Animal Control - Avians.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Special Encounters Part 3 - 22-30

General Encounter Chart

1-8 NPC
9-16 Mundane Encounter
17-19 Dangerous Encounter
20 Special Encounter

Special Encounters Part 3 (22-30)
I may add stats for the creatures encountered, or I may simply add them to the Appendix: New Creatures. None of the Spectres who appear as Special Encounters are associated with the Spectre who haunts the Mountains or the Spectre of King Hargeth.

Roll 3d10

22. The Frog King

When encountered, the Frog King simply appears to be an overly large frog, perched on an odd black stone. This large frog, however, can talk. Given the chance, he will introduce himself as King Bertram of the Grand Wood. His "kingdom" is whatever he can see and his subjects are whoever or whatever is before him. He will treat an encountered party as if they were his vassals.

If threatened, King Bertram can summon the Seven Brothers of the Wind, minor wind elementals (4 HD) which wink into existence within one round and are under the Frog King's command for 7 rounds, one Brother returning to the Elemental Plane of Air each round. The Frog King can summon the Brothers once per day.

23. The Night Claw

This Faerie Cat prowls the Highlands. It's disposition varies depending on the time of day. In the morning (sunrise to noon), the Claw is friendly and playful, in the afternoon (noon to sunset) the Claw is haughty and standoffish. In the night (sunset to sunrise), the Claw is a malevolent predator, attacking mortal beings, human or animal, without pause.

The Night Claw can blink 4 times per day and hide in shadows and move silently with 90% success. Once the Night Claw kills its prey, it keens over the corpse, wailing loudly. If attacked during the keening, the Night Claw runs off but stalks its attacker, seeking an opportune time to attack.

24. Foren and Dymer
When encountered, two men are seen sitting on a tree branch, talking with each other. They are having an animated conversation about the High King. Foren (on the left) hates the High King and believes that the Clans should rule themselves. He sees no need for a High King, seeing the position as simply a drain on the Clans' resources with no benefit given to the people. Dymer (on the right) argues that under the High King, the people of the Highlands are finally united, finally at peace, the King's patrols keep that peace. Dymer points out that the recent Goblin War took its toll on the Highlands but it would have been much worse without the High King.

If not molested, Foren and Dymer will continue arguing, ignoring any other beings in the area. If interrupted or attacked, the two will leap off the branch and attack. These are Hostile Spirits, two very angry men who were killed near here 250 years ago. Hostile Spirits simply exist to fight, either physically or verbally. They will not relent until dispatched, and even then, they reform the following day unless their physical remains are completely destroyed. The bodies are buried at the base of the tree where the two spirits are first found.

25. Little Children Lost

A few yards in the distance is the sound of children's voices, singing, laughing, playing. When approached they all giggle and clap their hands together and run toward the party, singing a song about eternal summer and playing and laughing.

These are Song Spirits, Faeries who seek to charm living beings into a state of eternal pleasure. Each round the children sing their song, every mortal being who hears it must save vs. spells or succumb to their special charm person ability. A charmed person finds themselves transported to a realm of great pleasure, whatever the mortal being's greatest pleasure is. The reality is that the charmed mortals simply fall to the ground, catatonic for 4d6 hours. Song Spirits simply desire to spread joy and pleasure (even if it illusory) and have no conception of the danger they put mortals in: falling under charm in the middle of a stream, for example, or the exposure to weather and predators their charmed victims experience.

The Song Spirits will flee if threatened and always move on whenever all their victims fall under charm (or seem to, they can be tricked easily). Song Spirits are not violent or aggressive in any way.

26. The Seven Brothers (and their True Forms)

Seven Brothers

Seven men, all dressed in identical clothing, all bearing heavy sacks on their backs lumber through the region. Six of the brothers have bushy black beards while the seventh is clean shaven, looking to be the youngest. If approached, the Seven Brothers will stop for a rest. Only the unshaved brother will speak when encountered. The bearded brothers watch every move the unshaved brother makes and all six of the bearded brothers seem to work in concert, as if they anticipate one another's movements.

The True Form of the Seven Brothers

If the unshaved brother is threatened, the six bearded brothers begin speaking in unison, threatening whoever or whatever threatens the unshaved brother. In combat, the six brothers work as a perfectly timed unit while the unshaved brother acts very independently of the other six.

If the unshaved brother is killed, the other six fall over dead as well.

Inside the huge, heavy sacks are the brothers' true forms: four foot tall, deep green demonic creatures: Changeling Imps. If a bag is opened, the imp will leap out as the bag envelops the Brother and becomes a hump on the back of the Changeling Imp. The Imps are aggressive and unpleasant, attacking without provocation and hurling insults at every opportunity. When one imp is released, all seven will reveal themselves and attack. If killed, the Changeling Imps will be forced back to the Outer Darkness, but they leave behind the seven sacks. A humanoid being can cover him or herself with the sack (jump in it, as it were) and project the image of one of seven brothers as a disguise.

27. The Seedoak

This mythical tree is never found in the same place twice. Some believe that it doesn't really exist in this reality at all but is a bit of heaven that sometimes touches the mortal realm or some kind of Faerie tree. Regardless of its origin, whenever the Seedoak is encountered, the locals rejoice at the blessing that it bestows.

The Seedoak has strange, elongated fruit hanging from the branches (and no acorns). A mortal being can pluck a single fruit from the tree. Once a fruit has been taken, the mortal creature can see no other fruit on the tree, even though a moment before it was loaded with hundreds of these odd fruits.

A Seedoak fruit is filled with some kind of seeds. Most of these are normal seeds, wheat, barley, apple seeds, etc. which are extremely hearty and yeild up to a hundred fold per seed if planted. 5% (or 1-in-20) of the fruits contain magical seeds.

Seedoak Magical Seeds
Roll d6. Each fruit contains 1d10 magic seeds.
1. Giant Beanstalk seeds
2. Fireseeds
3. Seeds of Knowledge (eating one grants +1 to Intelligence for 24 hours, save vs.poison negates)
4. Seeds of Wisdom (eating one grants +1 to Wisdom for 24 hours, save vs. poison negates)
5. Seeds of Discord (eating one causes eater to become aggressive and angry, save vs. poison negates)
6. Dragon's Teeth (sowing these seeds causes a warrior to sprout up from the ground 1 turn after sown - Warrior is F1, 8hp, armed with magically hardened wooden chainmail and weapons which have the same characteristics as normal items. The warrior serves the sower for 24 hours or until killed, after which it collapses into a heap of rotted leaves).

28. The Brute

This hooded creature roams the Highlands challenging mortal beings to a wrestling match. When encountered, the Brute will call out the strongest looking person before him, challenging the person to a wrestling match, the stakes being permission to pass through the area. If ignored, the Brute will grab the arm of a person and throw him or her to the ground yelling, "I will not be ignored."

A simple way to simulate wrestling would be strength checks. Roll d20 and add strength (the Brute's strength is 18), highest wins the round. Best three of five wins the match.

If the Brute wins or loses, he claps his opponent on the back and laughs, "Good match. You are a worthy opponent." He then stalks off into the distance.

If the Brute's hood is pulled off, there is no head under it, but the hood itself is the Brute's head. If the hood is removed, the Brute will evaporate into a puff of black smoke, leaving behind the hood (which functions as a bag of holding, but has to be wrestled open every time).

29. The Crow
An extra-large crow (not giant, just big for its kind) perches high in a tree, cawing loudly at any passersby. Caught in the branches at the crow's feet is a ring with 3 keys on it. The keyring is not immediately evident from the ground. If the bird is left unmolested, it will grab the keyring and fly off (d8 for direction: 1=North, 2=Northeast, 3=East, etc.). The crow will fly erratically, giving it an additional bonus of 2 to its Armor Class if anyone targets the flying bird.

If the bird is attacked in any way (arrow, rock, spell, etc.), the bird will fly off without the keyring as listed above (direction and bonus for erratic flying).

The 3 keys on the keyring are magical, they are the King's Keys. One key is iron, one key is brass and one key is silver-plated brass. Each key will work only in a lock of the same metal: iron with iron, brass with brass. The third key will actually work on brass or silver. A King's key will unlock the first lock that the key of the proper type of metal it is used on. That particular key will be forever linked to that particular lock.

King's Keys were created by the Mage King of Aerias three hundred years ago after he had been held prisoner by a rival king for nearly a decade. The Mage King fabricated hundreds of these keys from a variety of metals and secreted them throughout his kingdom. He always carried a dozen or so on his person so he could release himself from any bondage he was put in. The keys are rare, scattered throughout the Midlands, deeply coveted by assassins and thieves.

30. Procession of the Twelve Widows

Heard through the mist is the sound of keening pipes and a dirge drum. Fading in and out of sight is a procession: three musicians leading twelve women dressed in heavy black mourning wear. Three small figures attend the twelfth woman, carrying the train of her dress. Bringing up the rear of the procession is what appears to be a tall, gaunt priest.

This macabre procession wanders the Highlands on dark nights, usually glimpsed from a distance as no one who has encountered the Procession directly has survived.

All the figures are non-corporeal undead.

The musicians are Soulless Jongleurs, undead musicians whose songs affect the very soul of mortal listeners. The musicians play The Lament of the Dark Night, a tune that causes Hopelessness (as per the 8^th level MU Spell Symbol of Hoplessness). Saves vs. the Hopelessness caused by the music are dependent on the distance of the listener from the musicians: normal save at 120’ or greater, 120’-80’ save -2, 80’-40’ save -4, 40’-5’ save -8.

The first eleven widows are Mourning Dames, undead widows who wander the mortal realms in search of their dead husbands. The gaze of a Mourning Dame causes Fear (per the spell, as if cast by a 12^th level spellcaster), the touch of a Mourning Dame is withering (causing 1-8 hp damage and aging the target 1 year per hp damage inflicted).

The twelfth widow is a Noble Mourning Dame, a more powerful apparition, and the only one of the group with a voice and the remains of a mortal intelligence. The Noble Mourning Dame, whose name in life was Mistress Annabet, has the abilities of a Mourning Dame. In addition, her voice acts as a Suggestion spell (as if cast by a 10^th level spellcaster) and she can create the effects of Phatasmal Force twice per day.

The priest is a Spectre, whose name in life was Azgarod Zoth, has bound to this procession by some long-forgotten demon prince.

The “attacks” of the undead are primarily sound based (except for the withering touch of the Mourning Dames and the Spectre’s touch), so deaf creatures, or those affected by a Silence spell, are not affected.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Hex 38

38. Shemaras Ring (Southeastern Hex)

In this small glade is a ring of moss covered stones, about 2-4’ high, rounded and well weathered. This is a Shemaras Ring, a gate to the Faerie Realm. Offering a sheep or a goat will summon a faerie (typically a sprite) who will escort the party to the Faerie Realm. A star flower with a phase-door or passwall spell cast on it will also grant access to the Faerie Realm.

In the center of the circle is a very worn stone with runes etched into it. The runes say (in an ancient tongue), “For the Woodland Heart, A Gift Is Given, From the Woodland Heart, A Blessing Received.” Leaving an appropriate offering on the stone will cause good/neutral aligned parties to receive the equivalent of a Bless spell for 24 hours. Leaving an inappropriate offering (something not worthy somehow) causes nothing to happen. Leaving the Ring without leaving behind some kind of offering to the Faerie summons 5-20 invisible sprites who will try to use their sleep poisoned arrows to stop the party, exact a fair offering from them, tie them up and leave them somewhere unfortunate (DM discretion. perhaps outsided the Gnome King's hall, or random location select hex by rolling 2d20). If one or more sprites is killed, they will flee back to Faerie, gather reinforcements (more sprites, brownies, pixies, nixies, etc), and bring much trouble to the party (they will become a constant nuisance until the party makes amends or may try to kill the party if the party’s actions warranted such an action.).

SPRITES (5d4): AC 6; MV 90’/180’; MC: B; HD 1; hp 1-8; THAC0 19; #AT 1; D by wpn; SA Invisibility, Detect Good/Evil; SD Move Silently, -4 to-hit when invisible; SZ S; Int Very; AL N; XP 80+1/hp

TO FINISH: Image

NOTE: The Faerie Realm is a huge undertaking that I probably won't ever get to, though I'd like to...

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Hex 33

33. Hargeth’s Folly

Along the road here is the remains of a great wall that Hargeth (see hex 32) attempted to erect from the mountains to the north, through the forest, south to the great river, creating a barrier to keep the chaos of the wildlands to the east at bay and establish a foothold for the civilized lands to the east, safely behind this 20 mile long wall. This was to be the great northern gate of the East Barrier Wall. Most of the wall was not constructed before Hargeth’s death, but the ruin of the monumental gate stands today as a testament to the king’s far-reaching dreams. The main road runs through the center of the gatehouse. Vines have overgrown parts of the wall and towers, but all are in relatively good repair. Careful observation of the gatehouse will reveal some signs of recent repair to the stonework.

Brand on the cow

A wayward cow has claimed this area as her home. The current occupant of the Gatehouse has thus far ignored her presence, hoping her true owner doesn’t think he has stolen her, but if she stays around for the two more weeks without anyone claiming her, he will build a small paddock for her and keep her. (The cow actually wandered over forty miles through the forest from Hope Cross – if the PCs have been to Hope Cross, there’s a chance that they have seen the mark on the cow and have some idea who the true owners are).

A hedge wizard has taken up residence in the gatehouse with the (possibly unfortunately coincidental*) name of Hargeth. This Hargeth doesn’t know any of the history of this area, and will probably be a cause of confusion due to his name. He is an older man (in his 60s) which might lead PCs to believe he IS somehow the Hargeth of the region. He has only recently (six months ago) taken over the gatehouse – mostly. He has spent considerable time and effort making the left tower habitable and secure wherein he has set up his workshop and living quarters. He has tried to enter the central room and the right tower, but a ghost haunts those areas and is too great a challenge for him to overcome. He is content to live in the left tower, but would be extremely grateful to a party who rid his home of the nuisance (rewarding with spells, potions, etc and becoming an ally in the region).

Left Tower:

First Level Living Chamber. The outer door is locked and trapped (if the key is not used a 40’ radius gas cloud – equivalent to sleep spell – issues forth – save vs spells to negate effect). Inside the windowless first level is a plain room with a small wooden table and four chairs, a few empty shelves, a broom and a mop and bucket. One corner holds a small table piled high with various foodstuffs. Beneath the small corner table are three sacks (one of flour, one of sugar, one of meal) and a small box (of potatoes). A small fireplace provides light, heat and functions as the stove. A small ladder/steep staircase climbs the far wall to the second story.

Second Level Working Chamber. This chamber contains several tables with various strange apparatus, vials, beakers and the like. A stuffed owl stares down from the ceiling beside a stuffed goblin head. A real raven named Ralis serves as Hargeth’s familiar, but is a mute bird who prefers to remain still and silent and surprise “attack” unexpectedly by swooping down and grabbing at something shiny. A locked and barred wooden door leads to the central room above the road.

Hargeth brews potions and makes charms (in Daen Ral RPG, this is the primary function of hedge wizards). Since every hedge wizard uses his or her own formula to create such items, so the items in this work room are only of general use and interest to other mages. Hargeth can brew the potions or fabricate the charms listed in the rulebooks at double the gpv with an 80% chance of success. Doubling the price (paying four times the gpv listed in the rule books) gives a 95% chance of success. Potions/charms take 1week per 100 gpv to fabricate, though Hargeth may work on up to four at any given time. The DM may want to limit which potions and charms are available at which times (perhaps the proper ingredients are not in season or need to be found).

Hargeth, Level 7 Hedge Wizard

Central Room: This room, bridging the gap between the two towers of the gatehouse, is suspended 20’ over the road. The 15’x30’ room has doors on each end and large, glassless windows on the long walls. There is a 45% chance the ghost of Aras Mynar is in this room and will attack any creature on sight. The room is completely barren and the wooden floor is rotting. Each round spent in the room, everyone must make a save vs. dragon breath or fall through the floor (for 2d6 damage) to the ground below. If engaged in melee, the save is made at -2 per round.

Right Tower:

First Floor. The door to this windowless level is barred from the inside. A small fireplace is along one wall and a small ladder/steep staircase climbs the far wall to the second story. There is a 45% chance that the ghost of Aras Mynar is in this room and will attack any creature on sight.

Second Floor. This room is piled high with broken crockery and splintered wooden utensils. In the midst of the rubble are the skeletal remains of a man, wearing shreds of clothing, a ring, a dagger and a sword. All are ordinary items, not worth a significant amount, though the ring (a simple silver ring) is worth 30 sp. This is the corpse of Aras Mynar who was murdered here a long time ago. There is a 10% chance that the ghost of Aras Mynar is in this room and he will attack any creature on sight.

If anyone gives the corpse a proper burial (with some form of blessing), the ghost will cease attacking, fade, and be at rest.

GHOST: AC 0 (8); MV 90’; HD 10; hp 10-80; THAC0 10; #AT 1; D Age 10-40 years; SA Age 10 years & panic, magic jar, ethereal vs. wpn & spells; Siz M; Int High; AL LE; XP 4050+14/hp.

* Hargeth can be played as a kind of bumbling, absent-minded alchemist who can provide adventuring parties with some rumors and the occassional potion or charm, or perhaps he has renamed himself Hargeth to hide his previous insidious identity, or perhaps he is the reincarnation of the so-called Hero King Hargeth, the Bold/the Fool, who is trying to reclaim his kingdom via the very means he used to originally establish his kingdom, legends not withstanding...

TO FINISH: Image, map (though may not be necessary, the image is pretty descriptive of the location...

Monday, April 4, 2016

Hex 32

32. Hargeth’s Keep

A small hill rises out of the forest here, cleared but topped in ruins. Though the ruins are ancient, the forest has not reclaimed the hill.

Five hundred years ago, a warrior king named Hargeth (called “the Bold” by historians outside of the Highlands, called “the Fool” by most who inhabit this region). Hargeth was an invading king fromthe north who established a keep near the Rushing River here in his attempt to carve out his dominion in the untamed wilds. He destroyed a number of clans of giants and established numerous small communities in this region. Though a conqueror, Hargeth's battle prowess impressed the local clans and he was raised to the status of High King. As High King, Hargeth put his people to work building numerous monuments to his own hubris. After twenty years of constant struggle, the goblins of the mountains and the other humanoids of the neighboring regions rallied under a viscous Fire Giant King and swept through the region, overrunning the keep and decimating all the villages and towns in the region. Hargeth himself fought the Fire Giant King in single combat and slew the giant, but was himself overwhelmed by the Giant King’s minions. Hargeth currently haunts the ruins as a Spectre (not the Spectre of the Dangerous Encounters section, Hargeth never leaves the ruins). Now the Lord’s Tower and a smaller guard tower are the only structures still standing on this lonely, wind-blasted hill.

32.1. Ruined Gatehouse

All that remains of the gatehouse is the foundations, in piles of rubble, and a portion of the portcullis is buried in the ground here. Among the fallen stones are 13 skeletons that remain hidden and inanimate unless Hargeth is threatened, in which case the Spectre calls them from their tumbledown tomb to rise to his defense. The skeletons have no weapons or armor.

32.2. Guard Tower

This 25’ diameter tower leans a bit to the north. Arrow slits run up the sides of the tower, at even intervals along the length of the spiral staircase that rises the height of the tower (six floors). The first floor is covered in rubble, mostly the ruin of the upper floors. The stairs circling the inside of the tower are stone, but in rough shape. Each story climbed has a 20% chance per person on the steps of a collapse. If a collapse happens, the person in front of and behind has a 60% chance of experiencing a collapse (and this holds true for each subsequent collapse – 60% chance for the next person on the steps). The floors of the tower have nearly completely rotted and fallen away (thus the rubble on the first floor). Most of the roof has likewise fallen in, but hidden in the rafters, still mostly protected by the remains of the roof, is a leather satchel. The satchel contains a book, a dagger, three sealed sheets of parchments and a gold pendant. If the jumble of stone and splintered wood on the first floor is cleared and carefully searched (a very time consuming process), 143 usable arrowheads, 34 spearheads, 2 daggers and 4 battleaxe heads can be found.

The book is The Journal of Karian Daris, the Dagger is Bloodthorn and the pendant is Hargeth’s family seal, cast in gold, worth 100gp with a secret compartment containing a small, lead coin engraved with a spell (remove curse at 20th level). The three sealed sheets of parchment are Hargeth the Bold’s last will and testament bequeathing his kingdom to his heirs, the title deed to his realm (technically a barony bequeathed to him by King Ashtaran II) and a personal letter to a close friend revealing some hidden truth about Hargeth the Bold. The DM is free to use these parchments as plot hooks for future and the exact nature of them is left to the DM’s discretion/imagination.

32.3. Lord’s Tower

This 45’ diameter tower rises the height of six stories, though the first story was two in height, so it had only five “floors”. It is in shambles inside. The first story contains the greathall that extends out to the west 50’ from the base of the tower and is fully 2 stories in height. This chamber is mostly intact, the slate roof sagging precariously under its own weight as the ancient beams rot and twist. Significant combat in this chamber could easily bring the whole roof down (10d6 damage, crushed and needing to be dug out or continuous crushing damage will occur – 1d6 per round until freed). Seated on a ghostly throne here is the Spectre of king Hargeht, brooding over the demise of his kingdom. He does not automatically attack. Roll for reaction. If engaged in melee, he will call up the skeletons from the ruined gatehouse (see area 1). The tower is gutted, all the floors have rotted away and crashed down. The inner staircases all having been wood, there is no easy access to the upper parts of the tower. The roof has completely deteriorated as well. About half of the highest (fifth) floor remains (the only flooring which has not collapsed and rotted away). The fifth partial floor contains the remains of a huge four poster bed, a chest and what may have once been a chair. A rug once covered the floor, though little remains of it today. Everything is rotted and ruined, but the chest on the fifth floor contains two necklaces: one gold and diamond (worth 1.500 gp) and one a string of pearls (worth 1,000 gp). If the chest is moved at all (other than opening it, which causes the lid to crumble), the chest will collapse on itself revealing a false bottom which contains a leather bag holding 123 sp.

TO FINISH: Image, map?

Friday, April 1, 2016

Hex 23

23. Basin Stone (Southern Hex):

In the center of the southernmost part of this hex is a large (8’ tall) boulder with four concave indentations chiseled into the surface, connected by channels which feed out to two channels at the bottom of the boulder. There is a 30% chance that one or two pottery jugs under the exit channels, catching water. Locals who gather rainwater that catches in the basins of this boulder and runs off through the channels claim that the water makes them healthier and live longer.

Water consumed directly from the Basin Stone in moonlight will heal one point of damage per person per day, but it loses all potency when transported away from the stone itself. Drinking water from the Basin Stone during a full moon bestows the effects of Cure Light Wounds, once per person per full moon. Healing potions poured on the stone in the moonlight and then recollected via the channels will become doubly effective when consumed and those poured during a full moon become triply effective (note the effect cannot be “stacked” i.e. – one cannot triple the effect, and then pour the triple effected potion on the stone to triple it again – doing so renders the potion inert). Pouring any other type of potion on the stone turns that potion to a mild poison (full effects at DM’s discretion).