WYVERN SONGS

WYVERN SONGS

A FANTASY RPG ADVENTURE ANTHOLOGY BY

BRAD KERR
© Brad Kerr, 2022
 This book contains four adventures.
Use them in an ongoing campaign, run one as a
one-shot, or use the appendix section of the
book to mash them all together into a fantasy
sandbox. The power is in your hands.

Writing, layout, and design: Brad Kerr © 2022

Cover art: Matt Stikker

“Sinister Secret of Peacock Point” key art: Sam Mameli
“Fabien’s Atelier” key art: Amanda Lee Franck
“The Singing Stones” key art: Tyler Smith Owings
“The Dreaming Caldera” key art and back cover: Will Perkins

Maps: Rob Matthews

Corner illustrations: Amanda Lee Franck © 2022
Map tiles on “Grand Duchy of Bhosel”: Nate Treme © 2020, 2021

Title page: “Musical Monster,” John Hamilton Mortimer (Public Domain)

Additional art, appendix maps, and “Giant’s Cabin” mini-map: Brad Kerr

Play testers: Allegra Anka, Dave Benvenuti, Dan Cohen, Mary Ferrigno,
Cassie Hodge, Dustin Kurtz, Steven Lindberg, Derrick Martin-Campbell,
Ezra Nuite, Bob Peyton, Jessie Quinn, Matt Stikker, Eli Tayrien

Developmental editing and consultation: Yochai Gal

Puzzle dungeon consultant and additional play-testing: directsun
Special thanks: Cassie Hodge, Nathan Page, Eli Tayrien, Arman Bohn, Ahimsa
Kerp

PDF version 1.1, September 2022

Old-School Essentials is a trademark of Necrotic Gnome. The trademark and Old-

School Essentials logo are used with permission of Necrotic Gnome, under license.
 CONTENTS
THE SINISTER SECRET OF PEACOCK POINT
p. 6
Character level: 1. Explore an abandoned insect-haunted thieves guild
secreted beneath a lighthouse.
Keywords: bugs, dungeon, grime, press-your-luck

Play-test time: 3-6 hours. ONE SHOT APPROVED.

FABIEN’S ATELIER
p. 22
Character levels: 2-4. Solve the puzzles in a flying wizard’s workshop
before it crashes to the ground.
Keywords: puzzles, wizards, flying islands, magic

Play-test time: 3-5+ hours. ONE SHOT APPROVED.

THE SINGING STONES

p. 44
Character levels: 3-5. Investigate a mystical valley where stones can
speak and monsters roam.
Keywords: wilderness, point-crawl, NPC interaction, sub-quests

Play-test time: 8-10+ hours.

THE DREAMING CALDERA

p. 72
Character levels: 5-6. Infiltrate a volcano full of monsters and stop
them from constructing a chaos god.
Keywords: monster mash, infiltration, body horror, cult stuff

Play-test time: 3-8 hours. ONE SHOT MAYBE.

BONUS MATERIALS
p. 97
A new class: the MEKTAUR, rules for adventurer’s guilds,
the village of Nanlet, the Land of Bhosel, an index of new monsters,
treasure totals for each adventure
The Sinister Secret of
Peacock Point
THE SINISTER
SECRET OF
PEACOCK
POINT
A DUNGEON-
CRAWL
ADVENTURE
FOR 1st LEVEL
CHARACTERS

So named because of the myriad coastal peacocks of the

surrounding coastline and also because of the den of thieves
hidden beneath its lighthouse.
INTRODUCTION The SKITTERLORD
An introductory dungeon for parties of This ancient fiend, long imprisoned
4 to 6 first-level characters; a brief but inside of a music box, is a master of
open-ended dungeon crawl for new insects. The Skitterlord wishes to
players or experienced veterans alike. blacken the skies with its children and
Certain threats will almost certainly kill feast on the warm flesh of humanity.
player characters if confronted Though armless, it can summon insects
heedlessly. Players must employ and teleport through swarms;
cunning and tact to push their luck to perceptive adventurers will notice a
delve ever deeper into this dungeon. golden beetle skittering into a swarm
moments before the Skitterlord
appears. The creature can again be
SUMMARY sealed away by seizing the golden
scarab and locking it in the music box
Hidden beneath the Peacock Point in area A24. Additionally, the
Lighthouse is the guildhall of the Apple Skitterlord hates music. It will not
Bottom Gang. This band of thieves willingly manifest in an area
recently struck a caravan of travelers where music is being performed.
and found a locked music box among
the lucre. After bringing the music box
back to their lair, the captains of the
guild picked the lock and unwittingly The Skitterlord
released the Skitterlord; this insectoid
fiend murdered its way through the AC 6 [13], HD 5 (22hp), Att Kick 1d6,
guild and still lurks its halls. An Breath Weapon, THAC0 15 [+4],
abandoned thieves guild filled with MV 90’ (30’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15
terror and treasure now awaits curious S16 (2), ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 175
and enterprising adventurers.
�Breath weapon: Vomits stinging
insects, 15 ft cone, deals 1d8 damage,
heals 1d8 HP to insect swarms within
range. Usable 3x/day.

�Summon insects: A raspy howl calls

forth a 2 HD insect swarm or 1d3 fire
beetles. Arrives in 1d2 rounds.

�Swarm form: Can transform into a

swarm of beetles.

�Swarm step: May enter an insect

swarm and teleport to any other insect
swarm within 2 miles.

9
The SKUNK GOBLINS Random Encounters
A gate in the guildhall leads to the Each turn (10 minutes) has a 1-in-6
Night Road–a subterranean highway chance of a random encounter. Roll
connecting to a vast underground 1d10 to determine an encounter from
expanse. The road is controlled by the the table below.
Skunk Goblins, so named because of
their stripe of white hair and pungent d10 Random Encounter
odor. The Apple Bottom Gang paid a 1 A coastal peacock flaps around the
weekly tribute to the goblins for room. How’d a peacock get in here?
unmolested access to the Night Road. A 2 Leggero (neutral thief 1), an Apple
crew of Skunk Goblins now visits the Bottom Gang initiate and an
lair to collect their overdue payment. extremely emotional teen, just
(Use normal goblin stats: AC 6 (13), returned from a job and is freaking
HD 1-1, THAC0 0, Morale 7). out that everyone’s dead. Startles
easily, screams loudly.
ADVENTURE HOOKS 3 “Fish Guts” the skeleton shambles
along. Undead but a toothless
pacifist. The gang’s mascot. Horned
• The lighthouse’s beacon has gone helmet says “FISH GUTS.”
dark. The mayor, paranoid of sea- 4 A trained jackdaw squawks
monsters, pays a band of sell- profanities from a nearby perch. A
swords 100 GP each to investigate loyal but inappropriate pet if calmed
the cause. and coaxed with food.
• A thief, acrobat, or assassin player 5 A rubber balloon drifts by from the
character receives an invitation to last big party. If popped, releases
join the Apple Bottom Gang with a “Sleep” gas (as the spell but targets
map to their hidden lair. friend and foe alike).
6 2d3 belching skunk goblins loudly
• Red Robbie, an elderly and search for their payment.
exhausted wizard was robbed by a 7 2 HD insect swarm (earwigs!)*
band of thieves; he scryed that his drop from the ceiling.
music box was taken to the 8 1d8 fire beetles lick salt from the
lighthouse on Peacock Point; he damp floors.*
offers a magic sword to a youthful 9 3 HD insect swarm (carnivorous
go-getter kind enough to return it hornworms)* chews a corpse.
for him. “Whatever you do, 10 It’s the Skitterlord!
DON’T open the music box.”
*Summons the Skitterlord in 1d3+1
• The PCs are tired wanderers rounds.
caught in a storm; the darkened
lighthouse is the only shelter
within a mile.

10
The Lighthouse The Entrance
A modest oil-burning lighthouse sits on Unlocked. Stairs lead up to the
a rocky cliff where a gaping river meets darkened beacon and down to a
the sea. Surf surges against jagged, basement. Dry muddy footprints lead
seaweed-kissed rocks 50’ below. Coastal downstairs. Crates of grains and salted
peacocks croon out from nearby brush. peacock meat are piled on the floor;
bugs have gotten into them. An
A sea cave located in the cliffs below leads uninviting cot (no blanket) sits
to area A13; the cave mouth is difficult to awkwardly against the back wall.
spot and only traversable by foot during
low tide. Upstairs (the Beacon)
Hastily abandoned and dark. Barrels of
oil sit nearby. A heavy coat hangs on
a hook with 8 GP in the pockets. An
open book (smut) lays open on a desk.

Downstairs
Storage. Kegs of lamp oil, extra lenses,
rope, glass. Graffiti covers the walls:
“HEAVEN OR HELL”, “PAY THE
PIPER”, “FISH GUTS WAS HERE.” A
mold-stained tapestry hides a crude
drawing of a bearded wizard smoking
a pipe. Close inspection reveals slots
carved in the stone on the wizard’s eyes.

• Secret Door: Inserting coins into the

wizard’s eye slots opens a hidden door
behind the tapestry. A sack behind the
door holds 42 GP plus any coins the
PCs inserted.

The thieves of the Apple Bottom Gang are

instructed to never return from a job
empty-handed.

11
The Guild Hall A2: Great Hall
An ancient dungeon repurposed as a guild Messy, smelly. Empty bottles and stale
hall by the Apple Bottom Gang ten years wine everywhere. Mismatched sofas
ago. Constructed of indigo-tinted hewn face a stage with musical instruments
stone. Cramped-feeling 8’ ceilings. in an alcove on the eastern wall. A long
Perpetually damp and sandy. The sea is necked lute, an hour-glass shaped
audible in the southern rooms. Badly drum, and a well polished pair of tap
infested with bugs (centipedes, silverfish, shoes lay on the stage. A stylized mural
beetles). No natural light but most rooms reads “APPLE BOTTOM GANG
have torch sconces set by the door frames. FOREVER” on the western wall. Four
corpses lie amidst the trash.

A1: Guard Room • The corpses: Dead for a week,

stripped of soft tissue by insects.
Graffiti lines the stairway down:
“BE HUMBLE”, “SMOKE IT IF YOU • Treasure (on the corpses): A sword,
GOT IT!!” three daggers, 21 GP, lockpicks, a large
golden key labeled “2” (to area A22).
• Trap: Pushing open the door from
the northern staircase causes a spring • Secret Door: On the stage, a panel
loaded ax to chop at human-head swivels around to reveal a 5’ passage
height. Showing humility i.e. kneeling containing a disguise kit and a pot of
or bowing bypasses the trap. black grease paint. Exits into A5.
THAC0 15 [+4], 1d8 damage.
• Monsters: The sofas bulge with
• Inside: A wobbly stool sits in the writhing insects. After one turn: bugs
middle of a featureless room. Smells of start crawling out from the furniture.
mildew and stale wine. A crude After two turns: the bugs form a 2 HD
drawing of a four-armed goddess is insect swarm and attack. After 4
immediately visible on the wall turns, the golden scarab flashes and the
opposite the northern door. Skitterlord emerges from the swarm.

Insect Swarm

AC 7 [12], HD 2 to 4 (9/13/18hp), Att 1 × swarm (2 or 4hp), THAC0 18 [+1]/17

[+2]/16 [+3], MV 30’ (10’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 11, AL Neutral,
XP 20/35/75, NA 1 (1d3), TT None

�Immunity: Only harmed by fire, extreme cold, sleep spells (affect the whole
swarm), smoke (drives off), or other attacks as the referee wishes.
�Swarm attack: Automatically damages characters within swarm area: 2hp if
wearing armor, 4hp without.

12
A3: Ferret Cages A4: Training Room
Water drips from the porous stone Slacklines of varying heights span the
ceiling. Musty smelling pots overflow eastern and western walls. Large oak
with the drippings. 4 large, greasy desks, gouged and dented, are piled
animal cages are twisted open. A high with iron padlocks and
musky animal smell permeates hardwood treasure chests .
everything. A 5’ iron animal snare
pole leans in the corner. The thieves practiced acrobatics and
lockpicking here. There are no keys for
The giant ferrets here escaped when the these locks. 1-of-6 chests contains treasure (a
thieves stopped feeding them. They’re pile of wedding bands worth 120 GP).
hungry and mean and they know how to
open doors.
A5: Archery Practice
Hay-stuffed archery targets lean
against the southern wall. A shortbow
and a barrel with 40 arrows sit nearby.

• Secret Door: A panel on the western

wall swivels around to reveal a 5’
passage. See room A2 for additional
description.

A6: Bedroom
Toppled, grease-slathered bunk beds,
open wine bottles, hay and shredded
bedding everywhere. It looks like giant
ferrets have been going nuts in here.

• Monsters: Three giant ferrets are

going nuts in here. They’re scrounging
for bugs but will gladly eat people.
AC 5 (14), HD 1+1 (5 HP), THAC0 +1
(1d8 bite), Morale 8

• Treasure: Amidst the filth: 41 GP, a

small iron key (to the chest in A7), a
silver embossed saddle (25 GP). A
portrait of a woman with braids: it’s
labeled “Sweet Bonny Windy.” (10 GP)

13
A7: The Brig A8: Cell #1
Note: sad flute music coming from area A8 A disgusting stone cell.
repels the Skitterlord and his swarms from
the jail area (A7-A9). Re-roll any bug • NPC: Philbert (Thief 2, neutral), a
random encounters while the music plays. bandit from the rival Jackal Gang was
nabbed while surveying the sea caves.
A smelly utility room. A large coil of His jailers took away his glasses and
damp hemp rope in a corner; a set of sword but left his bamboo flute. He’s
manacles hanging from a hook. A been playing sad songs all week.
shallow pit stinks of sewage. A locked, Extremely hungry and happy to help
well oiled treasure chest reflects torch anyone who frees him though he can’t
light. do much without his glasses. Speaks
with a stutter but fluent in 6 languages.
• Treasure: The locked chest holds a Has no idea what’s going on.
pair of glasses, a gold locket (30 GP),
and a silvered sword. The key for this
chest is located in the mess in room A6. A9: Cell #2
Empty.

14
A10: Loot Overstock A11: Mud Room
A dusty overstuffed museum of a room Salt-stained cloaks hang on hooks;
filled with crates, bones, armor, and sandy boots are piled in careless heaps.
the smell of old books. Reflective, sepia-colored ammonite
fossils (50 GP) punctuate the natural
Fenced or stolen merchandise either too stone floor. Mining the fossils is noisy
large to move or too mundane to put in the work and has a 4-in-6 chance of attracting
vault is kept here. a 3HD insect swarm (biting midges).

• Treasure (partial list): a complete

dinosaur skeleton (dilophosaurus), a
A12: Boat Storage
pianoforte (on casters), four sets of
monogrammed silk bed sheets from Three row boats and oars. Sounds of
Duke Omer’s castle, 2000 lbs. of rock surf are audible from the west. Little
salt, a rune-carved lead coffin, a suit of crabs scamper. Marks in the sand suggest
plate mail embossed with the king’s a boat is missing. Five thieves escaped from
family crest and gold accents. the guild-hall. They’ll be back in a week.

• Hidden Treasure: Anyone playing A13: Flooded Cave

the pianoforte will notice a muffled set
of notes in the lower octaves. A A rocky, natural cavern beset by the
wizard’s stolen memoirs (50 GP) and a crush of the sea. Large boulders and
treasure map to a great bard’s tomb are surging waves make navigation by boat
hidden inside the instrument’s frame. difficult but possible. The path outside is
only traversable by foot during low tide
Note: all treasure in this room is technically (and even still, quite hazardous).
valuable but should be difficult, dangerous,
or annoying to transport or sell. • Secret Door: A switch in a well-hidden
finger-hold along the eastern wall clicks
open a secret door to A24.

15
A14: The Night Gate A16: Bespoke Latrine
Traps: Spring loaded axes swing at Graffiti on door: “PLEASE empty
human-head height towards anyone bedpans into PIT.”
opening the doors from A14. These are
clearly visible if entering from A4 or A15. Opening the door greets trespassers
(THAC0 15 [+4], 1d8 damage). with the hot stink of of sewage
splattered across an empty, fly-
A cool wind rushes through this infested chamber. A bald corpse lies
cylindrical room of slick black stone. dead in the corner.
Colonies of colorful fungus (edible,
delicious) decorate the stone floor. • The corpse: The poor, dead, lighthouse
Graffiti reads: “DO NOT LEAVE THE keeper came down to the kitchen for a
NIGHT GATE OPEN.” A large sandwich, encountered the Skitterlord, and
portcullis of black steel is open to the hoped he could hide here. It didn’t work out.
south with a winch and chain nearby. His belt pouch holds 25 GP, a set of
panpipes, a poorly treated book (smut),
• Monsters: 1d4 giant toads (AC 7 and a bug-infested lunch.
(12), HD 2+2 (11 HP), THAC0 +2
(1d4+1 bite), Morale 6) have hopped in • Monsters: The swarm of flies are
through the night gate to sample the harmless but summon the Skitterlord
fungus. They’ll happily eat people, in 1d2 turns.
given the opportunity.

• The Night Gate: Leads to a terribly

long, swampy underground road
towards Goblin Town, the Great
Mushroom, the Glass Lake, and the
Recumbent Tower of the Drukks.
Expand the game with additional dungeons
or telegraph the threat of additional skunk
goblin forces marching closer.

A15: The Pit

A gaping hole in the stone, 10’
diameter, with no visible bottom.
Noticeably warmer in this room.
Occasional puffs of acrid smoke rise
out. A pile of torches, a wooden stool,
and a large bell sit near the pit (for the
unfortunate soul on pit guard duty).

16
A17: Another Bedroom A18: Shrine
A musty bedroom of ramshackle Note: Crashing pots/pans and snickering
opulence. Hammocks and silk voices are audible from area A19.
crisscross the ceiling. Large feather
beds are layered with brightly colored, An L-shaped room seems to collect
well-used duvets. Three oak chests rugs. In the elbow of the room sits a
form a line on the southern wall. statue of gold-adorned obsidian which
depicts a four armed, wide-eyed goddess.
• Treasure: (within the chests) fine
felted clothing, plumed hats, and a Religious-minded adventurers will
sword cane. Ostentatious jewelry recognize her as Lilia, a lesser goddess of
(necklaces, rings and tiaras) worth 650 children and thieves
GP. Two suits of black leather armor
and a set of adamantine lock picks. • Treasure: A pile of offerings set
before the statue: 111 GP, a jeweled
• Monsters: If anyone lies on a bed, kukri (50 GP), sticks of pungent
enough bed bugs emerge to form a 2 incense (10 GP), a stuffed rabbit.
HD insect swarm.
The Goddess and her Treasure
• Leaving an offering grants Lilia’s
boon: Reroll any checks to open locks,
hear noise, and hide in shadows for the
next hour.

• Taking a treasure invokes Lilia’s

wrath. The thief is stricken blind for
1d6 turns.

• Taking a treasure without Lilia

noticing (covering her eyes, moving
stealthily, causing a distraction) will
incur Lilia’s curiosity. She will speak to
the thief via dreams, guide them to a
place of treasure, demand tithe, and
may eventually manifest physically
before them as a patron, guide, or love
interest. Says “well well well” a lot in a
smoky, singsong voice.

17
A19: Kitchen A21: Mirror Maze
The contents of a messy kitchen have Mildly labyrinthine hallways lined with
been knocked to the floor and stirred dusty mirrors. Disorienting but not
about: stained pots, dull knives, difficult to traverse unless PCs are moving
overturned barrels of barley and rye, under duress–then a Wisdom test is
salted peacock meat. Rats dance across required to find a random exit.
the mess.
• Traps: two hidden trap doors
• Monsters: A band of 6 skunk (marked on the map by a “T”) drop into
goblins are making a racket. They 10’ pits. Save vs Paralysis, 1d6 damage.
came through the Night Gate to collect
their overdue payment but decided to
help themselves to lunch first. They A22: Vault
think all humans look the same and will
shrilly and stubbornly demand their The hallway suddenly terminates at a
money (50 GP) from anyone they meet. cyclopean wall of hissing iron. Two
The skunk goblins respect Lilia (area golden keyholes set in 12’’ deep,
A18) and will not take her offerings. cylindrical depressions are the only
visible openings.

A20: Climbing Wall Two keys (turned simultaneously) are

required to open the vault. One is on a
Hand holds are cemented scattershot corpse in area A2. The other is on a corpse
across the eastern wall. A 2’ shelf in area A24. When both keys are turned,
hangs a few feet below the ceiling. A the entire wall slowly sinks into the floor.
pot of powdered chalk sits overturned
by the northern door. • Trap: Any attempt to pick a lock or
use an incorrect key results in massive
• Monsters: A 3 HD insect swarm weights smashing into the cylindrical
(fanged worms) dominates the floor and depressions, destroying arms or
gnash their teeth towards the shelf. anything else caught within. Save vs
Paralysis, 2d6 damage.
• NPC: Pillsbury, an unhinged halfling
maniac (Halfling 3) has been trapped on • Inside: a glittering treasure horde and
the shelf for several days. They came a mechanical centaur. 12134 CP, 903
back alone from a score and found SP, 6130 GP. A +1 shield shaped like a
everyone dead and the hall full of bugs. lion’s head.
Knows about the music box and wants
it for themself but hasn’t connected it to • The Mektaur: Inert, needs winding,
the bug invasion. Pillsbury vacillates filled with the blood of Marzipan
between obsequious subordinate and (chaotic Mektaur 2), ancient death knight
cackling backstabbing psycho. Carries a of Barglobax, evil god of gluttony.
pot of enchanted “Animate Dead” oil (as Exhausted, resentful, and seeks true death
the spell) and a rusty machete. by combat. (See Appendix A, p. 98).

18
A23: Captain’s Quarters • Monster: A room-sized, 4 HD insect
swarm covers everything.
A lavish triangle-shaped chamber
dressed in silks, tassels, and plush. A • The music box: Glowing black glass.
short table holds an open music box. Perpetually tinkles a sad plinking
Three insect-dripping corpses sit melody when shut; built to imprison the
around the table. One corpse still grasps golden scarab (thus sealing away the
the lockpicks which opened the music Skitterlord). Worth 2000 GP to
box’ lock. The room seems to subtly someone who doesn’t know any better.
shift with the chitinous sheen of Printed on its side is an Elvish warning:
thousands of beetles and centipedes.
To the hand which holds this box
• Treasure: One corpse wears a golden I say to its possessor:
key around its neck (labeled “1,” opens a THE SKITTERLORD be in this jail
lock to the vault, area A22). Six fragile And music its oppressor.
porcelain vases are salvageable from the
swarm (75 GP each).

19
A24: The Guildmaster’s A25: The Guildmaster’s Hobby
Boudoir Room
Simple, tasteful, crawling with bugs. A A small room smells of grease and iron.
lavish bed, a handsome dresser, a well A bicycle and a set of wrenches sits in
supplied writing desk. the middle of the oil-stained floor.

• Treasure: A suit of ink-black +1

leather armor hangs on a hook. A A Bicycle?!
magic boomerang is stashed under the
pillow (1d6 damage, always returns to If you don’t want a bicycle in your
its thrower, 60’ range). medieval fantasy campaign, replace it
with a locked, adamantine bird cage
• Secret Door: Twisting a torch sconce holding the guildmaster’s pet infant
opens a secret door on the western wall to red dragon, “Huffy.” (Aggressive,
the flooded cave (area A13). bored, well-fed from all the bugs.)

You should really consider adding a

bicycle to your game though.

20
 FOLLOWUP
If the Skitterlord is sealed again in the music box:

• The bug infestation clears up within the week.

• The music box’ rightful owner may eventually come to claim it.

If the PCs want to seize the guildhall for their own “home base”:

• The missing boat with surviving Apple Bottom thieves will

eventually return to salvage the contents of the vault. How will the
PCs defend their new home?

• Will they broker peace with the Skunk Goblins?

If the PCs travel the Night Road:

• What will they find in the dark? How will they manage light sources
in a land of perpetual darkness?

• How will they return to the surface if they find the Night Gate closed?

If the PCs attempt to sell treasure from the guild hall:

• What attention will they draw from the law, surviving Apple
Bottom thieves, or the treasures’ original (and rightful) owners?

And also…

• What happens when a bicycle is introduced to medieval civilization?

• Whose blood is getting poured into the Mektaur?

21
Fabien’s Atelier
FABIEN’S
ATELIER
A Puzzle Dungeon for Character Levels 1-3
Introduction
Fabien’s Atelier is a wizard’s workshop As time progressed, the djinn grew
atop a flying island. Its owner recently restless and dreams now of freedom;
died and the resulting neglect of key these dreams manifest as physical, tiny
administrative functions threatens to sword-wielding “dream gremlins” who
send the island crashing. traverse the atelier to free their
tortured progenitor-god. With Fabien
Many years ago, Fabien defeated an evil dead, the dream gremlins perch at the
djinn and imprisoned him in magical precipice of success. The PCs enter this
slumber. The wizard tapped the latent puzzle-filled atelier and attempt to
power of the dreaming djinn to create unravel the mysteries of the dream
his flying island and other miracles. engine before the djinn wakes and the
island falls from the sky.

Hideous Daylight
Fabien’s Atelier is a followup to the adventure module Hideous Daylight but may
be played without any previous experience. In Hideous Daylight, adventurers
explore Hollyhock Garden and attempt to learn why the sun stopped setting. The
source of this phenomenon is the duke’s royal wizard Fabien; he sensed shadow
demons clawing out of the garden’s soil and cast a ritual from atop his invisible
floating island to halt the sun’s egress and trap the demons underground. Due to
the stress of the ritual, Fabien likely died atop his magic island.

Hooks
• Combine Fabien’s Atelier with • If you’ve never played Hideous
Hideous Daylight for a two-part Daylight: the PCs stumble across a
super adventure. shimmering staircase to a strange
house on a flying island. Its owner
• If you’ve played Hideous Daylight is dead. Go explore it!
previously in an ongoing campaign: a
hitherto invisible house on top of • The PCs experience the same
Fabien’s island suddenly appears. dream guiding them to a magic
The nervous custodians of the staircase and floating island. The
flying island contact the PCs to disembodied voice asks the PCs for
investigate. rescue. The djinn projects his dreams
into the minds of nearby warriors.

24
 A Note on Puzzle Dungeons
Puzzles are hard. Players in role-playing games struggle with information
overload even in non-puzzle situations. As a player, it’s challenging to
differentiate between important game-advancing information and
innocuous set dressing. Follow these tips to keep the game moving:

1. Disclose to your players that there be puzzles ahead. Get the

group into a puzzle-solving mindset from the jump.

2. Use the read-aloud text and re-read it when players revisit a

room. Reinforce the room contents without spending undue
attention on things that don’t matter.

3. Solutions should keep presenting themselves. Dream-gremlins

in B1 respawn every three turns. The toucan keeps flying around to
observe the PCs. The key-door to B10 falls off its hinges the second
time the PCs enter.

4. Just go with it. There are no “right” answers. If the players’ weird
workaround makes sense, say yes.

5. Violence is always an answer. Time and senseless destruction can

turn any wall into a potential door.

25
 A Note on Size THE ISLAND
This adventure presents opportunities An invisible staircase leads to a flying
for player characters to reduce puck-shaped platform of enchanted
themselves to tiny sizes. In these stone. The floating island is
situations, a 2’’ gremlin or a single imperceptible from the ground yet still
hungry seagull may suddenly become a casts a shadow. Soft grass, clover, and
meaningful threat. The stat blocks wildflowers adorn the yard. The
listed for these creatures are only modern, angular atelier is the only
relevant when combating similarly structure on the flying island and
sized PCs. dangles precariously over its edge.

Its owner, Fabien, lies dead in the yard.

Advancing the Clock His death is explained in Hideous
Daylight; if you’re running this
Instead of a random encounter table of adventure independently, convey that
wandering threats, this adventure uses the aged wizard died of natural causes
a ticking clock of imminent disaster as with absolutely no evidence to suggest
the djinn slowly awakens. Every turn otherwise. He has nothing of value on
(10 minutes) has a 1-in-6 chance of his person.
“advancing the clock.” This danger
persists until the engine in area B5 and
the hose in area B19 are repaired. The
toucan from area B1 announces THE ATELIER
each incremental engine failure.
A place of dusty luxury. The air in the
building is stale from being sealed and
Stage Effect uninhabited for 6 months but is
1 The sound of an explosion booms otherwise comfortable. Undead lilies sit
from the control room. in pastel glass; plush rugs, brass and
2 An ultra low frequency rumble leather accents, and faded abstract art
resonates throughout the first adorn its chambers. Light is abundant
floor, causes headaches. during daytime hours from
3 Earthquake! Save vs Paralysis or fall unbreakable magic windows. Unless
prone and drop held items. otherwise noted, all rooms have 12’
4 A hose snaps and sprays scalding ceilings, white stucco walls, and oil
vapors into this room. Save vs lamps set in sconces to accommodate
Breath Weapon or take 2d6 nighttime habitation.
damage. The entire island vibrates.
5 Multiple explosions sound
throughout the atelier. Entire
island tilts by ~5 degrees.
6 The island falls out of the sky.
Everyone dies.

27
B1: ROTUNDA/ENTRANCE
A large, domed rotunda, bathed in The statue: Animates to first warn and
sunlight from a decorative glass ceiling. then attack strangers who harm the
Wrought-iron stairs lead up to a atelier (includes picking locks). Ignores
wraparound library mezzanine. Doors anyone who looks like Fabien.
provide exit in each cardinal direction. “HALT! YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE DOING THAT! DESIST OR
An imposing, sword-wielding iron PERISH! I WILL COUNT TO 5!”
statue looms from the north-western
wall. Four 2’’ tall blue-skinned warrior
gremlins march slowly across the rug
towards the north end of the room.

Several moments after the PCs

enter: a saffron toucanet with an
unnaturally angular beak flaps over
from its bookshelf perch to squawk a
warning:
“Thank goodness you’re here! The
engine’s losing power! Controls are
unresponsive! We’re all going to die!
The island’s going to crash! Help
help! Squawk!”

The toucanet: Magically synced with

the atelier to provide warnings and
updates but does not possess “human”
intelligence. It repeats its dire warning
again and again. Its toothed beak is itself a
key which opens the door to Room B3. The
toucan will not allow anyone to approach it
except for its master, Fabien.

The gremlins: Freshly spawned from the

tortured dreams of the djinn. Their
destination: a mouse hole set in the
northern wall. Violent but easily
squashed, leaving a mess of menthol-
scented goo. Dream gremlins respawn
every 3 turns.

The mouse hole: A tiny tunnel for

mouse-sized creatures hidden behind
the northern end-table. Leads to B13.

28
West: A black, locked, wooden door Iron Living Statue
with a strange, 10’’ long, board shaped
keyhole. A bronze plaque reads AC 2 [17], HD 4 (18hp), Att 2 × blow
“Control Room.” (1d8), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 30’ (10’),
SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (4), ML 11,
North: A black, swinging-style door. AL Neutral, XP 75, TT None
Sounds of crashing metal and ceramic
are audible from within. �Immunity: Unaffected by Sleep
spells.
East: A yellow, locked, wooden door
with a strangely cone-shaped keyhole. �Absorb metals: Hits with non-
magical, metal weapons cause damage,
but the weapon may become stuck in
the statue (save versus spells). Stuck
weapons can be removed if the statue is
killed.

29
B2: THE KITCHEN
Pure chaos rages in an otherwise very Fire Elemental
fine kitchen. A great creature composed AC 2 [17], HD 8 (36hp), Att 1 × blow
of dancing flame wages battle with a (1d8), THAC0 12 [+7], MV 120’ (40’),
hulking brute of living ice. Fires rage, SV D8 W9 P10 B10 S12, ML 10, AL
smoke bellows, and slush sloughs off Neutral, XP 1,200, NA 1 (1), TT None
walls and countertops. Meanwhile an
iron statue in a frilly apron “cleans” �Size: 8’ tall, 8’ across.
while another “cooks” (both pursuits �Blocked by water: Cannot cross a
are futile in the wake of overwhelming channel wider than own diameter.
elemental violence). A dining room is �Harm cold-based creatures: Inflict
visible to the east; a closed door labeled extra 1d8 damage.
“Engine Room” leads north.
Ice Elemental
The elementals turn their fury towards AC 2 [17], HD 8 (36hp), Att 1 × blow
anyone who enters the room (and (1d8), THAC0 12 [+7], MV 120’ (40’),
sometimes on the hapless statue- SV D8 W9 P10 B10 S12, ML 10, AL
butlers). A tiny mouse hole on the Neutral, XP 1,200, NA 1 (1), TT None
western wall leads to area B15.
�Size: 8’ tall, 8’ across.
The northern door is wizard �Harm heat-based creatures: Inflict
locked. extra 1d8 damage.

Treasure: A “trash incinerator” drawer

is powered by a wand of Fire Ball (6 B2-A:THEDININGROOM
charges remain). A fine adamantine
chef’s knife ignores 2 points of armor. A grand hardwood table set with mint-
A wine rack holds 10 bottles of colored dish ware. A glass floor and
expensive wine (50 GP each). panoramic wraparound windows look
out over gorgeous views of the garden
The elementals: Escaped from the far below. Many uneaten and rotting
oven and icebox respectively. Bored breakfasts pile on the table.
from months of inactivity, their only
pleasure now is violence. They’re Chaos from the kitchen (fire, sleet)
unable to leave the kitchen. often spills over here.

30
B3: THE CABINET
Locked. The keyhole is unusually The dollhouse: a guesthouse for
large, cone-shaped, and yellow. The key magically shrunken visitors. The main
to this room is the beak of the saffron bedroom is currently occupied by
toucanet in area B1. Note that the toucan Equinox, a short-tempered night
will not cooperate unless its master dragon and close friend of Fabien. He
commands it to do so. hates sunlight and has been sleeping
here for the last 6 months on his
A large freestanding wardrobe sits in (magically shrunken) treasure horde.
the middle of the room, bolted to the He’ll be livid if anyone touches it.
floor. Doors are mounted on opposite
ends of this cabinet: one blue and one Treasure: 5000 GP
red. A wooden ramp leans against the
red side. A lavish pink dollhouse sits in Equinox, Night Dragon
a corner of the otherwise spartan room. AC 1 [18], HD 8** (36hp), Att [2 ×
claw (1d6), 1 × bite (3d8)] or breath
weapon, THAC0 12 [+7], MV 90’ (30’)
The cabinet: magically alters the size / 240’ (80’) flying, SV D8 W9 P10 B10
of anything passing through it. S12 (8), ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 1,750,
Entering through the blue door reduces NA 1(1), TT H
an object or creature's size by half;
entering through the red door doubles �Breath weapon: Cloud of smoke.
an object or creature’s size. Effects wear Save vs Poison or do nothing but cough
off 24 hours after leaving the atelier. for 1d3 rounds. Fills 20x20' area with
The effects of multiple pass-throughs magical darkness for 1d3 turns.
are cumulative and increase or reduce
HP and weapon damage accordingly. �Spells: 3 × 1st level: Sleep, Floating
Disc, Darkness. 3 × 2nd level: ESP,
Locate Object, Invisibility.

REGARDING EQUINOX…
• Unaware that Fabien is dead and • Currently at 12 HP due to
the island is in peril. magically reduced size.

• Typically grumpy and uninterested • If attacked, will use his magic to

in helping with anything. escape, embiggen, and seek
revenge.
• Hates deception, attacks
charlatans! • Will reward honest PCs with 20%
of his fortune if warned about the
• Proud and lofty, susceptible to island’s impending collapse.
excessive compliments.

31
B4: THE CONTROL ROOM
Locked. The keyhole is unusually wide Control List:
and flat. The key to this room is the key-
shaped door to area B10 but first requires • Restart Engine
shrinking via the cabinet in area B3.
• Move Island
A short staircase leads down to a
“cockpit” on the underside of the island. • Extend/Retract Staircase
A series of inert sorcerous machines,
dusty orbs, and mechanical birds sit in a • Toggle Island Invisibility
ring, forming an apparent information
nerve-center of the atelier. • Raise/Lower Island

The controls: with few exceptions, • Enable/Disable Statues

controls are non-functional until the
• Vent Kitchen
power hose is repaired in room B19
and the engine is restored in area B5. • Incinerate Garbage
Functional controls are lit with green
lights. After two button presses, • Lock/Unlock Engine Room
auxiliary power is further drained: roll
to advance the clock. • Animate Trophy Animals (label has
fallen off of this control)
After power is restored: the room
squawks and hums with information • Open/Close Vault
relayed from the bird messengers and
the hiss of magical equipment. All • Honk Horn
engine controls become functional.

Behind the machines: hydraulic

power-hoses run from the equipment
into a mouse-sized hole in the wall
(connecting to B14). A schematic
diagram displays the power hose’ path
to the engine room (B5).

Treasure: (In hidden vault under floor

panel): Bag of Holding with 8000 GP, a
Ring of Protection, and a fire elemental
egg (requires lava to hatch)

32
B5: THE ENGINE
The door is sealed by a “Wizard Monsters: Nine tiny dream gremlins
Lock” spell. (stats on p. 40) desperately try to
awaken their lord. Three gremlins bash
A great glass tank holds an oversized the tank with tiny swords, slowly
blue skinned hulk with a scrunched up, sending cracks across the glass. Another
demonic face. The sleeping figure band of three stand atop of the
convulses restlessly, suspended in machine, hacking at its exposed gears
viscous goop. A great machine attached and waxy cylinders. A third band
to the tank hums away and misfires dangle over the tank and scream with
periodically, sending out greasy puffs of their tiny squeaky voices for the djinn
smoke. Hoses connected to the machine to awaken.
spiderweb across the floor and
disappear into access conduits in the The creature in the tank: is Gulga,
western wall. an imprisoned djinn who will soon
wake unless the dream-gremlins are
A hydraulic power hose leads through a destroyed. Gulga can be manually lifted
mouse-hole to B19. out of the tank with a winch. Doing so
instantly awakens the grateful djinn
The engine: obviously jammed. Tiny who will promise his liberators a favor
swords and dream-gremlin goo choke a before punching through the wall and
series of spinning cogs. Can be repaired soaring into the distance. One minute
by manually clearing the jam and later, the island will crash to the earth
restarting the engine from the Control with devastating consequences.
Room (area B4).

33
B6: THE MEZZANINE
d6 Book Discovered
Tall bookshelves wrap the walls of the
upper level of the rotunda. On the east 1 Arcane scroll: “Mending”, Growth of
end of the mezzanine, a panel with two Animal, Protection from Evil 10’
buttons mounted on the banister is set Radius
directly in front of a white, 5’ circle on 2 Arcane scroll: Knock, Hold Portal,
the black, glasslike floor. Floating Disc
3 An oath of fealty (1 year) of the great
The buttons: Labeled “Down” and dwarf “Lombardo.” (Dwarf 5). Lives
“Extra Down.” The former causes the in a nearby mountain retreat. Often
floor within the circle to disappear and drunk and frightfully strong.
a shimmering “firefighter’s pole” of 4 A treasure map (An entombed king
pure force to appear for a quick descent in the barrow fields, the great bard
to the lower level. “Extra Down” has Antonio’s grave in the valley of the
the same effect but the hole and pole Singing Stones, a huge diamond (and
extend all the way through the island to a screaming skull!) buried in the
the earth far below. A terrifying but middle of this very floating island)
efficient mode of escape. Two turns are 5 A map of the atelier (includes rat
required to climb the stairs back up to space passages)
the island. 6 A marble notebook labeled “THE
SECRET WORD.” Inside: “Pretty
The books: comprise a staggering pretty pretty please with hugs and
number of subjects and disciplines. A kisses on top…” *
PC may spend a turn and attempt an
Intelligence check to discover a book of *Speaking the “secret word” opens the
interest. (Remember to check for door to the control room and forces all
“advancing the clock” with each statues, birds, and rats to obey. Fabien
attempt). A living statue will appear found it easier to speak this magical phrase
from room B11 to threaten anyone rather than carrying keys all the time.
“borrowing” a book.

34
B7: ALCHEMY LAB B8: TROPHY ROOM
A laboratory in disrepair. Shattered A stuffy room filled with trophies and
glassware covers the countertops. An framed academic degrees from foreign
overturned shelf lies near a great oak magical academies. Taxidermic animals
chest; the shelf’s contents form a mess pose threateningly: a bobcat, an owl
of glass shards and neon hued puddles. bear, a giant shrew. A large shimmering
orb sits on a wooden pedestal.
Hazards: Pools of caustic acid will
shred boots and burn the skin of any The animals: harmless unless
who tread on them. (1d6 damage) activated by the control room–then
suddenly violent.
Treasure: Several helpfully labeled
potions survived the overturned shelf: a The orb: a PC may attempt an
potion of growth, a potion of healing, a Intelligence check once per day to
potion of levitation, and a bottle of ponder the orb. Success reveals an
powerful glue. The chest contains coins esoteric glimpse of the future; either
used for transmutation experiments: seed a future adventure or give a hint to
300 SP, 300 EP, 300 GP, 300 PP. a puzzle if the players are flailing.
Examples: “You’re taking a door off its
Monsters: Three oozes escaped from hinges.” “You’re trying on a new outfit.”
their milking bags and trashed the “You’re wrapping bandages around a
place. A grey ooze wiggles out from giant, sword-wielding rat.”
behind the chest and attacks on sight;
two green slimes drop down from the
ceiling 1d4 rounds later.

35
B9: FABIEN’S B10: KEY ROOM
BEDROOM A key-shaped door opens to a room
filled with keys. A hanging mobile
A dusty bedroom. Everything is old tinkles with keys. Three stacking
plush and faded pastel; oversized rugs wooden crates each house hundreds of
and perfumed cushions. A round bed in variously sized keys. A full size piano
a round room. Silver globes from a sits in a corner. A small shelf contains a
grand mechanical orrery dance across dozen key-related books. The word
the ceiling. A large wardrobe stands “KEYS” is painted on the northern wall
against the northern wall. in giant letters.

In the wardrobe: a single robe, The key-shaped door: falls off its
scintillating, bedecked in glittery stars. hinges the second time the PCs enter
This magic item is the “Robe of the this room. Easily removed from its
Wizard.” Donning it makes the wearer flimsy settings by two brass pins. If
identical to Fabien himself via powerful reduced in size by the magic cabinet in
illusion magic. The birds, statues, and room B3, it unlocks the door to the Control
rats of the Atelier will obey anyone Room (area B4).
wearing this robe.
The bookshelf: holds various works
Under the bed: a cigar box full of on locksmithing. One book, labeled
wands. Five are expended, one is a fresh “the Crystal Key”, is hollowed out and
“Wand of Magic Detection.” holds a key of pure sapphire (500 GP);
it unlocks Fabien’s lounge (area B17).
The orrery: pretty but pointless.
All of the other keys: pointless red
herrings.

36
B11: READING ROOM B12: MAGICIAN’S
A pink plush sofa and an overstuffed APPRENTICE’S
corduroy-upholstered armchair circle
around an inviting hearth. A pedestal
BEDROOM
holds an oversized, open tome bound in
A brass plaque on the door reads
leather. An iron statue looms from the
“Apprentice Chamber.”
north-western corner.
A small, messy bedroom. A heavy-
The tome: Fabien’s memoirs. A
looking book sits on an unmade bed. A
meandering account of a doddering,
half-finished dress hangs on a sewing
well-meaning wizard. The page is
dummy by an open sewing kit. A large
opened to a recollection of Fabien’s
rat’s cage sits empty on a dresser.
battle and heroic defeat of the evil djinn
Gulga. The final pages comprise
mundane garden-related anecdotes and The book on the bed: “Introduction
end abruptly. to the Arcane Arts” contains “read
magic” and three other 1st level spells.
The statue: animates to threaten
anyone removing a book from a shelf in In the dresser: A piggy bank contains
area B6. “THIS IS NOT A LENDING 215 GP.
LIBRARY. RETURN THE BOOK
WITHIN 20 MINUTES OR FACE A mouse-hole behind the dresser leads to a
THE CONSEQUENCES.” It attacks mouse-sized passage in the wall down to
anyone who fails to comply. area B19. The squeaky voices of three
dream-gremlins attempting to squeeze
behind the dresser can be faintly heard.

A NOTE REGARDING THIS ROOM:

Muriel, Fabien’s late apprentice, played
an important role in Hideous Daylight
but serves very little purpose here. If
you’re running this adventure
independently of Hideous Daylight,
consider adding a letter on the dresser
summoning Muriel home from her
studies to attend her brother’s wedding.
Otherwise, “the missing apprentice” is
an extra mystery that this adventure
doesn’t need.

37
B12
THE RATSPACE B14: HOSE ACCESS
Behind the rough unfinished walls of Cold wind whistles from a gap in the
Fabien’s Atelier, a secret war rages western wall where a rubber power-
between the djinn’s dream-gremlins hose enters the room and is routed
and a squadron of loyal undead rats. southward through a narrow utility
These tunnels provide easy access to conduit.
otherwise locked rooms to those small
enough to traverse them. South: The hose eventually connects to
the Control Room (area B4).

B13: A LONG West: Gusty, brisk. It’s possible to

squeeze through the gap to walk across
TUNNEL (FOR A RAT) the hose threaded along the exterior of
the atelier. Note that this is literally
A shaft of unfinished wood terminates outside on the edge of the floating
at tiny, rat-sized doors: one leads north; island hundreds of feet above the
one leads west. Rat droppings and little ground (area B18).
puddles of blue goop litter the splintery
floor. A bleeding, sword wielding rat
with a little iron helmet leans against
the wall breathing heavily. Several
other dead rats lie nearby.

NPC: Calendula, Lieutenant in Fabien’s

rat army, lies dying. She was granted
human-like intelligence via Fabien’s
magic and served him faithfully for
many months. She’ll prevent passage
from anyone entering the door until
her dying breath. If “Fabien” is among
the party, she salutes and apprises him
of the situation: a force of dream
gremlins have broken through the line
and are assaulting the engine.
Additionally, the gremlins severed a
critical power hose. If healed, Calendula
will lend aid to the party (as Fighter 3).
Chivalrous and headstrong. “To arms!”

39
B15: BATTLEFIELD
A vast, dark, room of unfinished wood, Shield Rats
echoes with the terrible howls of battle. Reanimated rats charged to defend the gaps
A quivering wall of mangled shield- behind the walls.
bearing rats hold the line against a
shrieking force of dream-gremlin AC 3 [16], HD 2 (9hp), Att 1 × spear
berserkers. Along the northern wall, a (1d6), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60’ (20’),
balsa wood defense tower bears a SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 12,
crooked, desiccated hand at its apex, AL Lawful, XP 20, NA 0 (4d6), TT
mounted like a macabre flesh ballista. None

Monsters: 15 dream gremlins assault �Initiative: Always lose (no roll).

the last 6 (undead) shield rats. The
dream gremlins will assault anyone �Undead: Make no noise, until they
who approaches the siege tower. The attack. Immune to effects that affect
shield rats will bar passage to the living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune
northern room (except for Fabien). to mind-affecting or mind-reading
spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep).
The Siege Tower: Currently
unmanned and a tricky climb without a
rope. On top, a mounted witch' hand Dream-Gremlins
positioned into a “finger gun” can be The living dreams of a tortured djinn.
fired like a big crossbow by depressing
a protruding wrist bone. Its evil energy AC 6 [13], HD 1–1 (3hp), Att 1 ×
bolts deal 1d8 damage to living dream swords (1d6), THAC0 19 [0],
creatures or heals 1d8 HP to undead; MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17
one hit instantly destroys a dream- S18 (NH), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 4d4,
gremlin. The hand still functions if TT None
removed from its tower.
�Immune to Sleep. Creatures made
of dreams don’t sleep.

40
B16: REANIMATOR B18: LITERALLY
A hissing cigar box with six bed-shaped OUTSIDE
depressions. A dead rat lies face down
in one of the slots. The machine smells A swaying hose just wide enough for
like rust and sour milk. one (tiny) person to balance upon
stretches along the rocky wind-battered
The machine: Pulling the lever casts edge of the flying island.
“animate dead” on any corpse within
the bed-slots. The freshly revived The wind: 1-in-6 chance per turn of
corpses are instilled with an innate blowing a random character off of the
understanding to defend the rat-space island (Save vs Paralysis).
and obey Fabien.
Monsters: A curious and hungry
seagull is perched halfway across the
B17: FABIEN’S expanse. 2-in-6 chance of 1d3 nearby
seagulls joining the fray if combat
SECRET LOUNGE should erupt.

Locked. The keyhole shines like A Hungry Seagull

sapphire. Unlocked by the sapphire key
from room B10. A formidable foe (for a mouse-sized
warrior).
A wizard’s stash of secret, pedestrian
delights. An ugly quilt on a worn-out AC 6 [13], HD 4 (18hp), Att 1 × bite
couch. Bottles of cheap wine and (1d8), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’)
hookah. A table setup with acrylic flying, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2),
paints and little model boats. ML 5, AL Neutral, XP 75, NA 1d4
(1d4), TT None
Fabien would retreat here when he needed
some alone time.

Treasure: Reams of bad but earnest

handwritten poetry. Love letters from
Rodolphe the gardener. A jar of
“ambrosial delight”--an alchemical
banned by most reputable mages guilds.
Any more than a sip requires a Save vs
Poison or become paralyzed with
transcendental pleasure for one minute.
Can be thrown as a grenade weapon.

41
B19: THE SEVERED
HOSE d8 Reality Distortion
1 Your duplicate appears with a
A power-hose is routed from a tiny different alignment (and gender?!)
door in the east to a gap in the western and fights you to the death. Play as the
wall. A gash in the hose squirts milky- survivor.
blue menthol-scented fluid into a 2 You bleed little red butterflies. You
slowly expanding puddle. The light speak the secret butterfly tongue.
flickers and distorts around the pooling -2 Constitution
fluid. Along the unfinished wood, tiny 3 Your fingers are knives! (One hand
handholds lead up into the darkness of only). -2 Charisma
the inner walls above.
4 You hover ½’’ from the ground.
Movement is difficult (-10 move
The handholds: lead to the mouse
speed) but you’ no longer take falling
hole in area B12.
damage.
5 Your hair is prehensile. You can never
The damaged hose: requires repair via
again wear a hat or helmet (your hair
glue, a sewing kit, or a creative solution
rejects it).
before the Control Room functions
normally. Repairs are delicate work 6 Your drifting mind detaches from
(DEX check) and risks exposure to the linear time. You may see the
dangerous wish-fluid extracted from immediate future (reroll an attack or
the dreaming djinn. Those exposed saving throw) but at the price of great
must Save vs Spells or suffer a reality psychic trauma (1d6 damage).
distortion (effects are permanent). 7 You turn blue!
8

B12

42
 Followup
If the djinn is calmed and the engine power is restored:
Peace returns to the atelier for a time. The djinn grows ever restless
and its gremlins multiply. An alternate magical fuel source may soon
be required.

If the djinn is freed:

Gulga renews his reign of terror with a newfound joie de vivre. He
travels to a nearby city and conquers it, deposing and imprisoning its
leader. Gulga is a cruel and oppressive ruler with a great fondness for
the PCs. He’ll offer them a job as his honor guard and shower them
with gifts (to the ire of his oppressed populace).

If the garden below is destroyed by a crashing flying island:

The king (or the duke) will seek vengeance! Additionally, the
smoldering crater reveals a yet undiscovered enclave of hibernating
shadow demons.

If a player character adopts Fabien’s persona longterm:

Equinox (or his twin sister, Solstice) will eventually discern that
their friend was replaced and seek justice. “Fabien” may be called to
answer for his crimes against the duke’s garden.

Or…

Closer inspection of Fabien’s corpse reveals a second “Robe of the

Wizard” worn by an erstwhile stranger. A player character may take
up the mantle as the latest in a succession of “Fabiens.”

43
The Singing Stones
 THE SINGING
STONES

A wilderness adventure for character levels 3-5

Introduction The Prince
Opera Valley spans 6 square miles Young Prince Hesper set out from the
among the lower Horspid Mountain castle on a secret quest to prove his
Range. It is wild country home to worth as a warrior: to slay the infamous
grizzly bears, stone giants, and worse. white wyvern which torments his
lands. A month passed and the 16 year
The arid valley is home to dramatic old prince has still not returned. His
rock formations and even greater family offers 10,000 GP for the prince’s
wonder: the rocks sing. Droning hums, rescue (or 2,000 GP for the recovery of
plinking arpeggiations, and even his body).
human speech resonates from the stone.
A back-alley fortune teller whispers
Many years ago, a sisterhood of druids rumor of the prince vanishing into a
placed a ritual on a pillar of stone to valley where “the rocks can talk.” The
coax its ancient wisdom. The wild player characters follow this lead to the
magic spread; stubborn rocks in the mystical climes of Opera Valley…
vicinity, suddenly hearing their dulcet,
earthen baritones refused thereafter to
be silent. Since then, the valley rumbles What Happened?
with the hum of singing stones.
The Prince tracked the white wyvern to
its nest in the Pageant Spires. He
Point-Crawling challenged the beast and lost; the
wyvern’s sting pierced his side and
injected him with deadly venom. The
The provided map abstracts the size of Prince fled and in his desperate,
the valley’s landmark and the distance delirious flight, encountered the
between them. The valley fits within a medusa, Ada. She turned her petrifying
standard six-mile hex; each labeled gaze on the prince–”saving” him from
locale is approximately 1 mile apart his injury by transmuting him into
from each other. Moving between each stone. The prince now joins the other
location runs a 1-in-6 risk of a random immortal, lucid, speaking statues of the
encounter en route. Moving between Medusa’s garden, given voice by the
locales outside of marked paths valley’s magic: safe but hopelessly
(example: C9 to C21) runs a 2-in-6 imprisoned.
chance of a random encounter.
Additionally, the referee may require a
Wisdom check to avoid getting lost and
may issue additional rulings to account
for navigating difficult terrain.

46
Summary
The valley is a sandbox filled with danger and strangeness. Beyond the petrified
Prince, PCs may encounter other quests to further entangle them.
• To save the prince, the PCs must • The tomb of a great bard and his
find a way to cure his petrification treasure lie locked behind a riddle.
and then quickly treat his poison
before he succumbs. • A commune of artist dwarves
sculpt amazing art from the
• A rock-eating fiend with an terrain. Their leader is secretly
insatiable appetite threatens to possessed by the crystalized blood
forever silence the valley. A of an ancient vampire. The
benevolent rock spirit wants the dwarves unwittingly near
beast destroyed. completion of a magical gate to the
plane of vampires.
• The wrathful ghost of a young
bride awaits her betrothed who • Missing hikers are imprisoned in a
was frozen in stone by the medusa. stone giant’s cottage.

47
Random Encounters
d12 Random Encounter
1 2d6 agents from the distant Falstaff Empire (veterans) search for Prince
Hesper. They wish to use him for ransom/political negotiation.
2 The great Cassata and her party of benevolent bards come to visit
Antonio’s tomb (C6). They gladly share supplies and “Cure Light
Wounds” spells if the PCs share new songs or poems.
3 Violent bounty hunters search for escaped convict “Pig Gristle” (Area C2),
(1d6 veterans +1 3HD veteran).
4 The bottom half of a shattered stone golem futilely stomps about,
attempting to locate its top half (located in area C12). Will stubbornly
kick anything in its path.
5 A hungry stone giant scavenges for food; its inner thoughts are loudly
broadcast by its stone-like skin. PCs will hear it coming. (Area C16)
6 Otto (Ranger 5) and his trained falcon “Night Feather” out on patrol. Will
not tolerate vandals or litterbugs. (House in C3, stats in C16)
7 The white wyvern attacks! (Area C8)
8 The HAGFISH munches on a large and beautiful rock formation. All
rocks are silent in the immediate vicinity. (C23)
9 3d4 blood demons seek hot blood to eat. (Area C9)
10 A grizzly bear!
11 A nest of 1d6 spitting cobras.
12 A stone issues a koan: "There is a big stone. Do you consider it to be
inside or outside your mind?" “Your head must feel very heavy if you are
carrying around a stone like that in your mind." (+1 WIS for 24 hours,
use any other ponderous question as needed e.g. “How many roads…?”)

Show Me My Rival
Solutions to the prince’s dilemma lie within in the valley. If the PCs elect to return
to town for a “Remove Poison” scroll or any other reason, reveal a rival party as
the next random encounter. Intimate that these uncooperative yet non-hostile
rogues also search for the prince and could succeed in the PCs’ absence.
NPC Class AC HP THAC0 Saves
Michelob Thief 5 6 [13] 12 16 [+3] D12 W13 P11 B14 S13
Jolly Roger Thief 1 7 [12] 3 19 [0] D13 W14 P13 B16 S15
Kirschwasser Elf 2 4 [15] 8 18 [+1] D12 W13 P13 B15 S15
McCann Dwarf 3 1 [18] 16 19 [0] D8 W9 P10 B13 S12
Brother Tomen Cleric 6 1 [17] 18 17 [+2] D9 W10 P12 B14 S12

48
49
 Zone 1: The Humming Flats
Grassy lowlands punctuated by an occasional sandstone outcropping. The easiest
point of entry to the valley and also the quietest. Low harmonious humming
similar to a “Himalayan singing bowl” resonates at all hours.

All landmarks within the Humming Flats are visible upon entering the valley.
Player characters may enter the region at area C1, C2, or C3.

50
C1: The Sleeping Giant
A towering sandstone monolith �Leaving an offering: The Sleeping
crowned by an affixed lopsided boulder; Giant suddenly greets the PCs as “ye
its silhouette vaguely resembles a eidolons, ye flickering flames.
heavy-headed giant. At its feet lie Ephemeral beings, flashing brightly
ritual offerings. It hums an echoing then fading to darkness.” Yammers on
contrabasso melody in a minor key. in long poetic nothings then drifts off
into silence, suddenly gasping in
�Ritual offerings: lit candles, surprise that the PCs are still alive (it
incense, a freshly sacrificed chicken, a doesn’t have a good comprehension of
bear skull, various coinage (18 GP, 59 mortal lifespans). Sensing a “certain
SP, 215 CP) fire” within the PCs, it offers a quest.

�The dwarf: 2-in-6 chance/day of �The quest: An unnatural rock-

encountering Zupa (dwarf 3, lawful), a eating beast called the “Hagfish”recently
warrior-artist from the Barefoot came to the valley and already
Dwarves Commune (area C14) here to destroyed many ancient rocks. The
clean this holy site. Encourages PCs to Sleeping Giant asks the PCs to find and
leave offerings to the stone and invites slay the Hagfish before the valley is
the PCs to visit the commune. Sings forever silenced.
harmonies with nearby rocks. It rewards PCs with the location of a secret
cave filled with riches (area C20).

51
C2: The Camp
Three parties camp together around a In the primitive lean-to:
communal campfire. Brenntar and his sickly
brother Pip.
�Appearance: Mean-faced lunks
In the yellow yurts: The bird never far from their cudgels. Brenntar
people. (Thief 6, chaotic) is thick, bald, and
sullen. Pip (normal human) is worm
�Appearance: Always wear beak-like thin, hairy, and snickering.
masks and ponchos. They hide their
true nature. (Neutral, use “Elf” stats.) �Their secret: Brenntar is secretly
the famous assassin and master of
�Disposition: Long-traveled poisons “Pig Gristle,” recently escaped
strangers who joyfully receive guests from prison and lying low from
and offer gifts of linen scarves and authorities.
horns of piping hot gravy. Only know
the common word for “egg.” �Wants: Freedom. They’re having a
fine time and wish to be left in peace.
�Wants: a wyvern egg. Their hunter
was injured by blood demons and they �What to do with them: Brenntar is
await her recovery. They’ll pay 2000 GP easily capable of crafting wyvern anti-
(in gold ball bearings) for a wyvern egg. venom if provided with the liver of a
freshly dead wyvern. Can be turned in
for 4000 GP dead or alive (or bribed
into helping slay a monster).

52
 C3: Ranger’s Station
In the red circus tent: Belga A simple wood cottage, helpfully
and Bitszinia, gnome labeled “RANGER.” Unhelpfully, the
ranger is rarely home. Otto, the self-
merchants. proclaimed warden of the valley lives here
but is usually out wandering with his
�Appearance: Tiny, pointy-hatted falcon, Night Feather (see page 64).
spouses. Belga is an overconfident 1-in-6 chance/day of Otto being present.
chatterbox. Bitszinia insists on feeding
everyone she meets. “You’re so thin! �The door: locked (simple padlock).
Eat, eat!” (lawful gnomes, 2 HD) A sooty chimney and a locked glass
window provide alternative access.
�Their pet panther: “Michael.”
Friendly but fiercely loyal. �Inside: very little. Fermentation
supplies, mountain berry wine (jugs of
�Wants: To make some sales, maybe it), falconer supplies, a valuable hunting
collect some singing crystals, then knife (30 GP), some recent mail.
move on.
�The mail: a wanted poster for the
�For sale: Bug repellant 500 GP; an escaped assassin and poison master
alligator suit 1000 GP; magic perfume “PIG GRISTLE” (4000 GP, includes a
(+2 Charisma for 1 week) 600 GP; sketch). A handbill stating the
potion of water breathing: 500GP; burp disappearance of Prince Hesper (10,000
potion (Save vs Poison or do nothing GP reward, includes a sketch).
but belch for 1 minute) 600 GP; sleep
poison (ingested, Brenntar helped make
it): 600 GP.

53
Zone 2: The Chiming Plateau
The stones on this high-desert plateau plink out syncopated rhythms which dance across
the winds. The volume crescendos during full moons as the stones cry out for their
wayward sister.
C4: The Stairs
A long series of narrow stone steps
carved from the cliff-face crisscross up
to the plateau, 600’ above the valley.

�Sounds: Each stone stair chimes

with xylophonic timbre.

�Monsters: The musical steps have a

4-in-6 chance of attracting 1d6
opportunistic robber flies.

C5: Scenic Pergola

A classical stone pavilion draped in
wild grapevines and fragrant
honeysuckle overlooks the magnificent
sandstone vistas of the valley.

�The view: All numbered locales in

zone 3 are visible from here.

�By day: the barely audible sound of

crying echoes within the pavilion.

�By night: the ghost of a young bride

appears. Karina was set to wed her
beloved Gavrill here; he never came
and Karina was eaten by robber flies.
She waits still as a vengeful wraith
who attacks mortals and screams for
her betrothed. Gavrill gathered flowers
for Karina’s bouquet too close to the
medusa’s cottage (area C7). The petrified
knight kneels in Ada’s garden still.

54
C6: Antonio’s Tomb C6-A: Inside
A cavern, sealed by a massive Antonio’s Tomb
circular stone, serves as a tomb to the
famous bard Antonio. Faeries flit Shimmering, iridescent. An elevated
around the area, mimicking bird songs. crystal plinth rises out of a pool of
Musicians make pilgrimages here to rose-scented water. A corpse wrapped
leave flowers, sheet music, and wine at in funerary bandages lies on the plinth;
the foot of the tomb. it clutches a lute and wears a plumed
hat. The tomb itself clamors with a
�The tomb’s inscription: looping triumphant melody at a
HERE LIES THE GREAT ANTONIO. deafening volume.
MAY THE SOUNDS OF MU MAJOR
ECHO O’ER THE LAND �The pool: Magical. Always smells
ANTONIO GAB’D nice.

�The puzzle: Four stone trays �The mummy: Harmless. Antonio’s

protrude from the lower portion of the inanimate corpse.
stone. The second tray contains a hand
specimen of singing pink marble �The plumed hat: Stuffed with
which intones a pitch perfect “A.” gems. 3200 GP worth of citrine and fire
opals.
Placing stones which sing the “mu major”
chord (a major triad with an added major �The lute: Antonio’s Lute (Magic,
2nd) into the trays opens the magically Cursed). Increases user’s Charisma to
sealed tomb. “Gab’d” refers to the tones 18, allows user to cast Charm Person
required to open the seal (G-A-B-D). 1x/day (through song). User must
Different stone has default resonant tones: perform music to a paying audience 2
nights/week or die (Save vs Death).
• Sedimentary rocks default to “G.” The
most abundant stone in the area and
found in any locale.

• Igneous rock defaults to “D.” 1-in-6

chance of finding an igneous deposit
in any area. 5-in-6 chance of finding
it at the hoodoos (area C9) or Pageant
Spires (area C8).

• The purest crystal defaults to “B.” Only

located on the crystal island in the
underground lake (C18).

55
C7: Ada’s Cottage A sampling of speaking statues:

Note: Pitons and secured rope left by recent

explorers allow relatively easy access down Annabelle
the cliffs to area C15.
�Personality: Broken, childlike.
A dozen statues of frightened warriors Hopelessly devoted to her “mother.”
surround a modest stone cottage. Tattles on overheard scheming. Sings
Within its short fence of petrified loudly during choir practice.
wood: a vegetable garden, potted fruit
trees, a picnic table. �If freed: Fights desperately with
sword and gnashing teeth to avenge her
As PCs approach: a statue calls out, mother (Veteran, 3 HD).
“Mother! Mother! We have visitors!”

Ada, a squat, grandmotherly medusa,

selected this cottage to live out her twilight
years. The statues in her yard are her
former victims whom she now considers her
“children.” Given voice by the magic of the
valley, these poor souls heed every whim of
their gaoler: choir practice, “story time,”
guessing games, etc.

Ada, retired medusa

�Personality: Affable, welcomes
visitors with a pot of hot tea. Keeps her
head covered with a shawl but doesn’t
disguise her medusa identity. Wields
her monstrous nature as a subtle
weapon always dancing in the
periphery of grandmotherly kindness.

�Statues: Her “family.” Views their

petrification as a great kindness which
grants them the gift of immortality.

�Her magic ring: negates and stores

one spell cast against her.

�Killing her: instantly frees her

victims from petrification.

56
 Gavrill Prince Hesper and his horse
�Personality: Obsequious to Ada but �A young prince slumped atop a
whispers desperate pleas of freedom to mighty steed. He clutches his punctured
nearby PCs. Begs to see his “dear sweet side in agony.
Karina” (see area C5).
�Personality: Privileged, pleading.
�If freed: Weeps for a while then Begs the PCs for help. “Free me! I don’t
runs to area C5 seeking his betrothed. belong here! Tell my father I’m here!”
The confused horse neighs wildly.
�And then: The PCs find Gavrill’s
smiling corpse at the pergola (C5). The �If freed: Dies within 10 minutes
wraith is gone. His hand holds two unless immediately treated with
diamond rings (300 GP each). wyvern anti-venom.

�Ada’s thoughts: Ada found and

“saved” the dying Prince with her
petrifying gaze. She’s convinced he’ll
learn to love his new eternal life in the
garden but she won’t object if the PCs
insist on returning him to the castle.
She’s unable to revert him to flesh
“unless you kill me of course! But you
couldn’t kill me…”

The prince on his horse makes for a

tremendously heavy statue.

57
C8: The Pageant
Spires
Great columns of tapering, striated
rock reach dramatically to the sky like
crooked fingers and chirp trilling bird
songs into the wind.

Bloodstains and broken swords litter

the area.

�The highest point of the region.

�Wyvern nest: Piled skins stitched

together with thorny vines atop one of
the taller spires. A clutch of 1d6 wyvern
eggs lay within. A very difficult climb
to reach it.

�Monsters: (D6) 1: None present.

2-3: a white wyvern observes nearby,
attacks meddlers.
4-5: a white wyvern dives from its nest
to attack anyone nearby.
6: The white wyvern and its mate
(another white wyvern!) both attack.

The white wyvern spreads its wings

and screams before diving at its foes;
the bloodstained rock screeches back.

58
Zone 3: Opera Valley
The loudest and most operatic of the stones echo their voices against the western
plateau. The stones bellow out strange counterpoint, endless drone, and the
occasional snippet of actual language.

59
C9: Hoodoos C10: Jolly Rock
A vast, labyrinthine range of tall, thin, The land opens up into more easily
spires of rock. Most stand 6’-18’ tall. traversable sandstone hills. A small
babbling stream wraps around a
�Navigation: Difficult, numerous massive 20’ tall boulder.
intertwined paths, frequent dead-ends.
Wisdom Check to avoid getting lost. �The boulder: famously mischievous.
Roll twice for random encounters. It waits until travelers near the stream
before sounding a deafening “BOOM.”
�First time the PCs enter this area: (Save vs Paralysis or fall prone, drop
2d6 blood demons stalk the party, held items, deafened for 1 minute). The
slowly build their numbers and strike boulder echoes a guttural “ho ho ho” for
when the PCs meet a dead-end. Skilled some time thereafter.
trackers can trace their bloody paw
prints from the Spiral (area C13). �Treasure: Many travelers lose
valuables in the stream. A turn spent
searching reveals a diamond bracelet
Blood Demons (600 GP), a wallet (290 GP), and a
waterlogged leather fedora.
Walking sacks of blood, bred as a food
source in the vampire plane.
C11: The Chewed
AC 6 [13], HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × Claws
(1d6), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’),
Foot
SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 6, Once an amazing, towering goddess
AL Chaotic, XP 10, NA 2d6 (2d6) statue; now a mangled foot is all that
remains. It intones a mournful song.
�Living Blood: Leave behind bloody
footprints. �Statue debris: trail leads southeast
towards the Silent Sands (C21).
�Blood Geyser: 2-in-6 chance of
exploding when killed. Anyone in The Hagfish ate most of this statue.
melee: Save vs Breath Weapon or
knocked back 10’ and drop held
weapons.

60
C12: The Bisected C13: The Spiral
Golem A tremendous corkscrew of sandstone
spiraling 50’ into the sky.
A bell shaped clearing emerges from
twisting sandstone paths. The upper �Disorienting sound: whistling air
portion of a great stone golem sits in currents combined with the spiral’s
the middle, one hand outstretched. siren-like song creates a nauseating
effect. (Save vs Spells or -2 on attack
�The golem: Appears inert. A torso rolls within the area).
like a wood kiln, a disproportionately
tiny head, one tightly clenched fist. �Dwarven sculptors: Barefoot
Plays dead, then suddenly grabs a Dwarf artisans (area C14) work by day
random party member (THAC0 11 to finish this bizarre, massive sculpture.
[+8]). Use Amber Golem stat block.
�At night: Flashes of red light dance
�Wants: its legs back. They’re through the spiral. 1-in-6 chance each
wandering around the valley turn of a blood demon emerging
somewhere. It will hold its prisoner through a flickering tear in reality.
captive until the other PCs reunite it Dwarves are unaware of this
with its lower half. Willing to swap an phenomenon.
imprisoned PC with collateral “of like
value.” Offers gems (clenched in its fist, �The secret plot: The dwarven artist
2000 GP) as a reward. Krowki, secretly possessed by a vampire,
leads the work here. When the dwarves
�The legs: Unless already met as a complete the sculpture in 7 days, a
random encounter, the legs are permanent gate to the Blood Realm will
gleefully circling the hills in area C15. open and vampires and blood demons will
flood the valley. (See C14).
�If reunited: the golem marches off
to complete its original purpose: to
destroy the Barefoot Dwarf commune
in area C14.

The Barefoot Dwarves refused to sculpt a

tower for an evil wizard. The scorned
wizard sent forth this golem as revenge; it
ran afoul of a stone giant (C16) before
reaching its destination.

61
C14: The Barefoot
Dwarves
A compound of domes within a heavily
decorated wall. Abstract statuary rises
from the stone throughout the vicinity.

�The compound: a commune of 25

dwarven artists and spiritualists who
seek to understand the language of
stone. Under the guidance of Master
Krowki and his #2, Babka, the
sculptors work to carve “true forms”
from the valley.

�The dwarves: Generally congenial Babka (Dwarf 4, lawful)

and welcoming of strangers though
stressed and weary from recent Second in command; a fiery spirit, a
monster attacks. A guest dome is physical fitness buff.
dedicated for visitors and simple fare
(flatbread and broth) is freely offered. �Appearance: Red hair that sticks
straight up. Huge muscles.
�Demon attack: 2-in-6 chance per
day of 2d6 blood demons attacking the �Disposition: a natural leader but a
compound. The dwarves don’t terrible artist. Babka struggles to earn
understand where they come from. the respect of the more stringent
aesthetes of the commune. Big “junior
�“About the Hagfish…”: The sports coach” energy.
dwarves hate it. The Hagfish ate a
number of statues and several dwarves �Sub-quest: She suspects something
when they tried to defend them. The is amiss with Master Krowki but can’t
current policy is to shoo the Hagfish risk losing her fellow dwarves’ respect
away with crossbows but do not by challenging him publicly. Quietly
pursue. Babka wants to organize a asks the PCs to investigate on her
hunting party; Krowki forbids it. behalf. As a reward, she’ll gift magic
scrolls that were donated to the
�Dwarf PCs: may study the language commune (which dwarves aren’t able
of stone. Two weeks of study grants +1 to read): Stone to Flesh, Locate
bonus to detect trap and construction Object, Hallucinatory Terrain.
tricks for the next adventure. One year
of study makes this bonus permanent.

62
 C15: The Painted Hills
Note: Pitons and secured rope left by recent
explorers allow relatively easy access up the
plateau to area C7.

The hills are vast and meandering.

Check twice for random encounters.

Great rolling hills of pink and purple-

tinged sandstone stretch into the
distance. Lovely, lonely, noisy, desolate.

�Restless legs: Unless already

encountered, the lower half of the
Master Krowki (Dwarf 5) bisected golem (C12) prances through
the hills. It sings a song of freedom and
Famous sculptor and spiritual leader to the wishes only to run.
dwarves. Fluent in the language of stone.

�Appearance: white hair, little pony-

Regarding Krowki…
tail, long eyebrows, smokes an
extremely long pipe. Note: Krowki’s stat block is located in area
C19 (page 68).
�Disposition: Mumbly, eccentric.
Every night, Krowki babbles loudly to
the blood coffin (C19) about his plans
�His secret: recently possessed by the to open the portal within the spiral. He
crystalized blood of the ancient, fallen immediately attacks if he catches the
vampire Qan who seeks to open a PCs spying on him.
permanent gate to the vampires’ home
dimension. The maddening curves of
the singing spiral (area C13) will soon The fanatical Barefoot Dwarves will
create a gate to the Blood Plane. require hard proof before they believe
their master is possessed by evil.
Krowki will do everything in his power
�His routine: Observes construction to turn the dwarves against the PCs if
of the spiral by day. Secretly travels to his secret is exposed.
area C19 every night to commune with
the Sanguilords of the Blood Plane via
Qan’s blood-glass coffin. Babka believes in the PCs and will ask
for their help to (discreetly) defeat her
possessed mentor.

63
C16: The Giant House d4 What’s happening here?
1 Ranger Otto is staking out the
A small cabin stands as a lonely cabin, wants to rescue the hikers.
landmark in a vast expanse of rocky One giant inside prepares dinner.
hills. On closer inspection, actually an
enormous cabin in the middle distance. 2 Otto’s falcon, Night Feather
circles above the cabin. Otto was
captured! One giant sleeps.
�The cabin: Windowless home of
two stone giants. Huge bed, hearth, 3 Both giants home, argue about
prisoner pit, bear cage, and vast piles of Sokeri’s attraction for that hill
garbage (bones, hay, armor). A poorly giant strumpet down the way.
mortared chimney sways slightly. 4 No giants are home; they’re taking
the bear for a walk (back in 10
�Monsters: Married stone giants, minutes).
Suklaa and Sokeri. The rock-like skin
of these 14’ humanoids audibly projects Otto (Fighter 4, Lawful)
their thoughts because of its close
relationship to stone.This causes �Bearded, leathery loner, stoic.
frequent domestic disputes.The giants
are incapable of surprising their
�Wants: To protect the people of the
enemies. They keep a pet grizzly bear.
valley, preserve nature, hang out with
his falcon “Night Feather,” get drunk.
�Prisoners: A trio of lost hikers held
in a muddy 10’ pit as future meals.
�“Of course I carry wyvern anti-
venom. Why do you ask?”
�Treasure: Buried among the trash:
1120 GP in coins and gems, a robe of
golden thread (500 GP), a canoe.

Trash Piles
Nasty Bed

Bear Cage
Prisoner Pit

64
Zone 4: Crystal Caverns
Immense subterranean chambers shimmer with quartz and echo with tinkling
crystalline melodies.

65
C17: Grand Cathedral �Secret cavern: Due north from the
Crystal Island and 3’ below the shore’s
A vast, noisy cave nested within the surface is a submerged tunnel. A p-
western plateau. 100’ ceilings. Many shaped curve brings divers to a dry
tunnels line the walls. The floor slopes cavern (C20). The cavern is nigh
gently downward to an immense impossible to stumble across; its location
underground lake and a crystal is given as a reward by the Sleeping Giant
island at its center. (C1) for the successful defeat of the Hagfish.

�Monsters: 1d6 wooly cave pigs*

munch toadstools and cave lichens. 2d4 d4 Tunnel Contents
hungry pale white giant bass 1 Two Cavern Hazards + one
investigate anything that enters the lake. Cavern Termination
2 One Cavern Hazard + one
�Tunnels: 20 tunnels lead off from 3 Cavern Termination
the Grand Cathedral. The 7th leads to
4 One Cavern Termination
area C19; most lead nowhere. If the PCs
explore these passages, use the “Tunnel
Contents” table to procedurally
generate their findings.

d12 Cavern Hazard

1 Gooey spiderwebs concatenate among the stalactites. 2d6 gelatinous
spiders** drip down on gossamer strands.
2 Steep vertical incline requires rope. 1d6 turns of tricky technical climbing.
3 Short-ceilinged cavern full of toxic gasses. Save vs Poison or fall asleep and
asphyxiate in 2 turns. A dead cave pig marks the present danger.
4 A long crawl through claustrophobic tunnels. 4d6 turns pass.
5 A wooly cave pig* nest. 1d6+1 disgruntled hogs abide.
6 A bottomless(?) 20’ diameter pit stands between the tunnel’s continuation.
7 1d6+1 dead miners rise as zombies. Their cart contains 2200 GP of quartz.
8 Long winding crawl through a “thunder tunnel” of extremely loud rock.
Constitution check or deafened for 2d6 turns.
9 Singing cavern of crystal crescendos with every step. Sharpened crystalline
stalactites threaten to shatter and impale trespassers (Save vs Death or die).
10 A steep slope gives way to a cascading (giggling) rockfall. Save vs Paralysis or
2d6 damage and trapped under scree.
11 A long boring subterranean road. 2d6 x 10 turns pass.
12 Pendleton, a dehydrated and disoriented explorer (chaotic halfling 2) and his
surprisingly intelligent rock “Susan” are lost in a twisting labyrinth. He’ll give
a quartz crystal worth 500 GP to anyone who leads them out.

66
2d6 Cavern Termination
2 A downward staircase carved from stone stretches for miles into the
yawning darkness. Descending for 5 days does not reach its bottom.
What is it? Expand as necessary.
3 The desiccated remains of a troll in a nest of boulders and bones, its belly
split open. Under a huge slab of rock: a knight’s corpse with her magic
Flaming Sword.
4 A terminating cavern filled with valuable (singing) mineral deposits.
2500 coin weight of [d4: 1 gold, 2 silver, 3 copper, 4 electrum]
5 Cavern loops back around and connects to another opening in area C17.
6 A cave-in blocks further progress. 100 hours of labor required to clear it.
7 An abrupt dead end.
8 Sloping passage gets narrower until PCs are unable to continue forward
or comfortably turn around.
9 A swiftly moving river blocks egress. After 50’ it empties into an 80’
waterfall deep into the earth.
10 A circle of runes. At its center is a rowboat and the skeletal remains of
four halflings. No further information can be gleaned.
11 A large cavern with a little stone house. Aside from the rock tucked into
bed, nobody is home. Nothing else of value.
12 A secret path to a craggy opening just outside of area C8.

*Wooly Cave Pig **Gelatinous Spider

Nearly blind, omnivorous troglodyte Wobbly ooze-like arachnids which merge
swines. together when threatened.

AC 7 [12], HD 2 (9hp), Att 1 × tusk AC 7 [12], HD 1/2 (2hp), Att 1 × bite

(1d8), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 150’ (50’), (1d3), THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’),
SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 7, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 8,
AL Neutral, XP 20, NA 1d6 (1d6) AL Neutral, XP 5, NA 3d6 (0)

�Olfactory Sonar: Smells in 3D. �Combine!: 4-in-6 chance that a

threatened spider merges with another.
Increase HD and damage output
incrementally. 2-in-6 chance that
merged meta-spider has an additional
mouth/bite attack.

67
C18: Crystal Island �The coffin: Priceless. Touching it
opens a direct line of psychic
An island made of towering quartz communication with the Blood Plane,
obelisks at the lake’s center. Visitors the birthplace of vampires. Master
are bathed in the purest sine waves. Krowki visits this chamber every night to
prepare the arrival of the Elder
Sanguilords through the Spiral (C13).
�Resting on the island: Magically
heals 1d6 HP/day.
�Monsters: The shadows of the
golden gorilla statues animate and
�Treasure: The crystal here is valued
attack. Disappear if light is extinguished.
between 200 to 3000 GP depending on
the size but requires excavation.
Master Krowki (Bloodbeast)
A dwarven artist possessed by the sentient
Improbably, a perfect crystal ax
crystalized blood of an ancient vampire.
naturally formed in the center of the
island (+1 ax, stores one spell).
AC 7 [12], HD 5+1 (27hp), Att 2 x
crystal blood pseudopod (1d8) or
C19: The Hidden Tongue Spike (see below), THAC0
14[+5], MV 120' (40), SV D10 W11 P12
Tomb B13 S14, ML 11, AL Chaotic, XP 450

A burial chamber hiding in �Tongue Spike: Lashes with a

anonymity within the Grand Cathedral parasitic crystal tongue. 1d8 damage +
(it’s the seventh tunnel on the left). heals 1d8 hp.

Stone stairs lead down into a cave �Blood Spikes: Reactively extends
carved to resemble a demon’s mouth. spikes of crystalized blood if attacked
with a melee weapon, 1d4 damage.
�Inside: a blood-glass coffin and a
desiccated corpse, older than old. Four
golden statues of winged gorillas (1000 C20: The Secret Cave
GP, 50 lbs.)
Only reachable via the secret submerged
�The corpse: the ancient vampire Qan, tunnel in C17. A damp cavern glittering
long dead. His blood crystallized over 2000 with ruby. It hums a soothing drone.
years and was given a voice thanks to the
magic of the valley. The blood, now itself a �Treasure: 4000 GP worth of loose
psychic vampire, possessed Master Krowki ruby. Another 10,000 GP worth of raw
of the Barefoot Dwarves, fusing to his material mineable as a long term
spinal column at the nape of his neck. project (1 to 3 months).

The ruby helm of the Pale Ship (area C22)

leans against a large crystal.

68
Zone 5: Silent Sands
A vast plain of silent desert. Hoodoos and other natural rock formations once filled
this landscape–all eaten by the Hagfish.

C21: The Quiet Field C22: The Shipwreck

Silence, red sand, spiraling winds. A sun-bleached, single mast sailing
ship sits beached in a dune. Its sail
�Sand storms: The valley’s bowl hangs in tatters. No waterways are
shape makes sand storms frequent. Roll remotely visible.
a Wisdom check or get lost and travel
in a random direction. �The ship: seems to be in fine
working order with the exception of a
missing helm. The ship radiates an aura
of enchantment magic. This is the fabled
Pale Ship, capable of sailing over land and
sea. Its helm sits hidden in area C20. Once
restored, grass, rocks, and waves alike all
part for the slow but steady crawl of this
magical vessel.

69
C23: The Hagfish’ Lair
A large, perfectly rounded hole in the
cliff face leads to a taciturn cavern.

�Inside: Perfectly smooth, extremely

quiet, pitch black borehole. After ½
mile of tunnel: a fork in the road.

�Left Fork: another ½ mile before a

sudden drop-off. A pit, 10’ wide, 200’
feet deep: the hole the hagfish crawled
out of. Strange animal sounds shriek
from below.

�Right Fork: the Hagfish. Either

lightly napping or eating its way deeper
into the mountain. The Hagfish looks
fearsome but does not attack unprovoked; it
prefers a diet of rocks and minerals. It will
only fight to defend itself.
Hagfish
Bipedal piscine aberration capable of
devouring anything. Prefers rocks.

AC 6 [13], HD 6* (27hp), Att 1 × bite

(1d10), THAC0 14 [+5], MV 60’ (20’),
SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (3), ML 9,
AL Neutral, XP 500, NA 1 (1d3)

�Eat anything: On a successful

attack, Save vs Death or die in the
miniature black hole within the
Hagfish’ stomach.

�Sticky fingers: sticks to walls and

ceilings.

70
Expanding the Adventure
The valley can easily expand to accommodate a longer campaign.

�Add an additional dungeon into the Crystal Caverns: another

vampire’s tomb filled with treasure and undead. Belga sells a
treasure map to its location.

�Expand the hagfish’ lair. What’s at the bottom of the pit? If

more hagfish lurk below, how can the PCs seal away foes that can
eat through anything?

�What’s to be done with a half-completed portal in the Spiral to

the Blood Plane? If blood demons can travel through it, could player
characters venture across as well? What red hell waits across the
veil?

�If Ada the medusa is slain, who else is freed from petrification?
Perhaps Ada kept murderers, monsters, and warlords along with her
flower-stealing knights and princes.

71
the
DREAMING CALDERA
An adventure for character levels 5-6
Summary Background
Deep in the heart of the dormant Six months ago, the lawful rangers of
volcano Mount Embersnake lies an the Horspid mountain range noticed
embryonic chaos god trying to birth while camping that their dreams had
itself. The godling manifested as a abruptly ceased. Week by week, the
living song which now calls out to range of dreamlessness increased until
monstrous forces of chaos from its finally it now finally touches the edge of
mountain womb. Wicked creatures human civilization.
labor in dark tunnels of volcanic glass
to assemble the body of their lord to While the dreamlessness affects anyone
usher in a new era of chaos. of lawful or neutral alignment, chaotic
aligned peoples experience something
Player characters will journey through different in the dreaming hours: a
the wilderness to the volcano, enter the strange song, alluring and unnerving,
dungeon, battle the wicked beasts there, like a low-fidelity dirge gasped by a boy
and confront a fetal chaos god before it soprano. Any chaos-aligned character
awakens into its true power. hearing this song must Save vs Spells or
walk to the mountains to find the
The dungeon teems with monsters; song’s secret source: the chaos godling.
almost every room is occupied by This effect may be dispelled with a
scheming monstrous entities. Player “Remove Curse” spell.
characters who charge heedlessly into
combat will likely face oblivion. The powerful and aloof mountain elves
Successful parties will find ways to turn tracked the epicenter of this effect to
the inherent chaos of the dungeon in Mount Embersnake. A war band of
on itself. Conversely, poor planning their most skilled spell-blades
and obstinate recklessness should meet infiltrated the mountain; none
the full extent of the dungeon's danger. returned.

Running this adventure as a one-shot? Skip The elves now send an envoy to the
the wilderness navigation portion and realm of humans to beseech them for
begin play at the summit. aid. Something is waking up in the
darkness of the mountains and heroes
are called to halt this evil.

74
The Approach
Ascending the 6000’ mountain is itself a difficult undertaking. Two trails lead to
the summit of Mount Embersnake. The Western trail is easier to traverse but
more exposed. The Eastern trail requires an extra day of travel and is notorious
for its dense brush and ambulatory flora.

Regardless of the path chosen, the PCs meet the Red Prophet early on their
mountain ascent. The disgraced, rotund, waxy skinned priest of Barglobax (area
D15) flees down the mountain from three howling gnolls. He previously tended
to the shrine of his evil god before being deposed by the godling’s cult. If rescued,
the grateful priest giggles this prophecy and bequeaths a magic dead rat to the PCs
before skipping away:

Eyeball, tooth, bone, and brow

Blaspheme against the true god’s power
For each destroyed, the birth forestalls
And lucre grease thy grubby paws!
Defile the organs with thy swords
Then seek the master for your rewards

The magic rat: “shows the way to

the master” (the prophet is vague on
the details). If placed on the ground,
the rat animates and sprints with
great speed (160’) to area D15.

75
Western Trail
The western slope possesses the lowest grade ascent and contains numerous
natural switchbacks; however, the western face is largely deforested and thus more
susceptible to encounters with hostile forces.

Check for random encounters 4x during the 12-hour climb

(1-in-6 chance).

d6 Encounter
1 A visibly giddy troll climbs the mountain with great leaps. Asks “Have you
heard the music?” Attacks anyone with an unsatisfying answer. “Phonies!”
2 1d6x10 orcs in a war-band patrol the mountain, attempt to capture anyone
suspicious. Their bagpipes announce their presence from afar.
3 8 villagers (an innkeeper, the mayor’s son, an entire theater troupe) have
heard the music and travel to the mountain to welcome a new era of chaos.
“It’s a revolution. It’s a change in the guard. We’re going to destroy the
system’s norms.”
4 3 black knights (use 3HD veteran stats), each mounted on a pteranodon,
patrol the skies for invaders
5 Avalanche! The earth rumbles. PCs must choose to quickly advance (Save
vs Spells* or be crushed to death), retreat and wait until clear (roll another
random encounter), or double back to Eastern trail.
6 Two Horspid Mountain rangers (lawful fighters 4) flag down the PCs, share
supplies/intel, and offer their bows against “the giant at the summit.”
*Avalanche is nonmagical; saving throw indicates the relative danger.

76
Eastern Trail
The largely ignored eastern slope holds a reputation for dangerous ambulatory
plant-life inhabiting the shrubby tangles and dangerous cliff-faces. While this
rumor is indeed true, the shrub-people work in conjunction with a clan of brave
and industrious badgerfolk.

PCs who successfully ingratiate themselves with these badger-people will find
valuable allies in the mountain and be granted access to their secret tunnel into the
dungeon (area D18).

Check for random encounters 5x during the 20 hour climb (1-in-6 chance).

d6 Encounter
1 Three screaming bushes try to entangle PCs with vines.*
2 A treeant enforcer crashes down the mountain to arrest approaching
PCs and bring them before the badgerfolk security council.
3 2d6 badgerfolk spear maidens try to flush PCs into a rocky area filled
with pit traps.**
4 A badgerfolk cub was separated from her clan and is pursued by 2d8 feral
ghouls.
5 1d8+1 furious treeants engage in a longwinded argument; they’ll believe
any interlopers to be agents of the mountain. Avoiding this copse of trees
involves an extremely dangerous, technical climb up a cliff face.
6 An angel of a lawful god descends; roll a reaction roll with -1 for each
chaos-aligned character present. 9+: the angel casts bless on the party
(lasts 24 hours) and gifts a golden arrow that instantly kills its target on a
hit (save vs death). 6-8: the unsure angel warns of the danger on the
summit and heals any wounds. 5 or less: the angel casts blight on the
party (lasts 24 hours) and warns them to leave this cursed mountain.

Screaming Bush* Badgerfolk**

Viny shrubs with big thorny mouths that Half badger/half person. Hearty, tenacious.
scream loudly. AC 6 [13], HD 2+1 (11hp), Att 1 x
AC 7 [12], HD 4 (18hp), Att 1 x bite spear (1d8) or 2 x claws (1d6), THAC0
(4d4) or grappling vines, THAC0 18 [+1], MV 90' (30)/ 60' (20')
16[+3], MV 60'(20'), SV D12 W13 P13 burrowing, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16,
B14 S16, ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 75, NA ML 10, AL Lawful, XP 25
0 (1d4)

�Grappling vines: Save vs paralysis

or immobilized and unable to attack
(save each round).

77
The Summit
The mountain is crowned by a dry, 300’ TYRANT
diameter, bowl shaped caldera. Cold Foaming, undead giants, grafted with iron
winds blow a dusting of snow across its plates.
cracked earth. At its center sits a
blackened and ruined marble pavilion. AC 3 [16], HD 7 (31hp), Att 2 x Slam
A staircase inside descends into the (2d6) or javelin (1d12) or Foam Spray,
mountain’s core. THAC0 12 [+7], MV 90' (30),
SV D8 W9 P10 B10 S12, ML 12,
An armor-clad, foaming, long-limbed AL Chaotic, XP 450
giant, a tyrant, kneels before the
pavilion surrounded by a field of �Foam Spray: Breath Weapon, 30'
javelins embedded in the cracked soil. cone of corrosive bubbles (3d6
damage). Usable 1x/hour.
The tyrant rises to meet any who
approach. When the party is within
100’, a voice echoes from all
directions, “HAVE YOU HEARD THE
MUSIC?” Regardless of the response, a
hooded, diminutive figure (a goblin)
limps towards the PCs. When it’s
within 10’ it casts “Know Alignment”
on a random member of the party. If
lawful or neutral alignments are
detected, the goblin shrieks “They have
not heard the music!” The tyrant
immediately attacks.

Monsters: A tyrant defends the stairs

from would-be invaders. A second,
hidden tyrant is buried in shallow soil,
awaiting opportunities to surprise its
foes after an alarm is sounded. The
goblin runs for cover during combat.

Treasure: The goblin wears a Glove

of the Bloody Adjudicator. Allows
casting of “Know Alignment” 5x before
animating and punching its own
wielder in the face (1d6 damage). A
finger turns red with each casting,
resetting back to beige after the punch.

78
The Dungeon Floor 1
The many inhabitants of this Seemingly natural cavern chambers
overcrowded volcano work towards a made of seamless black volcanic glass.
singular goal: the construction and Too many 90 degree angles to occur
awakening of the fetal chaos god. naturally; its architecture defies
However, no single party is in charge conventional wisdom of construction.
and multiple strong voices vie for 12’ ceilings, no natural light sources.
control, sometimes to their own Double-doors of iron-reinforced wood.
detriment. A savvy party can take
advantage of this chaos to blend in or
navigate through dangerous areas. Random Encounters
There is a 1-in-6 chance of a random
encounter whenever PCs move
through a hallway or in any room
marked with . Every other room is
considered “Inhabited” and does not
run the risk of random encounter.

d6 Random Encounter
1 4 aggressive hobgoblins push an empty cart. Will stop and question PCs
about what they’re doing. May try to enlist the PCs in a dangerous egg
collection operation in room D8.
2 4 hungry ogres seek a meal but are worried about eating someone
important. Awkwardly question strangers. “Wot you doing ‘ere, den?”
3 A gorgon wanders through. Nobody knows what to do with it. It’s angry.
4 2 hellhounds (4 HD) stop and bark at strangers. Will attack if PCs can’t
provide them with food.
5 3 exhausted and bloodied hobgoblins push a cart full of eggs and dead
chickens.
6 Enoki, a badgerfolk spy tries to elude the harpies that spotted her in area
D11.

79
80
D1: The Big Bridge D3: Staging Room #1
Cavernous and echoing. A bridge of Numerous muddy footprints lead to this
black glass stretches into the gasping room from the hallway.
darkness. Hot puffs of acrid chlorine
gas rise from below. Lightless and muggy. Muddy footprints
cover the floor; the stench of urine
Monsters: Four gargoyles perch on a emanates from the corners.
shelf 50’ above and guard the bridge.
The first one slams down to block the Three dazed, sweaty human villagers
path and question any strangers about (a barmaid, a farmer, a very old man)
their motives. PCs acting particularly and an orange hobgoblin awkwardly
dodgy (or a reaction roll of 5 or lower) and lazily stand in random locations.
provoke the others to swoop down and
attempt to knock the PCs into the pit. Monsters: 3 normal humans and a
hobgoblin were affected by “Charm
The pit: 65’ below is a lake of deadly Person” by the Heckling in area D5 and
acid (area D21). commanded to wait. Any attempts at
communication with these spaced-out
D2: Secret Stairs loiterers only yields the whispered
reply: “I have heard the music.”
In a hallway of seamless black glass: a
faint seam. Pushing hard swivels a D4: Staging Room #2
secret door to a staircase to the floor
below. Stuffy and hot; beads of moisture drip
down the walls. Six dazed villagers (a
Staircase is marked “A” on the map. soldier, a clown, two identical twins, a
woman covered in mud, and a naked
middle-aged man) and two orcs (pig
nosed, blue) stand sleepily at attention
haphazardly around the room.

Monsters: 6 normal humans and two

orcs were affected by “Charm Person”
by the Heckling in area D5 and
commanded to wait. If spoken to,
everyone in the room loudly replies in
unison: “I have heard the music.”

81
D5: Staging Room #3
Humid and stinking of sweat. Ten
villagers (4 acolytes, 6 normal
humans) and three gnolls stand
about in a daze. A hunch-backed, bird-
faced thing rearranges the figures into
random positions in the room, pausing
from time-to-time to remove jewelry
or valuables and stuff them in a hide
sack. “Now you stand here. Okay…you
turn this way. Perfect.”

Monsters: The bird-faced Heckling is

charged with assigning new arrivals to
various duties throughout the volcano. It
makes ample use of “Charm Person” until
the new recruits can all be sorted; some of
the humans here have stood in the dark for Heckling
many days. An awful little bird-person who hypnotizes
everyone.
The Heckling assumes the PCs are new
recruits and physically moves them to AC 4 [15], HD 4+1 (22hp),
available waiting spaces before casting Att 1 x toothed blade (1d8), 1 x peck
“Charm Person.” If attacked, the (1d4), THAC0 16[+3], MV 120' (40),
Heckling commands everyone in the SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 9,
overflow rooms (D3, D4, D5) to rush to AL Chaotic, XP 150, NA 1 (1),
its aid while it runs and hides.
�Charm Person: As the spell. At will,
Treasure: A hide sack contains the 4 in 6 chance of successfully casting.
coins and valuables from hundreds of
chaos-aligned pilgrims: 422 PP, 690 GP,
910 SP, Gems and jewelry (mostly
rings) worth 2900 GP

82
D6: Pentagonal D7: Office
Crossroads Secret Door: A faint seam is barely
visible in the northern wall of the hallway.
Chittering goblin voices and the rhythmic
A strong push swivels the hidden door.
“thunk” of a butcher knife are audible from
outside the door.
A large messy stone desk in a musty
smelling office. Stacks of journals,
Four doors connect to a pentagon
vellum parchment, and gummy
shaped-room with 60’ ceilings. Ichor-
inkwells sit near a darkened oil lamp on
stained wagon tracks criss-cross the
the desktop. A closet-sized “jail cell”
floor. Billowy deposits of white feathers
with wall-mounted shackles stands
accumulate in the corners.
along the western wall.
This room serves as a high traffic
The administrator of this office managed
crossroads between the various operations
the 1st floor body-part assembly;
on the first floor.
unfortunately, she was grabbed by bugbears
Check twice for random encounters.
and fed to the sisters (D21) some time ago
and this office was forgotten. Documents
Monsters: Four skunk goblins list the progress on assembling the eyes,
huddle in a corner and hack apart a pile ears, nose, and teeth for the chaos god.
of chickens, fastidiously separating the Body completion is scheduled for 7 days
parts into discrete piles. They ignore from now.
anyone else who passes through. A crew
of hobgoblins commanded these goblins to
Treasure: A golden monkey idol
work on butchering. The skunk goblins will
paperweight with ruby eyes sits on the
obey anyone scarier than the hobgoblins.
desk (1000 GP).

83
D8: The Coop D9: The Knackers
Opening the door unleashes an Absurdly hot. Immense iron kettles
oppressive wave of hot animal stench. gurgle over hot coal beds. The northern
Footfalls are muffled by inches of wall hosts an overstuffed shelf full of
squishing, compacted filth. A vast pots and jars with opaque, viscous
chamber of gaping darkness; then fluids. A blood splattered cutting board
surging suddenly into the light: a and a wet pile of unidentifiable animal
crashing wave of 1000 screaming tissue cover a table along the southern
chickens. wall. Four sooty bugbears stir pots
and hack apart an orc corpse.
The denizens of the volcano keep chickens
as resources for constructing their new god; East: An open door leads to an
the eggs are used for an enormous eyeball unguarded ledge and an iron ladder
(area D11), compacted eggshells form teeth stretching down into the darkness.
(area D10), bones and connective tissue are
boiled into glue (area D9); the feathers and The knackers dispose of unusable material
beaks are saved for potential future into the acid pond in area D22.
purposes (area D16).
Monsters: The four exhausted
The lightless environment and all-meat diet bugbears boil assorted bodies (mostly
have contributed to the overall poor health chicken) into glue to bind the fetal
of the flock and fostered aggressive, violent chaos god’s flesh. These miserable
behavior. Among the chickens treads a bugbears mercilessly bully anyone who
small number of 6’ tall, prehistoric, dire appears weaker or less miserable than
chickens who attack non-chickens on sight. themselves. Examples: forcing a PC to
endlessly stir a kettle of glue, drinking
Monsters:: 1000 chickens (mostly glue, gluing feathers into hair, etc.
harmless but distracting to spellcasters),
1d6 dire chickens. Treasure: assorted magical glue:

Dire Chicken • Night Glue: (5 applications), forms

6’ prehistoric hens with the wrath of 10,000 unbreakable bond, disolves in light
burning hells.
• Death Glue: (5 applications), doesn’t
AC 6 [13], HD 5 (22hp), Att 2 x talons stick to living matter.
(1d4), 1 x peck 1d10, THAC0 15[+4],
MV 90' (30'), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 • “The Good Stuff”: (2 applications,
S14, ML 7, AL Chaos, XP 175, covered in warning labels, forms
NA 1d6 (1d6) unbreakable bond, only disolves by
a Wish spell.
�Hollow Bones: Easy to pick up and
throw. • Normal glue: (20 applications), non-
magical but still pretty good.

84
D10: Workshop #1: Gurk
Lizard man necromancer in a dirty plush
Tooth robe. Always damp.

Smoky from an unventilated forge. AC 7 [12], HD 4+1 (22hp), Att

Bins and worktables line the walls; a 3’ sacrificial dagger (1d6+1) or spells,
dripping, rough textured, tooth- THAC0 16[+3], 60’ (20’)/120’ (40’) in
shaped thing stands on a pedestal in water, SV D12 W13 P13 B14 S16, ML
the center of the room. 10, AL Chaos, XP 75

Monsters labor to build their new god. �Crystal Medallion: Blocks nearby
Eight ghouls and their taskmaster, attempts to turn undead. Flashes with
Gurk the lizardman necromancer, light. Easily smashed.
hammer eggshells into compacted
bricks of baked, calcified porcelain. The �Spells: Animate Dead (from
brick are glued together in a mold to medallion), Ventriloquism, Knock,
form an enormous tooth. The incisor Web.
here nears completion.
Treaure: Gurk wears a huge golden
The unctuous necromancer welcomes fresh crown (4000 GP) and a
human food sources into his shop to Necromancer’s Medallion. The latter
improve ghoul morale; he invites PCs to allows its wearer to cast "animate dead"
inspect his work before the inevitable 1x/day and blocks nearby attempts to
betrayal. The eager ghoul laborers giggle turn undead.
and lick their lips.
An open clay pot holds 5 applications of
Monsters: 8 ghouls + Gurk. normal glue.

85
D11: Workshop #2: D12: Jail
Eyeball A makeshift jail cell, lightless and
squalid. Shackles chained to the
Kettles simmer over small, open
ground hold a lone elf, pecked and
flames. Bins and worktables line the
bloodied by an errant chicken. Shovels,
walls; a large, ghoulish orb of milky
rakes and other farm implements pile
putrescent albumen balances on a
against the northern wall.
low table in the center of the room and
stinks powerfully of sour and egg.
This room was a storage area for the
subterranean chicken farm until space
Four harpies poach hundreds of egg whites
issues demanded it be repurposed as a jail.
before meticulously layering them with
thin coats of glue to form a 4’ diameter
“eyeball” for their new god. NPC: Azucar (lawful elf 6, prepared
spells: locate object, levitate, haste), the sole
survivor of the elven assault team, is
Monsters: The four harpies’ love of
imprisoned and forgotten here. Despite
torturing humans is tempered by their
a chicken slowly torturing him for
concern for the integrity of their
many days, Azucar’s spirit is unbroken;
fragile, disgusting eyeball project. The
he eagerly joins the PCs as an ally if
harpies will avoid violence if possible
rescued. He gifts his rescuers each a
and use their Charm ability to force
strand of his golden hair; it functions
enemies to flee.
as an amulet of protection if tied
around one’s wrist.
Treasure: Each harpy wears a
platinum & diamond ankle bracelet
Secret Door: A forgotten secret door
(2000 GP). It allows the wearer to feel
to area D13 is hidden behind the pile of
the heartbeat of the ur-harpy, Siryn
farm implements. A firm push will
(and allows her to feel the wearer’s).
cause the panel door to swivel.

Azucar’s Aphorisms
The incorigibly heroic elf Azucar constantly squints into the distance and recites
inspirational slogans. Use the following list as inspiration:
• “It's not how good you are…it's • “Bravery doesn’t mean not being
how bad you want it.” afraid…bravery means having
willpower greater than your fear.”
• “There’s only one thing worse than
losing and that’s quitting.” • “Are you afraid of dying or afraid
to truly live?”
• “Pain is temporary. Glory is
forever.” • “No fear!”

86
D13: Pump Room
An old water pump, a mossy trough.
Clumps of moss and tiny mushrooms
grow on the wet floors.

The (non-traversable) plumbing connects

through the floor to area D21.

Secret Door: A forgotten, swiveling

door to area D12 is secreted along the
southern wall.

D14: Trapezoidal
Crossroads
Feathers, filth, and muddy wagon
wheel tracks.

87
D15: Shrine Dump • Reward for one destroyed part:
“Hunger,” +2 (cursed) sword. Wielder
is immune to all disease and orally
Rats skitter across a teetering trash administered poisons but must eat 3x
pile composed of smashed statuary, normal amount every day and never
rotting tapestries, candles, and religious feels sated. The sword constantly
paraphernalia. A leering stone demon whispers to its wielder to eat
face peeks out from the heap. increasingly outlandish meals.
A few minutes after the PCs enter: a • Reward for two destroyed parts:
dead rat draped across the stone demon “Dark Meat,” a platter of unidentifiable
face rotates its head in place and opens gristly meat strips for up to 8 people.
its mouth to speak: Diners are invisible while chewing (10
minute duration).
“Kkkkccckk…you…defilers. You are
different than the ckkkkkk brainwashed • Reward for three destroyed parts:
rabble of this place. Kkkkkk…” “Ring of Nourishing Glamour,” an
iron ring styled as two snakes eating
The rat is possessed by the spirit of each other. Eat a piece of a living,
Barglobax, evil god of gluttony. His humanoid creature to take on its
volcanic shrine was smashed and his appearance for 12 hours.
followers killed when the chaos god began
its song; he now hungers for revenge • “Reward” for four destroyed parts:
against his temple’s usurpers. Barglobax Barglobax’ power is restored. It
will reward the PCs with a magical manifests as a huge, frothing,
treasure for destroying each of its humanoid gestalt of dead rats; it
unmoored parts: the eye, tooth, wig, bone. maniacally attacks anything in its path.

Aspect of Barglobax

AC 7 [12], HD 11+2 (51hp),

Att 1 x slam (5d6) or rat bomb,
THAC0 10[+9], MV 60'(20'), SV D6
W7 P8 B8 S10, ML 11, AL Chaos,
XP 1100

�Rat Bomb: Reduce hp by 1 HD to

throw a mass of swollen rats that
explode on impact. Range: 60 ft.
6d6 damage (save vs breath weapon for
half damage).

88
D16: Feather Storage D18: Secret
Great drifting piles of dirty feathers and
Badgerfolk Tunnels
nose-tickling dander fill the room to
Soft and constantly collapsing. Runs for
the ceiling.
miles all the way down the mountain to the
badgerfolk forest. Exit is always guarded
The monsters haven’t figured out what to by 6 badgerfolk spear maidens (page 77).
do with all the feathers from the chicken
farm yet; they’re saving them here in the
meantime. A
1F 1 sq. = 10 ft.
D17: Trash/Storage
A staggering array of disorganized
miscellania and festering garbage.
Folded clothing, piles of rotting chicken
feet, barrels full of pole-arms, coils of
hemp rope, a small sailing ship, a neat
stack of human corpses in a puddle of
brown fluid.

The monsters can’t decide if this room is for

storage or garbage; now it’s both. PCs may
spend a turn to search the heaps.

Secret Door: Sliding the sailing ship

from its unstable perch reveals a
narrow badgerfolk tunnel (D18).

d8 Object Found in Area D17 A

1 2F
3x suits of golden +1 chainmail (matching).
2 Growing on a corpse: death’s head truffles. Valued by chefs (500 GP).
3 A pot of unidentifiable rotting goop. If spilled, save vs poison or wretch
uncontrollably (1 turn).
4 A nice rug! (large, peacock motif, 1500 GP)
5 A large crate full of wigs.
6 A large crate of rotting hands. One still wears a ring of protection.
7 The duke’s missing cousin! Killed by poison. Wears a gold circlet (2000 GP).
8 2x vials of deadly poison. Unlabeled, smells almond sweet. 1 empty vial.

89
Floor 2
Black hallways of shatterproof glass. 12’ ceilings. No natural light sources. Muggy,
warm. Distant echoes of rapturous shrieking.

Random Encounters
There is a 1-in-6 chance of a random encounter whenever PCs move through a
hallway or in any room marked with .. Every other room is considered
“inhabited” and does not run the risk of random encounters.

d6 Random Encounter
1 2d6 blissed out acolytes from D19 lost in a euphoric haze
2 Two bugbears look for someone they can feed to the Sisters in D21
3 A gorgon wanders through. Nobody knows what to do with it. It’s angry.
4 2 hellhounds (4 HD) stop and bark at strangers. Will attack if PCs can’t
provide them with food.
5 4 neanderthals, half blinded from rock dust, search for the ogre rock
inspector to approve their latest haul. (See area D23)
6 6 neanderthal zombies freshly raised by the chaos god’s ambient evil

90
D19: The Auditorium D20: Workshop #3:
A crowded candlelit theater. Curving
Hair
polygonal tiers of bench seats slope
Soft yellow light from oil lamps,
downwards towards a stage at the
hanging swathes of silk, large wooden
southern end of this trapezoid-shaped
chests, and an enormous nest of
room. At least one hundred
shimmering golden thread. 5 noseless
humanoids–goblins, orcs, gnolls,
women with elaborate braided hair sit
harpies, armored men, and ogres sit in
on wooden rocking chairs or lean
attendance. They’re serenaded by
over spinning wheels. They have long,
punctuated spurts of blisteringly loud,
segmented worm torsos in place of legs.
otherworldly soprano scream-singing
emanating from the stone tunnel
behind the stage. Massive frescoes The “weavers” are welcoming and
line the walls depict a golden youth congenial. They offer fresh fruit and a
rising from an ocean of melting bodies. quiet place to any who seek succor.
A display of mangled corpses is impaled
on stakes at the front of the stage. These creatures are silkworm/human
hybrids who drain the beauty from living
Monsters await the birth of their new god creatures to produce threads of purest gold.
here. Every few days, a procession of They weave a golden wig for the chaos god.
creatures marches in with a newly Within the chests are desiccated, barely
completed organ to graft on to the god’s alive elven warriors, nearly sucked dry of
body in area D27 to the rapturous applause their beauty by the weavers. The fruit is
of the audience. When the body is treated with poison (save vs paralysis or
completed (in 7 days unless interrupted), freeze in place for one hour). They attempt
the god will awaken and claw its way out to force feed anyone who does not willingly
of the mountain, killing everyone inside. eat the fruit.

Monsters: 20 orcs, 20 gnolls, 20 Weaver

acolytes, 20 goblins, 10 bugbears, 10 AC 8 [11], HD 4 (18hp), Att 1 x thread
harpies, 5 ogres. whip (1d6) or web or drain, THAC0
15[+4], MV 90' (30'), SV D10 W11 P12
B13 S14, ML 8, AL Chaos, XP 175,
d4 What is the crowd doing? NA 1d6 (1d6)
1 Swaying in soft giggling ecstasy.
�Web: As the spell, at will.
2 Whipped into a religious fervor!
Screaming and tearing at clothes.
�Drain: With a touch, weaver drains
3 Hungry and restless; about to break 1d6 CHA and regains 1d8hp. Creatures
out in cannibalistic infighting. with charisma reduced to 0 die.
4 Sleepy and low-energy until the
fetal chaos god starts singing again
in 1d4 turns (then they go nuts).

91
D21: “Blood” Bank
Giant dripping metal vats, elaborate
overhead plumbing, puddle-covered
floors, dim yellow light from hissing
gas lamps. A lone aproned dwarf with
shoulder-length seal-skinned gloves
waddles between tanks, turning valves.
A narrow access tunnel leads east.

Chory the dwarf (neutral dwarf 7) labors

here, meticulously mixing a precise ratio of
black dragon acid, salt, and spring water.
The resulting foul admixture is pumped
through an enormous, gelatinous, 24''
diameter pipe to the west into the veins of
the chaos god. Chory is churlish, curt,
intolerant of nonsense, and only speaks
dwarf. He will not fight anyone; this is just
a job. The eastern access tunnel: 3’ ceilings,
cramped with pipes, leads to area D22.
The monsters of the dungeon respect Chory
and leave him alone. He sleeps on a cot in The 24’’ pipe: gummy, organic.
the corner. Underneath is a lockbox with Technically traversable if somehow
his earnings (800 GP). cleared of deadly dragon acid.

92
D22: Acid Pool D23: Neanderthal
Noxious fumes fill the air and burn the
Rock Mines
lungs; a sizzling lake of acid dominates
Natural stone walls, high ceilings,
this cavernous chamber. A bridge of
echoing sounds of shouting and the
obsidian spans the room east to west,
squeak of straining rope. Crews of
connecting two oversized doorways.
chained, beleaguered neanderthals
Islands of 10’ tall obsidian crystal rise
strain at ropes fed through massive
from several points in the acid. An iron
groaning winches to transport wicker
ladder connects to the upper floor
gondolas of neanderthal miners up and
along the western wall. A large 4’
down four 20’ diameter bore holes.
diameter pipe rises out of the acid on
Five distracted ogre taskmasters bark
the southern wall and enters a service
orders at the exhausted cavemen.
tunnel just above the lake’s surface.
A community of neanderthals were
The lake: Mostly black dragon acid;
discovered in a cavern deep within one of
deals 10 damage/round. A mound of
the boreholes and subsequently enslaved as
gold in the center of the room, just
miners by the ogres.
below the surface catches torch light
and sparkles in the clear liquid.
Each wicker gondola mining party is
manned by 8 neanderthals and two ogres.
Monsters: “The Sisters,” twin black
Neanderthals are forced to excavate until
dragons Psyclodile and Hypoxia spend
they find “correct” rocks (the ogres know
much of their time slumbering in the
them when they see them) which are
acid bath (40% chance) or counting
subsequently transported to area D24.
their treasure. Each dragon only has
1d3-1 uses of its breath weapon
available at any time. Monsters: 5 ogres, 40 enslaved
neanderthals. All pre-occupied.
The Sisters are responsible for producing
the acid that fills this room–it eventually Treasure: In crates: ~9000 GP worth
gets pumped into area D21 and serves as of uncut gems and precious stones
the main component for the god’s blood. mixed in with other “bad rocks.”
Requires 1d4 hours of sifting.
Treasure: Submerged in acid: 2510 PP,
1611 GP, 23 gems (500 GP each), +1
shining spear (casts light on self at will,
casts light on other target 1x/day).

93
D24: Workshop #4: D25: Hellhound Pen
Bones A large, open, foeted cage where three
hellhounds nest in a pile of black fur.
Rock-filled bins and worktables line the
walls. A crude illustration of a rib on
vellum is nailed into the wall. Four The hellhounds attack anyone coming out
ogres squint at the illustration and bash of area D26 unless accompanied by an ogre.
rocks with stone hammers. A large
stone, very roughly bone-shaped, sits D26: Neanderthal
on a workbench surrounded by pots of
glue. Barracks
The ogres “refine” rocks mined by their Beyond squalid. Stone pallets for
neanderthal slaves in area D23. The rocks overworked neanderthals too
are glued together to form the chaos god’s exhausted to move. 2d20 weary,
bones. Ogres possess very little skill at this injured, or sick neanderthals huddle
type of craft and blame the long-suffering together in this filthy hovel.
neanderthals for their constant failures.
NPC: Thag, the tallest of the
Monsters: Four annoyed ogres. neanderthals, has a broken leg and a
bad fever. If healed with magic, will
dedicate himself to the PCs' cause and
help rally his people. Strong but
exceptionally unintelligent; Thag
struggles with basic concepts (time,
numbers, names, object permanence).

94
D27: The Chaos God
A gargantuan cavern; the edges of
reality here bleed away to white.

A mountainous mound of foul-smelling

compressed garbage shifts slightly; it’s
merely the skullcap of the incomplete
godling. Its 200’ body lies vivisected,
arms akimbo, awaiting completion.
Waves of wriggling filth washes over
its skin in skittering waves.

A massive gash in its chest reveals a 5’

beating heart of pure gold in a pool Archangel of Chaos
of sizzlign acid. Its perpetually wet A pink and flapping creature of wings and
mouth bellows a hypnotic and revolting eyes. Resembles skinned, uncooked chicken.
melody akin to a phlegmy child singing
a nursery rhyme backwards. AC 6 [13], HD 11 (49 hp), Att 1 x eye
beam (60’, 4d6) or trumpet or spells,
PCs must save vs Spells or feel THAC0 11[+8], MV 90'(30') flying,
supernaturally afraid (-2 to attacks and SV D6 W7 P8 B8 S10, ML 12,
saving throws). +5 to saving throw If AL Chaos, XP 1900
Azucar is present.
�Trumpet: A deafening blast of
The golden heart: is the god’s only noise. All save vs paralysis or freeze in
weak point. Removing it liquifies the place for 1d3 rounds.
body within minutes. The gold heart is
worth 60,000 GP. A fibrous black aorta �Spells: Has access to all cleric spells.
holds it in place (30hp). May cast 1 spell/round.
Monsters: The god is protected by its
archangel; a pink phantasmagoria of
wings and eyes. It inherently senses
anyone who approaches the heart and
descends suddenly from the ceiling to
defend its master.

95
 EXPANDING THE DUNGEON
The dungeon as presented is a hyper-condensed monster mash. Expand the
map and let it breathe via the “notches” along the southern wall of the first
floor. These could lead to expanded corridors and additional challenge rooms.
Maintain thematic consistency with this room theme generator:

d6 A weird resource …used for a body part …by monsters

1 Fish Liver Thouls
2 Cave slime Foot Wererats
3 Lava Tongue Bugbears
4 Worms Stomach Gnolls
5 Fungus Genitals Minotaurs
6 Bats Nose Rock Baboons

FOLLOWUP
The chaos god’s song siphoned the wild chaos energy of dreams into its own
gestational chamber, manifesting the wild hypothetical into a tangible body.
With the chaos god’s heart destroyed, that dream energy is again released:
suddenly and explosively. How does this manifest?

• The mountain is transformed into a surrealist funhouse dungeon. PCs

must defy laws of common sense to escape.

• The nightmares of the PCs spawn into reality. Fallen foes rise again,
twisted versions of beloved NPCs terrorize the party, a mysterious
“Cosmic Clown” rises.

• A door to the dreamlands open in the heart of the mountain. A strange

new world awaits.

96
 Bonus Materials

BONUS
MATERIALS

97
APPENDIX A: THE MEKTAUR

Level XP HD THAC0 D W P B S SwD

1 0 1d8 19 [0] 12 13 14 15 16 20
2 2500 2d8 19 [0] 12 13 14 15 16 25
3 5000 3d8 19 [0] 12 13 14 15 16 30
4 10,000 4d8 17 [+2] 10 11 12 13 14 35
5 20,000 5d8 17 [+2] 10 11 12 13 14 40
6 40,000 6d8 17 [+2] 10 11 12 13 14 45
7 80,000 7d8 14 [+5] 8 9 10 10 12 50
8 150,000 8d8 14 [+5] 8 9 10 10 12 55
9 300,000 9d8 14 [+5] 8 9 10 10 12 60
10 450,000 10d8 12 [+7] 6 7 8 8 10 65

98
Requirements: Character must be dead for less than 1 week.
Prime requisite: CHA
Hit Dice: 1d8
Maximum level: 10
Armor: None, Shields
Weapons: Any
Languages: Any spoken in life.
Speed: 150’ (50’)

A MEKTAUR is a warrior, a rare magical relic, and a non-traditional means of player

character resurrection. This centaur-shaped automaton is a magical chassis into which the
blood of a recently deceased humanoid may be poured. If the spirit is willing, the
individual is granted a second chance in life by dwelling within a mechanical centaur body.
Only one MEKTAUR is known to exist although rumors persist of a bone-white
MEKTAUR marauding through the eastern wastes.

Mechanical Body: MEKTAURS require air and water but not food. Real blood
pumps through a mechanical heart. MEKTAURS do not heal naturally and must
be repaired by a tinker or blacksmith at a cost of 10 GP/level (although magical
healing functions normally). A crank on the MEKTAUR’S back must be wound
1x/week; a MEKTAUR can not wind itself. Failure to wind a MEKTAUR causes a
comatose-like state. A MEKTAUR is not able to climb rope or vertical surfaces.

The Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution of a MEKTAUR are automatically 13.

All other attributes are inherited from the deceased. A MEKTAUR retains all
memories from its previous life but is unable to cast spells.

MEKTAURS do not age naturally and are effectively immortal if regularly wound
and properly maintained. When a MEKTAUR is slain, its spirit moves on and
cannot be resurrected by any means. The MEKTAUR may be repaired and reused
as a vessel for another dead soul. A spirit may choose to to exit the MEKTAUR
(thus ending its own life) at any time.

Combat: MEKTAURS are proficient with all weapons and shields. They cannot
wear armor but automatically have AC 3 [16] from their metal exteriors.
MEKTAURS are naturally proficient with pole-arms and add +2 to damage with a
pole-arm weapon if they move at least 10’ before attacking.

Speak with Dead (SwD): As a dead soul inhabiting a mechanical body, a

MEKTAUR can attempt to converse with the dead. The percentage for success is
listed on the table opposite. The MEKTAUR must make physical contact with the
dead’s remains to attempt contact. The spirit is not bound by any power and may
refuse to answer questions or cooperate.

99
APPENDIX B:
ADVENTURER’S GUILDS
Adventurers, cave-delvers, tomb
robbers, swashbucklers, and their ilk Guild Benefits
often band together under the banner
of an adventurer’s guild (though few Dungeon Intel: Guild members share
guilds actually label themselves as such). tales and rumors for all dungeons,
Adventurer’s guilds convey some major ruins, and caves that could feasibly have
character advantages as well as some been explored previously. Once per
modernisms into an old-school play- session, a player character may recall
style. A Referee should think carefully this knowledge to reroll one saving
before introducing these optional rules throw within a dungeon.
to a campaign.
Outfitter: The guild’s supply chief
Listed here are guild benefits as well as two ensures that player characters are
example guilds found in the land of Bhosel. equipped for the task at hand. Once per
adventure, a PC may reveal one
hitherto undeclared item in their
Guild Fees inventory. This item may cost no more
than 10 GP and weigh no more than a
Joining a guild costs an initial standard sword (60 coins).
membership fee of 50 GP and a
recurring tithe of 10% of all adventure Lodging: Guild members may enjoy
earnings. With a Referee’s approval, a free room and board within an
new character may begin play already affiliated guild-house.
enrolled with a guild.

100
Wyvern Corps
A fraternity of rough-and-ready
mercenaries and landsknechts. The
Wyvern Corps attracts martial artists,
retired soldiers, devil-may-care weirdos,
and adventure-seeking youth. The Corps
is held in high esteem by the crown and
is often hired for state or church
sanctioned operations. Guildhalls are
bright and lively and filled with the
sounds of laughter and physical fitness.

Sword Training: The Corps requires a

2 week sword-fighting boot camp.
Fighters, thieves, and demi-humans who
complete the course gain +1 on sword
attacks. Magic-users and clerics gain
proficiency with swords.

Amanita Fellowship
Ostensibly a mushroom foraging guild;
members frequently find themselves in
forgotten ruins and monster-infested
caverns. The Fellowship often partners
with thieves guilds and magic-users
because of their proximity to poisons and
alchemical components. Its members
comprise rangers, pathfinders, midwives,
mystics, and unwashed youth. Guildhalls
are dark and loamy and filled with
woodland creatures.

Mycology: Members of the Fellowship

attend mandatory mushroom-
identification training. Once completed,
a guilder can ID any fungus and gains +1
to all saving throws against poison/death
(even those unrelated to fungus).

101
102
 (Appendix C): The village of

NANLET
A little frontier town centered around a
bridge and a giant stone head.
originally called “Cyclopea” before the
king renamed it after his beloved Nan.
A formal religion arose around the
The duke-appointed mayor, Percival head’s worship and many pilgrims
presides over the town. Unfortunately travel to worship in its presence.
for all, Percival is an incompetent
nincompoop with no real authority; the The church’ most recent high cleric,
real power of Nanlet is held by a coven Father Chorgy (lawful cleric 6) brings
of witches who reside in a nearby a puritanical streak to the decidedly
cave. It’s something of a public secret esoteric religion. A common refrain
among the village residents. echoes from mouths of the devout
across Nanlet in reply to an ever
The mysterious coven provides wisdom expanding list of Cyclopean anathema:
to its people, magically stimulates crop “It is not the will of the Head.”
growth, feeds the hungry, and heals the
sick. In turn, the witches ask that each Some scholars believe an enormous
resident keep a sealed coffin* hidden body is buried beneath the head but this
somewhere in their home. If anyone has never been proven. Once per
opens a coffin, the witches know generation, the mouth opens. None
about it and come for them in the who enter have ever returned.
night. 3-in-6 Nanlet homes contain a
sealed coffin. The witches respect the head’s power
but rankle against the inflexibility of its
The village was constructed around an church. Tension often percolates
ancient stone head known as “the between church and coven.
Cyclopean.” In fact, the village was

*WHAT’S IN THE COFFINS?

Fungus-based duplicates of the villagers who slowly gain sentience as they feed on
ambient psychic energy? The inert bodies of refugees of the dimension of dreams
whose minds are trapped floating in the astral plane and who hide from their
demon oppressors? Vampires? Nothing (it’s just a weird trust thing)?

103
 VILLAGE LOCALES:
1. Gate house: Staffed by local 7. “The Wedge”: A locals bar, staffed
militia and led by Hana (lawful by halflings. Many farmers gather
fighter 4). The town is not walled for an after-work mug of milk
but regular mounted patrols punch. Woe betide any out-of-
attempt to repel scofflaws. towner who feels a halfling’s grip
on their shoulder and the
2. Spigot’s Farm: The largest farm in unwavering warning: “hey pal–
the village. Spigot, the elderly farm locals only!”
patriarch, seeks potential spouses
for his large, attractive sons. 8. Vacant watchtower: For sale:
5000 GP (cheap!). Infested with
3. Halfling huts: Many halfling giant centipedes. The ghost of its
families tend to Nanlet’s farms. previous inhabitant, Gyro the
Their earthen huts belie large, Entomancer, haunts the top floor
luxurious basements. and won’t stop summoning
centipedes until he completes
4. Temple of Lilia: 50 years ago, an unfinished business: incomplete
evil wizard kidnapped the town’s (and stolen!) memoirs (see p. 15).
children; a benevolent woodland
spirit named Lilia appeared and 9. The Cyclopean: A huge head.
stole them back. This temple was
built in her honor. A patron 10. First Church of the Cyclopean:
goddess of children and thieves. a looming cathedral. An adjoining
boarding house is setup for pious
5. The Store: Sells goods, generally. pilgrims. Free room and board is
Owned and operated by Mike, provided to Cyclopean devotees
human male. Free black candles! but it’s hard to sleep due to the
constant, weird chanting.
6. Bladd’s Blacksmith: Many
villagers loiter around Bladd’s 11. Wyvern Corp guild house (see
fence to watch the blacksmith p. 101): Warriors spar at all hours
work and share gossip. An to the chagrin of the neighbors.
excellent source of local rumors. Guildmaster Freya (lawful fighter
5, cool eyepatch) presides.

TOWN GOSSIP 1. “Two bloody men showed up at Old

Windy’s house in the middle of the night! One had bugs in his hair!”
2. “The sun still hasn’t set over Hollyhock Garden. That’s really weird.”
3. “Where are all the rusty swords that keep washing up on the shore coming from?”
4. “I can’t even enjoy a mug of milk punch at the Wedge any more because Father
Chorgy busted in and said ‘it’s not the will of the head.’ That nut’s gone too far!”

104
12. Apple Bottom safe house: 16. Cave: Labyrinthine home of the
Ostensibly the home of Windy, a witches and their pets. Rarely
quiet old lady with a house full of visited and difficult to reach
cats. Actually, a safehouse for a without rope. Villagers know to
local band of thieves to store loot leave a black candle (freely given at
or lay low. Windy is a retired the Store) burning in a window or
thief-acrobat and her visitors only door frame if they wish to speak
come and go by cover of night. with the coven. A witch will
appear at midnight to receive the
13. Mayor’s mansion: Mayor Percival message: Yanni (always brings
never seems to be busy and cookies, hovers), Stoja (infinitely
welcomes visitors with a cold long black hair), Mena
pitcher of milk and a pointless, (communicates only with
long winded story. castanets), or Machka (a cat).

14. The Salt and Vinegar: largest inn 17. Nanlet Bridge: 1 SP to cross (or 1
in town, plenty of rooms to rent, CP for locals). Guards let the
warm quilts. The owner and village old-timers drop fishing
innkeeper Tannenbaum has a lines off the bridge for free. A good
booming laugh, a huge mustache, source of gossip.
and three enormous dogs.
Specialties: cabbage-wrapped river 18. South Tower: Barracks, offices,
prawns, acorn wine. and jail. Staffed by royal-appointed
soldiers and commanded locally by
15. Amanita Fellowship guild Frote (lawful dwarf 5). Primarily
house (see p. 101): An enormous concerned with collecting tolls and
earthen hut full of bioluminescent ensuring economic stability of
mushrooms and friendly badgers, bridge traffic and supply chain.
raccoons, and songbirds. Led by Sometimes clashes with militia
Guildmaster Shan (neutral halfling over issues of town safety.
6, terrible allergies).

5. “Lil Timtam is still missing. Ugh, has anyone checked the old watch tower yet?”
6. “I don’t like that new gal in town who’s been courting Spigot Jr. A proper lady
shouldn’t keep a pet snake. It ain’t wholesome!”
7. “I heard ol’ Tannenbaum down at the Salt and Vinegar used to be the king’s
kennel master! I wonder if he’d ever sell one of them dogs of his?”
8. “I was down at the old fort hunting chanterelles last week. The stench coming
out of there–skunk goblins for sure. Picked some beautiful chanterelles though!”
105
 Appendix D: THE GRAND DUCHY OF

A large peninsula, settled ~300 years ago by the Kingdom of man on the bones of a
disappeared human civilization. The largest cities lie along the coasts and play host to
brave knights, grand palaces, courtly intrigue, and a multitude of long-suffering
peasants. Smaller strongholds of stout hearted homesteaders flare up further inland to
thrive for a time or vanish into obscurity. (Note: only the largest settlements are
marked on the map). Chaos itself seems to radiate from the east; explorers report
bizarre structures and improbable creatures beyond the relative safety of the coast.
0206: Beaucourt, the capital city. 0609: Nanlet: see Appendix C.
Home of Duke Omer. His elite Flaxen A fine place to begin a journey.
Knights dye their armor, hair, ships,
and horses a distinct yellow. 0610: Peacock Point: site of Sinister
Secret of Peacock Point. A cape
0306: Hollyhock Garden: site of where the Nan river meets the sea.
Fabien’s Atelier and Hideous
Daylight*. The royal walled garden 0701: Lilet: village of mystics and
and hunting preserve. The sun esoteric studies. Gateway to the violet
stopped setting here recently. dunes (centaur country).

0402: Marimur: Famous for its 0704: Opera Valley. Site of the
shipyards and swordfish steaks. Singing Stones.
Gateway to the Northern Islands.
0709: Gateway to the “Sea of Trees.”
0407: Calliers. Slightly seedy, A sprawling ancient forest home to
gateway to Pachelbel Swamp. Locals faerie folk, olde magic, superstitious
consort with “snake people.” towns, and talking beasts. The forest
stretches east for many miles.
0608: Swords spill from a dungeon
temple concealed behind a waterfall. 1103: Mount Embersnake. Site of
Site of Temple of 1000 Swords*. the Dreaming Caldera.

*Available from Swordlords Publishing

106
 0701

0402
1103

0704

0306
0206

0407

0608
0709
0609

0610

107
 ADVENTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
&
WHERE TO PLACE THEM
Anywhere: In the Sea of Trees (SE Forest)

• The Hole in the Oak by Gavin • Winter’s Daughter by Gavin

Norman Norman

• The Incandescent Grottoes by • The Black Wyrm of

Gavin Norman Brandonsford by Chance
Dudinack
• Halls of the Blood King by Diogo
Nogueira • Barrow of the Elf King by Nate
Treme
• Prison of the Hated Pretender by
Gus L • Tangled by Josh Domanski &
Reilly Qyote
• The Waking of Willowby Hall by
Ben Milton • Tannic by Amanda P

• The Seers Sanctum by directsun • The Blackapple Brugh by Kyle

Hettinger
• Gardens of Ynn by Emmy Allen
In the islands to the north:
• Magical Murder Mansion by
Skerples • The Isle of the Plangent Mage by
Donn Stroud
• Where the Wheat Grows Tall by
Camilla Greer and Evlyn Moreau • The Dark of Hot Springs Island
by Jacob Hurst, Evan Peterson,
In Pachelbel Swamp: and Donnie Garcia

• Woodfall by Lazy Litch In the eastern mountains

In the Violet Dunes: • Through the Valley of the

Manticore by Jacob Fleming
• Slumbering Ursine Dunes by
Chris Kutalik • Castle that Fell from the Sky by
Steve Robertson

108
 INDEX of NEW MONSTERS
ARCHANGEL OF CHAOS - 95 HECKLING - 82

ASPECT OF BARGLOBAX - 88 HUNGRY SEAGULL - 41

BLOOD BEAST (K_) - 68 ICE ELEMENTAL - 30

BLOOD DEMONS - 60 NIGHT DRAGON - 31

DIRE CHICKEN - 84 SHIELD RATS - 40

DREAM GREMLINS - 40 SKITTERLORD - 9

"GURK" - 85 TYRANT - 78

HAGFISH - 70 WEAVER - 91

TREASURE TOTALS
The values listed here reflect the unlikely possibility that the player
characters find every coin and treasure within the dungeon.
Magic items do not have values listed and are thus not included.

Sinister Secret of Peacock Point: 10,034.64 GP

Fabien’s Atelier: 17,605 GP

The Singing Stones: 45,866.05 GP (includes quest rewards and long-

term mining projects).

The Dreaming Caldera: 126,912 GP

109
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from
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Contributor Credits: You may not market or and Patrick Lawinger.
advertise the Open Game Content using the name Kamadan from the Tome of Horrors, © 2002,
of any Contributor unless You have written Necromancer Games, Inc.; Author Scott Greene,
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governmental regulation then You may not Use Labyrinth LordTM © 2007-2009, Daniel Proctor.
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13. Termination: This License will terminate B/X Essentials: Core Rules © 2017 Gavin Norman.
automatically if You fail to comply with all terms Author Gavin Norman.
herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days B/X Essentials: Classes and Equipment © 2017
of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses Gavin Norman. Author Gavin Norman.
shall survive the termination of this License. B/X Essentials: Cleric and Magic-User Spells ©
14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is 2017 Gavin Norman. Author Gavin Norman.
held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be B/X Essentials: Monsters © 2017 Gavin Norman.
reformed only to the ex‐ tent necessary to make it Author Gavin Norman.
enforceable. B/X Essentials: Adventures and Treasures © 2018
15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE Gavin Norman. Author Gavin Norman.
Open Game License v 1.0 © 2000, Wizards of the Old-School Essentials Core Rules © 2018 Gavin
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System Reference Document © 2000, Wizards of Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy: Genre Rules
the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte © 2018 Gavin Norman.
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E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Magic-User Spells © 2018 Gavin Norman.
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R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy: Rules Tome
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111
 THE WYVERN CALLS
Fill your Old-School Essentials role-playing game with four new
tales of weirdness and whimsy. These location-based high
fantasy mini-modules fit easily into an ongoing campaign or
combine them all into an epic sandbox.

Requires Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy or

Advanced Fantasy.

112