# Iron DM 2009 - all matches



## Nifft (Oct 7, 2009)

Iron DM 2009


Round 1 • *Wulf Ratbane vs. Wicht*

Slaad
Wind Skerries
Reticent Constable
Constitutional Monarchy
Original Skull
Holy Avenger

Go!


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## Wulf Ratbane (Oct 7, 2009)

Got 'em. 

(Sheesh man, three threads?)


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## Wicht (Oct 7, 2009)

I've read the ingredients - brainstorming to start shortly. 

The word skerry threw me at first as it is one I wasn't familiar with.  I've googled it though and should be good.


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## Wulf Ratbane (Oct 7, 2009)

I've got 6/6 tied together already but not finding the thread particularly inspiring.


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## Wicht (Oct 7, 2009)

Huh.  I didn't realize before now that the Slaad weren't OGL.  

_Just thought I would share._


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## Nifft (Oct 7, 2009)

Wulf Ratbane said:


> (Sheesh man, three threads?)



 I ... uh ... didn't know how to edit thread titles. I have no other excuse.


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## Voadam (Oct 7, 2009)

Nifft said:


> I ... uh ... didn't know how to edit thread titles. I have no other excuse.




I think you do it by editing the first post and one of the options is advanced edit, which allows you to edit the thread title.


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## Wicht (Oct 8, 2009)

Thinking about the multiple threads, I humbly suggest we use this thread for game related posts (i.e. the match ingredients, the entries and the judgments) and we use the thread in general for intermatch chatter.


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## Wicht (Oct 8, 2009)

*The Breath of Chaos*

*The Breath of Chaos*
_The Breath of Chaos is an Third Edition adventure for good aligned characters of approximately 15th level.  PCs should have access to both divination spells and planar travel.  It will also be necessary, during the course of the adventure, for the PCs to be able to subsist for a time beneath the ocean waves.  Additionally, if one of the PCs is a Paladin, so much the better. _

*Introduction*
A thousand years ago, Saint Morlay performed three great deeds.  He freed the dragon Oxcyyx from the demon Kimuthu.  He journeyed into the heavens and slew the mother of Chaos.  And he established the island kingdom of Karkale.

After his death, Morlay continued to guide the kingdom of Karkale.  According to the laws of Karkale, as written in eternal stone, each king of the island nation has to be chosen by Morlay and every decision of the king is subject to review by the Senate of Karkale.  Following the death of each monarch, the men of the island gather in the Plaza of the Sword where the spirit of Morlay appears and chooses from amongst them the one with the noblest and most righteous of hearts to receive the crown.  Thus for a thousand years the island has been governed justly and well. 

But now chaos comes to the island, for the old king has died and the spirit of Morlay refuses to appear.  

*Background*
The Mother of Chaos was a literal giant among Slaad.   She traveled the worlds, bringing death and destruction in her wake.  Her children were many and her fell deeds legion.  Morlay took it upon himself to bring about an end to her reign of terror.  Journeying far into the plane of air, he tracked her down and did battle with her.  Though the fight was long, at last his mighty sword Lawgiver cleft open her skull and she died.  Morlay cut her head from her body and set it spinning into the depth of the plane of air.  

When Morlay died his body was interred below the Plaza of the Sword but Lawgiver was not buried with him.  Instead it was given to Oxcyyx, the silver dragon who he had once freed and who, in return, had, at times, allowed the paladin to ride him into battle.   

Recently, a gray slaad named Pyrktullanee made it a goal to resurrect the Mother of Chaos.  Locating her now petrified and overgrown skull in the plane of air, he built a shrine within and began to call her soul back.  After some time, he realized that his spells would be more potent if he could utilize Saint Morlay, or what remained of him, in his rituals.  Thus he traveled to Karkale, broke open the tomb of Morlay and stole his skull, replacing it with another more common skull.  The desecration of the tomb was discovered, but not the theft of the skull and it was shortly thereafter that the old king died.  

*Plot Hooks*
The PCs can be drawn into this adventure in a number of ways.  It is possible that some of them are present in the Plaza of the Sword when the spirit of Morlay fails to appear.  Perhaps some of them were hoping to be chosen as the new monarch.  Additionally, some of the PCs may be members of the church of the island, the same as that to which  Morlay himself belonged.  Or perhaps the reputation of the PCs is of such a nature as to insure that when the Senate convenes to deal with the national emergency, they turn first to the PCs for help.  However the PCs are drawn into the story, they are commissioned by the church and the senate to determine the reason for Morlay’s absence and rectify the situation.

*Adventure Summary*
*Episode One -* In which the PCs are made aware of the problem of Karkale and given the task of solving the problem.
Ideally the PCs witness the failure of Morlay’s spirit to manifest in the Plaza of the Sword.   Riots follow and the Senate is quick to declare a state of emergency and approach the PCs about solving the mystery.  Anti-monarchy forces in the Senate immediately begin trying to stop the PCs, someone even hires an assassin that dogs the PCs for a time.  The PCs through a combination of legwork and divinatory spells should discover that 
1- The Skull of Morlay was stolen by a ‘wizard of chaos’ and must be returned for the spirit of Morlay to manifest.
2- The Mother of Chaos is soon to be reborn.
3- Only the sword Lawgiver can defeat the Mother of Chaos.
4- The Master of the Horses of Air can give directions and guidance to the storm of chaos in the plane of air where the Mother of Chaos can be defeated and the skull can be found.​
*Episode Two –* _In which the PCs must journey below the ocean waves and retrieve Lawgiver from the silver dragon Oxcyyx._
It is a well known fact that the silver dragon Oxcyyx has possession of Lawgiver and it is also well known that this dragon dwells deep below the ocean some miles from Karkale.  The PCs must gain an audience with the dragon and convince it to relinquish the sword.  Stealing it or killing the dragon is an evil and therefore a poor option.  The dragon is willing to allow the sword to be used but only conditionally.  It will temporarily exchange the sword for its value in gold.  If the PCs don’t have access to enough wealth, it will allow them to borrow it if they will kill the Kraken that has recently been sighted in the vicinity.  Oxcyyx also makes the PCs vow to return the sword when they have used it before he will hand it over.  Lawgiver is a Holy Avenger. 

*Episode Three –* _In which the PCs must journey to the Plane of air and obtain both directions and transportation from the Warden of Wyrstol._
Neither divination nor scrying can penetrate the storm of chaos that surrounds the skull of the Mother of Chaos in the plane of air but the Warden of Wyrstol, divination will reveal, can provide the knowledge and means necessary to reach the skull which floats not far from his domains.  The Warden of Wyrstol is a powerful Djinn noble who is entrusted with the raising of Wind Steeds for the courts of the Djinn.  He hates company, generally loving the comanionship of his flying horses best.  The Warden’s favor must be won for him to provide direction and he proposes three tests.  The PCs must tame one of his wilder stallions.  They must slay a white dragon who has been killing some of his animals and they must compose an epic love poem with which he can woo a certain djinn female that has often rejected him.  If they will do these things he will provide a map for them and a vehicle upon which they can sail through the plane of air towards the storm of chaos.    

*Episode Four –* _In which the PCs travel across the plane of air, from floating rock to floating rock, deeper into the storm that swirls around the skull of the mother of chaos._
There are few landmarks in the plane of air but there are here and there great floating lands.  A series of such rocks mark the way from the domain of Wyrstol  towards the storm of chaos.  The PCs are given a sailing ship that can sail upon the wind from landmark to landmark.  The various floating rocks each contain their own dangers, for they are the homes of flying beasts but eventually the skerry upon which the PCs are riding enters into the storm of chaos, a swirling area of lightning, fierce winds and fiery hail.  Once in the midst of the storm, they spot the floating, petrified skull.

*Episode Five –* _In which the PCs confront Pyrktullanee and prevent the resurrection of the Mother of Chaos.  _Pyrktullanee has turned the immense frog-like skull into a dungeon of sorts.  Various lesser Slaad serve as sentries and servants.  Chaos beasts roam the halls, creatures born of the storm.  The PCs interrupt Pyrktullanee just as the grey slaad is finishing his final ritual.  Even after he is defeated, the PCs find themselves inside a regenerating head.  The Mother of Chaos is immune to both fire and acid but Lawgiver will damage the regenerating flesh, preventing it from healing.  The PCs must hack their way out of the head and simultaneously use Lawgiver to once more kill the regenerating monster.  They have one additional artifact to help them in this endeavor.  The skull of Morlay can be used to power spells to damage the creature. 

*Conclusion*
With the Mother of Chaos once more defeated, the PCs are free to return both the skull and Lawgiver.  They are the new heroes of Karkale, following in the very footsteps of the kingdom’s founder.  It is entirely possible that if one of the PCs was a Paladin, his deeds will be sufficient to insure that the Spirit chooses them as the next monarch.  

*Ingredients*
*Slaad *– Slaad inhabit the skull and serve Pyrktullanee, also a Slaad.  Additionally the Mother of Chaos is somehow related to that race
*Wind Skerries *– The rocks in the plane of air fit one definition of Skerry.  Also the ship that carries the PCs through the plane can be defined as a Skerry.
*Reticent Constable *– The word constable originally meant a count in charge of the horses.  It came to mean an officer charged with the defense of a castle.  The djinn, the Warden of Wyrstol, fits both of these archaic definitions as he raises flying steeds and is charged with the defense of a portion of the territory of the Djinn.  
*Constitutional Monarchy *– The Island Kingdom of Karkale is a constitutional monarchy, governed by the laws given in ancient times by the hand of Saint Morlay.
*Original Skull *– Two skulls play a part in the adventure, though the stolen skull of Saint Morlay likely best fits the ingredient
*Holy Avenger *– Lawgiver is a Holy Avenger and is vital to the ultimate completion of the adventure.  Saint Morlay himself could also be considered a Holy Avenger, being a Paladin who punished the Mother of Chaos for her crimes.


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## phoamslinger (Oct 9, 2009)

ON DECK: Brent_Nall and InVinoVeritas at Noon today.

you two please confirm in the sign up thread that you have seen this.


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## Wulf Ratbane (Oct 9, 2009)

*THE KING MUST DIE*
Iron DM Round 1 Match 1
Slaad
Wind Skerries
Reticent Constable
Constitutional Monarchy
Original Skull
Holy Avenger

*SETUP*
This is an adventure for one Paladin PC (and such companions as may accompany him). Ideally, this adventure can serve as an Atonement for a paladin who has failed to live up to the *lawful* component of his alignment. The quest will show the paladin that it’s not always possible to “do good” while upholding the Law—and sometimes that’s all right.

You can also use this adventure for other paladin-themed quests: the search for his mount, or for his holy sword.

*BACKGROUND*
Valedon is a constitutional monarchy, with executive powers vested in the regent primarily in the form of a veto; the regent’s Council of Lords conducts and organizes the day to day functions of the state, each keeping in mind the needs of their own subjects as well as the needs of the state. Regent and the council members alike are sworn to uphold and defend the constitution, and each willingly accepts a geas to guarantee their good conduct. Indeed the constitution itself is a powerful magical artifact, the focus for this compulsion.

Valedon’s contains strict provisions for the order of succession, and for many, many generations this has staved off the typical bickering and politicking of the noble families. The regent serves until his or her death; and, if married, the regency passes temporarily to the spouse, who may (by death or abdication) pass the succession to the oldest of his or her natural children. The interim regent may even remarry, and perhaps establish a new line of succession. 

The “current” hereditary ruler of Valedon, King Valos himself, was a wizard of great ambition—but only middling skill. When Valos fell ill many years past, none could guess that the cause was a summoning gone awry. Valos had unwisely attempted to bind a blue slaad to his service. Valos —or at least, to drive it away. Unfortunately, it was too late: Valos was infected with slaad fever. 

The king’s strange affliction manifested much like a typical palsy, with the king becoming more and more withdrawn until he finally fell into an irrevocable catalepsy. Unaware of the nature of Valos’ illness, but sensing an opportunity, the queen and her lover, High Constable Claudius, kept Valos’ illness a secret and did not summon the priests to tend his illness until they were certain it was too late.

Thus, there was noone at hand to tend the king at the moment of his final transformation: Valos became a green slaad. The ensuing rampage of ur-Valos was brief; he was banished to Limbo after the arrival of the high priest. 

This has caused a bit of confusion with regards to succession. Valos (now ur-Valos) is not, technically speaking, deceased, and as far as the Law is concerned, he (or it…) remains the rightful ruler of Valedon.

Claudius and Gertrude do not know the nature of Valos’ disappearance. Nevertheless, they conspired to cover it up—they certainly needed a body if they were to claim the king’s death. Claudius “procured” the corpse of one his guardsmen (slain during ur-Valos’ rampage) to stand in as the body of the king. To foil the High Priests, Claudius literally swapped heads from one body to another, making certain that both the body and the facial features, though severely mangled, might pass muster.

*CAST OF PLAYERS*
Gertrude—the interim regent of Valedon, wife of the dead king 
Claudius—High Constable of Valedon, commander of the armed forces, now husband of Gertrude
Horatio—a high priest of Law
A trio of Inevitables: Lawbinder (a Zelekhut), Oathkeeper (a Kolyarut), and Deathstalker (a Marut)
ur-Valos—the former king of Valedon, now a green slaad

*THE FIRST TASK*
The quest begins with a powerful appeal, directly to the paladin, from the forces of Law. Lawbinder, the centaur-like Zelekhut, will appear and address the paladin directly. Sent by the Powers, Lawbinder will announce to the paladin, “The Law must be followed. Alight, and come with me.” Lawbinder is willing to serve as a mount for the paladin. 

Lawbinder is not very forthcoming, seeking primarily to transport the paladin to Valedon where he can set things right (via planar travel from a higher power, or more mundane means if you place Valedon within a few days’ travel).

Lawbinder will explain to the paladin that powerful magics (forbiddance, among others) prevent him from entering the Manor, and that the paladin must act as his agent on this matter. 

The paladin’s first task will be to enter the Manor, where he will first be granted audience with the High Priest Horatio. Horatio will explain the death of the king, perhaps express some reservations about the incident (and in particular the Queen’s short mourning and rapid engagement to Claudius). He will further explain that all attempt to cast speak with dead on the corpse have failed (but he is willing to try again for the paladin to witness—the spell will fail, as the corpse is not intact). Horatio will explain the constitution as necessary.

The paladin may also speak with the Queen and with Claudius, both of whom will be evasive, but extremely careful not to lie. Claudius is particularly reticent, suspiciously so; if pressed long enough, he will default to a story that he knows well (and truly), and describe the slaad attack, and might linger a bit too long and dramatically over the death of his men; a Sense Motive check may tip the paladin off that something is not right—if the player needs a “strong clue” then the body count simply won’t add up. More subtly, an inspection of the guards’ bodies in their crypts may reveal that the one corpse has had its head replaced with another (these neck bones are ripped apart, these neck bones have been cut cleanly through).

Ultimately the paladin’s task in this section is to reuinte the original skull from the guardsman with the “fake” king’s corpse, so that speak with dead will function correctly. At this point, through questioning, the corpse can reveal that it is not, in fact, the corpse of the king, but rather that of a lowly guardsman (killed by ur-Valos).

Under questioning, Claudius and Gertrude will truthfully admit that they had nothing to do with the disappearance of the king, and they both truly believe him to be dead. Under the laws of Valedon they are guilty of a minor crime at best (tampering with a body). There is, however, the matter of their attempt to subvert the constitution…

The paladin should return to Lawbinder to report.

*THE SECOND TASK*
When the paladin returns to Lawbinder, he will be greeted instead by Oathkeeper, a kolyarut. Oathkeeper will announce himself, concluding “Oaths must be kept. Draw steel, and return to Horatio.”

When the paladin returns to the Manor, he will be greeted directly by Horatio, who is surrounded by the angry, grieving families of the slain soldier, all demanding justice. Horatio will briefly explain that Claudius has fallen ill, wracked with pain for his attempt to subvert the constitution. In the interim Horatio has determined that ur-Valos yet lives, and is the rightful ruler of Valedon— unacceptable! And yet, they are all bound by the word of their constitution. 

Horatio will explain that Valos, ur-Valos, whoever or whatever he is, is liable for the deaths he caused, and must be brought to justice, tried, and executed—which result will neatly solve their succession problems as well. There before the grieving families, Horatio will task the paladin with a Quest: “Will you undertake this holy mission and avenge these people?”

Whether or not the paladin accepts the Quest, when he returns to Oathkeeper he will be greeted by both Lawbinder, Oathkeeper, and now Deathstalker, the marut, who stretches out his hand to the paladin. “I speak for Death, who speaks last for all. Come with me.”

Deathstalker will plane shift the paladin and the other inevitables directly to the howling chaos of Limbo.

*THE THIRD TASK*
The paladin and Deathstalker arrive on a floating island of intricate clockworks. Small modrons can be seen scurrying to and fro among the gears, making adjustments and repairs. The island has a giant metallic sail of sorts, and multiple sculls, all powered by clockworks that lead back to an enormous clockwork key. Deathstalker grabs the key, sets his massive shoulders to work, and begins winding the key. “Our craft has been made ready. I will wind the skerry,” he advises, “You… You repel boarders!”

While Deathstalker winds the skerry, the skerry begins moving through the howling winds of Limbo. The DM should balance this task so that it is “harrowingly difficult” for the paladin. The two lesser inevitables will assist the paladin as chaos beasts and slaadi literally appear out of the chaotic soup to attack. Oathkeeper the Kolyarut fights with two swords: a holy avenger and a righteous avenger (the axiomatic counterpart of a holy avenger). He will loan one of these swords to the paladin.

For each round that the marut spends winding the key, the skerry will be powered for one round as the key unwinds. Thus, even Deathstalker may come forward to help at times, provided he has banked enough rounds of winding to keep the skerry powered and moving forward.

The last few moments of the trip should be the most harrowing, with Deathstalker completely tasked to keeping the skerry moving forward through intensifying winds. A huge rock will suddenly loom out of the mists and the skerry will crash into it.

The paladin has landed on the rocky home where ur-Valos now dwells. It should be obvious where to find ur-Valos, “There! Just up the hill!” 

His den should be marked with something foul.

At this point, swarms of slaadi should descend on the group. The inevitables will all together  press the paladin to move out immediately and carry out their task. “Bind fast the Law!” “Keep the Oath!” “Speak for Death!” They will  make a path for him to break free and seek out ur-Valos.

Single combat will ensue. ur-Valos will not be taken alive, though the DM is free to contrive a way in which this is possible.

At the moment where ur-Valos is finally vanquished, the paladin should be returned to the Prime Material plane—either through a friendly _plane shift_ or even a hostile _banishment_.

*DENOUEMENT*
It will be clear to Horatio and the others of Valedon if the quest is successful. The paladin should witness (perhaps unsatisfactorily?) the smooth workings of Law as the succession falls neatly into place: Gertrude and Claudius will rule. 

It is left to the DM to find some suitable reward for the paladin if mere atonement does not suffice.


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## Wulf Ratbane (Oct 9, 2009)

I apologize for forgetting some of the formatting niceties-- it's been years.


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## CleverNickName (Oct 9, 2009)

(Moved post to other thread)


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## Radiating Gnome (Oct 9, 2009)

(business road trip was cut short by unseasonably bad weather.  Here's your report!)

I have to say, stepping out and judging my first Iron DM round is daunting -- and the caliber of the two contestants on my scales makes that doubly daunting.  I have towering respect for both of you.  

But enough kissing butt -- on to the judgment.  

I think this early match provides a great example of some of the challenges inherent in the Iron DM system, and can make an instructive example of some choices stack the deck against contestants.  What we have here are two entries, both of which are using the ingredients with varied success; but one of the two manages to tell a story that includes the ingredients on a much smaller scale.  That concise scale provides a distinct advantage in some of the other elements of the challenge.  

In the case of *Breath of Chaos (BoC)*, we have a small campaign -- a series of 5 episodes that read like they are intended to each take about a session of play, and they will require some fleshing out for any DM to use.  This broader scale makes it easier to bring the disparate ingredients together as just subsequent episodes -- but in the end the entry sacrifices some of it's ability to be detailed, evocative, and exciting.  Summaries lose their punch -- concrete details grab us by the short hairs.  

*The King Must Die (KMD)* is not a short adventure, by any means, but it could probably be squeezed into a single session, maybe two, depending upon the scale of some of the combat encounters.  By using a smaller scale canvas on which to create the adventure, this adventure writeup can spend more time on the details and the writeup is more evocative.  

That element alone isn't decisive, but since this is the very beginning I'll offer this up as a piece of advice to new Iron DM contestants -- tighten your entries, make your scale a small as possible and spend some time making it sing so the entry can come alive in the reader's mind. 

*The Ingredients. * 

Neither entry knocks all of the ingredients out of the park, but that's not unusual -- especially given some of the ingredients that this round included.  

*Slaad* -- both entries used the slaad as important bad guys and instigators.  This ingredient is a wash. 
*Wind Skerries* -- This is one challenging ingredient, if only because it's not something that exists in a monster or setting book somewhere -- I had to go study up on Wikipedia and other online sources, and I'm sure others did, too.  But the very nature of this ingredient means that, naturally, it has the ability to carry extra weight in the challenge.  Unfortunately, there isn't that much distinction between the two implementations -- they both provide a setting for a part of the adventure, etc.  I will admit, though, that I'm tickled by the use of "wind" to mean "windup" in KMD.  Minor advantage to KMD.  
*Reticent Constable.*  Meh.  Neither use of this element really sings to me.  The Warden/Constable in BoC makes for an interesting side trek/interlude in the main adventure, which makes him something that the players will actually encounter; I'm not sure that the PCs will actually interact much with the constable in KMD.  He's part of the background and setup, and might be around in some of the scenes at the very beginning and end, but he's quite the same sort of direct participant.  Minor advantage to BoC.
*Constitutional Monarchy* -- This is another ingredient I was really looking to see what it might inspire for both entries.  It is interesting to me that both adventures involve a question of succession in a constitutional monarchy, thwarted in both cases by an unusual circumstance involving the slaad.  Neither entry really made this a significant part of the adventure, so we'll call this one a wash, too. 
*Original Skull *-- In BoC, there are two skulls -- the goddess slaad's skull that is the setting of the final episode, and the skull of Morley required to defeat the slaad and to return the nation's patron spirit.  In KMD, the skull is really a head, not just a skull that has to be restored in order to speak to the dead guard.  Even though this is a head, not a skull, I'm inclined to ignore that evasion because the head/skull feeds the Hamlet homage that this entry is toying with.  I like the skull dungeon, and I like the hamlet-y head, so we're going to call this one a wash, too. 
*Holy Avenger* - This one should have been just about as easy to work in as the Slaad -- obvious handles to bring this into the story.  In BoC, the holy avenger is something that the PCs must quest for and use to defeat the final enemy; that's pretty much the sort of use we would expect.  But in KMD, the appearance of the holy avenger seems to be an out-of-place afterthought.  The setup for the whole adventure -- that this is meant to serve as an object lesson in the "lawful" part of "lawful good" creates some serious expectations for me.  I'm expecting that there will be some clear standoff between the two -- with the inevitables creating the situation where the law must be honored before the good.  In that setting, the Holy Avenger almost seems like it would be the tool of the opposition. Instead, it's part of a matched set -- the holy and righteous avengers -- and we're told that the paladin PC is given "one of them" but not even which one.  It's also possible to read the adventure with the Paladin serving the role of "holy avenger" -- he is called upon directly to avenge the dead guardsmen -- but I found that also very problematic in an adventure that is meant to be putting law and justice ahead of all other concerns.  Revenge is not lawful, it is not judicious; it's personal and emotional and chaotic, and my sense is that the command to bring ur-Valos to justice was replaced with a commandment to avenge the slain people to create this second reading of holy avenger . . . . but I find that out of place.  It's possible that with some broader explanation the role of Horatio as the voice of the people and the "good" could serve as a counterpoint to the voice of the inevitables, the law -- but I don't see that developed in this particular writeup.  I think that in KMD there is ambition to reach beyond the obvious use for Holy avenger that don't pan out, while the usage in BoC is predictable but it works.  Advantage BoC. 

At this point, based solely on the ingredients, I'm giving a slight advantage to BoC.  But I think that's where things start to turn.  

*Usability* -- Both adventures has hooks -- BoC's are more generic -- your PCs are called to serve or happened to be on hand, etc.  The KMD one is much more specific -- but I find that I like that specificity -- the promise of an adventure that could be used in this very specific way (to provide a paladin-centered lesson in the tension between Law and Good) is a lot more interesting to me, even if the ways to use it are a bit more rare.  I feel a lot less need to develop the ideas in KMD beyond the synopsis here before running it, too -- and this is where it's relative brevity does it some good service.  BoC is expansive, and to use it in my campaign I would need to take each episode and develop it beyond what we're given.  Advantage KMD. 

*Presentation.*  Again, KMD has a slight advantage here because it does not need to cover so much ground.  Dramatic moments and key dialog presented in the entry help flesh out scenes and bring them alive for me reading it. 

*Originality.*  Both entries have cool, original ideas. As I've said, I like the idea of the final episode taking place in the regenerating skull of the slaad goddess in BoC.  Most of the rest of BoC seems pretty much what I would expect, though -- not a lot of surprises there.  

KMD has a setting that is almost as cool (the windup skerrie), but over the rest of the adventure matches up pretty well with BoC for originality.  And that brings me to the interesting Hamlet element of the adventure.  

As a judge, I'm sure I'm drawn in unconscious ways to the Hamlet homage in KMD because of my own educational history (waaaay too much literature and creative writing).  But, while I'm drawn to that element, I find it's use flawed and incomplete, and almost enough to make it a negative in this entry rather than a positive.  Almost.

[So, for those of you who fell asleep in English Lit, here's the wikipedia article about Hamlet.  (Hamlet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Note the names of key characters (Gertrude, Claudius, Horatio), the importance of ghosts (i.e. speak with the dead), and so on.]

I love that the Hamlet stuff is there.  I even appreciate that it's totally beneath the surface, and that there's no reason that a group playing the adventure would need to know that the element is there. But I'm disappointed that there wasn't much reward for noticing the parallels.  This is problematic because the Hamlet story and this adventure are about very different things, from the outset.  KMD declares that it's about the primacy of law over good; Hamlet is about the agony of being a thinking man in a world of action, among other things.  Hamlet's "to be or not to be" is about trying to decide if he should avenge his father's murder -- and again, revenge is by it's nature not a lawful act. There are some thin thematic similarities, but they fall apart pretty quickly.  

(I was frankly relieved not to detect hints of another literary ghost story in the appearance of three inevitables -- did I miss something there? I was looking.)

I'm not sure what the reward should be.  It might not be tangible, in-game reward.  But there ought to be something, even just an inside joke, for the player  who manages to spot the homage to Hamlet going on.  Instead, the story just starts there and moves quickly away from Hamlet to serve it's own purpose, leaving me to wonder if it would have been stronger WITHOUT the Hamlet elements stirring things up.  

*Last Call.....*  This one is a tough call, at least for me.  I find things to like about both entries, and problems in both.  BoC is spread more thinly, and has fewer problems.  KMD is more interesting and evocative for me, but deeper flaws. In the end, I'm going to give the nod to Wulf and The King Must Die -- I find his entry captures my interest more, and has me more engaged and eager to run it for players than Breath of Chaos does. It's a very near thing, but that's where my judgement falls.  

So, Wulf advances.


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## phoamslinger (Oct 9, 2009)

Match 2, *Brent_Nall* vs *Wik*

your Ingredients are:
*Bank Vault
Dry Well
Desperate Housewives
Haunted Swamp
Rogue Hydra
Potion of Fiery Breath*

you have until 6pm Eastern on Sunday.  go!


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## Wik (Oct 10, 2009)

Do I post my finished product here?  Or elsewhere?  I'm about one quarter done, and taking a break.  (It's hard!)


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## Wik (Oct 10, 2009)

*In Grog We Trust*

*In Grog We Trust*
_a Fourth Edition D&D adventure for 5 PCs of 9th level_

*Background*

The triplets Isabella, Francesca, and Katriana had always been self-serving, though they were able to disguise their black hearts with their angelic good looks.  Living in the arid Dovestown, the women sought power and joined the ranks of of the _Palomas Rojas_, a collection of arcane students dedicated to the protection of Dovestown.

The triplets soon grew tired of benign scholarly pursuits, and each married roguish sailors (some would say pirates in hushed tones) and grew wealthy from pirate gold.  Soon, they desired even more power, and when they learned of a _Palomas_ plan to cast a magical ritual that would cause the dried-up town well to draw water once more, the Triplets sprung into action.  Modifying the ritual scroll at the last moment, the contents were read, causing the well to become a corrupting influence that destroyed the _Palomas_ and caused brackish water to seep from the very earth.  Dovestown was swallowed by a fast-growing swamp that forced the townsfolk to move to the rocky shores.  

The new Dovestown soon turned into a haven for pirates and criminals, since the swamp (haunted by the spirits of the _Palomas_) deterred all access to the town except by sea a rough sea.  The husbands of the triplets seized power, and ran the pirate haven for a decade before "disappearing" themselves.

The _Three Housewives of Dovestown_ have ruled jointly for the last 15 years, quelling the revolutions of the townsfolk and manipulating the pirates against one another to maintain power.  And then the PCs arrive.

*Adventure Start*

The PCs are hired by a governor of a coastal colony to lead the _Eva Maria_ - a treasure ship laden with gold, silver, and gems -  to the "mother kingdown" to the south.  They must take the ship across serpent-infested, stormy waters that are home to numerous pirate kings.  The _Eva Maria_ is a "vault ship", with the cargo hold protected by numerous magical and mundane traps - some the PCs are aware of, and others they are not.  

Run as many or as few encounters along the way as you wish, though at least one should be against pirates to foreshadow the events to come in Dovestown.  (As a fun sidequest, you could introduce a plot element where the PCs have to avoid a pirate in the town who recognizes them from a previous encounter).  At the bare minimum, use this time to introduce the ship's crew to the PCs (most crewmen are minions, though at least a few should be companion characters a few levels lower than the PCs themselves).  

The adventure begins when the _Eva Maria_ is hit by a massive storm. This is a skill challenge, with the degree of success or failure indicating how many crew members survive the wreck - complete failure indicates only the PCs survive.  In any case, the ship is nearly ruined, and only through extreme luck are the PCs able to guide it towards the lights of Dovestown.

*Dovestown*

When the PCs arrive in Dovestown, they learn of its nature - a ramshackle collection of huts ruled over by The Housewives of Dovestown (corrupt arcane triplets), and various pirate lords.  The town is filled with brothels, gambling halls and the like - as well as various shipwrights.  The town is built on a raised series of rocks at the mouth of a bay - the lower land around the bay consists of a foetid swamp that echoes with the mournful cries of  ghosts, and is blanketed in perpetual gloom and darkness.  

The Pirates do not recognize the _Maria_, and if the PCs wish to keep things that way, they must hide its true nature.  The best way of doing this is to masquerade as pirates, mingling with the pirates in two ongoing skill challenges - one to maintain their masquerade, and one to fix the ship without letting corrupt shipwrights view the cargo hold or the traps that guard it.

During this time, the various men-at-arms of the Housewives (see below) begin investigating the ship.  There are a few small fights here, as the PCs battle pirates and the servants of the 'wives.  In addition, the PCs should learn of the oppressed townsfolk that are bullied by the evils in the town, and learn of the magical nature of the swamp (and how it is a new addition - less than 30 years old).  

*The Housewives*

The housewives are triplets in their early forties, and each is stunningly beautiful - if outright evil.  All are sorcereresses of considerable power, and treat their arcane familiars in the manner that some celebrities treat accessory poodles.  All have poor, squiggled hand-writing, and the PCs should get a chance to observe this writing at least once in the adventure.  

_Isabella_:  red-headed with green eyes who favours green dresses.  She carries a  jewelled wand at her side, and is the only sister to refrain from expensive cosmetics.  However, she has a love of perfumes.  Her familiar is a small Caiman Crocodile. She is a master manipulator, and controls those around her with guided words and charming magic.  Her men-at-arms are Green-cloaked thugs who use large weapons (8th level brutes).

_Francesca_:  A brunette with blue eyes who favours blue dresses.  She carries a staff, and always wears gaudy makeup.  She is incredibly vain, and the most sexual of the three, using her body to manipulate the men around her.  Her familiar is a spitting cobra.  Her attractive men-at-arms are all former (or current) lovers, and wear blue tunics and carry crossbows and short swords (8th level skirmishers).

_Katriana_: A blonde with grey eyes who favours yellow dresses.  She carries a dagger, and always wears her hair in intricate patterns.  She is the most petulant of the triplets, pouting to get what she wants.  Her familiar is a boa constrictor.  Her men-at-arms are all opportunistic pirates that have varying costumes (Katriana likes to dress them up like dolls, using her "expert" fashion sense).  They are 8th level artillery.  

*Invitations*

The PCs are invited by the housewives (seperately) to dinner parties by hand-written letters (giving the PCs a chance to see the housewives' horrid handwriting).  Each housewife invites different PCs - whomever excites their sensibilities.  Each makes the same offer - the treasures of the _Eva Maria_ in exchange for a position as "king" of Dovestown.  The PCs soon learn that each Wife wishes to become sole queen of Dovestown.  If they wish, the PCs can even play the wives against one another, in a skill challenge.  The better they do on the skill challenge, the fewer men-at-arms they must face in subsequent encounters.

*Exile*

Eventually, the wives seize the _Eva Maria_.  The PCs cannot rescue the ship, and are encouraged by their crew to hide in the swamp and plan a rescue later.  The PCs are not followed into the swamp.

While there, they meet several townsfolk who are members of a resistance movement.  Most consist of the wives of men press-ganged into service on pirate ships or the housewives' conscripted militia.  These townsfolk beg the PCs to investigate the heart of the swamp - hopefully finding something to indict the corrupt rulers.  They believe the oppressed townsfolk will stand up to the housewives if only given a cause or opening.  

They also inform the PCs of the nature of the swamp, how it sprang up one night when the _Palomas Rojas_ sought to fix the dried-up well with a magic spell, and of the _Palomas_ ghosts that now haunt the place.

They give the PCs ten bottles of "magical grog", that will help the PCs breach the unnatural darkness that cloaks the swamp.  

*The Magic Grog*

Each bottle of "magic grog" has enough doses for two drinks.  A PC who drinks the grog gains the power to breathe fire in a close burst 5 as a minor action.  This fire is able to breach the magical darkness of the swamp.  However, the grog is alcoholic in nature, and PCs must make escalating Endurance checks as they drink the grog to prevent becoming drunk (-2 on all skill checks and attack rolls).  

*The Swamp*

The swamp is magical in nature, with a darkness that cannot be breached by natural lights or sunrods.  This darkness is such that even darkvision is muted - PCs with low-light vision can only see for 10 feet, while darkvision allows sight to a range of 20 feet.  The magically-created vegetation in the swamp, though, is unnaturally dry (the land is naturally arid, after all), and if it catches fire, will provide light for several rounds (and could be used as a torch).  Any vegetation caught in the fire provided by magical grog will instantly light.

The PCs move through the swamp, encountering many abandoned town buildings and fighting off swamp creatures (like snakes and alligators) as well as the arcane shades of the _Palomas.

*The Well*

The PCs find a dry patch in the swamp, home to a dried-up well that has a dull red glow.  The whole place hums with arcane energy.  The PCs find numerous creatures that seem to consist of multiple beings fused together (a snake and an alligator combined; a half-drake, half-bird; or whatever else your cruel GM imagination comes up with).  The ghosts here frantically try to reveal to the PCs the wives' betrayal, and if the PCs search the area, they find an old ritual scroll.

The scroll is obviously written in the wives' handwriting they recognize from earlier, and a reader trained in Arcana realizes it is a water-summoning ritual modified to slay the readers of the scroll upon completion.  Obviously, the Palomas did not know this when casting the spell, and were killed - but also failed in the original water summoning ritual, causing the creation of the swamp but not the filling of the well (which remains dry, though corrupted by magic).  

With the evidence they need to indict the housewives, the PCs return to Dovestown, no longer harrassed by the ghosts.

*The Eva Maria*

The PCs meet up with the women of the resistance and reveal the modified ritual.  The resistance begins to move and convince the townsfolk to rise up, and informs the PCs that the Maria is occupied by the housewives.

The PCs make their way to the Eva Maria, currently being forced into by conscripted soldiers in a manner similar to the final scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (a nervous man enters the ship, and gets torn to pieces by various traps).   The PCs force or sneak their way onto the ship, and try to repel the numerous boarding men-at-arms.  In this battle, the PCs should know the location of most of the ship's traps and effects, giving them a distinct edge in the fight (which can be made up for with larger numbers of foes - the more to get chopped up by traps!).  

Eventually, the pirate ships are set ablaze, and enraged townsfolk (alerted of the Housewives' betrayal by the resistance) storm the wives' manors.  The Housewives, realizing their plight, desperately flee into the swamp.

The town is swarmed by townsfolk, with the conscripted militia turning on fleeing pirates and setting fire to brothels and gambling dens.  The resistance asks the PCs to kill the housewives, once and for all.

*Final Confrontation*

The PCs chase the wives through the swamp, realizing the ghosts are channeling the wives towards the dried-up well.  Once there, the PCs arrive just in time to see the wives forced against the back of the well by dozens of howling ghosts.  Upon touching the well, the women grab one another... and stick together.  In terror, they realize their familiars have stuck to them as well.. and their bodies begin to slowly gel.  They morph together, eventually turning into a three-headed form similar to a hydra.

This beast has a crocodilian body (from Isabella's caiman), long serpentine necks (from the Katriana's boa), and can spit globs of poison (from Francesca's cobra). The beast has three heads, with each head a reptilian version of one of the wives.

This maddened beast screams destruction to Dovestown, and breaks free from the influence of the well, heading towards the town.  The PCs must stop it.

The fight should be against an 11th level solo monster similar to a hydra.  The aquatic terrain should favour the beast, and many minor amalgam creatures created by the well ( 10th level minions) battle the PCs as well.  If the PCs still have magic grog, they can use it to harm the hydra, which is vulnerable to fire.  

*Denoument*

With the death of the Hydra, the ghosts' of the Palomas Rojas are appeased, and they fade from the swamp (as does the magical darkness).  However, the swamp remains, as does the curse of the dried well at its heart.  The pirates are chased from Dovestown, and the women of the resistance are reunited with their husbands.  The Eva Maria is given the attention of the townsfolk, and promptly fixed, allowing the PCs to carry on their way to the mother kingdom and gaining their reward from the king.  

*Ingredient Listing:*
Desperate Housewives: The Housewives of Dovestown are the obvious ingredient;  they become increasingly desperate for sole power over the town (and control of the treasure in the Eva Maria).  They also become desperate to escape Dovestown, at the end of the adventure.  In addition, the women of the resistance, who seek to rescue their conscripted husbands, could also be classified as "desperate housewives".
Bank Vault:  the heavily-trapped Eva Maria, housing a large cache of silver and gold, is the bank vault in this adventure.
The Haunted Swamp:  Obviously, the swamp that surrounds Dovestown.  It is haunted by the ghosts of the Palomas Rojas.
Dry Well:  The well in the centre of the swamp, which was created by the Wives and which in turn created the swamp.
Rogue Hydra:  The beast the housewives become in the end, from their interaction with the dry well.  It becomes "rogue" on it's course back to Dovestown, as it breaks free from the influence of the Dry Well. 
Potion of Fiery Breath:  The magical grog._


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## Nifft (Oct 11, 2009)

Round 1, Match 3 -- Ingredient List

*InVinoVeritas* v *Pour*

Flying Monastery
Granite Shield
Vampiric Saint
Never Ending Passion
Chained Demon
Flaming Frying Pan of the Master Chef

Aaaaaaand... Go!


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## AntiStateQuixote (Oct 11, 2009)

phoamslinger said:


> Match 2, *Brent_Nall* vs *Wik*
> 
> your Ingredients are:
> *Bank Vault
> ...




*All the King’s Women*
_A D&D 4th Edition adventure for level 13 heroes_

The Fellswamp is a dark and dangerous blight on the southeastern border of the Principality of Edmund.  The people of the Principality have wisely avoided the swamp for generations as it is known to be haunted by various spirits and beings of the Feywild.  Now the evil of the swamp reaches its swirling tendrils into civilization, and Prince Jorum Edmund calls upon the heroes of his land to put a stop to the terror.

*Background*
Some years ago Skarlmarga, a mighty troll, arose as a new king in the swamp.  He gathered the trolls, ogres and other beasts of the swamp under his banner.  He scratched out a kingdom of sorts on the eastern edge of the swamp where his soldiers and minions have managed to hold back the restless spirits of the central and western part of the Fellswamp.  Skarlmarga has kept a reasonable peace with the Principality of Edmund, finding easier prey for his people among the goblins and orcs of the hills to the east.

A new threat has appeared in the Fellswamp.  Skarlmarga and his soldiers are hard pressed to maintain his rule as many of the troll king’s people have died under the teeth and claws of the terrible beast that threatens them.  Skarlmarga’s chief advisors, a trio of hags, have taken it upon themselves to seek help among the humans of the Principality of Edmund.

*Adventure Synopsis*
The adventure begins when Prince Edmund calls the heroes to his court and charges them with uncovering the cause of the disturbances in the village of Aichen near the Fellswamp and bringing peace to his people.

In Aichen the PCs hear of three children who have disappeared and of several bloodily failed attempts to track them into the Fellswamp.  In reality the three children and their mothers have been kidnapped by ogres and taken to Skarlmarga’s hold on the far side of the swamp, and the three hags have used their magic to take the place of the missing women in the village.

In the guise of distraught mothers of missing children the hags will attempt to pass information about the dangers in the Fellswamp to the heroes.  An unusually formidable hydra disturbs the peace in the swamp and is the cause of the recent problems there.

The heroes may uncover the hags’ treachery, in which case the hags will plead for help or flee into the swamp or die under the swords of the PCs.  In any case, the heroes should have some information from their encounters with the hags that lead them to investigate the goings on in the Fellswamp.

The trek into the swamp could go several ways.  There are numerous encounters with undead and Fey creatures as the heroes make their way either to the lair of the hydra or to King Skarlmarga’s hold.  In either case the heroes eventually learn some details about the hydra.  It is a creature from the Elemental Chaos that rampages periodically through the Fellswamp, destroying everything in its path before slipping back to its home.

If the heroes managed to make peace with the hags, they will be useful allies in navigating both the Fellswamp and King Skarlmarga’s lands.  With or without the help of the hags the heroes learn of King Skarlmarga’s wholly justified, but neurotic, fear of fire.  He maintains a massive treasury in his keep where he stores various items of value and power.  A well guarded and booby trapped vault holds a handful of fire-based magic items including potions of fiery breath.

Encounters with the hydra and information gathered from the trolls reveal the hydra to be particularly resilient and resistant to most damage types, but it is vulnerable to fire.  Through stealth, force or negotiation, the heroes should attempt to acquire the potions of fiery breath from King Skarlmarga for use against the hydra.

The hydra itself exists in both the Elemental Chaos and the World at the same time.  It projects its body into the World periodically through a portal in the middle of the Fellswamp.  The portal is a deep hole on what appears to be a desert island in the midst of the verdant and putrid swamp.

Eventually the heroes track the hydra to the portal.  While fighting the hydra the heroes should recognize its link to the Elemental Chaos. Destruction of its body in the World will not end its menace and the heroes must travel through the portal to its lair where, in a final climatic battle, they can bring the creature down with the help of fire magic.

*Encounters*
*The Hags of Aichen*
The encounter in Aichen begins as a skill challenge in which the heroes attempt to learn what’s going on.  The DCs for most checks are easy or moderate, although a handful of hard checks associated with discovering the hags’ true identities should be thrown in.  Success in the skill challenge can reveal several details about the situation:

The children were kidnapped by ogres
The ogres are in service to King Skarlmarga, a troll
Several forays into the Fellswamp have resulted in about a dozen deaths of the would-be rescuers falling to various undead and Fey creatures
There is a hydra on the loose in the swamp
The hydra is attacking King Skarlmarga’s people
The distraught mothers are hags in disguise: Giselda, Cowlinda and Ellestia in service to King Skarlmarga
The hags want the heroes’ help in destroying the hydra
The hags can become allies if the PCs work toward that end

*In the Swamp*
If the PCs have the hags to guide them then the journey through the swamp to King Skarlmarga’s hold takes six days during which they cannot take an extended rest unless they manage some way to hold off the environmental and undead menace that prevents such rest.  During this time the heroes will fight off numerous (at least six) easy rated encounters against various undead and Fey creatures.  The hags will fight alongside the heroes in these fights.  Just before reaching the troll king’s lands a final hard rated encounter with many undead occurs.

If the PCs do not have the hags to guide them they must undergo a grueling, hard-rated skill challenge of survival and exploration in the swamp.  Regardless of their preferred destination, the troll’s land or the hydra’s lair, they must make twelve hard-rated skill successes before reaching their destination.  After every check, success or failure, the heroes will have an easy or moderate rated encounter with undead or fey creatures in the swamp.  During this time the heroes cannot take an extended rest unless they have extraordinary abilities to withstand the environment and the waves of undead.

*At the Troll King’s Lair*
Once the heroes enter Skarlmarga’s lands they can find a safe place to rest either by winning the troll king’s confidence or simply finding an out of the way place to camp.

When the heroes reach Skarlmarga’s hold they have the choice of attempting to negotiate or attack.  If they choose to fight then a handful of moderate difficulty encounters should get them into the troll king’s lair where they can fight the troll king and his minions in a hard rated encounter and eventually rescue the kidnapped children and their mothers.

If they choose to negotiate, a moderate to hard rated skill challenge ensues as they try to win the troll king’s confidence.  If the hags are present and friendly with the heroes then the difficulty for negotiation skill checks (bluff, diplomacy, insight) is easy instead of moderate or hard.  During this encounter the heroes can learn more about the hydra threat including its resistance abilities and its dual existence nature.  The troll king will give the hostages back if the PCs will help him with the hydra menace.

The troll king will also reward the heroes for ending the hydra menace.  He will give them access to his dreaded fire magic if they can win another hard rated skill challenge.  They may also choose to fight or sneak their way into the vault to get at the potions.  The hags will tell the heroes of these potions.

*The Hydra Lair*
The hydra lair is an empty desert island littered with rubble and other rough terrain in the middle of the Fellswamp.  The heroes can make their way to the lair by succeeding on six moderate rated exploration type skill checks.  If the heroes are friendly with the trolls then the difficulty for the checks is easy as they offer guidance and advice.  After each skill check (success or failure) the heroes have an easy rated encounter with undead and/or fey creatures.  The heroes cannot get an extended rest on this trip, as above.

At the lair the hydra waits in the deep hole leading to the portal.  The moment any creature steps onto its island it leaps out and attacks furiously.  The creature fights to the death knowing that it will reform on the Elemental Chaos.  After the heroes defeat the hydra they track into its lair and discover the deep sandy pit which is a portal to the Elemental Chaos.  Crossing over to the other side they can put the beast to rest forever.

*In the Elemental Chaos*
The heroes find the hydra revived and stronger with greater resistance to damage and greater vulnerability to fire.  The creature uses the shifting terrain and dangerous pools of elemental energy to its advantage in a wide ranging fight over a massive, twisted battlefield that moves and shifts under their feet as the battle progresses.  The hydra is level 14 solo creature with strong damage resistance and heavy fire vulnerability.  There are four level 13 obstacles/traps on the battlefield which the heroes must contend with and can possibly use to their advantage.

*Conclusion*
The PCs earn xp for a major quest if they rescue the children and their mothers.  Prince Jorum rewards them with a level 16 magic item.

If the heroes were friendly with the trolls and defeated the hydra, they earn another major quest xp award and a level 15 magic item from King Skarlmarga.  Additionally, they may be able to forge a true peace between the Principality and the trolls.

If the heroes ignore the hydra and simply charge in to save the villagers without regard for the trolls’ problem, the hydra will eventually destroy all of the trolls and begin to drain the swamp of all life and energy.  It will increase significantly in strength as its link to the Elemental Chaos and the destruction it causes in the World feeds it.  The hydra will become a major (epic level) threat to the World that will directly threaten the Principality.


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## InVinoVeritas (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks. Brain feverishly working.


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## phoamslinger (Oct 11, 2009)

Judgement

OK, first of all let me make clear that I understand a lot of people like 4E.  by all means keep writing 4E adventures if that suits your gaming style and your choice of system won’t affect my judgements at all.  *however*, I dislike what I’ve seen of the new system.  I think it’s 2 dimensional and cartoony, lacking in depth and if you’re not really up on your Dungeon Mastering, it lends itself to facile gaming.  I prefer something with a bit more meat on it.  in addition, Iron DM competitions are about twisting every drop of juice out of the core ingredients without a whole lot of extraneous stuff.  too much extraneous and the core ingredients get lost in the shuffle.  suffice it to say, one of the entries hit most of my buttons in a bad, bad way.  therefore it makes me wonder if what I saw as a weak style of writing was influenced more by the game system or by the inexperience of the writer in an Iron DM competition.  just something to ponder…  

by the way, the judgement is Wik’s entry for the win.  let’s go find out why…

Main Entry: des•per•ate 
Function: adjective 
Etymology: Latin _desperatus_, past participle of _desperare_
Date: 15th century
1 a : having lost hope <a desperate spirit crying for relief> b : giving no ground for hope <the outlook was desperate>
2 a : moved by despair <victims made desperate by abuse> b : involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape defeat or frustration <made a desperate leap for the rope>
3 : suffering extreme need or anxiety <desperate for money>
4 : involving extreme danger or possible disaster <a desperate situation>
5 : of extreme intensity

Wik’s entry has three wives, who all fit under definitions 2 & 3.
Brent’s entry had so much potential here, but it all slipped away.  what if the ogres had kidnapped the kids and mothers and then released the moms to influence the rest of the townsfolk, who instead of a warm community spirit, were cold and distant.  the mothers would have been “crazy women” that no one listened to, raving about the dangers of the swamp or about rescuing their kids, who “everyone knew” were already dead because no one comes back from the haunted swamp.  

here’s another way it could have been spun:  the troll king has a problem.  what an excellent opportunity for the hags to let him fall on his a$$ and then they can seize power for themselves!  maybe if the hags were not the councilors of the troll king, but instead his concubines, sent in on the mission to play the part of the mothers and instead are whooping it up, laughing and playing with the men in the taverns, even though they are pretending to be the mothers of the kids who were lost.  if confronted by the party, they might have been desperate to see their husband’s downfall and the party would have had a difficult time finding out what’s really going on.

and what’s up with Troll Kings, Ogres, and Hags by the way.  how did these ingredients get into this adventure?  Brent, go on Ebay and buy yourself a copy of the *Libris Mortis* before they all disappear forever.  at least Wik had the shades of the Palomas in his entry.  there is not a single named undead type living (or un-living) in your Haunted Swamp.  and Fey?  trolls, ogres, hags, and hydras aren’t enough, let’s toss some fey into the mix as well?  it was supposed to be a Haunted Swamp, not what I saw from what you wrote.

Brent’s Bank Vault belonged to the Troll King and from what I can see, it only came into the story when he opened it to give the players a reward.  Brent’s Potion of Fiery Breath was only there to fight the hydra with, and could have been swapped out with a Wand of Fireballs, a Flaming Sword, or just an NPC with the right spells on his sheet.  and where is the Dry Well ingredient?  a portal on a desert island in the middle of a swamp is not a dry well.  the two are not the same.  the only ingredient that seems to have any interest at all is the Elemental Hydra.  BUT ELEMENTAL HYDRA WASN’T AN INGREDIENT EITHER!  what is a Rogue Hydra anyway?

Main Entry: rogue 
Function: noun 
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1561
1 : VAGRANT, TRAMP
2 : a dishonest or worthless person : SCOUNDREL
3 : a mischievous person : SCAMP
4 : a horse inclined to shirk or misbehave
5 : an individual exhibiting a chance and usually inferior biological variation

Wik’s idea of the three wives combining into a compilation of their three pets was kind of ingenious.  Brent’s elemental hydra was weak in comparison.  players tend to bring fire to hydra hunts anyway on the off chance it’s one of the types that regenerates heads.  making a hydra that’s even MORE susceptible to fire… what did I say earlier about 4E making the game too easy?  the only reason I’d be playing in Brent’s campaign would be for the social aspect of the game, if I liked the other players.  it definitely wouldn’t be for the challenges to overcome.  I could fall asleep and still get all my xp and treasure.  

sorry if I offend anyone (including you Brent), but I deliberately posted on the general thread what I wanted to see and what I didn’t want to see.  perhaps you didn’t see that post.  but I don’t think any judge has ever told players what he wanted ahead of time in an Iron DM that I’m aware of, and I only did it because we have a lot of new players this time around and I wanted to see a higher caliber of entry from the start.  I’ve already pointed out some directions that you might have gone.  here are a few more:

for whatever reason, what’s going on in the _*haunted*_ swamp has dried up the main water source of the town (I don’t know how or why, that’s why you’re writing it, not me).  maybe the lack of water is what gives the wives desperation (married to mermen?  or maybe each thinks they’re married to the handsome nixie in the well who’s dying now?).  something to tie them together though.

instead of a Troll King, how about a Lich King (or Vampire, Wight, Wraith, Ghoul or Zombie King – each would have been quite interesting, different, and would have added necessary flavor to the swamp setting).

what about a ROGUE hydra?  there’s this game I’ve heard of where you play pretend that you’re a fantasy character, and one of the professions you can be is called…  how would you like to fight a monster with class levels that can be its own flank buddy?  against the rules?  maybe.  would I do it as a DM?  in a FREAKING HEARTBEAT!  and then instead of fighting a stupid animal that’s going to be ridiculously easy to kill, you’re going up against a scary monster who’s smart, cunning, planning and manipulative, with lots of sneaky skill ranks to play against the party. 

DM: "Up ahead you see the hydra (rolls dice).  Wait, everyone make a Spot check.  The Hydra seems to have disappeared!"
Player 1: "Where did that dumb critter go?"
DM: "I don't know.  Maybe he's _Hiding_..."
Player 2: "Hydra's are to big to hide."
DM: "Right." (evil chuckle, followed by more dice rolling...)

***

in terms of connecting ingredients together, here’s a fair example of what I like to see:

I liked Wik’s idea of using the potions as the only portable means of burning through a magical mist – mist which was caused by the cursed dry well – a well surrounded by the cursed spirits that caused the well to be dry – spirits haunting and causing the swamp to come into being – a swamp caused at the root by three wives desperate for greater power.  

the only really weak ingredient on Wik’s entry was the Bank Vault, and even then it’s the reason for the players to be here, they have to focus on it’s protection throughout the adventure, they will eventually lose it and then have to come up with some plan to recover it again.  so even though it doesn’t tie directly into the other five ingredients (and in a really close match that could spell the difference between winning and losing) it stands out as a essential core ingredient on it’s own, so it works.

so as I said before, this round goes to Wik's *In Grog We Trust*.

by the way, it’s generally a good idea to recap the ingredients at the end of your submission, if for no other reason that to help the judge understand what you thought you meant when you wrote what you did.  otherwise (as in the case of Brent’s Dry Well ingredient that I’m still not sure if that’s what he meant, the judge is forced to make an intuitive leap (and judges can be vindictively lazy if forced to exercise like that).  it doesn’t add that much work and is one more thing that might make the difference between winning or losing a match.


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## Wik (Oct 11, 2009)

phoamslinger said:


> space reserved for the Brent_Nall vs Wik, possibly later today or tomorrow.




mush, mush!  I have a thanksgiving dinner in two hours, and I want to know before I have to leave!  

Just kidding, of course.  I would never do anything to insult such a wise, benevelent judge such as yourself, oh frighteningly clever one....


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## InVinoVeritas (Oct 12, 2009)

*To Devour a Demon*

This adventure is for a party of 4-6 at level 7-8.

*Introduction:*
The party begins in the Halfling town of Epicarthos, renowned for its excellent cuisine, and located at the foot of the wide, stony volcano Sacrotini. They arrive in time for a festival, taking place at in the town plaza, at the feet of the statue of the town’s hero, St. Epicarthos, Protector. The party, over wonderful fare, learns the story of St. Epicarthos, and how he defeated the demon Varscivus the Devourer, Bringer of Famine, and introduced the world to the value of cooking, starting the Halflings’ never ending passion for excellent meals and preventing starvation. The saint ended the reign of terror of the demon, trapped him underneath the volcano, and moved atop the volcano to remain vigilant over the demon for all time. The volcano has been silent ever since. This is the five thousand year anniversary of the defeat of Varscivus.

Then, the volcano erupts.

The town panics as lava can be seen to flow in the distance.  They ask the party to go to the volcano center, find what has happened to St. Epicarthos, and see what can be done to save the town from the volcano.

*Travel across Sacrotini:*
The structure of the shield volcano is such that it is not steep, but is a barren field of granite about ten miles across, like a giant cap on the earth.  Nothing grows, and there is no cover. The way is rocky and uphill, and travel is slow. It will take a full day to travel the five miles on foot, although other methods will reduce this time. 

Along the way, steam vents open up. As the party comes closer to the center of the volcano, geysers and patches of boiling mud make the way more dangerous.  Lava flows become more common. Finally, they come to the central caldera, a field of flowing lava, small cooled rocks like ever-shifting floating islands in the flow, and dretches fiercely trying to assault a flying structure. Far above the reach of roiling magma, a stone fortress hangs in the air, held above the caldera by chains descending into the depths of the volcano. If the party navigates far enough into the field of lava on the floating boulders, the denizens of the flying fortress will lower a series of cages to lift the party to safety.

*Laputarcosa, the Flying Monastery:*

Inside, the party discovers that the fortress is Laputarcosa, a Halfling monastery dedicated to St. Epicarthos. The monastery, filled with male and female Halflings, has existed in secret, away from the rest of the world, for the past five thousand years. It is dedicated to St. Epicarthos’ mission, and to keeping the demon Varscivus chained beneath the volcano. At all times, there are fifty monks chanting prayers, siphoning power away from the demon to maintain the _reverse gravity _in place on the monastery, keeping it away from the caldera. Food—wonderful, delicious food of manna, nectar, and ambrosia—is provided, despite the fact that there is nothing growing on the volcano and the monks never leave. It is discovered that baskets descend into the heart of the volcano, filled with delights from within, and hoisted back into the monastery. But given the problems with the volcano erupting, the party is quickly given audience to St. Epicarthos.

The saint, a Halfling dressed in a simple white robe, and still alive after these millennia, welcomes the party in his inner sanctum. They are simple, Spartan, and flecks of blood can be seen. The reason becomes clear as a monk enters, offers his neck to Epicarthos, who drinks his fill of blood. He explains that he did not, in fact, bring the gift of cuisine to the Halfling people, but that Varscivus did. Varscivus would enslave thousands through offering meals while causing famine and taught the secrets of food preparation. His well-fed soldiers wrought destruction upon the starving masses, until Epicarthos learned the secrets for himself and granted himself the strength necessary to defeat the demon. He did not slay him, however, but imprisoned him beneath the granite shield volcano, because he did not want the demon to simply reform in the Abyss and cause destruction anew. Epicarthos can only destroy the demon if some part of his essence is willingly placed into a destructible object, which could then be crushed by someone who had never eaten food since Varscivus’ defeat. He embraced vampirism to sustain him through the centuries without ever eating anything Varscivus may have made.

And Varscivus makes a lot. Epicarthos made a deal with the demon, wherein Varscivus cooks and provides the meals for the monks—only good, healthful, safe food—and Varscivus receives a single skillet. Yet now, the volcano erupts, a sure sign that Varscivus has found a way to free himself, and he will, soon.

St. Epicarthos asks the party to go to Varscivus’ prison and determine how, precisely, he is breaking his bonds. He explains that there is another prophecy in addition to the volcano erupting; Varscivus’ worst deal in short shall deliver the greatest good forever.

*Into the Fire…*

The party descends into the volcano by way of the meal baskets. Lava cascades around the party within the crater, leaving only a slim shaft leading to a cooler platform below.  The air is foul here, filled with the stench of minerals and evil. A group of quasits meet the party below and attack, to defend their master Varscivus. The quasits deliver the meals from Varscivus to the meal baskets, through a labyrinthine series of lava tubes. The PCs must navigate these passages to reach the central chamber, where Varscivus, a glabrezu, stands chained to the rocks and holding his skillet. With a command word, the frying pan bursts into abyssal flame and fills with boiling oil. Varscivus pours the oil on his chains, which bubble and crack. He has already cut through three of the chains holding him, and he is busy working on the fourth. A cornucopia, filled with fruits and meats, stands to one side, unused as he abandons his role as master chef.

“You!” he calls out to the party, brandishing his skillet, “You have come too late! I shall be free, and you cannot stop me! That fool Epicarthos let me have this pan, and for thousands of years, I have placed every shred of demonic power I can harvest into it so that I can be free this day. See how my powers are coming back! Behold my wrath!”

Varscivus summons a vrock, which fights the party. Once the vrock is defeated, Varscivus changes his tone.  “No, but I am defeated! Oh, if you are so strong, strike now, while I am weak, and send me back to the Abyss!” This is a trick, because he would be able to return later, and be free at last. Should the party refuse, he replies, “Bah, so you are the merciful sort. Very well, I cannot find a way to corrupt your souls. Bid me my freedom, and I shall leave and take all I have brought to this world with me. I shall trouble this world no further.” This is another trick, because he will also take the gift of cooking with him, plunging the world into famine. Upon a second refusal, he grins. “So you will not strike me down, and you will not let me go peacefully. Then let me give you all the riches I have. My wealth, all my possessions will be yours. All you need to do is stand by and do nothing as I free myself.” Although this is still another trick on the glabrezu’s part, it is the correct response. If the party waits until the demon is free, the boiling oil eating through the last of his chains, he will laugh, tossing the skillet to their feet. “There! That is the sum total of my possessions! Enjoy your newfound riches!” With that, the volcano shakes as Varscivus heads to the surface. 

The PCs must race out of the tunnels and back to the meal baskets with the flaming skillet before the tunnels fill with magma.

*…And Out of the Frying Pan*

The final step is a race against time. The monastery, without the demon’s power, has trouble staying aloft and will soon crash. Varscivus the Devourer is free, and bursts through the caldera ahead of the magma. Lava flows advance toward the town of Epicarthos. The party must deliver the frying pan, infused with the essence of Varscivus, to St. Epicarthos. As he has not eaten any food since the demon’s defeat, he can destroy the frying pan, and in the process, utterly destroy Varscivus. In the meantime, Varscivus reels the monastery in to exact his revenge before turning to the rest of the town, the countryside, and the lands beyond, famine in his wake. Should the flaming frying pan reach St. Epicarthos, he will tell the party to flee, granting them flight for long enough to escape the monastery, which plunges into the caldera… but then stabilizes. The eruption stops, Varscivus explodes in the lava, and the magma cools.

Take note of whether the party members eat any food in the monastery or in town. If any PC has not eaten anything, then that PC can also destroy the frying pan and destroy Varscivus.

The party is welcomed back in the town of Epicarthos with dance, song, and lots of wonderful food.

The _*Flying Monastery*_ of the _*Vampiric Saint*_ Epicarthos is suspended above the _*Granite Shield*_ volcano of Sacrotini, under which the _*Chained Demon*_ Varscivus, who granted the Halflings their *Never Ending Passion* for food, remains captured. The demon enchanted the *Flaming Frying Pan of the Master Chef* in order to make his escape, but this same frying pan is the key to his destruction.


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## Pour (Oct 13, 2009)

*Into the Fire*
A 4th Edition adventure for late Paragon Tier

*Background*
Six hundred years ago, a flying monastery of monks traveled the known world, delivering humanitarian aid wherever it was needed. Their charitable works proved the foil of many demonic enterprises, earning them the hatred of a particularly powerful and particularly enormous demon known as Zazgush the Hunger. The demon was able to uncover the source of their flight, passion, hope, and conviction. As the monks' spirits soared, so too did their citadel.

Zazgush and his demonic underlings ambushed the monastery during a flight over the Dormud mountain range, bursting forth from a volcanic fissure and tangling the monks' home in titanic chains of the Hunger's forging. What began was a tug of war between demonic hatred and mortal faith. Zazgush's fearsome attack and the flood of abyssal minions proved trying for the monks and slowly they were dragged down nearer the rumbling fissure Doomscar. 

In that darkest hour, a monk rose to deliver his brothers, Korvon. With his sword Heaven's Gleam and the armor of his faith, he plunged into the Doomscar and sacrificed himself to repel Zazgush. The fissure grew quiet and the monastery was dragged no more. The monks retrieved Korvon's body, uplifted him as their patron saint, named the monastery in his honor and took to calling themselves the Brothers of the Leash. After all, the monastery hung in the mountain air, still tangled in the giant chains and anchored to the cooled pit of Doomscar.

*Set Up*
The brothers were content to worship above the site of Korvon's triumph for centuries. Though slowly declining, perhaps because they no longer traveled, the brotherhood remained pious and true. Recent young brothers Frellis, Charad and Pelon showed particular promise. In truth, they held such strong faith they might have broken the chains if given time. Zazgush, defeated but merely dormant, knew he'd only one more chance to claim St. Korvon's Monastery. 

The Hunger rose Saint Korvon from the catacombs as a vampire lord charged with terrorizing the monks and assassinating the promising three youths. When Frellis and Charad fell, the monks' resolve weakened and Zazgush again started dragging the monastery down toward the Doomscar, and deeper still the Abyss.

With the exception of Pelon, the brothers are frightened and frantic, doubting Korvon's victory and their own faith. When Korvon reveals himself and murders the last of the youths, it will be the final blow needed to spiral the monastery into Zazgush's clutches. That is, unless the PCs can stop it.

*Hooks*
1.The Brothers of the Leash are associated with one of the pious or divine PC's religions and church superiors ask him or her to aid St. Korvon's Monastery.
2.The seismic rumblings from the Doomscar scare the local communities into sending the PCs to investigate and assess the danger, during which they come upon the strange sight of St. Korvon's.
3.The PCs encounter the fleeing Brother Laef on a road near the monastery, whose faith and courage has completely left him. Desperate to escape the rumblings, Laef does pass on news of the monastery's woes before running off.
4.An NPC acquainted with the PCs has a relative who is also a Brother of the Leash. He's sent him or her a goodbye letter, fearing he hasn't long before he's dragged into the Pit, spurring the NPC to ask the PCs for help.

*Integration*
Into the Fire is easily adapted for any campaign. St. Korvon's Monastery and the Doomscar are isolated enough to fit in any mountain or wilderness. St. Korvon himself or the monastery's larger affiliations can be tailored to any campaign religion. Some of the adventure's details are entirely focused on the PCs as unique individuals, also helping with adaptation.

*NPCs*
_Brother Pelon Tesk, Human Invoker _
Brother Pelon is a young monk with curly, black hair and a pronounced nose. He's also the acting head chef of the monastery, a position inherited from his mentor Brother Gert (along with some cookware). His passion for cooking, at which he's very good, sound faith and steadfastness are what's keeping the monastery afloat after the deaths of Frellis and Charad.

_Abbot Benjamin Gratva, Half-Elf Cleric_
The wizened leader of the Brothers of the Leash, Benjamin is as scared by recent events as any of the other brothers, but instead of fearing the PCs, he actively seeks their aid. Desperate, perhaps foolhardy, or maybe he trusts the good in people. He's always fussing with his itchy frock, has a kind voice and stands slightly bowed.

_Brothers Frellis and Charad, Murdered Young Monks (halfling and human)_
Both brothers were passionate and faithful, one an excellent musician and the other a talented artist. Korvon marked both of them as glimmers of hope in the monastery and successfully snuffed them out. 

_Saint Korvon, Vampire Lord (human avenger)_
The patron saint of the Brothers of the Leash returned as a vampire lord by the evil influence of Zazgush. His goal is to hasten the monastery's fall through terror tactics and the assassination of the most devote of the monks. His primary target during the adventure is Brother Pelon. (described below)

_Zazgush the Hunger, Unbound Balor (scaled Gargantuan) _
Zazgush the Hunger is the ancient demon bound to the monastery by the mammoth chains plunged into the Doomscar. He's in a constant struggle with the uplifting force of the monk's faith, trying to drag them down into the Abyss. The youngest generation of monks, including Frellis, Charad and Pelon, hold such passion and potential for good it threatens to break the chains which keep the monastery from aiding abroad. Zazgush enacts one last plan to claim the monastery, raising the brothers' patron in the catacombs as a vampire to cause doubt and fear. (described below)

*Act I: St. Korvon's Monastery*
Whether the PCs are aware of the brothers' plight or not, they'll cross a mountainous track and come closer and closer to the source of the earthly tremors and the sound of clashing metal. Cresting a high ridge, they discover the flying monastery of St. Korvon's hanging low in the sky, a vast, domed structure bound in titanic chains. Every rattling link is as large as a house. The chains plunge into a rumbling, steaming ravine, effectively anchoring St. Korvon's. 

A hard Religion check for unwitting PCs reveals the monastery as Saint Korvon's, that its occupied by the Brothers of the Leash, and a very rudimentary origin of the place telling of the heroic monk Korvon who defended the monastery from a demonic attempt to drag it into the Abyss. 

*The Monastery *
There's several floating disks which can transport people and cargo to and from a loading platform built in the monastery's shadow. They activate with a simple Arcana or Religion check, though a DM could have fun should the group fail their checks with some stopping and starting, near-falls and things. The PCs might also have their own means to fly up to the monastery, in which case let them. 

Once inside the monastery walls, the PCs find a simple community with well-tended gardens and courtyards, many shrines, reflecting pools, tabernacles and of course a large church proper. There are also various common rooms, a library, bedrooms, a kitchen, chicken coops, a small pig pen, a few cows and everything else expected of a facility that caters both to the spiritual and bodily needs of monks. 

The brothers themselves are plainly-garbed in brown frocks, boots, heavy cloaks and caps to ward against the cold of the high mountain air. They are mostly human, but there's a handful of halflings, dwarves, half-elves and half-orcs. About three hundred monks make St. Korvon's home, though even that number hardly seems to fill the place. There is a sense of decline and the farthest reaches of the monastery aren't as well-maintained as the used areas. 

*The Brothers' Plight*
The PCs will quickly be greeted by rather surprised monks wherever they first appear and  be escorted to Abbot Benjamin Gratva. Not all the looks the PCs get are welcoming ones. Abbot Benjamin is of the welcoming sort, however, a bowed half-elf of considerable age. Whichever hook the PCs might have taken, the abbot is all-to-willing to implore these strangers for their aid, sounding frightened at the prospects of a continued descent and the murder of two young brothers. Should the PCs agree to help, or even if they don't, the abbot insists they stay for dinner. He assures them Brother Pelon is a wonderful cook.

If the PCs choose to do a little exploring or investigating before dinner it's a Complexity 3 Skill Challenge, which includes a quick walk-through of the monastery, talking with willing brothers (an opportunity to meet Pelon, who may be the only monk actually willing to talk), research in the library, and hunting for clues to the murders.

Between talking with Abbot Benjamin and Brother Pelon, any sort of investigation and the beginning of dinner, the PCs should learn the following:



The origins of St. Korvon's Monastery (as described in the background)


Abbot Benjamin and the other monks are frightened by the monastery's dragging down, and also doubt Korvon's ancient victory. They fear the demon (whose name they fear to utter) may be roused and there's nothing that can prevent it.


Brother Pelon is the only monk that reflects more hopefulness than fear. His passion for cooking and the joy in making food and having others partake in it seems like a shield against recent events. Pelon's optimism comes from the steadfast teachings of his late mentor and former Master Chef Gert, whose position and cookware he's inherited.


Two young brothers have been killed around the same time the chains tensed and began pulling down the monastery. They were lively, hopeful monks in life, one a gifted musician and the other a skilled artist. To the brotherhood's alarm, both were drained of their blood and the whisper of vampire is on everyone's lips. Monks are now sequestering themselves in their rooms after sunset, sometimes skipping meals and prayers, and jumping at their own shadows. Likely some of the brothers put the PCs through various tests like sunlight, holy water and garlic.

* PCs should feel the slow descent and hear the constant rattle of the chains to maintain an ominous mood, given in the occasional description as a reminder or impetus to help keep the PCs moving.

*Act II: The Saint*
Saint Korvon's main objective is to kill Brother Pelon, the greatest source of passion, faith and conviction in the monastery. He's already killed two similarly young, similarly hopeful brothers, but has at last found his true quarry. His larger purpose is to hasten the descent of the monastery by terrifying the entire brotherhood and eliminating their glimmers of hope.

*The First Attack*
The first attempt on Pelon's life comes somewhere with an audience. Saint Korvon wants the brothers to see him and despair as their patron turns against them. The ideal location would be in the dining room as Pelon is serving dinner. Korvon would be dramatic and shocking, condemning his former followers to an endless torment in the fires of the Abyss, playthings of mighty Zazgush. He's adorned in the armor of his burial, covered in dust and cobwebs, and wielding a dull version of Heaven's Gleam. In his other hand is a massive, granite shield, which later reveals his resting place as it's also the lid of his sarcophagus.

Most brothers flee while the PCs confront the vampire lord. Abbot Benjamin and Pelon are the only two that remain, the latter fearfully swinging the only thing on hand, his frying pan. Depending how well the PCs protect Pelon, once Korvon is bloodied, Pelon should either use the frying pan as a holy symbol or a weapon to strike the Saint and send him fleeing. It bursts into holy flames as he does so, surprising everyone, including himself. 

A moderate Insight check or the abbot's musings should reveal that the frying pan is a great symbol of passion for Pelon, passed down from his mentor Gert and an instrument that brings joy to him and others. Such an item is a bane to Saint Korvon and the demonic forces who animate him. During the lull between attacks, the PCs own symbols of passion should be brought forth and discussed with either  with Pelon, perhaps family heirlooms, gifts, something that can be used against Korvon and later Zazgush.

*The Chase*
Should the PCs seek to track Korvon, a hard Perception check brings them to the kitchen. The stairwell into the catacombs is a few rooms down, so he might have passed through, but a second hard Perception check would recognize the granite counter of the kitchen's island as Korvon's shield. The Saint is lying in wait for Pelon to prepare dinner the next night. If the PCs catch on, they'll get a surprise round on the vampire, who they might very well kill. If they don't catch on, Pelon may remark the next day that all the food he left out on the kitchen counter spoiled. 

Failing either check, the PCs will likely plunge into the depths of the monastery in search of Korvon's sarcophagus in the catacombs. His container is lidless and empty. A moderate Perception check reveals a false wall and a ladder, one which leads just outside the kitchen. There are little other clues, leaving PCs to wait until the next attempt on Pelon's life.  

*Spreading Hope*
Through a moderate Insight check, the abbot's or Pelon's musings, or best of all the volition of the PCs, there comes a realization that if passion, faith and conviction are the bane of Korvon and the power that animates him, bolstering the brothers' resolve would greatly behoove the monastery. It must have been why Brother Frellis and Brother Charad were slained.

Easier said than done, as the monks are more terrified now than ever. It will take a Complexity 5 Skill Challenge to inspire anything out of the brothers, and include social skills such as Diplomacy, knowledge skills like Religion, and the aid of Pelon and Abbot Benjamin. The challenge could take as little as a few hours, but more realistically a few days, during which time Korvon plans his next attack, this time sneaking into the catacombs and raising some undead minions for an ambush in the kitchen. All the while the monastery is pulled lower than ever. Success bolsters the spirits of the monks and weakens Korvon (-2 to attacks and damage), while failure plunges the monks into their worse doldrums yet. Some are even beginning to flee the monastery entirely, empowering Korvon and his allies with a +2 to attacks and damage.

*The Second Attack*
After the Spreading Hope challenge is complete, the next night's dinner preparation is an ambush. Korvon, wights and ghoul minions attempt to surprise and slay Brother Pelon. Korvon bursts forth from the island, while his minions spill from the secret passage outside the kitchen. PCs must again defend Pelon, who can only do so much with his fiery pan. Pelon is particularly unsettled for the fact one of the wights is his old mentor, Brother Gert. Korvon will not relent this time, fighting to the death. Just as he's destroyed, Saint Korvon gains a moment of clarity and asks the PCs to avenge this sacrilege and save the monastery from Zazgush.

*Should Korvon ever manage to kill Pelon, the monastery descends into the Doomscar at an alarming rate. Depending on whether or not the PCs discovered the symbols of passion, they'll have to defeat an empowered Korvon, stronger from his increased proximity to the Doomscar and the lack of faith in the monestary, as well as stronger undead minions and demons later on, all of them receiving +2 to attacks and damage.

*Should Korvon be killed before his Second Attack, allow him a final, dying wish to stop Zazgush once and for all.

*Act III: The Doomscar*
PCs descend the great chain links, as demons are sent up in a last ditch effort by Zazgush. Combine late paragon-tier demons with a Complexity 2 Skill Challenge of bounding down the massive chain links into the molten heart of the Doomscar. Success sees them safely through to the bottom, while failure sends them plummeting into fiery rubble and smoking pits, incurring falling and fire damage.

At the bottom of the volcanic ravine, the PCs discover the chains lead into a massive Abyssal rift. If they seem particularly set on closing the rift in hopes it might sever the chains, they could attempt a hard Complexity 5 Skill Challenge including Arcana, Religion and Nature. 

*Facing the Hunger*
Success or failure will force Zazgush the Hunger to intervene, which should come as a sudden shock as giant, red claws explode from the Abyss and use pure unholy strength to hold the way open. Zazgush's upper half fights its way out of the rift, a many-armed red torso licked in flames with a flayed, horned head dominated by a jagged set of snapping jaws. He lacks eyes, ears or a nose, and stinks of sulphur and charred flesh. He's easily the size of the monastery, truly enormous, with the chains tangled around his body and pulled on by dozens of arms. A success on the challenge imposes 15 ongoing damage per round for as long as he holds the portal (to say for the encounter). 

Other groups may decide their only hope is to enter the rift and loosen Zazgush's hold the old fashioned way, which finds themselves in a similar combat situation, facing the ancient demon on his home turf, a blackened skull isle in a sea of molten lava which imposes 10 ongoing fire and necrotic damage per round for as long as the party is in the Abyss (to say for the encounter). Moderate Arcana and Religion checks can warn the PCs of the ongoing damage types.

*Conclusion*
The defeat of Zazgush loosens his grip on the monastery and within hours the renewed conviction of the monks shatters the chains entirely. The Brothers of the Leash are now free, and in need of a name change, thanks largely to the PCs. As a flying monastic order, the brothers can travel wherever healing and compassion are needed as they did in the days of Korvon. This also opens the brothers up as companion characters or reoccurring allies, perhaps encountering the PCs down the road and leading to new adventures as the monks acclimate to traveling the wide world, encounter opposing forces, or perhaps even suffer demonic revenge.

*List of Ingredients:*
Flying Monastery: St. Korvon's Monastery, the home of the Brothers of the Leash
Vampiric Saint: St. Korvon, patron of the Brothers of the Leash  
Never Ending Passion: The monks passion is what keeps the demon from dragging them down, the passion of the youngest generation inspired Zazgush's raising Korvon, and Brother Pelon's passion is what keeps the monastery afloat in their darkest hour.
Granite Shield: The lid of St. Korvon's sarcophagus doubles as his shield and is at one point disguised as a counter top.
Chained Demon: Zazgush the Hunger, whose chains are meant to drag the monastery into the Abyss
Flaming Frying Pan of the Master Chef: The frying pan Brother Pelon uses when he cooks, handed down from his mentor, the late Brother Gert. It's so infused with passion that it's used against St. Korvon as a fiery holy symbol.


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## Nifft (Oct 13, 2009)

Pour, you have written a nearly complete module, and have covered most every eventuality. Kudos on the completeness of your final product. The NPCs have good motivations, the environment is detailed nicely.

InVinoVeritas, you have written a mostly tight summery, but there are holes galore once we get to the demon's speech -- you assume the PCs will take three specific choices, and in my experience, they can't be trusted to even make one obvious decision. If you offer specific choices, talk about the consequences of all choices. IMHO it was not necessary to offer specific trick questions.


Ingredient use:

*Flying Monastery*
5/5 points to both of you. Both are plausible, both are cool, both are central, and both of you do a good job tying them (literally, via chains) to other ingredients. Not much to say here. Good job.

*Granite Shield*
InVinoVeritas: It's integral, it's tied to the other ingredients (particularly the monastery food issue), it's coherent... but it's boring. Fine use from the DM's end, but the ingredient itself probably won't be noticed by the players, because they'll be getting more snacks while I read through the grey box text that tells them they walk for a day over boring terrain and nothing happens. 4/5 for ingredient use, -2 for evocative prose.
Pour: It's cool that the kitchen counter becomes a coffin lid, but how is it that nobody who works in the kitchen noticed? My players would throw dice at me. 3/5 for ingredient use, -2 for usability, because I'd be forced to re-work that angle.

*Vampiric Saint*
InVinoVeritas: Interesting spin that he's a saint and a vampire concurrently, useful as exposition, and half-way useful as a Macguffin if the PCs eat the food -- which they probably shouldn't if they listen to his exposition, so maybe he should be more explicit about that. 4/5 for ingredient use, +2 originality for spin on the "noble vampire" trope. Not perfect, since he could be replaced by a Warforged Saint, but not all settings have those so I'm being lenient.
Pour: Ex-saint, now vampire. Central to the story, tied to a few other ingredients. 4/5.

*Never Ending Passion*
InVinoVeritas: The vampire saint has his patient passion since he ate his last supper long ago, the demonic chef has his fiery passion which spills through in his quotes. I like. 4/5
Pour: The emotional state of the monks is in disarray, so I hesitate to call it "never-ending" -- it's more like "mostly over". Also, there's not much "never-ending" about the passions of the monks. They're just mortals. Their passions have an expiration date stamped on the back. 2/5

*Chained Demon*
Typical boss fight, both nicely using the chains to connect to other ingredients. 4/5 each.

*Flaming Frying Pan of the Master Chef*
_Here's the type of ingredient that can make or break an entry._
Pour: It feels tacked on. Any holy symbol could replace it in the module. It may be appropriate, but it's not integral. 2/5
InVinoVeritas: It's an integral item despite its hilarity, though the flaming aspect isn't integral. Good job. 4/5

In most other particulars, the entries match up fairly well. I find both useful and evocative, with bits I could perhaps steal for my own games. Pour has an edge in usefulness thanks to thinking out the consequences of both choices (hint, hint), but this match is going to *InVinoVeritas* due to superior use of ingredients.


Note to future matches: in my opinion, Pour ran a bit long, while InVinoVeritas could have filled in a few more details.


Again, apologies for the delay.
Thank you both for your patience.


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## Radiating Gnome (Oct 15, 2009)

Here are the ingredients for Round 4: CleverNickName vs MortalPlague

Plantation
Soaking Backpack
Ogre Bodyguard
Three Wishes
Elemental Wierds
Symbol of the First Spirits

It is 6:45 EST right now.  You have 48 hours.


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## CleverNickName (Oct 15, 2009)

I'm on it.  See you in a few.


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## Wik (Oct 16, 2009)

Ooo.  Those look like some fun ingredients! 

Especially the last two.


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## phoamslinger (Oct 17, 2009)

Round 5 Ingredients: Rechan vs Atras

you have until midnight on Sunday,  have fun!

*River Delta
Severed Foot
Monsterous Bard
Brutal Slayings
Bedridden Troll
Ioun Stone*


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## Wik (Oct 17, 2009)

Even more interesting ingredients!  I wish I had this set.  As soon as I saw them, I had some fiendish ideas...


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## MortalPlague (Oct 17, 2009)

Sow the Seeds, Reap the Harvest
An adventure for 5 characters of 3rd level

*Background:*
Aeons ago, one of the first spirits to walk the earth died.  The body decomposed, creating a valley of rich, fertile soil, which would grow crops with amazing quality.  And in that valley, the Reagen family made their legacy.

They built a plantation in the valley, growing tabacc of tremendous reputation.  Throughout the nation, Tearglen Tabacc was known as a brand of wealth and quality, and it lined the pipes of the most influential lords and merchants.  The town of Tearglen grew; many workers were needed to run the plantation, and other labourers found work abundant in the booming town.

Young Lord Arthur Reagen had taken over the plantation following his father’s death.  A handsome young man, he soon married a beautiful young lady from the nearby city of Castilla.  Lord and Lady both were a vision to behold, and they looked a fairytale couple.  Or so it seemed.

Lord Reagen had chosen his wife poorly.  Mellandre was a student of the arcane arts, but she had been expelled from her school.  She lacked the discipline to apply herself solely to her studies; she wanted power and wanted it quickly, with little effort on her part.  Left with no future in magic, she sought to improve her social standing through marriage.

Her temper and demeanor surfaced shortly following the marriage, and Lord Reagen discovered, to his dismay, that he hated Mellandre.  And she, in turn, hated him right back.  The noble family bickered and fought, first in private, and later, in public.  Finally, the Women’s Circle of Tearglen had to step in.

The Women’s Circle was charged with taking care of household disputes, and even the Lord and Lady were not above their counsel.  They interviewed both parties, and came to their decision; Lady Mellandre Reagen would become an obedient housewife, while Lord Arthur Reagen would grant his wife three boons.

The Lady asked for a protector, for she often liked to walk in the woods.  She asked for fine jewellery, befitting her station.  And she asked for a grand ball, with music, food, and all sorts of important people in attendance.  The Lord, being petty and snide, twisted her requests; he gave her a barely-civilized ogre bodyguard, a finely carved wooden amulet, and agreed to host a party in honor of his birthday.

Furious, Lady Mellandre realized she could not appeal to the Council.  But that night, in her dreams, she was touched by the voices; the earth spirits spoke to her, whispering that they held the solution to her problems.  For the wooden amulet bestowed to her was, unbeknownst to her husband, the Amulet of the First Spirits, a powerful druidic amulet that channelled the voices of the powerful spirits bound to the plantation’s soil.

She, with her ogre bodyguard in tow, traveled out into the forest, and the whispering voices led her across a log bridge over the river and into a serene clearing with a low, flat rock in the center.  There the elemental spirits appeared to her, speaking the will of the first spirits.  They could make the young Lord fall deathly ill, if she provided them with the very stuff of life; blood.  The elemental weirds spoke to the ogre too, binding him to do the lady’s bidding on pain of death.

Under cover of night, Lady Mellandre and her ogre stole many small animals from the local farms and sacrificed them in the forest grove.  The elemental weirds went with them, using their magic to obscure the trail.  Steadily, night by night, Lord Reagen’s health declined.  At first, merely a mild headache or an upset stomach troubled him, but the symptoms became more severe.  He found that walking tired his limbs quickly, and his complexion grew pale.  Regardless, he would host his ball; it was one of the boons, and he did not want to give any impression of dodging them, twisted though they were.

On the day of the party, Lady Mellandre and her ogre kidnapped a young woman, Salacia Bennet.  What better time to complete the ritual than on the eve of the party, where Lord Reagen’s demise would be so public?  She would be the sole heir to the plantation and the Reagen family fortune, and she could not be blamed, sitting at his side the whole night.  While crossing the log bridge, however, Mellandre lost her footing, and her backpack full of ritual components and books fell into the river and floated downstream.

Furious, Mellandre could do nothing but tie Salacia to a tree and return to the plantation with her ogre.  If she wasn’t at the party, that would raise all sorts of suspicion.  She would have to spend the next day gathering more components and preparing to finish the ritual.  Tomorrow, then, Arthur Reagen would die.


*Adventure Summary:*
The adventurers have all been invited to Lord Reagen’s birthday party.  The Lord’s idea of a joke is to invite adventurers as important people to spite his wife.  The party is a stately affair, with live music and fine food, though Lord Reagen seems to be a man of poor constitution.  A good insight check can determine that the man is sick.

Mellandre, for her part, is every bit the doting lady.  She expresses concern for her husband, and is polite to the adventurers.  She is careful to hide her displeasure at their appearance, though if any of the PCs are finely dressed, she will pay more attention to them.

If the PCs ask around, various party guests can fill in details of how the Lord and Lady used to fight, of the three boons and the twists the Lord made, and how the plantation is growing more successful every year.  Some of the guests mention that livestock has been going missing, though the general opinion is that careless farmers are responsible.

If confronted about the boons and his twists, the Lord denies any malice in his twists:
“What better protector than a loyal ogre?  What bandit or forest beast in their right mind would take on so ferocious a foe?”
“Finely carved wood makes for a distinct, unique jewellery, truly a testament to Mellandre’s singular beauty.”  
“Isn’t this a fine party, no matter the reason?  Fine music, choice food, and good company.” 

Lady Mellandre will pay lip service to these reasons, if confronted, but only a moderate insight check is required to note her genuine displeasure.

The party will last well into the night, and Lord Reagen will put up the adventurers in rooms in his manor house.

In the morning, they are all summoned to Lord Reagen’s study on urgent business.  He informs them of Salacia Bennet’s kidnapping, and asks them to find her, offering a generous reward for her recovery.  Lady Mellandre, at this point, is in the plantation’s cellar, finding replacement ritual components.

The adventurers can follow a few leads at this point.  The obvious lead is the Bennet house, where the young woman’s parents are too distraught to be of any help.  Salacia’s older brother, Mat, will talk to the PCs.  Salacia visited at the mill, where he works.  He thought he heard heavy footsteps outside shortly after she left.  If the PCs have not heard about the animals disappearing, Mat will mention this too.

The adventurers can search the mill and the surrounding area.  The only clue present is that the cobblestones nearby have recently been washed by water (the work of a water weird).  No bucket can be found, nor can any tracks be found.  Anyone trained in the arcane arts might be able to detect the magic.

The adventurers can investigate the farms where animals have gone missing.  One farmer swears he saw a huge, hulking brute at least twenty feet tall snatch one of his sheep in the night, though he saw it from his window after having a mug or two.  A farmgirl named Liselle heard strange noises in the woods while she was dallying around with Oliver in the forest.  One of the farms has had a patch of ground near where the sheep graze turned to mud (work of a water weird).

The adventurers might also hear that Old Jed found something washed up on the shore of the river early that morning.  If they track him down, he shows them the soaking wet backpack he hauled from the river, which despite being out of the water, is still soaking wet.  Once opened, the bag releases a trapped water weird, who tries to fight its way free.

Looking at the bag, it clearly housed some ritual components, and there’s a waterlogged tome which still retains some legibility; it contains the ritual Mellandre is using to sicken Lord Reagen.  Old Jed mentions that the only place the backpack could have fallen into the water is a log bridge up the river.  If pressed or persuaded, he mentions that he thinks the backpack belongs to Mellandre; Old Jed is reluctant to put the adventurers on her trail in case he’s wrong.

If the adventurers decide to go to the plantation and confront Mellandre about her missing bag, she will try to lure them into the woods where her ogre can deal with them quietly.  If they won’t come with her, she and her ogre will attack.  She plans to tell everyone the adventurers attacked her.

Otherwise, the adventurers can make their way to the clearing, where they find the sacrificial grove.  If they made it to the clearing before nightfall, Salacia is alive, tied to one of the nearby trees.  If they show up the following day, or during the night, Salacia’s body is nowhere to be found (the ogre ate it) and the stone altar is awash with drying blood.  If the adventurers arrive directly at nightfall, they will find Lady Mellandre performing the rite, and can interrupt the ritual.

Once the adventurers have investigated the clearing for a few minutes, the elemental weirds gather their strength and attack, trying to repel the intruders.

If the adventurers rescue Salacia, she can tell them who kidnapped her.  If they were too late, the ogre’s footprints are easily followed here in the soft soil of the woods.

The adventurers press on to the plantation to confront Lady Mellandre and her ogre bodyguard.  She will fight ferociously, especially if Salacia has been rescued, and will give nor offer no quarter.  She stands to lose everything if the adventurers live.

*The Elements In Use:*
*Plantation* - The adventure is set on and around the Reagen family tabacc plantation.
*Soaking Backpack* - The backpack provides an important clue, pointing to Mellandre's involvement.
*Ogre Bodyguard* - Mellandre's ogre bodyguard fits the description quite nicely.
*Three Wishes* - The three boons granted to Mellandre by her husband are the three wishes.  The wishes themselves also become some of the elements; the ogre and the symbol, in particular.
*Elemental Weirds* - The elemental weirds serve as messengers and agents for the first spirits.  They also obscure the tracks, and one hides in the soaking backpack.
*Symbol of the First Spirits* - The wooden medallion given to Mellandre is the symbol.  Also, the fertile valley itself could be seen as a symbol of the first spirits.


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## CleverNickName (Oct 17, 2009)

*Bakra's Bond*
A 3.5 Edition D&D Adventure

*Introduction*
This adventure is designed for a party of 3 to 5 characters, of relatively low level (about 2nd - 5th level.)  The party must be capable of using divination magic, whether by spell or magic item.

*Background*
Doti Island is an elongated, fertile patch of farmland in the middle of a large, fast-moving river, about twelve miles away from the king's own castle.  This island is home to several small farms and a large sugar plantation, all of which are important sources of revenue for the kingdom.  On Doti Island, sugar cane is grown and harvested, and its sap is crushed and boiled into molasses.  A portion of this molasses is fermented and distilled into rum.

Each year when the first new batch of rum is ready to drink, the plantation owner will host a feast.  This celebration is known as the Festival of the First Spirits: a specially-marked barrel of rum is rolled out in front of everyone and tapped, and gallon after gallon of rum is served.  Specially-minted coins bearing the same marking as the cask (known as the symbol of the first sprits, a quartered circle) are given as party favors, and a large white flag bearing the symbol is flown from the roof of the plantation owner's mansion.  Years ago, when the tradition first started, the feast was a gesture of kindness, a way for the plantation owner and foremen to reward the serfs for their hard labor.  Over the last ten or fifteen years, however, the feast became a pretentious and aristocratic gathering of the kingdom's upper crust.  Only the wealthy rum and sugar merchants, guild leaders, and rulers of the kingdom are invited now, and the serfs must cook, serve, and entertain them...if the serfs get invited at all.  The serfs regard that symbol of the first spirits as both a curse and an insult.

The villain of this story is the plantation owner, Bakra Myal.  He is an overbearing slave master and evil wizard in disguise, with aspirations of one day killing the king and assuming his throne.  He hides his cruelty and greed from the public eye, using more subtle Enchantment spells to draw the important and affluent people into his web.  Now that the king has finally accepted Myal's annual invitation to the festival, he has his chance: Myal has brewed a powerful elixir that will bring all who taste it under his control, and has swapped it for this year's "first spirits."


*The Party's Involvement*
The adventure begins when a member of the party uses a divination spell or magic item.  The spell misfires, causing the caster to collapse into a trance-like state.  The character will receive a vision of a beautiful woman standing on a lake of pure water, somewhere in an underground cave.  The woman in the vision calls out to the character, and speaks the following clue:

_Seeker of the unknown!  Evil has arisen in the east, an evil which will soon consume the realm and slay all you know and hold dear.  Find me where the sugar grows, in the north cave of the south hill on the west shore of the eastern island._

At the end of the vision, the character wakes from the trance.  Inexplicably, the character is completely soaking wet as if (s)he had been plunged into the river.

The characters will experience this same vision each time they use divination magic.  The DM should make each subsequent vision to be more extreme than the next, to help build a sense of urgency.

The location described in the vision is obvious to everyone in the kingdom; the rum (and its festival) are practically legendary.  For non-residents, a DC 10 Knowledge (Local) or Gather Information check will give them the location of the island.

*NPCs*
*Bakra Myal, the Plantation Master
Human Wizard 9*
Neutral Evil

Myal is a middle-aged, balding, and thin-looking man, with the look and demeanor of someone who tries too hard to impress others.  He talks too much, uses intelligent-sounding words, wears expensive clothing, etc.

Myal specializes in spells that allow him to manipulate and control others.  His spell catalog contains mostly Enchantment spells, his personal favorite being _dominate person._  Through the use of magic, he surrounds himself with powerful people and affluent friends, but he is no fool...he knows that the "friends" he gains through this means are little more than puppets.

*Rahtid the Terrible
Ogre Barbarian 7*
Chaotic Neutral

Rahtid is Myal's bodyguard, a _dominated_ and _polymorphed_ ogre barbarian.  Before he was captured by Myal, Rahtid was a powerful leader of his tribe's army...now, he has been reduced to little more than a puppet.  Myal uses him to do many of the unpleasant tasks around the island, often changing to ogres form several times in one day to create disguises.  A few of Myal's favorites:

"Rahtid," Myal's bodyguard (a male human bodyguard);

"Cyalla," Myal's wife (a beautiful human female);

"Flense," Myal's pet wolf (a dire wolf);

"Shayla," Myal's teenage daughter (a young human female).

Myal controls Rahtid though a very powerful magical talisman.  This iron talisman, cast in the shape of a quarted circle, is always around Rahtid's neck no matter what form he is _polymorphed_ into.  The amulet gives Myal the ability to mentally dominate and change the appearance of any creature that wears it.

If the talisman is ever removed, Myal's control over the ogre will be broken, and the polymorphing spell will be dismissed.  The former bodyguard will turn on Myal, and exact his revenge for nearly twenty years of mistreatment.

*The Cooyah*
The island is home to four powerful and benevolent spirits known as the Cooyah.  They are not actual spirits; they are elemental creatures known as "weirds" in other lands.  These elementals are as old as the island itself, and they care for and protect the natives of the island as if they were their own children.

For years, these elemental spirits have served the islanders by keeping the island fertile and giving them special insight into farming techniques (such as telling them when to plant, what days to harvest, and how to rotate their crops.)  With the help of the Cooyah, the islanders became very successful farmers.  But in the twenty years since the plantation was built, they have watched their children suffer more and more under the oppression of the plantation's success.

When Myal began hatching his plan to overthrow the kingdom, the Cooyah foresaw unbelievable suffering in the future...not only for their island children, but for the entire kingdom as well.  The Cooyah know that Myal will be a terrible and tyrannical ruler, who will bring only war, famine, and death.


*Part One: The Cooyah*
On the west shore of Doti Island, there are two rocky hills, side-by-side.  And true to the wierd's vision, there is a cave opening on the north side of the southernmost hill.  The cave is home to various vermin and animals common to the area: bats, rats, spiders, centipedes, and beetles.

Eventually the cave will lead the party to the Cavern of the Cooyah...a large, dome-like chamber with a large pool of water in the center.  As they enter, the beautiful woman from the vision will emerge from the pool and beckon for them to come closer.  As they get within range, she will speak:

_We are the Cooyah.  Heed us, and know the truth.  Our children suffer under the oppression of their masters, their dignity has been sold, their prosperity stolen, and their good health poisoned, by those who enslave them.  Do this task, and heal their wounds!

The sugar that is not yet sugar
holds a curse that is not yet a curse.
Find the spirit that is not a spirit,
and spill its blood that is not blood.

Go now, and seek my sister Cooyah, who dwells in the tallest tree on the tallest hill of this island.  She knows the path you must take and the place you must find.

By my touch, you will know your enemy, but do nothing until you have spoken with my three sisters and completed our tasks!_

At the conclusion of her monologue, the weird will reach forward and touch one of the party members lightly on the shoulder.  Immediately the character will become completely drenched with water from head to toe.  The weird will then nod, then vanish into the pool of water. 

-----

The "sister" that the Cooyah was referring to is an air weird, who lives atop a magical tree on the highest part of the island.  The magical forest is home to several dangerous plants and animals native to the island, such as assassin vines and panthers.

The tree that the party seeks is clearly visible from anywhere on the island.  It is an enormous oak tree, far larger than any tree in this area could naturally grow.  Climbing the tree requires a DC 12 climb check.  At the top of the tree (60 feet up), the branches are tightly woven together like the nest of a bird.  Within this "nest" is a swirling pool of mist and vapor.  As the party climbs the tree and looks upon the pool, a beautiful woman made of mist will rise from the pool.  She speaks with a whispery, airy voice, like wind blowing through trees.

_We are the Cooyah.  Heed us, and know the truth.  Watch for the symbol of the first.  Where you see it, know that the touch of evil is not far away!  In your travels, you will find a white door with white hinges, but no handle.  At this door, speak the answer to this riddle.

I dreamed I saw a fairy's dance,
Upon the midnight sky.
Where lights, like lantern's grew,
Without a whim, or a why.
Amid their joy,
Amid their dance,
I came running into their midst.
But with nar'ry a sound,
They drew away,
And fell into the mist.
Oh, I saw them again,
But only from very far.
Dancing in the air at night,
Like tiny lanterns, or tiny stars.

(Answer: firefly.)

Go now, and seek my sister Cooyah, who dwells among the stones on the eastern side of the island.   Only she knows the secret of your enemy's doom!_

And with that, the creature descends into the pool of vapors.  As with the other weird, the elemental will only repeat the riddle again if summoned, and will scold the party if they delay too long.

-----

This other "sister" is an earth weird, who lives at the bottom of a gravel pit on the east side of the island.  This part of the island is home to many different reptilian creatures who bask on the sunny, bare patches of rock: snakes, lizards, and the occasional wyvern can be found here.

As the party approaches the gravel pit, the rocks and sand within it begin to churn.  The form of a beautiful, brown-skinned woman will emerge from the pool of earth, and begin to speak.

_We are the Cooyah.  Heed us, and know the truth.  Your foe has great power, and has powerful friends.  Alone, you have no hope of defeating him...he will rise to power, and he will bring death and destruction to all people of the realm.

Find his closest companion, the one who never leaves his side.  Break the seal he carries around his neck, and free the monster it binds.  Only then will you gain a powerful ally, one strong enough to defeat your foe.

Go now, and take these three riddles with you to the lair of your foe.  The time is at hand!_


*Part Two: The Festival*
By now, the party's task should be clear: they must destroy the barrel of rum before anyone drinks it, they must find Myal and his "closest friend," and then they must remove the symbol from around the bodyguard's neck.

When the party enters the plantation, the plans for the festival are well underway: guests have already began arriving, and the king and queen themselves are expected in the morning.  Myal is a quintessential host, mingling with his wealthy guests and important friends, with his "beautiful wife" by his side.  Depending on the party's actions, he will either welcome them to the party (if they act politely, put on pretenses, or throw their money around) or have them thrown out (if they cause a disturbance or behave rudely.)

Clever players will know to "work the crowd" a bit, pretending to be guards, old friends, or family members of Myal in order to get close to him (and close enough to that keg to destroy it.)  The DM should have fun with this part of the adventure...it is the perfect opportunity to introduce new and interesting NPCs, discuss the politics of the realm, drop rumors of faraway lands and treasures, and so forth.

As the party mingles, Myal watches them closely.  He changes Rahtid's form several times throughout the evening both to make himself look like he has many close friends, and to make it less obvious to the party that he has a controlled "pet" ogre.  Ultimately, though, one of the player characters should notice that no matter who is on Myal's arm, they are wearing the same talisman around the neck.  More astute players may notice that Myal's wife and daughter never appear in the same room at the same time, even when good manners would require it (while dining, for example.)

Once the party figures out the nature of Myal's bodyguard, their host and his companion will excuse themselves from the party and head into the plantation house.  They will not come out again until the king arrives and it is time to tap the keg.

-----

The plantation house is a large wooden structure with approximately twenty rooms.  It should me mapped out in the style of a Haitian plantation house, with numerous windows and high ceilings.

The cask of the first spirits, which has been laced with the powerful domination potion, can be found in the basement...it is heavily guarded by Myal's _dominated_ policemen (2nd level human fighters.)

As the party explores the plantation house, one member of the party will begin to get "signals" from the water weird.  His or her clothing will grow more and more damp, the closer they get to their quarry.  In this way, the elemental weirds will guide the party to the keg and to Myal's lair.  By the time the party finds the keg, for example, the character and all his gear will be completely soaking wet.

Myal's lair is on the top floor of the mansion, hidden behind a magical door.  The door is white with white hinges, and carved with a repeating pattern of quartered circles.  The door is locked by an _arcane lock_ which opens if the password is spoken ("firefly.")

Inside, Myal and Rahtid can be found, preparing the final ingredients for the magical potion.  They attack the intruders furiously...Rahtid fights to the death, but Myal attempts to flee if he takes any damage.



*Use of the Ingredients*
*Plantation:* while the adventure takes place on a plantation, this ingredient is more than just a backdrop.  All of the names of the NPCs are taken from the Jamaican dialog and slang, the villain is a caricature white slave owner, all of the workers are an oppressed lower class, etc.

*Soaking Backpack:* the water weird guides the party through dampness.  Every time someone is "touched" (receives a vision or guidance) by the water weird, he or she is drenched with water.

*Ogre Bodyguard:* Myal has captured and _dominated_ a powerful ogre named Rahtid, who he now manipulates to be his bodyguard (among other things.)  Near the end of the adventure, the party must break the magical bonds that hold the ogre in order to defeat Myal.

*Three Wishes:* Every faction in the game has three desires, or "wishes."   Myal thirsts for magic, wants to rule the kingdom, and secretly longs for companionship (as evident in his bizzare relationship with his captured bodyguard.)  The Cooyah want to lift the oppression of the islanders, restore the rightful king to the throne, and prevent the invasion of a friendly territory.  The party wants to help the Cooyah and protect their homeland from invasion, but they also want to be able to cast divination spells normally again.

*Elemental Weirds:* The benevolent faction in the game is the Cooyah, a trio of elemental weirds.  Using their unique divination skills, they draw the party to the island, guide them to the voodoo priest's lair, and reveal how to defeat the villain.

*Symbol of the First Spirits:* The "first spirits" refers to the first batch of rum created on the plantation each year.  When that first cask is ready, it is branded with a special symbol, and served to all of the guests at a week-long festival.  That symbol eventually became the plantation's trademark, and appears in several places throughout the adventure.  The _talisman of binding_, which Myal uses to enslave his ogre bodyguard, is cast in the shape of this symbol.

*Pronounciation and Glossary*
Bakra (BAH-krah): Jamaican for "master"
Cooyah (COO-ya): Jamaican for "look upon"
Doti (DOUGH-tea): Jamaican for "earth"
Myal (my-ALL): Jamaican for "wizard"
Rahtid (rah-TEED): Jamaican for "surprise" or rage


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## Radiating Gnome (Oct 17, 2009)

Well, I didn't find this round as hard to judge as the last, but you two have definitely made me work for it.  I find that I have a favorite that has some glaring, hard-to-forgive holes . . . . so, lets dig in and see where an analysis takes us. 

*Ingredients:*
There were some strokes of near genius here, and some pretty severe disappointment.  

*Plantation.* 
I was keenly interested to see what was done with this ingredient, given that most D&D style fantasy is feudal in flavor . . . the plantation is a sort of 17th -19th century social unit (very much a descendant of the feudal structure), and it could force a very different setting.  In Sow the Seeds, Reap the Harvest (SSRH) and in Bakra's Bond (BB), we find the setting for the entire adventure is the plantation, in the first case a Tabacc plantation, in the second a sugarcane/rum distilling one.  There are strong similarities in the way this element is used in both -- and both use a grand ball of sorts (in a very gone-with-the-wind way) as an important plot point in the adventure.  I find that Bakra's Bond gets more mileage out of the setting, though -- and there is an element of reflected excellence in the way BB uses the spirits that makes the setting work so well for this adventure, so I'm giving a small advantage to BB here. 

*Soaking Backpack. * Here's an ingredient that I expected would give the writers fits to use in a developed, Iron DM-worthy way.  This seems to be the most striking failing I found in BB overall -- in the final accounting, despite the thin argument made by the author, there IS no actual soaking backpack in the adventure -- unless you count the backpack we presume is worn by the character who is using divination magic and is guided by the weird.  But, since the entire character is soaking at that point, and the backpack is only soaking because everything is, I think it just doesn't count.  So, no dice there.  SSRH didn't do much better, but at the very least there is a backpack, and it's wet.  The usage was weak and easy to pull out without any impact on the adventure, but at least it was there.  And, if contact with the water weird makes the pc wet, why doesn't something else happen when they encounter the air and earth weirds?  Advantage SSRH.  

*Ogre Bodyguard.*  Both adventures have them, but I think we can all see that Rhatid the terrible is far more interesting and developed.  Big advantage to BB. 

*Three Wishes * This is admittedly a real anchovy of an ingredient -- you want to avoid the genie in a bottle cliche, but it's sure hard to come up with something that fulfills this ingredient without being a cliche.  Once again, BB's summary of ingredients at the end of the entry is trying to staple a veneer over the fact that there really are no "three wishes" in this adventure.  Citing that all of the factions/characters in the story are developed enough to have three motivations does a fine job pointing out the strengths of the adventure, but it doesn't quite qualify as a implementation of this ingredient.  SSRH has the "boons" that Mellandra is granted, and that usage is REALLY weak . . . . in large part because those three boons are not really a part of the adventure but of the backstory that leads to the adventure.  I mean, the ingredient's there, in the shadows, but because it's only directly a part of the background for the adventure, it isn't really a necessary part of what the players experience directly -- they could play through the entire adventure without knowing that Arthur had granted three twisted wishes to his wife. There's a caution here for others -- writing an adventure is more than writing the background story that leads to the adventure, and your ingredients are better used in the adventure than if they only appear in the background.  Still, I have to give an advantage to SSRH for actually using the element.

*Elemental Weirds* - Once again, BB has used a monster well -- in this case weaving the renamed weirds into the story as guides, allies, and adventure hook, all in one.  SSRH has weirds in it, but they're an episodic obstacle, not as well woven into the adventure. 

*Symbol of the First Spirits. * Again, both entries make use of this ingredient, but the inspirational use in BB is hands down super cool.  It becomes a connected part of the plantation setting, demonstrates in an excellent way one of the best techniques of the successful Iron DMs (using unexpected definitions of words in ingredients) while totally satisfying the expectations for the ingredient.  BIg advantage to BB.

So, overall  . . . . BB has a couple of glaring holes, and a couple of true gems.  SSRH doesn't have anything that rises to the quality of BB's good ingredients, but at least covers all the bases.  I'm torn about how to decide on ingredients overall -- how does excellent use of some ingredients balance against only paying lip service to others.   I'm going to call it a wash.

Which I feel safe doing, because I think that other elements of the two adventures will help extend a gap.  

*Usability* -- Both should be relatively easy to drop into an existing campaign -- either the hijacked divinations or the invite from a noble to a grand event work passably well -- and the minor requirement that there be a party member capable of some divination magic is not an unreasonable expectation in 3.5 D&D.  

*Presentation* -- At the risk of punishing us all with the idea that longer entries = better presentation, BB is a much more complete, more evocative, more interesting adventure at this stage.  I find it's conceits more believable than those of SSRH, and the added element of the touch of jamaican language gives the entry a flavor advantage over the other.

SSRH has some story weaknesses that really left me frustrated.  For instance, the background gives a great deal of importance to the Women's Circle that has the power to force a settlement between Lord and Lady, but they disappear in the background and have no influence in the rest of the adventure -- which ends up being a fairly generic kidnap and rescue story.  

*Originality* -- hands down I need to give this one to BB.  The Spirits as Rum, the excellent use of the Ogre and the Weirds, and the whole package is a stronger, more interesting, and more original adventure.  And also, as much as I must trash talk BB for not really including the three wishes, the idea that each of the NPC factions has multiple motivations points to some better-than-cardboard characterization.  I'm not entirely sure that all three motivations/desires are there for each faction, but the hints are there, and that's unusual enough. (I'll caution you, though, that it's practically never a good idea to tell the reader or the player what their motivations/desires are.  )
*
The Last Dregs*
Overall, as much as the practically missing ingredients sticks in my craw, I think it's pretty clear that Bakra's Bond is the stronger entry here.  But, as a parting thought, let me emphasize that it's still a narrow thing.  Had the two weak ingredients had even ordinary inclusion in the adventure, this would have been an easy choice -- and had SSRH been just a little stronger (maybe capitalizing on ingredients you slighted), it could easily have taken it's complete use of the ingredients to the second round.  

I think, CleverNickName, you should keep doing what you're doing well, but if you expect to take your game beyond the second round, you're going to have to do better with the ingredients, too.  Don't settle for lip service. 

But, with that, *CleverNickName* advances.


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## Rechan (Oct 18, 2009)

*The Killing Joke* 
A system neutral side-trek for low level PCs. 

Paddlewise is a pleasant halfling community along the Emerald River. They make their living fishing in the river, as well as trading goods up and down the river. The challenge is that the Emerald River is named due to its near placid current, allowing a slight green muck of scum to settle on the top. Which means that the crocodiles that live in the Emerald River have a great camouflage. The halfling boaters and fishers would be at the crocodiles' mercy, were it not for the Trollers. 

The Trollers are a trio of migrating troll brothers that arrive every season to fish for crocs. By using large iron hooks on sturdy chains, the brothers run down the riverbank, trolling the hook through the water. A croc will get snagged, and the trolls drag the reptile ashore with their great strength to make sport of slaying it. The halflings offer aid, extra food, and other amenities to the trolls in exchange for their efforts, and additional protection of the community. It's a happy relationship. 

Until Paddlewise's trolls started being murdered. With crocodile spawning season over, the river will be teaming with toothsome beasts, and the halflings need help.

Hooks:
Scratching a small-sized back: the PCs need to travel along the river, aid by the Ioun priest, or some sort of divination or lore (which can be granted by the Stone of Ioun's usage). In exchange, they are requested to help out the village.
Home Sweet Home: A halfling PC may be from Paddlewise.
The Obvious: A request for help. 


*Part I: Dark Humor*

Before the PCs arrive to Paddlewise, they will stumble upon a grizzly sight. The well preserved remains of a troll can be found. It would appear that only the front of the troll was scorched by what looks like acid. A small sized footprint has been branded into the troll's skull, and the left foot of the troll is missing. 

Paddlewise looks relatively normal for a river-going halfling community. Small houses on stilts to accommodate when the river floods, several docks where fishing halflings perch. Two things are of note. First, the docks are crowded with boats, the place full of loitering and anxious halflings, and there's no room on the docks given the crowds with fishing poles in the water. The second is that there is a building with a tall tower attached, its size odd given the otherwise small construction of the halfling-sized buildings. Even stranger: given that all the buildings are on stilts, the players can see beneath the tower, and in the center of said tower, a broad, square stone juts from the earth, up into the tower.

It takes very little to discover the talk of the town - Paddlewise's halfling notice new comers, and are all too willing to talk about everything under the sun, and openly volunteer that their trolls are in dire trouble. Characters are steered towards the temple of Ioun - the building with the tall tower. 

Despite the size of the temple, only two work within: the priest Abbot Taleteller, and his acolyte. As they are greeted, the players can hear cries of "Abbot!" it a guttural voice from the direction of the tower, which send the acolyte running. The Abbot invites the PCs along before going.

The PCs arrive within the Tower, to discover that the tower obscures a great monolith fo stone, with runes carved into every surface. At the very top of the monolith is a large bed. 

The Abbot explains that in the bed is Gruck the troll, who arrived two days ago and begged for sanctuary. He was terrified, and his condition has worsened. There was no place large enough to place the troll except atop the stone. Trolls, rarely ever stressed or scared but for brief (and often lethal) instances, they are drastically effected by it. In Gruck's case, he suffers from stomach ulcers, the acid burning away at his insides. Abbot has been treating him, but so far has not been able to get from the troll any useful information besides the fact the troll's two brothers are dead, and he is scared witless, paranoid. As this is explained, Gruck peers over the edge of the bed from beneath the covers. 

Interrogating Gruck is very easy. Any success at intimidate or diplomacy will get Gruck to spill his guts. Just before he and his brothers migrated north last year, they crossed paths with a halfling bard. The bard, Gabby Talltale, had a scorching wit, and feeling safe given the agreement between Paddlewise and the trolls, proceeded to mock them mercilously. To which the troll brothers beset upon the halfling, tearing her to pieces, eating or playing with the remains. The first night of their arrival this year, Gruch explains that he went off to releave himself, before returning to find the ghost of Gabby Talltale, telling his brother Lutch a joke. To which made Lutch laugh so hard and so long that he began to vomit on himself, over and over, until he was no more. Gruck fled, seeking a holy man to protect him, since "Undead don't like godmen". So far, he's been safe on consecrated ground, while his brother Flutch was killed (the troll corpse the players found).

However the players react, Abbot will beg them for help. Regardless of the trolls' actions, Paddlewise needs the crocs weeded out. If they accept to help stop Gabby Talltale before she finishes her revenge, Abbot then consults the monolith. The Stone of Ioun is a great relic, one that can assist in divinations, research, and other such knowledge. It was the Stone that directed Abbot to the Trollers. Abbot learns from the Stone that the only remaining piece of Gabby Talltale is her foot, which fell into the river, drifted down current until it became lodged in the river delta at the river's mouth. If the PCs can recover the foot, and bury it on consecrated ground, Gabby's spirit would be put to rest, given a proper buriel. 


*Part II: Down a creek without a paddle...*

Reaching the river delta from land is possible, but with the waters rich with crocodiles, they would have to swim across at the last leg. It is better to reach it by boat. The only halfling willing to boat down the crocodile filled waters is Potuck MuckRudder, an uncouth, surly, tobacco chewing halfling boater.

The trip down the river is treacherous, given the crocodiles, presenting at least one thrilling battle before reaching the delta. The challenge of the encounter is less slaying the hungry reptiles and more protecting the little boat from being smashed in the tussle. 

The river delta is mainly comprised of gunk, dense algae, silt, sediment, and halfling boat debris that has drifted downriver. However, the delta is the territory of an onnery two-headed croc named Toothy Jack. Toothy Jack is none too interested in letting the PCs dig around his delta, where his harem of female crocs have been overseeing Jack's broods. 

After contending with Toothy Jack and his harem, the PCs will eventually find the mummified severed foot of Gabby Talltale.  


*Part III: The Punchline*

On the trip back to Paddlewise, the Gabby Talltale appears before the PCs. She is composed of her incorporeal pieces which look to be patchworked together, except for her missing left foot. Gabby is not pleased that the PCs are trying to prevent her revenge, but buriel (and recognition) play to the angry ghost's pride. Instead of overtly fighting the PCs, Gabby challenges the players to a joke-telling contest. If they can make her laugh, she will not hinder their trip. Engage in a skill challenge, or use charisma or whatever appropriate social stat. Or, allow the players to each come up with an appropriate joke, gauging the other player's responses. 

If the players succeed, Gabby allows them pass. If not, she harries their journey - possessing the slain crocodile corpses, possessing a PC and running into the river, attempting to steal her foot, or attracting wandering monsters.

When the PCs reach Paddlewise and conduct the funeral ceremony of Gabby's foot, they can engage in a challenge to get Gruck out of bed. This should be fairly difficult, but after a few intimidates, diplomacies, and religion checks assuring Gruck the ghost is gone, the troll will get out of bed and go outside of the temple's grounds (only if the PCs and Abbot accompany him). Gabby's soul is at rest, and since she does not attack, Gruck profusely thanks the PCs (with lots of hugs and slobbery troll kisses) before returning to bed for his ulcers. Abbot thanks the PCs and offers them towels. The halflings rejoice, hail the players as heroes, and a fish banquit is in order. 


*Ingredients*:
River Delta: The resting place of Gabby's foot, and Toothy Jack's territory, at the mouth of the Emerald River.
Severed Foot: The foot of Gabby Talltale, the McGuffin necessary to save Gruck and Paddlewise.
Monstrous Bard: Gabby TallTale. Being a ghost, she's a monster. But her appearance (and what she does to the trolls) is also monstrous. 
Brutal Slayings: The description and state of slayed troll remains are quite brutal. 
Bedridden Troll: Gruch is bedridden, both from his severe ulcers. He is a troll, and also fishes by trolling. 
Ioun Stone: The Stone of Ioun within the Paddlewise temple is a monolith covered in runes, useful for divinations. Said to be blessed by Ioun, it has powers of knowledge and wisdom.


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## Nifft (Oct 18, 2009)

humble minion vs. Thasmodious, your ingredients are:

*Stellar Pathway
Magic Fruit
Elvish Mayor
Critical Hits
Evil Puppets
Mace of Blood*

Start your engines!


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## Atras (Oct 19, 2009)

*The Brutal Bard of Trasa*

_After weeks of stumbling through the woods and the mountains, you have found a pleasant seeming village built around a river delta, but all is not as it appears in this sleepy little town..._

A 4th Edition adventure for five level 10 characters.
*Background*

The village of Trasa, located on the river Bradlichi, has been met with hard times. Known for nothing of interest, it sits largely ignored by nobles; the town has grown self-reliant enough to fend off a random passing goblin or orc group. When a Troll came, that was another matter altogether. The troll nearly caused the starvation of the town three winters ago when it killed two of the strongest defenders of the town, and it took nearly all of the town's food. When it came back in the spring, it was surprised by a Half-Orc Bard that had been hired by the mayor to remove the troll problem. Braeden, the Half-Orc Bard, removed the problem, but the cost was terrible: he demanded the five prettiest woman in town to accompany him on his travels. After he had been gone for 8 months, he returned with a newborn child and a demand for the five prettiest women in town. This time the townsfolk fought back, particually the husbands of the women he had taken the first time. Sadly, none were a match for the monsterous Bard, and he brutally slayed over 80%of the adult males of the town, and took all of the women of child-bearing age.
*Character Introduction*

_You have been contacted by a young boy: Owen, a small twig of a boy just barely ten years old, who is in desparate need of heroes. His village, Trasa, on the delta of the river Bradlichi, has been attacked by a most powerful half-orc. He left for help when five husbands of wives who had been taken by this half-orc were cut down, but he heard the screams and cries for a mile while he ran towards the nearest city. He needs someone who can bring justice to this monster and hopefully save his town._

If your players are not moved by this hook, then you have some seriously non-heroic characters; I recommend feeding them to Tiamat. If they agree to follow Owen to his town then describe the scene: 

_The town is in ruins... nearly half of the village is still smoldering from the fires of what used to be houses. Prepubescent girls and boys are busy digging graves for what appears to be adult males - despite most being barely recognizable as such._

*Encounter 1: Role Playing*
A Perception check of 20 reveals that the only women in the town are all quite elderly, and are only able to help by trying to comfort the smallest children.
Talking to any of the coherent people in the town reveals the history of the toown's troubles as well as the fact that the Half-Orc began killing villagers that attacked him when he demanded new women to take away, and that he didn't stop hacking at the bodies until forced to fend off another attempted defender of the town. When the first three waves of abled-bodied men were brutally killed, he pulled some gems from a pouch that circled his head, and he began a strange sounding song. When the song was finsihed all of the women of child-bearing age literally dropped what they were doing, some even dropping held babies, and followed the Bard out of town.

*Encounter 2: Skill Challenge*
There is no opportunity for purchasing gear in this little town, so the heroes should be prepared to move out, trying to track the Bard at this point. Finding the tracks of all of the women in town is trivial, but the party is met with a challenge at the river, where severed ropes and crushed reeds indicate a boat was waiting at the end of the tracks for the villian. The heroes will need to follow the river and decide which path to take at the delta. This can be run as a Complexity 1 Skill Challenge with a DC 24 on Perception, Nature and History to reward Successes for noticing a hidden trail or knowing the history of this area; 19 DCs in Athletics, Acrobatics, Dungeoneering and Insight provide +2 bonuses to any checks for pushing the group harder, getting over/around tricky obstacles or understanding the way a Half-Orc may think. Sucess in this Skill Challenge prevents the Bard from arming his minions, Failure means the women are armed when the heroes arrive. In either case, if the players do not come up with a means of travelling by river, they must all make DC 20 Endurance checks, and each character that fails that check loses a healing surge. If more than half of the party fails this check, it counts as a failure.


*Encounter 3: River Delta Combat*
When the party reaches the Bard's keep down the river, they are confronted by a group of undead set to defend the Bard while he completes a ritual that permanently binds his hostage's minds to his will. These are made up of skinned victims of the Bard, severed feet of the victims, and two ghosts who are unable to depart the area. This is a level 13 encounter and the monster are in Open Grave. The undead fight to the re-death.
5 Skins of dead women (Forsaken Shell at level 11)
2 Drowned Ghosts
6 Severed Feer(Lich Claws at level 14)​*Encounter 4: Role Playing* 
Once the entrance to the keep is secured, the party enters to see a strange sight - a troll, strapped to a bed with crystalline stones circling his head. His legs dangle off the end of the bed, with a stream of foul smelling green liquid pouring constantlly on the ends of his legs - at the ankles. His arms are resting off the side of the bed, the wrists smoking as they rest inside bowls of the same liquid. A Nature check of 19 reveals that this is Acid, keeping the troll for regenerating his appendages. An Arcana check of 25 reveals that the stones around the Troll's head are Ioun stones - keeping the troll alive while resticted in this situation. A DC 20 check reveals a troll foot on a shelf, the ankle also resting in a bowl of acid. The players can rouse the Troll from his stupor with a DC 25 Heal check or any healing power. If they choose to help the troll, he is too weak to assist in the battle, but he provides the PCs with the location of the traps in the Bard's inner sactum as well as knowledge of the Bard's mind-bending abilities, granting the party a + 2 bonus to saves against his powers. If the players instead choose to kill the troll, they may do so without penalty - it _is_ a troll. Either way, they can avail themselves of the Ioun stones that circle the troll. There is a clear spindle and a dark blue rhomboid that keep the troll aware of his suffering and alive without any sustenance. If the troll is allowed to live, he will be well enough to walk away by the time the players finish the fight. He is grateful enough to help the players in any way he can. He claims his severed foot if he survives.

*Encounter 5: Battle the Monsterous Bard*
The final encounter is the battle against the Half-Orc Bard. If the players had success in the skill challenge, then the women of the town are not armed and will not attack the players. If they took too long to track down the Bard, the women have been instruccted to attack and otherwise impede the players. The villian has managed to set up his traps already, and will steer players into them as much as possible. He has three Ioun Stones orbitting his head, a pink and green sphere (granting him a +2 to Charisma), a pale lavendar ellipsoid that can absorb 1 level 3 encounter power and 1 level 1 encounter or at-will power and a vibrant purple prism that allows him to use Bigby's Icy Grip (level 5 Daily Wizard power)

*Braeden, Monsterous Bard*​
​*Level 13 Solo Controller (Leader)*​
​Medium natural humanoid​
​​XP 4,000​
*Initiative +9 Senses Perception +14*
*Mindbender's Hum aura 1; enemies that move into or start their turn in the aura are slid 1 square.*
*HP 460; Bloodied 230*
*AC 27; Fortitude 25; Reflex 25; Will 29*
*Saving Throws +5 *
*Resist: 1 Level 1 Power, 1 Level 3 Power (once each)*
*Speed 6*
*Action Points 2*
m *Commanding Strike* (at-will; standard) *• Weapon*
+18 vs AC; 1d10 + 6 damage, and the target is slid 1d4
C *Braeden's Chant* (at-will; standard) 
Close Blast 3; +17 vs Will; 1d10 + 6 damage, and pushed 2 squares, if pushed into any creature, the target and othe creature are knocked prone
C *Word of Command* (recharge 6; standard) *• Psychic*
Braeden assaults your mind, making you do his bidding
Close burst 5; +15 vs Will; psychic damage, and target is dominated (save ends) .
C *Majestic Song* (recharge 6; minor) *• Healing*
Clost burst 10; Braeden heals 10 hit points and slides 2 squares. All of Braeden's allies gain 5 temporary hit points and slide 1.
C *Monsterous Burst* (encounter; standard; recharges when first bloodied) 
Close burst 2; targets enemies; Braeden slays an adjacent ally and uses the death to damage those who oppose him.; +15 vs Reflex; 4d8 + 6 necrotic damage, the target slides falls prone, and the target is blinded (save ends). Requires adjacent dominated enemy or ally - that target is reduced tto zero hit points. 
C *Braeden's Brag* (recharge 5 6; standard) *• Fear, Psychic*
The Bard gives brutal details of his atrocities, weakening your resolve to engage him. 
Close burst 5; +15 vs Will; 1d10 + 6 psychic damage, and ongoing 5 psychic damage and the target is dazed (save ends both)
*Bardic Enchanting* (encounter; standard; recharges when first bloodied) 
Braeden's charm affects time itself, allowing him to act faster than those around him. For the rest of this round, Braeden gains a +2 bonus to all defenses. In the next round, Braeden acts twice, at initiative count 30, and his original initialive. At each of these counts, he gets to perform a standard action, a move action, and a minor action. In the round after that, he acts normally at his original count in the initiative order
*Alignment Unaligned*
*Languages Common*
*Skills Arcana +14, History +14, Insight +14, Streetwise +19*​*Str 16 (+9)*
*Dex 17 (+9)*
*Wis 17 (+9)*
*Con 20 (+11)*
*Int 17 (+9)*
*Cha 27 (+14)*
*Equipment Rapier, Implement, Wand, Green Ioun Stone, Pale Lavendar Ioun Stone, Vibrant Purple Ioun Stone (Bigby's Icy Grasp)*
© 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved. This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure Tools.








A = Undead Battle Encounter
B = Roleplaying Encounter
C = Braeden Battle Encounter
T = ankle slicing traps (+16 vs Reflex, 2d10 + 10 damage and slowed (save ends), on a critical hit, foot is severed, you take ongoing 5 damage and are slowed until Remove Affliction can be cast during an extended rest.)​ 


Ingredients:

*River Delta* - location and source of some undead
*Severed Foot -* the Troll's condition and risk of traps.<LI goog_docs_charIndex="11016">*Monsterous Bard -* the villian of the story monsterous in both race and behavior.<LI goog_docs_charIndex="11034">*Brutal Slayings -* the result of the Bard's action, payment for his troll removal service.<LI goog_docs_charIndex="11052">*Bedridden Troll -* the way the Bard was introduced to the town, and a chance to roleplay something non-standard late in the adventure.
*Ioun Stone -* Rewards from killing the Bard, as well as his means to torment the troll and protect himself in battle.


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## phoamslinger (Oct 19, 2009)

and the winner is…

different judges look at different things.  my focus is almost always on the ingredients more than anything else.  playability or usefulness is usually a wash and overall story or the feel of the scenario is extremely subjective, so I only count down on it if the story seems trite or contrived.  hooks and formatting are always nice, but I’m not as picky about such things as some other judges have been.  I figure that the DM will either steer his players into a setting or not.  and someone who wants to win an Iron DM is going to put the best, most presentable face on his or her entry as they can.  so you generally never get extra points out of these types of things with me and I tend to gloss over them.

it really does come down to the ingredients and more importantly, how those ingredients connect to the other ingredients.  if you made a chart with ingredients 1-5 up the y axis and ingredients 6-2 along the x axis, there are 15 possible connections between 6 ingredients.  which really means that there are thirty connections.  maybe the river delta doesn’t have a connection to severed feet, but the severed foot stops flowing downstream when it gets to a river delta (a one way connection, so one of two possible).  or maybe the bedridden troll ate the bard, making her monstrous and then the monstrous bard is what put the troll into the bed (going both directions, two out of two – much stronger!)

when I put the ingredients out there, several of them immediately jumped together pretty naturally: severed feet, brutal slayings, a monstrous bard, a troll (bedridden or not).  so it was really the last two ingredients that I figured were going to be the make/break points.  what would you do with the river delta, the ioun stone, and the bedridden nature of the troll.  how would these be worked in and how strongly would each ingredient be connected to the other five?

individually (and taken out of order, because…)
the *Monstrous Bard*: Rechan had a halfling bard who, even before she became an undead, sought out and tormented the trolls who were providing a useful service for the community.  so even though she later became a monster, she was not a good person to begin with.  Atras has a half-orc who will eventually destroy a village, abuses and kills its inhabitants, turns their feet into bizarre undead monsters, and has a troll kept prisoner and tortured in his lair, just because.  both bards are very bad people, but which one had to be a bard?  Atras, your bard sang the people into dominion, but it could just as easily been a wizard, priest, warlock, sorcerer, or other class casting similar spells for similar effects.  .  bards aren’t just singers, although that’s how they are most typically played.  Rechan’s bard used “scorching wit” and comedy to attack the troll brothers, which struck me as a very bard-like way to go about things.  plus the “riddle contest” at the end was an excellent encounter, although I usually consider skill challenges to be “roll-playing”, which is not a compliment to the system.  I would rather be stumping the players themselves and making them THINK.  but Rechan’s bard *as a bard* was a much stronger entry.

the *Bedridden Troll*: I thought it was interesting that you both used acid as the reason the troll couldn’t get out of bed, either from an upset tummy or by being tied down and actively prevented from recovery.  but troll regeneration is tough stuff, and Rechan’s troll’s case of stomach acid seemed a bit weak.  and are we suggesting that a cleric who has risen to the rank of abbot doesn’t have the cure spells to fix a bad case of heartburn?  per the story, Gruck ran away while Gabby was finishing off his brother, so she hasn’t used her “wit” on him yet.  so he might have been a frightened troll, but not really enough to be confined to a bed.  point to Atras.

I don’t want to repeat my last harsh criticism of a player’s entry, but unfortunately, those were the two strongest ingredients in Rechan’s entry.   all of his other ingredients were either replaceable or not that impressive an interpretation.  

the *Severed Foot* of the bard, why not replaceable with a hand or her head?  and why was the foot missed from the troll buffet in the first place?  NEVER toss an ingredient into the mix as a mcguffin, a generic THIING that drives the plot around it.  you’re in effect making one of the ingredients generic and that will only hurt your entry.  

with the *Brutal Slayings*, I asked my young son how to kill trolls and he said “burn ‘em”.  I asked with what and he told me “fire or acid”.  so any adventurer who’s ever killed a troll has probably seen a trollish acid or burn victim.  the evidence of Rechan’s brutal slayings could be considered commonplace, not extreme.  

the *River Delta* sort of works as a place where the foot might have slowly come to rest, but might not a pool or waterfall or just ‘down river’ worked as well?  the delta as a tie-in for crocodiles which then tied the troll brothers “trolling” helped some, but now the crocodiles are starting to take over a strong place as a seventh ingredient (which they were not), especially with the fight with Toothy Jack.  I would not have put crocodiles as an ingredient into a competition like this because it would have been too easy a tie in to the River Delta, but they play a big part in Rechan’s entry.  logically, River Delta becomes swamp or marshland before entering the sea, so crocodiles were not a problem in and of themselves, but I would have put other swampy creatures in there to offset, will-o-wisps, giant leeches, quicksand, etc.  as it was I felt “Crocodile” actually replacing “River Delta” in the overall context and after that River Delta became easily replaced.  so I felt I had to give this one a no-pass.

and that brings us to the last, the *Ioun Stone*.  I like thinking out of the box.  when I originally printed the list, the magic item was a Ioun Stone of Steadfastness, but at the last minute I decided to make it a generic item, just to open up a little creativity.  Rechan’s Stone of Ioun took that way, way too far.  Ioun Stones are little gems that float around your head and give you some MINOR advantage.  I was wondering what minor advantage the stones might give that would be story turning.  in other words, without the Ioun Stones, the story would not have been the same (or it might not even have been possible).  this was clearly the case when Atras used the Iouns to keep his troll barely alive and barely conscious.  without the stones’ effects his bedridden troll might have died.  I had a hard time understanding *why* his monstrous bard was using the magic to keep the troll alive until I remembered *he was a monstrous bard* and didn’t need a reason to torture a troll.  so the Ioun Stone strengthened the Bedridden Troll, which emphasized the Monstrous nature of the Bard (nice connection string there!).

instead Rechan built an artifact around the idea of a Stone of Ioun to guide the players along.  shaky, but not bad until I went and looked up Ioun:

 Ioun is the god of knowledge, skill, and prophecy. Sages, seers, and tacticians revere her, as do all who live by their knowledge and mental power. Corellon is the patron of arcane magic, but Ioun is the patron of its study. Libraries and wizard academies are built in her name. Her commands are also teachings: Seek the perfection of your mind by bringing reason, perception, and emotion into balance with one another. Accumulate, preserve, and distribute knowledge in all forms. Pursue education, build libraries, and seek out lost and ancient lore. Be watchful at all times for the followers of Vecna, who seek to control knowledge and keep secrets. Oppose their schemes, unmask their secrets, and blind them with the light of truth and reason.  

I found that online and it’s a direct quote out of the 4E PHB.  I don’t have a problem with you guys writing 4E adventures and calling them that, I just don’t care to play them is all.  Rechan proposed his adventure as non-edition specific, but when was Ioun deified?  for certain in 4e, was there an earlier edition?  I always figured he was another inventor/ mage like Tenser or Bigby.  suffice it to say, trying to avoid the appearance of being a 4E adventure, and then finding a 4E deity implied did not add to Rechan’s entry.  nor did it detract.  it just annoyed.

If Rechan’s Stone of Ioun, a huge artifact of the deity had related somehow to “knowledge, skill, and prophecy” it might have worked.  if Rechan had played directly of other parts of the in-book description it might have worked.  but instead it was given divination and worse, because the abbot was able to read or communicate with it somehow (did it speak to him?) it became a deux ex machina device within the story, telling the players exactly what they needed to know and do to win the game (which then took me back to my theory that 4E leads to facile gaming – just my opinion and observation, but not something I care to argue here).  I won’t quote Wikipedia on the idea of deux ex machina in literature, but it’s not complimentary.  if the Abbot had come forth with a prophecy, or maybe directed the players to a library to research how to quell a restless ghost or something like that, it would have made it the Stone of Ioun.  but now, it could just as easily been the Stone of Thor, the Stone of Bast, or the Stone of Yog-Sothoth and the players would not have known the difference (ok, maybe not that last one).

so Rechan had one strong ingredient, two sort of weak ones, and three that just didn’t impress at all.  some other considerations.  what did the River Delta have to do with the Brutal Slayings, or with the Monstrous Bard, or with the Stone of Ioun?  other than sitting on it, how did the Bedridden Troll connect to the Stone?  What was the link between the Stone and the Slayings?  like I said earlier THIRTY possible connections criss-crossing over the space of an adventure (which is hard, but not impossible.  thinking about it I came up with an idea for an adventure that cross connects every which way, using precisely these ingredients.  if there’s curiosity, I’m tempted to write it up as an example.

regarding Atras’ ingredients, your *Monstrous* villain was definitely a bad, bad person, but beyond the domination song and his combat powers, he didn’t strike me as terribly *Bard*-like.  the *Brutal Slayings*, might not have been all that brutal - clearly a high level NPC going up against a town of minions will have an easy time of it.  but in the eyes of those minions, it would have been pretty horrific “one hit and he killed Charlie”, so I inferred that it would work, especially when the NPCs relayed the story back to the adventurers.  I liked your usage of the *Severed Foot* as another monster type and even more, that at the end of the adventure after the party has been fighting monstrous feet all along, that the traps of the Bard would then remove THEIR feet, making everything quite personal, was an original idea.  your *River Delta* as a river delta was a bit weak, but you put a Skill Challenge there.  I started to see it as an analogy or metaphor, that as the river branched but eventually ended up in the ocean, so too might the adventure have branched to various encounters but still arrived eventually at the half-orc, based on how well they did their skill checks.  I would have liked to have seen (or at least seen suggested) a few more alternate branching results beyond a simple pass/fail.  so this ranked as not completely weak, but not as strong as it could have been.  

why did you put the *Troll* there?  if it was _Just Because_, then it was a weaker ingredient than I read it to be.  but your usage of the *Ioun Stones* was perfect and justified my making that ingredient less confining: just enough to keep the troll alive and aware.  just enough to give the Bard a slight edge, to grant him a minor combat ability, and let him be just a bit more survivable in the final fight.  

your ingredients had a few better connections, but also no where near to thirty.  how did the Stones relate to the Slayings, the Feet, or the Delta?  how did the Delta relate to the Bedridden Troll or the Slayings?  etc.

*Note: *
after you finish writing, if you have time, you should always go back and ask how did this relate to that?  what’s the connection between these two?  how do these two ingredients cling together?  if I swapped another “x” in place of this ingredient, would it change the story or not?  and you should be doing it for the ingredients that don’t obviously flow together.  for example: a River Delta eventually flows into the sea.  maybe sea pirates or a trading port that would have made it NECESSARY that the story took place on a River Delta.  maybe upriver is roaring rapids which means the only place the story could take place HAD TO BE where the water slows down.  maybe the Troll was a SCRAG and had to be near the ocean, therefore the setting had to be the river’s mouth.  or something else.  doing this kind of an analysis and then tweaking your submission will usually end up giving you a much tighter entry on the following rounds.


at this rate, based on my main criteria, Atras had it pretty solidly as a win (was that vague enough to keep you wondering?).  but I also had some comments on and issues with the overall stories and the fact that Atras used 4E, whereas Rechan tried for a more generic feel (based on earlier comments I’ve made).


Rechan, I LIKE halflings a lot and it would be fun playing in your halfling community.  there was a lot of personality in the names of the various NPCs and the crocodile bad guy at the end which I liked.  but the rest of your story kind of fell flat.  Gabby Talltale is a villain whose death was not unjustified, yet she comes back from the dead and now she’s putting her community at risk and is tormenting the trolls who as a judge, I do not see as being ‘evil’ creatures.  yet the whole mission resolves around putting her foot into hallowed ground so that she can be “at peace”.  what she deserves is not peace, but an exorcism to send her restless spirit to its just reward - sending her to the fiery realms below would have been a happier ending.

Atras, the map was a nice visual and helped visualize how the traps would work, but it was not really needed unless you just felt like adding it.  some of your ingredients needed a bit more work, but I found your bard to be more Monstrous, and stopping him (instead of putting him to rest) to be a better story overall.  plus you used the rest of your ingredients better.  I was just kidding about the 4E thing.  it’s really not that big a concern with me compared to the other parts of the competition.

so the 4E adventure, _The Brutal Bard of Trasa_ wins!  Atras advances to the next round.


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## humble minion (Oct 19, 2009)

*Bitter Fruit*

  An urban side-trek adventure for 9th level PCs, using 3.5e rules.

*Adventure background*

  The adventure takes place in the city of Manath, but is adaptable to most ‘conventionalish’ campaign settings.  It requires a good-sized city with a bardic college, a treed, predominately elven district, and a supply of wealthy fad-driven fops with more money than sense.

  For many years, the guiding spirit behind Manath’s Elven Quarter was Kei’ree Twilight, a powerful druidess who kept alive a little piece of wilderness in the heart of the growing city.  Kei’ree’s home was the Twilight Tree, a huge enchanted swamp willow that only exists on the Prime Material plane in the hours of darkness, while during the daytime it exists in the Plane of Shadow.  This was Kei’ree’s downfall – recently, during the Tree’s time on the Shadow Plane, she was attacked and killed by an exceptionally powerful vampire.

  Kei’ree’s chief acolyte, Girael Starsong, was also slain in the attack on the Tree.  However, he arose as a vampire the next night - the master vampire desired a minion to do his will in Manath, but chose the acolyte over Kei’ree out of fear of her power as a potential rival.  

  The PCs get involved just as Girael’s plans are set in motion.

Hooks: The PCs are in the city and want to buy potions (healing, barkskin, neutralize poison, etc) for their next adventure.  A Gather Information or Knowledge (local) check (DC15) will reveal that in the Elven Quarter, magical fruits are grown that contain the same effects as conventional magical potion or oils.  If the PCs go to purchase potions there, they’ll meet Kerreth of the Strings.  PCs visiting elven acquaintances in Manath will also find them in the Fruit Market, where they can meet Kerreth.

  Alternatively (though less ideally), if the PCs have contacts or friends among the Manath nobility, they will most likely hear about Kerreth’s spectacular new puppet show through one of them.  Or if one of the PCs is a bard, on visiting the bardic college they could get dragged into the arguments as to whether or not Kerreth should be permitted to perform in the Great Theatre, through the strongly-held opinions (one way or the other) of friends or mentors in the college.


*Introduction *

  The Elven Quarter is an anomaly in Manath – a piece of seemingly untouched wilderness nestled in the heart of the city.  The residents live almost exclusively on platforms high in the trees, connected by rope bridges.  The Quarter thrums with the magic of Kei’ree Twilight.  It is her power that cleanses the waters of the Manatine River as it flows through the Quarter (the district immediately downstream of the Elven Quarter is the most sought-after location in the city, due the purity of the river water and general lack of smell), and her power that created the plants that provide the Quarter its main source of income.  Scattered around the quarter are fruit trees enchanted by Kei’ree so that they bear magic fruit, equivalent in every way to druidic potions (magic fruit must be harvested on precisely the correct day by a druid otherwise they have no special powers – just in case PCs get greedy…)  The Quarter (Kei’ree insists that the proceeds are used for common benefit) sells its fruit in a flowered market clearing by the riverbank.  Magic fruits are sold from a polished, flattened boulder of natural marble by young elven druidic acolytes, while less expensive non-magical (but still delicious) fruit change hands in vast bundles, along with fresh flowers and various bits and pieces of elven craftsmanship.

  In one corner of the clearing squats a blasted, hollow dead tree, surrounded by a blighted patch of dead earth and blackening plants and terrible chlorine reek.  If the PCs enquire, they will learn that this is the home of Jinthalee Laughingstream.  Once a renowned, joyful adventuring hero, he was horribly mutilated by acid in a battle against Juiblex’s cultists, and lost several limbs and most of his face.  His adventuring companion, a human wizard, did his best to repair the damage by turning Laughingstream into an iron half-golem (MMII).  This gave Laughingstream back his limbs, but took a terrible toll on his mind and spirit (-6 to Int and Cha will do that to you).  Joyless, sullen, and broken, he retired back to his home in the Quarter, feeling his life wasted and his achievements meaningless.  Kei’ree took pity on him – while she retained the spiritual leader of the Quarter, she saw that Laughingstream took on the title of Mayor, and responsibility for protecting the Fruit Market in the hope that he would find purpose in this.  She also created a new variety of magical fruit for him – the Blood Orange.  This fruit, when crushed, releases juice that acts in every way equivalent to human blood.  When applied to the Mace of Blood Laughingstream took from the slain slime cult leader, it allows him to use it to its fullest potential – Kei’ree’s way of granting Laughingstream some measure of victory from that disastrous fight.  Laughingstream is too heavy to dwell aloft in the Quarter, and his poisonous exhalations blight the landscape surrounding him, so he stays enthroned here in his dead hollow tree as much as possible, lost and distant.

  If the PCs (or an NPC) cause trouble in the Market, it’s Laughingstream who will emerge to restore order – a task he will perform glumly, passionlessly, and with unnecessary force.  He is an elven iron half-golem and a 9th level fighter, who wields the Mace of Blood.  As a half-golem he is immune to all magic and supernatural abilities with a few very specific exceptions, so by DM fiat I’m saying this includes immunity to the Mace’s alignment-modifying effect as well (the nature of this effect is not spelled out in the DMG anywhere I can see).  Kei’ree wouldn’t have let him wield it otherwise.  His alignment is N.

  The other standout personality in the Fruit Market is Kerreth of the Strings.  Kerreth is incurably good-natured, friendly, enthusiastic and optimistic – he’s a genuinely nice person, although he is decidedly simple and mentally/emotionally childlike, and his stammer, hunched back and lopsided face tend to put some people off.  He’s a passably well-known figure around Manath, earning his keep performing streetside puppet shows for whatever spare change gets thrown his way.  He’s no bard (game-mechanically he’s an expert), but he loves exciting stories of heroism, so he’ll probably recognize the PCs from tavern tales, and come right up to them and strike up conversation.  Mostly he’ll want to tell the PCs how wonderful they are, bask in their glory a bit, show them his puppets (Patches, Mr Sticks, Sir Roderick, Fatbelly, and Ring-a-ding), and put on a short puppet show for them.  Those who accept now or later will find that Kerreth’s skill in manipulating his puppets is extraordinary, but the puppets themselves are rather crude, his presentation marred by his speech impediment, and the stories he tells are rambling and directionless.  But the sheer joy he takes from performing makes up for it.

*Promotion*

  Once the PCs leave the Quarter and spend a bit of time in the city, they’ll become aware of Kerreth’s name being on every set of lips.  Twice a year Manath’s bardic college puts on a performance in the college’s Grand Theatre, where some of the most talented performers in the city will display their skills in front of the cream of society and a selection of ordinary citizens (selected by raffle).  This can be a massive boost to the career of a young bard, and being called on to perform is an eagerly sought honour.

  This year, a huge public outcry is pressuring the College into naming Kerreth as one of the performers.  Girael is behind this.  The Bardic College library contains old tomes of lore that give away some of the secrets of his vampiric master, and he’s been ordered to destroy them.  The library is warded against the undead, so he can’t enter directly, and he doesn’t like his chances at dominating strong-willed, magic-savvy bards to do his dirty work, so he’s using Kerreth as his stalking horse.  Instead, roaming around the city in the form of a dog, Girael has dominated a selection of street gang leaders, barmen and drunken slumming nobles, and ordered them to spread the word about how talented Kerreth is and how he deserves to perform at the Grand Theatre.  The bards resist the idea, however, and driven by Girael’s manipulations, things get ugly.  

  The PCs can weigh in on either side of this debate.  Kerreth himself is harmless and sympathetic, and if the bards continue to resist the idea, they increasingly look snobbish and out of touch with the appeal of a ‘common man’s performer’.  On the other hand, perfectly innocent bards are getting roughed up by thugs in the streets (the PCs should have the chance to intervene in at least one of these attacks, in order to win the trust of the bards).  Girael’s dominated nobles (and other nobles, sensing which way the winds of fashion blow) will threaten to withdraw financial patronage.  

  Kerreth trusts the ‘heroes’ implicitly (he trusts ALL heroes implicitly, but the PCs happen to be the ones on hand), and if the PCs protected bards against attack earlier then the bards will trust them too.  They will likely be approached by a senior bard to act as mediator before things get out of hand.  Some angry bards might need to be mollified if Kerreth is to perform, or else a separate performance solely by him might be an acceptable compromise, but one way or another, Kerreth should perform at the Grand Theatre – Girael’s pawns will not be satisfied and will keep increasing the tension until that happens.


*Production*

  Girael knows that someone in the College will likely suspect magical manipulation of the situation, so he has taken some care.  His plan involves Kerreth’s puppets.  Mr Sticks, a loosely-connected manikin of dried bits of wood, is actually a bogun (Spell Compendium) created by Girael.  Mr Sticks is NE (created by Girael post-vampirism) and malicious, and his temper has not been improved by having bits of string tied around him and been ordered in no uncertain terms by his master to act like a puppet until inside the Grand Theatre.  Mr Sticks will not detect as magical (he is a creature), and Detect Evil is not a bard spell, so Girael hopes his agent can remain undetected even if the College is suspicious.  Another of Kerreth’s puppets, Ring-a-ding, is hung around with dozens of bits of shiny, jangling scrap metal, coins, nails, bells, etc.  On Ring-a-ding, Girael has hung eight hollyberry bombs from a casting of fire seeds from one of Kei’ree’s scrolls.  These have been wrapped in thinnest, polished lead foil to prevent their magic being detected, and will appear as perfectly ordinary lead shot unless a DC35 Search check is made.  Kerreth himself has no inkling of any of this, has no magic items, and is CG.

  Backstage, during Kerreth’s performance, Mr Sticks will untie himself from his strings while Kerreth is using other puppets, retrieve the hollyberry bombs, and sneak off into the College to plant the bombs in the library. Girael, lurking on the roof in the form of a bat, will be watching the stage through the eyes of one of his dominated pawns in the audience.  

  At this point, Kerreth will decide he needs Mr Sticks for his story once more, and will be distraught to find the puppet missing.  The mood will get ugly, fast.  Kerreth’s fans (dominated and otherwise) will accuse the bards of playing a cruel trick on a simple man by stealing Mr Sticks.  If the PCs don’t intervene and take charge of the situation (as the only ones that everyone trusts) there will be bloodshed.  If the PCs don’t think of it, one of the bards will cast Locate Object, which will fail to find Mr Sticks.  This is of course because he is a creature and thus unaffected, but the explanations most will jump to is that Mr Sticks has been destroyed or taken far away.  Kerreth’s fans are not going to like either explanation.

  When Mr Sticks has finished laying his bombs, he tries to sneak back into Kerreth’s puppet case, but decides he is likely to be discovered amid the commotion around the stage, so goes and stashes himself in an obscure corner of backstage where he has been ‘misplaced’ by Kerreth.  A DC 25 search check backstage will find him, and he can be returned to Kerreth in time to avoid a riot.

  When Girael sees Mr Sticks has returned, he will trigger the berry bombs.  The library (situated above the theatre) will start to burn.  Unless one of the PCs has Scent, this will remain unnoticed until the books are well alight, when smoke starts seeping through the ceiling and the rope supporting the massive Theatre chandelier begins to smoulder.  Once the alarm is raised, Girael will use his remaining pawns in the audience to hinder as much as possible any attempt at firefighting or rescue.  Some will scream and go hysterical and make nuisances of themselves, some will throw themselves bodily at the doors trying to push them open (the doors open inwards, so cannot be opened until these people are restrained), other may attack any nearby bards, etc.  The PCs must prevent the chandelier falling on the audience, get the doors open, rescue as many people as possible, and subdue the violent ones, all amid rising heat and a rain of flaming embers (and blazing pages from the library).  Girael will do his absolute best to get all his pawns killed in the blaze so they can’t answer questions later.  Kerreth will die unless the PCs save him, and the library will burn unless the bards succeed in getting the PCs help to preserve it.

  Mr Sticks is the weak point in Girael’s plan.  He will abandon his guise as a puppet and flee the fire in terror, and his +10 Hide modifier will not likely be enough to evade the PCs Spot checks when moving at full speed.  Mr Sticks only wants to escape, and will not even try to fight.

*Deduction*

  Mr Sticks will likely be the PCs best clue as to what happened.  Questioning Kerreth (gently – any attempt at Intimidate or harshness makes him cry unintelligibly, assuming this interrogation is not taking place via speak with dead) or a DC30 Gather Information check will reveal that Laughingstream made Mr Sticks for Kerreth.  This is true, although it happened long before Girael ‘borrowed’ Sticks from Kerreth to animate him.  Kei’ree, noticing Kerreth’s unalloyed adulation of the ‘great hero’ encouraged Laughingstream to spend time with him in the hope it would awaken Laughingstream from his gloom.  It didn’t work – Laughingstream made a desultory effort (hence the poor workmanship on Mr Sticks), and then lapsed back into nihilistic misery.  Any attempt to detect Mr Sticks magically, however, will fail.  As soon as he was spotted he lost all value to Girael, who burnt him to ash to cover the trail.

  A motive will also suggest itself.  The surviving bards, if asked about Laughingstream, will recall that Laughingstream once brutally beat a young bard called Merbenna, who was picking pockets in the Fruit Market while down on her luck, and who was unwise enough to pull a knife when caught.  Merbenna would have died if it weren’t for the intervention of Kei’ree, and it took her months to recover from her injuries.  Once she did recover, however, she devoted a large portion of her energy into vicious lampoons, parodies and slander of Laughingstream.  Merbenna, as it happens, is one of the bards who died in the fire at the Grand Theatre (Girael will ensure this happens via one of his pawns, if necessary)

  By this stage, the PCs will likely want to speak to Kei’ree.  Any of the druidic acolytes around the place will be able to tell them that she lives in the Twilight Tree, a vast and shadowy swamp willow that only exists in this world from dusk until dawn.  The path to the Twilight Tree is the most eerie in the Elven Quarter – cool and misty even on sunny days, the dense canopy hiding the sun and the silence broken only by the croak of frogs, the buzz of insects and the trickle of sluggish water.  Long streamers of thick moss hang from the slippery old rope bridges along the way.  When the path is taken at night, softly glowing points of light drift and flit among the trees.  These are Girael’s will-o-the-wisps, and they will come to his defense if he calls them.

  Kei’ree is dead, of course, so Girael will receive the PCs while explaining that Kei’ree is on another plane at the moment (true) and didn’t say when she’d be back (also true).  Girael will do everything possible to direct the PCs suspicions onto Laughingstream – while doing his best to appear reluctant to do so.  Reluctant confirmation of the Merbenna story; grudging admission that Laughingstream’s golemification damaged his mind; yes, his mace is an evil cursed thing, etc, etc.  He will urge restraint, but not too hard.  Not only does he need a scapegoat, but Laughingstream is the most powerful warrior in the Elven Quarter, and Girael is a little afraid of him.  Girael trusts to his Ring of Mind Shielding to avoid detecting as evil, but is worried about detecting as undead.  As such, when the PCs arrive, he takes care that they see him eating a large, juicy Blood Orange (the only solid food his vampiric metabolism can cope with) in an attempt to look alive.  He’ll offer them a some fruit as well – a DC35 Spot check will notice that there are no other Blood Oranges on the platter he offers to the PCs, a DC 25 Heal check (or Scent) will detect the smell of blood, and a Knowledge (nature) check will notice something peculiar and unnatural about the Blood Orange.

  Laughingstream will not come quietly.  He is the mayor and lawkeeper of the Fruit Market, in his mind.  He will not submit to arrest nor interrogation.  If PCs lay hands on him he will fight, if they react with deadly force he will fight to kill and not step back.  He genuinely doesn’t care if he lives or dies.  If the PCs investigate Laughingstream’s tree home, which he will not permit them to do if he is alive and aware of it, they find evidence of a truly miserable life.  Laughingstream does not sleep; he has no reading materials, clothes, decoration or personal possessions barring a simple chair and a few rags and tools for maintaining his armour and weapons.  A knowledge (arcana) check will reveal that half-golems do not need to eat, which should make the PCs wonder about the pile of rotting Blood Orange skins discarded against one wall.  A DC20 Diplomacy check directed at any druidic acolyte other than Girael will learn the true nature and purpose of the Blood Oranges, which will hopefully make the PCs wonder about Girael, given that they saw him eating one.

*Destruction*

  Eventually, the PCs should put enough clues together to get suspicious of Girael (unless, of course, they fall for it completely, kill Laughingstream for him, and call it a day).  His façade will not stand up to scrutiny when subjected the sort of divinations that a 9th level party has access to.  To reach him, they’ll have to assault the Twilight Tree at night, because he’s on the Shadow Plane the rest of the time.  

  Girael is an elven vampire 10th level druid.  Unlike most vampires, his Children of the Night ability allows him to summon 1d3 will-o-the-wisps rather than wolves.  One of these wisps will flit back invisibly to warn him if hostile PCs are heading his way, allowing him to prepare.  He will fight using ranged and guerilla tactics from Kei’ree’s sanctum in the Twilight Tree – he will used summoned swarms to chew through rope bridges as the PCs cross them, dropping the party into neck-deep swamp where lurks a summoned giant constrictor with animal growth cast on it.  He’ll use Spike Growth and Snare and Entangle and Obscuring mist liberally, while the will-o-the-wisps strike and fade away.  When the PCs finally close in on him, he’ll use everything he has left – including wildshaping into a giant octopus, grappling PCs into the swamp, and jetting off to drain them dry.  He will fight to the death – Girael died on the floor of Kei’ree’s sanctum and has no coffin to regenerate in, so once he’s gone, he’s gone.  But the vampire that started it all is still out there somewhere…


*Ingredients*

Stellar Pathway: The road to the Twilight Tree, illuminated by the dancing starlight motes of Girael’s will-o-the-wisps.  Also, the pathway to bardic/showbiz stardom that Girael sets up for Kerreth of the Strings.

Magic Fruits: The potions created in the Elven Quarter, in particular the Blood Oranges

Evil Puppets: Mr Sticks, Kerreth’s puppet who is also Girael’s bogun.  Beyond this, Girael is the puppet of the nameless, ancient vampire that originally slew Kei’ree Twilight and turned Girael himself to vampirism, and some of Girael’s dominated street gangers are certainly evil as well.  

Critical Hits: Girael’s mental manipulation of Kerreth’s audience turns Kerreth's puppet show into a hit among the critics.  

Elvish Mayor: Jinthalee Laughingstream, the once-hero half-golem and object of Girael’s frame-up.  

Mace of Blood: Laughingstream’s grim weapon, and the reason that Kei’ree created the Blood Oranges in the first place.


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## Radiating Gnome (Oct 20, 2009)

Match 7: Felipe_real vs Sparky

Here are your ingredients.  You have until 12:15 pm EST on Thursday.  

*Inside the Walls
Flying Dagger
Childhood Avenger
Talons like Steel
Unending Plague
Jar of Steam*


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## Thasmodious (Oct 21, 2009)

*Master of Puppets *​  A site-based adventure for 4-6 mid to high Paragon tier PCs. 
  Notes on the Presentation:  This is mostly a site driven adventure, not a plot driven one.  It is intended for the PCs to have different avenues to complete the adventure and the DM is encouraged to flesh out various areas of the city for the PCs to explore, rewarding them with information and clues that can help them when they finally confront the villain.  Notes on expanding the adventure are covered under the relevant sections below.

*Background*
  Ley lines spread across the world, binding all things together.  Great magical power exists where these lines meet and cross.  At some of these intersections grow the First Trees, the World Trees, which bear the Fruit of Life and root the conterminous planes.  It is at such an intersection that the Eladrin city of Tir Tara was raised, a sacred First Tree at the city's very heart.  Ancient texts speak of the Crystal City as a hall of learning, a jewel of the Feywild.  For centuries scholars from the mortal races were welcomed within its sacred halls and the city was a testament of peaceful cooperation between elves, Eladrin and the mortal races.  Then, inexplicably, the city disappeared, as if torn from the world.  The fate of Tir Tara remains one of the great mysteries of the Age. The site where the city stood remains a blight across the parallel planes of the Feywild, the Shadowfell and the material world.  No plant or living creature can thrive there and every effort to restore the once hallowed ground has failed.  Worse, a foul taint lies at the heart of where Tir Tara once stood, spreading its corruption slowly along the ancient ley lines that was once the source of the city's ancient and powerful magic, birthing aberrations and other nightmares and twisting the natural order. 

*DM Background – the Fate of Tir Tara*
  The fate of Tir Tara is a secret known only to the denizens that have been trapped within the city since its doom.  A number of the city's prominent citizens fell under the thrall of the Illithid Malfannen.  With pawns in place, he replaced the mayor of the city and took possession of the Mace of the First Willow, the artifact of rulership.  Corrupting it and poisoning the sacred First Tree with foul, aberrant arcane rituals, he severed the tree and the city bound to it from the natural world.  Tir Tara exists beyond space and time, the tree rooting it to the Far Realm and twisting everything within its borders.  Malfannen sees this as an eternal paradise where he rules as a god and the people of the city are his thralls, slaves and playthings.  

The skeleton plot of this adventure is summarized below:
1.  The PCs meet Aradon and agree to help
2.  The PCs travel to Sigil and seek out the portal to Tir Tara
3.  The PCs face a nightmarish journey to reach their destination.
4.  The PCs explore the city and attempt to solve its mysteries.
5.  The PCs confront Malfannen at the corrupted heart of the city.

*The Hook*
  For centuries Aradon, the former mayor of Tir Tara, was tormented into madness as the plaything of Malfannen.  When Malfannen grew bored of him, Aradon was imprisoned and forgotten.  He escaped and found a way out of the city, a portal to Sigil, City of Doors.  From there, he found his way back to the material plane.  Even insane, Aradon feels the connection to the ancient city at his core and will do anything to wrest it from the clutches of the Ilithid.  He has spent some time gathering fruit from another of the First Trees (he has 20 pieces).  He believes these can restore the poisoned tree at the heart of the city.  He comes to the PCs for help in one of the following ways:
  1.  If the group has any elves or Eladrin (or other fey origin), Aradon has learned of these powerful heroes and sought them out to aid him.  He can approach the party in a town or, more likely, the wilderness.  If the PCs are already involved in planar adventures, he could seek them out in Sigil.  Any PC with a connection to the fey knows the background presented above with a successful (easy) Knowledge: Arcane check.
  2.  If the group has no PCs of fey origins, the meeting is more random, but Aradon can see the PCs are powerful and tries to enlist their aid.  Here he would be most likely to find them in Sigil or stumble upon them in the wilderness.  

  If the PCs agree to help, or follow out of curiosity, he will lead them first to Sigil, then to Tir Tara.  If the PCs do not have the means to reach Sigil, Aradon can lead them to a site that does.  This could be a nice side-trek itself.  The PCs may have to negotiate with a cabal of druids guarding an ancient grove, or traverse a dangerous cavern to reach the portal. 

*Roleplaying Aradon*
  The former mayor has been driven insane by centuries of torment.  He babbles incessantly, his flies wildly from mood to mood, raging in anger one moment and whimpering in fear the next.  The scariest moments are those of complete sobriety.  For short moments of time, he appears rational, explaining parts of what happened and pleading with the PCs to save his (or their) people from their horrible fate, before crying or breaking into some mad song.  His ramblings can provide a number of clues to the PCs and help nudge them in the right direction when needed during parts of the adventure.

*The City of Doors and the Stellar Pathway*
  Once in Sigil, the PCs can take the time to buy equipment or explore the city.  The time spent in Sigil can be as short or long as the DM wishes.  Aradon could lead them straight to the location of the door or they could face some challenges along the way.  They might lose Aradon and engage in a skill challenge to chase after him as he bounds madly through the city.  The door they need may have guardians or puzzles that need to be overcome.  

  Eventually, they arrive at a black, rune covered door tucked away at the end of a dark alley in some near abandoned corner of the city.  The magical runes shift and writhe and a mad whispering tugs at the edges of the PCs’ consciousness.  Aradon explains in riddle that they have to consume a piece of the fruit he gathered from a First Tree to be able to enter the portal (so they are connected to the First Trees, including the poisoned one).  The fruit is powerfully magical and a PC consuming the fruit gains the benefits of an extended rest.  Consuming the fruit also grants Aradon a moment of lucidity, where he explains in flat, deadened terms the horrors that await the PCs on the other side of the portal.  He gives them each another piece of fruit, warns that it won’t have the same effect on them again, and tells them he thinks it is the key to curing the First Tree.

*Stargate Jump*
  The PCs are hurtled seemingly beyond the cosmos, sights and sounds both beautiful and nightmarish flash past them as if they were falling through an expansive tunnel.  Maddening, impossible monsters seem to coalesce out of nothing or float through the cosmos devouring worlds.  The journey seems like it may never end, like they may fall forever when they see that they have gained the notice of a menagerie of nightmarish creatures.  

*Face the Things That Should Not Be*
  The DM should build an encounter with level appropriate aberrant creatures of impossible shapes (gibbering mouthers, chuuls, carrion crawlers, etc., but more warped).  There are two facets to this encounter – a maddening, alien battlefield (the fight takes place in a shifting 3D environment) and the combat itself.  The PCs feel as if they are hurtling across the cosmos, yet their ability to maneuver in this environment is limited.  At the start of the encounter, when initiative is rolled the PCs are limited by the following negative effects:
  *  ½ movement rate, no double moves.
  *  No action point use.
  *  -2 to all physical actions, attacks, and damage.

  By engaging their environment (initiating a skill challenge) they can try to overcome these limitations.  This skill challenge runs concurrently with the combat, a PC can use their actions to fight or to try and advance the challenge.  The SC is a complexity 2 (6 successes before 3 failures) utilizing their physical skills to overcome and master the alien physics of the battleground or their knowledge and mental skills to perceive the impossible geometry.  Any critical hits scored during an attack count as a success in the skill challenge, scoring such a hit results from the PC gaining a bit of control in the confusing melee and delivering a perfect strike.  Success ends the negative effects, failure does not.  Aradon fights alongside the PCs and shouts puzzling encouragement or advice on how to deal with the twisted battlefield.  When the fight ends, everything suddenly stops and the PCs are standing in a luxurious bedroom, with beautiful, but darkly twisted crystalline architecture.  They have arrived in Tir Tara in the bedroom of an anonymous, and abandoned manse.  Aradon cackles insanely then shrieks in fear and runs off into the perpetual night.  If the PCs give chase, they quickly lose him.  

*The Mad City of Tir   Tara*
  The city was once a glorious example of fey craftsmanship, its buildings worked from crystal structures rising from the grown, blended flawlessly with wood and stone.  It was a magnificent sight.  Now, its architecture has been twisted into a nightmarish mirror of its former self, the crystal is black and twisted, darkness pulsing from its depths, the stonework cracked and menacing, the wood twisted and rotting.  The city is cloaked in a devilish fog that seems to be trying to coalesce into impossible shapes and take form.  Everywhere in the city, the PCs are followed by insane whisperings.  The servants of Malfannen walk the streets – elf and Eladrin thralls, foulspawn, and other creatures.  

  The city is rife with adventuring possibilities and the DM can spend as little or as much time letting the PCs explore the city as he likes.  If the DM wishes to advance towards the end, Aladon can return and guide the PCs to some degree or if the PCs state their intention to find the First Tree and try and solve the puzzle, a skill challenge could stand in for a slower paced exploration of the city, with success leading them to their desired location and failure leaving them lost, down a dead end and faced with some foulspawn intent of bringing them to Malfannen.  Some ideas for exploring the city:
  * The PCs explore ancient libraries.  If they can overcome the challenges and decipher the twisted, maddening lore, they can learn some of the secrets of the city, the First Tree, or the Mace, and get clues to how to restore them.
  * The PCs could meet a group of rebels trying to oppose Malfannen and reclaim the city.
  * They could tangle with a cabal of lesser mind flayers and their minions and find a secret pathway to the heart of the city.
  * The PCs could try and uncover some of the ancient magic of the Eladrin, finding some deep treasure trove or repository of ritual magics.

*At the Heart of the Matter*
  Eventually, the PCs will confront Malfannen and attempt to solve the puzzle of the city.  This final encounter can be approached from a number of different avenues with a number of different outcomes.

*Tatharen Mintaurë (Willow of the First Forest)*
  The sacred First Willow and the heart of Tir Tara.  Everything in the city is bound to the tree, as it is to them.  The tree defends itself with powerful guardians and as a last resort can uproot itself and fight as a treant. Malfannen poisoned the tree, using that connection to corrupt the city itself.  The fruit the tree once bore, healing, restorative, magical, became black and twisted, and Malfannen used the poisonous fruit to extend his dominion over the denizens of the city, as any who consume it become thralls to the one who wields the corrupted mace.  

*Sapling Puppets*
  When threatened, the First Trees have a powerful defense.  The tree twists its own branches and foliage around a piece of the trees fruit into the shape of a creature.  These saplings act as puppets of the tree, tethered and controlled by long vines that extend from the upper reaches of the tree  .  
  * Tree can create up to 20 such guardians at a time.  5 can be unleashed the first round the tree is threatened.  1d4+1 each round after.  Any guardians slain can be replaced, up to the maximum of 20 and at the rate stated above
  * Must remain within 50’ of its tree
  * Resistant to all forms of damage except magical fire
  * Critical hits with magic items or spells strikes the heart of the creature (the fruit), and destroys that guardian.  Puppets killed in this manner cannot be replaced. 
  *The malicious saplings will converge on a downed foe and tear it to pieces, attacking until the enemy is thoroughly dead.

*Pauren Mintathar (Mace of the First Willow)*
  Carved from the wood of the sacred willow tree that grew at the heart of Tir Tara and infused with life from its sacred fruit, Pauren Mintathar is an artifact of the ancient Feywild.  It is inexorably bound to the willow and has always been wielded by the mayors of Tir Tara, binding the sacred tree to the city and its people.  To corrupt the mace, Malfannen fed the artifact with Eladrin blood through ritual sacrifice.  With it, he is bound to and master of the tree, and its guardians.  The corrupted artifact feeds on blood now and has a twisted set of powers:
  * Crit on 19-20
  * Crit deals maximum damage and drains 1d3 healing surges from the target.  If the target is out of healing surges, it deals extra damage equal to the healing surge value of the target.
  * A creature slain by the mace becomes a thrall to its wielder in 1d4 rounds, with ¼ hit points.

*Malfannen*
  The Ilithid can sense when the tree is threatened and, bound to it, can teleport from anywhere within the city to its base as a free action. Facing organized foes in this location, Malfannen fights to kill and enslave and does not toy with his opponents.  He will fight to the death to protect his paradise as long as the city remains as it is.  If the PCs manage to begin to heal the city, Malfannen will flee when he feels he is bested.  He is master of this place and it bows to his influence in any number of ways.  The DM should give him dramatically appropriate bonuses or abilities to simulate this effect.

*Aradon*
  If he is not with the PCs now, he shows up at a dramatically appropriate moment, lending some aid, shouting cryptic hints, bearing more fruit, or trying to wrest the mace from Malfannens hands.  

*The Fight for the City*
  Tatharen Mintaurë stands at the center of a ring of crystal arches in a wide courtyard inside the Palace that was once the seat of the nobles of the city.  The tree is huge and can be seen from a number of vantage points around the city.  The Tree will defend itself when approached by anyone not under the control of Malfannen and the mind flayer will come to its defense as well.  The fight will be shaped by the PCs actions:

  * If they can wrest the mace away from Malfannen it can be restored to its full glory by “feeding” it one of the fresh fruits Aradon had gathered.  The change takes a round as Pauren Mintathar emerges from its corrupted slumber.  It allows itself to be wielded by the PC who healed it, or any elf or Eladrin in the party.  Once healed, it begins to restore the First Tree, a process that will take 5 rounds (as if feeding the fruit to the tree, see below for effects).  As itself, it grants these powers to its wielder:
  -The sapling guardians will not attack the wielder
  -A hit with the mace scores an automatic critical to any aberrant creatures (it does not drain)   
  -An enthralled creature struck by the mace will be freed from this state
  -The mace can be used as an implement by the wielder, regardless of what he normally uses

  *Fighting the First Tree
  If the Trees guardians are all defeated or Malfannen slain without the mace being restored, the Tree will uproot itself and fight as a Blackroot Treant, wielding the corrupted mace.  The Tree fights to the death in this form, but will still consume fruits if offered.  The fruit has the same effect on the treant as it does its guardians (see below)

  *Healing the First Tree
  If a PC reaches the base of the tree and offers a piece of the fresh fruit to the tree, it will consume it and the tree will begin to heal.  
  1st piece – the guardians become slowed
  2nd piece – the guardians become weakened and immobilized
  3rd piece – the guardians collapse, the corrupted fruit rots and falls from the tree
  4th piece – the tree is restored and transforms in the space of a round to its former glory. 
  Once restored, the tree builds new guardians to fight with its healers and the mace is restored the following round, falling from Malfannens hands.  It can be wielded by a PC, as above.

Resolution
  If the PCs are victorious, Tir Tara is restored to the material planes, and the Fey Court recognizes and rewards the PCs as heroes as they lay plans to rebuild and restore the once great city.  The fate of the denizens of Tir Tara depends on the manner in which the PCs are victorious.  If they heal the mace and the tree, the citizens are freed from their nightmares, although many of them are insane from centuries of torment.  Healers will be able to help many of them.  If the PCs instead slay both Malfannen and the corrupted First Tree, every resident of the city dies.  They are bound to the fate of the tree.  This includes Malfannen if he was not slain before the tree.  The loss of life is terrible and leaves the PCs scarred in some way (up to the DM), but the Eladrin are grateful nonetheless that the torment of their kin has ended and a hole in the natural world has been restored.  A new tree begins to grow at the heart of Tir Tara. 

*Ingredient recap:*
  Evil Puppets:  the sapling guardians.  Also, the mind flayers thralls (although not evil, but mindless)
  Stellar Pathway: the nightmarish passage to the city
  Mace of Blood: the corrupted artifact feeds on blood now
  Critical Hits: several uses – a success in the skill challenge in the Pathway, the only way to destroy a guardian from the tree, an ability of the mace both in its corrupted and restored forms
  Magic fruit – the fruit of the First Trees – used by the PCs to link themselves to the line and so navigate the passage to the city, also used to restore the tree or the mace.  The corrupted fruit was used to extend the mind flayers dominion of the city
  Elvish mayor – serves as the hook and guide to the adventure, fights with the PCs to save the city.


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## Nifft (Oct 21, 2009)

*humble minion*, you have crafted a tight, cohesive story around six ingredients, with some very clever ingredient interpretation. I love the setting elements, it's got parts that are usable in many campaigns, and the mysterious plane-shifting shadow-tree is both evocative and mechanically useful.

*Thasmodious*, your narrative rambled a bit, and there are some gaping holes in the story that need filling. And yet you won. Let's look at why.

- - -

[h3]Elven Mayor[/h3]
Thasmodius gives us an elven mayor. He's central to the plot.

humble minion -- you gave us a half-elven "mayor", and that's being generous. Mayors are in charge of cities, not markets. If I'd given "half-elf" as an ingredient, this would have been a very creative. But honestly, the half-golem aspect waaaaaaay overpowers any residual elfish qualities this "mayor" might have had. If I used your adventure and asked my PCs afterward what they thought of the "elven mayor", they'd give me blank stares. Nothing about him says "elf", and very little about him says "mayor".

[h3]Critical Hits[/h3]
Thasmodius used critical hits in their literal, mechanical sense. I don't find their use to be vital to the plot, and that's costing you points -- all the parts dealing with "critical hits" could be removed, and the adventure would run the same, so you haven't done a great job making them important.

humble minion, your interpretation "critical hit" would be a very creative use of the term, and I like creative uses, but it doesn't actually happen. The critics are prevented from declaring anything a hit because the crowded theater has been set on fire. If the ingredient were "critical flames" or "burning criticism" you'd have scored a home run. But you're not actually using the ingredient, even by the most liberal interpretation.

[h3]Magic Fruit[/h3]
Good use by both of you. humble minion, your Blood Orange is brilliant. Thasmodius, your magic fruits are good plot devices.

[h3]Evil Puppets[/h3]
Good use by both of you, mostly. Thasmodius, I love the image of evil puppets dropping from the twisted branches of a giant corrupt tree. humble minion, your Mr Sticks is integral to the plot and could have been a great NPC... but as written, the PCs aren't going to interact with him, and probably aren't even going to notice him until it's far too late for them to detect his Evilness.

[h3]Mace of Blood[/h3]
Thasmodius gives us a corrupted artifact, and it's central to the plot. It interacts with the fruit and the puppets, and your translation into 4e grants it interaction with critical hits.

humble minion, your mace of blood is integral to the backstory of the brilliant Blood Oranges, but it's not something the PCs will interact with. It's technically in the adventure due to the backstory, but it's more of a clue to the magical fruit than it is a thing in and of itself. Excellent integration with the magical fruit, not so good integration with the plot.

[h3]Stellar Pathway[/h3]
Thasmodius, I don't see how Sigil was related to "stellar" -- the pathway twisting due to star-spawn would have been sufficient. Sigil was an unnecessary addition, and frankly got in the way.

humble minion, I like the image of your stellar pathway, but what happens if the PCs decide to travel to the tree during the day, when it actually exists on this plane? It's a reasonable decision, and negates the ingredient entirely.

- - -

humble minion: if my ingredient list had contained Vampire, Half-Elf, and Shouting Fire In A Crowded Theater, you'd have won. But in the end, the elements you highlighted weren't the ingredients. I applaud your clever interpretation -- it's something I favor -- but you do need to focus on the six ingredients before throwing other stuff in. I like how tight your plot and backstory are, but I don't like how linearly it will play out, and I hate how small a part the PCs would play in the plot's unfolding. What if there's a Bard (or a player who is a ham) in my party? What if he wants to perform for the competition? That's the kind of party that such an adventure seems to call to, but who might be most frustrated by the lack of options for participation. In summary: excellent set-up, excellent setting, execution needs work.

Thasmodius: I don't need to be told how I can be flexible in using various elements. I'm an arrogant bastard, and I will use everything exactly how I want. If this is the kind of crap thinking that 4e encourages -- nah, who am I fooling, I love 4e. But my point is: such passages are wasted space. Instead, focus on telling me when time is of the essence, or what might tend to lead the PCs towards the plot element, rather than telling me when they're allowed to stray from the plot. In summary: good set-up, excellent setting, good execution.

- - -

Thank you both. With more practice under your belts, I think you'll both be capable of excellence across the board.

*Thasmodius* advances.


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## Helena Real (Oct 22, 2009)

*Vengeance is Mine*

*"Vengeance is Mine"*

_Introduction_
An unknown disease seems to affect villagers, nobles and commoners at random. The Realm’s security and survival is threatened, since no cleric (nor prayer of any kind) has been able to contend the plague, much less stop it or even heal the already sick. Although it hurt him to do so, the current Ruler of the Realm had to make a very difficult decision: declare the harbour city of Foire—one of the largest and most prosperous of the Realm—in quarantine until further notice. Moreover, in order to reinforce and maintain the declared state, the Wizards of the White Tower gathered their forces in order to create a magical matrix which prevents any creature from escaping Foire. Thus, the Heroes found themselves trapped under magic and surrounded by the undead...

_Background_
Not so long ago the Heroes venture themselves deep into the Steel Mountains, north of the Realm, in search of adventure and bounty. In their path they encountered all sorts of monsters and threats, until they found what they were looking for: the treasure hoard of Akarium, a great wyrm. After a long and bloody battle, the Heroes defeated the serpentine monster and took its treasure as reward. What they did not know, however, was that they were buying it with a much higher cost than expected. One of the sleeping hatchlings of Akarium, Berthaazir, hatched just in time to see his mother slain by the Heroes. Knowing that he was much too weak to make a stand againt the Heroes, Berthaazir sworn to himself to bring his mother back from the Underworld and exact his revenge from Akarium’s murderers.

                In his journeys, the young wyrmling found a powerful necromancer, Dirkûn, who empathized with the creature’s desire for revenge. For his own twisted reasons, the wizard instructed the dragon in all sorts of magical knowledge. Soon, however, Dirkûn discovered that Berthaazir’s only strive was to learn about anything related to summon the spirits back from the dead. As a result, the necromancer redoubled his pursuit in order to help his young apprentice. Sadly for the dragon, one of the last rituals turned against the wizard, destroying him in the process. The whole sancto-sanctorum of the wizard was obliterated and Berthaazir was left with only one clue: the Jar of Steam.

                According to the wyrmling’s reading of his teacher’s notebook, an artifact called the Jar of Steam was the only way of bringing a spirit back from the Underworld. The text, of course, was only an incomplete and false version of the truth. The Jar was indeed designed to rob the souls out of the living, turning them into savage, blood-thirsty monsters craving for living flesh. In the blink of an eye, Berthaazir’s desire for revenge turned into an unending plague that cannot be reverted—or that is what everyone thinks.

                The truth is that the Jar was created by the very same Queen of the Dead, aeons ago. His son, the Lord of Life, foreseeing the madness of this artifact—which could potentially kill the whole world of the Living—designed an antithesis to it: the Flying Dagger of Life. Only the Dagger possesses the power to crack open the Jar and free the souls trapped inside it. It is up now to the Heroes to find the Dagger and finish the Plague.

_ 
Act I: Trapped Inside the Walls_
The Heroes begin the adventure in the “Hog’s Father” Inn, one of the largest and most famous accommodations in the Realm. Their staying turns suddenly into a nightmare, as the Royal Edict finds them inside the city walls, and no excuse or use of force that the PCs could muster will help them to get out of the city. Try to give them as much a sense of dread, horror and a powerful sense of urgency: it doesn’t matter how powerful or resourceful they think they are, there is no way they can stay in the city and survive. Either are they going to fall to the hands of the undead horde or they will be the next victims of the Plague.


Scene 1: The Maddened Innkeepers
At the end of the day after the quarantine announcement, the Heroes return to the Inn where they are staying, most likely disappointed and/or furious about the news about their state inside the city. Not long after they arrive to the Inn, the Heroes will notice that something strange occurs: although it is not that late, there are no patrons drinking and enjoying the hearth. Moroever, the innkeepers and barmaids are nowhere to be seen. After a few moments, a strangely slow and clumsy barmaid appears, launching after the Heroes’ brains. Not long after this first attack, the inn turns into a battlefield againt the undead. The Innkeepers’ couple, the barmaids, and even some of the patrons launch against the Heroes, desperately fighting against them. In the blink of an eye, a candlestick turns over and a burgeoning fire starts to consume the Inn. The Heroes only escape is secret passage into the old city dungeons.     


Scene 2: The Old City Dungeons
The long-forgotten, apparently never-ending mazes of underground corridors, remnants of the old city foundations, are an ample source of enemies and dangers for the Heroes. Nevertheless, the most important encounter is one beneath the Tower of Wizardry. There, the Heroes have a chance of expanding their knowledge of the Plague, thanks to a old grimoire, guarded by a pair of Golems. The grimoire contains a riddle about the Jar and the Flying Dagger and, most importantly, about how to find the Dagger The riddle goes like this:

_In ancient times, a mother a Jar made
His son dreading the fact a Dagger forged
One the soul's traps
The other the trap destroys
One silent as the grave
The other by talons like steel guarded._


_Act II: The Quest for the _Dagger
After escaping the City, the Heroes have only a few leading clues to the Dagger. Depending on the DM, others could be given in order to point the direction. However, the only way to find the Dagger is that the Heroes prove worthy of it to the Lord of Life’s eyes. For this reason, it is important to design a series of encounters where the Heroes can prove their mettle, prowess and honour when facing the Lord of Life’s tests. The Hunt for the White Stag, the Quest for the Holy Grail and others can serve as models for this Quest. Notwithstanding, the most important part of the story in this act is to face the Heroes with a monster with “talons like steel”. After the creature’s defeat—but before its death—it will offer the Heroes the Flying Dagger of Life in exchange for the forgiveness of its Life. Only then can the Heroes try to defeat the Unending Plague...


_Act III: Revenge is Sweet..._
With the Flying Dagger of Life in their hands, the Heroes are now able to pursuit Berthaazir. Their path, however, is blocked by the different traps and servants of the dragon-mage. Moreover, as soon as Berthaazir detects that the Heroes have the Dagger will command its troops to try to take it from them. Henceforth, their tactics will become focused in nly one thing: try to take away the Dagger from the Heroes and deliver it to their Master.


Final Encounter: The Dragon-Mage Reveals
In the final encounter, it is important to create a mood of angry desire for revenge: Berthaazir hates the Heroes, blaming them for his horrorific life, where he had to grow without a mother, to lose his only figure of love and respect as a result of his quest for his lost mother, and finally his soul, after acquiring the Jar. All in all, try (as a DM) to make the Heroes feel somehow guilt for their past actions, prior to the bloodshed.


_Conclusion_
The only possible victory for the Heroes is a phyrric one: in spite of the fact that they will almost for certain stop the Plague and save hundreds—if not thousands of Life—most probably only they will know that the hundreds of deaths the Plague caused was a direct result of their previous actions.


_Ingredients
_Inside the Walls: The Heroes begin the adventure inside the city walls of Foire. The first act of the adventure draws from this ingredient in order to create a claustrophobic atmosphere.

Flying Dagger: The Flying Dagger is a fundamental component for the adventure’s development. It is the only way the Heroes have to stop the Plague.

Childhood Avenger: Berthaazir, the young dragon-mage, is the childhood avenger of his mother’s death at the hands of the Heroes.

Talons like Steel: An element that connects the adventure in general, it appears in various occasions: first, as a part of the prophecy in the old grimoire and then physically present in the Lord of Life’s guardian of the Dagger.

Unending Plague:  An unexpected side-effect of Berthaazir and his master’s magical pursuits in the world of the Dead, it sets off the adventure and sets the mood for a large part of the sense of urgency.

Jar of Steam: The artifact that created the whole scenario for the adventure, is a powerful and treacherous magical item, which plays with the wishes of its possessors.


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## Sparky (Oct 22, 2009)

_Apples, peaches, pumpkin pie,_
_Eat them and you’ll cry, cry, cry._
_In the alley, in the sky,_
_Like a dagger fly, fly, fly._
_Find your sweetheart, find him nigh,_
_Through the window spy, spy, spy._
_If he’s faithless, if he’s sly,_
_Stab him in the eye, eye, eye._
_Never, always never, lie._
_Never, always never, lie._
_Never, always never, lie._
_Apples, peaches, pumpkin pie._​ 
--- A childrens’ rhyme from Niadelaar* 


*Woes in Niadelaar*
_A D&D 4e adventure for 3-5 players of mid-heroic tier._

People are falling ill in Niadelaar. That’s nothing new, really. People have always fallen ill in Niadelaar -- it is a miserable, smelly, low-lying, backwater province with a history of trickery, deceit and betrayal that stretches back to the village’s founding. A fine place for adventure and adventurers!

Niadelaar was founded by Zvarten Jacobus, a notorious thief who bribed, bullied and blackmailed his way into the aristocracy. He earned a title and, to his chagrin, a fief in a swamp infested by a murder of pestilent harpies. Determined to further spite the Crown for this slight, Lord Jacobus decided to make his dream of respectability happen _at any cost_. By the time Lord Jacobus died, Niadelaar was well-established and – using the methods the crafty thief adopted to drain the swampy land – growing.


*Campaign Info*
Today, there is no proper Lord in Niadelaar. Lord Jacobus was never able to produce an heir. The Crown was especially pleased to be free of that entanglement and allowed administration of the fief fall to the Church. The Church viewed Niadelaar in the same way the crown did, as a dumping ground. Forty years ago, the Church has assigned rabblerousing Father Frerik to this remote backwater parish and the young man found he liked the village, its people and its freedoms. Once a year the Church sends an official to check in on the parish (and collect tithes).

These days the village pretty much fends for itself on the edge of civilization. The people of Niadelaar are stubborn, hardy and untrusting. Niadelaar can be placed in any marsh-, fen- or bog-like area where you’d find windmills and where ‘peat cutter’ would be a common occupation. Peat is, in fact, the chief export of Niadelaar, and its primary source of fuel and building material. If your setting is in warmer climes, adobe construction would be a suitable, but not ideal, substitute.


*In a Nutshell*
The ghost of a harpy queen, Talons-like-Steel, murdered over a hundred years ago by the founder of the remote village Niadelaar, has returned to seek vengeance on the village. Through dreams and visions, the ghost harpy has manipulated a young woman, Morja, into doing her bidding. ENTER: The PCs.


*Getting the PCs to Niadelaar*
A selection of hooks to get the PCs into the troubled village. Mix and match.

· Devotees of Ioun may wish to make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Saint Kennis, creator of the Flying Dagger of Niadelaar.
· The PCs are sent to collect Niadelaar’s annual tithe and to collect and to deliver some mail.
· PCs stop in on the way from A to B.
· The Crown is considering reestablishing Niadelaar as a fief and sends the PCs and some Crown officials to survey and evaluate the village.
· PCs discover a strange steely harpy talon and are directed (or drawn) to Niadelaar.


*Adventure*

*On the Road*
The road to Niadelaar crosses bleak, gray-green moorlands (or marsh, fen or bog). The road is somewhat well-traveled. If they’re travelling along a trade route, the PCs should see caravans of wagons loaded with earthy-smelling peat bricks headed the opposite direction. Any wagons headed toward Niadelaar will be carrying foodstuffs. Inquiring PCs will learn that Niadelaar needs to import a substantial portion of its food because the crops that grow in the area are often diseased. Closer to Niadelaar, windmills dot the countryside.

Niadelaar itself is a low-slung village with several windmills. Almost all of the buildings are built from peat cut into slabs and stacked. The buildings are butted up against one another. If not for the windmills, this might look like an extra lumpy part of the moors. The whole village smells earthy and damp. The smell is mostly pleasant, but makes frequent forays into both ‘mildewy’ and ‘like-death.’ When the PCs arrive in Niadelaar, things are mostly normal. Mostly. 


*At the Red Rose*
At the Red Rose Inn the PCs might learn:
· Something strange happened at the graveyard. 
o Tomb of Jacobus (Niadelaar’s founder) attacked.
o Attacker was Sem, a peat cutter. Sem is sick with the Singing Sickness. 
o Not normal behavior for the sick man, or for Singing Sickness.
o Sem is at the Shrine.

If the PCs do not have a talon, they should find one sitting in the open on the tavern floor, amidst the rushes on the floor. The talon is cold to the touch, powdery and hard like metal. Any regular patron who sees or is shown a talon will recoil, make a holy sign and tell the holder to take it to the Shrine.

· Morja, a barmaid or servant, seems particularly upset at the PCs having a talon.
o VERY observant PCs will note that her dismay is different.


*On the Street That Very Night*
The PCs might see: 
· A villager, Juriaan, wandering in a strange, lurchy fashion down the street (he is dominated).
o If the PCs stop Juriaan, he makes conversation, but seems distracted, sickly and disoriented. If needed, an Insight check will reveal that Juriaan is not drunk (easy DC).
o Gets angry if pressed and tells the PCs to mind their own business.
· Left to his own devices, Juriaan lurches to the graveyard and attempts to batter his way into the tomb of Jacobus. He makes basic attacks against the tomb door.
o If approached at the tomb, Juriaan attempts to flee. If caught he begs for help, asking to be taken to the Shrine. 
o Juriaan isn’t hard for the PCs to subdue or kill. If the PCs do subdue or kill Juriaan, as he loses consciousness, they momentarily feel a scalding breeze (no damage).
o If the PCs seek help for Juriaan, they are directed to the Shrine.
o If the PCs flee the scene, a witness reports them to Father Frerik and he visits them at mid morning (or before they leave town) to reproach them for leaving the villager (mildly if they left him alive, angrily if they killed Juriaan). But mostly he wants to ask the PCs for help (offers reward if it seems they’re the type who need a reward – Shrine has a variety of Wondrous Items, Father Frerik can perform Enchant Magic Item at level 6). He asks them to accompany him to the Shrine, they can talk on the way.


*At the Shrine*
Father Frerik is a gentle, soft-spoken man. He seems worried about the strange turn of events. If the PCs haven’t learned of any strange events, he fills them in on the two attacks on Jacobus’ tomb by people who’d succumbed to Singing Sickness, Sem and Juriaan. He’s worried that the village’s food stores, thought to be clean, are tainted with the disease that plagues the earth nearby (they’re clean, easy-to-moderate Nature checks). He’s especially troubled by the strange behavior of the two most recent cases.

If the PCs wonder aloud why anyone would want to live in such a remote, terrible, disease-ridden cesspit, Father Frerik laughs and tells the PCs that the citizens of Niadelaar like their freedoms, freedoms from demanding Lords, freedom from the Crown’s taxes.

Sometime during the visit, the PCs will meet Father Frerik’s precocious acolyte, Katrien. The young girl is very composed and serene, eerily so. She doesn’t speak much, only if prompted. Father Frerik seems very proud of her. She tells Father Frerik that two more villagers have been brought to the Shrine with Singing Sickness. They are Viona, the Innkeeper’s wife and Menno, a young peat cutter. Viona is accompanied by Morja.

PCs may notice (in order of increasing difficulty to detect):
· Morja is stiff and formal. (easy DC)
· Father Frerik looks sad when he looks at Morja. (easy DC)
· Morja looks puzzled to see Menno. Worried. (moderate DC)
· Morja’s face contorts briefly with rage when she sees Katrien. (hard DC)


*What’s Happening*
Morja, some time ago, came into possession of a steely talon. These talons are found from time to time in the peat cut from the surrounding bogs, remnants of the village’s brutal founding. Most villagers find the talons unsettling and comply with the Church’s (Father Frerik’s) request to bring them to the Shrine when they are discovered. Morja, embittered at Father Frerik, and strangely, not unsettled by the talon, kept it. The talisman gave her visions at night. Dark, violent visions of vengeance. 

Morja grew obsessed with the talon and the visions it granted her. She longed for vengeance against the people she blamed for her fall from grace as Father Frerik’s acolyte. She had been his favorite once. That privilege was that self-righteous brat Katrien’s now. Eventually the visions communicated to her how she might exact her revenge. Guided by dark visions, Morja created an earthen jar with mud and ashes from the site where Niadelaar’s founder Zvarten Jacobus had burned the harpy queen, Talons-like-Steel over a hundred years before. 

After cutting her hand with a steely talon and bleeding into the jar, Morja whispers the name of the harpy queen and the name of the person that Morja wants the harpy queen to attack. The smoldering rage of the ghostly harpy queen boils out of the jar in a burning mist that seeps into the walls and travels swiftly to the target of Morja’s ire. Talons-like-Steel has 1 hour to find her target and deliver her Dominating Kiss, thus inflicting a special Singing Sickness on them – one that when they succumb, will allow her to dominate them. When a victim succumbs to Singing Sickness, Talons-like-Steel can dominate them for 1 hour. They harpy queen’s plans are her own and she has not shared her actual goals with Morja. Nor will she.

Morja has 6 people on her ‘hitlist:’
· Sem
· Juriaan
· Viona
· Sjors
· Katrien
· Father Frerik
NOTE: Menno is _not_ on this list, he’s got regular Singing Sickness

Sem, Juriaan, Menno, Viona, Sjors and Morja are around the same age. They were all children together, half-raised by Father Frerik after a terrible fire orphaned all of them. Sadly, orphans aren’t terribly rare in Niadelaar. Morja was Father Frerik’s favorite, he chose her as his acolyte. The others teased her incessantly about Father Frerik’s attentions and Morja, an impulsive girl, attacked and hurt Sem. She was unrepentant, maintaining that she was defending Father Frerik. He suspected (correctly) that she wanted revenge on the other children more than she wanted to defend Father Frerik. Because she was entirely unrepentant, Father Frerik dismissed her from his service.

She has wanted revenge on them all since her childhood. 


*More Clues for the PCS*
If the PCs haven’t worked out that Morja is behind the strange Singing Sickness:
· Morja has a gash on her palm that the PCs notice. She tries to keep this concealed.
· The next day, when they see her next she has another gash on her other hand – so now both hands are gashed.
· They can find a much-folded, much-handled note with the names of Morja’s targets on it. Depending on how much time Morja has had to summon Talons-like-Steel, some or all of them will be sick. 
· If the PCs show the note to Father Frerik, he will be able to discern that these are all people that Morja might blame for their falling out.


*At Morja’s Place*
If the PCs suspect Morja and seek out her home, they find a small, messy, one-room place.
· It smells metallic (like blood, steel).
· The room’s small table has drops of blood on it.
· A trained Arcana check to Detect Magic (moderate DC) reveals a trace aura in a concealed alcove behind a bookshelf.
· A Perception check (moderate DC) reveals a piece of the peat brick behind a shelf that sits differently than the rest.
o The peat sits differently because it is only a relatively thin plug that covers a secret alcove within the wall.
o Within the alcove is the Jar of Steam.

· If Morja suspected the PCs were on to her, the Jar is not here.
o It’s at the Inn, hidden hastily in plain sight on the wall behind the bar with bottles along it. A Perception check (moderate DC) reveals its presence.
o Morja might have simply feared the PCs were on to her and moved the Jar. Use this if the PCs are freaking Morja out, or if they need some help finding the Jar and moving the plot.

_NOTE: If the PCs just aren’t getting it, lower the Perception DCs to sniff her out. Or, alternately, have Morja somehow discern Talons-like-Steel’s plan to annihilate the whole village and approach the PCs herself, asking them to stop Talons-like-Steel._


*Morja’s Next Steps*
Barring DM intervention because the PCs are stuck, Morja’s only goal (she’s obsessed) is to finish punishing those she blames for the life she didn’t get to spend with Father Frerik. She has to be within Niadelaar to use the Jar, so she won’t flee. She can only use the Jar once a day, so she needs two more nights to infect the two remaining people on her hit list (she infected Sjors the night before the PCs came into town). She will move the Jar again if she needs to, but each suspicious move might draw the PCs down on her.

If Morja is confronted and does not have the Jar she will flee Niadelaar. If the PCs run her down she surrenders, seemingly meekly. If she is confronted and has the Jar and can summon Talons-like-Steel, she does so and speaks the name of one of the PCs (the dimmest looking one) and flees under cover of the steam cloud. If she can’t summon Talons-like-Steel (because she has already used the power), she will break the Jar and flee under the concealment of the steam and let the PCs deal with Talons-like-Steel. Breaking the Jar will cause it to summon Talons-like-Steel immediately (close burst 1 steam and all). All of Talons-like-Steel’s powers will be refreshed.


*The PCs Get the Jar, Now What?*
The PCs have followed all of your excellent clues and recovered Morja’s Jar. Now what do they do? There are three chief contingencies to prepare for:

· They break the Jar
o Let them break it.
§ Breaking the Jar will cause it to summon Talons-like-Steel immediately (close burst 1 steam and all).
§ If Talons-like-Steel can immediately use her Ghostly Kiss, she does so. If not, she uses her Ashes to Ashes power to dissipate into the walls and make for the Tomb. After the Jar breaks, she has an hour. This is her last shot at getting the dagger out of the village!

· The PCs use the Jar to summon Talons-like-Steel.
o Same as breaking the Jar, except they can command her to attack an individual.
§ If they do not, Talons-like-Steel acts as above.
§ If they do, Talons-like-Steel travels as close as she can to the target, attacking if she is able. 
· If the target is not in Niadelaar, Talons-like-Steel moves to the place in Niadelaar that is as close as possible to that person. After doing so, she is free to do as she pleases for the remainder of the hour she is summoned. She will use Ashes to Ashes to travel swiftly through the village. She is likely to use her Dominating Kiss on a hapless villager of her own choosing and vanish hoping to be summoned again.

· Morja recovers the jar from the PCs, she wasn’t finished exacting her revenge.
o Cat and mouse with hiding the Jar, the village isn’t huge and folks are bound to know something’s up by now. 
o The villagers may come down on Morja’s side ‘against the outsiders,’ or they may come down on the PCs’ side, ‘against that nutter, Morja.’ Or a mix of the two.
§ Good opportunity for a skill challenge mixing of physical skills for the actual chasing and mental skills for navigating any social obstacles.


*They Didn’t Get the Jar*
The PCs didn’t take the bait or didn’t see the clues. They didn’t get Morja’s Jar. She hid it too well. Or she infected all of her intended targets. Since she’s done, she hides the Jar in the hidey-hole in her home, or, if she really fears the PCs nosiness, she buries it outside town. 

_REPEAT NOTE: If the PCs just aren’t getting it, lower the Perception DCs to sniff out the Jar. Or, alternately, have Morja somehow discern Talons-like-Steel’s plan to annihilate the whole village and approach the PCs herself, give them the jar asking them to stop Talons-like-Steel’s plot (which they start by breaking the Jar or summoning Talons-like-Steel). _


*Talons-like-Steel’s Plot*
The harpy queen wants to burn the village down. This won’t be terribly difficult. The whole village is built out of fuel. Incidentally, this is why a setting in a warmer clime using adobe construction is less ideal than a setting that uses peat. Peat bricks are used as fuel. As in _for fires_. Talons-like-Steel wants to burn Niadelaar to the ground and then piss on the ashes. If she had a body to do so, she would. Harpies are crass like that.

In order to have free rein in the village Talons-like-Steel needs to get Zvarten Jacobus’ Flying Dagger out of the village. The dagger repels both living and undead harpies and is especially harmful and repellant to Talons-like-Steel. It was crafted from her own severed hand after all.


*A Brief Expository Digression*
In his campaign to establish his unsavory new fief, Lord Zvarten Jacobus found that he would first have to rid himself of a rather more than irksome infestation of harpies. He didn’t have the resources to assault them head on, so he did it the very, very hard way – he attempted to seduce the harpy queen, Talons-like-Steel. _At any cost,_ right? He fell, instead, under her spell. She in turn fell for him. Though in a moment of candor, he admitted to his beloved his intentions, to seduce her and then kill her and her kinfolk. Talons-like-Steel didn’t take the news well. 

Her subsequent attack on Zvarten broke the spell she had over him and he escaped, barely, the harpy queen’s severed talon still clutched and twitching, around his neck, her excoriating cries burning after him – literally.

Zvarten retreated to the bosom of an old ally, Kennis, a famed Cleric of Ioun. Kennis tended Zvarten and the two devised a plan. They crafted (Kennis mostly, but with Zvarten’s fiscal support) a flying dagger, unique in all the world. Kennis was surprised, and somewhat dismayed, by the results – an intelligent dagger that would, at need, protect Zvarten like a jealous lover and spirit him away from danger. It also had a devastating, repelling effect on harpykind. Armed with that dagger and Kennis’ support, Zvarten was able to annihilate the harpies. He burned their bodies and the ash spread out over the land. 

Talons-like-Steel burned last, cursing the deceitful Zvarten with her last breath, “The ashes of my people will be like salt to this earth, and the ground will yield only my spite for you. And as the ground will never yield its bounty to you, so shall your own seed never grow.”

Lord Zvarten Jacobus was the first and last of his line. He died without issue and his fief passed into the hands of the Church through Kennis who, with some appreciation for what the dagger he’d created would do to keep Niadelaar safe, interred it with his friend. He established a small temple in the village and spent the remainder of his days in study, writing papers and trying to duplicate his results with the Dagger. He was canonized after his death by the faithful of Ioun for creating the Flying Dagger of Niadelaar.


*Bac**k to Talons-like-Steel’s Plot*
It is very painful for Talons-like-Steel to be anywhere near the Flying Dagger. The summoning ritual blunts the pain for a short while, but only long enough for her to cause mischief, not rampant destruction. And rampant destruction is all that will do for Talons-like-Steel. Each of the NPC victims of her Dominating Kiss will eventually succumb unless the PCs intervene (by tending the sick with awesome Heal checks and beating the disease back, or by getting the Jar away from Marja before she can infect everyone on her list). 

By the time the PCs arrive in Niadelaar, two victims (Sem and Juriaan) have already succumbed, two are one failed check away from succumbing (Viona and Sjors), and two have yet to be given the Dominating Kiss (Katrien and Father Frerik). Depending on how the PCs play it, they may act to keep Viona and Sjors from succumbing, or they may let Katrien and even Father Frerik fall sick and succumb to the harpy’s domination.

Talons-like-Steel used her first puppets to attack the tomb, hoping to use force to bully her way in and take the dagger that way. That didn’t work out. So her next puppets will try to find and steal the key to the tomb (it’s in Father Frerik’s office). If the PCs do not intervene, Sjors will open the tomb and then has to contend with the Flying Dagger of Niadelaar (he is ill equipped to do so). Katrien and Father Frerik are better suited to beating the Dagger.

Father Frerik is a Cleric of the PCs level. Little Katrien is an Avenger of the PCs level minus 2.

_NOTE: If the PCs have broken the Jar or otherwise forced Talons-like-Steel’s hand (her one remaining hand), then she will make for the tomb herself and brave the Dagger’s painful warding._


*The Tomb*
Zvarten Jacobus’ tomb is protected by the Flying Dagger of Niadelaar. The Dagger was commanded by Zvarten on his deathbed to protect him and so the Dagger has since. Zennis insisted that no one disturb the dagger, but it was a touchy thing convincing the Dagger that preparing Zvarten’s body for the funeral was a friendly act. It was doubly trying to get Zvarten into his sarcophagus. Eventually that task was left entirely to Zennis. What mourners there were mourned from a safe distance.

The Dagger is no less vigilant now than it ever was.

If one of Talons-like-Steel’s dominated puppets succeeds in opening the tomb, the Dagger is, at first, happy to see someone. When the puppet tries to grab the Dagger, it quickly grows angry, attacking immediately. The Dagger must stay in the six squares that contain Zvarten’s sarcophagus. If it is pushed or batted outside of those six squares it returns immediately to its sheath at Zvarten’s side inside the sarcophagus.


*Bonfire*
The adventure should in two slightly different flavors of the same ending. Those flavors are, If the Jar is broken or if Talons-like-Steel disposes of the Dagger.

_If the Jar is Broken_
If they are near the Tomb, Talons-like-Steel immediately attempts to use her Ghostly Possession power on one of the PCs. If her attack is successful, she uses the PC as a puppet just like all the rest – to get the Dagger out of the Tomb and out of Niadelaar. If it is not she uses Ashes to Ashes to move through the village to the Tomb where she will lay in wait for up to half-an-hour for someone to Possess (preferably a hardy PC). If no Posession target presents itself Talons-like-Steel will enter the tomb and suffer the Dagger’s auras. She is a match for the daggers Defenses and bats it away quickly. She opens the sarcophagus, takes the dagger and now has to begin the slow march out of the stony prison.

It will take her 5 turns to get adjacent to peat so she can use her Ashes to Ashes power to travel quickly through the walls, to the edge of town. If her hitpoints drop to 50 while she has the Dagger she will throw it as far as she can and then attempt to Possess another someone who can get it the rest of the out of Niadelaar.

_The Dagger is Disposed Of_
As soon as the Dagger is clear of Niadelaar, Talons-like-Steel roars in triumph and the rise where the harpies were burned bursts into flame. In the center of the rise is a wholly different (Solo version) Talons-Like-Steel. This one is fire resistant and can lob fireballs in addition to her other attacks. 

She attacks the PCs, but focuses her attacks on the on village. Each quadrant of the village has 50-100 hp. This is a combat ‘skill challenge.’ The PCs need to contain Talons-like-Steel, fight her and banish her. The dagger will still hurt her, but it no longer slows her. If a PC recovers it and approaches, she will attempt to take it and throw it as far as she can away from her.


*Resolution*
If the village or Talons-like-Steel gets to 0 HP the Harpy blazes up a huge incandescent torch of victory or agony (depending) and then explodes into a shower of sparks (burst 10, 1d12+8 fire damge).

If the PCs have managed to keep the total damage to the village above 2/3 of the village’s total HP, they are very successful. Between 1/3 and 2/3, they are reasonably successful, beneath 1/3 then they fail. If they wish, they can redeem failure by helping to rebuild the town, heal the burned, sick.

If the PCs are very successful, the Dagger may choose one of them as its new wielder. It has a 25% of doing so if the PCs are only reasonably successful. The remainder of any treasure due them comes from the store of items and services offered by Father Frerik, if he’s alive.

If the PCs shortcircuit the adventure, Talons-like-Steel will try again, she's not particularly patient, but she'll manage...


*Items and Adversaries*

*Jar of Steam*
Marja’s Jar behaves like a normal Jar of Steam, with a change. She created the Jar of Steam as a means of summoning the Harpy Queen, Talons-like-Steel. She made the rough earthen pot from ash and earth dug from where Jacobus burned the harpy witches. Using the talon she found, Marja scrawled arcane symbols into the surface of the pot. These symbols are what allow the summoner to speak the name of a target to Talons-like-Steel’s vengeful ghost. Once a day the jar can be used to summon Talons-like-Steel. 

The jar is otherwise like a normal Jar of Steam (fills an area - close burst 1 - with steam, provides concealment, burns those in the zone that did not activate it).


*Flying Dagger*
This is the Flying Dagger of Niadelaar. This dagger gives its wielder protection from harpykind – living and undead – and specifically the harpy queen Talons-like-Steel. It was made from Talons-like-Steel’s severed claw by Jacobus’s ally, Saint Kennis. It also acts as a ward against Talons-like-Steel and harpykind, keeping Niadelaar safe from Talons-like-Steel’s wrath.

*Flying Dagger +2,* Intelligent Item
_Body and bane of the Harpy Queen. When flying the dagger sings to itself in a soft, raspy voice. When attacking, its song becomes shrill and screechy._
*Weapon: *Dagger
*Enhancement:* +2 attack rolls and damage rolls
*Critical:* +2d8 damage
*Property:* Aura (Harpy Bane): Harpies who begin a turn adjacent to the dagger take 5 damage and are slowed. If Talons-like-Steel begins her turn adjacent to the dagger, she takes 10 damage and is slowed.
*Power (Encounter):* Minor Action. Speak the command word and toss the dagger into the air. The dagger flies into the air behaves as a sentient Cloud of Daggers (PHB 159). The dagger moves at your Speed and moves during your Move Action, attempting to stay adjacent. You cannot be flanked by someone standing in the square the dagger occupies. If the dagger does not stay adjacent, it returns to its sheath. While under this power, the dagger may be attacked in an attempt to knock it out of adjacency. Use these defenses to determine the success or failure of an attack on the dagger. *AC* 25, *Fort* 21, *Ref* 25, *Will* 23
*Power (Encounter):* Minor Action, Personal. Speak the command word and hang on tight. Until the end of your next turn, you gain a fly speed of 7, and you can hover.


*Summoning Ritual*
The foci for this ritual are the Jar of Steam and a harpy talon. The ritual caster cuts her palm with a harpy talon and bleeds into the jar, speaking the name of the Harpy Queen ‘Talons-like-Steel.’ After speaking the Harpy Queen’s name, the summoner smears the blood from her hand around the jar and speaks the name of her intended target. The runes around the jar will glow and the Harpy Queen, after being summoned, will move with all speed to the intended victim (using her Ashes to Ashes power if possible). If no target is spoken, Talons-like-Steel is free to do as she pleases (for the duration of the ritual’s effects – 1 hour). At the end of an hour, the ritual will end and the dagger’s aura will drive Talons-like-Steel’s spirit away.


*Advanced Singing Sickness*
_An ailment found amongst the inhabitants of Niadelaar, those afflicted become disoriented and feverish, often describing singing that no one else can hear._
*Disease Track*
· The target is Cured.
· The initial effect’s penalty becomes –1.
· Initial Effect (sickness starts here) The target takes a –2 penalty to attacks and checks until cured (or dominated).
· The target is weakened.
· Final State (+12 vs Will) 
o Hit: The target is dominated and does Talons-like-Steel’s will.
o Miss: The target is dazed.

*Attack:* (as Talons-like-Steel’s Dominating Kiss)
*Endurance/Heal Check:* Improve DC 23, maintain DC 18, worsen DC 17 or lower (it’s meant to quickly progress on NPCs lower leval than the PCs and to scare and inconvenience the PCs)

Normal Singing Sickness has lower DCs and doesn’t have dominate as a possible Final State. Regular Singing Sickness is caused by ingesting the still pestilent remains of the harpies that were burned in Niadelaar decades ago.

In 4e diseases follow a ‘Track.’ Endurance checks, or ally’s Heal checks, move the disease along the track (up or down) until the disease is Cured or in its Final Stage. Once in its final stage, a disease can usually only be removed by a Cure Disease ritual.



*Dramatis Personae*
Frerik, _Priest of Ioun (Human male, mid sixties)_
Marja, _Fallen Avenger (Human Female, young woman, early twenties)_
Katrien, _New Avenger (Human Female, pre-teen)_
Sem, _First Victim (Human Male, mid twenties)_
Juriaan, _Second Victim (Human Male, mid twenties)_
Viona, _Third Victim (Human Male, mid twenties)_
Sjors, _Fourth Victim (Human Male, early twenties)_
Menno_, Fifth Victim (Human Male, mid twenties)_
Talons-like-Steel (_Undead Harpy Female, ageless)_
Zvarten Jacobus _(Human Male, dead)_

*Locations*
Niadelaar,_ a remote farming village_
The Red Rose, _an Inn in Niadelaar_
Shrine of Saint Kennis, _a Shrine of Ioun_

[sblock=Dutch words]I liked the use of Jamaican words and names in Some additional Dutch names and words if you want to continue the flavor

*Male*
Adlar (eagle)
Caspar (treasure bearer)
Dries (man, warrior)
Frerik (peaceful ruler) _used for the Priest_
Ignaas (unknowing)
Jacobus (supplanter)_ used for the village’s founder_
Jurriaan (earthworker, farmer)_ used for a victim_
Karel (man)
Menno (might, strength)
Sem (mark, name, signature, stigma)_ used for a victim_
Sjors (earthworker, farmer)_ used for a victim_

*Female*
Angelien (angel, messenger)
Ans (favor, grace)
Heleen (torch)
Katrien (pure)
Marja (obstinancy, rebellion)
Roos (rose)
Sanne (lily)
Sterre (star)
Theresia (harvester)
Viona (vine)_ used for a victim_

*Other *
Adelaar (eagle), inspiration for name of Niadelaar, a reference to the eagle-ness of the harpies
Kennis (knowledge), use for Saint’s name if Niadelaar’s church is dedicated to Ioun
Maan (moon), use for Saint’s name if Niadelaar’s church is dedicated to Sehanine
Bouw (construction), use for Saint’s name if Niadelaar’s church is dedicated to Erathis
Zvarte (black), modified to be the first name of the village’s founder[/sblock]
*Ingredients*
_Inside the Walls_
· The harpies from Talons-like-Steel’s tribe in the walls of Niadelaar
· The Jar in Morja’s home
· Talons-like-Steel herself as she uses her Ashes to Ashes power to move through the village

_Flying Dagger_
· The Flying Dagger of Niadelaar

_Childhood Avenger_
· Morja, a former Avenger in training (acolyte of Father Frerik), driven by her desire for revenge and her resentment of her childhood foes precipitates the whole adventure
· Katrien, a young Avenger in training (acolyte of Father Frerik).

_Talons like Steel_
· The name of a harpy queen who is the chief villain in the story.

_Jar of Steam_
· The Jar Morja created to summon Talons-like-Steel.

_Unending Plague_
· The ongoing plague that Talons-like-Steel inflicted on the village of Niadelaar, no crops can or ever will grow – the village will always have to import food.




* Mysteriously absent from the village's travel brochures...


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## phoamslinger (Oct 22, 2009)

ElectricDragon and Iron Sky, your ingredients are

*Bloody Dungeon
Comet
Agressive Moneylender
Sleeping Death
Patchwork Golem
Shocking Arrows*

have fun!


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## Radiating Gnome (Oct 22, 2009)

Judgement, Round 7, Felipe Real vs Sparky

So, you've seen Iron Chef, right?  Or at least you understand the concept.  A group of cooks are given a platter of ingredients that they must use to create a meal for the judges.  

Let's imagine, in an Iron Chef competition, the contestants are given Eel as one of their ingredients.  It's a tough ingredient, to be sure -- hell, most of us have never eaten eel (except perhaps as sushi), and would have no idea how to prepare it.  But, the contestants are supposed to be inventive and expert, and they go to work.  

Now, lets imagine one of the contestants decides to bake a cake, and rather than acutally use the Eel in the cake, he just drapes the eel across the top -- or, even better, he just shapes the cake like an eel and frosts it with eel-colored frosting, tossing the actual eel down the garbage disposal.  "It was too hard cooking with Eel, so I baked a cake and named it Eel.  Do I win?"

Now, that's an exaggeration of what I'm seeing in this round, but it's not much of one.  Bottom line, the competition is about the ingredients, and it's possible that my judgement in the fourth round for CleverNickName undermined the importance of the ingredients -- so lets make this clear for future rounds.  

The Ingredients, and how they are used, are the primary piece of this competion.  CleverNickName had the better round, IMO, despite the problems with a couple of his ingredients. 

Obviously, not all ingredients are created equal.  And that's why we judge these entries in head-to-head rounds -- you both have the same ingredients, and one of you will advance.  This round had a pretty challenging set, no question.  

Anyway, enough posturing, lets get to the tale of the tape: Vengeance is Mine by Felipe Real vs Woes in Niadelaar by Sparky. 

*Ingredients:  

Inside the Walls.*  In Vim, we have the Pcs trapped within the walls of the town . . . but they're not really, they're trapped by the magical matrix used to enforce the quarantine . . . and even then, that doesn't seem to extend below ground.  Even worse, while the PCs delve below ground and search for the flying dagger, the second act starts with "After escaping the City" . . . .but wait?  When did they do that?  They were just getting the riddle about the dagger two lines above, when did they escape?  

As for WiN . . . .the jar is stashed in the peat wall, yes.  That works, but it isn't very interesting.  The entry also claims several other lousy excuses to cover this ingredient -- Talons-like-Steel moves thorugh the walls, isn' inside them, for example.  

So, they're both pretty weak.  WiN's use is a little better, so advantage WiN.

*Flying Dagger* - In WiN, we have an artifact called the flying dagger, and it does actually fly, and it is a dagger.  It has nominal connection to the plot, but it's not super. 

ViM, on the other hand, has an item called the flying dagger, but as far as I can tell from the entry, it's neither flying nor a dagger -- just a dingus that is needed to fight off the plague.  It could have been the "Strappy Sandal of Life" or the "Gnawed Number 2 Pencil of Life" for all the difference it makes in this entry.  

So, again, advantage WiN. 
*
Childhood Avenger * This is another tough ingredient -- many of them in this list were pretty tough.  I'm not very excited about how either entry used it, though.  In ViM, the big bad is avenging the death of it's mother . . . in WiN, Morja is avenging herself on those who replaced her in the service of the local priest.  Both cover the bases, so this ingredient got better treatment than many, but I'm not giving either entry an advantage on this one. 

*Talons Like Steel.*  Not sure what to say about this one.  Using the ingredient as the name of a character -- especially a character that does not have talons that are like steel (in the case of WiN) really doesn't cut it.  The steel talons that turn up in and around the town like arrowheads are a weak but workable treatment for the ingredient.  

Meanwhile, in ViM talons like steel show up as a line in a prophecy, and then  . . . . okay, this one I just have to quote: 

"the most important part of the story in this act is to face the Heroes with a monster with “talons like steel”. After the creature’s defeat—but before its death—it will offer the Heroes the Flying Dagger of Life in exchange for the forgiveness of its Life."  

So . . . this entry doesn't even pick out the monster for us, just says make sure it has those talons.  Really?  Whose creative powers are we judging here, anyway? 

Ahem.  Anyway, advantage WiN.  
*
Unending Plague* -

Yeah, both entries had diseases.  ViM, actually has a plague that is sort of important to the setting of the adventure.  WiN, on the other hand, isn't really a plague at all -- a magical disease that isn't transmittable from one victim to the next doesn't quite qualify as a plague.  The other problem with both is that neither disease is unending.  Anyway, ViM actually has the advantage here.  

*Jar of Steam.* At least the jar of steam in WiN is a jar that actually produces steam, among other things.  ViM doesn't quite get that far -- once again naming the item "Jar of steam" isnt' quite the same as actually making it's jar-of-steam-ness important to the adventure.  

Anyway, at this point, having worked through the ingredients, there's a solid advantage for WiN here.That advantage bears out through the other parts that are important, mostly because of the weaknesses in ViM, not particular strengths in WiN.  

For example, the hooks in ViM describe a whole other adventure or series of adventures that the heroes have been on . . . but what if my PCs have not played that adventure? This isn't just something class specific, like "one PC must be a Paladin" -- this indicates that the adventure MUST follow a previous one.  very hard to just drop it into my home game.  

ViM also lost ground on the the evocative writing/creativity front -- a prime example of which is the quote I grabbed above.  It's one thing to handwave some minor encounters on the way to the big stuff in your, but in ViM we have a couple of acts where the key, important encounters and opponents are not even named or described for us -- the reader must come up with them on his or her own.  Maybe, in a quick blurb to another DM to help them get started on a home game, you can get away with that, bur Iron DM is about showcasing your talents . . . so you really need to show them off. 

Meanwhile . . . the whole plot in WiN goes back to some lord trying to seduce a harpy?  And the two of them seduce each other?  Improbable doesn't really cover it.  Nevermind the confusion about who seduces who . . .they're both seduced, but the Talons finds out what the lord's planm had been, and she goes ballistic?  really ?  I thougth she had been seduced, too?  It just doesn't work for me.

 I'm feeling espcially cantankerous after this round.  In the previous round, CleverNickName blew off a couple of ingredients -- he suffered for it, but he also produced some wonderful, creative, surprising uses for the others.  In this round, both contestants are not paying enough attention to the ingredients and making them an intrinsic part of the adventure. What both entries lacked for me was that creative surprise and excellence that helped CNN get past his shortcomings in that entry.   

So, anyway, *Sparky *advances. Now I need a drink. 

And to everyone else . . . if you get dealt Eel, cook with the eel.  And make it taste like pizza.

Felipe_Real . . . . I wanted to say one last thing -- I have been very hard on both entries here, but it's clear to me that you're not working in your mother tongue, and I have to say that I don't think I could have pulled anything like what you did out of my butt in any of the other languages my resume says I can speak a little of.  I think it's very cool of you to enter, and I think that a less challenging set of ingredients might have given you a better chance.


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## Sparky (Oct 22, 2009)

Per Nifft's suggestion, attached are Talons-like-Steel and Talons-like-Steel (Solo).


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## Iron Sky (Oct 23, 2009)

*The Children of Death*
 
_Their father flies through the skies,_
_As beneath, the world dies._
_From his slumb'ring breast they sail,_
_And from every house the women wail._
_The world heaves as they strike,_
_And from the craters spreads their blight._
_In their time, they awaken,_
_Dreaming of lives torn and souls taken._
_They walk and whisper and lean into the wind,_
_While mad prophets mumble of a world's sin._
_Death slumbers in His icy tomb,_
_As His hungry brood fall from its womb._
_For a hundred generations Death's comet drifted between the worlds of distant stars,_
_And for a generation of man, His wayward Children shall reap ours._

-found on a roughly 2000 year-old tablet from the ruins of Aerkhan.  Discovery by Reevus Chim, renowned halfling author of _To Awaken Death; An Archaeologist's Guide to the End Times_.

 A 4th Edition D&D adventure for 4-6 20th level adventurers.  This adventure makes a great transition to Epic levels.  

In this adventure, the PCs contract a mysterious disease, track down the powerful comet-spawned undead monstrosity that created it, track it to the dungeon where a loan-lich has captured it, break into his dungeon and kill it. 

While there, they free an imprisoned golem-maker who presents them with a decision: "procure" the lich's weapons to power a giant golem and divert the comet away from the world OR use the golem-maker's connections to a certain goddess to awaken Death and convince him to steer his potentially civilization-ending comet away from the world.

On a mechanical note, whenever a skill challenge or check is referred to, the DM may use whatever system they are comfortable with to resolve it (straight role-play, skill checks, DMG 1-2 skill challenges, Stalker0 systems, etc). The difficulty just gives a rough idea of how hard the challenge is(for setting DCs, attitudes, or what have you). Most DMs handle skill interaction a bit differently, so what I have listed is guidelines.

*-Introduction-*

Dark omens are writ in the entrails of every augury, bleak words are spoken in the proclamations of every prophet, and hushed, fearful words reach every ear.

Winter has come in the middle of summer. The sun dims. A silver comet has appeared in the skies and with it prophecies of doom from the tongues of ancients of every race. The very stars fall in the comet's wake and rumors speak of unstoppable walking horrors that the falling stars awaken.

Even the gods are fleeing to their domains in the Astral Sea, taking many of their greatest servants with them while the common priest and paladin wonders if the divine powers they use to shield their flock from the dangers of the untamed world will soon fail. The world itself seems to near its doom, but if a band of heroes could somehow reverse it, their names would resound in the epic legends of the ages.

*-Background-*

*The Town of Nostradus*
Nostradus is a small town that can be situated almost anywhere in the game world where a number of neighboring towns might form a small kingdom. The town itself is situated around a two-hundred foot tall pinnacle of black rock known as the Ancient's Tower that juts up from the flat plains(see below). Aside from the Tower, the other major distinguishing feature is the sprawling metal scrapyard and the large metal building called Patchwork's Foundry just outside of town(see below). The town circles the Ancients Tower, its buildings and roads largely constructed from the rocky debris of the tower, giving the town a dull, bleak look.

The population's attitude is grim at best, apathetic at worst. Winter came a full month before harvest and their crops were devastated. The local priests that aren't calling for repentance have either given up hope and abandoned their temples or are preaching empty words of hope they don't really believe. Trade has almost completely stopped due to the early winter, plagues, and the rumors of Death's Children(see below) roaming the wilds.

To top it all off, a plague called the Sleeping Death has struck the town, visibly ravaging those who contract it while they sleep. Many in the town have taken to not sleeping in an attempt to slow down the disease, leaving them sleep deprived and exhausted. The disease is nearly always fatal.

 *Death's Children*
Death's children are powerful undead creatures that form out of the interaction of the slumbering primordial energies of Death and the raw materials of the comet in which he rests. After formed, they initially slumber with Death, but as the comet nears a world, pieces of the comet break free and fall to the world, some containing Children.

 After striking the world, they eventually awaken and begin killing in whatever form their particular manifestation of Death happens to take. The party encounters several over the course of the adventure, the most important of which is the Sleep Taker, who kills primarily by creating the disease Sleeping Death.

 The others are the Dreaming Martyr that attacks the PCs in their sleeping/meditating dreams if they take an extended rest and the Scythed Piper that the PCs face on the way to Nostrodus, and the Grim Keeper who they encounter if they open the wrong cell in the Ancient's Tower.

 Mechanically, all are level 21 Solos.

 *The Ancient's Tower*
The Tower is believed to once have been a massive tower that partially collapsed in some ancient cataclysm. Over the centuries, the descendants of the local Earl, Josen Farington, have excavated much of it, far more than they needed in fact, but the sturdy black granite they excavate has become a primary trade good for Nostradus. Recently, the Faringtons – like many of the neighboring lords in recent times – have fallen deeply into debt to self-titled Lord Komē the Immortal(see below).

 Lord Komē's personal touches largely consisted of transforming the upper part of the Tower into his own dungeon, filled with cells and bloody torture rooms. The very upper levels contain warded cells for his most dangerous prey. These cells are denoted by a ornate arrow symbols and glyphs of silver inlaid into the wood of the doors and the stone of the walls around them. The doors are ritualistically enchanted and reinforced so they are practically unbreachable unless they are touched with lightning(from any source) – at which point they open immediately.

The rest of the dungeon has hundreds of prisoners, some locked away in cells, others chained to walls, many still alive after being racked, flayed, or simply bled. Almost all have the Sleeping Death.

 *Patchwork's Foundry*
The building is made from bolted and/or welded bits of scrap metal from Patchwork's scrapyard. It has three large smoke stacks that are always burning while Patchwork(see below) is present. On the scrapyard and roof of the foundry are a veritable forest of lightning-rods of all shapes and sizes. Patchwork uses a ritual to trap the lightning that they draw and animates his golems with it.

 Dozens of small golems constantly roam and sort the scrapyard while others guard it against potential thieves and yet others live entirely inside the Foundry itself, helping Patchwork craft more golems. Despite their rough, cobbled-together appearance, his golems are extremely well-made and reliable and until recently, Patchwork made a decent living selling them.

 *Patchwork*
Patchwork is a human male in his thirties with a talent for metalwork and golem-crafting. When in the Foundry, which was passed down to him by his father, he always wears threadbare and often-patched overalls held together here and there by wire. He has stylish blond hair, a charming smile, an often not-so-charming belief that he is the gods' gift to women, and is generally irrepressible.

 When not pursuing females of whatever race or filling orders for golems, he works on his secret project – the massive Patchwork-family golem that his father started building in a large cavern beneath the Foundry and that Patchwork has been tinkering with and building since he could walk. It is roughly humanoid, 80' tall, tremendously strong, and can fly – or could if he could find a lightning power-source small enough and strong enough to power it. Aside from women, nothing catches his eye and interest like the flicker of lightning.

At the start of the adventure he is in prison for failing to pay his “taxes” to Komē, due in-part to the recent lack of business, purchasing the finishing parts for his massive patchwork golem, and his recent ill-fated trip to track down the demigoddess Eros and seduce Her before She leaves the world for good. He contacted her, managed to arouse her interest, and set up a meeting point. When he returned from the trip to check up on things before setting off to meet Eros, he was taken by Komē's mercenaries and thrown into Komē's dungeons for not paying his “taxes”. While there, he contracted the Sleeping Death as Lord Komē dragged the magically-bound Sleep Taker past him.

 *Lore Komē the Immortal*
Lord Komē inherited a decent amount of wealth when his father “mysteriously” died and Komē took over his father's business. He sold the business and used his ambition, cunning, acumen, and more than a little intimidation to create a thriving moneylending business. Over time, he expanded to the point where nearly any loan made within several days travel of Nostradus was made through him. Most major businesses and almost all the noble families in the area deeply in his debt. Several let him openly rule their lands, others sold them to him to pay off their debts, and the rest are little more than puppets. Regardless, his opinion of himself is great enough that he now calls himself a “lord” and his loan payments “taxes.”

 Komē's real ambition had little to do with money or land, however. He used his vast profits to acquire several powerful magical items – especially a powerful bow and a quiver of rare and extremely powerful lightning arrows – he hired powerful mercenaries to guard him and protect his hold on the nearby kingdoms, and, most recently, he paid an exorbitant sum to an other-planar cabal to turn him into a lich and also grant him additional tremendous powers. The rituals that did so were expensive , made even more so by the size of his phylactery – the entire Ancient's Tower.

After the ritual, he appended “the Immortal” to his name and began to indulge openly in his previously secret sadistic fetish – hunting down and capturing “prizes”, various intelligent creatures that he hid away and frequently tortured. After taking over most of the Ancient's Tower from the Faringtons, he turned the higher levels into his own personal dungeon.

 When the comet appeared in the skies, he set out to find more exotic prey; the Children of Death(see Children of Death, above). He has captured several, including the Sleep Taker, and imprisoned them in the highest chambers of the Ancient's Tower(see Ancient's Tower, above).

 Physically, he appears as a tall, gaunt man with burning blue eyes and thinning silver hair. His skin has not yet decomposed since his lich-dom, but looks stretched over his skin. He always carries his great bow and his quiver of lightning arrows. Personality-wise, he is sarcastic, sadistic, and cruel. His is highly intelligent, but his recent immortality has left him fearlessly arrogant to the point of hubris. He literally doesn't even fear the gods and believes that now that they are leaving the world, there is nothing left in the world that could even hope to face him.

 His recently created “family crest” flies on banners all over Nostradus and the Ancient's Tower. It is divided into four quadrants of black and yellow, bearing the comet, a tower, a lightning bolt, and a drop of blood.

Mechanically, he is a level 25 Solo.

 At the start of the adventure, he is out hunting for another Child to add to his collection, but returns to Nostradus not long after the PCs break into free Patchwork(see below).

*Hooks:*
1) The PCs have all caught the Sleeping Death. This is recommended as it alone should get them motivated to track down the Sleep Taker, but if not, feel free to consider either of the two hooks below as well.
2) As an earlier quest reward the PCs may have been given a small but useful scrap-built golem as a reward. It has broken down and they find that Patchwork is the creator (and, of course, that he lives in Nostradus). Alternately, an NPC might have purchased several of Patchwork's golems that have since destroyed or have broken down and they would like the PCs to take them (via bags of holding or the like) to Patchwork to have them repaired.
3) Any divine characters are aware that their gods are withdrawing from the world/fleeing from the comet(see note below) and as such the PC are in danger of losing their powers if the comet is not somehow diverted. Any divination rituals will reveal (vaguely) that Nostradus holds a potential key to sending the comet away.

Note: The Gods fear of Death – Death's icy tomb was found by the gods floating through creation not long after creation Was. It was already ancient. One foolish god awakened Death and sought to challenge Him and Death destroyed the god utterly with a just a touch. Since then, the gods flee to the Astral Sea whenever Death's Comet nears their worldly domains, just-in-case Death wakes.

*-Bullet Point Adventure Summary-*
0. Hooks
1. Players travel to Nostradus.
2. Reach Nostradus, learn of Lord Komē's capture of Children of Death and of Patchwork being taken to the dungeons of the Ancient's Tower.
3. Assault/infiltrate the Tower to kill the Sleep Taker and free Patchwork.
4. Return to Patchwork's Foundry, learn of Patchwork's family golem and of Patchwork's chase of Eros, then come up with a plan.
5a. Get Komē to attack them and/or come up with plan to steal arrows and do so
6a. Use pilfered arrows to activate Patchwork's Golem, then use it to divert Comet and/or kill Lord Komē
5b. Follow Patchwork to Eros.
6b. Travel with Eros to Death's Comet so Eros can try her hand at seducing Death, awakening him, then convince Death to take his Comet elsewhere. 

*-The Adventure Begins-*

*1. A Plague on Both Your Houses*
The PCs have all caught the Sleeping Death in whatever town or city they are in. Divination rituals and/or Moderate Arcana, Religion, or Heal checks will reveal that the disease cannot be cured until the original creature is killed. (Note, this can be incorporated into the investigative skill challenge below if desired).

Note: If the PCs take an extended rest at any point, they will face the Dreaming Martyr(see Wake the Dead encounter). Also, remember to resolve the effects of the Sleeping Death:  
<Recovery: Not possible while the Sleep Taker lives.>  
<Initial effect: The creature loses 1 healing surge that cannot be gained back by any means while the Sleep Taker lives.>
<Each Worsen result: The creature loses 1 healing surge, as with the initial infection. If the creature drops to 0 healing surges, it dies and cannot be raised while the Sleep Taker lives(see Sleep Taker encounter).>
Improve DC: -, Maintain DC: Endurance 30 or more, Worsen DC: Endurance 29 or less.

 An Easy investigative skill challenge in the town or appropriate ritual will reveal that the first person in the city to catch it came from a small nearby village a few hours away.

Note: At any point until the PCs reach Nostradus, the DM may pit the PCs against the Scythed Piper, one of the Children of Death. The fight takes place in a large road-side mass grave near an abandoned town(see Skythed Piper Encounter).

At the village, they find the last survivor dying in the middle of the street.  She utters: “_a horrible, lurching, wispy creature staggered through town and touched little Millie... they all started dying in their sleep... twisted, wretched deaths..._” If the PCs make a successful Hard Heal, Diplomacy, Bluff, and/or Intimidate check, they can get her to hold on long enough to point out the direction the creature headed off to (the road to Nostradus) before she dies, her body contorting hideously as she does.

Otherwise, PCs can attempt to track the Sleep Taker (Moderate Perception checks). If all else fails, an exhausted-looking young women gallops up the road that they can talk to. She is fleeing to a bigger city, looking for a cure for the Sleeping Death. If they ask, she is fleeing “_what's left of Nostradus and that monster Lord Komē_” and hoping there's a cure in a bigger city.  She will not talk long as she's anxious to move on to the city.

 The PCs may travel the remaining 25 miles to Nostrodus by whatever means appropriate to them.

 *2.  The Prophecies of Nostradus*
When the PCs arrive at Nostradus, they will find the people somewhere between desperate and despondent and they are generally fatalistic. An old man staggers through town babbling about the end of the world. Those few townsfolk that don't have Sleeping Death are mostly holed up in their houses to keep from catching it.

 Players looking for information enter an Easy skill challenge. Failure draws attention to the PCs and encounters in the Ancient's Tower will be slightly harder(see In the Halls encounters).

* Several young women affirm that Patchwork is easily identifiable when mostly-naked by his tattoos, but blush and won't say what the tattoos are - or where exactly they are.
* Patchwork is a renowned womanizer that supposedly went off to chase after the demigoddess Eros. He supposedly hasn't returned yet.
* Patchwork, and his father before him, were said to have some secret project at the Foundry, but no one has ever determined exactly what it is.
* Patchwork's Golems are “world renowned” and people come from all over to have him build them.
* Lord Komē isn't actually a lord, but the real Lord, Lord Farington is deeply in Lord Komē's debt and so gives him practically free reign in Nostradus.
* Lord Komē arrived with a group of strange figures in robes that magically flew all over the outside of the Ancient's Tower. Not long after, Komē started calling himself “the Immortal” and is rumored to have gained dark powers.
* There used to be rumors that Lord Komē kidnapped local villagers, but now he blatantly takes whoever he wants into the dungeons of the Tower. None ever return and rumors say he does terrible, bloody things to them and even eats the bodies.
* Lord Komē has an array of powerful mercenaries that do his bidding and protect him, but on his own he carries a massive bow with lightning arrows, and can fly through some unknown means.
* The Comet is a prophesied sign of the end of times and even the gods are fleeing the world to escape what's coming. It is said Death itself slumbers on the comet.
* The Children of Death are the means by which the Comet's doom will destroy all civilizations.
* The Sleeping Death has struck ¾ of the villagers. Many people take herbal concoctions to keep themselves awake since it only seems to get worse when you sleep.
* Lord Komē has moved on from kidnapping villagers to capturing the Children of Death and even they never return from the dungeons of the Ancient's Tower.

If the PCs head to Patchwork's Foundry, they find a note pinned to the front door that reads:
“_Taken to the Ancient's Tower for failure to pay Lord Komē's taxes.”  _If the players try to break in, they are warned to stop by several of Patchwork's guardian golems. If they persist, the guardian golems battle them(see Patchwork's Scrapmetal Mishmash encounter). If they do break in, they see simply the inside of the foundry unless they make a DC 35 Perception followed by a DC 35 Thievery check to find and activate the hidden catch that opens the door to the cavern beneath the Foundry where Patchwork's massive family golem is.

 After they have spent some time gathering information and/or searching the Foundry, they are approached by Lord Farignton – a disheveled, balding middle-aged man with once-fine but now threadbare clothing. He leads the PCs to a secluded place and pleads that they find a way to eliminate Lord Komē, not only because of the terrible things it is said he does, but because he has taken over the Ancient's Tower, converted it into a massive dungeon, and is practically ruling Nostradus. Lord Farington and others were planning to band together and take him out, but not long after Lord Komē began calling himself the Immortal, some tried and he killed them all single-handedly.

 He also lets the PCs know that Lord Komē is out of the town hunting, so if they wish to get into the Ancient's Tower, now is the time.
 
*3.  Tower Defense*
At this point, the PCs should be ready to attempt to infiltrate and/or assault the Ancient's Tower. If they ask, Lord Farington can show them a secret way into the base of the tower, but they are on their own once they are inside. Alternately, they can assault the mercenaries at the front gates and fight their way in(see Bill for the Gates encounter).

 Inside, the Ancient's Tower is mostly empty, dark as night, and labyrinthine. The characters must make 5 Moderate Dungeoneering checks to find their way all the way to the Sleep Taker. On the first 2 failed checks, they run into patrols of Lord Komē's mercenary guards(see In the Hallways encounters). After they fail 3 or more, even if they succeed at a subsequent Dungeoneering check, they must make Moderate Stealth checks or run into another patrol.

After they make 3 successful checks, they find the dungeons that take up the bulk of the Tower. Cells, mass and private, are everywhere. Dead or dying people – whether from torture, starvation, or Sleeping Death – litter the area; lying in cells, dead in the hallways, chained by hands or ankles to the walls, rotting in heaps. Here and there are torture rooms with all sorts of torture devices and all have a rusty grime of dried blood and a charnel stink.

 After 4 successful Dungeoneering checks, they find Patchwork(whether they were looking for him or not). He is chained to a wall in a hallway they are passing through, weakened but not broken. He is wearing only a grimy, tattered loincloth. Clearly visible are the ends of four arrow tattoos, two on his on his lower abdomen and two on his thighs, all disappearing under the loincloth. If there are any female PCs that are looking at his tattoos, he winks at them and says “_Haven't seen you around much, come here often?_”

 He grins at the PCs and says(in a British accent if the DM can muster one), “_Name's Patchwork, pleased meet you. You chaps don't look like Lord Komē's usual riffraff. I'm going to go out on a limb and say you aren't supposed to be here. If that's the case, jolly good! How's about you take these chains off and let me out of this bloody dungeon!_”

 If set free, he says he can find his way out of the Tower on his own “_since I supervised the golems that helped excavated far too much of it_” and will meet them back in his Foundry.   

 If asked about the Sleep Taker, he shudders and points them in the right direction (+2 on the next Dungeoneering check).  “_Lord Komē dragged that nasty bloody thing past me a few days back. Haven't slept since 'cause of the nightmares, but from watching what happens to the poor chaps stuck in here with me when they sleep, probably a damned good thing._”

If they ask him to come with to find the Sleep Taker, he refuses.  “_No bloody way I'm going near that thing again.  I'd rather die by falling into a fire and lighting my bloody tattoos on fire._”(with a suggestive glance to his tattoos and another wink to any female PCs).

 If  they fail to tell him where they are going next, he asks.  When they tell him, see above.

 (Deus ex machina notice) If none of the PCs have any lightning keyword powers, Patchwork stops before he leaves, pulls out a piece of metal from tucked into a fold in his loincloth and hands it to one of the PCs (female preferably) and says, “_Take this, for good luck.  I insist._”  It is a charged lightning rod that he uses to power his smaller golems.  It has 2 charges.

 When the PCs finally find the top Cells, they find two identical doors, each warded with inlaid silver runic arrows and other sigils in the doors and walls. The doors and walls are magically warded and extremely tough, pretty much immune to anything the PCs can throw at them. If the PCs apply lightning from any source to the wards, the doors open. Each one holds a different Death's Child. They have a 50% chance of opening the one with the Sleep Taker(see Take Back the Night encounter), otherwise they open the one with the Grim Keeper(see Celling Your Soul encounter).

As soon as they kill the Sleep Taker, the Sleeping Death disease is instantly healed(though any lost surges are gone until an extended rest is taken). This is true for _everyone in the world _who has it.

 If the PCs have already fought at least one patrol, they may escape from the tower afterward uneventfully. Otherwise, they encounter one patrol on the way out(see In the Halls encounter).

*4. A Patchwork Plan*
When the PCs return to Patchwork's foundry, they find him there, clothed in his patchy overalls and linen undershirt, goggles on his head as he tinkers with a golem.

 “_So, what's the plan now, chaps?  Gonna stop the comet and take out Lord Komē while you're at it?_”
 
In the following conversation, he mentions that he might have “_just the tool for the job_” and shows them the Patchwork family golem below the Foundry.  One problem – it doesn't have a power source.

“_The golems run on lightning, stored in the cylindrical bases of the lightning rods on the roof. This one needs more than what the ones I've managed to make can hold. What we need is a similarly sized object that holds a damn lot of bloody lightning. On top of that, I need five of the buggers. But if that works, I figure we could fly this thing up there and just push this comet away so it goes and bothers someone else. Maybe come back and teach Lord Komē a thing or two while we're at it._”

He also brings up that he has a hidden rendezvous with Eros and they could always come along to meet with her “_after I've done my part,_” and see if she knows of some way to stop the Comet.  “_She is a bloody demigoddess after all._”  If they ask how he managed to get her to meet with him he simply says, “_you have to promise some pretty outrageous things to be shocking Eros, she is the demigoddess of love, mate. Let's just say I got her attention._”

While the PCs are discussing what to do, Lord Farington arrives to tell them that Lord Komē is arriving. He leads them outside and they can see Lord Komē flying unassisted towards the top of the tower, the flicker of his lightning arrows in their quiver clearly visible. Farington tells them that they probably don't have very much time to make a decision before Lord Komē comes looking for them.

Farington and Patchwork will help them come to one of the following two decisions:

 a) Somehow get five of Lord Komē's lightning arrows to power the Patchwork family golem, then use it to fight Lord Komē and/or push the comet elsewhere.

 If the players happen to have lightning arrows of their own, Patchwork tests them and finds that he needs “more powerful ones” (mechanically, +6 needed).

b) Use Patchwork's rendezvous with Eros to see if she can somehow help them deal with the Comet.

At this point, the plot splits, depending on which decision the PCs make (and possibly the party splits as some do each).
*
5a) Arrow Catchers*
 If the PCs decide to go for the arrows, they basically have three options.

1) Kill Lord Komē.  This may be possible, but unless they can somehow sneak in an extended rest it is highly unlikely.
 2) Fight Lord Komē with the intent of “collecting” 5 of his arrows, then fleeing.
 3) Attempt to sneak into the Ancient's Tower, find Lord Komē's chambers(that he is possibly currently in), look for a stash of arrows and steal the necessary arrows.

 Note: If at any point the PCs manage to kill Lord Komē, they may make Moderate Arcana checks. If they succeed, they determine by the manner of his death that he is a lich and will return unless they can find and destroy his phylactery. With this knowledge, if they take the time to examine the Ancient's Tower, with Moderate Arcana checks they can analyze the dweomer on it to determine that it is his phylactery and must be destroyed if he is to be slain.

 Farington and Patchwork are dubious that the PCs can take on Lord Komē – since he did “_somewhat casually capture two of Death's Children_”. Farington does affirm that Lord Komē's arrows can still be used after they've been fired. He also has hear they have a curse on them that harms anyone but Lord Komē that tries to fire them.

 If they fight Lord Komē (see Komē Gets Some encounter), presumably they will get the arrows, either by killing him and grabbing a handful before Lord Komē's body and belongings returns to his phylactery or by getting shot by/otherwise collecting 5 Lightning Arrows. If they flee to the Foundry, Lord Komē laughs and lets them. He floats leisurely after them, taunting and mocking them to come back and fight once they are inside.

 If they instead try to sneak back into the tower, they must succeed at a Hard skill challenge to distract Lord Komē remaining guards, avoid them and Lord Komē, find his chambers, break the arcane wards into Lord Komē and on the chest that holds his extra arrows, then escape as Lord Komē rushes back to his chambers (warned by his rituals that his room is being broken into). On failures they run into patrols (see In the Halls encounters). On a total failure, they run into Lord Komē(see Komē Gets Some encounter).

 *6a) By Your Arrows Combined...
* When they return to Patchwork's Foundry, they are pursued by dozens of Lord Komē's guards (and Lord Komē if he is still alive) and quickly head with Patchwork into the cavern. There, they must simultaneously place the five arrows into their respective slots, which happen to be positioned in difficult-to-get-to places around the golem. Patchwork and Farington's will help if there aren't enough PCs – aided by a couple of Patchwork's little helper golems if there _really_ aren't enough PCs. As soon as they do, gears grind in the golem, doors open in the golem, and they can head inside to control it.

 The PCs then can use the Golem to battle Lord Komē and his mercs(see Patchwork Family Golem stats and rules). After/instead of fighting Lord Komē, they may just decide to outrun him and fly to the comet. Whenever they decide to head to the comet, read the following:

_The golem rumbles and shakes as it ascends, leaving Nestradus far behind. From your shared view out the golem's eyes, you see the skies slowly fade from the fading blue of the day to pure black. The stars shine brighter than you've ever seen them and Death's Comet seems to hang suspended in the black like a massive weeping ball of ice. Pieces of it constantly break, falling around you and some shattering on the golem's thick metal skin as the Comet looms larger and larger before you. Finally, you reach it, arms extended and breaking through the thin, nearly vaporous layer on the outside to the harder ice beneath. With your combined focus, the golem strains, metal creaking as it slowly adjusts the comet's course. An hour later you sit and watch as the comet speeds away, the icy debris of its tail sparkling in the sun and tinkling on the golem like frozen rain. It is done._

 The PCs may then return and deal with Lord Komē if they haven't already. If they kill/killed him they may use the golem to easily pull apart the Ancient's Tower (hopefully after they empty its sprawling dungeons!), ridding the world of Lord Komē. If they failed to make the Arcana checks to realize that Lord Komē is a lich and the Ancient's Tower is his phylactery, they will find out in 1d10 days when Lord Komē returns(when it is up to the DM to decide if Lord Komē flees to become a recurring villain or takes them on so they have another crack at discovering his secret).

 They may also use it the Patchwork Golem to hunt down and kill any of Death's Children that still walk the world. The arrows power the Golem for ten days, after which they are drained to nothing and new ones are needed. The arrows cannot be removed once placed inside the golem.

 If desired, the PCs can still escort Patchwork to his meeting with Eros, though she simply smiles and waves at them after Patchwork leaves the wagon, then rides into the sky.

 Fin!

 *5b) Eros Catchers*
 The PCs sneak through a tunnel that leads out of the cavern beneath Patchwork's Foundry, coming out a mile from Nostradus. From there, Patchwork can lead them to the crossroads a few miles away where Eros is waiting for him.

 When they arrive at the crossroads, read the following:

_A luxurious, gilded round gypsy wagon with two strong white horses sits beside the barren crossroad. The rear window of the carriage is open and a young woman's voice sings the most beautiful song you've ever heard, though as you listen to the lyrics, the most stern and stout amongst you blush at what it describes. 

Patchwork grins and turns to you. “If you fellows don't mind, I'll be going on ahead to, er, warm her up for you. Give me an hour or so to fulfill my promises to her and she'll be more than happy to listen to you.” Patchwork heads around to the front of the carriage, you hear a door creak, then there is a squeal of feminine delight followed by a gasp and suddenly the carriage door and windows slam shut._

_Two hours later, the door opens again, Patchwork struts out, eyes wide, skin flushed, and wearing only jaunty grin, a loincloth, and his tattoos. “She's ready for you.”_

 When the characters enter:

_Though the size of a wagon on the outside, inside it is a luxurious palace of white marble gleaming in otherworldly golden sunlight. Luxurious red cushions and flimsy silk hangings are everywhere and small fountains burble and splash. The most beautiful woman you've ever seen lays on a massive bed covered with a thick, rumpled maroon blanket stitched with gold cloth. The white silk sheets beneath are draped about her in such a fashion that they always seem to be on the verge of falling off the strategic areas they hide, but never quite do._

 Eros, though pleased by her encounter with Patchwork, is a highly jaded being. She will tell the PCs of the Gods reason for leaving (fear of Death awakening and unmaking them), but that for her the world is mostly so dull anymore, so lacking in interest or challenge that she doesn't care if Death awakens. Any attempts to get her to help them will fail due to it not being interesting/challenging/etc (excepting utter PC brilliance that the DM can't refuse). 

 If they suggest she attempt to seduce Death, however... Note: If none of the PCs think of it Patchwork can suggest it as an off-hand comment.

 *6b) We Who Are About To Die, Seduce You!*
_She immediately brightens at the idea of such a challenge and risk and, with a delighted laugh snaps her fingers. You find yourselves crowded into her gypsy wagon, staring out the now-open front as the horses gallop into the sky. Moments later, the stars shine around you and the comet looms before you, like a massive geode crystal of burnished silver. You pass through the veil of mist surrounding the body of the comet as though you are flying through clouds and come to land on its frozen surface._

_Eros steps out onto the bench, then onto the surface of the comet and, as she does so, motions for you to stay inside. “It is death for a mortal to even touch the surface. Remain there, I will awaken Death.”_

_She begins to dance and sing, a seductive, undulating dance that captivates you. The song is hypnotic, and its all you can do not to rush to her and throw yourselves at her feet. A minute later the wagon shakes and the surface of the comet ripples, flecks of disturbed ice shaken from the comet's shell like a million tiny diamonds drifting in the air._

_Eros goes silent as a shadowy figure rises from the mist nearby. It resembles a figure in a deep cowled cloak, but it is hazy, its substance swirling with the dust and ice of the comet. When it speaks, the sound reverberates up through the souls of your feet and sound in your bones as the ice hanging in the air vibrates with every syllable._

_-Why have you come-_

_Eros says nothing, but smiles and dances._

_-Why have you come-_

_Eros hesitates and then stops._

_-Why have you come-_

 The PCs have a chance to explain why they have come. Death has been slumbering for millennia and, in his slumber, is one of the primal forces that keeps the universe going. He is, however, unaware of the course of his comet and the creation and behavior of his Children.

 It is an Easy skill challenge to convince Death to change the course of his comet: it matters little to him where it goes, so it is fairly trivial.

_Death does not move or speak for a moment. The sensation is subtle, but you feel a slow shift. When you look back at the world, you get the subtle sensation of it diminishing at an almost imperceptible rate, like the movement of the minute-hand on a clockwork timepiece._

 It is a Moderate skill challenge to convince Death to deal with his Children: he never intended to create them in the first place, they just formed as a byproduct of his Presence.

_Death looks up and the comet rotates until the world seems to loom over you. The suspended ice and mist ripples and a voice sounds in your body. -Done-_

 It is a Hard skill challenge to convince Death to destroy Lord Komē. The main reasons that might appeal to Death(and that he might noticeably react to) are Lord Komē's hubris (the title of the Immortal) and/or the fact that Lord Komē is a lich(if the players have somehow determined that). Anything else is pretty much irrelevant to him.

_Suddenly you are all standing outside Patchwork's Foundry. Lord Komē stands staring at it, the remains of Patchwork's guardian golems littering the ground at his feet. He slowly turns to see you, but his eyes focus on Death. Death doesn't move, but is suddenly standing before Lord Komē, as though the world moved and not Death. Lord Komē sneers as he stares down Death, but slowly the sneer fades, replaced by a slowly-growing look of horror. Then Lord Komē's eyes widen and his mouth opens in a silent scream that goes on for long seconds. A moment later Death and Lord Komē are utterly gone, leaving you alone with Patchwork outside his Foundry._

 If the PCs do not succeed at the final challenge, Eros will return them instead. They may jump to 5a) and take on Lord Komē. If so, jump to that section, skipping any part related to the comet(and the Children of Death if they also succeeded at that part).

 Fin.


 When your players have completed the adventure, read aloud:

_The sun shines a little brighter and the winter air warms. Birds chirp and the animals return from hiding. The Gods return from hiding and prayer and psalm again fill the temples. Death's Children are a quick-passing nightmare as the comet fades away in the skies. And through every city and town you pass, the people call your names; the Doombreakers, the Blight-chasers, the God Bringers._

 *Elements*
_Bloody Dungeon_ - The majority of the Ancient's Tower.  Also, how Patchwork refers to the place.  The Blood and the Tower is also on Lord Komē's crest.

_Comet_ - The tomb of Death as he slumbers.  Also on Komē's crest.  Komē's name is also derived from the root of the latin word for comet.

_Aggressive Moneylender_ - "Lord" Komē, who used the wealth gained from it to literally buy immortality and power(and neat stuff like Lightning Arrows).

_Sleeping Death_ - Death Himself who sleeps on the Comet. Also the name of the disease the PCs are infected with and trying to cure. Also what happens to any players that die in the Wake the Dead encounter that happens if they take an extended rest.

_Patchwork Golem_ - Patchwork is the name of the town's golem builder. Also the name of his family Golem, one possible way to eliminate the treat of the comet. Also the physical description of the scrap-metal golems Patchwork puts together.

_Shocking Arrows_ - The arrows needed to power the Patchwork Golem, conveniently Lord Komē's weapon of choice. Also Patchwork's naughty tattoos. Also, Patchwork's "shocking Eros", the main reason they have access to the demigoddess (and yes, I know Eros was male in greek mythology, I just "re-flavored" him a bit).


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## Iron Sky (Oct 24, 2009)

Since I didn't post them before, here are the Encounters mentioned above:

*Wake the Dead*
When the PCs take an extended rest, the Sleeping Martyr strikes.  The PCs find themselves in the small village on the way to Nostradus and the Sleeping Martyr appears at first as the woman who died there, head down and arms held straight out to the sides.  

As the PCs watch, the woman dissolves away, leaving a figure cloaked in thick layers of tattered rags, head hidden by moth-eaten, threadbare scarves.  It looks up, yellow eyes glowing in the slit between the wrappings that hide its head.  _Kill me, if you can_, it whispers, the voice but a croak.  Then combat is joined.

The map is a small abandoned village.  The PCs start in the town square with small buildings all around.  The Sleeping Martyr stands 5 squares away, next to the town well.  The PCs do not realize it, effectively, they and the Martyr hay fly and they have the phasing quality(since it's all a dream).  If a PC takes a minor action they can make a Moderate Insight check.  Success gives them access to fly and phasing.  For each PC that has made the check, all others get +2 to their checks.

The Martyr urges the PCs to kill her in different ways throughout the fight since any damage she takes increases the damage she can deal to the PCs.

Any PCs that die in the battle stay dead, as does the Sleeping Martyr if they kill her.

The Martyr's shtick: Every time she is hit by an attack, she gets an extra dice of damage that she can apply to one of her attacks the next round.  Her attacks tend to drop her defenses, grant OAs, etc in return for extra damage output. 

Enemies:
The Dreaming Martyr, Level 21 Solo Brute

*The Skythed Piper*
As the PCs travel, they come across an abandoned town.  Along the side of the town, near the road, is an open mass grave, a 1 square deep 3x12 square pit full of bodies(difficult terrain).  The edges are sloped so no checks are required to enter or exit(though they are also difficult terrain).  

Just past the graveyard is the 15' tall wall that is 50 squares long, essentially setting a boundary one one side of the battlefield.  Other than the wall and the pit, scattered rocks and trees are the only terrain features.

The Skythed Piper's shtick: The Piper summons 1d10 souls from the dead of the graveyard as a minor action every round, then uses his Skythe's close-burst attacks to lay into the PCs.  His soultorn minions attack slides enemies so they attack anyone outside Piper's reach to push them into his attacks (imagine malefic spirits dragging PCs towards a giant bone-pipe playing, soul ripping, skythe-wielding skeleton). 

Enemies:
The Skythed Piper, Level 21 Solo Controller

*Patchwork's Scrapmetal Mishmash*
Patchwork's scrapyard is a dangerous place.  The battle takes place in and around variously shaped and sized mounds of sharp metal scrap fill the area, including stacked next to the walls of the Foundry itself.  They are difficult terrain that costs 3 squares of movement instead of 2.  2-3 square wide paths wind through the stacks, with occasional 3x3 to 5x5 cleared out areas, including the area just outside the Foundry itself.  For creatures moving into any square adjacent to one of the stacks, it takes 1d4 damage while moving through the stacks themselves deals 1d8 per square.  Roll that damage for each move/forced move together.  For example, if a creature moved or was pushed through 5 squares adjacent to a junk pile, it would take 5d4 damage while if it moved through the pile itself, it would take 5d8.

The golems are somewhat aware of this fact (as aware as a golem can be) and use it to their advantage.

Patchwork Guardian Golem's shtick: The Guardians hit hard and have push attacks that send players flying through razor-sharp piles of debris.  If enemies are out of reach, they grab large pieces of jagged metal and hurl them at their enemies.  They also grab PCs to keep them from escaping as they pound on them.  They take half damage from the debris.
Helper Golems shtick: These lurker minions scurry in and out of debris piles, knocking PCs prone or dragging them into the sharp scrap.  They take no damage from the scrap.
Flitter Golems shtick: These artillery minions charge up on the lightning rods and send bolts of lightning at the PCs, focusing on ranged/flying targets.

Enemies:
4 Patchwork Guardian Golems, Level 20 Elite Brutes
6 Patchwork Helper Golems, Level 18 Minions(skirmisher)
6 Patchwork Flitter Golems, Level 18 Minions(artillery)

*Bill for the Gates
*The gates to the Ancient Tower are guarded by a squad of Lord Komē's guards and one of his captains.  The terrain is a 5 square wide path between massive blocks of black stone(4-8 squares tall).  6 squares of stairs(difficult terrain) lead to the front gate where the enemies wait.  The gates are six squares wide and one is cracked open enough so there is a 1 square wide passage in and out.

The guards have two traps set up at the base of the stairs, blocks of massive stone rigged to fall onto whoever stands at the base of the stairs when the guards hit a trigger.  Each trap has a trigger set where the gates meet the tower wall that activates the trap on its side.  As a minor action on any guard's turn while adjacent to a trigger, they can activate the trap, dropping a giant 2x2x2 square of stone on the PCs at the top of the stairs(see the trap below).

The guards fight hard, but the last one or two will flee through the gates and close them behind them.  The gates are strong (All AC/Fort 30, 250hp), but the PCs should be able to get through it easily.  The guards warn others in the tower, increasing the difficulty of the In the Halls encounters, below.

The various mercenaries are fairly simple and straightforward in what they do, as exemplified in their roles.  They are fairly vanilla, in part due to the fact that particularly unskilled (or unlucky) groups might end up fighting _a lot_ of them.

Enemies:
Mercenary Captain, Level 20 Elite Soldier(Leader)
Mercenary Wizard, Level 18 Controller
2 Mercenary Archers, Level 18 Artillery
2 Mercenary Axemen, Level 18 Brutes

*In the Hallways
*These encounters can take place anywhere you might find in a tower; a series of parallel narrow passageways, large multi-level chambers with side passageways, etc.

If down to the last 1 or 2 enemies, they will flee.  If they escape, move to the increased difficulty encounter.

The composition depends on whether the difficulty has been increased, either due to failed infiltration checks or an assault on the gate.  The DM can roll randomly(d6) or select on as appropriate for the location.  Hard adds +1 of each type in the encounter.

The Trap: The trap does a pile of damage, knocks any PCs it hits prone, and restrains them until they can make an escape attempt against it(squeezing/muscling out from under the rock).

1: 2 Mercenary Wizards, 2 Mercenary Swordsmen, 2 Mercenary Axemen.  
2: 1 Mercenary Wizard, 1 Mercenary Swordsman, 4 Mercenary Spearmen.  
3: 2 Mercenary Swordsmen, 2 Mercenary Spearmen, 2 Mercenary Archers.  
4: 2 Mercenary Axemen, 2 Mercenary Swordsmen, 2 Mercenary Assassins.  
5: 3 Mercenary Archers, 1 Mercenary Swordsman, 2 Mercenary Assassins.
6: 1 Mercenary Wizard, 1 Mercenary Swordsman, 1 Mercenary Axeman, 1 Mercenary Spearman, 1 Mercenary Assassin, 1 Mercenary Archer.

*Take Back the Night/Celling Your Soul*
These two fights take place in exactly the same location.  The cells are located at the top of a T intersection.  Just outside the cells is a 5x5 square area empty area, with three 3 square wide hallways leading away.  Once the rooms are open, the runes are magically reactive and any non-untyped damage that hits them causes a backlash, dealing 2d10 damage of the same type as the damage the attack that hit them to anything in close-burst 5.

*Take Back the Night*
The Sleep Taker's shtick: The Sleep Taker has several abilities that only work on people with her Sleeping Death, including a huge aura attack that forces PCs to make an immediate Endurance check against the Sleeping Death every time she hits them with it.  She also has a few other necrotic/poison disease themed powers and can step _into_ diseased PCs as a recharge power, forcing them to take half the damage done to her and exposing them to a variety of nasty attacks against them until they save and expel her.

Enemies:
The Sleep Taker, Level 21 Solo Lurker

*Celling Your Soul
*The Grim Keeper's shtick: The Grim Keeper is an armored juggernaut that has attacks that let him push PCs, charge them, and pin them against walls.  His attacks also has a dominating gaze attack teleports the enemies he hits with it next to his main target and gives his dominated target bonuses on attacks against allies.

Enemies:
The Grim Keeper, Level 21 Solo Soldier

*Komē Gets Some
*This fight might take place in a variety of locations, depending on when the PCs encounter Lord Komē.  It might be in the Ancient's Tower if they've snuck in to steal his arrows and fail, it might be in the town if they head out to face him, or it might be at Patchwork's Foundry.  If appropriate, he might have a group of mercenaries with him (a group from In the Hallways, standard or hard as appropriate).

Lord Komē's shtick is pretty much to fly at maximum bow range and rain lightning arrows an the party.  If brought down, he uses a close blast push attack to knock enemies away and repeats.

Lord Komē, Level 25 Solo Artillery
+1 In the Hallways group, if appropriate

*The Patchwork Family Golem*
The Golem itself isn't exactly an encounter, but it might be used to fight Lord Komē so it is relevant.  When the PCs are in the golem, it has its own movement, defenses, and hitpoints.  However, with PCs in it, they roll initiative separately and on their turn treat it as their character for using powers(as if the PCs were all sharing the same body but on different initiative counts).  They use all their own modifiers for attack and damage, though melee attacks add +2d10 damage.  The Golem itself doesn't act without a pilot/pilots.

The Patchwork Family Golem, Level 30 Solo Brute.


As an aside, if the PCs attempt to attack Eros, she simply disappears and the PCs have made a very powerful enemy.  If they attack Death, they die quickly, painlessly, and permanently.

I jotted down the various creature's "shticks", but the thought of creating, editing, and copying 15 paragon/epic level monsters from Adventure Tools to here seems daunting.  Especially since I've already put far too many hours into this already.


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## ElectricDragon (Oct 24, 2009)

Utreyal’s Revenge

*Plot Hooks:* 
•	The party has used this town as their base for many adventures and most if not all are from this town. Some of the background information should already be available to the party members. Fill them in without rolls on most of the information listed in the Town of Utral section. Exceptions being the disappearances of the townsfolk, the wizard’s proclamation, and the strange figure limping through the ruins. These will be picked up as written.
•	The party is passing through this crossroads-town on their way to bigger and better things. Use the adventure as written except the party is taking a break on their long trip to the city rather than meeting at the pub to discuss what they will do next.

This is an adventure for four characters of about 6th level, uses the 3.5 rules set, and a generic setting. It is important that the party has a good mix of character classes including one of the following a bard, a rogue with good information gathering skills, or some type of Knowledge specialist. A cleric with the ability to turn undead would be helpful, but is not necessary. Make sure at least one party member has generous writing supplies.

*WIZARD’S PROCLAMATION* [Read this each time the crier appears]: 
From Lord Arcturus, High Mage of Kerthbor,
Let it be known that a comet is predicted to appear in the night sky, lighting it up like mid-day for several weeks. Local hedge mages, and so-called wisewomen have begun to sell protective charms against the effects of the comet.
	Charlatans, all, the comet will not come close enough to harm anyone. This comet has visited us nearly 15 millennia ago and then it did come close enough to cause concern; but this time there is no reason to worry.
	So says the High Mage of Kerthbor, Lord Arcturus. Heed all and obey. 

*Town of Utral*
Party has gathered after their last adventure in the local pub, the Roost, to discuss plans for future exploits. 

*Encounters*
1. Karl, an old human, bent and slow, walking with a silver-tipped cane, dressed in expensive clothes, with puffy cheeks and bloodshot eyes, enters the tavern and comes straight up to the party. As soon as he comes within 10 feet of them, he begins blasting them with accusations of unscrupulous crimes against him by whisking away certain people that owe him money. He won’t have it. The party has no right to rob him of his rightful profit. If they don’t stop, he will have to take action and the law is on his side. He refuses to give particulars about who is missing or how much they owe and storms out.
Should the party attempt to start combat, the bartender comes over and pleads with them to start nothing in the bar, and the waitress whispers to one that the party doesn’t really want trouble with Karl the Moneylender. He has connections with the mayor, the duke, and even the king.
2. At this time a crier comes into the tavern and recites the wizard’s proclamation, then leaves.

*Party Actions:*
Gather Information (DC 5*) or Knowledge (local, DC 10):
Talking with the bartender or waitress) allows the character to know that many townspeople have gone missing lately for no apparent reason. How many disappeared is unknown, but most lived in outlying areas far from neighbors or other witnesses. A few people who live in town have also vanished, chief among them Charlie, the town drunk who last claimed to have found a hidden chamber in the dungeons beneath the ruins of Skull Keep. Everyone warned him to stay away from that cursed place, the bloody dungeon itself, but he said he slept there and kept mighty dry and warm, so no way.
*Note that this Gather Information check takes only 10 minutes as opposed to the normal 1d4+1 hours, but it covers only those in the bar at this time.

Bardic Knowledge (DC 10) or Knowledge (local, DC 15): 
Local legends claim that on nights of the new moon; zombies, ghouls, and worse things gather in the dungeons of that dreaded place. Childhood stories tell of bad children being taken away by these undead never to be seen again and that especially bad kids are visited by Bloody Utreyal himself to become some of his undead army. 
The dungeon beneath the ruins of Skull Keep gained its bad reputation nearly 2,000 years ago from a necromancer who set up shop there and experimented first on the town's graveyard then on the townsfolk themselves to produce many new kinds of undead hoping to build an army and take over the countryside and set himself up as king. Utreyal the Royal he was called, Bloody Utreyal and Dark Utreyal also.
The rumors about strange kinds of undead are very prevalent in this area, most show up out of nowhere with powers and abilities unknown in common undead with no vile necromancer, undead lord, or evil cleric to claim credit for the event. 
The Skull Keep ruins lie on a hilltop at the north edge of town, not 5 minutes walk away from the bar.

Gather Information (DC 15): 
The character gains all the information listed above as well as that the number of people missing is up to 11: 3 farmers who live alone in the north, a sheep-herder’s son, 4 farm-hands working in the fields, a horse messenger riding to the wizard’s tower, a travelling merchant who has always been in town this time of year, and the town drunk, Charlie.
The wizard’s proclamations are posted on the mayor’s door, on the window of the general store Keragin’s Staples, and even on the bar’s, the Roost, bat-winged doors.
A strange figure has been seen at night wandering around the ruins of Skull Keep. Just shadows really as no one got close enough to see what it really was. It seems to limp badly and swing its arms widely as if balance were a great problem.

*Encounters*
1. During this time taken to gather more info, Karl returns promising that he will get to the bottom of this even if he has to hire magical diviners to find out where the party has spirited away his livelihood.
2. The crier also makes two or three appearances repeating exactly what he said before. This happens more as a background event than an encounter. Questioning the crier will get no results as all he knows is what he has been told to recite.

*Timing:*
Party takes lunch break.

*Skull Keep*
Above Ground
The clues should lead the party to search this area. Above ground there is nothing but large piles of stone rubble that were roughly shaped like a skull at one time. It now resembles nothing more than shapeless ruins. There is one uncovered entrance to the dungeons, partially blocked by rubble. It is a set of worn stone stairs spiraling down into darkness. It is easily seen, Spot check (DC5) due to the many footprints leading to and from it. 
Survival (DC 15) for someone with the Track feat: Success notices that one set of footprints is unevenly spaced with one foot larger than the other. This set also enters and exits the stairway many times, but while the other prints always go toward the town, these prints always head toward the north away from town.

*Beneath the Ruins of Skull Keep, the Bloody Dungeon*
Entrance Chamber: After several turns, enough so that most will be unsure of direction (5 ranks of Survival negates this disorientation), the steps end in an uneven flagstone floor with moss growing in the cracks between the stones. The overall flooring is slippery, requiring a Balance check DC 5 if moving more than half speed, and a Balance check DC 15 if running, failure means the character slipped and fell prone. There are three places where light streams in from above, holes in the ceiling of about fist size that offer shadowy illumination throughout the first chamber during daytime. At night, the areas below the holes provide shadowy illumination while the rest of the room is dark. The room is about 40 feet square with four corridors leading out of it in the middle of each wall. One corridor is completely blocked by rubble from a partial collapse of the ceiling. Two others lead on an incline down several yards and then they too end in piles of rocks. The fourth tunnel is clear and has footprints leading from the stairs from ground level all around the room and into and out of this clear hallway. In one corner of the room between two of the blocked tunnels, lies a makeshift bed of cast-off rags and torn blankets. A Search check DC 5 reveals that Charlie hid his stash of money under his “bed” in the form of 12 cp and 1 sp as well as a half empty bottle of rot-gut whiskey (Fortitude DC10 or spit it out immediately for anyone drinking some, Fortitude DC15 or sickened for 1 hour, after 10 minutes if not spit out (sickened: –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks).

Hallway: This corridor meanders curving left then right then back again until it ends in an open rotten wooden door once strengthened with iron bands, now no more than a large piece of firewood leaning against the wall.

Second Chamber: This room is the same size as the former room and also has four exits, but other than the doorway the party used as an entrance, the other tunnels are blocked by piles of rubble. In several places, the flagstones of the floor are missing and moss covers the area. A Search check DC 15 reveals a skeletal arm and hand sticking out of one pile of rubble and finds one 5-foot by 8-foot section of wall, inscribed with strange runic glyphs that the party doesn’t recognize as belonging to any of their known languages. A rubbing of the area will take 20 minutes and requires at least 20 sheets of paper of some type, a writing instrument, and ink or coal. A copy of the writing will take 1 hour and requires at least 20 sheets of paper of some type, a writing instrument, ink, and a bright light. Any encounter interrupts any rubbing or copying process and it must be started again (where it left off) after the battle is over.
DM’s note: The wall with the etchings is also the outside of the phase door.

*Encounters*
Roll 2d6 every 10 minutes in the area.
2. The patchwork golem (see new creatures below) steps out of the phase door and attacks the party to subdue. It concentrates on the nearest party member until that person is unconscious; then, ignoring the other party members scoops the fallen one up and disappears back through the phase door. Note to DM’s it is important that the golem escapes this time, so if things are going badly for it, have it retreat early without a captive, though this goes against its programming, it is imperative to the story. The party has one chance to make a Listen check (DC 10) as the golem leaves, use the party’s best listener. A successful check reveals the series of knocks to enter the phase door. At this time though don’t reveal this information to the party, let them remember it later when they know about the phase door spell. Now it just seems that the golem appeared out of thin air and disappeared the same way. This encounter only happens once, after then it is counted as: No encounter.
3. 2d4 bleeding hearts (see new creatures below) charge from the direction of the stairs. 
4. 1d10+10 dire rats charge out of the nearest pile of rubble and attack.
5. A shadow silently begins attacking someone in or near shadows.
6. A sleeping death (see new creatures below) seeps through the cracks in the walls and attacks the party.
7. 1d3+2 wights claw their way out of the ground where there are no flagstones and attack the party.
8. 1d10+10 dire rats charge out of the nearest pile of rubble and attack.
9. 1d2 wraiths come through the walls and attack the party.
10. 3d4 bleeding hearts (see new creatures below) charge from the direction of the stairs.
11. 1d3+2 wights claw their way out of the ground where there are no flagstones and attack the party.
12. A shadow silently begins attacking someone in or near shadows.

Though the party should not be able to visit the area at this time, the final room of the dungeon is described below.
Interdimensional Chamber: This is a round room approximately 50 feet in diameter with bodies lying everywhere, but most are asleep instead of dead. The wizard who created this chamber lies here, but his heart did not survive the initial subduing and he died long ago and is just shards and bone dust now. In this pile of bone dust can be found a dagger +1 and a ring of protection +2 (Search DC 18). A drawback is that the room can only suspend animation on 50 people at a time, so new ones release older ones randomly once the maximum is reached. The ancient town originally had a population of 45 at the time of the comet and some have been released to wander about the interdimensional chamber looking for a way out. The missing townsfolk are also here asleep. Five of the original townsfolk are awake and wandering about. If and when the golem exits, these five (or 6 if a party member is captured) will discover the method and means of escape. The phase door is set to operate on a series of knocks, 4 then 3 from the inside and 2 then 2 from the outside. It has unlimited uses left, but will be destroyed when there are no longer any living creatures within the interdimensional chamber. Once the golem exits, any conscious creatures inside can then exit also by repeating the series of knocks. They will wait until they are sure the golem is gone before trying this, so none of them exit at this time.
The chamber also heals the guardian of any damage sustained. This process takes 10 minutes. The golem will await nightfall to exit again

*Back to the town of Utral*
Gather Information (DC 10): 
Only the wizard has a chance to decipher the writings discovered by the party. He has an immense library of ancient texts that could help him.
Decipher Script (DC 29):
This will partially translate the document as follows: it mentions a “comet of destruction,” a “town of sleeping dead” and a “protector of the dead.” To be properly translated a library of ancient languages is required.
Other skills (such as various knowledge skills) might or might not provide information, at the DM’s choice, based on whether the skill has ties to the situation at hand.

*Encounters*
1. Crier again, exactly as before, maybe a little more tired and a little hoarse.
2. Karl appears, and states, “I warned you.” And his thugs attack the party from all sides at once while Karl fades away into an alley.
Thugs
6 Humans; Warrior 5; AC 14; hp 27 each; Init: +6; Spd: 30 ft.; Att: short sword +8 melee (1d6+2/19); F: +5, R: +3, W: +1; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8; Feats: Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (short sword).

_*Timing:*_
Party takes dinner break and beds down for the night or pushes on to deal with trail rations and sleeping bags instead.

*Encounters*
The party will have one encounter on the way to the tower and another one on the way back to town, no matter if they ride horses or walk. Roll randomly or choose from the table below; once an entry is used, do not use it again.
Roll 1d4
1. 2 Ancient town guards, plus sergeant: 
[Each of these three humans wears strange armor made of leather. Instead of the normal leather trousers normally associated with leather armor, these men wear pleated leather skirts with studs. Each has sandals with leather bindings that wind up their legs to their knees. They all wear copper-colored helmets and one has a crest of some reddish material on top of his helmet. All have a short sword on their side in scabbards and carry a long spear.] DM’s note: The weapons carried by these humans are made of copper and bend on a natural 2 or 3 and break on a natural 1. It takes one round to unbend a sword.
	These humans in both the first and second encounter speak a language unknown to the party and comprehend languages only partially alleviates the problem as some words are not translated (because they are the same words just pronounced differently). Tongues allows normal communication. The language is an ancient form of Common, like the difference between English and Old English. Bonus xp for ending this encounter without killing the town guards: 500. 
2 Humans; Warrior 3; AC 13; hp 19 each; Init: +5; Spd: 30 ft.; Att: long spear +6 melee (1d8+3/x3) or short sword +5 melee (1d6+2/19); F +5, R +2, W +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8; Feats: Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (long spear).
1 Human; Warrior 6; AC 14; hp 39; Init: +5; Spd: 30 ft.; Att: long spear +10/+5 melee (1d8+4/x3) or short sword +9/+4 melee (1d6+3/19); F +7, R +3, W +3; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8; Feats: Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (long spear).
2. Ancient town shopkeeper:
	[This man wears a white tunic and a toga over it. His feet are sandaled and he carries a dagger almost hidden in his robes.] The dagger is copper, see DM’s note above for melee modifiers.
	1 Human; Commoner 2; AC 10; hp 5; Init: +0; Spd: 30 ft.; Att: dagger +1 melee (1d4/19); F +0, R +0, W +0; Str. 11, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10; Feat: Dodge; Loss of xp for killing shopkeeper: –250.
3. Sleeping death attacks (see new monsters below).
4. 8 Bleeding Hearts attack (see new monsters below).

*Tower of Arcturus*
The wizard’s tower is also to the north of town, just 10 minutes away by horseback, walking will take 30 minutes. The dirt road leaves town to the east and slowly curves around until it is heading north after widely passing the ruins of skull keep. Then the road goes straight up to the stone tower and ends there. Flowering bushes line either side of the road for the last 20 or so feet up to the tower.
	The tower is square and 30 feet on each side; it rises high into the air leading one to believe that it has at least 4 stories as well as a battlement on top. By craning one’s neck, several siege engines can be seen sticking out between the battlements. No windows are apparent on the first floor, but arrow slits pierce the walls higher up. Two gargoyles (statues, not monsters, or are they?) perch at the corners on a ledge about halfway up the tower’s side.
	A single iron door bars entrance to the tower in the center of the wall at the end of the road. The door is equipped with a large iron knocker to announce visitors. Anyone using the knocker must make a Dex check (DC10) to jump out of the way as the door immediately swings outward (failure results in 1d3 damage from the door hitting them in the face) and a deep voice rings out “Come in. Make yourself at home. I’ll be right with you.”

First Floor: A stone door on one wall is marked with the word “Private” in common and a set of wooden stairs leads up to the next floor opposite it. The room is furnished with several divans and end tables. An unseen servant automatically brings drinks (wine) on a tray to each visitor. This room is lit via an ingenious chandelier of torches hanging unside down from the ceiling’s center enchanted with continual flame spells.
When the party enters, a purple-robed mage walks down the stairs and motions for them to sit. He begins explaining immediately. 
	“There is no worry; this comet shows up every 15,000 years. The last time it visited, it came so close it devastated large swaths of the world, volcanic explosions, earthquakes, and tidal waves destroyed much that was around back then. This time it will not come so close though, so go back to your homes and rest assured that nothing bad will happen because of the comet. I assure you of this. Now please leave.”
	The mage goes through his speech despite interruptions, waves away the party and turns to go back up the stairs. If any party member tries to interrupt the mage that party member gains a save versus Will DC 20 to notice that this is an illusion. If a party member tries to physically stop the mage (by grabbing his shoulder, for example) another save versus Will is allowed for each party member with a +2 circumstance bonus to notice that that party-member’s hand went right through the mage and he must be an illusion.
At the top of the stairs, the mage fades away into nothingness and by then it will be apparent that the mage was an illusion to all party members, no save required. This was a programmed illusion.

Second Floor: The stairs pass on by this level, continuing their way up the tower with only a small landing at the door. The door on this level leads to the laboratory where the wizard is currently at work. Describe this lab as a normal “Mad Scientist’s” lab complete with long tables, beakers, retorts, cabinets filled with bottles, strange smells, etc. There are three arrow slits on each wall of this room as well as two torches in sconces on each wall set in-between the arrow slits.
	“What are you doing here? Didn’t I explain about the comet below? You have nothing to worry about, so go away and leave me to my work.” Arcturus blasts at the party once they enter his lab.
Once the party shows him the rubbings/copies and explains things; Arcturus becomes slightly more accommodating. He leads the party up the stairs past the third floor to his library on the fourth floor.
He spends twenty to thirty minutes rummaging around in his books and scrolls and finally settles on two scrolls, a book and a pile of clay tablets which he dumps on the table. An hour of studying and hmmm-ing and a-hah-ing, and Arcturus looks up smiling.
	“I’ve found it. Here is what that stone says: When the comet last came to our world, nearly 15,000 years ago, a wizard of some note predicted that it would destroy the world and kill everybody. So, he devised a plan to put his town to sleep in an other dimensional area for protection until the devastation caused by the comet had stopped. He also made some type of quickly-thrown-together automaton as a guardian to awaken the townsfolk when the time was right. It seems that he came up with a decidedly different version of the temporal stasis spell that could be easily broken by the automaton. He put the spell to effect inside some sort of extra-dimensional chamber to automatically affect any unconscious creatures. He claims to have made some sort of ‘shocking arrows’ that the guardian could use to awaken the townsfolk. The townspeople called the proposed spell, ‘the sleeping death’ and many refused to go along with the mage’s plan.”
DM’s note: At this time make sure the party recalls the patchwork golem’s bow, quiver, and arrows.
“Unfortunately, there is no mention of whether this plan worked or not. It seems that maybe the stone could be a marker for the entrance to the interdimensional chamber; but that’s your only hope of finding it. Was there nothing else inscribed on that wall?”
“Also, time is running out, as the comet will show up tomorrow night and that automaton might not come out of the room again for another fifteen millennia. You had better hurry back to the ruins to find the missing people or else all will be lost for at least our lifetimes.” 

Third Floor: The stairs stop at this level and another set of stairs continue up the tower on the other side of the room. There is no door, just lines of bunks with footlockers at the end of each bunk on one side of the room and a kitchen complete with fireplace and a small wood stove on the other side. Currently there are four guards here, three playing knucklebones at a small table lit by an oil lamp and a fourth asleep on a bunk. Each bunk hides underneath it a chamber pot. There are two arrow slits on each wall of this room as well as a torch in a sconce on each wall.

Fourth Floor: The stairs pass on by this level, continuing their way up the tower with only a small landing at the door. The door on this level leads to the library, a large room with bookshelves covering each wall from floor to ceiling. The shelves are crammed with all manner of books, scrolls, and even clay tablets. In the center of the room is a table, also loaded with books, scrolls, and a few tablets as well as an ink well with a feather quill sticking out of it. There are three arrow slits on each wall of this room as well as two torches in sconces on each wall set in-between the arrow slits.

Battlements: 8 Ballistae: 2 facing each cardinal direction. Two soldiers man the tower top at all times. In one corner there is a rope that goes through a hole in the floor all the way down to the living quarters to a bell that, if rung, will summon reinforcements to the tower top.

Basement: This is Arcturus’ private quarters and contains a bed and night table as well as chamber pot, washing stand, basin and a dressing screen. This room is lit with a glowing metal globe that floats in the air beside the bed that gives the equivalent of a continual flame spell.

_*Timing:*_
The party spends most of the day listening to both his illusion’s and Arcturus’ own lecture. They can bed down outside the tower (Arcturus will not offer to let them spend the night). Or push on back to town and sleep there. In either case the night is uneventful. (Exception, if the party chooses to go back to town, they will have an encounter on the way as described above, otherwise the encounter happens on tomorrow’s trip).

*Back to the Bloody Dungeon Again*

It will take the party 10 minutes by horseback or 30 minutes on foot to make the journey from the wizard’s tower to the ruins of Skull Keep whether they keep to the road and ride/walk to Utral first or leave the road and head overland to the keep, as the road is worn and smooth as is the path from town to the keep, while the terrain between the road north of town and the keep is rough and rocky and generally is uphill. 

*Utral Redux*
A stop in town alerts the party that another two people have gone missing. The bartender and most of the rest of the town are nearly hysterical now. 

*Encounters*
1. The crier can be heard spieling out his memorized statement. 
2. Karl makes another appearance, this time with thugs backed by mages.
“You won’t get away with destroying my business! Get ‘em boys!”
Karl’s thugs charge from the shadows all around the party, the spellcasters have taken cover behind barrels and gain a +4 cover bonus to their AC in addition to that listed below.
4. Thugs (as above)
2 Humans; Sorcerer 3; AC 16; hp 10 each; Init: +6; Spd: 30 ft.; Att: dagger +1 melee (1d4–1); F: +2, R: +3, W: +3; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 15; Skills: Concentration +9; Feats: Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Concentration); Spells/day: 6*; Spells Known: 1st: magic missile, sleep, mage armor* (already cast).

*Bloody Dungeon Redux*

A sleeping death meets the party as they enter the stairway 
Once the second underground chamber is reached, the golem again steps out of the phase door to attack the party. This time it does not retreat.

*Encounters*
1. Sleeping Death (see new monsters below) and two Bleeding Hearts (see new monsters below)
2. Patchwork Golem (see new monsters below)

*Epilogue:*
DM’s note: have the party now recall the series of knocks on the inscribed section of wall previously used by the golem when it disappeared. Intelligence check, highest result remembers first.
Using the arrows, the party can easily free most of the ancient townsfolk as well as the newly captured townsfolk. This should use up all the arrows. There are two released ancient townsfolk in the interdimensional chamber that watched the golem and know how to open the door from the inside. Let the party try to exit for a while first, to no avail. Let it sink in that they may have trapped themselves in an otherworldly chamber with no means of escape, no food, no water, and 50 other people before allowing the awoken ancients to provide the fix.
The mayor of Utral offers the party 100 gp each for their help in finding and releasing the townsfolk. As this nearly empties the town’s coffers, nothing more can be negotiated.
The ancient townsfolk will need to be retrained but should provide the party with a pool of easily accessible and loyal followers/hirelings/cohorts. Other than the dagger and ring found earlier, this is the treasure for this adventure.

New Monsters

BLEEDING HEART
_Medium Undead_
*Hit Dice:* 3d12 (19 hp) 
*Initiative:* +5
*Speed: *30 ft. (6 squares) 
*Armor Class: *15 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, +2 heavy steel shield), touch 11, flat-footed 14
*Base Attack/Grapple:* +0/+1
*Attack: *Scimitar +2 melee (1d6+1/18–20) or claw +2 melee (1d4+1 plus bleeding touch)
*Full Attack: *Scimitar +2 melee (1d6+1/18–20) or 2 claws +2 melee (1d4+1 plus bleeding touch)
*Space/Reach: *5 ft./5 ft.
*Special Attacks:* Bleeding touch
*Special Qualities:* Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits
*Saves:* Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 13, Dex 17, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
*Skills:* —
*Feats:* Improved Initiative
*Environment:* Temperate plains
*Organization:* Solitary, troop (2-12), or army (15-60)
*Challenge Rating:* 4
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral evil
Bleeding hearts are the animated bones of the dead, in the chest cavity, a desiccated heart beats incessantly. Bleeding hearts are mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters.
A bleeding heart is seldom garbed in anything more than the rotting remnants of any clothing or armor it was wearing when slain. A bleeding heart does only what it is ordered to do. It can draw no conclusions of its own and takes no initiative. Because of this limitation, its instructions must always be simple. A bleeding heart attacks until destroyed.
*COMBAT*
A bleeding heart attacks until destroyed with no concern for its own well-being. It uses no tactics and only attacks head-on. It will use a weapon if it has one but will not pick up discarded or lost weapons unless ordered to do so by its creator.
*Bleeding Touch (Su):* The touch of a bleeding heart causes wounds to bleed for the next 10 rounds. Each touch of a bleeding heart makes a bleeding wound that deals one point of damage each round for the next 10 rounds. This damage stacks, so that someone hit three times will take 3 hp damage at the beginning of the next round in addition to any damage he might take later in the round. A Heal check DC15, or any type of _cure_ spell immediately stops the bleeding from all wounds suffered from a bleeding heart.
*Ecology:*  This is the rank and file soldier created by the dark necromancer, Utreyal. Most of these creatures were created from skeletons stolen from graves. Thankfully, few of them still remain active.

PATCHWORK GOLEM
_Large Construct_
*Hit Dice:* 8d10+30 (74 hp)
*Initiative:* –2
*Speed: *20 ft. (4 squares)
*Armor Class:* 17 (–1 size, –2 Dex, +10 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 17
*Base Attack/Grapple:* +6/+15
*Attack:* Slam +10 melee (2d6+5), or shortbow +3 ranged (1d3+shock)
*Full Attack:* 2 slams +10 melee (2d6+5), or shortbow +3 ranged (1d3+shock)
*Space/Reach:* 10 ft./10 ft.
*Special Attacks:* Missile weapons
*Special Qualities:* Construct traits, damage reduction 5/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision
*Saves: *Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3
*Abilities:* Str 21, Dex 7, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
*Skills:* —
*Feats:* —
*Environment:* Any
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge Rating:* 6
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
A patchwork golem is a type of flesh golem that can be made from any type of humanoid creatures and a giant’s torso, stitched together into a single composite form. No natural animal willingly tracks a patchwork golem. The golem wears whatever clothing its creator desires, usually just a ragged pair of trousers. It carries a bow and a quiver of special arrows (see below). It stands 6½ feet tall and weighs almost 350 pounds.
A patchwork golem cannot speak, although it can emit a hoarse roar of sorts. It walks and moves with a severe limp, and swings its arms widely as if not in complete control of its body.
*COMBAT*
*Missile Weapons: *The patchwork golem carries a bow and quiver of special arrows. It can use them but is sadly deficient in their use due to its different-sized arms. The arrows are old and have degenerated badly, so they now do only 1d3 damage. Their special property is still intact though and delivers a shock that causes 0–1 point of damage and makes the target suffer a –1 to attacks for the next round. The shock is intense enough to be felt even if it does no damage. The golem has 50 of these arrows. These arrows also break the temporal stasis-like effect upon anyone in the interdimensional chamber.
The golem does not use its bow and arrows at all, reserving them to awaken those under the sleeping death.
*Commands:* This golem has been prepared with 2 separate commands.
1st: When the comet is gone, release the townsfolk.
2nd: When the comet nears; round up all townsfolk and subdue them and carry them through phase door to the interdimensional chamber and lay them down in an empty space. Persons unconscious in the chamber are subjected to a special form of temporal stasis that can be broken by special shocking arrows enchanted for the purpose.
Unfortunately, something went wrong and the first command was ignored. Maybe the golem could only remember one command at a time, maybe the wizard that enchanted it did something wrong in the creation process, maybe the wizard’s command was somehow convoluted, or maybe the comet itself changed the golem’s programming. In any case none of the ancient townsfolk were set free after the comet left.
Immunity to Magic (Ex): A patchwork golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
A magical attack that deals cold or fire damage slows a patchwork golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw.
A magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a patchwork golem hit by a lightning bolt heals 4 points of damage if the attack would have dealt 13 points of damage. A patchwork golem gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage.
*Construction*
The pieces of a patchwork golem must come from humanoid corpses that have not decayed significantly, except the torso which must come from a giant. Assembly requires a minimum of six different bodies—one for each limb, the torso (including head), and the brain. In some cases, more bodies may be necessary. Special unguents and bindings worth 350 gp are also required. Note that creating a patchwork golem requires casting a spell with the evil descriptor.
Assembling the body requires a DC 12 Craft (leatherworking) check or a DC 12 Heal check. 
CL 8th; Craft Construct, _animate dead_, _bull’s strength_, _geas/quest_, _limited wish_, caster must be at least 8th level; Price 10,500 gp; Cost 5,500 gp + 400 XP.


SLEEPING DEATH
_Medium Undead_ (Incorporeal)
*Hit Dice:* 5d12 (32 hp)
*Initiative:* +7
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 80 ft. (perfect)
*Armor Class:* 15 (+3 Dex, +2 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 12
*Base Attack/Grapple:* +2/—
*Attack:* Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d6 plus energy drain)
*Full Attack:* Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d6 plus energy drain)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./5 ft.
*Special Attacks:* Create spawn, energy drain, wail
*Special Qualities:* Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits, unnatural aura
*Saves: *Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6
*Abilities:* Str —, Dex 16, Con —, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 15
*Skills:* Hide +11, Intimidate +10, Listen +12, Search +10, Spot +12, Survival +10 (+12 following tracks)
*Feats:* Alertness, Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative
*Environment:* Any land and underground
*Organization:* Solitary, gang (3–5), or swarm (6–11)
*Challenge Rating:* 7
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always lawful evil
*Advancement:* 6–10 HD (Medium)
*Level Adjustment:* —
A sleeping death looks much as it did in life just before its death, usually cut, bruised, and bloody and it can be recognized by those who knew the individual or have seen the individual’s face in a painting or a drawing. A sleeping death is roughly human-sized and is weightless.
*COMBAT*
In close combat a sleeping death attacks with its mind-numbing wail and its burning, life-draining touch. It makes full use of its incorporeal nature, moving through walls, ceilings, and floors as it attacks. It usually ignores sleeping victims until awake and aware ones have been taken out.
*Energy Drain (Su):* Living creatures hit by a sleeping death’s incorporeal touch attack gain a negative level. The DC is 14 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed the sleeping death gains 5 temporary hit points.
*Create Spawn (Su):* Any humanoid slain by a sleeping death becomes a sleeping death in 1d6 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the sleeping death that created them and remain enslaved until its death. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
*Unnatural Aura (Su):* Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a sleeping death at a distance of 30 feet. They do not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.
*Wail (Su):* A sleeping death usually begins combat with its wail, a sonic attack that numbs the mind causing unconsciousness in a 30-foot radius. The sleeping death can use its wail only once per day. A Fortitude save, DC 14 is allowed to partially negate the wail’s effectiveness, successful saves means the victim is only slowed for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based.
*Ecology: *This particular type of undead was created by the dark necromancer, Utreyal, in his experiments on local townsfolk in his bloody dungeon.


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## Nifft (Oct 24, 2009)

*Round 2*, match 1: CleverNickName vs. InVinoVeritas

Your ingredients are:
*Bottomless Pit
Still Beating Heart
Dragon Slayer
Interrupted Communications
Beetle Swarm
5 Quaal's Feather Tokens*


May the muse be with you.


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## phoamslinger (Oct 25, 2009)

Round 1, Match 8: ElectricDragon vs Iron Sky

before I get started, I do want to mention that 12 pages is a bit much to read through, Iron Sky.  I like completeness compared to having to fill in the blanks, but try to not go quite so overboard in future rounds.

*Ingredients*
Bloody Dungeon
Comet
Agressive Moneylender
Sleeping Death
Patchwork Golem
Shocking Arrows

each of you have the various ingredients in your stories, but how did they connect to each other?  

Electric, how did your moneylender connect to the golem?  why did the golem come out because of the comet?  why was it a ‘bloody’ dungeon, other than the rumors and back history calling it that?  what would happen if I replaced the Patchwork Golem with an Iron Golem, or a Flesh Golem?  would it have had any impact on the overall storyline?  

Iron Sky’s entry I liked much better.  I’ve mentioned in previous comments that I like connections; let’s see what jumps out…

IS’s patchwork golem is a mish-mash of mechanical parts that have been assembled over generations (and therefore, because it was constructed over generations, it is a patchwork affair).  the dungeon is the site of ongoing violent tortures (so bloody fits).  the Arrows are electrical and will be necessary to energize the Golem, which will be needed to stop the Comet, which is bringing the Death, the children of whom have caused the Sleeping sickness that pulls the party into the game, and which has been brought into the story by the Moneylender who owns the Dungeon and the Arrows.   as I look back at the ingredient list Iron Sky’s adventure seems to tie them all integrally together and if one of them were swapped out with another item, it would be necessary to change the story to accomodate.  

ElectricDragon’s items are there, but they're just dropped into a story setting without really being a required part of the story.  the moneylender could as easily be an irate constable blaming strangers for the disappearances as a moneylender.  why were those who disappeared the one’s who owed him money?  where were the connections between the other ingredients?  

Iron Sky, despite the length, I found _The Children of Death_ to be the better entry by quite a large margin.  the round is yours.

ElectricDragon, a *Background Section* at the start of your entry might have helped some.  I felt like I had to keep looking for _why_ the adventure was taking place and what was the trigger.  was it the comet?  the moneylender?  something else?  you had a lot of detail in your entry, but Iron DM’s are really not so much about the little details like the room by room descriptions or the stat blocks, they’re about making the six core ingredients into the six CORE ingredients that are UNREPLACEABLE by other, similar types of items, and are present BECAUSE the other five are dependent on them for their own inclusion in the storyline.  I guess you could say it’s more about the story arcs than anything else.  

it’s kinda long, but Iron Sky made the connections that won him this round.


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## InVinoVeritas (Oct 25, 2009)

*Devouring the Dragon’s Heart*

An adventure for 4-6 characters of level 2-4, using 3e/3.5e rules. A copy of _Draconomicon_ is recommended. The party is expected not to have strong transport capabilities yet, such as flight or teleportation. Furthermore, the adventure will test the party’s capabilities at survival using more common gear, such as ropes, pitons, and other such equipment. A rogue or other expert climber will be very valuable to the party. At the conclusion of a successful adventure, the party will have a powerful friend who can be a source of future adventures.

The party starts in the coastal village of Balamore. The land offshore is craggy, with lots of islets, odd currents, sea caves, and a large whirlpool on the shore of a small uninhabited rocky island, called Corryvlinthax. 

This can be adjusted to be any coastal location with a rocky shore and low population. 

While the PCs are in town or nearby, they notice what looks like a silvery-golden cloud out over the water. The cloud approaches the shoreline, and it becomes clear that it is a swarm of flying scarabs!

The beetles involved are hoard scarabs, golden and silver beetles typically living with dragons among their hoard (See _Draconomicon_). They attack the party, searching for food. The total number of scarabs involved should depend on the party strength; a party at level 2 should face about 10 individual scarabs, while a party at level 4 should face a single hoard scarab swarm. 

Upon defeat of the swarm, it becomes clear that a carrier pigeon was caught by the swarm during the battle as well. The pigeon is carrying a note:



> _L, _
> 
> _The beetles have begun to emerge. I fear that they may finally be overwhelming old Corry. I have a plan, but I dare not get too close—they will eat me alive, for certain. We need someone—most likely a group—of stout-hearted souls who would brave the depths to finally rid us of the menace once and for all. _
> 
> _-Galdorrow_




The villagers can tell the party that Galdorrow is an old fisherman who is down on his luck. He can usually be found in the tavern these days, just like now. A grizzled, white-bearded old human with what looks like a perpetual sneer on his face, Galdorrow is surprised at first, not expecting his old friend to be able to pull a group of adventurers together so quickly, but when he is told that his carrier pigeon did not make it, he swears and complains that the beetles are getting stronger. If asked about his “old friend” L, he waves it off, saying that L can’t help now, but the party can.

In truth, Galdorrow is a Young Adult Bronze Dragon. He has always been a homebody among his kind, never having ventured far from his birthplace at Corryvlinthax. Having always been a taciturn sort preferring a quiet life, he has not bothered to learn magical communication techniques or added such items to his hoard. In addition, he stays here to keep guard over the terrible hoard scarab plague at Corryvlinthax. He fears getting too close to the scarabs, but also fears leaving the area and coming back to swarms upon swarms of the beetles devouring everyone and everything.

He invites the party back to his home, an old fishing boat he calls _Dragoneye_. There, he explains the problem of the beetles, pulling a dead specimen beetle in a jar off the shelf to explain.

Hoard scarabs are typically invited into dragons’ lairs to take up residence among their coins, Galdorrow explains. Their silver and gold carapaces make them blend in well, and since they are supposed to lack the strength to burrow into dragon hide, they are safe, and get their hide cleaned by them as well. But these scarabs are different. He doesn’t know why, but these scarabs are able to burrow into dragon flesh and kill them. That’s where the swarms are coming from—Corryvlinthax, the whirlpool. Corryvlinthax isn’t just a swirling drain next to a rock. It is a dragon. Or, was a dragon. Corryvlinthax worked out a way to keep the swarms from traveling from dragon to dragon and killing them all like a plague. Since the swarms don’t normally leave their host until after it dies, Corryvlinthax combined his transformation into a guardian with a connection to the Elemental Plane of Water. Normally, when a dragon ends his life and becomes a guardian, his body dies and turns into a large expanse of land. However, by shunting off part of his existence to the Plane of Water, he both kept his body alive but extended his existence to infinity. As a result, the scarabs would feast on his body forever, and never harm another dragon—or anything else. Corryvlinthax transformed into a small island, and a whirlpool that extends all the way past the bottom of the sea and into the everlasting ocean.

Since the beetles are now escaping the whirlpool with regularity, Galdorrow needs the party to go down that whirlpool.

Deep inside the whirlpool should be a chamber. Think of the mouth of the whirlpool as the dragon’s mouth, and once down the neck the area should open up before continuing into the depths to infinity. The upper parts of this chamber should be dry and filled with air, as bronze dragons always require a dry living chamber above an underwater entrance. Somewhere in this chamber should be the heart of the dragon, kept alive. Hoard scarabs aim for the heart of their host, so they should be congregating there. The heart needs to be poisoned to destroy the main nest. With the death of the heart, it will kill the rest of the living body of the dragon, but the destruction of the nest of beetles is necessary.

Only recently has Galdorrow found the way to safely get into the chamber. He presents the party with a small box. Inside, there are five feathers. The first feather, he explains, is how to get to the whirlpool. Since the party must head down the whirlpool, no captain will set sail for it and lose their ship. The first feather will transform into a giant swan boat, which can take the party to and down the whirlpool. The second feather will transform into a giant fan—this will both bring the boat to the whirlpool, and disperse any swarms that may emerge from it. The third feather will then save the party’s life. While being sucked down the whirlpool, at the point where the neck meets the body, the boat will scrape against the walls of the downward tunnel. The third feather will act as an anchor, and stop the boat in mid-descent as it scrapes against the hall. The party should be able to climb down into the chamber from there. The fourth feather will poison and destroy the heart. The heart must be cut open and the feather thrust inside. There, it will transform into a giant tree, destroying anything inside the heart. Once this is done, and the beetles’ nest is destroyed, then the last feather can turn into a bird, which will fly out and let him know the beetles are dead. Galdorrow promises to come fetch the party at that time.

The party can take some time to prepare; Corryvlinthax has five vials of alchemist’s fire available, which will prove useful against swarming beetles. Standard equipment from the PHB is available in the village for purchase. If anyone suspects why he has so much knowledge of dragons, he simply says that one can learn a lot listening to local legends for over 60 years.

Travel to Corryvlinthax is as suggested, with the party creating a swan boat and taking it to the whirlpool. While aboard, a cluster of three swarms emerge from the whirlpool and head for whatever food they can find, especially the party. Use of the Fan Token will disperse the swarms, forcing them back into the sea to drown. 

The party must prepare for the trip down the whirlpool. Everyone must find a way to brace themselves to the boat; any party member not tied or otherwise braced to the boat must succeed at a Balance or Tumbling check of DC 25 or be knocked out of the boat, into the water, and fall into the depths. The swan boat enters free fall at this point. There is then a jarring crunch as the boat strikes and slides down the wet, slick walls of the whirlpool neck. All party members must succeed a Balance or Tumbling check of DC 20 or take 2d6 damage from the jostling about. Using the Anchor Token at this point will stop the boat’s descent; they only have two rounds before falling into the chamber below. The Anchor Token will fasten the boat to the wall, allowing party members to climb down into the main chamber. Using knotted ropes and pitons will make the Climb checks easy at this point.

The inside of the chamber resembles the inside of a giant, stone ribcage about 90’ in diameter. The whirlpool becomes a waterfall that descends through the center of the chamber, down about 100’, into a pool 30’ in diameter, which forms another whirlpool which continues its descent to the Elemental Plane of Water. Occasionally, a Water Weird can be seen emerging from the water, but does not attack anything on land. If anyone or anything lands in the pool, the Water Weirds attack and the whirlpool will suck anyone down forever. Also emerging from the pool are a series of glistening, greenish tubes. They lead and connect up to a large, green pendulous pulsating organ about 10’ across and hanging 20’ above the chamber floor—the still-beating heart of the dragon Corryvlinthax.

The chamber is filled with hoard scarabs. They buzz around, and new ones emerge from the tubes by chewing their way out. The tubes fill with water and quickly reseal behind them, healing. The ground is covered with the bodies of dead scarabs, and the air in the chamber has an odd, acidic quality, smelling of chlorine and too many insects. The party must fend off the beetles as someone climbs up to the heart, cuts open a section (The heart has Hardness 2, 5 HP, immune to bludgeoning) and inserts the Tree Token.

Upon insertion of the Tree Token, the tree sprouts into being, poking itself through the walls of the heart and sending it crashing to the floor. Thousands of beetles and larvae incubating in the heart are smashed, and the tree and heart begin to get pulled into the whirlpool. The tree stops its descent by its sheer size. There are still a few beetles around, but it should be easy to dispatch the remaining scarabs without much trouble.

The party should send the Bird Token at this time. After 10 rounds, the chamber begins to fill with water, slowly. The water level will start expanding to fill the floor of the chamber over rounds 11-16, covering an additional 10’ radius per round. Then, the water starts to rise in the chamber at a rate of 1 foot per round. PCs can climb the walls or the tree to stay out of the water. Galdorrow arrives fifteen rounds after the Bird Token is sent. In dragon form, he flies down the whirlpool, introduces himself, thanks the party for their help, and helps them slip into a leather harness he wears to pull the party out of the whirlpool chamber. Any remaining beetles eventually drown.

Galdorrow takes the party to a nearby island. He then explains to the party that Corryvlinthax was his grandfather. Although he is sad that he had to be killed, at least it is to end the menace of the scarabs, and that he can finally rest in peace. He explains that he had been living in Balamore as the guardian to Corryvlinthax, and that he, and all the Bronze Dragons, will regard the party well. He offers them a reward from his hoard (he keeps it on the island). He offers to fly the party back to the mainland at night when he won’t be seen, and return to his simple fisherman’s life, until the Bronze Dragons need the party’s help again.

L (the person Galdorrow was originally trying to contact) can be anyone the DM wishes, from another dragon, to a master wizard, or anything else. Having Galdorrow send the party to L can be the next adventure source and tie into the campaign that the DM has prepared.

*Interrupted Communications *in the wake of a _*Beetle Swarm *_attack lead the party to discover that the beetles are _*Dragon Slayers *_feeding off a _*Still Beating Heart *_in a _*Bottomless Pit*_. The party must use _*5 Quaal's Feather Tokens *_to successfully end the beetle menace.


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## CleverNickName (Oct 26, 2009)

*The Heart of A’nun*
a 3.5 Edition adventure for 10th-12th level characters.

*Introduction*
The adventure takes place in a desert kingdom with a culture based on that of ancient Egypt.  The people of this kingdom serve the Pharaonic pantheon, and these gods play an important role in the people’s lives.  It is assumed that the characters are active members of a small community there, and that they have earned a reputation for heroic deeds.  

*Background*
The farming fields along the Nile River are among the most reliable in the Known World, providing all of Egypt with both food and valuable export.  But this year, the crops are failing.  Scarab beetles, in unseasonably large numbers, have been descending upon the fields from the west, and are devouring the barley and wheat before the grains can mature.  The Council of Isis, a group of nature-based clerics and druids, suspects these swarms of beetles to be an unnatural occurrence.  They believe that Khepri, the God of Beetles, has become angry and is punishing them.

Eyewitnesses report the swarms of beetles flying in from the west, from the vicinity of Siwah.  The Council of Isis believes that the plague of beetles could be stopped by offering the proper sacrifices to appease Khepri.  By the order of Pharaoh, a messenger was sent to Siwah with orders and instructions to perform the sacred rites.  But three weeks have since passed, and no word of reply has been received. 

The lack of communication with Siwah is most troubling to Pharaoh.  The oasis of Siwah is an important garrison for the kingdom, guarding the western mountains from the monstrous hordes beyond.  Pharaoh fears an invasion is imminent, and has begun preparations for war.

The situation is growing desperate.  If the plague of beetles is not stopped before the harvest moon (one week from now), the harvest will not be sufficient to refill the grain storehouses and famine will wrack the land.  And if Siwah has been besieged, the entire kingdom’s western flank lies unprotected.

*DM Information*
The swarms of beetles and the lack of communication with Siwah are both the work of a greater mummy.  In life, she was known as A’nen the High Priestess of Khepri.  She was an exceedingly wicked woman who feared her final judgment...so upon her death, she ordered her priests to embalm her without her heart.

Mummies in ancient Egypt were embalmed with their hearts still in their bodies, since it was believed that the heart was the seat of the soul.  In the final judgment, the heart would be weighed on a scale with a feather, and hearts that were found to be heavy with sin were fed to the monster Ammat.  So by having herself embalmed without her heart, A’nen has made herself exempt from judgment and will live forever...but as a soul-less, undead monster.  If her heart is found and returned to her body, she will immediately pass to judgment and be destroyed.

Now an undead monster, she awoke from her tomb and returned to her followers at the temple.  She has been driven insane by the dark powers that grant her life, and in her madness she has determined that all of the world shall be chattel for her god’s children.  She intends to raise an army of beetles to devour all of Egypt.

Calling upon the darkest magic of the Underworld, she has created a monster that is part dragon and part scarab...the Scarab Dragon.  This abomination spews forth droves of scarab beetles, which A’nen collects around herself as if they were her own children.

The first victim of her plan was the outpost of Siwah.  She sent her swarms of beetles into the town, where they destroyed the bridge that connects the town with the rest of Egypt.  Trapped within their outpost, the people of Siwah fell quickly to the overwhelming flood of beetles, before they could even send a distress call.

Emboldened by her success against Siwah, A’nen now turns her eyes to the fertile Nile River Valley.

*ACT I, SCENE I: An Offer They Can’t Refuse*
The party is contacted by the Council of Isis, and asked to attend a special meeting.  The council, mostly druids and clerics, has heard of the characters’ heroic deeds, and would like their help in solving a matter of great importance to the kingdom.  At this meeting, they will also be joined by the chief magistrate of Pharaoh...a highly unusual occurrence.  (Pharaoh is regarded as the embodiment of Ra, and normally has little interest in the affairs of the other gods.)

At this meeting, the Council of Isis will ask the party to carry a special satchel of incense, oils, and other sacraments to the far oasis of Siwah.  They are to find the temple of Khepri and perform the sacred rites to appease the god, and hopefully stem the plague of scarabs before famine wracks the land.  

The magistrate offers assistance for the task, including fast chariots, guards, and provisions for the three-day journey, but on one condition: the party is to report back to Pharaoh at regular intervals along the way, and raise the alarm at the first sign of invasion, siege, or enemy occupation of Siwah.

As a reward, the Council offers each member of the party free services at the Temple of Isis, where they may receive free food, shelter, and healing for seven years.  The magistrate offers them dominion anywhere within the Pharaoh’s lands, where they may found their own city, raise their own army, and rule their own dominions as an extension of Pharaoh’s own arm.

The offer is more of a formality; the word of Pharaoh is law.  The party can always refuse the offer, but if they do, they will be imprisoned for defying the will of Pharaoh.

*ACT I, SCENE II: Journey to the Oasis*
The party will be given all of the horses and chariots they need for the journey.  In addition, they will be given five _quaal’s feather tokens (birds)_, to send word of their progress and the state of Siwah.  They may request up to 500 gp worth of other provisions and supplies, but anything beyond that must be paid from their own pocket.

Accompanying the party on their journey are five of Pharaoh’s own guards (5th level human fighters), and priest of Isis named Hem-Netjer (9th level human cleric) to perform the ritual once they arrive.  Use the stats in the DMG, pages 115 and 117, for the cleric and fighters.

The journey to Siwah takes three days.  Along the way, they may randomly encounter traveling merchants, bandits, and monsters.  At least once along the journey, they should be attacked by at least one swarm of scarab beetles (see the Appendix for stats.)  The beetles fly in from the direction of Siwah.

After the battle, Hem-netjer will capture one of the beetles from the swarm, and use it as a focus for a spell.  (If the party is curious about the spell being cast, a DC 20 Spellcraft check will reveal that it is a _scrying_ spell, with _detect evil_.)  At the completion of the spell, Hem-netjer will recoil in horror and squash the insect with his fist.

After feverishly muttering spells of protection and prayers of praise, the priest will inform the party of great danger to the west.  This plague of beetles did not come from Khepri, but are the work of a fallen priestess of Khepri...one who was put to death seven years ago for heresy.   She has somehow discovered a way to subvert the power of her god, and defied the natural order of death and judgment.  Now, she has created a terrible monster beneath the ground, and plans to unleash it upon the kingdom at the next harvest moon.

The priest will work other divination spells, trying to divine the nature of the monster and the dangers that they will face.  He instructs the party to send word to his temple, and to leave him undisturbed in his tent as he works.  A few hours later, he will emerge with the following prophecy:

_The One Who Returns, the Heartless One, plans her wickedness from her temple to the west.  Her name is A’nen, and she has turned her eye to the fertile Nile valley.  

The One Who Returns is guarded by a beast unseen by this world, a dragon stolen from Khepri’s own right arm.  Its name is Mehen, and it will devour all that stand between its master and the fertile valley of the Nile.

From the east, from the Cradle of Isis, a group of heroes stand against the A’nen and Mehen.  They have lifted the Arm of Ra from the bottom of the pit, and they have stolen the still-beating heart of the fallen one from her defiled resting place.  With the Arm of Ra, they will slay the dragon Mehen, and with the still-beating heart, they will send the One Who Returns back to her final judgment._

Eventually, at the end of their journey, the party will arrive at The Bottomless Pit, which lies outside of Siwah.

*ACT II, SCENE I: The Bottomless Pit*
The Bottomless Pit is a great sinkhole that blocks the western pass.  (It is well-known to all who have traveled to Siwah; the guards and priest who accompany the party will know immediately which pit is being referred to in the prophecy.)  It is about eight hundred feet across, with sheer cliffs that descend more than three hundred feet into the jagged limestone rocks below.  Normally, there is a large wooden bridge that spans the chasm...but the bridge is missing.  A DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check will reveal that the bridge was destroyed by insects (beetles).

The guards will instruct the party to send word to Pharaoh about the damaged bridge.  The priest will cite the prophecy, and explain to the party that the keys to the destruction of A’nen and the dragon lie at the bottom of the pit.

It is assumed that a mid-level party of adventurers could reach the bottom of the pit easily enough with magic.  If they decide to scale the cliffs, they will need to make 30 Climb checks at DC 18.  At the bottom of the pit are three distinct features: a large cave opening to the north, a burial tomb to the west, and a deep pool of water in the center.

The pool of water is roughly thirty feet wide and infinitely deep: the shaft of water extends several hundred feet into the limestone, before ending in a gate to the Elemental Plane of Water.  The pool is flanked on all four sides by statues of the evil crocodile god Sobek.  It is a drowning pool, a place where human sacrifices to the god were made...all of the statues bear written warnings about disturbing the pool and incurring the wrath of Sobek, about those who enter the pool shall never return, etc.

*ACT II, SCENE II: The Limestone Caves*
The cave leads to a system of natural limestone caverns.  These caverns are infested with monstrous scorpions, giant snakes, and other denizens of the area.  In the rear of the cave, however, is a well-fashioned brick wall into which has been set a sealed stone door.  Beyond the door is a 20’ x 20’ square room with an altar dedicated to Ra in its center.  Over the altar is an enormous stone statue of Ra, his outstretched wings covering the altar.

The statue is actually a stone golem (use the stats in the SRD for a CR 11 stone golem).  It is keyed to attack anyone who approaches the altar without first reciting a long-forgotten prayer to Ra.

Atop the altar is a gleaming khopesh.
[SBLOCK=The Arm of Ra]*The Arm of Ra*
_holy dragonbane khopesh +3_
This khopesh is made from gleaming bronze, with brass fittings and silver inlay.  It is forged with a wing motif, and engraved with a delicate feather pattern.   The sword deals +2d6 points of sacred damage to all evil opponents.  Against dragons, the sword’s bonus improves to +5, and deals +2d6 points of damage.  Against evil dragons, these bonuses stack.

Because of its hook-like tip, it can be used to make disarm attacks.  When using a khopesh, a character gains a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent.[/SBLOCK]

*ACT II, SCENE III: The Tomb*
The burial tomb is decorated with images of the beetle god Khepri.  It appears to have been unsealed recently.  The halls and chambers beyond the gate are guarded by several mummies, golems, curses, and boobytraps.  In the rear chamber, behind a hidden and sealed door, is a grand burial chamber.  According to the hieroglyphics on the door, the tomb is that of A’nen, High Priestess of Khepri.

The sarcophagus in the chamber is empty.  Lying nearby on a wooden shelf, are the canopic jars of A’nen.  Normally there are four jars: one for the lungs, one for the liver, one for the stomach, and one for the intestines.  Here, there is a fifth jar...which contains a human heart.  The disembodied heart continues to beat from inside its alabaster jar.

[SBLOCK=The Still Beating Heart of A’nen]*Still Beating Heart of A’nen:* This powerful artifact appears to be a canopic jar of alabaster, in which lies a beating human heart.  It detects of overwhelming Necromancy and Evil.

Wherever the jar goes, the area around it is treated as though an _unhallow_ spell had been cast with the jar as the touched point of origin.  Furthermore, all creatures that are slain within 30 feet of the jar will rise 1 round later as an undead monster (as per the _create undead_ spell.)

The relic cannot be destroyed by mortal means.  It resists damage from all types of energy, and slowly regenerates itself when physically damaged.  Even if the jar were smashed and the heart cut into ribbons, the pieces would slowly repair or regenerate themselves completely in just a few seconds.

The only way to destroy this artifact is to remove the heart from the jar and thrust it into the body of A’nen.  This will complete the burial ritual that will send her soul to the Underworld for judgment, destroying the mummy forever.[/SBLOCK]

*ACT III, SCENE I: The Temple of Khepri*Once they have collected the two relics from the pit, the priest will urge the party to press on to their goal: the outpost of Siwah and its temple.

The outpost of Siwah is completely destroyed.  All that remains of the town and its inhabitants are stones, pottery, and bones.  A DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check will reveal that the entire area was decimated by a swarm of insects (beetles), which ate all organic material in the vicinity and left behind only the bones of their victims.

The Temple of Khepri sits atop a sandy hill overlooking the ruin of Siwah.  It is the only building in the area that appears to still be inhabited: lit torches flank its entrance, and clouds of incense rise from the smoke hole in its roof.  For the temple, use the map on page 138 of “Deities and Demigods.”

*Courtyard:*  Six priests are kneeling and chanting in this area, adding incense to a large bed of coals in the center of the room.  Hundreds of scarab beetles scurry around them, but the priests do not seem to notice.  As the party approaches, the priests cease their duties and attack.  (For the priests, use the stats in the SRD for mummies.)

*Antechamber:* The antechamber is decorated with a raised motif of scarab beetles, and brightly-lit with torches.  In the middle of the north and south walls, imbedded into the plaster, are gold and emerald scarab pendants worth 500 gp each (Search DC 15 to find the pendants.)

*Chapel:*  At first glance, this chamber appears to be empty.  Once the party has entered the chamber, A’nen (who waits in the Study) will pull a hidden lever that will cause all of the entrances into this room to slowly close.  (It takes a full round for the doors to close, so the party will be able to choose which side of the door they wish to be on by the time the doors finish closing.)  The doors remain closed for 1 hour, or until the counterweight is found and disabled (Search DC 25, Disable Device DC 20.)

Crawling on the 30’ high ceiling (Hide +22) is a huge black monster.  The creature appears to be a kind of dragon, but with the wings, legs, and body of an enormous scarab beetle.  It attacks on sight.
[SBLOCK=Scarab Dragon]
The scarab dragon is a Giant Stag Beetle that has been advanced to Huge size (20 HD), and then given the Half Dragon template.  Its breath weapon is a swarm of scarab beetles.

*Mehen, the Scarab Dragon**
Huge Dragon

Hit Dice:* 20d10+120 (220 hp)
*Initiative: * +3
*Speed: * 20 ft., Fly 40 ft. (average)
*Armor Class: * 25 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +18 natural)
*Base Attack/Grapple: * +15/+25
*Attack: * Bite +29 melee (4d8+14) 
*Full Attack: * Bite +29 melee (4d8+14)
*Space/Reach: * 15 ft./10 ft.
*Special Attacks: * Breath weapon, trample 3d6+14
*Special Qualities: * Darkvision 60 ft., immunities, vermin traits
*Saves: * Fort +20, Ref +7, Will +6
*Abilities: * Str 39, Dex 8, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 11
*Skills: * Climb +19, Hide +22, Listen +6, Spot +6
*Feats: * Awesome Blow, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Armor, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack
----------------------------------------------------
*Environment*: Warm plains and deserts
*Organization: * Solitary (unique)
*Challenge Rating: * 9
*Treasure: * None
*Alignment: * Always neutral
*Advancement*: 8-10 HD (Large); 11-21 HD (Huge)
*Level Adjustment*: +3

*Breath Weapon:* a scarab dragon’s breath weapon is a 10’ x 10’ swarm of scarab beetles (use the stats in the SRD for a locust swarm.)  The swarm appears immediately adjacent to the scarab dragon and attacks immediately.  The swarm is not summoned or conjured, and therefore cannot be dispelled, dismissed, or hedged out by _magic circle_ spells.

*Immunities:* immune to electricity damage, sleep, and paralysis.
[/SBLOCK]There is nothing else of interest in this chamber.

*Meditation Chamber:* This room contains six large earthen jars, each about four feet tall.  Inside the jars, the party will find the dragon’s hoard of treasure: 26,500 sp; _potion of blur, potion of darkvision, potion of enlarge person, arcane scroll of 3 spells (spider climb, levitate, spectral hand); divine scroll of 2 spells (stonetell, barkskin); helm of comprehending languages and reading magic;_ and five Quaal’s feather tokens (lanterns).[/I]
[SBLOCK=New Item: Quaal’s Feather Token (Lantern)]Like other feather tokens, each of these enchanted feathers has a power to suit a special need.  Each token is useable only once.
_Lantern_: A token that transforms into a lit hooded lantern.  The light from the lantern reveals all things as they truly are, as per the _true seeing_ spell.   The token lasts for 10 minutes.

Moderate conjuration; CL 12th, Craft Wondrous Item, _major creation_; Price 1,125 gp.[/SBLOCK]

*High Priest’s Chambers*: Each of these three chambers is sealed by a stone door.  Unlike all of the other doors in this temple, the doors are completely smooth and undecorated.  In fact, they seem almost unnaturally blank, completely devoid of any markings whatsoever.

If a true seeing spell (or one of the Lantern Tokens from the dragon’s hoard) are used on the blank doors, a hidden set of hieroglyphics will be revealed.  Each door reveals a riddle.

Door 1: _A red drum which sounds
Without being touched,
And grows silent,
When it is touched._
(Answer: heart)

Door 2: _Dead and bound,
what once was free.
What made no sound,
now sings with glee._
(Answer: a lute or violin)

Door 3: _Dawns away,
The day's turned grey,
And I must travel far away.
But I'll be back,
And then we'll track,
The light of yet another day._
(Answer: a shadow)

Each of these three chambers is empty, except for the very last one.  Within the final chamber, the party will find a stone sarcophagus standing against the southern wall.  It is completely empty, except for a nonmagical scroll of papyrus.

Close inspection (a DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check) will reveal that this scroll contains the traditional funerary rites for the dead...except that it has been modified.  According to this scroll, the priests have been instructed to remove the heart from the body while it still beats, and seal it with powerful dark magic against death.  The last rites have also been rewritten to awaken the dead, not to send the dead to their final judgment.  In other words, if this funerary ritual were ever performed, it would create an undead monster that would live forever...unless the heart was to be returned to its body.

*Study:* In this large chamber, the party will find the beautiful A’nen.  She is standing in the middle of the west wall, examining a large, detailed map of Egypt.  She appears to have been waiting for the party.  She will give a classic “gloating villain” speech, then attack without mercy.
[SBLOCK=A’nen, High Priestess of Khepri]
*A'nen, High Priestess of Khepri*
*Greater Mummy (11th level human cleric of Khepri (Protection, Rune))
Medium-sized Undead

Hit Dice:* 11d12 (71 hp)
*Initiative: * +1
*Speed: * 30 ft.
*Armor Class: * 22 (+1 Dex, +8 natural, _bracers of armor +2, ring of protection +1_)
*Base Attack/Grapple: * +8/+11
*Attack: * Touch +11 melee (1d8+3 and paralysis) or light mace +13 melee (1d6+5) 
*Full Attack: * Touch +11/+6 melee (1d8+5 and paralysis) or light mace +13/+8 melee (1d6+5)
*Space/Reach: * 5 ft./5 ft.
*Special Attacks: * Damaging touch, despair, paralyzing touch, spells
*Special Qualities: * DR 15/magic, SR 21, domain powers (protection, rune), fire vulnerability, symbiosis, turn resistance 4, immunities, undead traits
*Saves: * Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +12 (_cloak of resistance +1_)
*Abilities: * Str 17, Dex 12, Con --, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 16
*Skills: * Concentration +17, Diplomacy +8, Hide +9, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (religion) +11, Listen +12, Move Silently +9, Search +12, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +15, Spot +12
*Feats: * Augment Summoning, Combat Casting B, Craft Wondrous Item, Extra Turning, Quicken Spell, Scribe ScrollB, Spell Focus (Conjuration), Still Spell
----------------------------------------------------
*Environment*: Any land or underground
*Organization: * Solitary (unique)
*Challenge Rating: * 13
*Treasure: * Double standard
*Alignment: * Lawful evil
*Advancement*: By character class
*Level Adjustment*: same as base creature +4
*Magic Items Carried:* Divine scroll of _obscuring mist_ and _inflict light wounds_; _strand of prayer beads (healing, karma, and smiting); cloak of resistance +1; bracers of armor +2; hat of disguise; ring of protection +1; light mace +2_

*Typical Spells Prepared*
Save DC = 14 + spell level
Level 0: _detect magic, guidance, mending, read magic, resistance, virtue_
Level 1:  _bane, detect good, doom, entropic shield, obscuring mist, sanctuaryB, shield of faith_ 
Level 2:  _darkness, desecrate, eagle’s splendor, enthrall, secret pageB, undetectable alignment_
Level 3:  _animate dead, bestow curse, dispel magic, protection from EnergyB, searing light x2_
Level 4:  _air walk, dismissal, divine power, giant vermin, spell immunityB_
Level 5:  _insect plague (creates scarabs instead of locusts), planar binding, lesserB, still freedom of movement_
Level 6:  _antimagic fieldB, word of recall_

A’nen appears to be a beautiful, dark-skinned human female, approximately 30 years of age, with a supple build and almond-shaped eyes.  She is dressed in the gown suitable of a high priestess of Khepri.  Despite her comely appearance, she is insidiously evil undead monster.

COMBAT
A’nen avoids physical combat, preferring to attack with her spells from a safe range, while her symbiotic beetle swarm rushes forward.  If pressed into battle, she attacks with her magical *light mace +2[/I] and paralyzing touch.

Control Undead (Su): A’nen may rebuke or command the undead as a 15th level cleric.

Damaging Touch (Su): A’nen’s touch attack deals 1d8+3 points of damage to any living creature.  The bonus damage is Charisma-based.  She may suppress this ability at will.

Despair (Su): All living creatures who look upon A’nen’s true visage must immediately succeed at a DC 18 Will save or be paralyzed with fear for 2d4 rounds.  Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by A’nen’s despair ability for 1 day.  The save DC is Charisma-based.  A’nen typically hides her true appearance with her hat of disguise.

Fire Vulnerability (Ex): A’nen takes double damage from fire attacks unless a save is allowed for half damage.  A successful save halves the damage and a failure doubles it.

Immunities: A’nen is immune to cold, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks.

Mummy Rot (Su): Supernatural disease – touch, DC 24 Fort save, incubation period 12 hours; damage 1d6 temporary Strength and 1d6 temporary Constitution.  This illness continues to progress until cured or until the victim reaches 0 Constitution and dies.  An afflicted creature that dies shrivels away into sand and dust that blows away into nothing at the first wind unless both a remove curse and a raise dead spell are cast on the remains within 6 rounds.

Paralyzing Touch (Su): A living creature struck by A’nen’s touch attack must make a DC 18 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 11 rounds.

Symbiosis (Ex):  A’nen’s body is home to a swarm of scarab beetles (see below).  The greater mummy is immune to the beetles’ bite damage and distraction attacks. 

Undead Traits:  Immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease.  Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

Skills: A greater mummy has a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.

For more information on the Greater Mummy, refer to pages 159 thru 161 of “Deities and Demigods.” [/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Giant Scarab Beetle]
When A’nen casts her giant vermin spell, she will create a giant scarab beetle from one of her symbiotic beetles.  For the giant scarab, use the stats in the SRD for a Giant Stag Beetle. [/SBLOCK]
 [SBLOCK=Scarab Beetle Swarm]
For all scarab swarms, use the stats in the SRD for a locust swarm. 

Note that scarab swarms that are summoned by A’nen’s insect plague spell will have a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution, thanks to her Augment Summoning feat.  This gives each swarm +12 hit points and a +2 bonus to Fortitude saves.[/SBLOCK]
On the round after combat starts, and every third round thereafter, one of the doors to the Junior Priests’ Quarters will open.  A swarm of beetles will emerge to join the battle.

A’nen fights with confidence, knowing that she cannot be destroyed as long as her heart remains safely buried far away.  If she sees the heart, however, she will fly into a rage and attempt to recover the heart at all costs.  She will fight until destroyed.

If reduced to 0 hit points or less, she collapses into a lifeless pile of bones and bandages.  She will rise again in 1 hour at full strength, unless her heart is removed from the canopic jar and placed within the remains.  Once this is done, her soul will be torn from the world and sent to judgment in the Underworld...both the artifact and the mummy will be forever destroyed.

Junior Priest’s Quarters Each of these small locked chambers contains a swarm of scarab beetles.  (Use the stats in the SRD for a locust swarm.)  The room contains nothing else of interest.

Conclusion
With the destruction of A’nen, the party will have stopped the plague of locusts, and ensured the safety of the western border of the kingdom.  Hem-Netjer will perform the ceremony to appease Khepri, and the god will restore the damaged crops to Egypt.

The party will be rewarded with free services of the Temple of Isis for seven years per their agreement, and Pharaoh will appoint them rulers over Siwah and its surrounding lands. 

Use of the Ingredients
Bottomless Pit: the setting of the second part of the adventure.  It is a great sinkhole that lies between the far oasis of Siwah, that cuts it off from the rest of the kingdom.  Due to a gate to the Plane of Water located at the bottom, it is truly “bottomless.”

Still-Beating Heart: the canopic jar of A’nen, which is the key to her destruction.  Greater Mummies are essentially the divine answer to the lich, and the canopic jar is the equivalent of the lich’s phylactery.  

Interrupted Communications: All communication with the western outpost of Siwah has stopped for some reason, and Pharaoh has called upon the party to investigate and send word.

Dragon Slayer:  The Arm of Ra is a magical “dragon slayer” sword, hidden at the bottom of the pit.  It is the key to vanquishing the Scarab Dragon.

Beetle Swarm:  Beetle swarms are the key of the plot.  Beetles are also responsible for the interrupted communication with Siwah (the beetles destroyed the bridge across the bottomless pit, cutting Siwah off from the rest of the kingdom.)  The villains of the story have a strong link to beetles: one is a greater mummy with a symbiotic swarm of beetles, and the other is a half-dragon beetle that breathes swarms of beetles instead of lightning.

5 Quaal’s Feather Tokens: The party is given five feather tokens (birds) with which to send word of their mission and their progress.  Furthermore, there are five new kinds of feather tokens (lanterns) that the party must make use of in their mission.   


Appendix
A few extra bits and pieces of information that the DM might find useful when incorporating this adventure into his game.

[SBLOCK=Khepri, God of Beetles]
Khepri appears as either a large scarab beetle, or a man with the head of a scarab.  He is responsible for pushing the sun across the sky every day, and rolling it safely through the Underworld every night.  He is revered as a god of protection, the creator of magic, and the bringer of safe journeys.
Symbol: a scarab beetle
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Domains: Law, Protection, Rune, Travel
Favored Weapon: light mace
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Glossary and Pronunciation Guide]
A’nen (ah-NEEN): means “to bring back” in Egyptian.
Hem-netjer (him-NET-jeer): means “servant of the gods” in Egyptian.
Khepri (KEP-free): the Egyptian god of scarabs.
Khopesh (CO-pesh): an Egyptian sword with a bent tip.
Mehen (mee-HINN): an Egyptian serpent-dragon, protector of Ra and one of the guardians of the gates to the Underworld.
Siwah (SEE-wah): the name of a town in ancient Egypt; the name means “Far Oasis.” [/SBLOCK]*


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## CleverNickName (Oct 26, 2009)

Oops...the title is supposed to be "Heart of A'nen."


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## Nifft (Oct 27, 2009)

Quite a spread of PC levels for the entries in this match, and quite a spread in entry length. Also, I had to look up a bunch of stuff, in my 3.5e books, and on Wikipedia.

Let's hit the ingredients first:

*Bottomless Pit*
CNN: Quote, "a mid-level party of adventurers could reach the bottom of the pit easily", unquote. That's no bottomless pit. The pool of water nearby where the PCs are? Sure, that could kinda be a bottomless pit, and it has a cool description, but it doesn't figure in the story. It's just window-dressing.
IVV: The bottomless pit is again a pool of water, so it could be quibbled that it's not much of a pit, but it is bottomless, and it is a plot-point. It's connected to the tree-token, the beetles, and it's a still-beating heart disposal unit.

*Still Beating Heart*
Fine element use all around.

*Dragon Slayer*
Not great element use here.
CNN: The sword isn't bad in itself, but it's just kinda there.
IVV: The beetles could kill dragons, but so far, they're merely dragonnibblers.

*Interrupted Communications*
Plot hook in both cases. Poor use -- only technically in the story. IVV has the edge by having the communication interrupted by a beetle swarm.

*Beetle Swarm*
Good use in both entries.
CNN: I love the beetle-dragon's breath weapon. Very evocative.
IVV: Creative riff on a monster I'd never heard of before. Plausible patron-bane (i.e. good excuse for why the big damn dragon doesn't just go fix the problem himself).

*5 Quaal's Feather Tokens*
CNN: The tokens you gave out weren't necessary to the plot, nor connected well to the other elements of the scenario.
IVV: Stellar use of five classic tokens.


Now, for the particular criticisms.

*InVinoVeritas*, I don't have a good feel for how your cavern ought to be laid out, which parts go where exactly. But the parts that are there are very nice.

The use of a tree token to "poison" the heart makes no sense, but I'm willing to overlook that, simply because in every group I've ever been in, someone always tries to cause a fatality with a Quaal's Feather Token (Tree). And it always works (once).


*CleverNickName*, the stat blocks don't really help. Especially the ridiculous bits, like some of the 20 HD dragon-beetle: he has up to 23 ranks, his size penalty is -8, his dex gives him another -1, yet he has a +22 Hide check? He has no Climb speed, but he's on the ceiling?

The one question I wanted answered about the mummy priest was: how hard is it going to be for the PCs to wrestle her still-beating heart back into her body while she's still kicking? It might not occur to the party that they can defeat her (even temporarily).

You brought up the classic Anubis heart-vs-feather weighing thing. You had five *feathers* and one *heart* as ingredients. I'm very sad these things weren't brought together. I mean, imagine the look on his jackal face when a giant goddamn tree sprouted from his scale.

From the Pharaoh's sword-point "adventure hook" to the NPC priest who tells the party exactly what to do, I feel the plot is a bit heavy-handed in keeping the PCs on the rails.

- - -

The winner of this match is *InVinoVeritas*.


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## Radiating Gnome (Oct 27, 2009)

Here's the list: Wulf vs. Thasmodius, R2M2

Invisible Tavern
Golden Zipper
Forgetful Apprentice
Contest Winner
Flying goblin
Arrow of Evil Undone

-rg
____


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## Thasmodious (Oct 29, 2009)

*Past Deeds*​ A short side-trek for 4-6 mid-upper heroic characters​ 
*Background*
  Legend has it that the bejeweled Arrow of Evil Undone was gifted to a great warrior of Bahamut by the fabled craftsman Angulus and consecrated in the sacred pool that lies at the heart of Bahamut’s temple in far off Khalzyr.  The blessed arrow, the story goes, was used to slay a demon-lord of the ancient world, bringing peace to the land of the First Kings.  The sacred arrow hung in a place of honor above the throne before that kingdom fell into ruin.  The relic was lost to the ravages of time.


  Centuries later, a private collector of antiquities and a wizard of some renown, holds a contest to entertain his idly rich friends, luring groups of adventurers to compete in a series of challenges for a prize taken from his collection.  Priest of Bahamut and master craftsman Illian Moonstrider has learned that this collector claims to have the Arrow of Evil Undone and to be offering it as the prize in his upcoming contest.  He has charged his apprentice, Burglecot, with scouring the countryside for servants of Bahamut powerful enough to win the contest and return the Arrow to the devout…

Cast of Characters

*Burglecot* – halfling apprentice craftsman.  The halfling is forgetful to an extreme degree and rarely accurately remembers anything.  The problem is that he does not recognize his fault and fills in the blank spaces in his memory with the needed, and fabricated, details. For example, he is unlikely to remember a name, but will call the person by another name, insisting that it is correct.  Burglecot dresses sloppily in stained clothes and his eyes are hidden behind a mane of thick, untamed hair.

*Golden Zipper* – the faerie dragon whom the PCs must convince to guide them to the tavern.  Golden Zipper is a nickname he earned there due to his coloration and flitting nature, having competed in the past.  When he speaks, it is in short phrases punctuated by hisses and he is constantly flitting back and forth, his wings a blur, much like a hummingbirds.

*Grishnak* – the defending champion.  Grishnak is a greedy, treacherous, nasty, one-eyed goblin who somehow sports a pair of functional wings.  He is a crowd favorite and mischievous tavern patrons will encourage the PCs to ask him why he has wings, a question that is more likely to end with broken teeth rather than answers.   

*‘Bloated’ Boris* – a great, boisterous, hugely fat man with an outrageous mustache that is nearly as thick as a tankard and is curled garishly at either end.  He is the bartender and innkeeper at the Oasis.  He seems very affable, but astute individuals notice a number of strange details about Boris - an unusual grace and quickness that belie his size; movements that are slight ‘off’, such as picking up a large barrel of ale without his arms seeming to flex, he freely converses in any language…

*Rojas* – eladrin wizard of some renown and a collector of fine antiquities.  The Oasis is his establishment and home and he is the host of the contest.  He is quite friendly and seems to finds everything amusing, easy grins bandied about at every opportunity.  He has stark, silver-purple hair that sweeps back in spikes and his dress is opulent. 


*The Hook*
  Burglecot forgot to assemble a crack team of dedicated followers of Bahamut anxious to reclaim a sacred religious relic and now he is desperate, looking for the first armed group that doesn’t look likely to kill or rob him.  He finds the PCs.  The meeting could be on the road, a side-trek on a journey, or he finds them in town.  Either way, he approaches the group thinking they have already agreed to help – “we have to get going, the contest starts in two days and we don’t even know where it is!  Come on!”  From there things likely get more confusing, but eventually the PCs can learn (eventually being however long the DM wishes to torture them):
  * There is a contest with a prize that is a sacred religious relic
  * A priest of Bahamut wants to return the item to his faith
  * He’s willing to pay, handsomely
  * The location of the tavern, the Oasis, is secret and hidden
  * The contest is dangerous and challenging
  * They have to find someone called Zapper or Clipper who lives in the woods

  If the PCs agree to act as Illian’s agents, they can learn in town (with some decent information gathering) that Zapper is a faerie dragon named Golden Zipper who lives in a glade in the forest outside of town.  He is generally friendly with the locals, as long as they respect the woods, especially the glade where he lives in the bough of a great oak tree.  

*Getting Zipper’s Help*
  Finding Zipper is not difficult (unless the DM wants it to be, of course) and in short order the PCs are standing at the foot of the oak tree negotiating with a golden-hued and hyper faerie dragon.  Golden Zipper knows of the Oasis and years ago competed in one of the contests there, winning a magical feather token and freeing the oak tree bound into it, in which he know lives.  He only competed to free his friend and will only help the PCs if he believes they serve their cause nobly and fully intend to honor their agreement with Burglecot and turn the relic over to the priest of Bahamut.  After some discussion, Zipper will agree to guide them to the Oasis.  If they treat him well and make a good impression, he will offer to join their team and help them in the contest.  If the PCs do not have horses, Burglecot will purchase enough for everyone and they set off, following the faerie dragon as fast as they can.

*The Oasis*
  The tavern itself is located on a demiplane Rojas created and controls.  The actual structure of the tavern can be shaped at will by the wizard.  The Oasis is a shelter from the mundane world, a place to house his extensive collection and entertain his friends.  The tavern has a number of entrances, all hidden and spread across the world.  Each entrance resembles a small roadside tavern, only one made invisible.  These entrances are actually portals to the Oasis itself, if a command word is known.  Anyone stumbling across the invisible wooden structure just finds an empty, long abandoned, ramshackle tavern on the other side of the door, and leaves with a mystery and a story.

  The trip to the invisible tavern entrance moves at the speed of plot.  When they arrive, Zipper speaks the command word and the group can enter and get their first glimpse of the ever-changing Oasis.

  Right now, the PCs see a large, open, rough wood tavern.  Chipped planks of wood, a warm but splintery floor with questionable stains, hobbled together tables and stools, the Oasis looks like any number of taverns the PCs have plied their trade in over the years.  It is packed with unsavory sorts, well armed (their adversaries).  A rough looking minstrel plays a battered lute in the corner near a roaring fire.  At other times the PCs may find the tavern lavish and extravagantly decorated, with Rojas catering to his well off clientele, or perhaps it’s a squat, smoky stone room where the popular defending champion is telling tales and being paid accolades by admirers.  

  The PCs can quickly make arrangements and express their desire to enter the contest.  If the DM wishes to expand the adventure, a qualifying series of minor trials here would be a good way to do it, as would some time spent enjoying all the Oasis has to offer, meeting the interesting clientele and making a few fans of their own.  The trials are as much to test the mettle of the competing teams as they are for the spectators to assess them, pick favorites and start betting.  

*The Contest*
  Setup: The contest itself takes place in what appears to be an expansive cavern under the tavern.  Rows of stone bleachers ring a large field.  The PCs are competing against three other teams.  Burglecot does not compete, but Zipper may, if the PCs have endeared themselves to him.  The defending champion, Grishnak, leads a small group of five grizzled goblins.   Details of the other two groups are left to the DM, they are mostly window dressing.  The only group the PCs are likely to come into conflict with is Grishnak’s.  Each team is ushered into one of four rooms under the bleachers to prepare.  The teams can hear the amplified voice of Rojas as he builds up the crowd explaining the story of the Arrow of Evil Undone and the rules of the contest, stressing the danger and death-defying obstacles the groups will face.  The rules are simple – the first group to claim the prize and exit the ‘dungeon’ wins.

  When the contest begins and the PCs exit the holding room, they find the field has been transformed into some kind of maze.  The walls are made of stone, wood, brambles, seemingly anything and the PCs must negotiate treacherous paths while trying to advance to the middle of the field and locate the prize.  They cannot see the other teams or the audience.  As far as they can tell, they are in an enclosed dungeon environment of twisting corridors and deadly peril.  

  Running the Contest:  Advancing the contest is handled with a skill challenge (10 successes before 3 failures) that should run in the background, the DM keeping track of progress.  There are two ways to gain successes:

  1.  Skill use.  Taking turns the PCs describe what they are doing to advance through the twisting dungeon maze utilizing their skills and other abilities in creative fashion.  Each success counts as a success in the overall challenge, a failure counts as a failure.  However, every two successes gained in this manner leads the PCs to face a seemingly random obstacle.  Three such obstacles are presented below.

  2.  Obstacles.  Successfully overcoming an obstacle counts as a single success in the overall challenge.  The results of failing to overcome an obstacle are individual to that trial and do not necessarily include accumulating a failure in the challenge.

Three Obstacles
  1.  The PCs turn a corner and see a chamber ahead with a pedestal in the middle and an exit across the room.  A series of small, foot wide slots lie at floor level along the other two walls.  As the group approaches the pedestal, both exits disappear and a large number of unarmed skeleton minions drop from the ceiling, thirty in all.  The skeletons attempt to grapple PCs by weight of numbers and then individual skeletons will pluck random items from the PCs gear.  When a skeleton has grabbed an item, they move to the nearest slot and slide it through.  Any slain skeletons reform the following round.  There are two ways the skeletons stop coming – when the PCs are striped naked or they solve the puzzle located on the pedestal (puzzle details left to the DM).

  2.  The PCs come upon another wide chamber.  The walls of this chamber are cloaked in darkness and no apparent exit can be immediately seen.  In the middle of the chamber, however, is what looks like a large, clockwork contraption of some kind.  When the PCs enter the room, the contraption whirls to life and moves under its own power, attacking the PCs with three deadly attacks – poisoned darts that fly from the body of the device, poison spikes that jam out and retract piercing those who get too close and a whirling lens that emits some kind of beam.  Use the stats for a female Medusa Archer, reflavored to fit these trappings.  The clockwork device has Resist 5 to all damage.  The PCs can defeat the device through simple damage or by getting close and engaging in a skill challenge to disable it (6/3).  If they instead wish to retreat from the room, the DM should inform them that they would have to backtrack for some distance to find a new route and that this would cost valuable time and set them back (give them a failure in the overall challenge if they choose to retreat).  Any petrified PCs are individually eliminated from the contest, unless the party has the means to undo petrification and chooses to take the time.   Petrified PCs are healed after the contest by contest staff.


  3.  After hitting a few dead ends, the PCs take a route that leads them to the edge of a long, 20’ wide hallway.  Instead of a floor, however, there appears to be a very deep pit stretching off into the distance.  A number of pillars each about as wide as two feet and at varying height and position relative to each other provide a treacherous path across this obstacle.  PCs trying to assess the depth of the pit cannot find the bottom nor hear anything if they drop something down it.  Crossing the pillars is a skill challenge (8/3) with the outcome dependent upon the degree of success:
  Successful – the remaining PCs cross
  Each failure – the PC making the failure has a chance to fall in some manner.  A pillar may be a dead pillar, collapsing into the darkness when weight is applied or they may lose their balance or fall while advancing to another one.  An acrobatics check of medium difficulty will let them leap to another pillar.  Failing that, a successful saving throw will let them grab the edge of a pillar and hold on for dear life.  A hard athletics check or help from a party member is needed to get back up.  A PC who fails all this falls into the pit and is not heard from again during the contest (see below).
  Challenge failure – if three failures are reached before at least 5 successes, the remaining PCs must turn back and valuable time is lost (a failure on the overall challenge).  If at least 5 successes were accumulated, the PCs, except for the one who caused the final failure, reach the far side.  The one who failed is stuck behind a gap that is too far to jump and most either turn back (eliminating themselves from the contest) or the party must come up with some other solution to get him across.


Any PCs who fall hit a magical field after 50' of free fall.  It is a zone of darkness and silence that also applies a feather fall effect to anyone crossing it, the victim floating gently down another 30' where they are met by contest workers who explain they've been eliminated and guide them out through an exit and up to the stands where they can watch the rest of the contest.


*Ending the Contest*
  Whether or not the PCs claim the prize depends on how the overall skill challenge plays out:
  10 successes; 0 failures – the PCs reach the treasure chamber alone and claim the prize!  However, Grishnak does not take his defeat well and either attempts to steal the prize later, pick a fight in the tavern, or follow them back and ambush them on the way back to town.
  10 successes; 1-2 failures – the PCs are first to reach the treasure chamber, but just as they claim the chest in which the arrow rests, Grishnak and his gang reach the chamber and confront them.  They attack the PCs to try and claim the chest.  If the PCs have only suffered one failure, Grishnak has lost two of his gang to obstacles.  Otherwise, they are a single goblin down.
  >5 successes; 3 failures – the PCs make it to the chamber in time to see Grishnak and gang claim the box.  He turns to them and snarls in Common, “stay right where you are or you die here today” 
  >5 successes, 3 failures – Grishnak and gang win without encountering the PCs.

  If the PCs lose, they can attempt to gain the item through other means or accept the loss, which is what Burglecot suggests, thanking them for trying.  

*Wrapping it all Up*
  Victorious or not, the PCs are celebrated at the afterparty and are welcome to stay at the Oasis for a few more days.  If they have the Arrow, they eventually return to town and meet Illian.  He is ecstatic that the mission was successful and can only laugh at how Burglecot stumbled his way to a successful outcome.  He rewards the PCs suitably (treasure parcels) and invites them to attend a dedication at the temple to Bahamut where they are honored (and proselytized to if none are of the faith).  They have made a valuable ally and found an interesting place in the world that they can return to and seek further adventures.  And they have a championship to defend next year.

Ingredient List
*Invisible Tavern *– the Oasis, invisible to the world, and its various entrances are literally invisible.
*Golden Zipper* – the Faerie Dragon that guides them to the Oasis and likely aids them in the contest
*Forgetful Apprentice* – Burglecot, apprentice to a master craftsman, and as forgetful as he can be.
*Contest Winner* – Grishnak is the defending champion, Zipper has won in the past, and the PCs may emerge as contest winners as well.
*Flying goblin* – Grishnak, the primary monstrous adversary of the adventure
*Arrow of Evil Undone *– the religious relic that is the prize in the contest and the reason for the PCs to enter it.


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## Wulf Ratbane (Oct 29, 2009)

Iron DM R2M2

Invisible Tavern
Golden Zipper
Forgetful Apprentice
Contest Winner
Flying goblin
Arrow of Evil Undone

This adventure is for low-level PCs; in a “points of light” type campaign; this may be their first excursion outside the comfort zone of their home base. Certain elements of the adventure can be  played from fairly frivolous to more darkly humorous, as the DM desires.

*The Invisible Tavern*
The adventure “begins” when the PCs are traveling, as the sun begins to set. They will first notice a glow on the horizon, which they will eventually make out as a roaring fire. Coming closer, they will see that the fire appears to be free-standing in a field, surrounded by dozens of folks sitting on barstools, gathered around tables, drinking and so forth. In fact the whole scene looks like a typical tavern scene—except, of course, that the tavern is invisible.

As the PCs investigate, entering the tavern and conversing with the folks inside, they will be approached by Wizen the Wizard who will answer their questions, explain the tavern, and enlist their help.

Wizen will explain to the PCs that the tavern was not meant to be invisible—it is in fact an unfortunate side effect of what should have been a standard abjuration spell. He was forced to give the proprietor a substantial discount. The mishap was caused by Wizen’s *Forgetful Apprentice*, a goblin named Skink, whose forgetfulness has caused the ruin of many of Wizen’s spells. The Invisible Tavern is simply the most visible (?) and lasting testament to Skink’s forgetful screwups.

Certainly it is unusual to have a goblin apprentice, Wizen will explain, but it was part of a peace agreement between the townspeople and a neighboring tribe of goblins: apparently Skink is a goblin of some stature or repute in his own village. Wizen has tried to rid himself of Skink and negotiate some other arrangement, but Skink’s tribe is not willing to take him back until Skink is a full-fledged wizard. (Which, perhaps not coincidentally, might never happen.)

Wizen believes that he has found a solution and will try to enlist the PCs to his aid. In his research, he has discovered the existence of _Worgheart’s Academy_. Worgheart, an aged goblin wizard of considerable talent, has established his academy on another plane (Feywild, Shadowfell-- Shadowfey?-- etc.) and he accepts only monstrous students who can pass his test. Each semester, there is a contest of skills, and the *contest winner* is accepted into the school. 

Unfortunately, Skink is an idiot, and he’ll need some help if he is to win the contest and gain acceptance to Worgheart’s Academy. If the PCs accept, Wizen will invite them back to his tower (where they will meet Apprentice Skink) and transport them to Worgheart’s Academy.

Wizen will give the PCs one item to help them: an *Arrow of Evil Undone.* This arrow—meant to be a powerful but rather typical _goblin slaying_ arrow—has instead been transformed by one of Skink’s “ accidents.” An evil creature struck by the arrow is affected by a powerful curse (Will DC17 negates): each time the affected creature rolls a d20 check, it must roll two d20’s and take the worst result. A goblin struck by the arrow receives no save. The arrow itself has proven nearly indestructible and can be retrieved after each combat, but its magical power is only usable once per day.

Wizen will explain privately that he’d hoped to use the arrow on Skink’s own warchief, but they’ve  been at peace for many years and now he has no use for it. He might mention, perhaps wistfully, that it’s too bad the arrow couldn’t have been used on Worgheart—he’d even gladly keep Skink on as apprentice if it meant an end to Worgheart training up monstrous wizards…

Finally, Wizen will give the PCs a special token that they can snap or break to be instantly transported back to his tower.

*Worgheart’s Academy*
Worgheart’s Academy is what one expects from wizard’s academies these days—shifting stairways, talking portraits, headless goblin ghosts, and other strange creatures roaming the halls—except in a dark-humored, bizarro, shadow-fey version of the good-natured halls of such human institutions. The DM is free to flesh out Worgheart’s as he sees fit, but the action here is on Apprentice Skink’s Big Chance, a game the goblins call “Quittits” because of the frequent cries of protestation (and other profanities) that arise from the participants.

*The Game of Quittits*
The DM will want to prepare a dry erase board and 16 “columns” for the Quittits match. (see attached image).

The playing field is a grid of 9 squares by 9 squares (45’ x 45’). The grid is broken up like a chessboard with multiple black columns, each a cube about 5’x5’x5’. The ceiling is 20 feet high.

The game is won in one of two ways: either by eliminating the opposing team (an option preferred by the wicked goblin team) or by simply catching the “Golden Zipper,” in which case you win the game immediately. 

The goblin team is far more interested in the first option and they will largely ignore the “Golden Zipper.”

Unfortunately for the PCs, Apprentice Skink will forget to mention most of the “rules” and will only mention them after the fact—after the opposing goblin team takes advantage. In fact it may simply seem that the goblins are making up the rules as they go along.

*The Teams*
Each team is composed of 1 or more Wompers whose job is to eliminate the opposing team, and 1 Brain Fuggler (an arcane caster) whose job is to harass and annoy the opposing team. The Brain Fuggler is given his choice of annoyances at the start of the game: a wand containing 10 charges of one  of the following spells: _ray of frost, daze, mage hand_. The goblins will graciously allow the PCs to “choose first” and then they’ll take the remaining two wands. (Skink will apologize for forgetting to mention that rule.)

The goblin team’s Wompers are all “shifty” and will use a spring attack-like ability to move around and among the columns to harass the players. They will jump out, strike, and move away, with a full movement of 6 squares each round. Given the right circumstances (flanking, or the Golden Zipper’s dazzling shadows) they also get an additional +1d6 sneak attack damage.

The goblin team’s Brain Fuggler—a goblin named Mouth-Oil, an aspiring applicant himself—will quaff a _potion of flying_ just as the match starts, so that he can fly above the fray to provide maximum annoyance—err, assitance.

There are no set team sizes, and if the PCs look particularly imposing, Mouth-Oil will announce, “I demand First Right of Overwhelming Whomping!” and recruit additional Wompers out of the crowd at the last minute. There will be no volunteers to join the PCs team. (“I forgot about that rule…”)

Neither Apprentice Skink nor the DM should feel obligated to mention the “Golden Zipper” instant-win rule to the PCs; the chances are pretty good they’ll figure that out on their own.

The enemy Brain Fuggler Mouth-Oil should be a tempting target for the Arrow of Evil Undone.

*The Golden Zipper*
The Golden Zipper is a tiny, golden flying ball, covered in short, curly hairy feathers. Who knows where it came from?—nobody’s asking. 

The Golden Zipper moves each round on its own initiative count, but (a) it never goes ‘first’ in the round and (b) its initiative count changes each round. When the Golden Zipper crosses the playing field, roll 1d20 to determine where it starts and which column it will zip down. The Golden Zipper crosses the entire playing field in a flash.

The Golden Zipper will either “zip” or “unzip” a path of dark faerie dust through the column that it crosses. If the squares in the column are  clear, the Golden Zipper will “zip up” the column, leaving behind a cloud of cloying dark shadow in every square it passes through. Any creature caught in this shadowstuff loses its move action (but can still move by using its remaining standard action, or take a standard action by not moving).

If the Golden Zipper crosses a square that already contains shadow, it will “unzip” the shadowstuff, leaving behind a square full of golden dust and fluttering, ash-like shadow particles. Any creature caught in this stuff is partially dazzled and/or blinded—they suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls and are subject to sneak attacks as if they were blind.

If the Golden Zipper strikes one of the solid columns, it always makes a *left turn* and continues moving in that fashion until it reaches the edge of the playing field.

A creature that is actually in the path of the Golden Zipper takes damage (scaled if necessary for the Adventure Level—1d6 per two levels is a good rule of thumb). 

A creature with a Ready action can try to catch the Golden Zipper as it enters its square. The Golden Zipper has an AC of 20 based on its small size and speed. 

The game does not end until the “top of the round” when the Golden Zipper has a chance to “acknowledge” that it has been caught. If the creature holding the Golden Zipper is knocked unconscious, it will zip off on its way.

*The Columns*
The columns are 5’ x 5’ x 5’ and composed of some shadowy substance that _mostly_ behaves like stone. They cannot be physically damaged or moved through, but you can easily _push the blocks around_. As a standard action, a PC can push a column five feet directly away from his own position (assuming there is nothing blocking the column, such as another column or the edge of the  playing field). A Brain Fuggler with a wand of _mage hand_ can push a column in any direction desired. (“Oh yeah! I forgot you could do that!” says Apprentice Skink).

A medium-sized creature can climb or jump onto the top of a column as a move action. A small-sized creature (such as any of the opposing goblins) requires a full-round action to climb onto the top of a column. Creatures on the top of a column are “above the fray” and not subject to any of the effects of the Golden Zipper, which only moves at the ground level.

*Skink Victorious*
Assuming that the PCs manage to overcome the Golden Zipper and the flying goblin Mouth-Oil to win the Quittits match for Skink, he will be declared the contest winner and accepted into Worgheart’s Academy. 

At any rate, as honored guests, they will be invited by Worgheart himself to stay for a feast the following day and to avail themselves of the facilities, including any of the classrooms (where they may be able to craft some magic items, reduce magic items to their component residuum, etc.) and particularly to use the Great Library.

If it occurs to them (and Skink will inadvertently drop hints if it does not) the PCs may be able to use the facilities of Worgheart’s Academy (beginning with the Library, then the Magical Component Storage, then the appropriate Classroom, etc.) to “repair” the Arrow of Evil Undone. Of course Skink has no interest in helping the PCs on this particular task but he is so hapless that the PCs may be able to use him nevertheless.

The Arrow of Evil Undone is a potent magical item even in its unintended altered state. If the PCs desire to alter the arrow, they should be successful in that task. The PCs will have an opportunity to use the arrow on Worgheart himself, during the feast in their honor. Worgheart sits at the head of a long table full of goblin apprentices of varying skill. If a fight breaks out during the feast, it may take some time for the goblins to realize that it is anything other than the usual dinner pastime—indeed the DM may have a fight break out _before_ the PCs act to give them cover for their actions.

*Denouement*
Assuming the PCs have seen some measure of success in their task, they will have made a useful ally in Wizen, who can provide them with the usual “friendly wizard” services. If the PCs were unsuccessful, Wizen will still be disposed to help them from time to time, but they may not get exactly what they bargain for if Apprentice Skink is still around to muck up the works.

*Ingredients*
Invisible Tavern-- the "visible" testament to the forgetful apprentice's mishaps
Golden Zipper-- the "zippy" golden ball that is the object of the Quittits match, it zips and unzips shadowstuff in its path
Forgetful Apprentice-- Skink
Contest Winner-- Skink (hopefully)
Flying goblin-- the opposing team's Brain-Fuggler, Mouth-Oil
Arrow of Evil Undone-- another of the forgetful apprentice's "accidents" and a useful tool to win the match and (perhaps) end Worgheart


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## phoamslinger (Oct 29, 2009)

R2M3 Wik vs. Atras

your ingredients are
*Leaning Tower
Blood Coral
Con Artist
Journey’s End
Inebriated Githyanki
Cloak of Soulbound Resistance*

I trust by now you know I don't want any McGuffins or Red Herrings.  the six should be core to the entire story.  have fun with them.  you have till 3pm Saturday due to the late posting.


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## Radiating Gnome (Oct 30, 2009)

We've got a couple of strong entries here -- each has strengths and weaknesses, which just means that the judging is going to be interesting.  

Past Deeds (PD) is the tale of a dungeon crawl competition played out in a cavern below a tavern . .  and that phrase in itself begs for a third "vern" in the mix . . . too bad there couldn't be a wyvern deep in the cavern under the tavern.  Right, Vern? 

Invisible tavern (IT). is a spoof of something awfully familiar, but manages to create an interesting adventure with new things to discover.

So, lets talk about ingredients. 

*Invisible Tavern.*  I'm pretty sure no one thanked me for pulling this one out of a hat.      In PD, the tavern is actually one of many entrances to the demiplane that is the host tavern to the contest.  The tavern entrances are invisible, of course, so the PCs need a guide to find it.  In IT, the PCs discover the tavern in the middle of the field -- and the invisible-ness of the tavern is a direct result of the forgetful apprentice.  

Frankly, neither of these is all that great -- they feel like the invisible nature of the ingredient is shoe-horned into the adventure.  THey both connect to other ingredients, but I find the connection in IT to be slightly stronger -- the invisible tavern as example of forgetfulness in the apprentice, rather than being the reason a faerie dragon is needed as a guide.  So, advantage IT.  

*Golden Zipper.*  In IT, the golden zipper is the analog of the snitch -- but it has it's own part to play in the checkerboard contest during the match.  In PD, Zipper is the faerie dragon that serves as guide and ally.  Again, the two uses are pretty close -- both have taken something that is not a zipper and simply named it zipper -- which is on the weak side, but forgivable given the ingredient.  I find the use of the zipper as a concrete complication in IT stronger, though, that I do the use in PD.  The faerie dragon could do everything in the adventure it's doing now with a name like Silver Snaps or Bronze Bedazzler -- the use of the ingredient is a bit more superficial in that case.  Advantage IT. 

*Forgetful Apprentice.*  So, Skink (in IT) is responsible for the invisibility of the tavern, the creation of the mistake that is the arrow of evil undone, and the Wizen the wizards wants nothing more than to be rid of him.  Skink makes life difficult in humorous ways through the contest, and the repetition of "oh, I forgot about that rule" made me laugh out loud reading this entry.  

In PD, Burglecot is also responsible for the mess -- he was supposed to hire "good" adventurers, but waited until the last minute, and ended up taking what he could get (the PCs).  But Burglecot is more just the hook than an integral part of the adventure -- he could just as easily been a totally competent apprentice, and the adventure would change very little.  It's not terrible, but Skink is better.  Advantage Wulf. 

*Contest Winner* - Pretty much a wash ... the winner gets the prize, that's pretty straightforward.  Again, IT is just a little better, though.  in PD, the winner ingredient is either the previous champion, or the faerie dragon . . . or maybe the players.  In IT, the plan is to make it Skink because that's what gets Skink out of WIzen's (and the player's) hair once and for all -- and, at that point in the adventure, after so many "oh, yeah, I forgot about thats" it's sure to be a more exciting win.  Slight advantage IT. 

*Flying Goblin.*  I'm pretty sure you're starting to see the pattern.  In both cases, there is an actual flying goblin.  In PD, though, the fact that Grishnak can fly makes very little direct impact on the adventure (presumably he can fly over the last obstacle, but can the rest of his team?  Or did he find another way around? )  In IT, the flying goblin is the equivalent of the Wanker (or whatever it's called in Harry Potter) that chases the golden snitch (golden zipper).  Flying keeps him above the areas of effect created by the zipper's zipping.  It's a little bit more clear, a little better developed use of the ingredient.  Advantage IT. 

And . . the *Arrow of Evil Undone*.  And, actually, I'm not sure that either adventure has an advantage on this one.  I like the one in IT better -- its a more interesting magic item, and it becomes an interesting item in the player's hands during the adventure -- and in a very real way (if the target fails his save, unless he's a goblin) he can be "undone".  The Arrow in PD, on the other hand, is the dingus at the end of the contest, and could just as easily been the Dart of Missed Opportunities or the Bolt of Baffling Boners.  Not quite as interesting, not quite as cool.  So . . .yeah, I guess that one is also advantage It. 

Looking back at all of those, it really makes the contest look a lot more lopsided than I think it was.  I think in each case the ingredients were used better by IT, but the margins were not huge. 

Overall, I would have loved to favor the 4e adventure over the 3e one, but there were some minor flaws, I felt, in the execution of the whole PD package.  We have an example of what amounts to a bit of handwaving I don't think does you any good service in a contest like this -- like leaving the puzzle details to the DM in the first challenge.  That challenge is one of the central elements of your adventure -- it's not just garnish, wandering encounters or something on the way to the adventure that you can just dismiss.  I hope that was just a matter of running out of time to get the entry in, but it would almost have been better to make that another skill challenge -- it would not have drawn attention to itself as a hole.  Overall, I think this could be a fun adventure to play, although I think the skill challenges that make up the contest needed a bit more polish.  

I had real misgivings about the Harry Potter spoof when I started reading -- all right, I laughed first, then I had misgivings.  But I think that the overall effect of the spoof does not, as I feared it might, undermine the fun of playing the game.  We have a laugh at the reference, but players who have read harry potter have no advantage over players who have not in the actual contest, and in the end it reads like it would be good fun to play.  

So, anyway, two very good entries this time, but one was (in my eyes) clearly stronger.  Thanks both of you for your efforts, and spinning gold from some tough ingredients.  
*
Wulf* wins.  See you in the finals.  


-rg


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## Wik (Oct 31, 2009)

*Where Bastards Go To Die*

*Where Bastards Go To Die*
_A 4E D&D Adventure for Five 9th-Level Characters_

*Background:*

Thirty years ago, a githyanki raiding skiff slipped out of the astral plane and rampaged the northern hills, taking many human slaves destined for forced labour - or worse.  However, the captain of this foray found his authority challenged by several of his lieutenants, who sought to seize power for themselves.  The leader of the mutineers, a heartless schemer named Ylarr, battled the captain for control of the ship.  And lost.

However, Ylarr was not killed by the captain.  Instead, the captain threw Ylarr off the deck of the skiff, along with his fellow mutineers.  "You are not fit to call yourselves Githyanki," the captain sneered.  "And you will suffer now among beings almost as worthless as yourselves."

Ylarr and the mutineers found themselves stranded on the material plane, unable to find a way back home.  While any of them could have found a gate to the Astral (and indeed, a few did just this), the exact path back was unknown to them.  Most abandoned Ylarr, except for a fairly meek Githyanki Navigator named Semou.  The two companions wandered the land for years, hoping to find a way home.  Semou just wanted to be among his fellows once more; Ylarr wanted vengeance.

They had almost given up hope when an earthquake hit the shores of the quiet fishing village of Aierre.  Afterwards, dark red coral erupted from the waves, and a crooked tower, covered in kelp and barnacles, was seen on the distance.  Word of this tower spread through the land, soon falling upon Semou's ears.  He knew of the tower... an ancient Githyanki gateway to the astral sea.  And a way back home.

*Synopsis:* 

The PCs make their way to Aierre (recently flooded by adventurers, fishermen, and profit-seekers) in the hopes of exploring the crooked tower in the centre of the reef, though they soon learn that the coral is nearly impossible to cross.  Trying to find a means of bypassing the coral, they learn of a wizard’s ritual that may help. But upon searching the wizard's hut, they find he has been killed.  The PCs learn that he’s created a ritual allows the reader to cross the blood-draining coral, but at the cost of agreeing to life-draining magicks.  

A few days later, they are approached by a healer woman who begs them for help - many people have been found completely catatonic, wandering the streets.  As the PCs investigate, they find that two Githyanki are rounding up people in order to use their souls to power a ritual to cross the coral.  The PCs storm the Githyanki's lair - an old crematorium - and confront Semou, who tearfully reveals his part in the plan to "go back home".  

The PCs are given magical cloaks that allow them to cross the blood coral in the hopes of catching Ylarr, using the souls of captured victims to prevent their dying from the coral's effects.  The PCs eventually chase Ylarr into the tower - and from there to a Githyanki Astral Fortress known as Journey's End - with the hope of retrieving Ylarr's ritual cloak and freeing the trapped souls within.  

*Introduction:*

The PCs can hear of Aierre's plight from a variety of sources best left to the individual GM.  Whatever the source, they learn that a recent Tsunami hit the coastal village of Aierre, and that after the quake a huge patch of blood-red coral had risen from the waves.  And in the centre of this coral was a Leaning Tower.

Naturally, PCs will want to investigate this newly-discovered ruin.  They are, after all, PCs.  

When they get to Aierre, they find the village is swarmed with people.  Many are adventurers trying to find ways of crossing the coral, while others are vendors and tourists, awed by the coral and the winds that seem to emanate from the tower.  Others still are fishermen, who brave the waters in search of fish, which are found in abundance (the blood-draining effects of the coral are weakening many fish; this attracts predatory fish, which are soon weakened, which draws in even more fish).  

PCs get a chance to explore the village, during which they can learn:

_The Coral:_  The Coral is blood red, and rises at most a metre from the water.  It is uneven, very sharp, and riddled with tide pools and the rotting bodies of fish.  When the high waves strike, they blast up a dozen metres into the air along with the collected blood on the rocks.  Any who get within a few feet of the coral feel a pulsing under their skin... and any who actually step on the coral find their blood begins to seep through their skin, being pulled towards the coral like a piece of iron is to a magnet. (Game effects can vary; it is suggested that every minute on the coral requires an endurance check at DC 23... failure drains a healing surge from the victim).  As of yet, no one has been able to make it more than a couple of hundred yards into the coral.

_The Tower:_  The tower is surrounded by nearly a kilometre of coral in every direction, and is roughly a half kilometre from the shore of Aierre.  Even from that distance, though, the viewer can clearly see that the tower tilts ominously to the north, jutting from the ground at a 70 degree angle.  Those with knowledge of the seas point out that it leans in the same direction as the ocean's currents, and suggest that centuries of being pushed have caused it to tilt in the sediment.  Indeed, viewers with a spyglass note that the tower is covered with rotting seaweed, and is completely blanketed in layera of barnacles, oysters, and clams.  

_The Winds_:  The Tower is surrounded by a vortex of winds (caused, in part, by the open gate in the tower's heart;  air is moving from the material plane into the Astral, creating all sorts of weather disturbances).  This vortex creates very strong winds that cause massive waves and bizarre weather effects.  In addition, they make flying a very difficult endeavour.  Those that try are buffeted and thrown by the gales, and many are eventually pushed to the blood coral below, with disastrous results.

*The Search:*

Around this point, the PCs will most likely be searching for a way to cross the blood coral.  Flight is obviously out of the question, due to the strange winds, and most PCs of this level probably lack long-range teleportation powers.  The only way to the tower is through the coral... which is impassable at this point.

After some asking around, the PCs learn of a hedge wizard who has been developing a ritual that will allow the crossing of the coral.  However, when the PCs get to the wizard’s home, they find the window broken and his dead body on a bed.   There is no trace of the ritual he had been working on, save for some scratch notes.  These notes describe the basics of the ritual – a spell that allows the creation of a magical cloak that absorbs the blood-draining necromancy of the coral.  Unfortunately, the notes suggest there’s been a problem – the cloak needs an energy source to provide that protection, and this energy source is currently the soul of the cloak’s wearer.  In essence, the wearer is protecting his physical body by sacrificing his soul – obviously not much of a solution.

*The Healer Woman:*

The PCs probably do not want to use the ritual notes, but these notes could provide the groundwork for creation of a ritual of their own.  If the PCs decide to do this, they undertake a skill challenge. Devised by the GM, the PCs perform arcane research, ask questions on the street about the wizard, and perform endurance tests in arcane trials.  This challenge will take a few days, and will probably be interrupted by the healer woman (described below), but if the PCs are able to finish the challenge, they may wind up with a ritual that will create cloaks of soulbound resistance of their own... only these cloaks would not require the steep cost of the cloaks created by Ylarr, described below.  

A few days after the PCs enter Aierre, they are approached by a local healing woman.  She takes the PCs to her healing house, and shows them five catatonic men and women – they were all found in the street, unable to do anything beyond draw breath.  They have remained catatonic for days, in some cases.  Careful questioning reveals that the first catatonic soul was found roughly a day after the wizard was killed.  

*What’s Going On:*

Ylarr killed the wizard and stole the incomplete ritual.  Rather than seeing the soul cost of the cloak as a hindrance, he saw it as a benefit.  Ylarr knew of another ritual, learned during his time in the nefarious Githyanki fortress of Journey’s End, which allowed a warrior to link his soul to that of a bound victim – injuries on the warrior would first appear on the bound victim.  

Ylarr was able to create a cloak (the Cloak of Soulbound Resistance, below) that was powered by the souls he trapped.  However, to do this, he needed victims who were calm at the time of the ritual’s casting – agitated souls were naturally more defensive, and resistant to the binding effects.

This was where Semou came in.  Ylarr is an intimidating figure (not just because he’s a Githyanki; his recent forays into the Blood Coral have caused his skin to porously leak blood).  The younger Githyanki has long had some minor shape-shifting powers, granted by a magical amulet.  Semou also has a rapport with “lesser” mortals, and secretly, he’s even come to admire many of them.

Semou’s desire to get home overweighs his empathy for others, and so he has been rounding up humans (both locals and visitors), chatting them up and plying them with alcohol, before taking them back to the abandoned crematorium outside of town where the Githyanki have been holed up.  There, over a “friendly game of cards”, Ylarr would secretly cast the ritual and bind the souls to his cloaks (Ylarr has  made one cloak for each Githyanki of his “crew” – only Semou has responded to the call, however).  

*Investigation:*

Next comes an investigation portion of the adventure (or, optionally, a skill challenge), with the possibility of combat encounters with rival adventurers (“get off my turf!”), thief gangs, Lacedons (Aquatic Ghouls) from the blood coral, wind elementals, or whatever other fiendish encounter the GM can dream up.  As the PCs investigate the catatonic victims, they uncover more and more of Ylarr’s plan.  

How exactly this plays out is beyond this outline, but it should involve discussions with the family and friends of victims, references to the disguised Semou, along with mention of the crematorium.  Eventually, the PCs learn that the victims were last seen heading towards the Crematorium with a strange-looking human (the disguised Semou).  

*The Cloak of Soulbound Resistance:*

The Ritual Ylarr has created consists of two fused rituals.  It causes the captured souls to be linked to the wearer of the cloak – damage the wearer suffers is transferred to the victim instead.  However, because of the Wizard’s original ritual, the only damage that is transferred is the damage effect of the blood coral.  But that is enough for Ylarr. 

Were he to enter the blood coral, the vampiric effects of the rock would be drained from the souls (and bodies) of the catatonic victims.  But there are two additional effects:

First, the connection to numerous souls at once is heady and intoxicating.  The wearer of a cloak connected to perhaps four or five souls at once finds his senses overwhelmed, his mind moving in multiple directions.  The power the wearer feels is immense.  The result is the wearer, for all intents and purposes, is drunk.  

Second, due to a quirk in the ritual, should one of the souls die, the wearer of the cloak will feel a sudden increase of personal power.  Because of this, it is Ylarr’s intent to widen out the damage to all the souls at once, so that when they die, he can use the power boost to help in his goal of killing the Githyanki of Journey’s End.  

*The Crematorium:*

When the PCs get to the Crematorium, they will naturally have to fight their way through undead guardians (who have allied with the Githyanki due to Semou’s gilded tongue).  Eventually, they find the Githyanki lair, along with Semou (and nearly two dozen more catatonic victims).  

Semou drops his human disguise, and puts up a half-hearted battle (his powers should be charm-based).  He is clearly outmatched, and offers a deal.  He tells the PCs much of the story given above (perhaps revealed through a skill challenge?), revealing at the end that he got into an argument with Ylarr when he found out Ylarr’s true goal (to destroy Journey’s End), and Ylarr soon left in a drunken haze.  Semou tells the PCs of the Cloaks’ effects, and how Ylarr plans to keep the souls alive until he gets to Journey’s End for the power rush.  He honestly seems to regret his role in this affair, and repeatedly tells the PCs “I just wanted to go home...”

How the PCs eventually decide to deal with Semou is their affair.

In any case, they find that Ylarr has produced multiple cloaks (he had hoped that some of his fellow Githyanki mutineers would show up and join him in his quest for revenge).  Knowing the effects of the cloaks (wearing it could cause catatonic victims to die), the PCs also know that if they don’t don the cloaks, they won’t be able to track Ylarr down through the coral (leaving those trapped souls to a fate worse than death).  Furthermore, Semou tells the PCs that if they are fast, they should easily be able to reach the tower before permanently harming any of the catatonic victims.  

*The Blood Coral, part two:*

The PCs make their way through the blood coral.  If at all possible, try staging this during the night.  Because of the wind, there’ll be a rainstorm, and possibly lightning.  The coral tries to drain the blood from the PCs, but the cloaks protect them.  (as a staging device, give each PC a list of four NPC names – possibly NPCs you’ve introduced earlier in the adventure – and how many healing surges each NPC has.  Whenever a PC would lose a surge from the coral, let them choose which NPC instead loses a surge).  Naturally, the PCs will be slightly drunk from the cloaks’ effects... however, they do not feel the rush as strongly as Ylarr does, due to differences in the physiology of githyanki and others (perhaps the xenophobia of the Githyanki makes the association with other minds all the more unsettling?)

As the PCs move through the coral, they should fight a pack of Lacedons (aquatic ghouls – adventurers who have already died on the coral trying to reach the tower), and possibly a maddened aquatic monster of some sort (taking ongoing damage from coral).  Along the way, they catch glimpses of Ylarr, lurching back and forth drunkenly, speaking to the spirits around him.  

However, Ylarr gets to the tower first.   Before he does, though, the PCs see him cut off a chunk of Blood Coral, throwing it into his pack.  When lightning strikes, they get their first good glimpse at the Drunken Githyanki – his face contorted in a haze, and bloody red streaks running throughout his skin.  His eyes, fingernails, and the corners of his lips are caked with clotted blood.  He carries a silver greatsword that has long ago tarnished to near black.  He enters the tower blearily speaking to his spirits.

*The Leaning Tower:*

The Leaning Tower is a gate to the astral plane.  It is leaning at a seventy degree angle, and much of it is filled with barnacles, seaweed, and the rotting carcasses of fish that were trapped in the building when it arose from the sea. 

However, the tower is also home to astral ghosts, flickers of slaves sacrificed in Journey’s End.  Many seem to treat the PCs as if they were the Githyanki overlords, and whimper and plead.  Some beg for their captors to spare the lives of their children; others offer to sell out fellow captives “if you’ll just let me go”.  As the PCs ascend the tower (which is difficult to do – it is tilted, uneven, and the slippery floor makes it all too possible for poor footing to cause a victim to slip right out the side), they are stopped by these astral flickers.  

All the while, they can hear Ylarr above.  He begins to chant a ritual of opening.  When the PCs burst in on the top room - buffeted by rain, the sound of the crashing surf, and howling winds- the ritual reaches a climax, and the PCs (with Ylarr) are flung to the Astral Plane...

*Journey’s End:*

The PCs find themselves in Journey’s End, with Ylarr drunkenly lurching about.  

Journey’s End is a Githyanki stronghold.  Red Dragon whelps run in the streets, odd gecko-like lizards scuttle along walls, and the flayed corpses of humanoids twist on gibbets.  The whole fortress is built in the heart of the astral, and floats on the inert body of a dead god.  It has many narrow streets, and massive defensive fortifications are tended to by captured slaves.  

The PCs emerge on a battlement overlooking much of the city... and Githyanki are closing in.  The heroes have to get the cloak off Ylarr (who is attempting to use his blood coral to drain the nearly-dead captive souls to gain a power boost before Githyanki soldiers arrive) and escape the city.  

Whether through role-playing, a skill challenge, subterfuge, outright combat, or something else, the PCs should eventually receive Ylarr’s cloak.  Whether they decide to fight Ylarr, or leave him to his fate of killing as many of his fellows as he can before dying, is their choice.  However, the PCs have to find a way back through the portal before Githyanki soldiers arrive.  

*Denouement:*

When the PCs return to the tower, they may wonder how they’ll get back. After all, their cloaks are nearly drained, and they have to cross the blood coral. Luckily, the tower, having long been dangerously close to toppling, crumbles from the strain of the portals.  Barely able to escape in time, the PCs survive the tower crashing into the coral.  This crash naturally opens many large rifts in the coral, with the forced aquatic shockwave further cracking open rifts.  

These rifts allow the PCs to return home while passing only a few patches of blood coral.  

The PCs reverse the ritual and stop the catatonia from gripping surviving victims.  Victims will have large bruises due to blood loss, but these will heal over a few weeks, quicker if the healer woman tends to them.  

PCs might not receive much in the way of rewards in this adventure, though individual victims could well give PCs family heirlooms, monetary donations, or even future favours as thanks.  

The Coral, exposed to open air, begins to die a week after the tower falls.  Within a month, it is simply an island of red rock.  The ruins of the fallen tower are combed over by treasure hunters, who soon abandon it when they learn it has little value (it no longer functions as a gateway to the astral).  

Semou, if he still lives, is chased out of town, and finds himself walking the road, searching for a place to call home.  

*Ingredient Summary:*

Quick note:  I was going to suggest how each ingredient relates to the others, but that’d make a long post already longer.  And if I have to explain the connections, I obviously didn’t make them strong enough.  Hopefully, you can see how each ingredient is connected with the others.

_Inebriated Githyanki:_ Obviously Ylarr.  While he is only inebriated when he dons the cloak, he is not revealed to the PCs until this event, and will only cease being inebriated when the cloak is removed – at which point, the PCs will probably abandon him to his eventual death.  

_Con Artist:_  Semou, who has been rounding up victims for Ylarr.  

_Journey’s End:_  While the location is obviously a stand-in for this, I actually see “Journey’s End” as more of a theme for the adventure itself.  Both the major NPCs are seeking an end to their “journey” on the material plane (one wants revenge, the other just wants companionship).  The coral causes death (one form of “Journey’s End”), and the tower itself is a journey point.  Even the crematorium can be considered a journey’s endpoint.    

_Blood Coral:_ Obviously the coral that surrounds the tower.

_Leaning Tower:_ The tower in the centre of the coral.  Leaning is defined in the text, and utilized both in ascending the tower, and in eventually escaping the coral.

_Cloak of Soulbound Resistance:_ A bit different from the 3e Item, but I think it has some flavour.  It obviously grants “resistance” to the coral, through the binding of souls.


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## Atras (Oct 31, 2009)

*The Floating Mines of Journey*






*The Floating Mines of Journey*

_Our heroes find themselves on guard duty at an annual local farmer's convention, taking a simple and boring task in between dangerous adventures. When they are sent to evict a drug-addled foreigner, they find that even the boring tasks can be rewarding, and dangerous. A short 4th Edition adventure for five players of level 5._

*Background*

Grathik, a Githyanki artist of some renown has nearly hit rock bottom: resorting to fooling adventerous and/or brave people into feeding his blood coral addiction. To do this, he is looking for a big score - the floating hunk of land called Journey. By removing the artifact, the Cloak of Soulbound Resistance, worn by the drug lord Valda, the tower that sits atop the largest blood coral mine will topple, leaving the mines to whomever is well equipped to empty them. Grathik has already prepared some of Valda's men for positions of power, as well as hired a group of former prisoners to work in the soon-to-be-opened mines, he just needs the current authority in power.

*Players Introduction*

You have still to be fully recognized as a major force in the area, but as long as the jobs and the money keep coming in, you can wait for a real chance to show the world that you are destined to be a group of heroes of legend. Of course, sometimes the jobs are just pathetic, like today's: Keeping the locals at the annual farmer convention from getting too rowdy. Two gold a day, with rooms in the largest tavern for five days will pay the bills, and there really isn't risk of anyone getting hurt.

Joghost's Annual Farmer's Convention is an exciting time for the locals: there are livestock competitions (Farmer Bettencourt has won the best looking sow competition every year for the last twenty years, but has always come in second or third in the egg-laying chicken contest); there are plowing contests, limited to 4 oxen teams only; there are rides for the kids, and vendors of all sorts of items for the whole 5 day event. The event is timed at the end of harvest-time, so most farmers are present with carts of food to trade or sell, and the town has the benefit of Journey's Passing the day after the convention finishes. Journey is a medium sized earthmote that circles the surrounding 100-mile landscape at a regular interval. No one remembers if the convention was timed as it is because of Journey, or if Journey's Passing was just lucky timing. Journey was said to have been ripped out of the ground over 100 years ago, and has been circling the area ever since. There are around 600 people who live on the island, and they trade in ore harvested from the small mountains on the island and some rare plants that grow especially well on the floating land. You are welcome to trade with them, and there are likely adventures to be had if you take up with the island after the convention, but your job is to keep people safe at the convention, starting 5 days before, and lasting until Journey's Passing.

The first two days passed without incident, the third day was the drinking festival - so removing a few drunks was no suprise. Yesterday, a githyanki of all things, had to be escorted out of the convention for starting a fight - something about a customer not paying what they agreed to for a caricature. You remembered him from the day before as well, he still smelled of ale, and slurred his words, it's not often you see a githyanki in a farming community like Joghost, and even less common to see a githyanki artist, let alone a drunk githyanki! To say he stands out in your memory is a dramatic understatement. He seemed harmless enough, and didn't put up a fight as you escorted him out, and you were assigned to guard his artist stand at the convention until he was allowed back in after closing. While he cleaned up, he engages you in conversation:

*Encounter 1: Meeting Grathik *

"I see you are not accustomed to such... low work. As you must know, my people have explored the universe, sailing the Astral Sea, earning a reputation for conquerers. I can see much more in you than farmer's guards."
Grathik is an upfront man, his tongue loosened by too much drink. He thanks the players for their work in town, and admits that he was in the wrong when he nearly started a fight. He explains his situtation as this:
He grew up the third son of a well-respected Captain, but he never had much of a mind for military matters. Instead, he focused on painting, and was known as quite an artist among his people. However, he battled with his place in society, never feeling a connection to his military minded family, and so he connected with drink and drugs. Now an outcast from his people, he works in the mortal realm scraping by a living doing protraits and some commisioned work.
Much of this is true - however he is an expert liar, and it takes a DC 27 Insight check to see that his drug addiction is not the whole reason for his outcast status - he was trading in drugs which got him sent away. He is also not poor, he lives simply, saving his coin for a big score.
He implores the players to help him when Journey arrives - he was cheated by a drug dealer who lives in a tower on the edge of the earthmote, and while he gets by, he could be a wealthy man if this drug dealer, named Valda, would either pay him the 5000 gold for the landscape of the Astral Sea that he painted (A History check of 15 reveals knowledge of this painting - 5000 gold is a low price for this famed piece of art) or give it back. He tells you that the painting was given, but neither the gold nor the "other compensation" was given - he was lucky to escape with his life. If you can make this Valda pay, or reclaim the painting, he will give you 500 gold. 

Conclusion: You are working the convention for its final day, as Journey comes into sight. Get paid your 10 gold for guard duty, and Journey comes into sight before sundown.

*Encounter 2: Skill Challenge Get to Journey *

You must find a way to get to Journey and find your way to the leaning tower. This is a short skill challenge that helps steer the rest of the adventure. Each player must gain a success to count for 1 group success. After 1 group success, the players move to Part 2, having a found a way onto the Earthmote. Allow the players to make as many checks as they want to learn more about the Tower. If they gain 3 successes in part 2 before 3 failures total, they succeed in the challenge, and are able to avoid fighting in either the Tower entrance or the mines. If they fail the skill challenge, than any approach will force a battle. 


Part 1: Getting to the Earthmote

Arcana - devise an obscure levitation ritual

Diplomacy - hire a ride to the island

Thievery/Stealth - stowaway a ship to get up there

Endurance/Athletics - work with various farmers to move goods - lose a healing surge, but give all other party members +2 to part 1 checks.

Part 2 - Find information about the area

Streetwise Easy DC - learn about drug-like nature of Blood Coral - it is crushed and inhaled and gives the user +2 to Reflex and resist 2 to all damage for 5 minutes. After that, the user gains Vulnerable 3 all and -5 Will and Fort until they take an extended rest.
Streetwise Hard DC - Learn about Valda - the man took posession of the Tower after it was abandoned when it started to tilt. He has a magic cloak that he never removes.
History - Learn that the mining of blood coral led to the tower's tilting - it was sold shortly after the first shift, and the mines were supposedly closed. This also opens up the Hard Streetwise check.
Insight - Learn that the mines are still active - digging up Blood Coral.
Thievery - Watch the guard patterns to see an easier way in.
Arcana Moderate DC - The tower is held up by magic.
Arcana Hard DC (available only after hard Streetwise)- the magic is associated with the cloak Valda wears - he is soulbound to the cloak, which allows him to make it resist falling off the earthmote.
Nature/Perception - The earthmote is unstable, and a significant shock could cause it to crash down.
Once the players have gathered information, they can either attempt to enter the Tower through the direct route (or sneak around to gain entrance if they succeeded in the skill challenge) or by going through the "dormant" mines. If they have succeeded in the challenge, they are able to avoid workers in the mines.

*Encounter 3a: Mines *

Level (Party level +2) consisting of dwarves and kobolds with humans.

*Encounter 3b: tower entrace *

Level (Party level +2) consisting of guardian constructs and a human mage and 2 dwarves

*Encounter 4: The Leaning Tower of Journey - Steal the Cloak or Kill/arrest its owner. *

Fight/confront Valda (level 7 solo controller). Every round he calls for 2d4 minions to assist. Valda takes a -2 to all defenses when wearing his cloak. If the party negotiates with him to get the painting, he inhales Blood Coral and attacks as they try to leave.

*Encounter 5: Escape Journey's End*

As the earthmote falls to the ground, you must battle the miners and guards that blame you for the downfall. Move terrain 1d6 squares in a random direction (1d4: 1=N, 2=E, 3=S, 4=W) as players make their way to the airship ports where people are being evacuated. This is a moving battle, through either mines or overland. Use fallen trees, dislodged mine debris or mining equipment as traps, +5 vs Reflex. The Earthmote should be collapsing from the end, near the tower.

*Resolution*

Should expose the Githyanki as a con artist and drug addict, not to mention potential drug lord.

_Blood Coral - it is crushed and inhaled and gives the user +2 to Reflex and resist 2 to all damage for 5 minutes. After that, the user gains Vulnerable 3 all and -5 Will and Fort until they take an extended rest._​Ingredients:


*Leaning Tower* - Valda's HQ <
*Blood Coral* - Mined substance that caused tower to lean, also motivation for Grathik
*Con Artist* - Grathik
*Journey’s End* - the Earthmote Journey crashes to the ground <
*Inebriated Githyanki* - Grathik
*Cloak of Soulbound Resistance *Valda's item that keeps his tower standing
*Leaning Tower* is the scene of the battle, at the edge of an Earthmote called Journey. Like it sits at the End... Also, the final battle brings the moving earthmote crashing to the ground, *Ending Journey*.
*Con Artist* - go for double meaning - *painter *at a *con*vention and *Githyanki *who gives false information to get the heroes involved.


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## phoamslinger (Nov 1, 2009)

Judgement Round 2, Match 3, Wik vs Atras

these were a much tougher set of ingredients than the round 1 sets (just wait till round 3!) and the connections between some of them started to feel a little stretchy and forced, but that’s to be expected, (expected, but not allowed to pass unnoticed).

*Leaning Tower*
Atras had his tower lean because the rock underneath was being mined away.  
Wik’s tower leaned in the direction of the sea current after many years.
both of these were ok.  at least there was a rationale for why they leaned…

*Con Artist*
Atras had his githyanki play the part of the con artist who gives the party the mission under false pretenses for his own gain.
Wik had Semou, who is more of a follower obeying orders than someone (professionally) deceiving others for a monetary profit.

both usages of the Con Artists seemed a bit weak to me.  I much rather would have seen an independent story element interacting with the other ingredients and weaving an immense con throughout the story than a blending of the gith _into_ the Con Artist.   one is just a clichéd story hook and the other is just following orders.  I’ll  give Atras the better point on that one, but not by much.

*Journey’s End*
Atras named the area Journey, put the tower on one End of it, and crashed it into the ground, Ending it.
Wik gave us two NPC’s looking to End their Journeys, and a few other weaker connections.

neither very strong. again mild point to Atras. 

regrettably, beyond these first three, the differences started getting more pronounced.

*Inebriated Githyanki*
Wik gave us a gith who is intoxicated by the power of the souls that he’s wearing, so he staggers as he heads towards the tower.
Atras’ gith was drunk the day before, and is introduced to the characters as a drunk artist.

but Inebriated is only a part of the ingredient; the other half being *Githyanki*.  Githyanki are violent extra-planar xenophobes.  Wik’s character’s casual disdain for the souls of the townsfolk that he’s stolen, as well as his odd quest to kill his former employer was a lot more believable in context than Atras’ Con Artist whose racial descriptor could have been swapped out with an elf, orc, goblin, etc without impacting the story in any real way.  this point goes to Wik.

*Blood Coral*
Atras gave us a drug, mined from the earthmote beneath the Leaning Tower, while Wik gives us a huge vampiric coral.  

_btw, I was just stringing random words together, but it turns out that blood coral is the most expensive coral to make jewelry from (it’s ox-blood in color).  I was wondering what you would do or find with it._

the red coral that drinks blood coming from the ocean depths and making the sunken tower available for access came closer than the drug that, again could have been replaced with some other substance without a major change in the story.  point to Wik.

*Cloak of Soulbound Resistance* 
again, I liked Wik’s Cloak of Resistance that had Souls Bound into it more than Atras’ Cloak that Bound the Souls of his defenders allowing him to call them to his defense. 

(remember what I said about stretching?  we really need a little more detail on this sort of stuff Atras, because that’s a HUGE intuitive leap that I really didn’t have any reason to reach for, other than to be nice.  without that leap, your badguy wore a cloak with a name tagged onto it that would otherwise be indistinguishable from another cloak.)

point again to Wik.

Looking for connections,  what I saw was

Wik’s *Githyanki* is *Inebriated* from wearing the *Cloak* of *Bound Souls* allowing him to cross the *Coral* to reach the *Tower *so that he can *End* his *Journey*.  as mentioned above your Con Artist was the weakest ingredient.  if the entire adventure had been a Con of some sort (a different NPC who lied to the Githyanki to get him to accomplish all these things to serve some other purpose than what he was seeking?) then you would have been six for six.

Atras’ *Githyanki Artist *is running a *Con* to get the adventurers to go to where drugs are mined beneath a *Leaning Tower* to fight a guy wearing a *Cloak *

well.

Atras, you mentioned on the other forum that you ran into a time crunch.  regrettably, it showed.  while I was reading your entry, I saw several places where that three hours you said you didn’t have could have shored up a lot of holes in your story and made for a better overall entry.  while I liked the play on words of an Artist doing a Con, it just didn’t fit in well with finding a Githyanki at the county fair trying to hire the party.  it just wasn’t that strong a hook and without that hook, the whole idea behind the adventure started to collapse.  if I’d been playing, I would have been distrustful of the whole setup and wondered why we were killing the miners and their boss in the first place?

Wik, just on the basis of just the ingredients, your’s was the stronger of the two entries and your connections were better.  however, I would not have named the githyanki fortress “Journeys’ End” since just naming something after a potentially difficult ingredient can be a very distracting attempt to bypass a difficult ingredient by inexperienced Iron DMs.  if you hadn’t drawn your connections in the Ingredient Summary for *Journey’s End* and pointed out the other interpretations, I would have tossed that one out of your lineup completely and that ingredient (and likely the match) would have been Atras’ as well.   what would have been better would have been to emphasize those “End of Journey” connections as they came up _inside_ the entry.  they would have carried a lot more strength that way.  I also would have tried to make some of the extraneous stuff less significant (stuff like the wind vortex that only really only blocks flying, the crematorium or the healing woman).   

Wik’s Where Bastards Go To Die advances him to Round 3.


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## Nifft (Nov 1, 2009)

Sparky v Iron Sky

*Artist Studio
Vat of Poison
Frightened Seaman
Dream Sequence
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Singing Battleaxe*

May your muses be kind.


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## Wulf Ratbane (Nov 1, 2009)

Nifft said:


> Frightened Seaman


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## Iron Sky (Nov 3, 2009)

*The Dreaming Lords*

 This adventure is designed to for a party of 12th level PCs. It takes place somewhere deep in the Feywild.

*  Introduction*
 While traveling through the Feywild, the PCs sleep becomes troubled by vivid, compelling dreams that call them to aid the Artisan of Dreams, an ancient Fey spirit who was cursed by a neighboring spirit, the Wolfang, when the Artisan stole a powerful magical axe from him.  The PCs are drawn into the dispute by the Artisan's manipulation of their dreams and soon find themselves caught up in a surreal dream world to hunt down one of the Wolfang's servants who has stolen the axe back for his master.

*  Background*
 The Artisan and the Wolfang have been uneasy neighbors in the Feywild for centuries, both powerful spirits, and neither powerful enough to defeat or drive the other away.  When the Wolfang found a powerful weapon, the Singing Battleaxe, in an long-abandoned Eladrin ruin, the Artisan both coveted it and feared that it might shift the balance of power and allow the Wolfang to threaten the Artisan directly.

Using her powers over dreams, the Artisan manipulated one of Wolfang's servants, a wolfen-shapeling named Bebadolf, into pretending to still serve Wolfang, then gaining his trust and stealing his master's axe to bring to the Artisan.  The Wolfang caught onto the Artisan's plan at the last moment and, while not able to stop Bebadolf from escaping with the Axe, he did place a curse on it that inflicted the Artisan when Bebadolf delivered it to her.  The Artisan, whose powers to manipulate others dreams are greatest when she sleeps, is now unable to sleep except when she is in the presence of the clear, ringing tone of the Singing Battleaxe.

 Not long before the PCs arrive on the scene, Bebadolf, free of the Artisan's dreaming compulsions and once again under the sway of Wolfang, repaid the favor, claiming to be bringing word of Wolfang to the Artisan, then slipping away with the Axe.  The Artisan realized the deception too late and failed to catch Bebadolf, but was able to trap him somewhere in the Dreaming Realm itself, where he remains trapped.  Unable to sleep without the Axe, she cannot enter the Dreaming Realm and so seeks others that she can send there to retrieve the Axe for her.

*  The Artisan of Dreams
*The Artisan appears as a beautiful elven-featured woman whose robes and hair trail away into pale blue strands of glowing mist.  Her skin too has a faint bluish tinge and when she moves, she seems to fade slightly into the mist swirls that about her.  Her lands are a small section of the Feywild scattered with dreamstone, a pale blue rock that pulls the Feywild around it closer to the Dreaming Realm.

 She lives in a small two-story wattle-and-daub house that seems out of place amidst the lush wilds of the Feywild.  The woods nearby are littered with rune-carved pinnacles of dreamstone and a faint bluish mist drifts through the area.

 If not for Wolfang's aggressive territoriality, she would be content to live her days in her small house, drifting in and out of dreams, but Wolfang's creations constantly prowl about the edges of her lands, kept away only by the terrible, vivid nightmares and compulsions she sends to those who come too close.  With Wolfang's curse and the loss of the Axe, her powers are greatly weakened, allowing her only minimal contact with the Dreaming Realm.

 Normally, her powers of dream manipulation – especially when her targets are near dreamstone – are immense, but in her cursed sleepless state, she can only barely touch the dreams of others and only when they touch dreamstone.  Her dreamstone-littered studio has an enchantment, however, that can send others into dreams of whatever she paints on an easel.

*  Bebadolf
*Like his master, Bebadolf is a wolfen-changeling, a changeling capable of taking the forms of man and beast, though most comfortable in the guise of a wolf or a human.  In wolf form Bebadolf is a large black-furred wolf with traces of red in his fur.  In human form, he is a large black-bearded man with a shaggy main of hair, both traced with touches of red.  Caught up in the Dreaming Realm, he is stuck repeating the same few dreams and, while trapped within them cannot remember the waking world, believing his is what he dreams.

 Wolfang has two forms.  In human form he is a level 14 solo brute, in Wolf form, he is a level 14 Solo skirmisher.

*  Hooks
 1)* The PCs have been sent by a powerful ally of theirs has been plagued by night-terrors and so sends the PCs to find the so rumored Artisan of Dreams to see if she can banish the nightmares.
*2)* The PCs themselves have been cursed with nightmares and have heard of the Artisan.  They seek her out in hopes that she might help remove the curse.
*3)* The PCs, while traveling through the Feywild, pick up a small piece of dreamstone or touch a larger dreamstone vein, rock, or boulder in passing.  This allows the Artisan to send vivid dreams calling for the PCs help, the magical compulsion causing thoughts of the dreams to constantly be at the backs of the PCs minds and they find themselves distractedly walking in the direction of her lands as they travel.

*Bullet Point Adventure Summary
*0. Hooks
 1. Players travel to the Artisan's abode.
 2. The Artisan convinces the players to assist her
 3. Dream Sequencing
 4. Resolution

*1. PCs Gone Feywild
*How the PCs travel to the Artisan's house is up to the DM and in part depends on the Hook(s) that bring the PCs there.  If the PCs have been sent, a skill challenge to find it (with bonuses to checks of any PCs that have touched dreamstone) might be appropriate, with a failure taking more time/leading the PCs to hostile Feywild creatures/etc.

 The DM might just rule that they find it, especially if the PCs are just passing by and have received the Artisan's compulsion via dreamstone.

 In either situation, the party might catch glimpses of huge feral looking wolves or shaggy, wild looking men watching them and then slipping away before they can be confronted.

 When the PCs reach her house, she opens the door as they approach, tells them she's been expecting them and lets the party in.

*2. Mind if I Axe You a Few Questions
*Once at the Artisan's house, the Artisan tells the players a bit about her powers over dreams, the hostility of the Wolfang, the Wolfang's curse upon her that doesn't allow her to sleep without the Axe and the resultant weakening of her powers,  the Bebadolf's theft and entrapment in the Dreaming Realm, and her plea for the PCs to help her.

 Note: she leaves out the choice bits about her manipulating Bebadolf and stealing the Axe in the first place.

 She offers material rewards (up to 2-4 treasure parcels worth), years of pleasant dreams, her deepest gratitude, and/or an unspecified favor that they may claim at a later date.  She won't reveal how desperate she is unless she thinks it might convince the players to help.

 Once they agree to help, she leads them to her studio where she tells them that she only is sure of one of the dreams that the Bebadolf is trapped in and that she will send them to it in their sleep so that they might find Bebadolf and/or the Axe.  She explains that when she paints something, it becomes a dream that they can access via a door in her studio that otherwise leads to nowhere.

She tells them that when she sends them into the dream, they may bring some dreamt objects to the waking world and back to the land of dreams and that those objects might take on slightly different forms from one dream to the next, but they are often important and will stand out.  She also explains that the rules of the Dreaming Realm are not the same as the waking world and that many things that seem logical in the actual world will not work.

*  3. To Sleep: Perchance to Dream: Ay, There's the Rub
*In the following series of encounters, the PCs must go from dream to dream, attempting to find the correct sequence of dreamt objects and dreams to enter in order to eventually find the Axe.  Each dream has a “success” and “failure” result listed, depending on the dream.  A quick chart of the sequence is available below.

 In any dream, if the PCs try to explore beyond the “bounds” of the dream, they find themselves wandering back towards the main features of it.  At the completion of every dream, success or failure, they find the door to the Artisan's studio somewhere.  When they pass through, they awaken and 6 hours have passed and the Artisan questions them about what they have dreamt.  If the PCs didn't have any combat in the dram, the 6 hours counts as an extended rest.

 If they have gotten the "key" to another dream - locations mentioned in the dreams that lead the PCs to other dreams in the sequence - she can then paint the location for the PCs, allowing them to do whichever enter the dreams in any order they chose.

If they aren't figuring it out, the Artisan might have ideas (give hints) about the key objects and/or "dream keys," at the DM's discretion.  If the DM wishes to apply time pressure, when the PCs wake from their various dreams, the DM can have the Artisan mention seeing Wolfang's minions prowling closer and closer, play up her worry, mention her increasing exhaustion, etc.

 Key dream objects and "dream keys" are in bold.  If the PCs reach a result that has a dream object, the PCs may then carry that object to their next dream(s) or until they use it, at which point it is gone unless they return to the dream where they got it originally to get it again.  If the PCs learn of a "dream key" and the PCs mention it to the Artisan, she can then paint that dream and send them to it.

 In any of these dreams, the DM may require that the PCs make some sort of appropriate skill check for the “successful” results to be applied.  Note, though, that if they then fail, they may have to repeat dreams several times.

*Key Items:
* *Wool*: When PCs enter a dream carrying the Wool, it appears as a small bag full of wool.
*Alcohol*: When PCs enter a dream carrying the Alcohol, it appears as a pony keg.  It is still full of wood alcohol in whatever form.
*Axe*: Once the PCs have the Axe, the dreams end the next time they go through the studio door.  Note: the other axes mentioned aside from the singing axe that the wool merchant brings out in the Town dream are red herrings.

Read anything in italics to the players.

*  Dream A(Boat) – Alcohol a Party-Time Necessity
*_The Artisan paints the image of a man at sea in a small boat.  Sitting in the center of it is a massive open-topped barrel.  A sailor stares down at the barrel, an axe in his hand and a fearful expression on his face.  In the distance is what looks to be a small port town.  You fall asleep and you awaken in the room next to your own sleeping forms.  As you pass through the studio door, you find yourselves standing in the boat beside the seaman._

 The sailor will explain his predicament, shaking as he does so.  He was hired by _“a man with an axe_” to smuggle in a vat of alcohol.  It is larger than he thought and now, as the current is pulling him inexorably towards the port, he realizes he has nothing to hide the barrel with.  If he doesn't hide it, he will be arrested and executed.  If he hacks it apart with his axe and tosses the remains overboard, he won't be arrested, but “_the man with the axe will come for me._"

 If the PCs haven't gotten the *Wool*(see below), he nay-says anything they say, chops apart the barrel and dumps it overboard(failure). As the contents of the vat spill overboard, the PCs will recognize it as wood alcohol, poisonous for most creatures to drink.

 In a dream-style jump, they are then standing on the dock beside him as he looks about a hazy gray town.  “_I'm no smuggler.  I'll have to go become a *Shepherd* in the hills like my sister.  Then the man with the axe won't find me._”

 If the PCs have gotten the *Wool*, they can pull bags of wool out of nowhere, covering over the barrel (to the sailor's delight).  When they are satisfied it is hidden, they suddenly are in port, an official looking man with an axe at his belt is standing on the dock and filling out a form.  He says “_carry on_” and vanishes.  

The PCs then find themselves standing on the dock with the sailor and the barrel(success).  He opens the lid of the barrel, scoops out a tiny keg of it, and hands the *Alcohol* to the PCs, saying “_thank you, the man with the axe will reward me handsomely.  Enjoy yourself here in *Town*.”  The town becomes slightly less hazy around you as the seaman fades away._

*  Dream B(Shepherd) – A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
* _The Artisan paints the image of a meadow filled with grazing sheep, a young shepherd girl with an axe in her hand watching over them. __You fall asleep and you awaken in the room next to your own sleeping forms.  As you pass through the studio door,__ you find yourselves standing in the meadow beside the shepherd._

 She seems unsurprised by their arrival, but is crying.

 “_I tend my sheep, but as soon as I sit down to shear one, suddenly there is a wolf amidst the flock that begins killing them.  I chase it off, but as soon as I sit down again, it returns.  Can you help keep watch over my sheep while I shear them?  If you do, I will give you some of the wool!”_

 Presumably, the PCs will watch over the flock.  When they do, they make Perception or Insight checks opposed to Bebadolf's Stealth or Bluff checks.  If they succeed, they notice that one sheep(Bebadolf) is acting strangely and is sneaking through the flock.  Roll initiative at this point.

 If a PC hits Bebadolf before he hits a sheep, he turns on them, fighting until he is bloodied then fleeing(success).   

 If the PCs have already killed him in human form(see the *Town* dream below), he fights differently.  For one, he uses a power to make himself appear exactly like the sheep around him then teleports into the flock.  The PCs must make Insight checks to know which one he is until he attacks again.  He also fights to the death.  When he dies, his body transforms to his human form and has the *Axe*.  

If they kill him or drive him off, the shepherd gives them a small bag of *Wool*.

Otherwise, he kills a sheep(failure). The PCs must leave, wake up, and try again.

Note that in any of these situations, the sheep simply mill about grazing, unconcerned by the wolf in their midst or even their fellow sheep being killed.

*Dream C(Town) – I'll Drink to That
* _The Artisan paints the image of a cozy port town.  It looks practically idyllic, except near the docks is the smoldering ruins of a warehouse.  A large man with a shaggy black beard and hair stands at edge of the smoky remains staring at it blankly. __You fall asleep and you awaken in the room next to your own sleeping forms.  As you pass through the studio door,__ you find yourself standing beside the man in the painting._

 “_All of my merchandise, lost in the fire?  What will I do now?” the man says.  “What is a merchant without a thing to trade?”_

  If they ask, they learn that he is a wool merchant and that some sailor accidentally burned down the warehouse and fled in terror.  He is also Bebadolf, but does not remember his name.

 If they do not have *Wool*, he shrugs off any attempts to help or console him(failure). “_I'm not fit to be a merchant, I'll go back to being a hunter, go back to my family's grove in the *Forest*.  But I'll hunt down that sailor first!_”_  He then disappears, leaving you alone in the suddenly hazy town._

 If they have *Wool* and give bags of it (again appearing from nowhere) to him, he shakes their hands and runs around in excitement, then invites them to his house to celebrate(success).  Suddenly, they are in his house, that looks exactly like the Artisan's, except there is a detailed painting of a sheltered *Forest* grove on the ceiling of the main room.   

 He grabs a keg and sets it down on the table, then says, _“just a moment, need something to open it with._”  He then leaves the room for a minute.

 If the PCs have the *Alcohol*, they may switch it with the keg on the table.

 When Bebadolf returns, he has the Singing Battleaxe, _a large emerald-bladed axe that hums continuously with power, the tone shifting subtly and harmoniously as you listen._

  He uses it to chop open the keg and pours them all wooden tankards full.  He drinks first, taking a huge drought.

  If it is his keg, then the alcohol has no notable effects.

 If it is the *Alcohol* keg however, he gasps _“what type of drink is this?  Poison!”. _ He then starts swinging wildly with his Axe and is blind for the duration of the encounter that ensues.

 If the PCs defeat him and have not killed him in wolf form, he clutches the Axe to his chest, snarls, “you are sheep to the slaughter!”, and falls to the ground, his body transforming into that of a massive wolf, identical to the one in the *Shepherd* dream.  If they have killed him in wolf form, he remains in human form and drops the *Axe*, which will return with them to the real world.

If the PCs do not fight him, eventually he and his house fade away leaving only the studio door.

*Dream D(Forest) – Wood'ent You Know It
* _The Artisan paints the image of a sheltered forest grove.  Standing in the middle of it are two trees that seem to have sorrowful faces, as though they are weeping. __You fall asleep and you awaken in the room next to your own sleeping forms.  As you pass through the studio door,__ you find yourself in the grove with them._

  The trees are a pair of treants, the smaller one is the “husband”, the larger the “wife”.  Both are mourning the loss of their sapling, _cut down by a brutish man with a singing axe._ _“Oh If only we trees could drown our sorrows with drink the way you fleshlings do!” she wails._

  She will tell them nothing except her hatred for the man with the axe.  If the “husband” tries to say anything she shouts him down, telling him its all his fault and cowing him into submission.

  If the PCs have the *Alcohol* and offer it to her however, she drinks it down(success).  _“Alcohol that a treant can drink!  If you can find this, maybe you can do more for me!  Hunt down and kill this man – no, he is more than a man.  He can take the shape of man or beast and must be killed in both forms to truly die.  But be warned, if you kill him in one, he will fight to the death in the other!

_The PCs gain a +1 bonus on their attack rolls against Bebadolf after this point.

  If they don't have or don't offer her the *Alcohol*, she becomes more and more upset and inconsolable until, over her “husbands” attempts to restrain her, she attacks the party, which may either stay and fight or flee through the convenient studio door(failure).

  To complete the Dream Sequence, the PCs must kill Bebadolf in both his forms.  Which ever they kill second drops the *Axe*.

*Dream Sequence Quick-chart
*Dream A(*Boat*) → Fail(no *Wool*) = “Unlock” Dream B(*Shepherd*)
 Dream A(*Boat*) → Success(used *Wool*) = “Unlock” Dream C(*Town*), get *Alcohol*
 Dream B(*Shepherd*) → Fail(don't stop Bebadolf) = nil
 Dream B(*Shepherd*) → Success(stop Bebadolf) = fight Bebadolf in Wolf form, get *Wool*
 Dream C(*Town*) → Fail(no *Wool*) = “Unlock” Dream D(*Forest)*
 Dream C(*Town*) → Success(used *Wool*) = “Unlock” Dream D(*Forest*), may use *Alcohol* and/or fight Bebadolf in Human form
 Dream D(*Forest)* → Fail(no *Alcohol*) = nil
 Dream D(*Forest)* → Success(used *Alcohol*) = learn how to kill Bebadolf, gain attack bonus

Final Success: Kill Bebadolf in Wolf form in Dream B(*Shepherd*) and in Human form in Dream C(*Town*) to get the *Axe.*

*4. Resolution - Wake Me When It's Over
*When the PCs exit the dream with the Singing Battleaxe, the Artisan thanks them profusely and sets about honoring her side of whatever their arrangement was earlier.  If they came on Hooks 1 and/or 2, they can then set about resolving that business as well.

Further adventures might involve helping the Artisan remove the curse, attempting to make peace with Wolfang and/or combating him, and/or stepping into the nightmares of the PCs and/or whoever hired them to “combat” dream creatures(if they PCs came on hooks 1 or 2).

*Ingredients*

*Artist's Studio* - The studio is the Artisan's house.  Also, the studio door is the means by which the PCs enter and leave the *Dream Sequence* and bring back items such as the Alcohol(*Vat of Poison*) and the *Singing Battleaxe* itself.

*Vat of Poison* - The vat is a literal vat of wood alcohol in the boat dream, that is used in the forest dream to learn how to defeat the *Wolf in Sheep's Clothing*, Babadolf, and can also be used to poison Babadolf in one of his forms.

*Frightened Seaman* - The sailor in the Boat dream that's attempting to smuggle the *Vat of Poison*.  Also the sailor who burned down the wool merchant's warehouse in the Town dream.

*Dream Sequence* - The series of dreams the PCs go on, each entered by the door to the *Artist's Studio*.  In the dreams, the PCs use get the *Vat of Poison *from the *Frightened Seaman*, and use it to get information on and potentially to poison the *Wolf in Sheep's Clothing*, all to get the *Singing Battleaxe* for the owner of the *Artist's Studio*.  Also, they must do the dreams in the correct order, i.e. the correct *Dream Sequence*.

*Wolf in Sheep's Clothing* - Bebadolf, the Wolfen-shapling, a shapeshifter capable of taking on many forms, including that of a sheep, a wolf, and wool merchant.  He is a *Wolf in Sheep's Clothing* figuratively, literally and/or a bit of both at different points.  He has the *Singing Battleaxe*.  He is the main target of the PCs during the *Dream Sequence* because of this.

*Singing Battleaxe* - The main objective of the PCs in the *Dream Sequence*.  The PCs seek it on behest of the owner of the *Artist's Studio* since it has been cursed so she may only sleep while it is around.  Also, the overbearing treant wife("battleaxe") can be made to talk("sing") about the *Wolf in Sheep's Clothing* if given the *Vat of Poison* to drink.


----------



## Sparky (Nov 3, 2009)

*Iron DM 2009, Round 2, Match 4, Iron Sky vs Sparky*

Iron DM 2009, Round 2, Match 4 – Iron Sky vs. Sparky

*Still Life*
A 4th Edition D&D Adventure for 3-5 Players of levels 8-10. _Ideally, the party should include a Bard.*_

Artist Studio
Dream Sequence
Frightened Seaman
Singing Battleaxe
Vat of Poison
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing


*Adventure Background*
Recently, Maskim (a soulrider) arrived in town after surreptitiously hijacking a merchant and his smuggled shipment of Dreamtrap. After using the Dreamtrap to poison and possess a seaman aboard the ship he was on, the soulrider set about finding a victim well-placed to screen further victims. He settled on the court artist, Skal, a reclusive eccentric with access to the upper echelons of power in the city. He has now infiltrated the court of the Crown (or a suitably high-ranking noble) by taking over Skal’s identity. 


*Adventure Synopsis*
The PCs’ exploits have come to the attention of the Crown who requests that they attend a banquet in their honor. At the banquet, Skal, the Artist-in-residence, a *Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing*, feigns being stricken by one of the PCs (the Bard) and requests that the Bard come to the *Artist Studio *the following day to sit for a portrait. Observant PCs may note that the artist’s admiration is pretense (Insight, Difficult DC). Attract your Bard with whatever indulgences he desires, fine spirits, delicacies, scented baths, massage, a fancy new outfit or instrument for the sitting. Ultimately, the banquet’s host insists on paying the sitting fee and would be offended if the Bard does not accept. 

Once at the studio, Skal makes the Bard welcome and, after enjoying whatever enticements were promised, the Bard is escorted into a bath for a long soak in a *Vat of Poison *(described below) that will make him vulnerable to the soulrider’s possession. If possessed, a side effect of the Dreamtrap is that his soul is displaced into a fey dreamscape. (Encounter – Nothing Like a Good Soak)

On the day the Bard will take his poison soak, the other PCs will be approached by a *Frightened Seaman*, Manfred. He tells the PCs that his friend, Jernin, has gone missing and he can’t report to the authorities that he suspects foul play because he’s afraid of drawing the wrong kind of attention to his questionably legal business (he’s one of the smugglers that brought the soulrider and the Dreamtrap into town). He is earnest and worried. He asks for their help and offers a reward in goods or service, their choice. (Encounter – I Failed the Buddy System)

If they search successfully, the PCs find Jernin unconscious, but not in very good shape (certainly he’s been robbed, possibly had his extremities nibbled by rats or other vermin). Worse, his soul is trapped in a fey dreamscape. It is possible to administer an antidote to the poison, but it will go better if the PCs themselves ingest the poison and undergo a ritual to enter the fey dreamscape and rescue the lost seaman through a *Dream Sequence*. If they are reluctant, Manfred negotiates a new price (he is a good negotiator). If they rescue him, then Jernin can indentify Skal as the soulrider’s next target. (Encounter – Dreams and Lightning)

Meanwhile, the Bard is likely to have succumbed to the poison and/or Maskim’s attacks. He is transported to a fey dreamscape, but being a wily PC, he can attempt to navigate the *Dream Sequence* and get out. And get out he does, though, the Feywild is a strange place… out is relative. He escapes into a battleaxe. If he failed the skill challenge, he is stuck in the battleaxe and can only sing to communicate. He has become the *Singing Battleaxe*. The Bard’s player should get extra XP if he makes a go of roleplaying this. If he is reasonably successful in the challenge, he can sing to communicate and also has access to his Bard powers and abilities. If he is has perfect success he can sing to communicate, has access to his Bard powers and abilities and is also a *Singing Battleaxe* with a variety of fiery ‘singe’ powers - melee, ranged and area attacks. Though he must be wielded to use any Attack powers. (Encounter – Fleeing the Feydream)

The rest of the PCs, whether out and about or searching for or helping Jernin, eventually spot Maskim-Bard doing something suspicious…
· Near the Docks booking passage on a ship
· Ducking down an alley (he’s going to clean out his stash of Dreamtrap before leaving town) 
If he catches sight of them he bolts and tries to lose them, he makes his way back to the studio and prepares to defend and hopefully kill the PCs. If pressed, he will try to flee by other means. (Encounter – The Devil of It)

If the PCs are successful at taking down Maskim/Bard, they can attempt to reunite the Bard’s body with the Bard’s soul, if that’s what the Bard wants. (Encounter – Fallen on Bard Times)

It might occur to the PCs that Skal is now somewhere, possibly trapped in a fey dreamscape. (Encounter – Naked!)

_The Quests_
Minor Quest – Find and Save Jernin, the Seaman’s friend (optional)
Major Quest – Find and Save the Bard


*Starting the Adventure*
The PCs are to be the guests of honor at a banquet thrown by the Crown (or a noble of sufficiently high rank). Promises of gifts, excellent food and the continued good will of the Crown should be more than sufficient to draw the PCs to the capital city.


*Setting*
Drop this adventure into any capital city that has a Port.

If you are in need of a capital city, welcome to Barrowdon in the kingdom of West Dorn. The city is divided into several wards spread over 3 hills and the valleys between. The city is growing towards a 4th hill.

_The Tops_ - The wealthy live on the tops of the hills in wards referred to as Tops. Their shops, tavern and manors clustering thickly, but the limited space means the wealthy of Barrowdon have taken to building upwards or out in the suburbs instead of the unthinkable option of expanding into the city’s Bottoms. The city’s 3 hills are festooned with towers. There are a number of broad raised boulevards that connect the Tops with one another like bridges. 
· _Crown Hill_, this is where the nobles of Barrowdon live. It houses the royal palace (a tower that is – by royal edict – the tallest building on Crown Hill), the homes of Barrowdon’s nobility, gardens and the civic offices under direct supervision by the Crown or nobles. The PCs attend a banquet on a high floor of the royal palace.
· _Shining Hill_, this Top is where the city’s faithful go to worship. Amongst the Tops, it is the one that flirts most with expanding into the Bottoms, though, in fact, there is still distinct separation between the denizens of the Tops and the denizens of the Bottoms. Shining Hill is home to several temples and the civic offices overseen by the various religious Orders. 
· _Fortress Hill_, this is the Top closest to Barrowdon’s bustling port. It is a cliffside promontory where the city’s original rulers once lived and is home to a working Fortress which currently acts as the seat of the military and certain civic offices overseen by the military. The city’s wealthy non-nobles live here. Fortress Hill is the chief gateway to the other Tops.

_The Bottoms_ – the Bottoms, unlike the Tops, is a horizontal sprawl of buildings, with some green spaces that are the last remaining remnants of the lawns of the cemetery that used to cover the area. Scattered throughout the Bottoms are intact remnants of the city’s namesake Barrows (Note: they’re not barrows, but rather above ground crypts, the name ‘barrow’ stuck, however). Most of these crypts have been emptied, given over long ago to the needs of the living. In the Bottoms, it is considered lucky to live in a crypt. The wealthy of the city are trying to direct the city’s growth to engulf a nearby 4th hill (so that they can have a new Top to occupy). Skal’s studio is one of the first buildings on the lower slopes of this new 4th hill. Skal’s studio connects a number of impressive crypts in which he lives, works and entertains.


*NPCs*
_Skal_ – Red-haired and wild-eyed, Skal is the reclusive and cranky Artist-in-residence to the King and his Court. Skal does portraiture for the city’s well-bred and wealthy. He is notoriously eccentric, requiring that sitters who visit his home endure an exquisite ritual of hospitality and hygiene for each day of the sitting. For most, this is pleasant for a few days and then it quickly grows tiresome. But anyone who wants to have ‘a Skal’ hanging in their salon comply with the strange man’s demands. And everyone wants ‘a Skal.’

_Maskim_ – a soulrider devil who uses Dreamtrap poison to subdue his victims so that he may possess them in safety. Soulriders are foul looking devil parasites that move from victim to victim. Most victims possessed by a soulrider are obvious, but Maskim has mastered the art of staying unseen while occupying a host. As long as he only uses his victim’s powers, he can remain camouflaged.

_Manfred_ – a seaman and smuggler whose friend has gone missing. He approaches the PCs who aren’t sitting for a portrait to enlist their aid in finding his friend Jernin. He is nervous about doing so if he learns that they are guests of the Crown.

Jernin – is another seaman, a friend of Manfred’s. He was attacked, poisoned and abandoned by Maskim. He knows that his body was possessed, though he doesn’t know who did it, and that he – while possessed – attacked some painter (Skal).

“The Crown” – If you haven’t created a Monarch for your PCs’ homeland, then meet King Rodulus VI. His Queen, Vashna, is just oozing with pride over the recently finished ‘Skal’ hanging in the main hall of the royal residence (whether castle or palace) and suggests throwing a gala so that she can show it off. The PCs have done a number of impressive deeds and the King wants to meet them so that he can gauge their character and bring them closer to him either to watch them because they bear watching or to ally with them because they seem aligned with his royal agendas.


*Encounters*

*Non-Combat: Nothing Like a Good Soak*
The Bard arrives at Skal’s studio and is greeted by his assistants. He is ushered to a well-appointed sitting room where Skal joins him, showing him a variety of curiosities he’s collected (including a handsome battleaxe). He is entertained, wined, dined. After the pleasantries he is escorted to a bath (if you’re using Barrowdon, the bathhouse is in a crypt and if you think your players/PC won’t bolt, make the vat out of a sarcophagus).

The bath contains hot water and an attendant puts in 3 scoops of strongly scented salts (crystalline Dreamtrap). The attendant will stay or go as the Bard wishes, and if asked to scrub, will do so with a long-handled brush. The attendant doesn’t know about the poison, only that they are under strict orders not to contaminate the Bard’s bathwater. Skal is strange and such orders are not unusual.

The Dreamtrap poison is in the bath and gets 3 attempts to overwhelm the Bard. If the poison is unsuccessful, the Bard may feel a little light-headed (from the heat and steam, of course) and is ushered off to finish the pre-sitting rituals – massage, wardrobe, coiffure. Maskim is in attendance for the wardrobing and hairstyling. 

If the Bard succumbs to the poison, Maskim possesses him as soon as possible, displacing the Bard’s soul into a fey dreamscape. (NOTE: If your players or the PCs are suspicious types, make the vat poison-free for the first few sessions, then spring the poison). If the Bard does not succumb to the poison after the third time he is in the vat, then Maskim will attempt to possess him while the Bard is being dressed and then coiffured (the Bard is admonished to ‘Sit still!’ if he attempts to move or look at what is pinching or poking him). The Bard, though he shook off the poison’s effects, is still tainted by the fey poison and when Maskim takes possession of his body, his soul seeks refuge in the fey dreamscape.

NOTE: If you would rather handle this element of the adventure without rolls and it may be more elegant to do so – then do away with them all together. Keep the pleasantries light-hearted an unsuspicious then tell the bathing Bard that he drifts off into a dreamy doze…

…and switch to the other PCs.


*Skill Challenge:* *I Failed the Buddy System*
The PCs who are not at Skal’s studio will be approached by a frightened and nervous seaman, Manfred. He is worried about his friend Jernin and is afraid to take the matter to the authorities. He offers a reward, worth 1 treasure parcel, or a service (he’s a smuggler, not a bad friend to have). If the PCs negotiate and outdo Manfred (Difficult DCs) he will offer 2 treasure parcels. He can’t accompany the PCs but directs them to a likely locale to start the search.

_Level 8 (Moderate DCs), Complexity 2 _(6 successes before 3 failures)

Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Streetwise 

_Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate_ (easy DCs): Your smooth talking, charm or bullying get you pointed at someone who knows something. Each skill may be used once to generate 1 success per skill. Thereafter Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate (hard DCs) may be used to grant +2 to Streetwise checks.

_Streetwise_ (Moderate DCs): You ask around and learn that a man of that description was seen at the Slate & Silk. Once at the Slate & Silk another successful Streetwise check will reveal that Jernin was seen in the warehouse district. Once in the warehouse district, another successful Streetwise check will get the PCs to a specific warehouse unit.

_Success:_ The PCs find Jernin in the warehouse unit, a small, locked facility. If they aren’t able to get him out, Manfred can.

_Failure:_ The PCs find Jernin in the warehouse unit, dead.


*Skill Challenge/Combat: Fleeing the Feydream*
The Bard awakens standing poised on a blades edge. The blade must be as big as a mountain. The edge curves down and away from him in both directions, straight as a razor. Walls of fire follow the blade on either side and down. Above and behind him, the Bard sees sees Skal’s face wreathed in red, bloody hooked tentacles. Skal is singing one part of a duet that the Bard knows well. Without meaning to the Bard takes up his part of the duet. As soon as he begins singing, he feels a searing pain in his feet and begins sliding forward on the blade away from Skal, leaving a smear of blood behind as he ghosts forward. Scenes of what Maskim-Bard is doing with the Bard’s body flash across the sky.

_Level 9 (mostly Moderate DCs), Complexity 1 _(4 successes before 3 failures)

Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Insight

_Insight_ (Moderate DC): Skal’s singing voice is poor, but the Bard attempts to salvage something reasonably pleasant sounding by adjusting his harmony. A successful Insight check earns a +2 bonus to the next check. This bonus can only be granted twice.

_Acrobatics_ (Moderate DC): Flames dart across the blade and the Bard attempts to quickly lean back under them while still balanced on the blade. A successful Acrobatics check earns 1 success. After a success, Acrobatics can no longer be used.

_Athletics_ (Moderate DC): There is a notch in the blade, it will have to be jumped. A successful Athletics check earns 1 success. After a success, Athletics can no longer be used.

Total Success (no failures): Skal’s face falls away, howling his dismay, the fires subside, and the blade turns slowly flat. The Bard comes awake…

Success (up to two failures): Skal’s face roars by and the flames surge in answer. The blade jerks abruptly sideways and the Bard falls down onto the flat of the blade’s surface. The Bard comes awake…

Failure (3 failures): Skal’s face flies forward and knocks the Bard off of the blade, he falls endlessly into the flames, screaming. The Bard comes awake… 

…and is a Battleaxe. A Singing Battleaxe (+2). Or possibly a Singing Singing Battleaxe (+3 Singing Battleaxe with an At-Will Scorching Burst). The Bard can feel his attack powers (if he has any) at the ready, but needs to be wielded to bring them to bear. In combat he will have his own initiative, but will not be able to make any Movements.

The Bard is now conscious and aware, but he is trapped in a Battleaxe in Skal’s sitting room. One last call-and-response refrain echoes in his head and the Bard sings out his part. A curious servant sticks her head through the door and blinks before moving away. The Bard can only communicate by singing (Bonus XP to the player that makes a go of roleplaying this). If he calls (sings) for help, Maskim’s servants peer curiously in the door, but will not touch anything.

The Bard is also aware of what Maskim-Bard is seeing and hearing.

From his vantage point he can see the entrance hall of Skal’s studio. He will have a ringside seat for Skal’s arrival pursued by the PCs.


*(Optional) Skill Challenge: Dreams and Lightning*
The PCs have discovered Jernin in a small warehouse unit. The unit is leased to the merchant that Maskim had possessed on his way into the city. His stash of Dreamtrap is here (Difficult DC to find).

If Jernin is alive, a successful Nature check will reveal that Jernin has been poisoned, a successful Heal check will reveal the same and also that he is in stable condition but is weak in failing health (he needs help fast), a successful Arcana check (trained) will reveal traces of planar magic.

Manfred will ask the PCs to help him take Jernin to a nearby atelier (a wizard or alchemist’s workshop). The apothecary is very curious about Jernin’s condition and offers to help, for a reasonable price, of course (Manfred pays this). In order to help Jernin the PCs must take Dreamtrap while under a ritual that will render them safe for the duration of their foray. Taken under the influence of the ritual, the Dreamtrap is reasonably safe. If the PCs are reluctant, Manfred offers to double his payment (which might mean 4 parcels if the PCs played hardball earlier). If the PCs undergo the ritual and ingest the Dreamtrap, they awaken on the deck of a storm-tossed ship…

…it is cold and the wind is howling. Rain lashes the deck, it stings the eyes (a Perception check reveals the rain as alcohol). A man’s face, looms out of the clouds reaveled in flashes of red lightning that streak from his eyes and mouth (the PCs don’t know it, but it’s the Merchant’s face). Where the lightning strikes the ship erupts in red, grasping tentacles with nasty looking hooked spikes instead of suckers. 

Jernin is at the helm, squinting into the gale. He is shouting orders at the PCs. 

_Level 8 (mostly Moderate DCs), Complexity 1 _(4 successes before 3 failures)

Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Nature 

_Insight or Nature _(Hard DC): The PC anticipates Jernins next command and gives a +2 to the next skill check. This bonus can only be granted twice regardless of the skill used.

_Acrobatics_ (Moderate DC): Jernin barks a command to a PC who suddenly finds himself in the rigging. A successful Acrobatics check earns 1 success. After a success, Acrobatics can no longer be used.

_Athletics_ (Moderate DC): Jernin barks a command to a PC who suddenly finds himself at a winch. A successful Athletics check earns 1 success. After a success, Athletics can no longer be used.

_Other:_ Jernin Barks a command for a PC to attack one of the tentacles who suddenly finds himself next to a seething, grasping hooked tentacle armed with a dagger. Basic melee attack vs Moderate DC. This may be used multiple times.

Success: The stormy skies clear and the PCs sail into a cave in the side of a cliff. The cliffside is carved in Skal’s likeness with the mouth of the cave as Skal’s mouth.

Failure: The ship wrecks into a cliff and the wreckage is battered into a cliffside carved with a gargantuan likeness of Skal. Each PCs loses a healing surge.

Jernin wakes and is terribly weak, but is able to reveal that the merchant on his ship paid him in drinks to transport a parcel to a warehouse (where the PCs found him). He felt weird after the drinks and then was stuck on the ship, but still aware of what 

*Skill Challenge: On the Devil’s Tail*
After helping (or not helping) Jernin and Manfred, the PCs are on their way to their next destination when they see the Bard out and about. This is Maskim-Bard. He spots the PCs and flees with the PCs (presumably) in pursuit. The PCs chase Maskim-Bard across the city to Skal’s studio. This skill challenge is the Urban Chase from the DMG, pg 78.

_Level 10 (mostly Moderate DCs), Complexity 3 _(8 successes before 3 failures)

Total Success: If the PCs succeed in chasing Maskim-Bard without a single failure, they are hot on his heels as he enters Skal’s studio. 

For each Failure: Add an additional Legion Devil Hellguard to _The Horns of a Dilemma_ to represent the extra time Maskim had to prepare his minions.


*Combat: The Horns of a Dilemma*
In this encounter the PCs are facing Maskim-Bard and his devilish and mortal lackeys. Maskim doesn’t want to risk his new body, but he will if it means his life. The PCs are likely to be reluctant to seriously injure their friend (but remember that a killing blow can be rendered non-lethal at the option of the PC making the attack). The relative success of the PCs in _On the Devil’s Tale_ will determine the level of this combat encounter.

Maskim-Bard is not aware of the Bard’s soul in the battleaxe in the sitting room of his studio. The Bard is aware of what Maskim-Bard sees and hears, so he knows the PCs are on their way to the studio. He should probably reveal himself to them then, but he may not. He can only bring his attack powers to bear if wielded by another. Maskim-Bard becomes aware of the Singing Battleaxe, he will attempt to keep it from the PCs, but really, the axe should fall into PCs hands.

The final battle takes place in Skal’s actual studio amidst canvasses and tables and a surprising amount of space.

*The Enemies *_2150 XP – 2600 XP_

*Maskim-Bard - Soulrider Devil Bard*, Level 11 Atrillery, 750 XP (see below)
*Succubus*, Level 9 Controller, 400 XP
*Cambion *x2, Level 8 Brute, 350 XP each
*Legion Devil Hellguard* x2, Level 11 Minion, 150 XP each

For each failure in On the Devil’s tail add 1 Legion Devil Hellguard.


*Skill Challenge: Fallen on Bard Times*
If the PCs are successful in defeating Maskim-Bard they now have to decide whether to reunite the Bard’s body with the Bard’s soul. If they decide to do so (after extorting something from the Bard of course). 

The PCs (Bard included) enter the dream and are falling. Falling, falling. Surrounded by burning smoke, flame and the shattered remains of the Singing Battleaxe.

The Skill challenge involves collecting shard of the Bard’s soul and dodging the shattered giant battleaxe debris, also using that debris to hide behind when storms occur in the dreamscape. See http://www.penny-arcade.com/2009/8/3/”]Gabe’s Free Fall Rules for how this should play out.

Success: The PCs alight on the earth and the battleaxe debris lands gently around them. It forms up into into a battleaxe once more before disintegrating into a glowing ball the flows into the Bard. The PCs… awaken…

Failure: The PCs hit with a terrible impact and lose 1/2 of their remaining healing surges and are dazed until the next day. The PCs awaken…
…and it’s all over. And it wasn’t just a dream at all.


*Concluding the Adventure*
The PCs may wish to find and help Skal, they may also wish to find and help the Merchant if they can. The King would like Skal returned to himself. The PCs are allowed to keep the Battleaxe and the King commissions a tale or song from the Bard about the whole thing. And then there’s another party, at which Skal requests to do a proper portrait of all of PCs. For free.


_Further Adventures_
Major Quest – Find and Recover the Bard’s body (if Maskim flees while still in possession)
Minor Quest – Find and Save Skal (if the PCs care Skal is still alive somewhere in the studio (The Bard knows where, because he remembers seeing where Maskim-Bard stashed Skal.
Minor Quest – Find and Save the Merchant (if the PCs learn and care, the Merchant may still be alive somewhere on Skal’s property or somewhere in the city.


*Dreamtrap*
This is a relatively obscure poison of extraplanar origin (the Feywild) that saps its victim’s ability to shake off its effects. It has been reported to transport its victims to dreamscapes within the Feywild itself 
(and always does so when a soulrider successfully attacks a victim). Dreamtrap has a strong flavor and odor, so is most effectively administered as a contact poison or, as Maskim has discovered, a soothing bath salt. Administered in this way, Dreamtrap may make 3 attempts to poison its victim.

The plant, Dreamwort, can be smoked or ingested in small quantities to produce mild euphoric and psychedelic effects.

*Dreamtrap*; Level 10 Poison
_Distilled from the Dreamwort plant that grows in the Feywild, this poison induces a mild sleepy euphoria that deepens until the victim falls unconscious._
Poison; 1,250 gp
Attack: +13 vs. Fortitude; the target takes a –2 penalty to Saves (save ends).
First Failed Save: The target is weakened and the Save penalty increases to -4 (save ends).
Second Failed Save: The target falls unconscious for and experiences vivid dreams of the Feywild.

*Soulrider Devil Skal*
(see attached picture)


*Soulrider Devil Bard*
Use the Bard PC’s abilities and powers. Add the Black Chill Blast, Acid Flame, Soulrider Sacrifice and Fey Step as above.

*Unatached Soulrider Devil*
(see Dragon 370, pg 43)

*Ingredients*
_Artist Studio_
· The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’s home base; site of the Vat of Poison and the portrait sitting
· The atelier (the workshop of a wizard or alchemist) where the PCs learn of a ritual that will let them attempt to enter the fey dreamscape and attempt to navigate a Dream Sequence to rescue a Dreamtrap victim
_Dream Sequence_
· The PCs’ attempt to rescue Jernin, Skal and/or the Bard
· The Bard’s skill challenge to escape the fey dreamscape into the Singing Battleaxe
_Frightened Seaman_
· Manfred is part of crew of smuggling vessel that delivered illicit shipment of poison (and unwittingly, the soulrider); he is frightened of being found out by authorities
· Manfred’s friend Jernin has disappeared, he’s afraid for his friend
_Singing Battleaxe_
· Battleaxe with PC inside
o The PC can only communicate by singing
o Also, if the PC is very successful in his skill challenge, he gets ‘singe’ powers 
_Vat of Poison_
· Spa treatment that is laced with Dreamtrap so that Maskim can possess his victims.
_Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing_
· Maskim is a soulrider devil who masquerades as a normal citizen


_*If a Bard is not available, a PC with fiery powers or a fiery personality will suffice (preferably one whose class doesn’t focus on Fortitude, like a Cleric, Warlock or Wizard) and especially one who can be bribed with the finer things in life._


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## Nifft (Nov 4, 2009)

Let's start with ingredient use.

*Artist Studio*: Iron Sky's studio is part of the setting, and the visual images brought back from the dreams help the PCs decide where to go, so there is some artist-ness in it. Sparky's studio is a plot hook, and could be replaced with something else that serves as a luxurious lure. Edge to Iron Sky.

*Vat of Poison*: Very creative poison use by Iron Sky, but that little tankard doesn't sound much like a vat, dreamscape physics notwithstanding. Sparky nailed this one. Edge to Sparky.

*Frightened Seaman*: Both are certainly frightened, but Iron Sky's sailor has only some minor window dressing for his sailor-ness: his essential, irreplaceable quality is that of a smuggler. Sparky's sailor is also a smuggler, but the skill challenge to rescue him is decisively nautical (though it's also a series of orders barked by an NPC, which I dislike, but that's neither here nor there). Edge to Sparky.

*Dream Sequence*: Good use to both here, though some of Sparky's best dreams may not see use if the PCs aren't good at Streetwise. The sequence of dreams dreamt up by Iron Sky, though, are superb. You've managed to capture the cool parts of a Groundhog Day effect, but quick and simple enough that it's not going to annoy the players. Point to Iron Sky.

*Wolf in Sheep's Clothing*: Sparky, you've put a predator in an innocuous form. That's good. Iron Sky, you've put a wolf the wool of a sheep. That's better. Point to Iron Sky.

*Singing Battleaxe*: Both are tolerable. Neither has much "axe-ness" to it, but the singing-ness is fine. Iron Sky, I was worried yours would only be used as a plot-point, but it's also used as a dream-clue, so that's fine. The tree-wife's personality  Sparky, the "singe" thing is clever, but I don't see how it ties in to anything that "sing" didn't already cover. Neither is perfect, but I liked Sparky's a little better, while I felt Iron Sky's was better connected to the other ingredients. Point to Sparky.


Now, on to usability. Iron Sky, let me again say that the dream sequence was simple enough to be utterly usable. Sparky, your scenario relied on the players willingly splitting the party, and their reward is having the Bard possessed by a critter that will kill him dead as a minor action, no save. [sblock]*Soulrider Sacrifice* (minor; at-will)
The soulrider devil takes 10 damage and recharges black clill blast or acid flame. If the soulrider devil would be killed by this damage, it instead *kills its host* and becomes unattached (see the stat block above), and it shifts 3 squares as a free action.[/sblock]

Sparky, your dream scenarios lead to some interesting skill challenges, but they require player buy-in to doing some risky stuff... essentially, from the player's perspective, you ask them to submit to the same treatment that the Bard underwent when he lost his body. You're asking for a certain trust, when you just punished someone for that exact trust.

Once again, mandatory splitting of party, compounded making the Bard sit out until the big fight, when he may or may not be noticed.


In terms of plot, I'd've liked to see more ambiguity from Iron Sky's Artisan vs. Wolfang setup, but there's nothing really lacking in the scenario. Sparky, though: what happened to Skal? Why did the devil want the Bard's body, and if it was a creature well practiced at stealing bodies, why didn't it have a plan for coping with his allies?


Evocative writing: both were good, especially the dream sequences. Sparky, I felt a lot of evocation in the air around your city & crypts, but those weren't ingredients, so some of your better writing went without credit there. (Not that I won't steal from it -- because I will -- just that it won't help you in this round's judgment.)


This round goes to *Iron Sky*, for great ingredient use, good connectivity, and a very usable scenario.


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## Nifft (Nov 4, 2009)

Round 3, Match 1 - Wulf Ratbane vs. InVinoVeritas

*Exhumed Grave
Tail End
Unmentionable Services
Unhappy Goatherd
Cross-Eyed Beholder
Gloves of Arrow Snaring*


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## Iron Sky (Nov 5, 2009)

<Had the wrong window open when I tried to reply to another thread, ignore this>


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## Wulf Ratbane (Nov 6, 2009)

_UGH. I got called away today at work twice-- once to stand in as an extra on a video shoot, once so they could announce our first departmental case of Swine Flu-- so this is not as polished as I had hoped. _

*A PERNICIOUS QUARREL*
An adventure of dastardly diplomacy for up to 8th level PCs.

*Exhumed Grave
Tail End
Unmentionable Services
Unhappy Goatherd
Cross-Eyed Beholder
Gloves of Arrow Snaring*

*BACKGROUND/SETUP*
What began as a friendly rivalry between two ostensible allies has, over the course of centuries, grown into a bittery and deadly feud. A beholder known colloquially as “The Magnificent Maw” has pitted his own intellect and criminal network against a canny rakshasa currently operating under the guise of a gnome named Kip*.

* Not her real name. Her real name is Kajanajat, but to any astute adventurer, a name like Kajanajat fairly screams “rakshasa.” So don’t even think it. She’s just Kip.

What began as a professional (if criminal and indubitably evil) rivalry can now be settled to their satisfaction only with the death of one or the other. Unfortunately, the two are uniquely matched opponents: The rakshasa’s natural damage resistance and spell resistance makes her nearly immune to any spell-like or even physical attack from the beholder, and the beholder’s anti-magic eye renders the rakshasa’s potent sorcery moot. It’s certainly within the realm of possibility that one or the other of them might get lucky, but as they are both natural cowards, they prefer to work patiently and by proxy, each trying to get a perfectly secure upper hand before moving.

The balance of power at the moment where the PCs get involved has tipped slightly. The Maw has allied himself with a clan of duergar (naturally resistant to many of the rakshasa’s spells, and in particular immune to phantasms) and they have successfully stolen Kip’s prized *gloves of arrow snaring* (which she acquired as proof against blessed bolts). 

Kip has spent many months tracking them down to their current location, an abandoned dwarven mine in the low mountains where the PCs are currently travelling. In their last and most recent encounter, Kip managed to land a bestow curse on the Maw, leaving him permanently cross-eyed (at least until the curse can be lifted). As a result of the curse, any of the beholder’s eye-stalks has a 50% chance of missing its intended target and striking some other target instead. Needless to say, the Maw retreated immediately, leaving only a few duergar to deal with Kip.

Kip prevailed, using baleful polymorph on many of The Maw’s duergar allies—including a particularly useful Clr5 who was transmuted into a black-bearded billy goat (among other goats in Kip’s herd).

All of this seems to lean in Kip’s favor at the moment, but The Maw is working wheels within wheels. He and his duergar allies have been working through the tailings of the gold mine, sifting out huge quantities of arsenic, which the duergar have been adding in vast quantities to their diet. Although the arsenic is harmless to the duergar (who are immune to poison), The Maw’s plan is to trick Kip into eating one of his highly poisonous allies, thereby introducing the poison into her system while neatly bypassing her damage reduction. Unfortunately, they have reached the end of the tail and they have no more arsenic on hand. If Kip does not eat one of the duergar within the next day or so, the opportunity will “pass,” so to speak.

*THE MAGNIFICENT MAW*
Standard Beholder (CR13), currently afflicted with a _bestow curse_ that causes all of his eye-stalks (other than his central eye) to go cross-eyed, giving him a 50% chance to miss his intended target and strike a random target instead.

*KIP the RAKSHASA*
Advanced Rakshasa (+3 sorcerer levels to Sor10, CR13.) Kip’s spell resistance advances to SR30. Kip’s spell selection should be changed up to focus on illusions (phantasms), and should include misdirection, gaseous form, shadow conjuration, hold monster (duergar are immune) and baleful polymorph. Kip knows that The Maw can revert any of his polymorphed allies to their natural form with his anti-magic eye.

*ENTER THE PCs*
The adventure is broadly arranged as a series of sequential encounters between the PCs and either Kip or The Maw, with a finale that brings all the major players together at the same time to decide things once and for all. The PCs will grow in their knowledge of the situation over the course of several encounters, and may ultimately ally themselves with one or the other of the major villains to destroy the other—and then possibly to double-cross their ally and finish things off for good.

*FIRST ENCOUNTER—The Unhappy Goatherd*
The PCs first encounter (a purely circumstantial encounter as the PCs are travelling through a fairly desolate and rocky/hilly area) will be with Kip, disguised as a female gnome with a small herd of goats. Some of these goats are real goats (not Kip’s preferred fare, but ok in a pinch) and some of these goats are polymorphed duergar. 

The DM should be careful to play Kip completely innocently so as not to arouse the players’ suspicions. She should be played as “the hook” and certainly not “mysterious” or “untrustworthy.” You will want to play on your players’ preconceived meta-game notions. Nothing in your actions or Kip’s conversation should say anything other than, “Young female gnome goatherd named Kip who needs help from the PCs.”

Kip will greet the PCs shyly and a bit warily, and ask them if they would like to share her midday meal of warm goat cheese and fresh goat’s milk. She is obviously very unhappy and will quickly open up to them—asking if they are adventurers and if they would be willing to help her.

Kip will explain to the PCs that a horrible monster (“a big mouth with lots of sharp little teeth”) has recently taken up residence in an abandoned dwarven gold mine (true) and he seems to have some dwarven allies (true). She will explain that she encountered them near the mine itself (true) but that she managed to get away and they didn’t pursue her (true). She is sure that they are up to no good (true) and pose a danger to the nearby village (true).

Kip will use misdirection if necessary and if she realizes that she is in a zone of truth or the like she will just naturally extend the conversation with small talk, interspersed with such completely true snippets above. Eventually, she’ll throw in the following:

“There’s something more I am almost ashamed to ask. There is a grave not far from here (true) that has recently been dug up (true). I found bones everywhere (true) but I’ve arranged everything back (true). There are some gloves missing (true)—they must be magic (true)—and I’m certain those no-good dwarves have taken them (true). I’d really like to see them returned (true). You probably think that’s a silly superstition but I hope you don’t’ want to see a grave defiled (true). I would hate to think these hills might end up haunted by some hero’s ghost. Maybe you won’t even have to fight them.”

Finally, Kip will end, “Well if you do go up there, please don’t mention that you’re doing this on my behalf. I got away before but I am sure it would mean more trouble if they knew I sent you (true).”
*
SECOND ENCOUNTER—The Magnificent Maw and his Allies*
The abandoned gold mine is not far from where Kip has set up camp. The mine is mostly collapsed and does not go back far, but does have its share of twists and turns. The duergar who watch the entrance will use invisibility and move silently behind the PCs as they investigate the cave. 

Not far into the cave—perhaps at the first intersection—is a giant boulder painted to look roughly like a beholder—mostly just one big eye and lots of teeth. The duergar will stand above/behind this rock and speak to the PCs invisibly, “Who comes to petition The Magnificent Maw?”

If the conversation goes well, the duergar will remove a pebble with continual light from his belongings and, remaining invisible, lead the PCs down the hallway as a floating light. Eventually they will come face to face with The Maw in a large chamber with lots of collapsed tunnels and the remains of the tailings. A “suitably daunting number” of duergar will invisibly move into the chamber and take up position. When The Maw finally turns to face the PCs, his anti-magic eye will reveal many of the duergar who are in position around the chamber. The fact that The Maw is cross-eyed should be apparent to the PCs—his eyes will waggle and cross uncontrollably while he speaks to them.

(The PCs should also note that all of the duergar are armed with crossbows and there are more than a few crack shots among their number…)

The Maw has no interest in fighting the PCs but the encounter can certainly go that way if the PCs so choose—but they should be clearly outmatched. Indeed The Maw may be inclined to spare them if he can charm or neutralize enough of them with his eye-beams (remember his miss chance and the possibility of striking his own duergar allies).

The Maw speaks with a thick, slobbery, and heavily accented voice.

If The Maw can get the PCs into a receptive mood for diplomacy one way or the other, he’ll quickly figure out what is going on and suggest to them a counter offer. Exactly what he offers depends on whether or not the PCs mention the gloves:

If the PCs don’t mention the gloves: “I know that goatherd. Hmm, yes. In fact if I am not mistaken, she has quite a flock of tasty goats. Tell her that we’ll move along if she’ll give me all her goats. She can keep one or two for dinner.”

If the PC mention the gloves the bargain changes subtly: “Well, that goatherd has one fine black billy goat. I’ll trade the gloves for that goat. And if she won’t trade, maybe you could just sneak that goat back here on your own…? I’ll still honor the bargain. My word is my bond.”

The Maw’s first and most pressing plan is to get his Clr5 ally back so that he can cast remove curse on him, so he will make what bargains he can to get that goat back. However, The Maw is nowhere near as canny as Kip, and although he’s no more likely to lie or break his word, he is more likely to let the PCs in on the whole quarrel, revealing Kip’s nature, if he thinks it will improve his position to take a band of adventurers into his confidence.

If The Maw takes the PCs into his confidence, he will guarantee their safety and ask them to arrange a truce between himself and Kip—the adventure moves to THE FEAST. However, he is worried about arousing Kip’s suspicions, so he will warn the PCs that under no circumstances should they mention to Kip that they are working on his behalf. It is imperative that Kip believes the PCs are acting in the interests of settling things peacefully.

If he gets desperate enough, The Maw will trade all sorts of guarantees if the PCs will cast remove curse on him. He’ll honor any agreement with them but move to take Kip out once and for all at THE SHOWDOWN.

*THIRD ENCOUNTER—Back to Kip*
This encounter depends heavily on how the PCs handled The Maw, and what they know. 

The PCs might try to talk Kip out of her herd. She will trade the herd for the gloves (and even the score later).

The PCs might try to steal the black billy goat. This will arouse Kip’s suspicions but she’s not likely to reveal her true nature to save one prisoner. The Maw will get his curse removed and the adventure moves to THE SHOWDOWN.

The PCs might now know Kip’s true nature and decide to take her on. Kip’s not down for that and will certainly try to flee using whatever means are at her disposal (gaseous form, etc.)

The PCs might know Kip’s true nature and try to arrange a truce between her and The Maw. Remember that The Maw’s ultimate goal is to trick Kip into eating one of the duergar who are laden with arsenic from the tail—and he’s on the clock. Of course, the PCs don’t need to know that one of the goats slaughtered for THE FEAST is actually a sentient being, and neither Kip nor The Maw is bloody likely to tell them. Kip will make certain that the meal is prepared when the PCs are away (perhaps returning to The Maw to agree to the truce.)
*
THE FEAST*
If the PCs manage to arrange a friendly encounter between the two villains, it will be at THE FEAST. Nothing will save Kip now—eventually she will eat the tainted meat, which contains enough arsenic to kill her a few times over. She’ll lose several points of CON in the first round and she’ll have 1 minute (10 rounds) before the secondary effects kick in and she loses several times 1d8 CON. 

Of course, as soon as she realizes she’s poisoned, the adventure moves to THE SHOWDOWN. She may already be dead but she'll try to take 

*THE SHOWDOWN*
This part of the adventure is triggered as soon as the PCs, Kip, and The Maw are together together and open hostility breaks out. The PCs will need to pick a side quickly.

The Maw can always use his central eye effectively, and he will usually keep it centered on Kip no matter what. If he’s still cursed, he can’t very effectively use his other eyes, but use them he will, willy-nilly. Remember that Kip has SR30 and The Maw is caster level 13.

Kip will use Shadow Conjuration to summon allies when and where she can, and other illusions to distract whomever she can.

A paladin PC may be able to cast bless weapon on one or more crossbow bolts, either for the PCs or even the duergar to use. Whether or not they work depend on whether or not Kip has her gloves back, and certainly whether or not The Maw has her in his central eye (thus negating the magic on the blessed bolt). Timing is key.

Much hinges on the villains’ appraisal of the PCs capabilities. Obviously, if the PCs attack either of the villains, any previous agreements are off with respect to that villain.

The ideal denouement for the PCs is likely a situation where they can ally with one of the villains to take out the other, but where the remaining villain is sufficiently weakened  that they can take him or her out, too.

*Exhumed Grave-- the ruse that Kip uses to try to get her gloves back
Tail End-- the end of the tail from the mine, full of arsenic
Unmentionable Services-- the PCs are asked by each villain not to mention their involvment
Unhappy Goatherd-- Kip's disguise
Cross-Eyed Beholder-- The Magnificent Maw
Gloves of Arrow Snaring-- Kip's prized gloves*


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## Nifft (Nov 6, 2009)

Round 3, Match 2 - Wik vs. Iron Sky

*Underdark Jungle
Lightning Fort
Evil Healer
Military Draft
Purple Wight
Trident of Fish Command*


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## InVinoVeritas (Nov 7, 2009)

This adventure consists of a pair of encounters that can be added as flavor to any existing adventure. There exists the tomb of a dracolich underneath a dungeon or castle. The tomb has since caved in and been filled in with dirt. Furthermore, a paladin has consecrated the ground, preventing the dracolich from rising again, as long as the dirt remains. The paladin’s wizard friend, foreseeing a time when other creatures might wish to free the dracolich, added a mechanical trap to the grave. 

An unfortunate beholder by the name of Scilivanthrok had heard the legend of the great evil buried under consecrated ground, but was unaware that it was a dracolich. Having uncovered the tip of the dracolich’s tail, he now realizes that he does not want to awaken the dragon—but is also now caught in the trap, and needs to escape. He hopes that the party will help him with this.

If the beholder moves out of the way, or tries to free himself, he will be shot by an Arrow of Slaying. However, he knows of a goatherd outside who has Gloves of Arrow Snaring, who might be willing to part with it. Out in the field, the goatherd indeed has these gloves, but he is quite upset because his goats prove unwilling to mate. If someone in the party is willing to help (the task involves a magic skin that turns someone into a goat, a Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity, a bladder of warm milk, and a scroll of Remove Curse) he will give the Gloves to the party for free.

With the gloves in hand, the party can catch the hidden arrow, freeing the beholder to recover the dracolich grave, and leave the party in peace.

The Cross-Eyed Beholder

The party first encounters the grave in a room in a dungeon. The floor of the room is bare earth, and a large hole has been dug at one end. At the bottom of the hole floats a beholder, named Scilivanthrok. He stares intently at a tail bone that has been unearthed—the tail end of the dracolich. Also, hugging the beholder’s form is a large cagelike structure. It has bound the eyestalks of the creature in such a way that they bend inward, facing each other.

“There is another here! I can hear you!” the beholder calls out. “No, fear not, I will not harm you. Yes, indeed, if you find the way to set me free, then I shall call you friends, allies! I am Scilivanthrok, and a fool, yes. You see this bone before me? It is the tail of a dracolich. It does not move, yes? It is not yet active, and will stay this way if I stare at it. No magic, you see? Now, I must not move either, for I am trapped! I shall be struck dead if I move, killed by a hidden arrow! You would like the poor foolish beholder dead, but the dracolich will live! No, I know more people. There is a man, he tends goats, and has magic! He can give you gloves, and you can catch the arrow yourself! Then I free myself from the trap, cover the grave, and we all are safe, and friends, yes? You help foolish Scilivanthrok?"


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## phoamslinger (Nov 7, 2009)

better something than nothing, IVV.

I'll take a better look at this tomorrow.

edit: judgment done.  waiting on the other two judges now...

[sblock]ok.  InVinoVeritas, you went way over the time limit and your entry clearly needs more work (it doesn’t even have a title).  and your opponent finished and submitted his entry within the time constraints.  the first two are bad, but the third one is the real killer.  but as an intellectual exercise, let’s take a look at what we have.

Wulf has a full adventure laid out with hooks and a storyline.  IVV has a side adventure that could actually be dropped into *any* high end dungeon as a side encounter.

Ingredients
*Exhumed Grave* 
Wulf’s entry used the grave as a plot hook to motivate the players, but it never really comes into the story much beyond that.  IVV’s entry used the partially exhumed grave as the resting place of a dracolich which held the beholder in place.  so this was actually a much stronger usage.  point to IVV

*Tail End* 
Wulf’s Tail End is the back of the mine where the arsenic was being dug out.  IVV’s Tail End lies in the Grave and is the threat that holds the Beholder and the rest of the story depends on more than just the tail end not being revealed.  again, point to IVV.

*Unmentionable Services* 
Wulf’s services were not to tell the other side.  IVV’s services involved “a magic skin that turns someone into a goat, a Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity, a bladder of warm milk, and a scroll of Remove Curse.”  truth be told, I’m almost glad that IVV didn’t have more time to go into details on this one.  blech!  unmentionable in the extreme.  third point to IVV.

*Unhappy Goatherd* 
Wulf’s Goatherd was a disguise, made acceptable by the presence of Kip’s goats.  IVV’s entry wasn’t particularly inspiring either, but at least it was an actual Goatherd, not a Rakshasa pretending to be a Goatherd.  not a strong point, but an edge to IVV.

*Cross-Eyed Beholder* 
I was wondering how you were going to pull this one off.  Wulf’s curse and subsequent mis-fire rules were a much better idea than IVV’s cage trap that pushed the eye stalks around.  point to Wulf on this one.

*Gloves of Arrow Snaring*
I can see where a Rakshasa would go out of his or her way to keep their hands on this item, to the exclusion of a whole bunch of other things.  it is the Gloves which provide a background for most of Wulf’s storyline.  IVV, stopping an arrow of slaying from killing the Beholder, wouldn’t it have been easier to just put a tower shield in front of the trap?  and I personally can’t stand High Magic campaigns where even the lowly Goatherders have magic items lying around worth hundreds or thousands of gold pieces.  Wulf got the point on this one as well.

so at the end of the ingredients, we have Wulf with two points, but IVV with three and an edge.

Connections:
Wulf your Grave didn’t tie to the End or the Goatherd very much at all, other than lipservice.  and I found Your services were fairly weak as well.  the Beholder that stole the Arrow which drives the rest of the adventure works ok, but even though you’ve got the various ingredients dropped in here and there, they really didn’t connect for me all that well.

IVV, your Grave holds the Tail End (of a monster, but that monster is just a mcguffin that never really comes into play) keeping the Beholder trapped and for it to escape the trap, it needs the players to perform Services for the Goatherd to get the Gloves.

Generally if I can string all six ingredients into a single (mostly) grammatically correct sentence, that’s doing pretty well.  another nod towards IVV’s entry.

Usage
Wulf’s entry clearly dominates here.  IVV, if I were playing in a game and walked into the setting you’ve described, I’d laugh my a$$ off at the monster and walk back out of the room.  but it would be *worthy* of a laugh, once the situational stupidity of the beholder and the whole scenario was exposed to light.  we the players would be asking the DM, “What were you thinking…” and it would have hung around as one of those bizarre stories of failed adventure hooks for generations to come…  not a point there, but maybe half a grin.

Wulf.  the biggest problem I had with your entry, more than anything else was your 7th ingredient, and that’s because it’s such a major dominating part of the whole storyline: Kip the Rakshasa.  your entry is great and would make a fine adventure to run (especially since we three judges are actively trying to find some really tough finale ingredients for the end).  I was and am impressed that you came up with *anything* with all six ingredients, much less that it was coherent and at least _tried_ to string them all together.  but there's a lot of extra stuff in there as well and without that extra stuff, your adventure based only on the six main ingredients just doesn't happen.  each judge has his own grading system.  mine looks, more than anything else, at the *six core items*.  everything else is just touchy feely stuff.

IVV.  I think it was Napoleon who said “Ask me for anything but time.”  in my opinion, the basic ideas you had for stringing together the ingredients without a whole lot of extra stuff would have been a much stronger entry than Wulf’s and would have put you into the final running, if you could just have polished out the little bumps along the way and come up with a finished product within the time.  a couple of your items were weak, but overall you had a much tighter usage of all six and used more of them better, without needing to drag in more stuff (Kip, the duergar, etc).

for these final three rounds, all three of us (Radiating Gnome, Nifft, and I) will be submitting a judgment.  best two out of three judgments wins.  even though IVV went over on time, on the basis of the ingredients and the way he used them, I would have given him the round on a wide margin - Iron DMs are not setting specific and a side trek or single encounter is just as valid as an entire campaign setting would be.  it is the usage of the ingredients and ONLY the ingredients that should make up the core of an entry. but due to all the other negative factors involved with IVV’s entry, since my other two judges haven’t posted yet, here’s what I’m going to do.

*in radically different ways, I found both entries needed a lot more work to be what I would consider a winning entry.*

if either of the other two judges gives InVinoVeritas a win, or even if one of them is undecided and puts forth a split decision (like mine), then I will give IVV the win for this round.  

but if they both throw it to Wulf (which I find rather likely in all honesty), then the decision will be unanimous and Wulf will advance.

so which of these two advances will now depend on RG and Nifft (which was the case anyway, come to think).
[/sblock]


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## Nifft (Nov 7, 2009)

r3m1 - WR v IVV

Exhumed Grave
Tail End
Unmentionable Services
Unhappy Goatherd
Cross-Eyed Beholder
Gloves of Arrow Snaring

[sblock]
I don't DIS-like either of these, but neither can I feel much LIKE for them. They're both unfinished.

If weekends are better for you folks, please speak up early! I don't care if this contest takes a few extra days. I do emphatically care about the quality of work -- and I know that these entries take a *lot* of work!

Okay, so first things first: ingredients.

*Exhumed Grave* - Wulf's is pure backstory, and odd at that, since any PCs who acted on it would be conflicting with the lie-averse Rakshasa. InVino, you've made the grave into the setting. Advantage IVV.

*Tail End* - Wulf, I'm not sure how the PCs would know they were in a "tail end". My criteria for evaluating ingredients involves thinking how a player would respond when asked, "so what did you think of the ______?" And if a player would have no clue what I'm talking about, that ingredient is a failure. IVV, your tail end is cleverly integrated, but it's a mechanical failure, because the central eye wouldn't affect an undead critter. Still, at least players would see it, and there's plenty of room for a mechanically minded DM to say the central eye cone was really stopping a magic rune of blah blah blah merely adjacent to the tail.

*Unmentionable Services* - Boy, I gotta be more careful with ingredients. IVV, you almost lost a ton of points before I realized that the discomfort I was feeling was *entirely our own fault* for giving you that ingredient. Kudos. Wulf, your services were mention-averse, but the PCs could easily betray either party without a second thought. I'd rather these services were things the characters would be embarrassed about, so IVV takes this one. In a disturbing, yet oddly satisfying way.

*Unhappy Goatherd* - I felt like both of you nailed this one, though I have a lot of trouble seeing this Rakshasa just hanging around playing goatherd all day. Loses several plausibility points there.

*Cross-Eyed Beholder* - IVV, I'm just not seeing it. A mechanical trap custom-made for beholders?! That just happens to be above him as he exhumes a grave? Point to Wulf for straightforward implementation. IVV, if I used your scenario, I'd also use Wulf's mechanic -- somehow the beholder triggered a _bestow curse_ and that is what made him crosseyed.

*Gloves of Arrow Snatching* - IVV, nice to see a beholder-specific problem (can't wear gloves), but why would a goatherd have such gloves, and how would the beholder know this fact, and ... yeah. Plausibility strain. Wulf, *excellent* justification. Of course a Rakshasa would want those! I'm kicking myself for never making that connection. Point to Wulf.


Evocative Prose: I liked Wulf's entry-cave, I liked the Rakshasa vs. Beholder mafias, I liked the cross-eyed curse.

IVV, I loved the idea of a Beholder trapped by not wanting to turn off his anti-magic cone, and the list of goatherd "animal husbandry" equipment was a bit TOO evocative... and by that, I mean excellent.


Plotwise: Wulf, I liked the idea of a feast on the poisoned flesh of the deep dwarves... but that was also terribly problematic, since the PCs would presumably be eating at the feast as well. Also, how would the PCs or Beholder get to choose which goat, rather than Kip? Also, why hasn't the sentient goat run away yet? Also, these criminal organizations must have been near a town, and I could easily see the PCs deciding to skip the mine and go to town for arrows, wands, ale, whores, whatever -- and then doing some Beholder research, discovering that the criminal underworld had two ringleaders, and connecting the dots from there -- and just deciding to kill both of them, which is what I'd probably want to do!

IVV, I really liked the essence of the setup, but felt it just wasn't justified by the details. IMHO the Beholder knows too much about his situation to have been caught in it.

In general, I felt that each of you have the kernels of an awesome idea, but didn't polish that idea to completion, and the rough edges are poking holes in your continuity.


Usability: Both scored low, because of the work I felt a DM would need to do to fill in the details in adapting for his own use.


Based on ingredient use, I want to give the match to InVinoVeritas. But ... [sblock] despite my reservations, I'm going to give it to *InVinoVeritas* anyway. He had far less cool stuff, but in this case less is more, because there were fewer loose ends dangling in my face. This bothers me, because with a tiny bit of tweaking Kip is an awesome NPC, and could easily be turned into the party's patron for half a campaign as they gather the equipment she needs to finally destroy civilization... including those gloves. But Raksha Gangsta wasn't an ingredient.[/sblock]

Even though I don't like how incomplete each of these felt, I really do admire the inspiration that oozes from both. Kudos on creativity.
[/sblock]


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## Radiating Gnome (Nov 7, 2009)

And it falls upon me to sum up, after presenting my own.  

First, My take. Pernicious Quarrel (PQ) vs. Unnamed Entry (UE)
[sblock]
Let me just get right to the meat of this -- I want to pay some attention to the ingredients and the form, despite the unusual circumstances. 

So, the ingredients.  

Exhumed Grave.  
I frankly had to go hunting through PQ to find this ingredient.  It's there, but I really had to hunt for it, and it could really have been anything.  In UE, on the other hand, the dracolich's grave was being exhumed by the beholder . . . it works.  It's not all that strong, but it's there a little better than the one in PQ.  Point to UE. 

Tail End
Again, the tail end of the gold mine in PQ is there, but not really in an interesting, evocative way.  The exhumed end of a tail of a Dracolich is pretty cool . . . clever, even.  Edge to UE. 

Unmentionable Services. 
Well, the unmentionable services in UE were funny, and certainly unmentionable.  I laughed at the idea.  In PQ, the services are not really unmentionable at all -- it's a trivial thing, but asking someone not to mention something is not the same as that thing being unmentionable, at least in my head.  And, certainly, the PCs had the OPTION to mention those services to either party in the exchange . . . so . . .they were not quite unmentionable at all. I'm imagining 4e skill challenge version of those unmentionable services . . . .  Edge to UE. 

Unhappy Goatherd.  
I like Kip a lot -- it's a real shame that he's not an ingredient per se, because if he were, I think he could have carried a lot of the weaker stuff in PQ.  The goatherd guise is okay, but it's sort of weak, even with the flock of polymorphed duegar goats.  With UE, the goatherd is an actual goatherd, and as campy and weird as his role in the story is, at least he's tied to the story by an ingredient that calls for that sort of camp (unmentionable services).  The idea that a goatherd has a set of gloves of arrow snaring . . . well . . . anyway, that's another ingredient.  I'll be back on that horse in a sec. But, if we focus on the unhappy part . . . in UE, the goatherd is unhappy; in PQ she's only pretending to be unhappy.  I dunno.  It's pretty thin.  Call it a wash. 

Cross-Eyed Beholder
Honestly, I'm not excited about either of the uses of this.  In PQ, the beholder is crosseyed because of a curse, in Ue because of the trap which has caught his eyes and pointed them at each other.  Both of those are weak, but I have to say that the idea of a mechanical trap -- one that was not designed specifically to catch a beholder -- has this one caught with his eyes all facing each other is just too much to swallow.  Point to PQ. 

Gloves of Arrow Snaring 
I'm really struggling with the idea that the goatherd in UE has the gloves -- if he has a magical item of such value (and of so little use in his everyday life), why the heck hasn't he sold it and given up being a goatherd?  Point to PQ. (and, really, the girdle of masculinity/femininity?  Where does he get these wonderful toys?)

So, it's very close, with 3 ingredients swaying towards IVV, and two for Wulf, with a split decision on the goatherd.  

Usability 
I don't really know what sort of players either of you play with, but my groups don't do well with this sort of delicate negotiation sort of adventure, especially when they are so far fetched.  

In PQ, depending upon whether the DM tips his hand, may well believe Kip and head off into the mines to look for the maw, but the PCs will "know" at that point that they're facing the bad guy.  They see a painted boulder and hear a voice, they stop sweating the "real" beholder and start attacking.  And the rest of the adventure falls apart from there.  

In UE . . . well, my PCs would just killed the helpless beholder in the trap, then go looking for the goatherd who has some loot.  Maybe some further development would create a situation where combat is ill-advised because it might actually wake the dracolich, but that's not here now.  

Evocative Writing/Creativity.  
I wasn't very excited by much in either entry.  I liked Kip a lot.  I think he has potential.  And in a very different way, I liked the unmentionable services in UE, even though they're based on magic items that are improbably in the kit of a lowly goatherd. 

Overall -
Man, this is a lot harder than I expected when I sat down with these two, given the circumstances.  And I find that I'm leaning towards an answer I did not expect to come up with before I started to look closely at the way ingredients were being used.  

PQ should have been an easy winner, given the time and development of the adventure.  Everything about it is more fleshed out, more developed, more complete than UE.  But in the key areas of the ingredients, UE is still edging out PQ, despite the anorexic development, because the ideas behind the use of those ingredients are better.  And that's an interesting place to be.  

But look at Kip -- so much has been done in this adventure to develop the Rhakshasa Kip -- and the only thing that pays off for the competition is the unhappy(?) goatherd guise he uses to get the PCs to help him.  It certainly makes for a more complete entry, and that helps, but does it help the entry cross the finish line?  I'm torn.  

UE has better, if campy, use of the ingredients. It lacks hooks, and all the window dressing that we want from a good Iron DM entry.  But I still am drawn to that adventure more -- that's the one I would rather play.  I think if IVV had been able to develop this entry better, it would have been the hands-down winner.  No question in my mind.  

I find myself in a place where I'm on the hooks between giving one entry my nod because it was more complete, but not because I liked it better -- or, giving the other entry my nod because I liked the ideas better despite the lack of completeness of the entry.  

In the end, Iron DM is about creativity and inventiveness -- and I don't necessarily like the trend towards entries that have included complete stat blocks for monsters, etc.  Those are nice, but to me they're not the heart of the matter.  

So, I'm going to tip towards IVV.  I'm sure it's a minority position, but that's where I'm standing.  
[/sblock]
-rg


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## Radiating Gnome (Nov 7, 2009)

I'm both surprised and not surprised.  

The short version of the judgement on this round is that Nifft has given a solid vote for IVV; that was enough to throw Phoamslinger's vote into IVV's column, so my position was trivial . . . . though my weak vote for IVV makes this a pretty wish-washy but still unanimous decision

Reading over the judgements, I think we're all responding to the same things, and all felt the same sort of frustrations making a decision on this round.  

Wulf, I think you're a helluva guy, and you've been a model of sportsmanship, given the lateness of IVV's entry.  And, frankly, I'm still surprised that I didn't like this entry of yours better.  But as one of the judges, I want to make it a point to thank you for your generosity and grace.

And InVinoVeritas, I'm happy to be the one to send you along to the finals, but I'd HATE to see another entry as thin as this past one, given the other strengths you clearly have.  I hope that we'll be able to schedule the final round in such away that you'll have the time to complete your entry properly.  

-rg


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## InVinoVeritas (Nov 8, 2009)

Honestly, guys, I'm humbled.

Thank you for your judgment and discussion of the entry. The weekend will give me time that I cannot have during the week, so this might help.

Wulf, Kip is awesome, and I'll have to find a way to use him in my games. 

Thanks again, I'll keep working and do my best in the finals.


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## Wik (Nov 8, 2009)

*Gone Fishing!*

*Gone Fishin’*
A Fourth Edition D&D Adventure for five PCs of 15th level

*Background:*

The Black Rock Confederacy has recently come under the threat of raids originating from the many caverns that thread through the hills.  Strange, aquatic fish monsters, named “Kuo-Toa” by those knowledgeable in such things, have been making forays on the various towns and villages of the confederacy.  Many have gone missing, dragged screaming into the steaming caverns below.

Traditional attempts to fight this menace have failed – fortifying the numerous villages and towns is difficult at best, and the laying of traps thus far has been unsuccessful.  Divine pleas for aid point towards a risky endeavour – for, in the very caves haunted by Kuo-Toa, there is said to lie an abandoned magical trident that grants control over the fish men.  But to enter the underdark – and brave the kuo-toa army that camp there – is a terrifying proposition.  

Luckily for the Confederacy, a resourceful young healer named Ebon Grai has put forward one means of acquiring otherwise reluctant volunteers.  The Confederacy will issue a draft...

*Synopsis:*

The PCs are asked by Confederacy leaders to arrange for the draft of civilians, in the hopes of putting together a suitable force capable of acquiring a magical Trident said to be located in an old underground dwarven hold.  They take part in the forced drafting of the adult populace, having to quell riots and settle on a means of determining suitability in the drafting process.  During this process, they will be faced with many bribery offers, and will most likely wind up on the expeditionary force themselves.

The PCs meet Ebon Grai, an opportunistic young healer who has offered to lead the expedition.  Ebon is a very smart man, with sinister motivations, which the PCs soon discover on their trek underground.  Ebon has developed a process that allows slain volunteers to be temporarily revived as wights – those undead that are able to return to the surface will be easily revived (or so Ebon claims).

The strike force makes it way through a fungal forest underground, with the PCs having to settle disputes among their “troopers” and unease over the “new recruits” (the wights).  After several battles with Kuo-Toa, they learn that a strike team of Fish Men is making its way to the fortress in order to secure the trident.

The PCs (along with Ebon) leave the main expeditionary force to enter the fortress, which has been charged with electrical energy due to the presence of so many Kuo-Toa whips and monitors.  Eventually, the party comes across the Trident (an artefact that allows the PCs to control the Kuo-Toa) only to be predictably betrayed by Ebon.  Using their kuo-toa army, the PCs have to battle Ebon’s Wights if they wish to escape the underdark alive.  

*A Quick Note:  *

Unlike earlier entries, this adventure could be very large in scope, and is not necessarily linear in structure.  While a potential path is charted for the PCs to follow, deviations can (and probably will) occur.  Further, the exact outcome of this adventure remains open to PC choice.  As such, the presentation of this adventure will differ from earlier entries, instead focusing on individual ingredients and adventure possibilities.

*The Black Rock Confederacy:*

The Black Rock Confederacy is a collection of independent townships in the Furnace Hills, an area known to be riddled with both limestone caverns and lava vents.  Considered by most to be a suicide locale, due to the frequent volcanic eruptions and inevitable monster raids, the confederacy still attracts a rough and tumble assortment of miners and profit-seekers, due to the abundance of gemstones (particularly diamonds) in the earth.  The confederacy consists of a dozen or so towns and villages, scattered throughout the hills, each no more than thousand souls strong.  

The exact reasoning for why the PCs find themselves in the Furnace Hills is, of course, up to the individual GM to decide, but a simple reason that can easily be explained into the story is to come as independent arbiters, hired in a low-lying town.  As the Confederacy struggles against the increasing Kuo-Toa raids, they have decided (due to Ebon Grai’s leadership and plan, described below) that a military draft to put forth a field army is the best pursuit.  However, in such a case, there are always those who can put forward a valid argument on why they should not be considered for the mission.  And, due to the small size of the confederacy, no leader could be considered to be truly neutral.  As such, the PCs could easily be hired to act as a neutral, unbiased party.  This “hook” is the default consideration for the adventure, though GMs can modify it as they see fit, obviously.  

*The Draft:  *

Ebon Grai has put forward a plan to draft thirty men and women that are capable of entering the underdark in the hopes of securing the trident.  Each will be trained in basic military drills, equipped with arms and armour, and arranged into a strike force.  However, Ebon has a technique that will allow those who are slain to be temporarily revived as a special form of Wight – a monster with a fully-functioning body and a soul in limbo, capable of draining life from the living.  The breakthrough in the process is Ebon’s ability to, upon returning home, return the wight to life without the expensive ritual components that would surely bankrupt the confederacy.  This technique is done using an easy-to-operate machine the healer has been working on for years as a side project – everyone knows how to use it, and are reasonably sure it will work. Enough, at least, to accept the risk Ebon proposes.  

Of course, no one wants to face the possibility of temporarily turning into an undead monstrosity, and so a random draft is necessary.  The PCs are hired to decide what constitutes a “draft-worthy candidate”, debating on parameters such as age, physical fitness, average intelligence, and so on.  Each time they make a claim, they are presented with a “corner case” that they will have to make a ruling on.  Of course, the whole time, they are presented with individuals feigning illnesses to make them exempt from the draft.  During this period of the adventure, they are also given “friendly advice” by Ebon to make sure certain individuals are automatically drafted (rivals that Ebon holds a grudge against), as well as bribes by wealthier miners to exempt certain members. At least one “Draft Riot” should occur, and rebellions that oppose the draft could also spring up (imagine the PCs’ headquarters being surrounded by a “sing-in”!)

In any case, the PCs have to organize the draft itself, and the draft should be carried out as a major adventure scene.  People growing increasingly tense as things carry on, while draftees pass out when their names are called.  

After the draft is carried out, if the PCs haven’t volunteered to lead the expedition, they are approached by the community leaders, who beg the PCs to venture into the underdark.  If they oppose this, they are instead approached by wealthier draftees who are willing to pay a rather large sum (in diamonds) if the PCs take their places.  The PCs are also responsible for the training of the new recruits.

The draftees will follow PC advice as long as it is reasonable, and have a good mix of trepidation at the ordeal ahead of them and pride in their new combat abilities.  Each is equipped with suitable arms and armour, provisions for the expedition, sun rods, and metal neck tags identifying themselves.  They have a fear of the wights, and as more and more draftees are changed into undead, the fear among the draftees increases.  They are prone to panic, and develop jaded personalities alarmingly fast.  

For a good example of the draftees’ behaviour, watch the movies _Platoon_ and _Hamburger Hill_, or most any movie on the Vietnam war.  Establish several draftees early on, and give each draftee a catch phrase (such as “this can’t be happening” or “one day, this will all be over, and we’ll laugh about it”.  As the draftees die and resurrect, they’ll repeat these catch phrases at key moments).  

*Ebon Grai:*

Ebon Grai quickly establishes himself as a problem.  Not only is his plan an unusual one, but his personality suggests he has little love for the confederacy.  He does act as the expedition’s healer, though he charges for his healing services, and readily admits he became a healer for the money.  Furthermore, his desire to see townsfolk changed into Wights becomes apparent very early on, with the so-called “healer” often declaring minor wounds to be fatal, suggesting a “temporary change in life status” as the only possible solution.  

An early example will involve a draftee breaking an arm or a foot, and Ebon doing his best to humanely kill the civilian and promptly bring him back as a wight.  Of course, the PCs will not trust Ebon very early on, especially once they realize they have no way of controlling the wights without the healer (who, of course, was fully trusted above ground).  For his part, Ebon will do his best to get to dying draftees before the PCs, to turn them into wights before PC healing magic can take effect.

Ebon’s secret plan is to raise an army of wights and steal the trident, and then use the trident to gain control of the kuo-toa.  With this force under his control, he’ll intensify the raids upon the surface and increase his army of wights substantially, until he is strong enough to seize control of the diamond stores and achieve fabulous wealth.  

By the time the PCs realize Ebon is a threat, they also discover that they need him to return to the surface alive.  After all, the moment he dies, the wights will go berserk.  They should realize that the speedy retrieval of the artefact is the only way to return to the surface.

*The Wights:*

The Wights, as raised by Ebon, are mostly animated bodies animated by necromantic energy, as opposed to the soul-like animus that drives most people.  They appear in many ways in their original form; however, their improper blood flow gives most of the wights a bruised look, with many purple splotches over the face, neck, hands, arms, chest, and legs.  The longer the wights remain “dead”, the more pronounced this purple colouring becomes.

The Wights are not mindless, in fact retaining the same level of intelligence and training they had in life, only with a pronounced desire to “achieve the mission”  (acquire the trident) and a subtle hatred of those who are still alive.  Each wight is also incredibly loyal to Ebon, readily laying down his “life” to save “the master”.  Should Ebon die, the wights will go berserk, slaying the remaining draftees readily.  Each wight says little, though they often repeat one or two phrases.  Some unconsciously repeat the last words they said over and over again as a mantra, others (such as the draftees the GM has decided to focus on) will repeat a stock phrase, even when it makes absolutely no sense.  When they are forced to speak, they respond in one or two word answers.

During their foray into the fungal jungle, the Wights develop infections all over their body due to the moist conditions, some even growing mushrooms during watch duty.  Upon reaching the dwarven lightning fortress, a wight that gets struck by an errant bolt of electricity will suddenly have its heart start once more, at least for a few seconds (one round).  During this time, the wight reverts to his human self, screaming in horror at his current predicament before once more “going wight”.  

*The Underdark:* 

When the PCs enter the underdark with their large expeditionary force, they must move through many limestone tunnels and lava vents.  The entire underground is hot and steamy, as there are numerous underwater vents that keep the air uncomfortably moist.  For the first few days of the journey (encountering relatively small kuo-toa strike teams), the group encounters only small mushrooms and fungus conditions.  This all ends when they enter the last stage of the journey, the mushroom jungle (see below).

During this trip, the group should have many role-playing opportunities with draftees (as they break for camp and try to keep morale), leadership opportunities, arguments with Ebon, and pitched battles with Kuo-Toa.  The battles with Kuo-Toa should involve the PCs in a side fight, running a skill challenge to influence how the battle as a whole went.  In any case, draftees should die during the Kuo-Toa ambushes;  the success of the PCs in the skill challenges should influence the number.  Make it clear that PCs cannot fight the Kuo-Toa along – each fight should involve dozens of the fish men.  Furthermore, the more wights there are in the party, the easier each fight becomes, which could allow the PCs to think dead draftees are the ideal solution (good parties could have a very hard time rationalizing this).  

*The Fungal Forest: *

The Fungal Forest is a series of large caverns, fed by both magma vents and aquatic waterways to create a steamy, moist environment.  The steam collects on the millions of stalactites hundreds of feet overhead, before reaching a critical mass and “raining” in predictable torrents.  This abundance of moisture has lead to the development of an underground “jungle” of sorts, populated entirely by giant mushrooms and various fungi that resemble undergrowth.  The frequent rain and thick vegetation plays havoc on night vision, and the draftees find their clothes soon completely sodden and uncomfortable – diseases run rampant if left unchecked.  

The group knows that the “dwarven fort” is somewhere in this forest, but also know that the forest stretches across dozens of caverns, each cavern kilometres in length.  The Kuo-Toa are also searching the area in large groups (conveniently, groups the same size as the PCs expeditionary group!  Who’d have thunk it?), using the waterways and pools to get from location to location, as they hate the conditions of the forest at least as much as the surface dwellers.

Many survival challenges can take place here – disease and the rotting of food are an obvious place to start, but deadfalls, poisonous fungal clouds, strangling vines, and pit traps are all possible choices.  There could be minor dwarven ruins, completely overgrown, that foreshadow the dwarven fortress (below).  Encounters could include Kuo-Toa raiding parties (in the thick of the “jungle”, these fights would be running skirmishes), bizarre giant centipedes that act like jungle snakes, and all manner of insect.  

*The Lightning Fortress:*

The PCs were sent to get the Trident of Fish Command, which was said to be in an old dwarven fortress made of steel, buried underground.  When the PCs reach the fortress, they see that the steel framework has been completely covered by the unchecked fungus forest.  They also soon learn that the Kuo-Toa discovered it first, and the presence of lightning-powered Kuo-Toa whips and monitors has charged the metal structure in many places.  In fact, it hums with electrical energy in places.

The PCs realize sending the entire strike team into the fortress (now probably half human and half wight, at least) would be more of a hassle than a help, so instead go in themselves.  Ebon insists he accompany them (he wants the Trident, remember), and brings along his two favourite wights.  Run Ebon and each Wight as a companion character, if possible.

The fortress is obviously dwarven in nature, with dwarven script in the walls and dwarf-sized hallways and furniture.  Many of the larger room are filled with fungus growths, while large patches have completely rusted through.  Despite this, many areas consist of bare metal, which often has an electrical charge.  Furthermore, the Kuo-Toa in the area are aware of this, and use it to their advantage.  As mentioned above, wights who trigger the numerous electrically-charged areas will temporarily revive, which should unsettle most PCs.  

Exploring this dungeon should be a horror setting at times, with the wights increasing the tension, and the kuo-toa launching ambushes from underbrush or through rusted-open walls.  Eventually, though, the PCs make it to the central room, and find the trident.

*The Trident of Fish Command:*

Built by the dwarves centuries ago, the Trident was forged to repel the Kuo-Toa that infested the underdark.  However, the Kuo-Toa soon learned of the trident’s powers, and left the dwarves alone.  With no kuo-toa to worry about, the trident remained unused for decades, until it was loaned to surface-dwelling humans to increase their fishing yield.  Of course, after this, the kuo-toa attacked once more, and the dwarves scrambled to regain their valuable artefact.  It was eventually returned, but not before the dwarves were forced to the surface.  The bearer of the trident was not able to repel the kuo-toa – he made it to the old steel fortress before he was killed from a fall through the floor.  The trident has remained in the fortress ever since, forgotten.

The Trident allows the wielder to control up to fifty Kuo-Toa at any one time, issuing commands as a minor action.    

When the PCs recover the trident, Ebon makes his power play to seize it.  However, the PCs should be prepared, and repel the healer.  Ebon flees back to his army of Wights, and leads them in an attack against the remaining draftees, hoping to develop more followers.  The PCs have to use the trident to control the nearby Kuo-Toa to stop Ebon... without killing him (since should he die, the wights will go berserk, and will not make it back to the surface to regain their former lives).  

Exactly how the PCs accomplish this, of course, remains to be seen.  

*Final Notes:*

If the PCs are able to lead the wights and surviving draftees to the surface, the wights are revived and Ebon will face prosecution and probable hanging.  The trident will be used as a deterring device, and once the kuo-toa realize the confederacy has the trident, they cease their raids.  

*INGREDIENT SUMMARY:*
_Evil Healer:_ Ebon Grai.  Obviously evil, throughout the adventure.  His "healing process" of temporary revival is pretty evil, and his behaviour as official doctor throughout the adventure is pretty nasty.
_Purple Wights:_ Again, pretty obvious.  They are purple from their half-living status (and the congealed nature of the blood).  This was actually really hard to figure out, but once I took at look through my first aid book (completely by accident!) it all came together.
_Military Draft:_ The PCs both initiate the draft itself, and then have to deal with draftees throughout the adventure.
_Trident of Fish Control:_ Not only the "MacGuffin" but an artefact that creates a very interesting encounter at the end (and the first time that the PCs are able to actually oppose Ebon, since if they do beforehand, they'll find many wights against them).
_Underdark Jungle:_  The mushroom forest.  Very much a jungle (due to the frequent rain and heat) over a forest.  
_Lightning Fort:_ The dwarven steel fortress, charged due to the presence of so many kuo-toa exploring it.


----------



## Iron Sky (Nov 8, 2009)

*OPERATION: LIGHTNING STORM*

 This adventure is designed for a party of 11th level PCs.  It takes place deep in the Underdark and makes a great introduction to paragon-level play.

*Background*
 The brilliant and ambitious Locutious “Royal” Bolt had a grand dream; to set up a human empire amidst the dangers of the Underdark.  He was partially successful, creating rifts to the Elemental Chaos to power the defenses of a series of forts around the borders of the territory where he planned to build his empire.  Unfortunately for his grand dream of the “Bulwark Empire”, several factions took an interest in his machinations, including the neighboring drow and the militaries of the elemental cities Stormbreak and Cloudpeak(see below).

 While the drow had no interest in the forts themselves due to the distance from their nearest settlements, they didn't like Bolt's rapidly expanding power or the idea of his forts falling into someone else's hands.  They infiltrated his followers and performed a ritual that turned all of the inhabitants of his primary fort into ravening undead, figuring that would deter anyone else from taking it over.  When Bolt himself was transformed, he – unlike most wights – retained a shred of his previous personality and ambitions and created a small “kingdom” of Wights based out of the first fort he constructed: the Sparkrift Bulwark.

*Sparkrift Bulwark*
 The first fort is built in a massive Underdark cavern, designed around a rift to just inside a massive continual lightning storm in the Elemental Chaos known as the Allfront.  The Sparkrift Bulwark taps into the power of the storm, channeling lightning into the fort and its surrounds to create a nearly-impenetrable barrier.  The yellow metal walls of the fort have arcane and mechanical grounding devices that keep those inside it safe from the energy-saturated area around the rift but those outside aren't so lucky.

*Sparkrift Jungle*
 Everything went entirely according to Bolt's plan, including the Sparkrift's effect on the lush, tangled Underdark jungle in which he built his fort.  Much of the native Underdark flora and fauna died away, but what remained adapted and intermixed with the exotic plants and creatures native to the Allfront.

 Aside from the usual Underdark giant mushrooms and phosphorescent fungus, the Sparkrift Jungle also now holds brilliantly-colored schools of cloud-swimming Sparkfish, several of the smaller breeds of Skywhales(that tend to remain in the near the energy-rich Sparkrift itself), dangerous Flicker Sharks, volatile current bushes, and, most importantly, exotic Crimson Charge-blossom flowers and an elemental-adapted fungus called Blue Groundweb.

 Charge Blossoms and Groundweb have the unique property that, when gathered and ground together into a paste that is applied to the skin, the wearer is protected from the worst of the elemental effects surrounding the Sparkrift itself (and lightning in general).  This is the key that let Bolt and his followers come and go from the Bulwark once the Sparkrift was opened and is also the key that has allowed Bolt, in his new form, to keep his small army of Wights intact.

 The Sparkrift Jungle is a dangerous place.  Every round a creature is in the Jungle, they take an attack versus Fortitude that deals 2d6+3 lightning damage from the ambient lightning energy sent out by the Sparkrift.  The local creatures and plants have either adapted to this environment or are native to it and have grown in/migrated to the Jungle.  Any normal Underdark hazard or an evolved version of just about any normal Underdark monster might be found here as well.

 Also note that the Jungle is thickly laden with _faerzress_ – the magical energy that is consumed by the Underdark plants in the Jungle – that made the growth so rich in the first place.  Because of this, any teleport attempt is reduced to a 1 square teleport and any divination or scrying rituals fail when used in or on the Jungle or Bulwark.

*Locutious “Royal” Bolt, aka the Royal Wight*
 Bolt was an eccentric genius whose mad fervor was enough to draw a hundred human followers on his “Royal Underdark Design.”  Once converted, he still remembered enough to coat his wights with his stockpiles of protective paste and have them constantly scour the Jungle for the ingredients to keep their supply high.

 Now, his wights ambush patrols or caravans of whatever Underdark creatures that happen to pass by the Sparkrift Jungle, then retreat to the relative safety of its bounds, often taking captives so he can Soul Harvest them to heal up any injured/damaged Wights after battle(see below).

 As the Royal Wight, he still wears the purple and white garb of the royalty he made himself up to be in life and a gaudy crown of white gold studded with emeralds.

 Mechanically, he is a Battle Wight Commander(_MM1_,p262), modified to be an elite – mostly consisting of making the Soul Harvest power an at-will rather than recharge power, augmenting the area-of-effect and healing quantity of Soul Harvest, and giving him 15 lightning resist.

 The rest of his Purple Wights are as Battle Wights(_MM1_,p262), any he sends out of the Bulwark are coated with the protective purple paste, granting them resist 15 lightning for the day.  All of them are canny about the hazards of the Jungle and adept at avoiding them.

*Stormbreak and Cloudpeak*
 Stormbreak is a many-bridged city in the Elemental Chaos that is built on a web of massive wind-blown floating platforms that continually fly along the crest of the ever-expanding Allfront.  Currently, they are preparing for war with the neighboring floating city of Cloudpeak.  Until fairly recently, the cities were peaceful, but Bolt's Sparkrift sits in the Allfront between the two cities, disrupting the schools of Sparkfish and the migration patterns of Skywhales that the two cities fish/hunt as their primary food sources.  

 As sky fishers in the two cities began coming back with empty nets, the two cities became more aggressive in protecting their territories in the Allfront, eventually leading them to the brink of all-out war as they skirmished over the disappearing foodstocks.  Finally, both called up their militias – the last step before war – the massive swelling of their respective militaries putting a massive strain on their resources and their already fragile relations with each other.

 As a last-ditch diplomatic effort, the military leaders of the cities met in an attempt to avert the war and sent a combined squad of soldiers to the material plane in an attempt to find and eliminate the cause of the Sparkrift.  This force wasn't quite prepared for the dangers of the Underdark into which they were sent and their number has now dwindled to two; a Genesai(Wind) Warlord from Stormbreak, code-name “Bellows”, and a Genesai(Lightning) Paladin from Cloudpeak, code-name “the Purifier”.

*Bellows and The Purifier*
 Having finally reached the edge of the Sparkrift Jungle, Bellows came to the conclusion that if they were to have any hope of completing their mission and surviving to report their success back to their home cities, they had to conscript “locals” to the task.  They have managed to bribe, threaten, coerce, and/or persuade a few adventurous parties to brave the depths of the Sparkrift Jungle for them and have learned much from those group's (mostly fatal) failures.  They have a plan that they think will work, but they are running out of time; every day they wait is another day closer to war between Stormbreak and Cloudpeak.

 The Purifier was also given a secret objective by the commander of his order, The Knights of the Golden Sky, to test a new ritual codenamed “Heal Evil” that may possibly restore intelligent undead and return them to their previous forms.  It is a lower priority than preventing the war, but if it doesn't compromise their primary mission, he would like to try it on one of the Purple Wights.

 The PCs will discover them in a small camp on the outskirts of the Sparkrift Jungle consisting of a pair of small personal tents, a much larger “command tent”, and two supply tents.  Both agents own and carry a veritable arsenal of weaponry and equipment – mostly taken from their fallen companions and “conscripts” – some of which might be offered as rewards.  Most importantly, Bellows has the Trident, MK2, Fish Command and Control Device(see below).

 Bellows has a constant swirl of wind about him and an air of absolute command.  The Purifier is much quieter, but his eyes spark with his zealousness and devotion to the mission(s).

 Each is a different flavor of Level 13 Solo Soldier(Leader).

*Trident, MK2, Fish Command and Control Device(TMK2-FCACD)*
 These tridents are primarily used to keep Flicker Sharks and other larger sky-swimming creatures away from military airships traveling through the Allfront and the one Bellows possesses is integral to their plan to complete their mission.   

 The trident has an at-will, standard action power that automatically(no roll required) dominates a nearby swarm of Sparkfish, a single Flicker Shark, or a Skywhale until the end of the player's next turn.   

 Sparkfish are usually non-hostile “background” elements and the DM can assume there is always a school or two of them “swimming” amidst the Jungle or near the Bulwark.  If the Trident holder calls a school to swarm around them, the bodies of the Sparkfish protect anyone inside the huge(3x3) school from some of the lightning energies of their environment(lightning resist 5).  Also, they can be ordered to attack the Trident-holder's enemies.

 Flicker Sharks and Skywhales are more rare and Skywhales are also an important part of Bellow's plan(see below).

 Also, the Trident has been secretly modified by the Purifier so that if an intelligent undead creature is hit by the blunt end of the trident, an item daily power, free action power activates: the creature makes a saving throw.  If it is successful, the power is not used up; if the save fails, the creature dies unless otherwise noted(see below).  Bellows knows nothing of this power, nor do any PCs not taken aside by the Purifier(see below).

*Hooks*
*1)* The PCs, while traveling through the Underdark, encounter the Bellows and The Purifier and are conscripted to aid them on their mission(s).
*2)* If the PCs have ties to any Underdark factions (drow, dueregar, etc), those factions can send them to investigate Sparkrift Bulwark and/or the Sparkrift Jungle to determine how much threat they pose now.
*3)* The PCs are encountered wherever they happen to be by Bolt's recruiters – who have been gone from the Underdark for months to years as they roam the lands and haven't heard of their master's fate – who promise them adventure, power, high rank, and/or good pay if they join the “Bulwark Empire's” military, dispatching them to Sparkrift Bulwark to enlist.
*4)* Cloudpeak and Stormbreak have called upon their allies in the material plane for assistance; allies who happen to be factions the PCs have been working with/for and send the PCs to assist.
*5)* Good aligned Paladins, Clerics, or similar characters might have been sent by the same order that the Purifier is a member of to aid him in his secret “Heal Evil” mission(see Below).

*Bullet Point Adventure Summary*
 0) Hooks
 1) Drafted into “the mission” and briefed
 2) Infiltration/navigation of the Sparkrift Jungle
 3) Skywhale assault on the Sparkrift Bulwark
 4) Resolution

*1. Mission Improbable*
 The PCs find themselves on the outskirts of the Sparkrift Jungle.  How and why they are there depends on which hook(s) the DM used to get them there.

 Regardless, when they arrive, the commandeering Bellows will attempt to conscript them into their mission, via whatever means he thinks will work; pleading, persuasion, bullying, promises of equipment, riches, and/or glory, even threats if he believes there is no other alternative.

 The Purifier uses Insight to gauge the PCs' trustworthiness, approaching good-aligned Paladins and Clerics first, then any other seemingly good-aligned characters(especially any he discerns to be ritual casters, offering them copies of the ritual if it works).  The Purifier will take such notables aside to discuss his secret “Heal Evil” mission.  If he can convince them to help with his secret mission, he will attempt to get them to help persuade the others to help with the primary mission.

 Once the PCs are on-board, Bellows shifts to the stern mien of a commanding officer.  Whichever PC  has the most prominent military bent, took the lead in the negotiations, and/or that Bellows likes most becomes “Sergeant.”  He appends “Private” to the beginning of all the rest of the PCs' names.  When speaking of them in general, he calls them “the Recruits”.

 The Purifier mostly stays quiet, though occasionally throws in strong words about the “righteousness” of their mission, especially to any PCs in on his secret mission.

 Bellows reveals the following plan, all drawn up and diagrammed on dozens of parchment sheets pinned to a large board that he points to with a long stick as he details the mission:

*OPERATION: LIGHTNING STORM*
*Preparation*: The Recruits are to be trained in the use and operation of the _Trident, MK2, Fish Command and Control Device_(TMK2-FCACD).
*Phase 1*: The Recruits are to use any means at their disposal, including but not limited to relevant applications of the _TMK2_ to appropriate a sufficient quantity _Objective Alpha_(indigenous fungal species _BG_, alias Blue Groundweb and floral species _CCB_, alias Crimson Charge-blossom) from the edge of _Operation Zone Bravo_(Sparkrift Jungle).
*Phase 2*: The Recruits are to rendevous at _Home Base_ with _Objective Alpha_ to regroup to create _LBF-15_(Lightning Block Factor 15) and prepare for Phase 3.
*Phase 3*: After training in the use and operation of _LBF-15_, the Recruits are to make liberal application of it to fortify against local conditions and infiltrate _Operation Zone Bravo_, eliminating or avoiding any encountered hostiles, using the _TMK2_ at their discretion.
*Phase 4*: Upon reaching the boundary of _Operation Zone Charlie_(Sparkrift Bulwark), the Recruits are to use the _TMK2_ to locate and commandeer any sufficient _Objective Delta_(Skywhales).
*Phase 5*: Once inside a commandeered _Objective Delta_, the Recruits are to use its arial capabilities to bypass the barrier surrounding _Operation Zone Charlie_.
*Phase 6*: Upon location of a suitable Landing Zone inside _Operation Zone Charlie_, the Recruits are to find and identify _Primary Objective Echo_(Sparkrift's source).
*Phase 7*: If necessary, the Recruits will perform a holding action while destruction and/or neutralization of _Primary Objective Echo_ are carried out.
*Phase 7b*: Target of opportunity, _Secondary Objective Foxtrot_(Locutious “Royal” Bolt, aka the Royal Wight) shall be eliminated if possible, though not at the expense of _Primary Objective Echo_.
*Phase 8*: The Recruits will be responsible for self-extraction from _Operation Zone Charlie_ and _Operation Zone Bravo_.  Debriefing to be carried out at _Home Base_.

 Bellows will then answer any questions, distribute written copies of the mission(with all the words in parenthesis omitted for “mission security reasons”, and send the Recruits on their way.

 Once the mission briefing is complete, The Purifier will slip the relevant PCs a slip of paper with the following:

_Special operation “Heal Evil”_
*Phase 7c*: The alternate function of the TMK2-FCACD is to be used on _Secondary Objective Foxtrot_ if at all possible.  If not, it should be used on _Tertiary Objective Golf_(any Wight).   

*2. It's a Jungle Out There!*
 The PCs now are set loose into the Sparkrift Jungle.  Their first foray won't take them too far into the Jungle, especially since, even with a swarm of Sparkfish about them, they probably can't survive the round-by-round lightning attacks very long.   Inside, an Easy Nature or Dungeoneering check nets 1 handful of the Blue Groundweb and a Hard Nature or Arcana check nets 1 Crimson Charge-blossom flower.  Failed checks to pick Crimson Charge-blossom inflict 2d10 lightning damage as Charge-blossom's are improperly handled.

 The PCs will spot (and hopefully use) schools of Sparkfish and maybe a Flicker Shark or Skywhale in the distance, glowing eyes and furtive movements deeper in the Jungle, but shouldn't be forced to fight at this point.

 Once they return to “Home Base”, The Purifier will quickly grind and mix _LBF-15_ salves(1 handful of Blue Groundweb, 1 Crimson Charge-blossom, plus a bit of water) that can be applied grant 15 lightning resist for the day.  Any PC with the Alchemy feat that observes him can now produce make _LBF-15_ if possessing the proper ingredients.

 On their second foray into the Jungle, the PCs face a skill challenge to navigate the Jungle and find their way to the Sparkrift Bulwark.  Failures will usually mean attacks from roaming bands of Wights and/or a school of Flicker Sharks, encounters with particularly charged flora (walking through current bushes, stepping on blue charge-blossoms, etc) that will overcome even the Groundweb's lightning resist and cost the PCs a healing surge.  The PCs might also encounter any appropriately modified Underdark monsters and especially distinctive Underdark hazards such as doomspores or failed teleport attempts over pits.

 Once they near the Bulwark, they find the Jungle has been cleared away so the last 50 feet or so from the walls are open ground.  Spires on the walls reach up towards the Sparkrift that sits over the Bulwark, continuous bolts of lightning from the crackling into them.  Blue lightning constantly rolls across the outer surface of the walls; any creature that touches them takes 3d10+5 lightning damage and is pushed 5 squares.

 The PCs must undertake another smaller/easier skill challenge to find a Skywhale, use the TMK2 on it, have it swallow them(harmlessly), and fly them over the wall of the Bulwark.

*3. Fade to Wight*
 Once the PCs “land” the Skywhale, they find themselves inside the Sparkrift Bulwark.

 Inside is a large central tower, the spire on its top touching the bottom edge of the rift itself.  The PCs must fight their way through the Wights roaming the courtyard, then into the tower itself.   If they get through the tower's open doors, they can close and bar them against the Wights outside.  On the highest level of the tower, they find a massive and intricate arcane device – a massive central crystal, floors and walls littered with glowing glyphs, spinning crystals orbiting about, swirling arcs of metal, and any other embellishments the DM cares to add.  Guarding it is a handful of Purple Wights and the Royal Wight himself.

 The room is dangerous – the glyphs flare up when touched, as do the crystals, arcs of metal slam into and push people around, etc – and should make for a dramatic fight, especially since the Wights are canny enough to work together and take advantage of workings of the device – such as immobilizing PCs in the path of hazards or on dangerous glyphs or immobilizing PCs near the Royal Wight so he can use his healing Soul Harvest power on them.

 If the PCs attack the workings of the device itself, each hit makes the room even more dangerous – randomly arcing arcane energy, massive falling pieces of metal, exploding crystals, etc.   

 If the PCs successfully hit a normal Purple Wight with the “special end” of the TMK2 and it fails its save, that Wight dies instantly since there is not enough of the previous personality remaining for the transformation.  If the Royal Wight is struck and fails his save, however, he instantly becomes Bolt again.  Several things happen at this point: the Wights instantly see Bolt as hostile and Bolt quickly sums up the situation.  If the PCs have started attacking his device, he will quickly call for them to stop and head towards a series of glyphs on the wall where he needs to survive three rounds to turn the device off.  He keeps the same hitpoint totals he had as the Royal Wight but loses all his powers.

 Once off, Bolt will suggest they get out of there since there's Wights everywhere and he isn't sure exactly what will happen with the “Singularity” (the Sparkrift) closes.

 If they land 5 hits on the device(whether Bolt is helping them or not), the whole tower to becomes unstable and the device starts coming apart dramatically.  The Wights will suicidally continue to attack, but it should rapidly become apparent to the PCs that they need to flee.  If he has not been killed or “healed”, the Royal Wight will flee as well to rally any remaining Wights in the courtyard against the PCs.

 When the PCs reach the courtyard, they will face a horde of Wights to the front and an exploding tower and violently collapsing rift behind.  The Skywhale they flew in should be nearby so they can call it with the TMK2 and make a dramatic fighting escape back over the walls and into the Jungle.

 If they destroyed the device, as they fly away in the Skywhale, the rift trembles and collapses and the whole tower implodes to a shimmering pinpoint of energy, then explodes in a massive shockwave that tears apart the Jungle and sends the PCs' Skywhale crasthing into the Jungle.

 If they didn't destroy it, the rift still collapses and sends out a shockwave the crashes the Skywhale, but the Bulwark (and some of the Wights inside) survives.

 At this point, the PCs resources are probably fairly exhausted and the DM can simply narrate their flight through the Jungle back to “Home Base”, though if the DM desires, they may face more of the Jungle's hazards as they depart.

*4. See no Evil, Heal no Evil*
 When the PCs reach the camp, they are enthusiastically greeted and rewarded by Bellows.  He issues a round of “field promotions” – the Sergeant to Lieutenant, the Privates to Corporals – and carries out his side of whatever was agreed upon earlier when the PCs were “drafted”.  Also, he hauls out a keg of “field brewed beer” that he made from some of the local Underdark plants, taps it, offers the PCs frothy tankards full, and drinks heartily with them.

 The Purifier will pull aside the members of the “secret mission” and ask how it went.  If they destroyed a regular Wight or hit any Wight(s) to no effect, he will take the Trident somberly and not speak of it again.

 If they got it to work on Bolt, however, he will examine Bolt, write extensive notes in a journal, then thank the PCs profusely and let them keep the Trident as a reward.

 If Bolt lives, he eats and drinks ravenously with the PCs, likely being scolded by Bellows and the Purifier for his irresponsibility and lack of regard.  Bolt half-listens until he is done eating when he jumps up, shouts “so much work to be done!” and disappears back into the Sparkrift Jungle.

*Further adventures*
 The PCs have many options from here.  They might investigate Bolt's other Bulwarks, perhaps at Bellows and the Purifier's behest.  They might escort the agents to a teleportation circle or another rift where they can return to the Elemental Chaos.  If they go along, they might discover the war has already started and join one side or the other, or be enlisted to try to stop it.  They might head off with the Purifier to capture more undead as he works on perfecting “Heal Evil”.  If Bolt has been restored, they might join him in his instantly renewed attempts to create his empire or find themselves chasing him down trying to stop him from creating more forts and mucking with the planes.

*Ingredients:*
*Underdark Jungle*: The Sparkrift Jungle, full of a strange mix of creatures, plants(such as the Blue Groundweb and Crimson Charge-blossom that are mixed and used by the *Purple Wights *and gives them their color), and hazards of the Underdark and the Elemental Chaos.  In its depths is the *Lightning Fort*, ruled by the *Evil Healer*, the Royal Wight.

*Lightning Fort*: The Sparkrift Bulwark, built by the Royal Wight(the leader of the *Purple Wights* and the *Evil Healer*) in the middle of the *Underdark Jungle*.  The _LBF-15,_ created from ingredients found in the *Underdark Jungle,* also Fortifies creatures against lightning.  Also, creatures that spend any time in the *Underdark Jungle* take Lightning attacks that target their Fortitude.

*Evil Healer*: The leader of the *Purple Wights*, who built the *Lightning Fort* in the middle of the *Underdark Jungle*.  Also, the Purifier, whose secret “Heal Evil” mission is to find a way to reverse the evil that creates intelligent undead.

*Military Draft*: The war preparations at Stormbreak and Cloudpeak that caused the adventure to take place in the first place.  One of the plot-hooks to get the players to come(to join the military at the *Lightning Fort*) and what Bellows does once they are there.  As part of their reward, the PCs are given fresh-tapped field-brewed alcohol(*Military Draft* beer).  Also, as a Wind Genesai, the highly militaristic Bellows also has a constant stirring wind about him (a “*military draft*”, *wince*).

*Purple Wight*: The *Purple Wights* led by the *Evil Healer*, so named because they smear a paste made from plants in the *Underdark Jungle* and protect themselves from the power-source of the *Lightning Fort*.  Also, the Royal Wight is dressed in purple, customarily the color of nobility (he also wears purple/white because I couldn't resist the terrible pun).

*Trident of Fish Command*: A device given to the PCs to aid them in getting through the *Underdark Jungle* and into the *Lightning Fort*.  Also the instrument of the Purifier's plan to be the *Evil Healer*, by healing the *Evil Healer* with it.


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## Radiating Gnome (Nov 8, 2009)

I'm hoping to get this judgement completed so I won't have to write the summary for this round . . .
Now, in the finals, predictably, a seriously close match to judge. 

Goin' Fishing (GF) vs. Operation Lightning Storm (OLM)
[sblock]
Ingredients:

Evil Healer.  
In GF, we have Ebon Grai, the healer who is evil.  In OLM, we have the Royal Wight and the Purifier. I find I'm intrigued by Ebon -- he seems a bit improbable, but there could certainly be some entertaining RP opportunities along the way (as he charges his own conscripts for healing?  Really?).  The Royal wight is not much of a healer, as far as I can tell, and the Purifier's interpretation of "evil healer" as "one who heals evil" (as opposed to the more obvious "an evil being who heals") doesn't quite work for me.  It feels stretched to fit the ingredient.  POint to GF. 

Purple Wights 
In GF, the purple wights are purple because of the odd flow of blood and fluid under their skin.  in OLM, the purple wights are wights who smear themselves with a purple paste (made from red and blue fungus, no less). I liked both solutions to the ingredient.  I was going to give an edge to OLM on this one, although it's a slight one, because of the way the color is related to the lightning energy/lightning fort in a sort of stretched way, but then it dawned on me that the purple bruised flesh of the wights in GF are related to the underdark jungle's moist climate . . . call it a wash.  You guys both had a good run with this one. 

Military Draft.  
This one is tricky.  GF takes a much less obvious path, putting the PCs in charge of the draft, not making them draftees, as would be the solution I would have expected.  My first reaction to that choice was negative, however -- it seems to cut against everything that D&D is all about -- why would Ebon need this pack of people to go into what amounts to a fairly typical dungeon setting?  Yes, he has trumped up his argument so he can build his wight army, but it seems to break the central conceit of the game -- that the game is about heroes doing heroic things, out on their own in the wilds where normal folk will not tread.  And here we have them herding a pack of normal folk into the wilds.  It could be fixed easily -- the draftees could be artisans and laborers needed for a project they will have to complete to extract the trident (although, in that case I can see we might have lambasted you for not making the draft truly military . . . ) . . . . but, that's not quite what we get here. 

On the other hand, in OLM, the draft itself is pretty much what I would have expected, the PCs are drafted to complete a mission. The military draft element does produce some good humor and structure for the mission, but it doesn't really take me someplace all that new.  I'm going to give a slight edge to OLM on this one, but I already regret it -- I'm much more intrigued by the differentness of the draft in GF. 

Trident of Fish Command. 
Okay . . . the Trident of Fish Command in GF is used to control the Kuo Toa.  In OLM, it's used to control the Skywhale.  I find myself snarkily wondering if a skywhale is any more a fish than a true whale is.  Both entries have it.  I'm going to give an edge to GF on this one -- albeit a slight one, because the trident in OLM, while it has the capability of commanding fish (or whales), that's not it's primary purpose in the adventure.  

Underdark Jungle.  
Both entries had it.  Both were mushroom jungles.  Both had very interesting business (in GF, the moist jungle setting causes mushrooms to grow on wights; in OLM, part of the adventure involves gathering specific mushrooms to make the LPF paste.).  Call it a wash. 

Lightning Fort.  
Again, both entries had it.  But the lightning fort in OLM has more lightning in it, it feels like.  The one redeeming bit of lightning in the fort in GF is the bit where the wights that trigger lightning attacks are shocked into their natural, living state for a moment -- that's cool, creepy, and fun.  OLM painted the lightning on with a pretty thick brush, giving everything an electric charge like a whole forest of 12-year-olds in socks on a wool carpet. I'm going to call this one a wash, too.  

Usability
My only real problem with GF is the nature of the draft -- which is also one of the things I find most interesting in both entries.  It's a tricky proposition, turning the nature of this sort of heroic fantasy on its head and making the PCs a party to that change.  When I think about how I would run this with my group, I can only imagine that there would have to be a lot of railroading and narrative control to make this whole sequence happen -- after all, it all hinges on allowing Ebon Grai to bring his cohort of conscripts.  Everything that is interesting and cool about this adventure -- and I find this adventure more interesting and cool than OLM -- hinges on that one decision.  And I have a hard time imagining selling it to players -- and keeping it sold to them as the nature of Ebon's plan unfolds.  To get to that final scene, full of wights and controlled kuo toa, the PCs have to ride along all the way, and that feels like it's going to require a lot of railroading in many games.  

OLM, on the other hand, can be used pretty much as it stands -- it feels like a setting dropped in right out of Glen Cook's Black Company books into the underdark, and all the PCs need to do is walk by to get wrapped up in it.  I wish a bit more were done with the lightning and the LPF-15 paste -- if a creature is knocked into a water source, for example, does the LPF factor wash off?  Does some of it?  That could make for some interesting encounters.  

Writing/Creativity. 
They're both quite good.  On a purely personal preference level, I'm more interested in the scenes and the moments in the game that are created in GF -- those mushroom-covered wights getting shocked into life for a moment, etc.  It's a weird, wild bit of fun.  

The bottom line . . . 
Ingredients were little help -- most of them I saw as dead heats.  I gave a edge to OLM for usability, and an edge to GF for creativity/evocative presentation.  In the end, I'm going to go with the adventure that I find more evocative and interesting, over the one that doesn't risk some big flaws. 

I'll give my judgement to Wik, for Gone Fishin'.  
[/sblock]


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## phoamslinger (Nov 8, 2009)

this one's going to take some work.  

edit: and so it did:

[sblock]*Wik’s Gone Fishing vs Iron Sky’s Operation: Lightning Storm

Ingredients:
Underdark Jungle
Lightning Fort
Evil Healer
Military Draft
Purple Wight
Trident of Fish Command*

I was curious how you were going to slap these together.  on too many contests, I’ve seen a solid adventure but the ingredients are just tossed in as window dressing.  or used as a mcguffin, or in some other way that some other ingredient could have been inserted and the players would have been none the wiser.  finally this is not the case (at least at first glance) and I actually have to make a judgment against two entries that have learned the rules of the game.  apparently this is more work for me now.  maybe I shouldn’t have told you what I was looking for, so as to keep the judge stuff easier.  if I am going to judge this one, I decided I needed to come down a bit harder on each ingredient to determine a “he’s doing better” at the end.  so,

*The Ingredients *
Evil Healer:
Wik gives us Ebon Grai, a medic who is masterminding the plot to give him an unbeatable army not to conquer with but to become wealthy with.  I like the non-cliché there.  Iron Sky gives us a background mission to Heal Evil.  in his item summary he mentions “Royal” Bolt as an evil healer, but I went back and double checked and didn’t really see anything to substantiate this one.  IS, did you intend to make Bolt into a cleric?   because his clerical abilities should have drawn some mention elsewhere if that were the case.  I didn’t see this, so point to Wik.

Lightning Fort:
Wik gave us a dwarven fortress which has become electrified because of the Kua Toa.  Iron Sky gave us a fortress that was built _intentionally_ to discharge lightning throughout the area and has changed it’s environments on both planes because of it.  point to Iron Sky

Military Draft:
Iron Sky gave us two pompous generals who draft the party into their military organization.  IS have you ever played or run Paranoia?  your mission briefing I’m planning on stealing and reading verbatim the next time I run Paranoia because I can just see the players scrambling to decipher stuff and getting everything totally confused.  Wik, your military draft reverses this and puts the party as doing the drafting and having to deal with all of the consequences that came out of it.  Wik’s Draft is perhaps a bit stronger, but the comedy implied in Iron Sky’s military clichés compensates enough that I’ll call this one tied.

Underdark Jungle:
here we start to get into the ugly ingredients.  I realize that the Underdark implied Mushrooms when I put the ingredient in there.  that is something that has been done over and over in so many games I’ve seen, I was wondering what would be the result.  Wik gave us a mushroom jungle, yet still referred to it in places as a mushroom forest, including the *fungal forest*.  Iron Sky also gave us a fungus jungle, but the additional descriptions of the life forms that have moved in really made his jungle come alive more in the story and it became a more integral part of his adventure.  point to Iron Sky

Purple Wight:
when I was putting this one in, I was thinking back to that David Eddings novel where the king gets drowned in a barrel of wine and when they bury him, his corpse is purple from the pickling.  so I knew of at least one way to make a wight purple; I was wondering what you would come up with.  Wik’s idea that the blood congealing in a newly made corpse made a lot of sense.  Iron Sky’s wights that spread purple paste on them to resist the lightning also worked, but wasn’t as strong.  but Iron Sky also pulled Purple White out of a hat and incorporated it as well.  I’ll give Wik a slight edge for this one.

Trident of Fish Command:
this one I expected to see just tossed in somewhere.  Iron Sky made it the only means of easily gaining access to the Lightning Fort.  Wik pulled Underdark Jungle and the Trident together and got Kuo Toa! as an opponent.  Iron Sky gets an edge because I was impressed with Wik’s intuitive leap there that quite caught me by surprise.  like he mentions elsewhere, once he made that connection, everything else just fell into place.  

so we have Wik with one and an edge, Iron Sky with two and an edge.  I really like both entries, so let’s keep looking.

both are quite useable, have adequate formatting and development, hooks make sense, etc, so I’m going to call all that a wash.  and you both have cross connections all over.  Iron Sky has a few word plays going and incorporates them as well into his entry.  slight edge to him.

Wik has an Evil Healer who’s using the people of the Draft to make his Wights to seize the Trident from the Fort through the Jungle.

Iron Sky Drafts the party to use the Trident to get through the Jungle to fight the Wights in the Fort.  and possibly Heal the Evil too

Wik’s sentence is just a tad bit stronger than Iron Sky’s.  point to him.

which leaves us with a relative two plus two for Wik, two plus one for Iron Sky. 

Essentials (namely how critical to the adventure is it that this item be used and not some other one):  
the Trident: yes on both
the purple wights: neither of you went into why it had to be wights instead of zombies or some other undead. no points. Wik's blood clotting was stronger on why they were purple than just a bit of body paint.  nod to Wik.
the Draft: both equally strong parts of the overall.  nod to both.
the Jungle: Iron Sky's Jungle was full of life (which jungles are very much so).  he 
made it come alive with his fish.  nod to Iron Sky
the Lightning Fort: another nod to Iron Sky.  it HAD to be Lightning.  Wik's could have just been a dwarven fort on the hill.
Evil Healer: Wik gets the nod for this one, Evil mastermind who can raise dead while posing as the group medic.  Iron's was ok, just nowhere near as strong.


judging is really all very subjective when you come down to it.  when I read your entry Wik and especially when Iron Sky was saying it was like slamming his head into the wall to make things work, I knew your opponent was going to have to really come up with some cool mental pictures to overcome your entry.  but his Military briefing, his Lightning Fort, and his Jungle did just that.  you’ve written a solid adventure Wik, and I am strongly tempted to give it to you as a technical win.  but Iron’s very weak Evil Healer was offset by what I saw as a weak Jungle and Fort on your entry.  so I could easily go either way choosing one or the other.  

my decision:
while I think Wik's _Gone Fishing_ would involve the party more, I think Iron Sky’s adventure would be just a little bit more fun to play or to run.  so Iron Sky’s _Operation: Lightning Storm_ gets my vote for this round.
[/sblock]


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## Nifft (Nov 10, 2009)

[sblock]You both have crafted solid scenarios. You both have a pair of stand-out excellent ingredient uses. Let's look at those first:

Underdark Jungle: Iron Sky gets a point here. Very evocative, brings the exotic location to life. Wik, your jungle is more plausible, but less usable: in my experience, only a minority of groups are interested in the challenges of wilderness survival, let alone supply-train logistics and disease among the troops. Still, the sulphur-charged deluges atop the warm pools covered by fungal matter... also very cool.

Lightning Fort: Iron Sky gets his second point. Wik, I like the idea of a fort turned electric by the strong presence of the kuo-toa -- but if it's so full of them already, why don't they already have the Trident?

Evil Healer: Wik wins this one. Ebon Grai is a work of evil genius. I don't hate the Paladin "healing evil", but it's not as great, and not nearly as central. Ebon Grai is just plain *awesome*: "Be brave. This will only hurt until you die."

Military Draft: Wik edges out a point here. Frankly, I love both. Wik, the idea that the PCs are on the "recruiting end" is going to be a (hopefully welcome) novelty to the players, who are usually the ones being talked down to by some jerk with a crown. Iron Sky, your crowned jerks are so well done that they absolutely buck the cliche, but your use of "draft" is less central -- in Wik's scenario, the draftees are the responsibility of the PCs, and the Evil Healer is able to be Evil precisely because the PCs care about the NPCs they drafted. Iron Sky, your (hilarious) military commanders could be dark cloaked figures who meet the PCs in a bar. Great military flavor, insufficient centrality of "draft".

Purple Wights: Both are okay. I like Wik's wights, but I also like the "royal purple" of Iron Sky's wight. If we took away Iron Sky's military commanders who spell stuff out, his purple-painted wights could be a great survival clue to the PCs. Point to Wik for deeply creepy flavor.

Trident of Fish Control: Wik, your Trident is basically a plot-point, but it's a good one, and it sets up a massive battle climax of PCs + their previous foes vs. their previous ally + the troops they drafted, which is a nice twist. However, the idea of using flying planar fish to breach an underdark lightning fort is *awesome*. I have no idea how I'm going to steal that, but mark my words, I will.

... and that would leave us tied. _Feh_.


Evocative flavor: both got this in spades. The jungles are both nice, and both sets of shepherd NPCs are also surprisingly cool. Of those, Ebon Grai is a fairly good tie for the Sparkrift Jungle, so again... _feh_.


On to usability: large time investment for Wik's scenario (all those draftees), but quite the payoff, and good DM advice smoothes that complexity significantly. Iron Sky, I wish you'd given a good justification for why Bellows isn't willing join the PCs. Not that I want the shepherd NPC to join them, but I want a plausible reason for why he's staying behind. That said, his plan of attack is great. Once more... _feh_.


Since both of you did really great work, it comes down to who dropped the ball the most times in terms of plot holes. Wik, I don't like how the reasoning behind the Lightning Fort negates the reasoning behind the Trident remaining unclaimed. Iron Sky, I feel that your Military Draft was weak to the point of being contrived, even if the military flavor was great. If your jungle vegetation wasn't hinted at by the purple wights, that would have been another point against you, but their coloration is central enough, given its tie to the other ingredient.

Kudos to both of you. My vote goes to Iron Sky... barely.[/sblock]

Summary & links later, I gotta go drink.

Both of you: damn good work. It makes the judge's job hard, but in a very good way.

Thanks, -- N


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## Nifft (Nov 10, 2009)

The whole reason I set up the "last dude writes the summary" thing was so I would be motivated to finish early, and thereby avoid this duty. (The best planned lays, etc. So here I am.)

We all locked onto slightly different tipping points, but we all agreed that our work was not made easy by the high quality of both entries. Once more, job well done.

The victory to *Iron Sky* was well earned, but IMHO it could have easily (and justifiably) gone either way. It's a bit stressful in retrospect being the decisive vote, but that turns out to be far easier by not looking at the other two first. So, if one must procrastinate, let it be in looking at the co-judges entries.

Now... on to THE FINAL MATCH!!!


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## Nifft (Nov 12, 2009)

Round 4, Final Match
*Damned Alley
Non-Reflective Mirror
Sleeping Watcher
Giant Mafia
Flying Piranhas
Rod of Fumbling*

Bonus Ingredient:
*Flaming Dragon*


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## Iron Sky (Nov 12, 2009)

MF!  Posted in the wrong fricken thread again.  Sorry folks, need to pay more attention.


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## Iron Sky (Nov 13, 2009)

*The Far City*

 This adventure is designed for a party of 26th level characters.  It takes place in a city on the borders of the Far Realm, at the bleeding edge of reality.

*Background*
 The Far City is called by some the Last City, for it is said when one leaves all civilization and all that is known behind and travels to the end of one the worlds, there can be found the Far City, on the border between reality and chaos, astride the boundary with the Far Realm.  It is ruled by the Cosa Nesunna, a race of aberrations that not only pull the strings from behind the scenes in the Far City, but have a massive network of "coscas" (families) that silently pull the strings behind the criminal organizations of all the Planes.

*The Far City*
 The Far City is massive, both in spread and in the scale of the buildings.  The Cosa Nesunna as a race are all massive in stature so most buildings of the Far City are built to the scale of fifteen foot-tall beings.  The Far City has no unified architecture, except for the the abject lack of unity.  Some buildings are ramshackle collections of stone, or bone, or wood while others are sprawling, labyrinthine structures that weave under, over, or through other structures.  Some are towering obelisks of living flesh while others are massive abominable constructs that roam the city or fly low through the haze of the purple sky.  The winged piranha mark of the Cosa Nesunna is emblazoned all over the city.

 The sky of the Far City is a gateway to the Far Realm, a swirling purple mist beyond which can be seen the faint glimmer of the ancient stars.  Occasionally, massive and terrible things can be seen just beyond the Barrier Mist, creatures that blot out a hundred stars and reach longingly through the Mist that marks the dividing line between the Far Realm and the Far City.

 In the center of the city is a massive Pedestal, atop which sits a hundred-foot tall statue of a massive, deformed dragon that blazes with unholy flame, bathing the city in a pale ever-shifting light.  The statue is called the Sleeping Watcher and it is rumored that it is a representation of the god-thing that created the Far City, watching over its realm as it slumbers.

 The Far City has no day or night, per-se.  Instead, every six hours it has a _shift_.  During the “day”, the city follows most of the “rules” familiar to those who live on the Material plane.  When it _shifts_, however, all that changes.  Gravity reverses, sending anything unlucky enough to be caught outside plummeting upwards to the waiting grasp of the Things Beyond the Mist.  The Mist itself weakens slightly, bathing the city in the energies of the Wyrd.  During _shifts_, fires burn cold and shine no light, the population of the City transforms into creatures from dream and nightmare, stones gleam and mirrors lose their luster, wood melts and wax becomes as strong as steel.

 Whatever one interacts with seems to suffer the effects of the _shift_ the most.  Left unattended, most  objects are only slightly changed.  When directly interacted with, their reality bends to the point of breaking.

 The only light during the _shift_ is the pale purple glow of the Mists above.

 After a _shift_, everything returns to the way it was before the shift, though anyone killed remains dead, anything destroyed is still destroyed, etc.

Tens of thousands of creatures dwell in the city.  Most are aberrations such as illithids, beholders, aboleths, but there are a scattering of all sorts of other creatures that have found their way there – some by accident, some as slaves, others finding their way their after bouts of insanity.  During the “day”, the city is abustle with activity, though much of it is unfathomable or seemingly random to sane beings.  The PCs are as likely to see an illithid selling clothing made of human skin as they are to see a mutated halfling painting bizarre patterns on a chull's shell with glowing paints.

 There is little water in the city and what there is runs through dirty canals, thronging with deadly piranha, the favorite and symbolic fish of the Cosa Nesunna.

 The Cosa Nessuna themselves are easily recognizable by their size (most are over 15' tall), their winged piranha tattoos, and by the deference with which even the most horrific monstrosities pay them.  The Cosa Nessuna themselves are otherwise widely varied, borrowing features from all sorts of other aberrations – lack of symmetry, tentacles, eyestalks, lack of eyes or limbs, levitation, etc.

 Leaving the Far City during the “day” is as simple as casting True Portal or some similar ritual.  Attempts to use _any_ rituals during a _shift_ are impossible however, as ritual components become corrupted by the effects of the _shift._

*The Sleeping Watcher*
 The leader of the entire Cosa Nesunna is the Wyrd Dragon known as the Sleeping Watcher.  He never leaves the Far City, guarding over it like a jealous god.  His presence, like the Lady of Pain's in Sigil, prevents gods from entering the Far City unless he allows them in willingly, ensuring his dominion over the city.

 Generations ago, using eldritch powers and pacts with Things Beyond the Stars, he began unraveling the Veils that separate the Planes.  Rifts and Planar Tears became common and the whole of reality began to pull apart at the edges.  The Gods sent their mightiest heroes on great quests to somehow keep the Veils from coming apart.  Their stories have long since passed into legend, the most prominent among them that of Velos Sostenador, a mighty Aspect of Vecna who used his secrets gleaned from his god to find his way the Far City.  There he made a secret deal with the Cosa Nesunna and returned with the Rod of Everhold(see below).

 While slumbering, the Sleeping Watcher dreams of the Far City, seeing all that transpires but unable to effect it until the next _shift_.  During the _shift_, the Sleeping Watcher's statue becomes flesh and the Sleeping Watcher's burning flames go out.   A glowing barrier forms over the Pedestal upon which he sits during the “day”, keeping intruders out.  He becomes as cold as ice, his fire internalized, and he vanishes from sight as he travels about the _shifted_ Far City.  His Wyld Breath burns reality itself, melting and transforming what it strikes into whatever the Sleeping Watcher wills.

 Mechanically he is a level 30 solo lurker that is invisible even to effects that normally pierce invisibility such as the True Seeing spell.  Only when viewed in the reflection of a mirror can he be seen.  While in statue form he is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible, and anything that comes close to his Pedestal takes massive fire and radiant damage.

*The Damning of Velos*
 With the Rod of Evergrasp in one hand, _anything_ can be grasped in the other and no mortal or divine power can force the release of the holder's grasp, including his or her grip on the Rod.  Velos returned from the Far City and grasped the Veils themselves in his hand, holding them together with the power of the Rod.  In return, Vecna granted him immortality.

 Months ago, the Sleeping Watcher managed to lure Velos to the Far City.  Cocky in his immortality, Velos had no fear of the Cosa Nesunna or even the Sleeping Watcher.  He brazenly strode down a narrow street that led to the Sleeping Watcher's Pedestal.  He was there, walking between the narrow, pirhana-filled canals along-side street when the Far City _shifted_.

 Along with the usual madness associated with a _shift_, the Rod of Evergrasp transformed into the Rod of Fumbling.  Velos dropped the Rod and the Sleeping Watcher swooped down, unleashing his burning, reality-searing Wyld Breath, causing the god's legs to melt and meld with the stones of the of the street.   The _shifted_ and now-winged piranhas flew from the canals, stripping the screaming god down to the bone in seconds.

There he has remained, the Sleeping Watcher's monstrous capos gorging on and gaining power from the ever-regenerating blood and flesh of the god during the “day”, his flesh constantly eaten away by the flying piranhas of the Alley during the _shift.  _In his thus-weakened state, Velos is damned to his terrible fate unless the Sleeping Watcher takes pity on him(not likely) or someone rescues him.

 Once the Far City_ shifted_ back after Velos's Damnation, the Sleeping Watcher had the Rod of Evergrasp returned and hidden away atop his Pedestal, a ritual cast over it that hides it from all methods of perception or divination unless he breathes his Wyld Breath upon it.  He then returned to his watching over his city, plotting, and directing the Cosa Nesunna.

 The denizens of the city have named the narrow street Velos occupies the Alley of the Damned, most creatures ignoring its gruesome sight, the more monstrous and/or depraved creatures gathering to watch the never-ending, grisly god-feast.  Velos's name is largely forgotten and they just call him “the Damned”.

*Hooks*
*1)* Emissaries of the gods most closely followed by/favoring the PCs approach the legendary PCs and directly request their help to find the long-missing Velos and his Rod of Evergrasp.
*2)* The weakening Veils between the Planes have torn holes in the Material Plane and the PCs hear of it (and hopefully decide to do something about it).  If they don't the PC's favorite tavern, castle, city, etc. goes spiraling off into a massive rift to the Abyss.
*3)* A powerful friend of the PCs had a member of the Cosa Nesunna approach him or her, directly or indirectly, demanding protection money and has requested the PCs help.

*Bullet Point Adventure Summary*
  0) Hooks
  1) Finding the Far City
  2) Information Gathering on Cosa Nesunna, Velos, and the Sleeping Watcher
  3) Retrieving the Rod of Evergrasp

*1.  Far Out, Man*
 Hook 1 should be used regardless, 2 + 3 just might add more justification for the PCs going there if they are for some reason not listening to the gods.  They will, of course, be rewarded handsomely if they succeed for the fate of the Planes hangs in the balance.

 As Epic level characters, they should have immense resources at their disposal.  The very existence of the Far City is known to few – even some of the gods don't know of its existence – and, of those few who do know of it, even fewer know how to get there.  The PCs will find themselves in a difficult skill challenge, using their resources however they can to learn of and find the Far City.

 The finding of the City could be a mini-adventure in itself, perhaps including tracking down elusive Cosa Nesunna agents and trying to find a way around the magic Omert à – the vow of silence about Cosa Nesunna that all members undertake upon initiation – or tracking down those rare few individuals who have been to the Far City and know how to return.  Failures might draw the attention of powerful Cosa Nesunna hitmen and hired assassins or result in encountering increasingly dangerous planar instability as the Veils pull apart.

 Regardless, they will eventually learn that they must travel “as far from any other city as you can go and there is the Far City” and/or that “it is the furthest place from anywhere, right on the furthest edge of reality”.  How they actually achieve this largely up to player ingenuity, perhaps finding a way to fly up to the edge of space, traveling to the depths of the Abyss or impossibly deep into the Elemental Chaos or diving deep into the Astral Sea.  The DM should reward player creativity in achieving the task.

 Abberrent creatures can get to the Far City easily, some of the more powerful ones able to walk a thousand steps from anywhere and step into the Far City on their thousandth step.  The PCs might discover this fact and use it in their plan to get to the Far City, carried on the back of a massive aberration or creating a ritual to slip in behind the aberration as it steps to the edge of reality.

 It will also involve learning a bit of the City's _shifts_, forcing the PCs to track down and/or create a ritual that will ward them from the worst of the _shift's_ chaotic effects while they are there – if the PCs don't want to transform back and forth from a jellyfish or a living boot every 6 hours, that is.

*2.  To Infinity – and Beyond!*
  Once the PCs find themselves in the Far City, they will likely have a bit of adjusting and information gathering to do.  This will likely be a skill challenge, but again could be a mini-adventure of its own.  They might face random attacks from the city's inhabitants, but if they defeat enough of them, word will spread and the population's attitude will shift to one of indifference to them and they can start gathering information.   

  As they investigate, they will discover the following rumors:
  * There are no real laws in the Far City, except for one unspoken rule: don't cross the Cosa Nesunna.
  * The Cosa Nesunna are _the_ power behind criminal organizations across all the Planes and the Far City is their home city.
  * All criminal organizations, if not outright run from the shadows by the Cosa Nesunna, at least pay them protection money.
  * The Cosa Nesunna can get you almost anything that exists anywhere – for a price.
  * Every six hours, the “day” ends and everything _shifts_ in the Far City.  Some things turn to their opposites, others into mutated forms of themselves, still others into something entirely random.  Also, gravity reverses and those who are caught outside during a shift “fall” up to be consumed by the Things Beyond the Mist.
  * The Sleeping Watcher is the statue at the heart of the city that provides the burning light of “day”.  Even approaching the base of the Pedestal upon which it sits could sear a red dragon.
  * They say that the statue is of the near-god, the Sleeping Watcher, that rules the Far City.
  * Some say the Sleeping Watcher dreams of all that goes on during the “day” and during the _shift_ it “takes care of” anything it doesn't like that is happening in the Far City.
  * Some say that even if the Sleeping Watcher is killed, it simply returns to the Pedestal in statue form and cannot be truly destroyed.
  * During the _shift_, they say that the Sleeping Watcher's statue dissapears and that the Sleeping Watcher itself can _only_ be seen in the reflection of a mirror.  This is unfortunate since the _shift_ makes all mirrors dull and non-reflective.
  * The Damned is some god that didn't follow up on his side of a deal with the Cosa Nesunna and is now a vivid example of what happens to even gods that break their deals with the Family.
  * Whatever the Sleeping Watcher took from The Damned, it is said that he magically hid it on the Pedestal near the base of his statue – and no one has any hope of finding it unless the Watcher breathes upon it.
  * Anyone who tried to somehow rescue The Damned from the Alley of the Damned would probably face the wrath of not only the Cosa Nesunna, but the Sleeping Watcher himself.
  * Also during the _shift_, a glowing barrier protects the Pedestal.  They say the only way through it is along the Alley of the Damned.

  The PCs now face one of two options(barring radical PC creativity, of course):
  1) Try to negotiate with the Cosa Nesunna for the Rod of Evergrasp.
  2) Try to fight the Sleeping Watcher and/or the Cosa Nesunna.

*3a) Can't We Just Talk This Over?*
  The Cosa Nesunna won't negotiate away the Rod of Evergrasp unless Velos's side of his deal is paid as well as a new price for giving it away a second time.

  For Velos's debt, they must learn of and tell a secret from each of the gods.  To get the Rod of Evergrasp a second time, they must procure full rights and access to an Astral Diamond mine for the Cosa Nesunna.

  At this point, the PCs will likely decide that paying either of the demands will be difficult to impossible and probably decide on plan B (take them out).  If not, they face an epic side-adventure to track down each of the gods and convince them to divulge a secret, then somehow get the rights to an Astral Diamond mine.

  If they somehow accomplish all this, then capos of the Cosa Nesunna will gladly hand over the Rod of Evergrasp “to be loaned until it is no longer need and is discarded”.  They will then hand it over in front of the Alley of the Damned, a moment before the Far City _shifts._  The Rod of Evergrasp becomes the Rod of Fumbling and will fall from the PCs hands.  The Sleeping Watcher himself will sweep down and swat it down the Alley of the Damned with his tail (since he can't pick it up either without dropping it) and telepathically pronounce “You cast aside the Rod and so our deal is complete.  Cosa Nesunna reclaims the Rod.”

  This will probably push the PCs to the brink of violence.  If they don't attack immediately, the following “day” the Cosa Nesunna will present them with a new deal: “bring us a weapon that can slay the even a god and we will give you the Rod”.

  If the PCs return to the gods, they will refuse to give Cosa Nesunna such a weapon and suggest the PCs find “an alternate method of dealing with the problem.”

  If the PCs attack immediately, they will face an invisible dragon mutating them with its breath weapon and launching hit-and-run attacks through its city.  If they go for the Rod, they will fumble it as soon as they do so, all the while under attack by swarms of massive god-fed flying piranhas that can chew through steel as though it were flesh.  If they run, the Sleeping Watcher will track them through the city and, if they elude him, will face the Cosa Nesunna hunting them during the “day”.

*3b) I Guess Not*
  If the PCs spent any time gathering information, they will quickly see they can't take on the Cosa Nesunna directly.  Aside from being a small, well-organized army of giant aberrations, they are also well equipped, being intra-planar arms dealers and all.  Their only real option is to take on the Sleeping Watcher himself during the _shift._

  First the PCs must contend with the conditions of the _shift_, especially random attacks from the mutated creatures the population of the Far City become during the _shift_, attacks from massive flying piranhas every time they go near a canal, and the hazard of reversed gravity.

  In order to combat the Sleeping Watcher effectively, they must first craft mirrors that will work during the _shift._  There are two real ways of doing this.  Option one is to build a mirror during the “day” that is _purposely _non-reflective, so when it _shifts_ it will reflect normally.  Option two is two wait until the _shift_ to build a mirror, though the chaotic conditions of the _shift_ will make such a task far, far harder (metal turning into rabbits or wine, tools floating away or transforming into wheels of cheese, etc).

  Once they have the mirrors, they must reach the Pedestal so they can get the Rod.  If they can fly, they risk being spotted by the Sleeping Watcher, so they will likely face an inverted scramble, leaping or flying from the underside of the balcony of one building to the window of another then across the ceiling and on the underside of a bridge to another until they reach the Pedestal.

  Once they reach the Pedestal, they will find a glimmering, impassable, impenetrable shield of energy around it.  At the end of the Alley of the Damned is the only way through.  Passing through the Alley, they will face attacks by the monstrous flying piranhas mentioned above and the pathetic cries of The Damned.  After they make it through, they must fall, climb, or fly “down” to the top of the Pedestal.  There they will find the Sleeping Watcher waiting for them.

  In the course of the following fight, not only do they face a dragon they can only see through the mirrors they hold – a dragon whose breath weapon mutates their limbs into uselessness or fuses their lips or fingers together so they cannot perform magic – fighting him in the reversed gravity of the _shift_, but they must also try to get him to blast as much of the top of the pedestal as possible so they can locate the Rod.   

  Every time his Wyld Breath hits the Pedestal, treasures or powerful items veiled by the same ritual as the Rod will be revealed, until finally he uncovers the Rod itself.  If the PCs fall, fly, or are pushed into the barrier around the Pedestal, they take damage and are hurled back from it back towards the Pedestal.

  The Sleeping Watcher will also make the fight more difficult by targeting the PC's mirrors with claw or tail attacks to break them.

  Once they defeat him, they will have the Rod.  If they wish to travel with it in the city, they will find it difficult, since the Rod falls from hands, slips from packs or wrappings, and, if secured somehow so it cannot be fumbled, causes whoever bears stumbling and trip when walking, drop their packs and weapons, etc.  If they wait until “day”, it becomes the Rod of Evergrasp again.

  Since the only way out of the Far City is to use some form of teleportation ritual and rituals fail when cast during a _shift_, the PCs must wait until “day” to get out.  They then will find the Sleeping Watcher back in statue form atop the Pedestal with the Cosa Nesunna soon mobilizing to take the PCs out.

  If they attempt to free Velos, they will likely find the only way is to cut him free from where his lower body melds with the stones of the Alley (he'll regenerate it back later).  They must, of course, fight off another wave of flying piranhas as they do so.

  If they flee with Velos, he will eventually be restored and will take up the Rod again and again hold the Veils together.

  If not, they must find someone else to take up the task... but that is for another adventure.

  Regardless, the gods will reward the players handsomely in (almost) any way the PCs desire and the party will have again performed heroic deeds that will resound in legend.

*Future Adventures*
 The Sleeping Watcher and Cosa Nesunna are far from destroyed.  They will likely become strong adversaries for the PCs for the remainder of the campaign, launching attacks on the PCs, their allies, and their reputations.  The PCs might track down and destroy the agents of the Cosa Nesunna across the Planes, assault the Far City itself, search for some way to destroy the Sleeping Watcher once-and-for-all, or try to find a permanent solution to the unraveling of the Veils.

*Ingredients*
*Damned Alley*: The street where the god Velos lost the *Rod of Fumbling*, now endlessly devoured by *Flying Piranha *as an example to any who would break their word to the *Giant Mafia*.

*Non-Reflective Mirror*: The only way to effectively see and fight the the *Sleeping Watcher*.

*Sleeping Watcher*: The leader of the *Giant Mafia*, a *Flaming Dragon*, and owner of the *Rod of Fumbling*.

*Giant Mafia*: A giant plane-spanning criminal organization composed of giant aberrations.

*Flying Piranhas*: The creatures that endlessly devour the god Velos in the *Damned Alley*.  Also the symbol of the *Giant Mafia*.

*Rod of Fumbling*: What the Rod of Evergrasp becomes during a Far City _shift, _it's properties used to the *Sleeping Watcher's* advantage if the PCs try to negotiate for it.

*Flaming Dragon*: The *Sleeping Watcher* who, while sleeping, burns with unholy fire bright enough to light the whole of the Far City and whose burning breath weapon can burn the fabric of reality itself.

*In a Sentence*:
 The *Flaming Dragon,* called the *Sleeping Watcher* and leader of the *Giant Mafia*, “loaned” the *Rod of Fumbling* to a god who broke the deal and was lured into the *Damned Alley* where he is now endlessly devoured by *Flying Piranhas* until the *Sleeping Watcher* can be defeated with the aid of *Non-Reflective Mirrors*.


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## InVinoVeritas (Nov 14, 2009)

*Hell’s Close*

An adventure for 4-6 PCs of character level 4-6.

*Prologue*

This encounter occurs while the PCs are traveling to a new city they have not visited before. While they sleep (it can be in an inn, outside, or wherever) the encounter occurs.

The PCs find themselves in a small, cramped alleyway. The buildings rise up on either side, and cross over the top of the alley, making a closed space. A single torch provides poor illuminates a sign on the wall: _Hell’s Close_. Beyond the alleyway, it rains, and a slick shimmering surface on the flat stone reflects the land outside. 








The alleyway of Hell's Close​ 
A human woman appears at a doorway in the alley. She has long, black hair, pale skin, and piercing blue eyes, nearly white. She wears a long, white nightgown, and is barefoot. She speaks: “I am Alora, and we are in danger. Please help us…” She then shuts the door, hiding inside. The door proves to be a secret door, and melds into the stone of the building.

Suddenly, at the mouth of the alley, the shimmering surface changes. It grows opaque, smoky. The city beyond fades away, turning to the black of night. A sense of vertigo occurs, as if the entire alley became unmoored, and floated adrift in some dark, forbidding river. Then, a huge hand rises through the smoky slick stone, white as the moon. The rest of the figure emerges, a huge man, three times normal height. He is white, almost ghostly in color, and he wears the skin of a giant jaguar.

He speaks: “Welcome to the land of the Night Realm, the Family of the First Sun, the World of Tezcatlipoca. Your souls shall feed our Maimed Lord forever.”

Let the fight begin. This is Jagganath, an evil cloud giant. Any attacks the players make should appear to be relatively trivial to him. He does not reach far into the alley on account of his size, however. As they fight, more giants rise from the stone behind him. Hopefully, a PC will think to look for the trigger to open the secret door. As the search starts, Jagganath reaches above the PCs, and tears off a section of wall at the mouth of the alley. The PCs manage to find the latch at ground level to open the door, just as the massive stone block is launched at them like a spear, with no space to dodge…

…and the PCs wake up, where they fell asleep, safe. No one around them has heard of Hell’s Close or Alora.

*Chapter 1: Flim Flam*

Once the PCs reach the city, during their initial exploration, they find a street performer, a tall gangly fellow, in a jester’s costume, complete with bauble.







Flim Flam​ 
He spots the PCs, introduces himself to the crowd as Flim Flam and proceeds to perform tricks for the gathered people. He will engage the PCs in embarrassing tricks for the pleasure of the crowd. If the PCs attempt to accost him, or ask him about Alora or Hell’s Close, he points his bauble at the closest PC, shouts, “Bazoom!” and the magic of his bauble (actually a Rod of Fumbling) takes effect. He then runs off, expecting to be followed. (If necessary, have him steal a coin purse from the PCs.)

He runs quickly through the crowd, down confusing streets. He uses the Rod of Fumbling as necessary to keep the PCs from catching or killing him. Eventually, he ducks down a covered alleyway and disappears. When the PCs approach, the do not find Flim Flam, but they find a sign on the wall: Hell’s Close.

In the alleyway, the PCs find it identical to the alley in their earlier dream. Indeed, a little searching reveals the trigger and secret door, just where it was in the dream.

Inside, there is a room, 30’ wide and 60’ long. The first 5 feet are solid ground, falling off into a deep pool of water 20’ deep, all 30’ wide, and 40’ long. A thin bridge, only 1’ wide, spans the pool. Torches line the walls, keeping the room lit. Flim Flam cries out, “Aw, nuts!” and retreats back across the bridge. If the party tries to follow, Flim Flam points the Rod at them and shouts, “Careful! Wouldn’t want to slip and fall now, would we?” He pulls a shank bone from a large 5’x10’ tub of offal, and throws it into the water, and (regular, non-flying) piranhas leap into a feeding frenzy to strip the meat off the bone.

“That’s enough, Flim Flam.” A high pitched voice responds. Fluttering into view is a tiny dragon, held aloft by shiny platinum-colored butterfly wings. “I am Kookajib, and we mean you no harm. Please, watch your step.”

Kookajib is a faerie dragon, and the leader of the denizens of Hell’s Close. The alley is home to a number of misfits and odd characters. She introduces Flim Flam again, and then Squort, a portly Halfling who looks oddly fish-like. Squort raises the piranha both to protect Hell’s Close and sell to others—the local thieves’ guildmaster keeps a tank of piranha just to keep his lackeys in line. Then emerges from beyond the room a waifish young woman with black hair, bright blue eyes, and a white linen nightgown. As Kookajib introduces her, she responds, “Yes, Kookajib. We have met before.”

*Chapter 2: Alora*

Alora leads the PCs back behind the piranha tank. There is a hallway with a number of small, cell-like rooms, each packed with the poor. Alora explains that she is a seeress, able to travel to the future and across space in her sleep, appearing to others in dreams. She has been carefully watching Hell’s Close as she sleeps, and discovered that something, some group of giants, wishes to pull the whole community into their netherworld. They are using reflective surfaces as their portal between the two worlds. Unfortunately, she does not understand how this operates.
She offers to show the PCs another scene from the future, but everyone must fall asleep in order for her to enter their dreams. Should they agree, they are given a claustrophobic space in which to sleep. Flim Flam agrees to keep watch to make sure that nothing happens—“Or gets stolen! Honest!”

After everyone dozes off, they find themselves in a dark room. A candle is lit, in front of a mirror. A small figure moves in the room, but then the mirror goes hazy. It fills with smoke, becoming fully opaque. 

“O Tezcatlipoca!” a voice begins, “O Smoking Mirror! I beseech you, take these souls, fill us with your night!”

The mirror clears, revealing a large, white face—a different one from the earlier dream. “You are alone?”

“O yes, great master, all is as it should be!”

“You have sold the fish to the Guildmaster, this is good. He works for us, now, he sees the power of Tezcatlipoca. He is running the rackets in this city, getting the mirrors placed, building the network for the Family. We shall prove our power now, pull Hell’s Close into Tezcatlipoca’s Night Realm, and claim its souls for us. Do you have the recent payment?”

The small figure takes a sack of coins and thrusts it through the mirror. A giant hand claims it.

“Very good. The Family will reward you well. Remember, anyone who breaks a mirror will be fed to the fish! This city will deliver their payments to us, or we will pull it all into the Night Realm!”

“But I fear your plan, master! What if everyone breaks their mirrors?”

“We can appear through any reflective surface; water, glass, anything... And only if we break the mirror, will we be barred entry to your world! That will not happen!”

“Yes, master, Tezcatlipoca is emperor, and the Family of the First Sun are his monarchs!”

Suddenly, a door is heard opening, and light streams in to reveal Squort as the small figure!

“Fool!” calls out the giant, a hand bursting through the mirror to grab Squort.

The party awakens.

*Chapter 3: Squort*

Kookajib joins the awakened party to track down Squort. They reach his room and open the door.

“Fool!” calls out the giant, a hand bursting through the mirror to grab Squort.

Squort is pulled through the mirror in the first round. Kookajib tries to stop the giant, but slams against the solid smoking mirror. In the mirror, the face of the second giant, Polyphemio, grins. He will keep the PCs from approaching the mirror by reaching through to grab anyone possible. In the next round, Polyphemio will call out, “What have we here? A bug? Burn!” A large gobbet of alchemist’s fire launches through the mirror to cover Kookajib, who bursts into flame. “Aaah! Water! Put me out!” Kookajib flies out for the piranha tank. This gives the PCs the chance to shatter the mirror.

Kookajib, aflame, flies into the entry hall with the piranha tank, and dives in—just as the water’s silvery, reflective surface becomes cloudy and smoky. The water churns with the piranha as it grows choppier. 

The voice of Polyphemio booms forth from the pool, “Welcome, bug, to your new home! Your soul shall serve Tezcatlipoca forever! He has plans for you, as he has plans for these fish!” Flim Flam calls out to the PCs, “Come on! Get out while you still can! I’ll hold off any giants!” With a flourish of his bauble, he adds, “ The bigger they are… The harder they fall!”

As soon as the PCs cross the bridge (or it becomes apparent they won’t), the smoky water bubbles and bursts forth with the piranha, held aloft on platinum butterfly wings. They swarm Flim Flam, knocking him into the water and devouring him mercilessly—his Rod of Fumbling of no use against this foe. Once the piranha are through with Flim Flam, they attack the PCs. 

The water is too choppy to be a large enough surface for the giants to emerge, but the water cannot be shattered like a mirror. Dumping the contents of the offal bin into the water, however, will fill it with blood and remove the mirror-like quality of the water, shutting off the gateway to the Night Realm. Once the gateway is shut, someone can swim to the bottom of the pool safely (except, perhaps, for piranhas) and retrieve the Rod of Fumbling. It will be very useful in the final encounter.

*Chapter 4: The Family of the First Sun*

Back out in the alleyway, the sounds of rain can be heard past the alley mouth. The smooth stone surface appears slick and reflective in this environment. Suddenly, at the mouth of the alley, the shimmering surface changes. It grows opaque, smoky. The city beyond fades away, turning to the black of night. A sense of vertigo occurs, as if the entire alley became unmoored, and floated adrift in some dark, forbidding river. Then, a huge hand rises through the smoky slick stone, white as the moon. The rest of the figure emerges, a huge man, three times normal height. He is white, almost ghostly in color, and he wears the skin of a giant jaguar.

He speaks: “Welcome to the land of the Night Realm, the Family of the First Sun, the World of Tezcatlipoca. Your souls shall feed our Maimed Lord forever.”

This time, the fight is for real. Two more cloud giants emerge from the stone behind Jagganath. Although the cloud giants still cannot fit down the close, they can lob boulders down it. Also, since the new reflective surface is a stone street with a sheet of water, it is not easily shattered. If the PCs manage to fight their way past the giants, they find that they, and all of Hell’s Close, are no longer in the city but in a large, silvery-black plain with nothing to see for miles. Despite a cold, silvery sun in the sky, the land does not appear to be lit brightly by it, stuck in an eternal night.







The Night Realm of Tezcatlipoca​
However, the Rod of Fumbling can solve this. If a cloud giant is targeted by the Rod of Fumbling while holding a large stone high in the air over his head, the giant slips and falls, dropping the stone over 25’ to the ground below. This will shatter the flagstone, and destroy the mirror. Thus, the giant will have destroyed the mirror, banishing them, and returning Hell’s Close to the real world. 

*Epilogue*

Alora still lives, and will continue to care for the people of Hell’s Close. The PCs can now go and scour the city for the Thieves’ Guildmaster, and prevent racketeering operations throughout the city on behalf of the Family of the First Sun. Through her seeress power, she can be a source of help for the PCs or a hook for future adventures.

The Family of the First Sun can remain a threat in the background, emerging in different cities, and performing much the same function. They are a clan of evil cloud giants who will attempt to open up portals to Tezcatlipoca’s Night Realm throughout a city, and threaten to pull the city into the Night Realm unless they are paid protection money. They will typically find a slum and pull it through to demonstrate the power they hold. 

*Rod of Fumbling*

When pointed at a target and the command word is said, the Rod of Fumbling causes the target to drop whatever he or she holds, and to slip and fall prone. There is no saving throw, but magic resistance does work. It takes a standard action to activate the Rod of Fumbling.
Moderate enchantment; CL 12th; Craft Rod, _Daze, Grease_; Price 5,000 gp.

*Flying Piranha*

Use the Hawk stat block, but the Talon attack is a Bite attack instead. They have a Swim speed of 60 ft. and can breathe water.

*Tezcatlipoca*

Tezcatlipoca was the Aztec god of deceit and the night. Also known as the Smoking Mirror, he was the world’s first sun, and created a race of giants to populate the world. This world of the first sun was eventually destroyed, and devoured by jaguars.

From Wikipedia:
Tezcatlipoca
Myth of the Five Suns

Photo Credits:
Alleyway by C.W. Thomas.
Jester by Ljubica_R.
Night Realm by (Erik).

A *Giant Mafia* is *Damning an Alley* through *Non-Reflective Mirrors* and a *Sleeping Watcher* tells the party, who can stop this by use of a *Rod of Fumbling* protected by *Flying Piranha* so imbued by the reaction of a *Flaming Dragon*.


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## Radiating Gnome (Nov 15, 2009)

Okay, well, this is it.  

[sblock]
I think everyone can see that these are both very creative, cool scenarios -- and both are very different approaches to the ingredients -- but, lets get down to brass tacks.  We're comparing The Far City (FC) by Iron Sky to Hell's Close (HC) by InVinoVeritas.  

*Ingredients.  *

*Damned Alley*  Okay . . . in FC, we have an alley or street in which Velos the immortal has been trapped by the wyrd dragon, divested of his rod, and left to be gnawed to the bone each day all-prometheus-like by flying piranhas.  It's a powerful visual, it's very, very cool, but it's a bit off -- I mean, clearly it's Velos who is damned, not the alley.  It's not as strong as it could be.  

Meanwhile, in HC, the damned alley is an important part of the setting -- it's where the adventure starts and ends . . but I'm missing exactly in what way it's been damned by the giants.  It has been targeted by them, because that's where the entrance is to the faerie dragon's lair is . . . but that's hardly damned.  So, a weak point for FC.

*Non-Reflective Mirror* - Both entries use this ingredient very well, by and large.  And, interestingly enough, both have mirrors that transition and either become reflective or unreflective. In FC, the players can only see the wyrd dragon through mirrors during the shift, so they have to be non-reflective mirrors before the shift . . . and that's pretty cool.  In HC, the mirrors are normal mirrors that become non-reflective, either through their own magic or something else -- and that allows the giants to pass through into the world.  

In the end, I think they're both pretty good, although the mirrors in HC are used more importantly, so for this ingredient that gives HC a slight edge. 

*Sleeping Watcher* - I love the image of the dragon sleeping in the center of town, dream-watching everything that goes on. FC has a good use here.  HC's dream watcher, on the other hand, is a exposition device more than anything else.  And, while the dreams are used well to foreshadow and provide information to the PCs -- and it's a very cool use of the sleeping watcher ingredient -- it's not quite as strong as the dragon.  Edge to FC.

*Giant Mafia *- Both entries kinda drop the ball on this one.  Both include powerful organizations of bad guys that are plotting . . . but in both cases I don't see how the organizations are necessarily mafias.  In FC, the "mafia" is the plane-spanning aberration group . . . but the city is also described as having no real law or controlling social structure -- and if that's the case, how is this group of aberrations criminal?  If there are no laws to break, how can they conspire to break laws? 

In HC, there is a hint of criminal organization in the network being used to distribute the mirrors around the city.    And it's obviously being directed by giants.  But, gags like "anyone who breaks a mirror will be fed to the fish" don't quite make it a mafia operation . . . and the traditional line is to say someone "sleeps with the fishes" anyway . . . 

Still, since the giants were working against the established order in the city, they can be construed as criminal . . .call it a weak edge for HC.

*Flying Piranhas* - Both entries had them.  They were actually used in pretty much the same way.  It's a wash. 

*Rod of Fumbling *- Both entries used the rod prominently. I think the Rod in HC leads to a weakness with the entry I'll talk about later, but in as much as it's a part of the adventure, I think that the use of the rod in HC is actually more prominent than the one in FC, where the Rod is the object of their quest -- and despite the detailed backstory could be almost anything.  Edge to HC.  

*Bonus Ingredient:*
*Flaming Dragon.*  Both had dragons.  In HC, the faerie dragon becomes flaming when it gets pelted with alchemist's fire . . . which kills it, of course.  And in FC, the big bad at the end is the flaming wyrd dragon.  In both cases, the flaming isn't important or even used much in the story, so I'm not giving anyone bonus points for this one. 

*Creativity/Evocative Writing/Etc. *
These entries, once you step back from the specific ingredients, are some of the best, most creative, interesting scenarios we could hope for in this sort of forum.  If I were going to give an edge to either entry, it would be to HC for not relying heavily on backstory that ends up being for the GM's eyes only, but that's a small thing.  

*Usability*
I like both of these adventures, at heard -- and there's a ton of great, creative energy going on here, the sort of stuff that is exactly what Iron DM is all about.  Any entry is going to have flaws and problems, of course, since it amounts to a sketch and draft, so it's not surprising that, when you really dig into these the flaws start to appear.  

FC is a cool adventure, but a huge portion of the entry is backstory that may or may not be communicated to the PCs.  One of the strengths that I see in HC is that the exposition, delivered mostly through dreams, gives the PCs the bits they need to know in a more evocative way -- and we don't need a huge backstory to explain the plot going on behind the scenes for the DM -- it's all laid bare.  

However, HC has a tragic flaw.  The adventure is designed with one specific path, one solution in mind.  It reads to me like a plan for a computer game rather than an RPG -- something where the PC can go back to a save point and try something again and again until he figures out the trick to beat the encounter. The entire scenario leads to a point where the PCs need to trick the giants into breaking the "mirror" surface of the slick stone during the final battle -- and the way to do that is to have the rod of fumbling, recovered from the piranahs after the fool's death.  

FC's final battle is also gimmicky.  The PCs need to get the dragon to breath on his own pedestal.  But the adventure does not have a prescribed solution for that stunt.  But there isn't a single right way to handle that problem -- the PCs will have many powers and tricks up their sleeves, and the adventure only sets the goal for them leaving it up to their own creativity to find the solution.  And, given a diversity of parties, there should be a diversity of solutions.  

*Final*
In the end HC has a slight edge in ingredients thanks to the more integral use of the Rod of Fumbling . . . but, at the same time, that integral use is the biggest problem I see in either entry -- and the lynch pin of the playability problem that I see in HC. HC reads like a cool story, not so much a cool adventure.  In a story, we don't worry that there should be multiple solutions to a problem, because the author will pick the one he wants.  But in a rpg, if there's only one path to success the players don't get to make real choices and solve real problems, the game becomes an exercise in going through the motions. 

FC has it's own problems, but because it seems more playable.  My vote goes to FC, and it's author Iron Sky. 
[/sblock]


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## phoamslinger (Nov 15, 2009)

*Damned Alley
Non-Reflective Mirror
Sleeping Watcher
Giant Mafia
Flying Piranhas
Rod of Fumbling*

Bonus Ingredient:
*Flaming Dragon*

IS versus IVV.  and to work.  

[sblock]

regretably, it seems that I'm better at tearing down entries than I am in building them up.  one of these two had a fatal flaw that really tipped the scales and made my decision for me...

* Damned Alley *
IS gave us an Alley which was the ongoing site of the god Velos’ destruction, IVV gave us an Alley which was actually going to be Damned.  I feel a slight (paper thin) edge to IVV on that one, only because of the literal-ness of his interpretation.

* Non-Reflective Mirror * I was really curious how this would be done (and was half expecting to see a Vampire pop up somewhere and was pleased when this *didn’t* happen).  IS gave us mirrors that don’t work when the party needs them and the need to build non-working mirrors deliberately so that they will work later.  IVV gave us the smoking portals and reflective pools.  both were creative usages of the ingredient and were equally core to the adventures.  a tie on this one I think.

* Sleeping Watcher *
how can someone watch if they’re asleep?  through dreams and visions appears to be the answer.  a tie here as well.

* Giant Mafia *
IS gave us a race of giants that are the Organization behind all organization (an appropriate 26th level opponent).  IVV gave us a family of cloud Giants who are working with the underworld to seize power.  I found IS’s giant mafia to be just a bit more thematically like the Sopranos/Godfather/Goodfellas than IVV’s.  point to IS. 

* Flying Piranhas *
another ingredient I wanted to see how it was done.  IS’s piranha shift and can fly.  IVV’s piranha eat the dragon and gain its wings once the world shifts into the land of the night realm.  again both are using a similar reasoning for the ingredient, in this case a planar shift transforms the fish.  tie.

* Rod of Fumbling *
both entries have the Rod of Fumbling as the key that solves the adventure. tie again.

* Flaming Dragon *
yes flaming means burning and both your dragons burn at one point or another.  but there’s another connotation for flaming that is quite inappropriate.  therefore I will give an edge to IVV’s _flaming fairy_ dragon, for putting together an excellent play on words without actually implementing an ingredient that might offend.

* * * * *

I could type up another couple of pages, but I think I will need to give this round to Iron Sky.  from the ingredients I could tell that this one was going to be tough to call.  it was going to be the secondary considerations that were going to really make or break this particular contest, and the usefulness of the adventure is what’s really going to sway it for me today.

_The Far City_ is immersed in flavor and imagery which I liked a lot.  but more importantly, he presents the party with a situation or a mission and then allows them to take whatever paths they want to.   _Hell’s Close_ (as in Closing the way to Hell or that Hell IS Close – nice title) has equal amounts of creativity, but felt very railroady to me.  I mean, the adventurers are drawn into Hell’s Close, are introduced to the NPCS, are read several sections of boxed text for the dreams, and then are given the opportunity to figure out that they need the magic item at the bottom of the piranha pool to one-shot solve the problem.

InVinoVeritas, you tied the ingredients together well, pulled some interesting references (Aztec Mythos) into your adventure, and had a very good story laid out which could make for a fun evening’s adventure… unless the players don’t figure it out.  in which case you’d have a group of 4th to 6th level adventurers trying to fight off an invasion of cloud giants as they were pulled into a Hell dimension.  like pulling an adventuring group into Ravenloft (which I did in a campaign once), your adventure could seriously derail a campaign into a very strange place, which might be interesting all by itself, but it really goes outside of the adventure you wrote.  I would have put your adventure closer to 14-16th level in order to open up more options for the players.  but then, by giving them more options you open up the possibility of them going outside the tightly scripted storyline you wrote.  

Iron Sky, all of the adventures that you put together for this contest have been creatively out of the box, enjoyable to read, easy to visualize and a story line I wouldn’t mind throwing at a group of players one of these days.  I’ll throw my vote for you as the *Iron DM* for this contest, and add that I think it’s well earned.  

now we just wait for the other judge… [/sblock]


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## Nifft (Nov 15, 2009)

InVinoVeritas v Iron Sky
[sblock]
Both entries are great. Both entries have problems.

Ingredient use first:

*Damned Alley*: IS, I worried that your only Velos was "damned", but since he had been melted into the fabric of the alley itself, that would qualify. Your alley is damned by a plague of flying fish, too. IVV, your alley is itself a location of damnation. Point to IVV.

*Non-Reflective Mirror*: IS, cool use of mirrors, but the only ones relevant to your story are reflective ones. It's a chore to get one, but once you have it, you don't need any non-reflective ones. IVV, your non-reflective mirrors are integral. Point to IVV.

*Sleeping Watcher*: IVV, your watchers are the PCs, but I'm not sure the players will associate their visions with sleep strongly enough, since no other "sleep" effects occur. IS, your watcher evokes in me a strong Cthulhu vibe, which works fine and fits your setting well. Point to IS.

*Giant Mafia*: IS, your mafia has no necessary "giant"-ness. In my humble opinion you could have stuck with a known aberration like Aboleths and done better here. (That would also give a good excuse for having canals running everywhere, which you needed for the piranhas.) IVV, your giants must be giant to grab the halfling through the mirror, so point to IVV.

*Flying Piranhas*: IS, in your scenario, they're there because "Far Realms magic!. I'm willing to accept that they fly because "Far Realms!", but you demand I also accept piranha for the same reason -- and that's pure handwaving. However, you tie their "piranha"-ness well to the "alley" element. IVV, I totally don't get how the dragon causes the piranhas to fly -- but you integrate "piranhas" well into the "mafia" element. I'm calling this one a wash.

*Rod of Fumbling*: IS, nice. It's just ironic enough that the PCs should have seen it coming, and that is the highest art of the Rat Bastard. IVV, playing "guess the one thing the DM wants you to do" with this ingredient is bad. Sure, you've made it integral to the scenario -- by making it the only ticked off this railroad. Point to IS.

*Flaming Dragon*: IVV, if pouring alchemist's fire on a faerie dragon and then dropping it into a bathtub would give the bather wings, that species would swiftly become extinct. IS, straightforward use of a dragon who is on fire, and his fire is integral to the backstory and final confrontation. Point to IS.


Evocative prose: Both are good, tie here.

I love the doomed Aztec giants -- they remind me of Death Giants -- but I also love the Far Realms city. It's interesting that both of you went to the Planes with this match, and that you both crafted such plausible, evocative alternate realities.


Bodycount: Not really a category, but I do really like how most of the NPCs introduced by IVV were dead by the end.


Usability:

IVV, you've crafted a tight narrative. This is a great strength of yours. But this time, it's too tight, to the point of restricting the players into a single preset route. That's awesome when it's used for setting up the time paradox (e.g. the PCs awaken and trigger the event they rush in to prevent), but super lame when their in-game choices have no effect, and super ultra MEGA lame when they have to guess the one and only choice that can win.

IS, great location, gloriously alien, and has me slobbering creative juices on my keyboard. However, there are zero NPCs. You use rumors to fill that gap, and you use them far too much. I mean, what the hell kind of rumor is this: "_Whatever the Sleeping Watcher took from The Damned, it is said that he magically hid it on the Pedestal near the base of his statue – and no one has any hope of finding it unless the Watcher breathes upon it._" Raw exposition stinks like raw sewage: don't serve it as soup, hide it in the gravy.

None the less, usability point: *Iron Sky*. And that's basically the contest right there. IVV, no matter how many nice things I find in your scenario, it's not usable for any game I'd want to run or play in. You've shown great ability to craft tight, cohesive entries. Dial it back a notch and you'll be back in the groove that won you to the finals.

IS, given that the PCs are in a city, and given how many confrontations the PCs are expected to have with the Cosa Nesunna, it's disturbing that there are no named NPCs except for the God of Fishfood. None the less, great scenario. You've well earned this victory.
[/sblock]

Thanks everyone, summary soon!


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## Nifft (Nov 15, 2009)

Summary:

The winner of this match -- and this year's IronDM, by a unanimous vote -- is *Iron Sky*.

In my opinion, Iron Sky, you took a very ambitious project -- the alien hell of the Far Realms -- and made it work. Your ambition paid off.

InVinoVeritas, we all agreed about the fatal flaw in your scenario. Unfortunately, I don't see any easy fixes, except for one aspect: you could change the Stone Giants into Ogres, which would allow the PCs to at least cope with them by conventional combat while they figure out how to trick them into destroying their own mirror. (Or while someone runs back to fetch the Rod of Plot.)

The other way you could go is to have Hell's Close fall, have the PCs escape, and then the campaign becomes: let's never allow that to happen again, first bringing the PCs into conflict with humanoid mafias, and finally at mid-to-late Paragon the PCs travel to the Aztec hell dimension and kill their demonic sun-god, or something.


Iron Sky, in case you're interested, here's what I'd personally change about your scenario:
- Mafia: just use Aboleths, that'll justify canals and piranhas, and they're known as masterminds already.
- Mirrors: instead of making them useless, make them translucent. They don't reflect anything, but looking through one still allows you see invisible stuff -- but imposes a hefty penalty on every other use of vision, so load up on those Utility powers & magic items that give you non-visual navigation.

These are just details, though.

I agree with RG that too much of the Far City is not explained well to the PCs, but I figured that if I were to use it, I'd be dropping hints to the PCs fairly early: aboleth criminal masterminds would be behind several plots they foiled, there would be aberrant interlopers who hinted at the existence of the Far City, the PCs could buy rare items from certain beholder "fences" who might also supply the party with rumors, etc.

- - -

These were some very tough ingredients, and you both did truly good work integrating them into anything resembling coherence. But both entries are not merely coherent: they're vibrant, evocative, and even haunting.

The fact that my current urge is to *base a whole goddamn campaign* around each one is telling.

Thank you both.

In fact, thank you to all contestants. It's been a pleasure and a privilege to judge this contest.


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