Copyright 1999 J. Keith Wykowski - All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced for personal use only.
Dear Friends,
It nears the time for the Festival of Rebirth in my fair city of Waterdown. As always there seems a great possibility for a spot of carousing and merriment, as long as Willow doesn’t catch us first. Please join us at our home and allow us the honor of hosting another year’s turn. In case your memory has begun to mirror my own, we live on the corner of Smith and Market streets near the old fortress.
Your Faithful Host,
Samuel Nazirson
P.S. Please bring a peace offering for my neighbors. They are still miffed about their cow.
The Festival’s End
By Keith Wykowksi
This adventure is to be played by an average sized group of low-level characters. Experienced characters or those with a large amount of magical goodies will have a far easier time than normally.
Introduction:
GM: Give the preceding letter to the players. Tell them the following:
This letter arrives one morning from a passing merchant. After a few appraising glances he approaches. "Pardon me, but a business acquaintance of mine asked me to give this to a group meeting your descriptions. May I ask your names?" After a brief introduction he continues "Ah yes, it took a few weeks but I have found you. I possess a letter from a one, Samuel Nazirson. He requested that I deliver it to you, should I meet you." Glancing up the merchant sees a child curiously picking through his bags and dusty cases. He hurries after the boy with a huffing "YOU THERE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Samuel Nazirson is a master metal smith currently residing in a better off section of Waterdown. He is good friends with the party and considers them family. Willow is his wife of fifteen years. He also has a brother named Marcus, who is an adventuring troubleshooter. Waterdown is one of the largest towns on the Nevan Lake. It should take several days to travel there, but the party has a full week before the beginning of the Festival.
As you approach the city, already the aroma of baking bread, burning wood, incense, and excitement wafts across the road / water. The tall walls of stone that surround the city are draped with bright and colorful tapestries depicting life, rebirth, and beautiful spring days. An especially artistic drapery hangs from on of the towers, showing the gods Mures and Marach hand in hand bringing the spring bloom. The guards stop you as you enter, requiring 1 silver talon for every weapon brought into the city. All weapons brought inside must also be kept sheathed. As you enter the city, the crowds of shoppers, entertainers, and rejoycers press against you. Walking down Market Street you finally come across the intersection of Smith and Market. The building on your right seems to be a large two story stone building. On one side of the building a large smokestack emits a tangy smell of smelting iron. The ringing of iron upon iron clang from within, growing louder as you open the oaken door. A middle aged woman wearing a floral dress glances up as you enter. Smiling she hurries around the counter to sweep as many of you as she can in a hug. "Friends, praise the gods you have made it in time. Was the journey well? Samuel has been as tense as a horned beast since he sent those letters. Ah come into the shop it has been far too long." She lowers her voice; "Samuel has missed all of you so. Dear, guess who has arrived." With that she escorts you all in to the smithy. After your reunion, the festival goes smoothly and is over far too soon for anyone’s liking. On the final day Samuel asks where you are travelling to next. "If its not too much trouble", he begins, "would you transport this to my brother Marcus? He is currently investigating some ancient ruin he found, but I would still like to give him my love at this time of year." He holds up a beautiful necklace of silver and amethysts.
The necklace is entirely non-magical and is simply a gift for his brother. However it is extremely well made and is worth several hundred silver talons. It has attracted the attention of a bandit named Boswick Throd, who originally attempted to purchase it. Samuel refused to sell his brother’s gift and angered Boswick in the process. Boswick is determined to have that necklace and avenge the perceived slight. Boswick will make several attempts to possess the necklace.
Marcus is currently 80 miles away along the Nevan River. He is investigating the ruins of an ancient wizard’s pyramid. The pyramid is entirely underground and, Marcus believes once part of the ancient Hannaran Empire. He is entirely correct.
Attempted Theft #1: Pick-pocketing
Boswick is the leader of a gang of thugs and thieves, one of which is an excellent pickpocket. He will use him to obtain the necklace without a conflict or even bloodshed. Not that he is adverse to bloodshed, but the penalties for assault are too high for inside the city.
The attempt will be made as the party leaves the city. The pickpocket has a skill of 60%. If the thief is successful allow one of the characters to notice the theft. If unsuccessful the players may attempt an AWA roll to notice the attempt. If no one seems to notice the thief will continue a total of two additional times. On any successful AWA roll the thief will run for freedom. The flavor text is for the first attempt. The young leather clad man is simply the shill, the actual thief is the older gentleman. He is in good physical health and is actually younger than he appears. If the first attempt fails, then do not read the flavor text. The second and third attempts will be made without any stage acting.
As you proceed to leave town, you see a young tough clad in light leather jostle and push an older man into <insert party member’s name here>. The older man is dressed in fine clothes that seem somewhat threadbare. Right after the impact the young man sprints through the crowd. The gentleman dazedly glances about his person and begins to yell "STOP THIEF! You dirty bastard, come back with my money!" He begins to slowly limp after his assailant.
The Chase
This chase is divided into several stages for drama. If the players fail any two of the stages then the thief has successfully fled. Otherwise the party may track him to his hideout. His hideout is in the dock section of town.
The first stage is soon after the players begin their chase in the market district. The thief ducks into a cloth tent selling glassware. As he runs through the tent he will pull shelves and tables down around the lead characters. The three lead characters must attempt an agility roll or have a table or shelf fall on top of him. Injury taken if unsuccessful is 2d10+5 for each member. If others are following allow an agility roll to avoid taking 1d10 from glass shards. Avoiding the tent automatically counts as a failed stage.
The thief sprints away, destroying any illusion of a limp. As he dashes down the cobbled street, he ducks into a large multi-colored tent. On the outside a hand painted sign reads "Master Dunold’s Glass Emporium."
Assuming the players enter the tent…
Your quarry runs through the aisles of shelves and tables. As you follow behind, his hand darts out to pull on several shelves. You can almost hear a chuckle as they come crashing down around you, glass shards and dust filling the air. On the far side of the tent he rolls under a flap, and you hear the sound of boots running down cobbles.
The second stage of the chase begins at the point where Market Street ends, and the dirt road begins. The thief decides to elude detection by climbing the side of a building onto the roofs above. Knowing the buildings far better than the players, he hopes to slow them down even further. For the players to know where the thief has gone requires one of three things. First a successful hearing roll by a party member will work by rolling ¼ Awareness + the Hearing modifier for the race. Any magical powers or spells of divination may show his location. But the most mundane solution is if the players look up. The players have 5 rounds to discover these solutions. Only allow one hearing roll unless the party specifically asks to listen for noise. Smell will not work with all of the pleasing aromas of the fair. Once on the roof, each player following behind must succeed at three Agility rolls or fall to the ground for 2d10 injury. Roll a second agility roll to determine if an ankle was twisted. Anyone who remains on the ground or falls will fail this stage.
As you follow the thief as he dodges between shoppers, entertainers, and panhandlers you begin to lose sight of him. As the cobbled Market Street ends you have lost sight of him completely. The dirt road begins here, hundreds if not thousands of tracks crisscross the path. A few straggling entertainers and roadside vendors ply their wares and add to the general cacophony of sound and smells.
The final stage of the chase is where the thief descends from the rooftops into a waiting bale of hay. Continuing to run, two of his accomplices change the safe bale with one filled with spikes. Anyone who jumps upon the bale of hay will suffer 3 / 9 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 27 / 33 / 36 / 39 / 45. The victim may attempt to roll an agility to receive half injury (if they know the javelins are there) but a critical failure will result in the javelins dealing critical injury. Jumping from the rooftop without cushion will result as if from a fall. See above. If the lead character pauses for more than three rounds consider the stage failed.
If the party has failed the chase and lost the thief they may use their brains to locate the thief’s hideout given time. The people who live in the docks are not loyal and are easily bribable for any information concerning the thief or the necklace. If the party is more successful and at least one person has survived all three challenges then they have a decision. Do they fall back and follow him while staying hidden or do they charge into the tavern? Charging into the tavern is virtual suicide as the tavern is crawling with dangerous paranoid people who are NOT associated with the thief. However they will attack in response to a perceived threat. In the back room of the tavern lie the thief and an equal number of accomplices to the party.
PENELAN, 2nd
Level Goblin Thief
AGL: 70 AWA: 50 BEA: 45
CHA: 50 DEX: 65 HEA: 55
INT: 45 LUC: 50 STR: 45
WIL: 50 IP: 55
Skills: Stealth 39%, Palming 39%, Pick Pockets 60%, Hide 30%, Def. Tactics 30%, Realize Worth 30%, Knife Weapons 30%.
Carries 5 Silver Talons, padded armor (PV 3), and 1 Bowie Knife.
1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 10 / 11 / 12
Penelan is not the bravest of warriors. If he sees the fight going badly for him or his side, he will flee leaving the source of his troubles.
Average 1st Level Human Warriors
AGL: 50 AWA: 50 BEA: 50
CHA: 50 DEX: 55 HEA: 55
INT: 45 LUC: 50 STR: 60
WIL: 45 IP: 55
Skills: Weapon Skills 28%, Def. Tactics 28%
Carries Low Treasure, One assorted weapon each, and leather armor (PV 5).
Sword 2 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 25
Axe 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 27 / 30
Mace 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12
Attempted Theft #2: Ambush on the road
This attempt is far less subtle. The bandits have decided to extort the necklace from the players at bow-point. There will be one less bandit than player characters. After the players bed down for the evening, a lone swordsman walks into the camp with their demands. If the necklace is given, then they will retreat to their wooded hideout. This will occur on the second night.
During the first watch, perhaps an hour in, you hear sounds of a lone man approaching through the trees. Clad in simple leather armor, and carrying a bow and a long sword, he walks into camp unarmed. "Ah good, one is still awake. You will hand over our necklace and you will live. Refuse and you will all be shot down." At this an arrow whizzes from the dark forest to land near one of the sleeping characters. <Roll Awareness to awaken>
Average 1st Level Human Warriors
AGL: 50 AWA: 50 BEA: 50
CHA: 50 DEX: 55 HEA: 55
INT: 45 LUC: 50 STR: 60
WIL: 45 IP: 55
Skills: Weapon Skills 28%, Def. Tactics 28%
Carries Low Treasure, One assorted weapon each, and leather armor (PV 5).
Sword 2 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 25
S. Bow 1 / 3 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 9 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 15
Arrival at the Site
As you approach where Samuel described hi brother to be working, you find a simple campsite of several small tents, a fire-pit, a larger tent, several mules, assorted equipment, and a large hole in the ground. As you approach the hole in the ground you hear a timid voice from a tent say "Um…please stay away…I’ve…I’ve got you all under my sights. Please don’t make me shoot you…just leave us and our stuff alone." A slight figure carrying a crossbow slowly pops his head from inside one of the tents. Obviously fearful of your intent he shakily trains the crossbow upon your group.
This is Boswick, playing a role he has used many times to gain the confidence of his victims. He is a hardened murderer and will take any opportunity to wound or kill a character if he can get away with it. He will pretend to be the porter of Marcus’ expedition. Simple questions about the dig he will answer, but more complicated ones he will defer with a simple "Um…well I don’t know much about that. Marcus deals with the important stuff." He will show the players to the fissure in the ground. He will use any excuse to lead the players into having him accompany them into the fissure. He maintains that he can’t fight, but he can carry a lot.
The Pyramid of Gelvanin
This pyramid is a place of great magical energy. Anyone trained with geomancy will detect it as such, otherwise a mage will get a strange tingle on the nape of his neck. While this can be used as any normal place of power, due to the unusual time effect surrounding the pyramid the chance for critical failure is three times as great. In addition any roll on a magical failure table is without any bonuses due to level.
Upon entering the pyramid the players will experience odd cause and effect events. Any normal food, torches, or other consumables will be useless within. Time affecting spells will have double the duration or effect. Leaving the fissure will negate any and all of these effects, which is why Marcus set camp well outside the effects.
Each letter code that follows is tied to the local map of the pyramid. The events that occur at each letter code may vary depending upon which events have previously occurred. Remember that Boswick is dangerous and will use any opportunity presented until his final betrayal.
You descend well over 200 feet into the earth, using a system of rope ladders. As you go deeper the musty smell of air trapped for centuries closes around you. Having no light to see by, all you hear is the faint drip of water far ahead. <After the party has a light source>. As you near the end of your descent, the rock begins to appear more sculpted and chiseled. The joints between granite slabs are tiny and precise, obviously the work of loving master craftsmen. Following the passage north you walk almost a mile downward at a slight grade until the passage opens into a gargantuan cavern. In the center of the cavern lies a small pyramid easily a hundred feet wide. Made of granite the pyramid is surrounded by four obelisks that stand half as tall. Each obelisk is capped with a silver metal that gleams with an unnatural glow. Around the obelisks lies a slow moving underground river no more than 20 feet wide. The murky depths of the river seem to be shallow. On the opposite side from where you are standing lies an unconcealed passage inside.
Following the entrance within leads to a small "T-shaped" room with a pair of large double doors opposite the hallway. The doors, made of bronze, are etched with ancient runes or a long dead language. On the four corners of the door are the pictures of a small flame, a ocean wave, a sandy beach, a cloud. In the center of the door is an intertwined snake that seems to be eating its own tail.
The doors are magically barred until someone says the word TIME. Only then will the door open. The language says in Hannaran:
" As Fire evaporates Water,
As Water covers Earth,
As Earth seals Air,
As Air extinguishes Fire,
I rule eternal."
As you step cautiously through the secret door, your torchlight rests on crates, barrels, and boxes that fill the room. Great many of them having been looted previously, less than a third remain unmolested.
Inside the crates are furs, skins, coal, wool, cotton, cloth, small tools, pieces of furniture, candles, torches, and fire-moss.
This room is large, nearly oblong and longest from the north to south. Six statues of elven adventurers surround the room. Each statue is made of marble, and is exquisitely carved. A set of double-doors leads south, while to the east and west are two sets of single doors.
The statues are of a warrior, a mage, a minstrel, a spell-sword, ranger, and a priest. All are non-magical except for the priest. Anyone who touches the priest can understand all spoken languages while in this room.
This room appeared to have once belonged to a jeweler. Along one side of the room lies a well-used cot half the size of a human. Scattered around the room are various tools and small chips of gemstone. A large desk with an odd silvery pyramid lines the other wall.
The pyramid is a magical light source. It has the same area of effect as an oil lamp without the heat. It must be touched to activate, and will only activate within the pyramid.
As you enter the pyramid, you discover yourselves in a beautifully designed foyer. On every wall frescos of ancient deeds done by elven mages can be seen. The floor is tiled a checkerboard combination of blue and white. Each tile is six inches in width. Doors line the center of each cardinal direction.
This next room has doors on the east and west walls. Along the northern wall lies a raised dais. Upon the dais is a wooden altar. A candelabrum rests on each side of the altar with the remnants of an incense candle. On the south wall is a tapestry for each of the eleven gods.
This simple and unadorned room would be unremarkable except for the large amount of broken crystal on the floor. Crunching it to dust as you walk, there seems to be very little else of interest except a partially buried corpse clutching a harp.
This is yet another trap. Originally the harp shattered the crystal which hung above hidden by illusion. Now the trap is reversed. The harp, which is worth at least 50-100 silver talons, will cause the broken crystal to reform and reattach to the ceiling. Unfortunately any character within the room will receive 2d10 injury unless they successfully make an AGL roll.
The odor of decaying bodies hits you in the face as you open the door. Once a sitting room or audience chamber, this room has been destroyed in a battle. Bloody and dismembered corpses litter the floor and the remnants of the furniture. Most still clutch at broken or rusted weapons.
The corpses are NOT undead. They are simply the bodies of those who died and where trapped within the temporal flux. As the party enters the room they will animate and attack. For every point of injury they receive they will gain flesh, lose wounds, and heal. If one is restored to full IP he will flee out the door. The torture of quasi-death too much strain on his psyche.
Corpses / Healing Warriors
AGL: 50 AWA: 50 BEA: 50
CHA: 50 DEX: 55 HEA: 55
INT: 45 LUC: 50 STR: 60
WIL: 45 IP: 55
Skills: Weapon Skills 28%, Def. Tactics 28%
One assorted weapon each, and leather armor (PV 5).
Sword 2 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 25
Axe 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 27 / 30
Mace 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12
As you enter, your eyes are drawn to the beautifully done mosaic in the floor. Tiles of numerous colors and hues meld precisely to create a complex pattern.
This room is safe. In the ceiling, 100’ above is an open hole leading to the second level. This distance is actually magical, but has no other effect. The easiest way to reach the top is to lie on the ground underneath and fall up. Anyone who lies down and tries to push up with great force should also be considered successful. Tripping however is not enough, nor is it in the correct direction.
As you touch the handle of the door you realize it is warm to the touch. Cautiously opening the door, you see the entire room drops a foot deeper and is filled with oil. The fumes swirl around you, as all of you begin to realize it may not be safe to stay here long. Already some are feeling ill or dizzy. On the far end of the room lies the source of the heat, a raging inferno stretching from one wall to the other. Through the glare of the flames you see the outlines of a box or chest.
The flame on the other side of the room is very dangerous and will inflict 2d10+5 injury every round someone is within the flames. Smoke inhalation will require a HEA or WIL roll to actually complete any action once within the flames. The only way to extinguish the flames is by going to the edge of the fire and using flint and steel brought from outside the pyramid. Any fire producing devices from within will ignite the "safe" area. If the players discover the puzzle, Boswick will remain in the safe area and accidentally light the oil. Inside the chest are 20 silver shields.
This room is in shambles. In the center of the room is a large rectangular table covered with the remains of food and droppings. Broken plates are scattered around the floor and furniture in no particular order. Lining one wall is a row of cupboards that once probably held supplies, food, and other provisions. Now several hang on one hinge with gaping holes, broken shelves, teeth and claw marks visible.
The occupant rats of the pyramid found the only supply of food around before the time reversing magic caught hold of them. If the characters spend more than three rounds inside, the giant rats attack. The silverware is the only remaining thing of value, worth no more than 30 silver talons.
Giant Rats
AGL: 30 AWA: 10 BEA: 10
CHA: 10 DEX: 30 HEA: 30
INT: 10 LUC: 50 STR: 30
WIL: 10 IP: 30
Skills: Attack Skills 28%, Def. Tactics 16%
Rats inflict 1d10 + 6 injury per bite or claw.
The doors to this room are all made of oak, with bronze hinges and straps. As you push open the door another room filled with mosaics greets your eyes. The tiled floor appears to be a swirling mass of colors without any pattern. The walls all depict scenes from what must have been an ancient empire. <Hannaran>. The ceiling is domed and has been decorated to resemble a skylight at nighttime. Stars, clouds, and a bright moon seem to watch over the party. Various busts, statues, and other stonework line the walls giving the feeling that you have walked into a museum. On the northern-most wall is a stone archway built into the wall. It has been long since bricked up, but there is an indentation shaped as a hand.
There is a secret passage in the north wall but it has nothing to do with the archway. The archway is a gateway, but has been modified with a DNA lock. Unless Gelvanin, or his descendant, touches the indentation the portal will not work correctly. If the portal is incorrectly activated, anyone stepping through will age as if a Mature spell was cast by a 25th level caster.
The door to this room is warm to the touch and bears an odd symbol. Opening the door brings a blast of hot air and sulfuric odors. Glancing past the haze, you see a large room completely filled with a 100-foot pit and lava at the bottom. On the far side of the room is a narrow five-foot ledge with what appears to be a chest.
THIS ROOM IS NASTY! The symbol is an ancient Hannaran rune for danger. See the room map for specific illustrations on the following items. Spread sporadically through the room is several invisible tiles. Any "see invisible" spell or detect illusion spell will show the tiles and the invisible wall. The invisible wall stretches from the north wall fifteen feet south and thirty feet down. Only teleportation or location shifting will allow penetration of the wall. It is easiest to travel around. Any fall into the lava is fatal, although you may allow a DEX roll to grab at a wall, or rope, etc. Inside the chest is a Focal Staff that grants a bonus of +20 to cast any ranged spell.
This secret room is filled with multicolored smoke. As you enter the room the smoke begins to swirl around you making it impossible to see more than a foot or so.
In the center of the room is a chalk summoning circle. The demon has been waiting for freedom ever since the enchantment was placed upon this pyramid. Needless to say it is very angry. Anyone walking through the room could disrupt the circle and free the demon. If freed it will attack the first person it sees. The room is filled with glass vials, beakers, tubing, powders, dusts, and other paraphernalia.
Unhappy Demon (IMP) Level 13
AGL: 86 AWA: 89 BEA: 09
CHA: 71 DEX: 80 HEA: 62
INT: 77 LUC: 50 STR: 44
WIL: 81 IP: 80
Skills: Camouflage 75%, Cast Spells 80%, Climbing 75%, Defensive Tactics 75%, Forgery 65%, Hide 75%, Interrogate 70%, Martial Arts 70%, Necromancy 70%, Pick Locks 70%, Pick Pockets 70%, Realize Worth 70%, Sense Aura 75%, and Tracking 70%.
This room has a very musty, unused, smell that reeks as you open the door. Inside the room are a small bed, dresser, and nightstand. On the dresser appears to be a large mirror. All of the furniture appears to be well used, but not recently. The dresser and nightstand are bare of any hint of the occupant’s personality.
A exceedingly large marble pyramid dominates this large room. An audible buzz permeates the chamber, drowning out quieter sounds.
Any mage worth his salt should be able to sense magical energies radiating from the pyramid (+25). Anyone who touches the pyramid will receive 2d10 + 5 electrical injury. There is no save. Anyone damaging the pyramid will also receive this injury. If someone is successful in destroying this pyramid, there will be a magical backlash, which will kill any living thing inside this room. Death will occur from instantaneous aging. If this occurs none of the magical effects created by the pyramid will remain in effect. Needless to say, Gelvanin will be irate.
As you touch the door to this room, you feel great heat emanating from the doorknob and the space under the door. The room appears to be partially covered in lava pouring from a trap door in the ceiling. On the far side of the room is a chest, and on the southern wall is another door. The chest is on a dais raised about two feet from the floor.
Anyone entering the room will re-activate time and the trap will continue as normal. The only way to reverse the trap is to stand on the dais. The trick is to reach the dais. Rope will burn from the heat, anyone travelling over the heat will receive 1d10+2 burn injury per round. Travelling around the lava pouring from the ceiling will require an AGL roll. Failure will receive 3d10+5 of burn injury. Inside the chest are two tiger-eyes (10 ST each) and a Star Sapphire (54 ST).
Before you is an oak door heavily banded with iron. Upon one of the bands is an ancient rune (Treasure) in some unknown language. (Hannaran). There is a very impressive system of three locks built into the door.
The hallway before this location is slightly graded. The player will not notice unless actively looking. Trap detection will alert the person to the fact that a trap is here. There is no way to disarm the trap from this side of the door. In fact the door is a false door that is designed only to activate the trap. The locks have the following difficulty: -0, -15, -25. If the door is opened a large boulder will emerge from the ceiling on the northern side of the corridor. It will block any escape in that direction, as well as any aid from room R. It will take 1 round to reach and squish the characters. Anyone hit by the boulder will receive 5d10+20 crushing injury. There is no save roll to avoid the injury once the trap has been set off. Only quick thinking can save the victims.
Entering this red carpeted room, you see row after row of bookshelves, tomes, and illustrations. Most of the volumes seem to be in good condition, and appear surprisingly new. The only other items of note are a small writing desk with one drawer, and an odd silver pyramid built into the top.
The books are on a variety of non-magical topics. There are no books on either magic or magical enchantments. Inside the desk drawer is a bottle of ink, a quill pen, and a sheaf of paper. The pyramid cannot be removed from the desk. Placing a book on top of the pyramid will allow that individual to remove the book from the room. Only one book can be tagged per individual.
This door appears to be stuck. It is fashioned from solid bronze and looks quite heavy. There are no markings on the exterior of the door.
There is nothing of any value inside the room. The door is sealed with wax making it completely airtight. Inside the room is a highly volatile mixture of gasses. The door is not locked, and will open with a strength roll. If there is any fire or combustible materials in the hall, the door will explode towards the party with great force. Anyone standing in front of the door will receive 3d10+5 injury. Anyone inside the room when the trap is activated will be killed instantly.
As you enter this gargantuan chamber you are greeted with an odd sight. Ice covers the floor, and seems to have frozen while still pouring from large holes in the east, south, and west walls. The ice completely blocks off any possibility of travelling to either the door on the north wall, or the north to the northeast. In the depths of one of the streams of ice you see the glitter of gems.
This is another nasty trap. The ice is not water frozen by cold, but instead rushing water frozen in time. It will not radiate any cold, but will seem pleasantly cool. If touched it will allow an item to penetrate its surface. Afterwards the water will resume its deluge into the room. The room will require 10 rounds to fill completely, but once time resumes all of the doors will close and lock themselves. Each door has two locks and each is –15. Anyone standing or walking must make either a strength or agility roll to remain standing each round. The gems on the bottom are real. There are three hematite (10 ST each), two moonstones (30 and 35 each), one onyx (32 ST), one ruby (109 ST), and one diamond (125 ST). When the water resumes the gems will begin to be carried all over the room by the currents.
This room is a wreck. Broken furniture, half-eaten food, and dust balls litter the floor. The occupants of the room do not seem very happy to see you, but as they stand you begin to agree.
These creatures were once guards for Gelvanin. The pressures and magics inherent in this pyramid have warped their bodies and souls. Now they live only to kill and eat. There will be one humanoid for every two party members. Mixed with the refuse are fifty copper bits and two scrolls. The first scroll has the spell Resist Heat inscribed upon it while the second scroll has the spell Growth inscribed upon it.
Slavering Humanoids Level 3
AGL: 50 AWA: 50 BEA: 50
CHA: 50 DEX: 55 HEA: 60
INT: 45 LUC: 50 STR: 65
WIL: 45 IP: 60
Skills: Weapon Skills 44%, Def. Tactics 36%
One assorted weapon each, and natural armor (PV 5).
Sword 2 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 25
Axe 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 27 / 30
Mace 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12
As you enter this odd shaped room, the first thing you notice is the complete lack of sound emanating from any of you.
As you enter this room, the masterful carving of the stone walls steals your attention. Surrounding the room on every wall is a non-operational gate.
Each gate can take the activator to a specific location. These gates are entirely superfluous for this adventure but could seriously derail any determined group of adventurers.
2 E – Outside the Wizard’s Lair (Victory)
You are standing outside a large pair of bronze double doors. Inscriptions in that same runic script etch the frame, the banding, and the edges. In the center of the door is a large indentation that resembles two triangles placed together at the apex. Leaning against the wall is a young man wearing light leather, carrying an overstuffed pack, and frozen in place. He seemed to be copying the inscriptions from the door.
The party has found the frozen form of Marcus Nazirson. He has spent too much time within the ambience of the pyramid and has succumbed to its power. Waking him only requires a touch, but he will be wary and suspicious of anyone who "appears out of thin air". The indentation is the "keyhole" for a highly magical key. Only this key will open the door, and it is not currently in the pyramid. If Boswick has not been discovered yet, he will sneak away in the excitement. His intention is to gather his bandits and ambush the party once they exit the fissure. So let the party think they’ve won and go to the next section.
There is no way to enter this location at this time.
Climax: The Ambush
This section should only be executed if Boswick has fled and survived to exit the dungeon. In this situation he has regained his bandits and have them readied for the player characters. If the players have not noticed their missing guide yet, give each a ¼ Awareness roll on the way out. Don’t tell them when he slipped out, just that he’s missing.
Leading the addled form of Marcus, you travel back the way you came. Wary of the traps that hindered your progress, you notice as you travel that they have been reset magically. Marcus is still semi-coherent as his brain adjusts to the forward movement of time. His stumbling gait becomes stronger and steadier as you lead him outside. Exiting the pyramid, you return to the system of rope ladders and begin to climb. Nearing the top of the fissure the bright light of the sun nearly blinds you. Squinting as you reach the top you realize that it’s perhaps an hour since you went inside. A loud voice booms from the campsite "Stand and Deliver the necklace. We have you in our sights and by Kreeng this time we shall have it." Standing in chain-mail armor carrying a long sword is your "guide".
Boswick Throd 4th Level Bandit
AGL: 49 AWA: 34 BEA: 51
CHA: 49 DEX: 60 HEA: 59
INT: 51 LUC: 65 STR: 61
WIL: 42 IP: 60 PV: 12
DT: 31 ¼ DT: 8
"A" Skills: Defensive Tactics 55%, Sword Weapons 56%, Tracking 36%
"B" Skills: Orienteering 48%, Camouflage 41%, Riding 41%.
"C" Skills: Bow Weapons 38%, Brawling 37%, Foraging 27%, Pick Pockets 29%
D Skills: Negotiation 22%, Realize Worth 22%, Stealth 28%, Hiding 28%, Notice Ambush 20%
Specialization: Long Sword +2
Sword 2 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 25
Equipment: Long Sword, 17 ST, Basic Adventuring Stuff, and Transformable Chain mail.
Average 1st Level Human Warriors
AGL: 50 AWA: 50 BEA: 50
CHA: 50 DEX: 55 HEA: 55
INT: 45 LUC: 50 STR: 60
WIL: 45 IP: 55
Skills: Weapon Skills 28%, Def. Tactics 28%
Carries Low Treasure, One of each weapon, and leather armor (PV 5).
Sword 2 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 25
S. Bow 1 / 3 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 9 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 15