(UploadMB - Com) Dungeon Magazine 208

A Dungeons & D ragons Roleplay ing Ga me Supplement
Issue 208 | NOVEMBER 2012
Contents
2
One Piece at a Time

By Christopher Perkins
Its a long and perilous voyage to publication.
Some Assembly
Required
By Jobe Bittman
Thieves plunder a village after nightfall,
stealing tools and supplies. What are they
building in their secret hideout? A D&D
adventure for characters of levels 13.
22 Captain
Slygos
Treasure
By Timothy Ide
The dread pirate Captain Slygo menaces the
Silverwrack Coast, but theres more to this
greedy goblin than meets the eye. A D&D
adventure for characters of levels 24.
43 Fra z-Urbluu,
of Deception
Prince
By John Ross Rossomangno

Do not underestimate this demon lords
devious mind and gift for self-preservation.
49 Elves
with
Demonic Designs
By Erik Scott de Bie
The dark legacy of House Dlardrageth lives
on in the form of the feyrievil eladrin
with demonic bloodlines.
53 Prisoners
Iron Flask
of the
By Derek Guder
Think twice before uncorking an iron f lask.
You never know what might be inside!
ABOUT THE COVER: Caught in the wake of a passing ship is a bottle of trouble. Eric Belisle captures the magic hour in this months
feature illustration for Captain Slygos Treasure.
EDITOR I A L
208
Du n g e o n
Senior Producer
N o v e m b e r 2 012
Christopher Perkins
Producers
Greg Bilsland, Stan!

Managing Editors
Development and Editing Lead
Kim Mohan, Miranda Horner

Jeremy Crawford
Developers
Christopher Perkins, Chris Sims
Jon Schindehette
Senior Creative Director
Art Director
Graphic Production Manager
Digital Studio Consultant
Contributing Authors
Contributing Editors
Scott Fitzgerald Gray,

Ray Vallese
Contributing Artists
Eric Belisle, Noah Bradley,

Sam Carr, Ralph Horsley,
Sean Murray
Kate Irwin
Angie Lokotz
Daniel Helmick
Jobe Bittman, Erik Scott de Bie,
Derek Guder, Timothy Ide, John
Ross Rossomangno
Cartography
Sean Macdonald, Mike Schley
Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, D&D Insider, their

respective logos, D&D, Dungeon, and Dragon are trademarks of
Wizards of the Coast LLC in the USA and other countries. 2012
Wizards of the Coast LLC.
This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States
of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or
artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written
permission of Wizards of the Coast LLC. This product is a work of
fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events
is purely coincidental.
One Piece at a Time

By Christopher Perkins
A year ago, a freelance writer named Timothy Ide
submitted a proposal for a pirate adventure. I had
never worked with Timothy before, but I knew him
from his previous work, namely Train of Events in
Dungeon #44 and The Rat Trap in Dungeon #62.
Timothys adventure revolves around a down-onhis-luck goblin pirate named Slygo and a treasure
map that sets the whole adventure in motion. I
requested a complete first draft, which Timothy submitted six months later . . . right around the time we
were trying to fill a galleon-sized hole in this issue. In
May, after Timothy delivered the goods, I set to the
task of writing art descriptions for the illustrations
that would accompany the adventure, including this
months featured illo:
In the foreground, a corked BOTTLE f loats in the wake
of a passing SHIP. Inside the bottle is a rolled-up piece of
PARCHMENT with a map and some writing on it. The
bottle is the focus of the illustration. It would be cool to see a
couple GOBLINS on the ships deck or in the crows nest, if
the composition allows it.
Four weeks later, in June, Eric Belisle sent us four
different thumbnail sketches for the cover. Each one
captured the important details while presenting them
in a slightly different composition. Kate Irwin, Jon
Schindehette, and I picked the sketch we liked best,
Kate sent Eric our feedback, and in late August, his
final illustration arrived. It was exactly the image I
had in my head, and it blew us all out of the water.
In early September, I took a crack at developing the adventure. One thing I added was Vex, an
imp sidekick for the main villain, which was an
underhanded move to inject a little of this months
themeDemons & Devilsinto the adventure.
Also in September, we received Mike Schleys

beautiful renditions of Timothys maps, which werent
bad to start with. (Timothys a very rare breeda
writer whos also an illustrator.) As usual, Mike gave
us exactly what we were hoping for: clean, colorful
maps for DMs to drool over.
In early October, Timothys adventure went to
Chris Sims for further development before landing on
Kim Mohans desk. It all happened so fast, yet I need
to remind myself that its been a year since Timothy
first pitched the idea. How time flies! Compare that
to Elves with Demonic Designs, another of this
months offerings. Its been fluttering around the
office like a trapped moth for the better part of two
years, waiting for the right issue to call home.
You want to know a secret? I suck at jigsaw puzzles,
and every issue is like a giant jigsaw puzzle that takes
forever to put together. What you see here represents
more time and effort than you know, and I know five
writers whove been waiting patiently while producers, art directors, artists, cartographers, developers,
editors, and typesetters wrangle their articles. One
piece at a time, one day at a time: Its the only way anything this good ever gets done.
Some Assembly
Required
A D&D adventure for characters
of levels 13
By Jobe Bittman
Illustrations by Noah Bradley and Ralph Horsley
Cartography by Sean Macdonald
A creeping dread has taken hold in the Barony of
Harkenwold. Unknown raiders plunder the surrounding farms and disappear into the night. The
crimes are being perpetrated by a tribe of kobolds
united under an abominable masterthe reanimated
brain of a dragon, kept in a jar. The kobolds are
stealing materials to construct a new body for their
master. The adventurers must uncover the criminals
and track them back to their hideout in an old mine,
where the dragons new body is being assembled.
Some Assembly Required is a D&D adventure
set in the Nentir Vale. It is designed for characters of
levels 13 and makes a great introductory adventure
for launching a new campaign.
Background
Over a hundred years ago, a red dragon came to the
Nentir Vale to claim the territory as his own. The
dragon was known as Kerang, and he was fearsome
to behold. Kerang demanded tribute from the surrounding lands, razed farms, and gorged himself
on livestock until the frightened populace gave in to
his demands. Tales of Kerang spread from tavern to
TM & 2012 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rights reserved.
tavern. Champions came to challenge the red dragon,

but Kerang dispatched them with ease. Then the
druid Merlius Karnblack arrived.
Merlius knew Kerang would never be taken by
force alone. The clever druid watched the dragon for
months until he was ready to launch his plan. Merlius concocted a potent sleeping potion that would
cause the drinker to slumber for a hundred years. A
sealed vial of the bitter mixture was sewn up inside of
Kerangs tribute of livestock.
The dragon consumed his tribute the next day.
Within hours, Kerang felt the potion taking effect.
He rushed to the safety of his lair in the Briar Hills,
but it was too late. The dragon thrashed wildly as he
began to lose consciousness. Merlius sent the signal,
and workers from the nearby mine brought the entire
cave down on their tormentor.
So ended the reign of Kerang. That might have
been the end of his story had it not been for his faithful kobold wyrmpriest, Birk. Long after the rest of
the tribe had fled, Birk pined for the master he had
failed. The wyrmpriest clawed a tunnel into the dragons tomb and recovered Kerangs brain. He sought
out a necromancer to coax Kerangs brain back to life,
N o v e m b e r 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 8
Some Assembly Required

but it was all for naught. The magic-induced coma
kept the dragon silent, even in undeath. Preserved in
a jar, the brain was passed from generation to generation as an object of worship.
After a hundred years had passed, Kerang awoke
in horror. He vowed to reclaim his territory and
utterly destroy the descendants of those who brought
him so low. With the help of the kobold tribes he now
holds in thrall, Kerang is excavating his bones and
creating a new body, a massive construct.
Running the
A dventure
Some Assembly Required is a location-based adventure. Each keyed location on the map corresponds to
an entry in the adventure text.
Rests
As the player characters venture deeper into the
mine, taking rests becomes more problematic. Short
rests should be uneventful, but the adventurers need
to take precautions before an extended rest. More
than one extended rest also forfeits the effects the
party receives from successful completion of the Hot
on the Trail encounter. In addition, the kobolds
might have time to reinforce their positions. Use your
best judgment when resetting traps and encounters.
Treasure
The characters gain about a level during the adventure, so you should assign ten treasures beyond the
few that are already described in the text. Spread
them out among the encounters however you wish,
but be sure to award some treasure as part of the
dragons hoard in the final encounter.
The kobolds, miners of old, and other denizens of
the mine have collected various common items. As
the party uncovers treasure, you can include objects

from the Mundane Items table.
Mundane Items
d20 Mundane Item
1
Rusty shovel
Ball of twine
2
3 Small idol of Kurtulmak (kobold deity)
4 Soiled blanket
5
Iron skillet
6 Chisel
7
Axe handle
8
Tough meat jerky
9
50-foot coil of hempen rope
10
Mining pick
11
Hammer and nails
12
Flask of water (full)
13 Empty rat trap
14
Dented mining pan
15 Backpack
2 sunrods
16
17
Leather straps
Belt pouch
18
19 Small iron helm
Jewelers loupe
20
Kobolds
The kobolds have trained giant weasels, which they
use in battle and sometimes as mounts.
Try playing up the humorous side of the kobolds.
They would be downright comical if it werent for
their malevolence. The Kobold Victory Chart (published in Dragon 364 in the Creature Incarnations
article) has some ideas for spicing up encounters with
the creatures.
Kobold patrols travel in and out of the mine, delivering fresh supplies. If you need one, a patrol consists
of either three kobold quickblades or two kobold
quickblades and a giant weasel.
Kobold Quickblade
Level 1 Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid (reptile)

HP 29; Bloodied 14
AC 15, Fortitude 12, Reflex 14, Will 12
Speed 6
Standard Actions
XP 100
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Darkvision
m Short Sword (weapon) F At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC
Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage. The attack deals 2 extra damage per
square the kobold has shifted since the start of its turn.
Move Actions
Fleet Feet F At-Will

Effect: The kobold shifts up to 3 squares.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Effect: The kobold shifts 1 square.
Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +8, Thievery +8
Str 8 (1)
Dex 17 (+3)
Wis 13 (+1)
Con 13 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
Languages Common, Draconic
Equipment leather armor, light shield, short sword
Giant Weasel
Level 1 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast

HP 26; Bloodied 13
Speed 7
Traits
XP 100
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Low-light vision
Low Profile
The weasel moves at normal speed while squeezing.
Standard Actions
m Bite F At-Will
Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage.
Move Actions
Skitter F At-Will
Effect: The weasel can shift up to half its speed. During this
movement, it can move through enemy spaces.
Str 9 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 10 (+0)
Int 3 (4)
Cha 9 (1)
Alignment unaligned Languages
Starting the
A dventure
Dardun, a village in the Barony of Harkenwold, is
being plagued by a rash of crimes perpetrated under
cover of darkness. Baron Stockmer, the ruler of the
barony, enlists the help of the adventurers to discover
the source of the problem.
When you are ready to start, read:
The good people of Dardun are terrified of the night. It all
began a few months ago when commonplace items started
disappearingboxes of nails, a length of rope, canvas tarps.
A hammer carelessly left on a table would be gone when
the owner returned to retrieve it. The mysterious thefts
soon became more frequent and brazen, but they always
occurred in the dead of night. A farmer would rise in the
morning to find several chickens and fence posts had vanished. Two nights ago, the situation grew dire. Two local
youths, Kevmar Windsnap and his younger sister Zeta,
struck out to solve the mystery alone. Kevmars body was
later found in an open field. His sister is missing. Baron
Stockmer, the ruler of Harkenwold, has sent out a call for
true heroes to solve the mystery at Dardun.
Dardun
Along the White River in the eastern portion of
Harkenwold is the village of Dardun. The town
has a general store, an inn with two rooms, and an
administrative building used mostly for harvests.
Thatch-roofed hovels dot the farmland surrounding
the town.
When the characters enter the village, read:
Walking along a dirt road nestled in the grass plains
along the White River, you wander into a small village
surrounded by farmland, vineyards, and apple orchards.
A woodcut sign swinging in the breeze reads Dardun.
A gaggle of farmers are gathered in the center of town,

embroiled in a heated discussion.
When the adventurers approach, read:
An aging farmer, bald except for graying hair in the center
of his head, introduces himself as Mattzog Belluc. The man
has an affable look, but his mood is somber. A bloody business this is. I pray ye been sent to help us. Im sure ye heard
about the murder by now. The bodys not been buried yet if
ye wish to see it. The townsfolk have tales to tell, too. Come
talk to me if ye be needing any help.
The villagers refer to Mattzog as the mayor, although
he holds no official title. Mattzog solemnly recounts
the story of the thefts and recent murders.
Quests
The player characters can earn additional XP awards
for completing quests. The villagers of Dardun plead
with the party to help with the following tasks.
Major Quest: Justice for Kevmar

3rd-Level Major Quest (150 XP/character)
It aint right what they done to Kevmar. He was just a boy.
Butchered him like a pig, they did, and left him to bleed out.
Whoever done this oughta be brought to justice.
The characters must drive off the kobolds in the
area. They succeed by killing every kobold in the
mine or by killing Kerang, which causes surviving
kobolds to leave the area.
Major Quest: Rescue Zeta Windsnap

2nd-Level Major Quest (125 XP/character)
No sign of the younger sister, neither. That little tomboy
never leaves her brothers side. Dead is what she is, most
like, but theres still hope. Oh, the horrors that poor girl
musta seen!
The characters must return Zeta safely to the village to earn this award.
Hot on the Trail

Roleplaying Encounter
The people of the village still have not identified the
perpetrators of the crimes. This roleplaying encounter requires the player characters to uncover the
culprits and track them back to their hideout. Allow
the adventurers to explore the clues in any order they
like. Keep a running total of the number of successfully deciphered clues. Consider a clue successfully
deciphered if the party beats at least one of the clues
skill checks. Deciphering three or more clues means
the encounter is successful.
Clue 1: Kevmars Body

The slain boy is being kept in the center of town.
If the party goes to see the body, read:
Mattzog leads you to a wagon buzzing with flies. Kevmars
body lies under a tarp. The corpse is covered in puncture
wounds on the front and back.
Heal (DC 8): Kevmars wounds are the result of
piercing weapons, most likely spears or javelins.
Insight or Perception (DC 12): The angle of the
wounds suggests the attackers were small of stature.
Clue 2: Witnesses
This clue can take place immediately after clue 1
or anytime while the adventurers explore the town.
Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable. The
witness in this case embellishes the story.
When the adventurers are ready, read:
A plump farmer steps forward, claiming to have seen one of
the monsters.
Diplomacy (DC 12): The peasants are not used to
being addressed with deference. The witness eagerly

offers the following not-entirely-reliable information:
Looked like lil dragons, they did. And they flew with
big bat wings. Carried off me favorite sheep.
Intimidate or Streetwise (DC 12): The villagers are wary of ruffians and slick talkers. The witness
backpedals from having seen the creatures very well.
It was dark and they were in shadow. The beasts were
small and reptilian, and they made yipping noises
when they spoke.
Clue 3: Burglarized Shed

The burglarized shed is located near the center of
Dardun. This clue event can occur anytime the party
is in town. A trail of dropped nails leads from the
shed to clue 4.
A large woman in a bakers hat waves to get your attention.
One of the sheds here in town was broke into a few nights
ago. No ones gone inside since. I can take you there, if you
like.
Thievery (DC 12): The theft is the work of amateurs. They obviously came in through the unlocked
window above the workbench. The thieves would
have to be small to fit through the window.
Perception or Insight (DC 12): The character
realizes that searching around the outside of the shed
might be a good idea. The search turns up a purple
crystal. A trail of dropped nails leads to clue 4.
Clue 4: Footprints
This clue is found in a grassy field on the edge of
town. The party can discover it by following the
trail of dropped nails from the burglarized shed, by
searching the general area around town for clues, or
by asking to be led to the scene of the murder. If the
heroes didnt arrive from the burglarized shed, they
notice a trail of nails leading to clue 3.

The glint of metal attracts your eye to a patch of tall grass
near where Kevmars body was found. Among the reeds,
you spot a dagger crusted in dried blood. Several sets of
clawed feet have left impressions in the soft earth. A trail of
footprints leads north but quickly fades away.
Perception (DC 12): The footprints wind through
a cornfield. Every twenty or thirty feet, dried blood
spatters can be spotted on the ground or terrain.
After the trail reaches the woods, it turns east. A dead
kobold is slumped against a tree, clutching at a wound
in its chest. A rolled sheet of paper in its pocket shows a
technical drawing of a wing made of canvas. Scribbled
measurements show that the wing is over ten feet long.
Nature (DC 12): A search of the corpse reveals
rock dust under the fingernails and toe claws, possibly from a mine or cave. The drawing of the wing is
also discovered (if it hasnt already been found).
Clue 5: Sigil of Kerang

This clue can be found after following the kobold
footprints or searching farther outside town. The sigil
is carved into a tree.
You spot a crude emblem cut into a gnarled oak. Judging
from the dripping sap, the carving was recently engraved.
The emblem depicts a haloed dragon.
History (DC 12): The symbol has local historical importance to some of the villagers. If the check
result is 19 or higher, the character immediately
recalls the terrible tale of Kerang the Red Dragon,
slain over a hundred years ago in the mountains
nearby (see the Background section).
Religion (DC 12): Humanoid species often carve
symbols into trees to mark territory for their gods.
The halo shows that this symbol holds a religious
connotation.
Success or Failure
The characters succeed if they decipher three or
more clues. Otherwise, they fail.
Success: The adventurers have won a small victory against Kerang. Award each character 10 XP per
successfully deciphered clue. Quickly discovering the
source of the kobold incursions allows the party to
reach Kerangs lair before his new body is completed.
See the Development section of encounter 10.
Mattzog can answer any questions the characters have while they are in town. The rock dust and
purple crystal shards most likely came from an abandoned mine half a days travel to the east. If needed,
Mattzog can draw the party a rough map to the
location.
Failure: The characters inaction or bungling has
caused them to lose precious time. Night falls and one
of the farmhouses is set on fire, mortally wounding
a farmhand. Before he dies, he tells the adventurers
that he was attacked by kobolds, and he identifies
the direction in which they fled. If the party sets out
in pursuit, a kobold patrol springs an ambush (see
Kobolds under Running the Adventure). Any of
the kobolds can tell the adventurers where the mine
is. If all members of the patrol die, at least one kobold
has a purple crystal, which Mattzog can identify for
the characters, sending the party to the old mine.
T he M ine
Kerang and his kobold cohorts have taken up residence in a decrepit mine in the Briar Hills. The
kobolds have retrofitted the mine with deadly traps
and secret passageways. If captured or fleeing, they
do their best to steer intruders into the hazards. The
traps below show up at several keyed locations on the
map. Disabling a trap at one location does not automatically disable it at all locations. The party must
deal with the threats individually.
T1. Tripwire Trap
Covered Pit
A tripwire is set 3.5 feet off the ground. Small creatures, such as halflings, gnomes, and kobolds, can
pass underneath. The tripwire is made of woven
spider silk and is difficult to detect.
Kobold Tripwire
Level 1 Trap
Object
XP 100
Detect Perception DC 19
Initiative
HP 1
AC 12, Fortitude 10, Reflex 10, Will
Immune necrotic, poison, psychic, forced movement,
all conditions, ongoing damage
Triggered Actions
Effect F Encounter
Trigger: A Medium or larger creature enters one of the trigger squares.
Effect: Roll 1d4 to select an effect. Once triggered, the trap
is disabled until reset.
1. Bag of Hammers (Opportunity Action): Close burst 1 (creatures in the burst); +4 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 3 damage.
2. Warning Sound: Pots and pans make a racket as they fall
to the ground. A kobold patrol (see Running the Adventure) comes to investigate.
3. H
air-Triggered Crossbow (Opportunity Action): Ranged 5
(one creature); +6 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage.
4. Swinging Spike (Opportunity Action): Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage.
Countermeasures
F Disable: Thievery DC 19 (standard action). Requirement:
The character must be adjacent to the trigger square.
Success: The trigger square no longer functions.
F Reset: Thievery DC 12 (standard action). Success: The
triggered trap is reset.
F Spring: As a standard action, the trap can be sprung
safely from a square adjacent to a trigger square.
T2. Covered Pit

A flimsy board is covered in dirt and placed over a
shallow spiked pit. Small creatures can run across the
board, but the weight of larger creatures breaks it in
half.
Level 1 Trap
Object
Detect Perception DC 19
Immune attacks
XP 100
Initiative
Triggered Actions
Attack F Encounter
Trigger: A Medium or larger creature enters a trigger
square.
Attack (Opportunity Action): Melee 1 (each creature in a
trigger square); +4 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). In
addition, the target falls prone in a 5-foot-deep pit.
Effect: The pit is opened and no longer hidden.
Countermeasures
F Disable: Thievery DC 19 (standard action). Requirement:
The character must be adjacent to the trigger square.
Success: The trigger square no longer functions.
F Spring: As a standard action, the trap can be sprung
safely from a square adjacent to a trigger square.
T3. Small Tunnels

The kobolds have added tunnels to the mine that
better suit them. The tunnels are built to scale for
Small creatures. Medium or larger creatures need to
squeeze and travel in single file to crawl through the
passages.
Captured!
Kerang, the kobolds dragon master, is eager to lord
his power over defeated foes. His minions deliver
unconscious characters to Kerangs lair, where they
are stripped of all weapons and implements and
locked in a large cage. The dragon-brain-in-a-jar
harangues the adventurers about his plan to destroy
the descendants of his enemies.
Although Kerang never sleeps and his workers
constantly move through the lair, captured characters might be able to slip away. Zeta Windsnap could
sneak out of her cell and create a diversion to help the
party escape. If a character has thieves tools or a thin
piece of metal, the lock on the cage can be picked

with a DC 18 Thievery check. The door could also
be smashed open with a DC 20 Athletics check. The
adventurers weapons are in plain sight atop Kerangs
hoard beside his altar.
Once the construction of his body is complete,
Kerang blasts through the rock wall to escape. The
dragon launches into the air while clutching the
cage in his iron talons. He immediately heads for the
Barony of Harkenwold. Kerang drops the cage on a
hilltop facing Dardun and razes the town. This situation is the characters last chance to escape. Refer to
the Concluding the Adventure section for further
information.
1. Mine Entrance
Combat Encounter Level 1 (500 XP)
The mine entrance is guarded by a stout wooden door
and is barred from the inside. Murder holes have
been chiseled into the walls on each side of the door.
Light: Bright (sunlight or lanterns).
Monsters: 8 kobold tunnelers, 2 kobold slingers, 1
giant weasel.
When the party can see the area, read:
A pair of rusted iron rails leads to a cavity cut into the
mountainside and disappears behind a heavy wooden door.
The opening is buttressed with heavy wooden beams. Many
small openings are cut into the rock on either side of the
door.
Perception DC 19: Light reflects off small pairs
of eyes peering through openings in the rock.
If a character looks for another entrance, read:
Directly above the mine entrance, high on the steep rock
wall, two metal pipes jut into the air. Corroded metal grates
cover the openings.
If the party waits stealthily, the characters see kobold

groups enter and exit the mine every few hours from
dusk until dawn. The groups use the passphrase Ha
eltak Kerang (Hail Kerang in Draconic) to enter.
1A. Entrance: Iron rails lead through this room
and deeper into the tunnels. Refuse litters the floor
here; roll twice on the Mundane Items table. The
kobolds have fortified this antechamber with a
barred door (AC/Fortitude 15, Reflex 5; immune to
necrotic, poison, psychic, forced movement, all conditions, and ongoing damage; hp 50). Breaking the door
open requires two successful DC 25 Athletics checks.
The door can be unbarred as a minor action from
inside the room. Murder holes have been cut into the
rock around the door.
1B. Ventilation Shaft: Fifty feet above the
entrance on a steep rock wall (Athletics DC 15 to
climb), two large ventilation pipes are visible. Metal
grates cover the shafts, but the locks are brittle and
oxidized (Athletics DC 12 to break or Thievery DC
12 to pick). Inside, the shafts have maintenance ladders. Sound is amplified, so a DC 8 Stealth check is
required to avoid attracting attention. The shafts open
just behind the mine entrance.
8 Kobold Tunnelers
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher

XP 25 each
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative +5
Perception +1
Speed 6
Darkvision
Standard Actions
m Javelin (weapon) F At-Will

Hit: 4 damage.
r Javelin (weapon) F At-Will
Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +6 vs. AC
Hit: 4 damage.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions
Narrow Escape F Encounter

Trigger: A close or an area attack hits or misses the kobold.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The kobold shifts up to 3
squares.
Str 8 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 12 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, 3 javelins
Giant Weasel
Level 1 Skirmisher

HP 26; Bloodied 13
Speed 7
Traits
XP 100
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Low-light vision
Low Profile
Standard Actions
m Bite F At-Will
Move Actions
Skitter F At-Will
Str 9 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 10 (+0)
Int 3 (4)
Cha 9 (1)

2 Kobold Slingers
HP 24; Bloodied 12
Speed 6
Standard Actions
Level 1 Artillery
XP 100 each
Initiative +3
Perception +1
Darkvision
m Dagger (weapon) F At-Will

r Sling (weapon) F At-Will
R Special Shot (weapon) F At-Will (3/encounter)
Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage plus one of the following effects (roll
a d6):
1 2 Stinkpot: The target takes a 2 penalty to attack rolls
(save ends).
3 4 Firepot (fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage
(save ends).
5 6 Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends).
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Skills Stealth +8
Str 9 (1)
Dex 17 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 12 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, dagger, sling, 20 sling bullets, 3
rounds of special shot
Tactics
The kobolds guarding the mine entrance are vigilant.
They keep the door barred unless a kobold patrol is
passing through. Unless directly targeted by attacks,
the guards hide at the murder holes and wait to
attack until their enemies approach the door. The last
kobold standing flees.
Development
The mine entrance is far enough from the kobold
base of operations that the din of battle attracts no
attention from other kobolds. If any kobolds flee, they
head for the mine carts and try to reach the others.
2. Mine Carts
The mine carts stored in this area can be used to
travel quickly to the deep mine. If a kobold fled in
the last encounter, the characters catch a glimpse of it
making a getaway in a mine cart.
Light: Dim light (luminescent crystals).
Monsters: 8 kobold tunnelers and 4 kobold slingers at 2C. A kobold quickblade and giant weasel
might join the battle.
2B. Repair Room: A few lengths of iron rail and

a mine cart without wheels shows that this room is
probably used for maintenance tasks. A search turns
up mundane items (roll three times on the Mundane
Items table) and a ten-foot wooden pole.
2C. Tunnel to Deep Mine: At the halfway point
to the deep mine, kobolds attack the party. Area
2C on the map is an abstraction of a long, descending tunnel that accommodates the mine chase, as
described in the Mine Chase section.
When the kobolds attack, read:
Suddenly, you hear the piercing squeal of metal on metal
from a side tunnel. Four mine carts full of kobolds explode
onto the track in a shower of sparks.
8 Kobold Tunnelers

XP 25 each
Perception +1
Speed 6
Darkvision
Standard Actions

Hit: 4 damage.
Hit: 4 damage.
Minor Actions
As the characters enter 2A, read:

The iron tracks fork here and continue in parallel into a
long tunnel. A weathered plaque over the tunnel reads
Deep Mine this way. Dimly glowing purple crystals have
been set into the tunnel walls at regular intervals. A pair of
mine carts sits on a side track. A metal door is slightly ajar
on the south wall.
2A. Cart Storage: Mine carts are stored in the
area when not in use. The carts are constructed of
thick iron reinforced with riveted steel bands.
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions

squares.
Str 8 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 12 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil

4 Kobold Slingers
HP 24; Bloodied 12
Speed 6
Standard Actions
Level 1 Artillery
XP 100 each
Initiative +3
Perception +1
Darkvision

r Sling (weapon) F At-Will
R Special Shot (weapon) F At-Will (3/encounter)
Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage plus one of the following effects (roll
a d6):
1 2 Stinkpot: The target takes a 2 penalty to attack rolls
(save ends).
3 4 Firepot (fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage
(save ends).
5 6 Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends).
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Skills Stealth +8
Str 9 (1)
Dex 17 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 12 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, dagger, sling, 20 sling bullets, 3
rounds of special shot
Kobold Quickblade
Level 1 Skirmisher

HP 29; Bloodied 14
Speed 6
Standard Actions
XP 100
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Darkvision

Move Actions

Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Str 8 (1)
Dex 17 (+3)
Wis 13 (+1)
Con 13 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
Giant Weasel
Level 1 Skirmisher

HP 26; Bloodied 13
Speed 7
Traits
XP 100
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Low-light vision
Low Profile
Standard Actions
m Bite F At-Will
Move Actions
Skitter F At-Will
Str 9 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 10 (+0)
Int 3 (4)
Cha 9 (1)
Mine Chase
This moving cart battle happens in a part of the mine
where the tracks diverge into three sections. The
characters start in the center of track 2 with kobolds
on each side. The kobolds ride in four carts, each cart
holding one kobold slinger and two kobold tunnelers.
Setup: To begin the encounter, place one mine cart
of kobolds in the start area on track 1 and another on
track 3. When all kobolds in a cart are killed, remove
the cart and add another with the same initiative on
a random track at the start of the next round. Repeat
until all four carts of kobolds have been destroyed. If
the characters were pursuing a fleeing kobold, be sure
to place it in a mine cart on the track ahead of them.
Mine Carts: Large crystals fixed to the front and
back give off bright light when the cart is in motion.
Each cart measures almost 10 feet square and can
accommodate four passengers. The carts roll easily
on the tracks and pick up speed quickly in the downward sloping tunnel. The carts have no controls other
than simple hand brakes on the fore and aft. A cart
offers cover to standing creatures and superior cover
to prone creatures.
Moving: The mine carts move at a speed of 6
when rolling downhill. Any combatant in a cart can
take a move action to use the following mine cart
terrain powers. For the purpose of triggering any
attack, moving a mine cart is considered to be forced
movement.
Move Actions
Shift Weight
Requirement: The creature must be in one of the affected
mine carts squares.
Effect: The mine cart moves forward 1 square on its track.
All creatures in the mine cart move with the terrain.
Apply Brakes
Requirement: The creature must be in one of the affected
mine carts squares.
Effect: The mine cart moves back 1 square on its track. All
creatures in the mine cart move with the terrain.
10

When running this encounter, assume that the
mine carts are moving at a constant speed of 6.
Rather than moving the carts 6 squares forward
every round plus any terrain power movement, track
the relative positions of objects on the battlefield. To
stay in the fight, a creature on the ground must keep
pace with the carts.
Battle Events: At the end of every round, roll a
random effect on the Mine Chase Events table. The
mine carts cannot change tracks unless indicated by
a random event. If you wish, add the quickblade and
weasel at some point during the battle.
Mine Chase Events

d10 Random Event
1 Hard left. Effect: All mine carts move one track
up if unoccupied space is available.
2 Downslope. Effect: Move mine carts on a random
track 4 squares forward on the track.
3 Junction switch. Effect: Until the end of the next
round, any creature can use a standard action to
move its mine cart (and all riders) to an adjacent
unoccupied area of an adjacent track.
4 Bats! Attack: +5 vs. AC (all creatures); Hit: 2
damage.
5 Rocks on the track. Effect: Move mine carts on a
random track 4 squares back on the track.
6 A kobold quickblade riding a giant weasel
enters the battle. Reroll if this random event has
already occurred.
7 Elevation. Effect: Until the end of the next round,
a random track is elevated by 10 feet.
8 Low-hanging beam. Attack: +3 vs. Reflex (all
creatures on a random track). Hit: The target
is dazed until the end of its next turn and falls
prone. Miss: The target falls prone.
9 No brakes. Effect: One hand brake comes loose
from a random cart. If both brakes on a cart are
gone, it loses the Apply Brakes terrain power.
10 Hard right. Effect: All mine carts move one track
down if unoccupied space is available.
Travel by Foot
Traveling to the deep mine by foot takes roughly
ninety minutes. If the characters take the time to
explore every side tunnel turnout, they encounter
the kobolds at the turnout closest to area 2C. Run the
encounter on foot.
If the party marches past the turnout without
stopping to explore it, invite the players to roll initiative and place their characters anywhere on the
leftmost portion of the map. On the kobolds initiative count, their mine carts rush down tracks 1 and 3
and screech to a halt at the rightmost portion of the
encounter map. All characters standing on a square
in track 1 or 3 must succeed on an Acrobatics check
(DC 19) or take 1d10 + 4 damage. Those whose
check result is 15 or lower also fall prone.
Conclusion
After the encounter, the rest of the trip to the deep
mine is uneventful. The tracks lead to the deep mine
checkpoint at area 3A.
Using the Mine Track Map

The mine track map on the previous page has been
reproduced at the end of the adventure without tags,
allowing you to use it as an aid during your game.
Feel free to photocopy the page for home game use.
3. Deep Mine Checkpoint

The first area of the deep mine contains a checkpoint
and a storeroom.
Light: Dim light (luminescent crystals).
Monsters: 2 kobold wyrmpriests, 3 kobold
dragonshields.
12

When the party approaches 3A, read:
A barricade of timber and spikes has been set up on the
track, blocking mine carts from moving farther. Two side
tracks accommodate another mine cart and a handcar.
3A. Guard Post: A spare mine cart and a handcar are located on a side track here. The handcar,
operated by two people, can be used to haul up to two
mine carts at a time back to the mine entrance. A
crude barricade blocks further passage by mine cart.
3B. Chutes and Rock Piles: Behind two 3-foothigh rock piles lurk the kobolds (Perception DC 19
to spot the creatures). If they are not spotted, the
kobolds gain a surprise round.
Directly in front of the rock piles are two limestone chutes, each one covered by a stretched tarp
and dirt (Perception DC 19 to detect). Any creature
stepping on a chutes square must make a saving
throw; success means the creature falls prone in the
square it left to step into the chute, and failure means
a fall into the chute. The creature can attempt a DC
12 Athletics check or Acrobatics check to arrest the
fall (a move action) and climb back out of the chute
(also a move action). A creature that fails to do so falls
to area 8B.
3C. Crystal Pool: Purple crystals line the walls
around this pool. Some of the larger crystals can be
broken off and use as light sources. Once harvested
in this manner, a crystal gives off dim purple light for
three months.
3D. Storeroom: The many shelves in this chamber suggest that it was once a storeroom, but almost
all the supplies have long since disappeared. Roll
three times on the Mundane Items table.
3E. Storage Closet: This enormous closet is filled
with trash and empty crates.
2 Kobold Wyrmpriests Level 3 Artillery (Leader)
3 Kobold Dragonshields

HP 36; Bloodied 18
Speed 6

HP 36; Bloodied 18
Speed 5
Traits
XP 150 each
Initiative +4
Perception +4
Darkvision
Trap Sense
The kobold has a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.
Standard Actions
m Spear (weapon) F At-Will

R Energy Orb (acid) F At-Will
Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 4 acid damage.
C Dragon Breath (acid) F Encounter
Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +6 vs.
Fortitude
Miss: Half damage.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Incite Faith F Encounter
Effect: Close burst 10 (kobold allies in the burst). The target
gains 5 temporary hit points and can shift 1 square as a
free action.
Skills Stealth +9, Thievery +9
Str 9 (+0)
Dex 16 (+4)
Wis 17 (+4)
Con 12 (+2)
Int 9 (+0)
Cha 12 (+2)
Alignment evil
Equipment hide armor, spear, bone mask
Standard Actions
Level 2 Soldier
XP 125 each
Initiative +4
Perception +2
Darkvision

Effect: The kobold marks the target until the end of the
kobolds next turn.
M Dirty Tactics (weapon) F Encounter
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +5 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage, and the target is immobilized until
the end of the kobolds next turn.
Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the end of
the kobolds next turn.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions
Dragonshield Tactics F At-Will

Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the kobold shifts, or an
enemy moves to a square adjacent to the kobold.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The kobold shifts 1 square.
Str 14 (+3)
Dex 13 (+2)
Wis 12 (+2)
Con 12 (+2)
Int 9 (+0)
Cha 10 (+1)
Alignment evil
Equipment scale armor, light shield, short sword
13
4. Weasel Pen
3 Giant Weasels

The kobolds keep their weasels in a large cage when
not on patrol.
Light: Bright light (torches).
Monsters: 2 kobold quickblades, 3 giant weasels.
When the characters enter the room, read:
Whips, leashes, and bridles hang on the wall in this large
chamber. Enormous weasels sniff at the air behind a
15-foot-high makeshift pen. Two kobolds are here.
The weasels cannot leave the pen unless someone
opens the gate. Each quickblade starts 6 squares from
the gate. If the pen is closed, a quickblade rushes over
on its turn and opens the gate as a minor action. The
weasels then fight alongside the kobolds.
2 Kobold Quickblades
Level 1 Skirmisher

HP 29; Bloodied 14
Speed 6
Standard Actions
XP 100 each
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Darkvision

Move Actions

Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Str 8 (1)
Dex 17 (+3)
Wis 13 (+1)
Con 13 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
Level 1 Skirmisher

HP 26; Bloodied 13
Speed 7
Traits
XP 100 each
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Low-light vision
Low Profile
Standard Actions
m Bite F At-Will
Move Actions
Skitter F At-Will
Str 9 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 10 (+0)
Int 3 (4)
Cha 9 (1)
5. Collapsed Mine
In the long-forgotten calamity that befell this mine,
the passages to this section collapsed. Many miners
were trapped here and live on in undead misery.
Light: None.
Monsters: 6 grasping zombies.
Other Creatures: Trapped zombie foreman.
When the characters enter 5A, read:
A rickety wooden elevator platform occupies this room.
Rusted iron rungs are anchored into the rock wall, allowing
passage to the shaft below. The air is stuffy and full of dust.
Perception DC 15: A human figure struggles under
a fallen support beam to the south.
When the characters approach 5B, read:
A zombified human corpse in tattered robes is pinned
beneath a heavy wooden beam that fell from the ceiling. It
hisses and f lails around, trying to grab your legs. The creature must have been trapped here for decades. Deep grooves
have been carved into the rock floor, and the fingers on the
creatures hands have been worn to nubs as it tried to free
itself. A wand and purse are cinched to its leather belt.
When the zombies emerge from 5C, read:
Moaning wails and the sounds of shuffling feet break the
stillness. A throng of restless undead shambles into view.
5A. Upper Mine Elevator: Rusted iron rails
lead to an elevator platform. Presumably, mine carts
were once raised and lowered here, but its questionable whether the platform could support such weight
now. The elevator mechanism is still functional, but
excessive weight could cause it to break, dumping
its occupants into the 40-foot-deep shaft below. Iron
rungs in the wall lead down to area 5E.
5B. Fallen Foreman: This passageway is unremarkable except for a solitary zombie trapped
beneath a support beam on the floor. The poor soul
was once the mines foreman. The zombie is considered to be helpless. Noise in this area attracts the
attention of the zombies in area 5C.
Treasure: At his waist, the zombie foreman carries
a wand of digging and a purse containing 27 sp and
dried figs. The wand of digging is a metal wand tipped
with a tiny shovel head. The wand can be used once
per day to blast through two 5-foot squares of natural
rock. The accompanying explosion can be heard up to
50 squares away.
5C. Ore Deposit: Undead are often drawn to
mindlessly carry out the tasks they performed while
living. The zombie miners mill around a rich vein of
silver ore. There are several high-purity silver deposits on the rock surface. A character with a mining
pick could break off five chunks worth 10 gp each.
The zombies shamble toward any loud noise in the
collapsed mine area.
5D. Cave-In: The ceiling has collapsed in this
area. It would take five workers an hour to clear a
5-foot square of debris.
14

5E. Lower Mine Elevator: Two sets of iron rails
converge on a square of recessed floor under a tall
shaft. Metal rungs are set in the rock wall. A pictograph is painted low on the wall in white paint.
It shows an arrow pointing up next to a skull and
crossbones.
6 Grasping Zombies
Medium natural animate (undead)
HP 33; Bloodied 16
Speed 4
Immune disease, poison
Level 1 Brute
XP 100 each
Initiative 1
Perception 1
Darkvision
Traits
Zombie Weakness
A critical hit automatically reduces the zombie to 0 hit
points.
Standard Actions
m Slam F At-Will
Hit: 1d12 + 3 damage, or 1d12 + 8 against a grabbed
target.
M Zombie Grasp F At-Will
Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage, and the zombie grabs the target
(escape DC 12) if it does not have a creature grabbed.
6. Barracks
Supply rooms in this area are used as a barracks.
Perception DC 8: You hear loud yipping voices in
an argument behind the door.
Light: Bright light (oil lanterns).
Monsters: 2 kobold wyrmpriests, 1 kobold dragonshield, 8 kobold tunnelers.
6A. Main Barracks: Two wyrmpriests argue over
who gets to bunk closest to Jiro, the kobold wild mage
favored by Kerang. They are surrounded by a few
onlookers (one dragonshield and two tunnelers). Jiros
quarters are separated behind a filthy curtain. The
kobold wild mage is spending all his time in Kerangs
chamber now. If combat breaks out, the six tunnelers
in area 6B awake and join the fray.
6B. Bedding Chamber: This room contains six
sleeping kobold tunnelers.
6C. Treasure Room: The kobolds refer to this
area as their treasure room. An unlocked wooden
chest contains one treasure (DMs discretion).
Triggered Actions
Deathless Hunger F Encounter

Trigger: The zombie is reduced to 0 hit points, but not by a
critical hit.
Effect (No Action): Roll a d20. On a 15 or higher, the zombie
is instead reduced to 1 hit point.
Str 16 (+3)
Dex 8 (1)
Wis 8 (1)
Con 13 (+1)
Int 1 (5)
Cha 3 (4)
15

2 Kobold Wyrmpriests Level 3 Artillery (Leader)
Kobold Dragonshield

HP 36; Bloodied 18
Speed 6

HP 36; Bloodied 18
Speed 5
Traits
XP 150 each
Initiative +4
Perception +4
Darkvision
Trap Sense
Standard Actions

R Energy Orb (acid) F At-Will
C Dragon Breath (acid) F Encounter
Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +6 vs.
Fortitude
Miss: Half damage.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Incite Faith F Encounter
Effect: Close burst 10 (kobold allies in the burst). The target
gains 5 temporary hit points and can shift 1 square as a
free action.
Str 9 (+0)
Dex 16 (+4)
Wis 17 (+4)
Con 12 (+2)
Int 9 (+0)
Cha 12 (+2)
Alignment evil
Equipment hide armor, spear, bone mask
Standard Actions
Level 2 Soldier
XP 125
Initiative +4
Perception +2
Darkvision

kobolds next turn.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions

Str 14 (+3)
Dex 13 (+2)
Wis 12 (+2)
Con 12 (+2)
Int 9 (+0)
Cha 10 (+1)
Alignment evil
8 Kobold Tunnelers

XP 25 each
Perception +1
Speed 6
Darkvision
Standard Actions

Hit: 4 damage.
Hit: 4 damage.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions

squares.
Str 8 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 12 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
7. Holding Cell
The kobolds have converted this former office into a
prison cell. The sole occupant is Zeta Windsnap, the
missing girl from Dardun.
Light: Bright light (oil lantern).
When the characters come near the door, read:
A door with a horizontal slot cut into the center is set into a
small alcove ahead. The door is wrapped with a thick chain
and locked with a heavy padlock. Suddenly, a frail human
hand shoots out through the slot, reaching for you. In a desperate whisper, a young girls voice says, Help me! Quick!
Please!
The Cell Door: The lock on the door is a good one
(Thievery DC 20 to open), and the door is made of
16

thick wood (Athletics DC 24 to smash). The sound of
smashing the door attracts two kobold patrols.
Zeta knows the guards have a key, and they most
recently went somewhere to the south. The kobold
wild mage, Jiro, currently holds the key in area 10.
The Missing Girl: Zeta Windsnap is hungry and
bruised but in good health. She answers any of the
partys questions that she can. See the Lore section
below.
If freed, the plucky girl asks for a dagger or short
sword. The kids got heart, but shes no warrior. In
combat, treat her as a minion (defenses 10; hp 1). If
told to return home, she reluctantly leaves the group,
but she hides in the woods and rejoins the characters
when they emerge from the mine.
Lore: Zetas brother Kevmar went out alone in
search of the night beasts. She followed him and hid
in the bushes. When the kobolds attacked Kevmar,
she leaped forward and stabbed one of the creatures
in the chest, mortally wounding it. The kobolds cut
her brother down and beat her severely. Thats when
she lost consciousness.
When Zeta awoke, she was in a large cavern.
Kobolds were everywhere, building a machine bigger
than a house. She saw a robed kobold shouting from
a pedestal next to a jar almost as big as he was, but
she couldnt understand what he was saying. They
dragged her to this room, where shes been ever since.
The kobolds have not fed her.
8. Slime Pool
This section of the mine has become flooded after
years of neglect. A green slime has taken up residence
in the murky waters at the crossroads. The kobolds
never visit this cave.
Light: None.
Monsters: 1 green slime.
When the characters approach the area, read:

The passageway follows a gradual decline and eventually
becomes submerged. From the edge of the water, you can
see the passage levels out and continues, but the murkiness
prevents you from seeing how far it goes.
8A. Submerged Passage: The green slime lies in
wait under the waters surface ten feet down the submerged passage. If the party lingers at the waters edge
for too long, the slime rushes at the combatant closest to
the edge. Otherwise, it waits for victims to come to it.
8B. Bone Pit: Anyone who falls down a chute in
area 3B drops from a hole in the ceiling into a pile
of bones, taking 2d6 damage. The bone pile fills the
southern half of the cave.
Green Slime
Level 4 Lurker
Medium natural beast (blind, ooze)

XP 175
HP 47; Bloodied 23
Initiative +9
Perception +2
Speed 4, climb 4
Blindsight 10
Immune blinded, gaze effects; Resist 5 acid; Vulnerable 5
fire, 5 radiant
Traits
Ooze
While squeezing, the ooze moves at full speed rather than
half speed, it doesnt take the 5 penalty to attack rolls,
and it doesnt grant combat advantage for squeezing.
Standard Actions
m Slam (acid) F At-Will

Hit: 5 acid damage, and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends).
M Engulf (acid) F At-Will
Hit: 1d6 + 3 acid damage, and the slime grabs the target
(escape DC 18). Until the grab ends, the target takes
ongoing 10 acid damage. Attacks that hit the slime deal
half damage to the slime and half damage to a single
creature grabbed by the slime.
Skills Stealth +10
Str 11 (+2)
Dex 16 (+5)
Wis 11 (+2)
Con 17 (+5)
Int 1 (3)
Cha 1 (3)
9. Cave Fisher Lair

The high ceiling in this naturally cut cavern once
made the room an ideal storage area. Now that cave
fishers have taken up residence here, the kobolds
avoid this chamber.
Light: None.
Monsters: 2 cave fisher anglers, 10 cave fisher
spawn.
When the characters enter 9A, read:
Two wide ledgesone 20 feet high, the other 40 feet high
hug the walls of this tall cave. Dusty chests and wooden
containers line the walls, stacked toward the high ceiling.
At the far end of the room, the top half of a large crate has
been wrenched off.
When the characters come close to 9B, read:
The hay and loose packing material stuffed in the broken
crate begin to move. Several pink creatures emerge, chittering as they flop to the floor and skitter toward you.
The cave fishers have nested their spawn in a broken
crate. The vigilant parents watch hidden from a rocky
ledge above.
9A. Storage Room: Two cave fisher anglers perch
on the 20-foot-high ledge overlooking the room. The
chests and crates are remnants of the original mining
operation. The kobolds have already stripped out the
valuable items. The characters can still find many
common items such as blankets, picks, shovels, coils
of rope, and candles. The containers against the walls
are stacked in such a way that a character could run
15 feet (3 squares) up the wall before having to climb
the 5 feet (1 square) to the lower ledge.
9B. Crate Nest: The cave fisher spawn are located
in a crate here. Under hay and broken eggshells, the
cave fishers have crammed a kobold corpse as fodder.
17

2 Cave Fisher Anglers
Level 3 Lurker

HP 37; Bloodied 18
Speed 6, climb 5 (spider climb)
Traits
XP 150 each
Initiative +7
Perception +7
Darkvision
Development
From the highest ledge, characters can see a back
passageway that is not visible from the ground. The
passage branches but eventually leads to Kerangs lair.
Sniper
Whenever the angler is hidden and misses with a ranged
attack, it remains hidden.
10. Kerangs Lair
m Pincers F At-Will
R Filament Strangle F At-Will
Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage, and the angler pulls the target 3
squares. The target is restrained (save ends). The effect
also ends if the target teleports or if the target or another
creature hits the filament in the targets square. The filament uses the anglers defenses. An attack against the
filament deals no damage or effects to the angler. Only
one creature can be restrained by this attack at a time.
The angler can pull the target vertically, and the target
can end the pull suspended in air.
Sustain Standard: The target takes 1d6 + 4 damage, and
the angler pulls the target 3 squares.
Skills Stealth +8
Str 16 (+4)
Dex 15 (+3)
Wis 12 (+2)
Con 13 (+2)
Int 2 (3)
Cha 5 (2)
After more than a century in hibernation, Kerang is

frantic to be free of his glass prisonthe embalming
jar that houses his brain.
Light: Bright (oil lanterns).
Monsters: Kerang (kobold dragon construct),
Jiro (kobold wild mage), 2 kobold dragonshields, 10
kobold tunnelers.
Standard Actions
10 Cave Fisher Spawn
Level 2 Minion Brute
Small natural beast

XP 31 each
Perception +0
Speed 5, climb 4 (spider climb)
Darkvision
Standard Actions
Combat Encounter Level 5 (1,200 XP)
When the characters can see the area, read:

The passage widens into a gigantic rock cavern filled with
scaffolding and stacks of construction materials. An enormous dragon sculpture dominates the center of the room.
The sculpture is a mishmash of dragon bone and metal
plates, held together with bailing wire, struts, and leather
bindings. A huge pair of canvas wings is drawn in close to
its back. A cracked dragon skull adorns the top of a long
neck studded with metal spikes.
A robed kobold barks orders as a team of kobolds lowers
a giant glass jar filled with murky water into a hatch on the
dragon sculpture. You see something fat and pale gurgling
just below the waters surface as the hatch snaps shut.
When the characters enter battle, read:

The robed kobold spies you and screams (in Draconic),
Intruders! Master, protect us! The sculpture springs to
life. Canvas wings suddenly spread open with a sound like
a cracking whip, sending out a gust of wind that knocks several kobolds from their scaffolds.
The dragon construct rears up on its hind legs with a
roar that shakes the chamber. WHO DARES DISTURB
KERANG? A cotter pin shoots from its mooring and
makes a pinging sound as it rebounds off the cave wall. The
beasts forearms crash back to the earth, squashing a slowmoving kobold to a red pulp.
If the characters succeeded in the Hot on the
Trail encounter, add:
A large metal breastplate falls from the construct and clatters to the floor, revealing an empty cavity and a detached
hose. You have apparently arrived before Kerangs construction was complete.
Kerangs new body stands at the center of the chamber, surrounding by rickety scaffolding. The dragons
trusted follower, Jiro, stands next to the altar, delivering Kerangs orders to the workers.
Development
If the adventurers were successful in the Hot on the
Trail encounter, Kerangs breath weapon does not
recharge, and only the effect of fiery explosion works.
Other than Jiro, the dragon cares little for his minions. Jiro and the other kobolds fight to protect their
master to their last breath.
m Pincers F At-Will
Hit: 6 damage, or 9 against an immobilized, restrained, or
helpless target.
Str 11 (+1)
Dex 13 (+2)
Wis 8 (+0)
Con 11 (+1)
Int 2 (3)
Cha 5 (2)
18

Kobold Dragon Construct
Level 6 Elite Brute
Large natural animate (dragon, construct)

HP 176; Bloodied 88
Speed 6
Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1
XP 500
Initiative +6
Perception +10
Darkvision
Standard Actions
m Bite F At-Will
M Claw F At-Will
M Dragons Fury F At-Will
Effect: The construct uses bite once and claw twice. If both
claw attacks hit the same target, the target falls prone.
C Breath Weapon (fire) F Recharge 5 6
Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +9 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d8 + 7 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save
ends).
Miss: Half damage.
Triggered Actions
M Tail Sweep F At-Will

Trigger: An enemy leaves a square within 2 squares of the
construct.
Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 2 (the triggering
enemy); +9 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage, and the target falls prone.
C Fiery Explosion (fire) F Encounter
Trigger: The construct is first bloodied.
Attack (No Action): Close burst 2 (creatures in the burst); +9
vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d8 + 7 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save
ends).
Miss: Half damage.
Effect: The construct takes ongoing 10 fire damage (save
ends) and can no longer use breath weapon.
Aftereffect: The construct takes ongoing 5 fire damage
(save ends) and can no longer use breath weapon.
Str 19 (+7)
Dex 16 (+6)
Wis 15 (+5)
Con 18 (+7)
Int 10 (+3)
Cha 13 (+4)
Alignment evil
10 Kobold Tunnelers Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Kobold Wild Mage

XP 25 each
Perception +1
Speed 6
Darkvision

HP 62; Bloodied 31
Speed 6

Hit: 4 damage.
Hit: 4 damage.
Trap Sense
Standard Actions
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions

squares.
Str 8 (1)
Dex 16 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 12 (+1)
Int 9 (1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Alignment evil
Traits
Level 5 Controller
XP 200
Initiative +4
Perception +4
Darkvision
Standard Actions

r Wild Surge (implement) F At-Will
Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage, and the kobold slides the target up to
2 squares.
R Wild Magic (implement) F At-Will
Hit: Roll a d4 to determine the effect:
1. Flame Bolt (fire): 1d8 + 4 fire damage, and ongoing 5
fire damage (save ends).
2. F rost Bolt (cold): 2d6 + 4 cold damage, and the target is
immobilized (save ends).
3. L ightning Arc (lightning): 1d8 + 4 lightning damage,
and the target is dazed (save ends).
4. Venom Bolt (poison): 1d6 + 4 poison damage, and
ongoing 5 poison damage and the target is slowed
(save ends both).
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions
C Wild Blast (cold, fire, lightning) F Encounter

Trigger: The kobold drops to 0 hit points.
Attack (No Action): Close burst 2 (creatures in the burst); +8
vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 5 cold, fire, and lightning damage.
Wild Teleport (teleportation) F Encounter
Trigger: The kobold takes damage.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The kobold teleports 1d6
squares.
Skills Arcana +10, Stealth +9
Str 11 (+2)
Dex 15 (+4)
Wis 15 (+4)
Con 14 (+4)
Int 16 (+5)
Cha 16 (+5)
Alignment evil
Equipment robes, dagger, wand
19

2 Kobold Dragonshields
HP 36; Bloodied 18
Speed 5
Standard Actions
Level 2 Soldier
XP 125 each
Initiative +4
Perception +2
Darkvision

kobolds next turn.
Minor Actions
Shifty F At-Will
Triggered Actions

Str 14 (+3)
Dex 13 (+2)
Wis 12 (+2)
Con 12 (+2)
Int 9 (+0)
Cha 10 (+1)
Alignment evil
Concluding the
A dventure
Once the adventurers have defeated Kerang, any
kobolds remaining in the mine slink away into the
countryside. Jiro has a key that can be used to unlock
Zeta Windsnaps cell. If the characters released her
earlier, Zeta is hiding in the bushes outside the mine,
waiting to lead the party back to the village. When
the characters return to Dardun, the residents cook a
grand feast in their honor and beg to hear the tale of
the adventure.
If the characters were captured by Kerang and

later escaped, the kobolds continue to fortify the mine
and hold Zeta Windsnap captive. To complete the
Justice for Kevmar quest, the characters must clear
out the kobolds room by room.
If the adventurers decide not to pursue Kerang at
all, the dragon arrives in Dardun four days later and
razes the town. He continues to fortify his stronghold
while launching attacks against the surrounding
lands.
If you enjoyed this adventure, here are some ideas
to continue the story.
F Upon her return to Dardun, the grateful Zeta
Windsnap gives the party a pilfered scroll tube
containing a treasure map.
F After Jiro is slain, a letter scrawled in Draconic
is discovered. The letter is addressed to Jiro from
a kobold who has successfully united the kobold
tribes beyond the Briar Hills. The joined tribes are
heading to the Barony of Harkenwold, as Kerang
requested. The letter is dated one week ago.
F Before Zeta returns to town, her father passes
away from despair. Mattzog Belluc asks the adventurers to escort the orphan to her uncles house
in Fallcrest. During that journey, the party is
ambushed by kobolds from the Cloak Wood, hellbent on revenge after learning of their cousins
defeat in the Briar Hills.
About the Author
Jobe Bittman is a beaten and half-starved scribe-slave

pressed into service by a sadistic demon prince. His work has
appeared in publications by Wizards of the Coast, Goodman
Games, and Open Design. Please send meat.
21
Captain
Slygos
Treasure
A D&D adventure for characters of levels

24
By Timothy Ide
Illustrations by Eric Belisle
Cartography by Mike Schley
For the past year, trade along the Silverwrack Coast
has suffered from the attacks of a goblin pirate
known as Captain Slygo. Fisherfolk have been particularly hard-hit by Captain Slygo and his ship, the
Red Cutter. Of late, however, Slygos piracy has moved
from high-seas robbery to maritime murder, and the
adventurers are called on to settle the score.
Captain Slygos Treasure is a Dungeons &
Dragons adventure for characters of levels 24.
Background
The pirate raids on the Silverwrack Coast have
reached a deadly apex. Looted and empty fishing
boats drift past port towns and harbors. Other craft
are set afire and crashed into shore, full of dead
bodies. The latest outrage occurred when the seafaring goblins raided the town of Mastwick two weeks
ago, making off with everything they could carry and
killing many people.
22
Captain Slygos Treasure

Enough is enough, and the council of Mastwick is
now calling out for heroes to wipe out the pirates. The
council can loan a small vessel to the adventurers,
crewed by local mariners willing to serve in exchange
for a cut in any treasure recovered from Slygos hoard.
Tracking down the pirates is the only obstacle.
Luckily for the adventurers, a number of bottles have
been recovered while they were floating in the sea or
after they were washed ashore, and each bottle contains a map to the pirates base: Blood Anchor Island.
What no one realizes, however, is that the goblin
pirate Slygo is the creator of the maps. For the past
month, he has been sailing around in a small boat,
dropping his maps-in-bottles into the sea in the hope
that someone will find them.
Slygo was recently deposed by Granackan
ambitious hobgoblin with bugbear muscle and a conniving imp to back him up. The hobgoblin, with the
imp spurring him on, is responsible for the atrocities along the Silverwrack Coast. Abandoned and
betrayed, the bitter Captain Slygo seeks revenge
against Granack and the recovery of his hidden treasure hoard.
A dventure Synopsis
To deal with the pirate threat, the adventurers must
first sail to Blood Anchor Island. After coming ashore,
they explore the port town, Granacks lair, and the
secret valley where Slygos treasure is buried. The
inhabitants of the island include a large number of
goblin pirates, mostly encountered at the port, as well
as bugbears and hobgoblins at Granacks lair. Additionally, savage lizardfolk live in the secret valley,
and they take a dim view of trespassers and treasure
hunters.
A dventure Hooks
Any of the following hooks might be sufficient to
motivate the characters.
F Mercenary Interest: Mastwicks council has sent
notices and messages to outlying communities
seeking adventurers willing to face pirates with
the possibility of recovering pirate treasure.
F Rescue: Merchant Drago Holts son, Harno, vanished after the merchant vessel he was traveling
aboard ran afoul of the pirates. Drago holds out
hope that Harno was taken captive, although no
ransom demands have been made. The merchant
offers a generous 500 gp for any news of his son,
plus 1,000 gp for Harnos safe return.
F Treasure: In addition to all the talk of the Silverwrack Coasts pirate problem, rumors abound of
a treasure buried on the island the maps depict.
(Slygo is the source of the rumor as well.)
M ast wick
Before the pirate raid, Mastwick was a steadily
growing community whose prosperity was fueled
by increasing overseas trade. Today, that prosperity
hangs by a thread.
When the characters arrive in Mastwick, read:
Mastwick is a small town surrounded on all sides by a
wooden stockade ten feet in height. A steady trickle of grimfaced people are leaving the town, some riding carts or
wagons loaded up with their possessions, others taking only
what they can carry. Two sorry-looking guards stand watch
outside the main gate.
Beyond the gates, the mood is somber. The streets are
lined with empty shops and houses, some boarded up. The
remaining citizens are going about their business, looking
up occasionally to glare sourly at the people leaving.
Three buildings of note stand in the center of town:

the Temple of Pelor, the meeting hall, and a tall
square tower that houses Mastwicks small garrison.
Bunches of flowers are laid against the towers walls
tributes to those fallen in the recent pirate raid.
By questioning the townsfolk to find out more
about what has happened, the adventurers learn the
following information.
F The raiders were goblins that attacked from the
sea. When they came ashore, total mayhem broke
out. Many citizens were killed or kidnapped, and
several buildings were destroyed, mainly down on
the wharf.
F The raiders stole mostly supplies such as food,
shipping gear, and alcohol. The captives they took
numbered twenty-nine citizens in all.
F Goblins of all sizes were seen among the pirate
crew, including big ones (bugbears), runty ones
(goblins), and well-armed human-sized ones
(hobgoblins).
F The pirates leader is well known along the coast
as Slygo. He was seen during the raida tall, redskinned goblin in armor and a large black hat.
(This was actually Granack.)
F The town guard arrived late on the scene because
of poor organization. When the guards arrived,
the goblins quickly routed them, leaving many
dead on the wharf.
A meeting can be arranged with Mastwicks leader,
Elder Malden. She is a short, thin human female in
her early fifties with cropped white hair. She dresses
in long merchants robes and is brusque and businesslike. If the adventurers havent contacted Elder
Malden within an hour of their arrival, she tracks
them down personally with her two bodyguards in
tow. She then invites them to join her at the meeting
hall to discuss matters in private.
23

Malden asks the characters to sit with her at the
council table, upon which are set four glass bottles
and four scrolls that she shows to the adventurers. (At
this point, provide the players with a copy of the maps
at the end of this adventure.) On one side of each
scroll is a map of Blood Anchor Island showing an X
with the misspelled word treasur. On the other side
is a map showing the route to Blood Anchor Island
from the Silverwrack Coast.
All the maps in all the bottles are the same and
are clearly drawn by the same hand.
The impoverished town has no coin with which to

pay the adventurers, but Malden promises that any
pirate booty the adventurers find is theirs to keep.
When the players have seen the maps, read:

Elder Malden frowns. For the past year, Captain Slygo has
targeted our trade up and down the Silverwrack Coast, but
he was more of a nuisance than anything else. He killed one
or two people in the early days and then contented himself
more with robbery than murder. Recently, though, he has
drastically changed the game.
In the past three months, two fishing boats have gone
missing along the coast, and three other boats have been
found floating adrift, stripped of valuables and full of sailors put to the sword. Two more boats have been set afire and
were sent drifting ashore, also laden with dead crew. A few
survivors speak of being boarded by large goblins, which
stole everything and took as prisoners those crew members
they did not kill. Just last week, Slygo and his goblin scum
paid a visit to Mastwick, inf licting terrible destruction.
Weve sent out coastal patrols before, but theyve never
been able to track this villain down. Then, all of a sudden,
these bottles started turning up, washed ashore or f loating
in the sea. We dont know whos making these maps, but it
could be that a prisoner of the pirates has found a way to
get this information to us.
I have taken the liberty of recruiting a small crew and
acquiring a vessel for an expedition to Blood Anchor Island,
with seasoned adventurers leading it. You should find the
crew and vessel adequate for your needs.
The ship that Elder Malden has selected is a solidly built carrack named the Fortune Star. Its female
human captain, Ralfine Tancred, is a weather-beaten
old salt with a wooden leg. Her navigator husband,
Jev Tancred, has already plotted a course to Blood
Anchor Island based on the information given in the
bottled maps.
Captain Tancred originally had eight crew, but
five of them were burned alive in the tavern during
the Mastwick raid. Her three remaining sailors are
Galen, Merek, and Voral.
Eight new recruits, claiming to be experienced
sailors from Owlston, recently volunteered to sail
with the Fortune Star. Allan Colgrave, a gingerbearded, beer-bellied human male in his early forties,
is their leader. Colgrave has agreed to be Tancreds
first mate on the voyage.
Unknown to Elder Malden and Captain Tancred,
Colgrave and his crew are greedy scalawags. After
finding one of Slygos maps themselves, they are keen
to get their hands on whatever the treasure might be.
Not having a ship of their own, they would rather let
others lead the mission, then rob them later on.
Captain Tancred has misgivings about Colgrave
and his sailors, but she knows that beggars cant be
choosers. She doesnt yet suspect Colgraves crew of
being criminals, but their insolence irritates her.
Tancred has already been paid by the town for the
mission. Nevertheless, she and her crew feel entitled
MAJOR QUEST: END THE SCOURGE

3rd-Level Major Quest (250 XP/character)
The adventurers complete this quest if they kill Granack and end the murderous pirate captains raids on
the Silverwrack Coast.
T he Fortune Star
to a share (as if the whole crew were one character)

of any treasure taken from the pirates, to be divided
among them.
If you need statistics for the crew, use the following
statistics blocks. Colgrave is a Raven Roost cutthroat,
but a companion version of his character is also provided. Letting one of the players initially play the
companion version of Colgrave is a good way to keep
his duplicity under wraps. The seedy sailor holds
back on his special attacks to keep them secret unless
his life is threatened. If this happens, you should take
control of him. The sailors are human goons, except
that they use short swords rather than clubs.
Captain Ralfine Tancred
Medium natural humanoid, human
HP 45; Bloodied 22; Healing Surges 10
Speed 6
Level 4 Leader
Initiative +2
Perception +8
Standard Actions
m Longsword (weapon) F At-Will

R Crossbow (weapon) F At-Will
Attack: Ranged 15/30 (one creature); +10 vs. AC
Leading Maneuver F Encounter
Effect: Ralfine moves up to her speed and makes a basic
attack, and then one ally within 5 squares of her can
charge or make a basic attack as a free action.
Minor Actions
Captains Favor F Encounter

Effect: An ally that can hear Ralfine and is within 5 squares
of her gains 15 temporary hit points.
Skills Athletics +9
Str 14 (+4)
Dex 11 (+2)
Wis 12 (+3)
Con 18 (+6)
Int 13 (+3)
Cha 15 (+4)
Alignment good
Languages Common
Equipment leather armor, longsword, crossbow, 20 bolts
24

Navigator Jev Tancred
Level 4 Striker

Speed 6
Initiative +5
Perception +9
Standard Actions

Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage, or 2d6 + 4 if the target is granting
combat advantage to Jev.
R Crossbow (weapon) F At-Will
Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, or 2d8 + 5 if the target has no cover
and no other creature is adjacent to the target.
Skills Nature +9
Str 15 (+4)
Dex 17 (+5)
Wis 14 (+4)
Con 13 (+3)
Int 11 (+2)
Cha 12 (+3)
Languages Common
Alignment good
Equipment leather armor, short sword, crossbow, 20 bolts
Human Goon
Level 2 Minion Soldier

XP 31
Perception +2
Speed 6
Traits
Mob Rule
While at least two other human goons are within 5 squares
of the goon, it gains a +2 power bonus to all defenses.
Standard Actions
m Club (weapon) F At-Will

Hit: 5 damage.
Str 14 (+3)
Dex 11 (+1)
Wis 12 (+2)
Con 12 (+2)
Int 9 (+0)
Cha 13 (+2)
Alignment unaligned Languages Common
Equipment club
Raven Roost Cutthroat

HP 49; Bloodied 24
Speed 6
Level 5 Lurker
XP 200
Initiative +11
Perception +9
Standard Actions

M Garrote (weapon) F At-Will
Requirement: The cutthroat must not be grabbing a creature.
Hit: The target is grabbed (escape DC 22) until the end of
the cutthroats next turn. Until the grab ends, the cutthroat has superior cover, and neither it nor the target
can be pulled, pushed, or slid.
M Arterial Cut (weapon) F At-Will
Effect: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the cutthroat).
The target takes 2d10 + 5 damage, and ongoing 10
damage (save ends). The grab then ends.
Triggered Actions
M Quick Cut F At-Will

Trigger: An enemy escapes the cutthroats grab.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The cutthroat uses dagger
against the triggering enemy.
Skills Athletics +9, Stealth +12
Str 14 (+4)
Dex 20 (+7)
Wis 14 (+4)
Con 13 (+3)
Int 10 (+2)
Cha 6 (+0)
Alignment evil
Languages Common
Equipment studded leather, dagger, garrote
Allan Colgrave
Speed 6
Level 5 Striker
Initiative +7
Perception +9
Standard Actions
m r Dagger (weapon) F At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 or Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. AC
combat advantage to Colgrave.
Str 14 (+4)
Dex 20 (+7)
Wis 14 (+4)
Con 13 (+3)
Int 10 (+2)
Cha 6 (+0)
Alignment unaligned Languages Common
Equipment studded leather, dagger
25
T he Voyage
The voyage to Blood Anchor Island takes three
days, just as the map says. For the purpose of this
adventure, the winds and weather are favorable. In
addition, the Fortune Star is equipped with sweep oars
and can be rowed if it is ever becalmed.
The Red Cutter Attacks

The Red Cutter is heading out to the Silverwrack
Coast, on the lookout for plunder. The ships course
takes it directly into the path of the Fortune Star when
the adventurers are a half-day away from Blood
Anchor Island.
Light: Daylight.
Monsters: Lieutenant Borkel (hobgoblin warmonger), 3 bugbear thugs, 6 hobgoblin grunts.
The crew of goblin cutters attacks those other than
the adventurers, so their numbers and experience
point totals are reflected in the encounter as if the
characters face up to five cutters.
Other Creatures: The crew of the Fortune Star.
When youre ready to start, read:
Far off in the distance, a dark speck quickly grows to reveal
itself as another ship, perhaps a trading vessel making its
way toward Mastwick or Owlston. But as you draw closer,
you see the sun glint off crimson sails and the vessels black
flagadorned with a red goblin skull.
From the crows nest, Jev shouts out. Its the Red
Cutter! As the ship bears down on the Fortune Star, you
see a horde of goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears on deck, all
of them screaming for blood.
Boarding Action
Captain Granacks second-in-command, Borkel,
is currently helming the Red Cutter and is anxious
to prove himself. Borkels approach is simple and

directwhen he spots a target ship, he sails straight
for it. The Red Cutter is faster than its prey, so a
confrontation is inevitable. The ship-to-ship battle
proceeds as follows.
F Roll initiative.
F Rounds 1 and 2: As the Red Cutter closes in on
the Fortune Star in preparation for boarding, both
crews can make ranged or area attacks against one
another. Unless the characters aim at specific targets, such attacks target up to 1d3 goblin cutters.
The ships are 15 squares apart (bow to bow) at the
start of round 1 and 10 squares apart at the start of
round 2.
F Round 3: The two ships begin this round side by
side and 5 squares apart. The Red Cutters hobgoblin grunts hurl grappling lines at the Fortune Star
and begin pulling the two ships together.
F Round 4: The grappled ships are 2 squares apart.
The crews begin boarding actions using planks or
by jumping from ship to ship.
Ship Features
On both ships, the main deck is 8 feet above sea level.
The foredeck and the poop deck are each 8 feet above
the main deck.
Cover: A creature on the deck of either ship can
gain partial cover against ranged attacks from rigging, sails, and other maritime paraphernalia.
Rigging: The rigging can be climbed with a DC
10 Athletics check.
Overboard: A creature knocked into the sea can
climb back onto one of the ships by scaling the slippery hull. With the aid of a rope, the task requires a
DC 5 Athletics check (DC 20 without a rope).
Swinging on Ropes: Swinging on a rope is a
move action. A swinging creature moves up to its
speed to a square of the same or lower elevation than
the square in which it started. A swinging creatures
movement provokes opportunity attacks only for leaving its initial square. Swinging can be used to charge.
Red Cutter Tactics

Borkel, the bugbear thugs, and the hobgoblin grunts
recognize the adventurers as a serious threat. Borkel
stays aboard the Red Cutter and uses longbow and
battle cry, while the thugs and grunts engage in melee
on the deck of either ship. The hobgoblins stay close
together to gain the benefit of phalanx soldier.
The goblin cutters board the Fortune Star and
attack Captain Tancred and her crew. If the characters board the Red Cutter, a few goblin cutters might
step up to slow them down.
The remaining goblins surrender if Granack and
the bugbears fall.
Fortune Star Tactics

Captain Tancred, Jev, and the human sailors repel
the goblin boarders while the adventurers deal with
the bugbears and hobgoblins. Allen Colgrave and
his crew join the battle against the goblins, but they
fight defensively (Insight DC 20 to notice this fact).
Describe the battle narratively, with the fortunes of
the secondary characters hinging on the adventurers
success.
If the characters win, the crew repels the goblins.
The battle claims the lives of two sailors and one
scalawag. Captain Tancred, Jev Tancred, and Allen
Colgrave survive with minor injuries. If the characters lose the battle, three sailors and one scalawag are
killed, and all other survivors are taken prisoner.
If the characters and crew are taken prisoner, the
Red Cutter returns to Blood Anchor Island at once.
Borkel recognizes the potential ransom value of the
adventurers and has them taken to the Smashed
Skull Tavern while he goes to report to Granack.
Captain Slygo discovers the characters there and
offers to aid their escape if they promise to help him.
26

Alternatively, the characters might try to bribe or
negotiate with their guard (the bouncer, Grokk), or
attempt to start a brawl among the taverns unruly
patrons to cover their escape. In any event, their confiscated gear is secured in a trunk under the bar.
3 Bugbear Thugs
Level 4 Brute
Medium natural humanoid

HP 65; Bloodied 32
Speed 6
XP 175 each
Initiative +7
Perception +8
Low-light vision
Traits
Bushwhack
The bugbear gains a +4 bonus to attack rolls against a creature that has no allies adjacent to it.
Standard Actions
m Morningstar (weapon) F At-Will

Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage, or 3d8 + 6 if the bugbear has combat
advantage against the target.
R Handaxe (weapon) F At-Will
Skills Stealth +12
Str 20 (+7)
Dex 20 (+7)
Wis 13 (+3)
Con 15 (+4)
Int 8 (+1)
Cha 10 (+2)
Alignment evil
Languages Common, Goblin
Equipment leather armor, morningstar, 2 handaxes
Expanding the Fight

If you like, you can run the fight as a larger melee that
involves both full crews. To do so, include twenty
goblin cutters and three goblin sharpshooters (see
the statistics in the Town Watch encounter). Let
the players run the crew of the Fortune Star, using
the companion version of Allan Colgrave. The XP
awarded for the fight doesnt change.
Hobgoblin Warmonger Level 4 Artillery (Leader)
6 Hobgoblin Grunts

HP 46; Bloodied 23
Speed 6

XP 38 each
Perception +2
Speed 6
Low-light vision
Standard Actions
XP 175
Initiative +6
Perception +4
Low-light vision
m Mace (weapon) F At-Will

R Longbow (weapon) F At-Will
Hit: 1d10 + 7 damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the start of the hobgoblins next turn.
A Battle Cry (charm) F Recharge when first bloodied
Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +9
vs. Will
Hit: The target makes a basic attack as a free action against
a creature of the hobgoblins choice.
Effect: Each ally in the burst can charge or make a basic
attack as a free action. If an ally hits with the attack
granted by this power, that ally gains 5 temporary hit
points.
Move Actions
Phalanx Movement F At-Will

Effect: The hobgoblin and each ally adjacent to it can shift
1 square as a free action. The allies must end adjacent to
the hobgoblin.
Str 15 (+4)
Dex 19 (+6)
Wis 14 (+4)
Con 16 (+5)
Int 11 (+2)
Cha 17 (+5)
Alignment evil
Equipment chainmail, mace, longbow, 20 arrows
Traits
Phalanx Soldier
While at least one hobgoblin ally is adjacent to the grunt, it
gains a +2 bonus to AC.
Standard Actions

Hit: 5 damage.
Triggered Actions
Hobgoblin Resilience F At-Will

Trigger: The grunt is subjected to an effect that a save can
end.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The grunt makes a saving throw
against the triggering effect.
Skills Athletics +7, History +3
Str 18 (+5)
Dex 14 (+3)
Wis 13 (+2)
Con 15 (+3)
Int 10 (+1)
Cha 9 (+0)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, longsword, light shield
Goblin Cutter
Small natural humanoid

XP 25
Perception +1
Speed 6
Low-light vision
Standard Actions

Hit: 4 damage, or 5 damage if the goblin has combat
Triggered Actions
Goblin Tactics F At-Will

Trigger: The goblin is missed by an attack.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The goblin shifts 1 square.
Str 14 (+2)
Dex 17 (+3)
Wis 12 (+1)
Con 13 (+1)
Int 8 (1)
Cha 8 (1)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, short sword
27
Conclusion
Having just set out, the Red Cutter has no treasure
aboard. If the characters interrogate captive goblins,
they can learn the following information.
F The Red Cutter belongs to Captain Granack, selfproclaimed Scourge of the Silverwrack Coast.
The hobgoblin took command after ousting the
nefarious Captain Slygo.
F Granacks lair is an underground complex on
Blood Anchor Island, not far from the islands
only settlement, Shantytown. The captain is there,
along with the pirates treasure and a number of
prisoners taken in the last raid.
F Slygo was last seen drowning his sorrows at the
Smashed Skull, a tavern in Shantytown. He swore
that one day hed win back the Red Cutter, but Granack laughed at him.
F Under any threat, the goblins reveal that the
guards in Shantytown wont attack creatures that
they believe to be pirates.
Blood A nchor
Island
Goblin pirates took over this small isle two years
ago. One of their ships, the Blood Anchor, had been
badly damaged in a raid, and it eventually sank in a
sheltered cove on the islands south side. Naming the
island after their sunken pirate vessel, the goblins salvaged the wreck and used the wood to build the first
structures of what would later become Shantytown.
Other goblin vessels brought supplies to the island,
and as Shantytown grew, the goblins began exploring
their new home. They laid claim to an underground
complex called the Spiral, which provided the only
easy access to the islands interior. While exploring the interior, the goblins were attacked by a nasty
tribe of lizardfolk and decided to leave the reptilian
28

humanoids alone. Guards were placed in the Spiral
to keep the lizardfolk from using it to reach Shantytown, but the reptilian creatures have yet to threaten
the goblins.
that such visitors spend here. Likewise, if the characters anchor the Fortune Star out at sea and row ashore
in a boat flying a pirate flag, the goblins do not attack.
When the characters reach the island, read:

A steadily growing dot on the horizon has now become an
island. Navigator Jev Tancred confirms that this is the location noted on the mapBlood Anchor Island, the lair of the
pirate scourge.
Much of the island is surrounded by high, rugged cliffs,
above which rises an even taller ridge of rock. Along the
isles southern shore, a cove opens up where the surrounding cliffs dwindle down to the sea. A long white beach
extends from cliff to cliff, beyond which spreads a thick
jungle. A ramshackle village squats on the beach, with
a number of small sailing boats berthed at its piers and
wharves.
Captain Tancred is hesitant to sail the Fortune Star

into the harbor for an attack. If the characters compel
her to do so, they face several rounds of incoming
missile fire from the guards atop the watchtowers
(area 2). The town guard assembles in the streets as
the alarm is raised, and the characters are in for a
stiff fight. If the adventurers bring the surviving crew
of the Fortune Star with them on this attack, assume
the battle ends when the characters defeat the monsters described in the Town Watch encounter.
Making Landfall
Landing anywhere along the islands ever-present
cliffs is impossible, and any ship or boat attempting
to do so is dashed to pieces. Landing on the beach or
docking at Shantytown are the only options open to
the characters, but either of those approaches can
incorporate different strategies.
Use Stealth
The characters might sneak ashore by boat somewhere along the beach, then make their way into
Shantytown without attracting undue attention. If
they abandon any attempt at stealth or get themselves
into trouble, they face the monsters described in the
Town Watch encounter (see below) and possibly the
citizens of the town.
Pretend to Be Pirates
The goblins dont attack any ship that flies a pirate
flag. Nongoblin pirate vessels stop here from time to
time, and the residents of the town covet the money
Assault Shantytown
Approach Peacefully
If the characters arrive aboard the Red Cutter without
behaving aggressively, the goblin guards, puzzled and
unsure, dont fire on the ship. When the adventurers step onto the wharf, the jig is up and the alarm is
raised.
Crew Companions
When the Fortune Star makes landfall, Captain Tancred is content to guard the ship while the characters
complete their mission. If the characters insist that
members of the crew accompany them, the captain
orders Allan Colgrave and his crew to go with the
party. Colgrave and his scalawags cooperate grudgingly, even as they wait to betray the characters and
claim Slygos treasure.
Creatures: Shantytown is home to forty adult

goblin cutters and forty adult hobgoblin grunts, as
well as numerous goblin and hobgoblin children.
These citizens let the town watch deal with intruders,
but they come out in force if they believe their home
is threatened.
Town Watch
Shantytown
The town is built mostly of local timber, with a few

ships rails and masts here and there. The buildings in
general have a rough, barbaric look to them.
Many of the buildings have small walkways
around their rooftops, enabling goblin sharpshooters
to fire down into the streets.
Bridges: Rickety rope and wood bridges connect
the buildings 15 feet above street level. Any creature
on a bridge that takes damage must make an Acrobatics check. On a result of 10 or lower, the creature falls
and takes 1d10 damage. On a result of 1115, the
creature falls prone on the bridge.
Climbing Walls: Scaling a building requires a
DC 15 Athletics check.
A bugbear thug named Gorn leads the town watch.

When Shantytown is threatened, he musters a force
of hobgoblins and goblins to slay the invader scum.
Light: Varies, depending on the time of day.
Monsters: Gorn (bugbear thug), 4 hobgoblin
spear soldiers, 2 goblin sharpshooters.
If they spot any enemies, the hobgoblin archers in
area 2 join the battle. They are not included in the XP
award for this encounter.
When the characters confront the watch, read:
A snarling, fly-ridden bugbear leads a gang of half-drunk
hobgoblin warriors in your direction, all of them spoiling
for a fight.
Perception DC 20: Two goblins slink along the rooftops, trying to remain unseen.
29

The goblin sharpshooters try to stay hidden as they
provide artillery support for Gorn and his brute
squad. Gorn might receive additional support from
the hobgoblin archers stationed atop the watchtowers
(see area 2 for statistics).
If the characters claim to be in Shantytown on
business and Gorn has no reason to think otherwise,
he watches them closely but doesnt attack. If things
turn ugly, however, he shows no mercy.
Bugbear Thug
Level 4 Brute

HP 65; Bloodied 32
Speed 6
XP 175
Initiative +7
Perception +8
Low-light vision
Traits
Bushwhack
The bugbear gains a +4 bonus to attack rolls against a creature that has no allies adjacent to it.
Standard Actions

Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage, or 3d8 + 6 if the bugbear has combat
R Handaxe (weapon) F At-Will
Skills Stealth +12
Str 20 (+7)
Dex 20 (+7)
Wis 13 (+3)
Con 15 (+4)
Int 8 (+1)
Cha 10 (+2)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, morningstar, 2 handaxes
4 Hobgoblin Spear Soldiers
Level 3 Skirmisher

HP 48; Bloodied 24
Speed 6
Traits
XP 150 each
Initiative +5
Perception +3
Low-light vision
Threatening Reach
The hobgoblin can make opportunity attacks against enemies within its weapons reach (2 squares).
Standard Actions
m Longspear (weapon) F At-Will

R Javelin (weapon) F At-Will
Move Actions
Phalanx Movement F At-Will

Effect: The hobgoblin and each ally adjacent to it can shift
1 square as a free action. The allies must end adjacent to
the hobgoblin.
Triggered Actions
Tactical Withdrawal F At-Will

Trigger: An enemy enters a square adjacent to the
hobgoblin.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The hobgoblin shifts up to 3
squares.
Str 19 (+5)
Dex 15 (+3)
Wis 14 (+3)
Con 16 (+4)
Int 11 (+1)
Cha 10 (+1)
Alignment evil
Equipment chainmail, longspear, 6 javelins
2 Goblin Sharpshooters
Level 2 Artillery
Small natural humanoid

HP 31; Bloodied 15
Speed 6
Traits
XP 125 each
Initiative +5
Perception +2
Low-light vision
Combat Advantage
If a target granting combat advantage to the sharpshooter
is hit by the sharpshooters attack, the target takes 1d6
extra damage.
Sniper
If the sharpshooter misses with a ranged attack while
hidden, it remains hidden.
Standard Actions

r Hand Crossbow (weapon) F At-Will
Triggered Actions
Goblin Tactics F At-Will

Trigger: The sharpshooter is missed by an attack.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The sharpshooter shifts 1
square.
Str 14 (+3)
Dex 18 (+5)
Wis 13 (+2)
Con 13 (+2)
Int 8 (+0)
Cha 8 (+0)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, short sword, hand crossbow, 20
bolts
30
1. Wharves
Exploration Encounter
Decrepit wharves extend out into the cove. It is possible to dock larger vessels here, including the Red
Cutter and the Fortune Star. Nine smaller, singlemasted patrol and fishing boats are presently moored
here.
2. Watchtowers
Hobgoblins assigned to these watchtowers keep an
eye on the wharves (area 1) and watch the cove for
approaching ships. If an unfamiliar vessel enters
the cove without flying a pirate flag, the hobgoblins
sound the alarm to alert the town watch.
Light: Varies depending on the time of day.
Monsters: 4 hobgoblin archers (2 per tower).
When you are ready to begin the encounter,
read:
Overlooking the wharves stand a pair of thirty-five-foot
watchtowers made of stacked logs. Each one sports a
pitched roof draped with sunbaked palm leaves.
Each watchtower is a hollow structure with an internal ladder leading up to the rooftop. Creatures atop
the towers have superior cover against attacks from
the ground and partial cover against attacks from
neighboring rooftops.
31

4 Hobgoblin Archers
HP 39; Bloodied 19
Speed 6
Standard Actions
Level 3 Artillery
XP 150 each
Initiative +5
Perception +8
Low-light vision

r Longbow (weapon) F At-Will
Hit: 1d10 + 5 damage, and an ally within 5 squares of the
archer gains a +2 bonus to its next ranged attack roll
against the same target.
Triggered Actions
Hobgoblin Resilience F Encounter

Trigger: The archer is subjected to an effect that a save can
end.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The archer makes a saving
throw against the triggering effect.
Skills Athletics +5, History +6
Str 14 (+3)
Dex 19 (+5)
Wis 14 (+3)
Con 15 (+3)
Int 11 (+1)
Cha 10 (+1)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, longsword, longbow, 30 arrows
3. Smashed Skull Tavern

This building is the most important and beloved of all
the establishments in Shantytown. The tavern is two
stories high, but the second floor is only a perimeter
walkway 10 feet wide that runs around the inside
walls. It is accessible by a rickety wooden staircase
near the bar. Goblin patrons like to congregate on
the walkway above their fellows on the ground floor,
looking down on them, spitting, throwing drinks, and
occasionally falling over the low railing in a drunken
stupor.
Gansh is the taverns fat goblin proprietor. He overcharges for his revolting watered-down beer made
from fermented hops and beetles, which the goblins
love. The barkeep (use a goblin cutter for his statistics)
wears an oversized metal helmet with a broad brim to

protect himself from mugs and other missiles hurled
in his direction by his patrons.
The Smashed Skulls bouncer, Grokk, is a simpleminded bugbear thug who obeys Ganshs every word.
Grokk is responsible for turfing out undesirables
most often customers who assault Gansh. Grokk is
also the younger brother of Gorn, the leader of the
town watch. If the characters harm Grokk, they must
inevitably answer to Gorn.
At any given time, 3d10 goblin cutters and hobgoblin grunts are here.
Captain Slygo
Captain Slygo can be found in the Smashed Skull
day or night. He is yesterdays hero, and none of the
fickle goblins pay him much heed anymore. When
Granack arrived on the island and demanded Slygos
surrender, the goblin captain recognized that he was
outclassed and gave up at once, inspiring Granack to
let him live. Since then, Slygo has been staying out of
Granacks way and secretly using empty bottles from
the Smashed Skull to send his maps out to sea.
When he becomes aware that strangers have come
to the island, Slygo contacts the adventurers. If the
characters avoid the Smashed Skull, Slygo actively
searches for them.
Slygo has been hoping that his maps would bring

retribution of some sort to Blood Anchor Island, and
the goblin asks to join the party. He wants revenge on
Granack and the opportunity to retrieve the treasure
he hid from the hobgoblin, so his offer is genuine. If
the heroes attack him, however, he runs for it.
Captain Slygo knows the lay of the land and can
provide a rough map of the Spiral, where Granack is
holed up. He knows that Granack has a pair of guard
drakes named Rudder and Keel, and that he is never
seen without his pet raven, Vex. (Vex is actually an
imp that advises Granack, but Slygo doesnt know
that.) He also knows of the perils of the Secret Valley,
the lizardfolk savages in particular.
Although Slygo is not averse to evil acts such as
piracy, he fails to see any point in cruelty and murder
for their own sake. He could just as easily live a life
on the straight and narrow if there was a profit in it. If
the pirate is treated well, he stands by the characters.
If the adventurers mistreat him, he leaves them to
their own devices. He is a master of passive aggressive
behavior when he so chooses. The characters gain no
XP for killing him.
When the characters meet Captain Slygo, read:

A goblin wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a long leather
coat greets you. With one hand, he waves a dirty white rag
tied to a stick.
Parley! he says. Ya found a bottle, dint ya? I know
why yar ere! I can elp ya! I can show ya where the treasure
is! Lead ya right to it, I will!
32

Captain Slygo
Small natural humanoid, goblin
Speed 6
Traits
Level 4 Striker
Initiative +5
Perception +8
Low-light vision
Survival Instinct
While bloodied, Slygo gains a +2 power bonus to all
defenses.
Standard Actions

combat advantage to Slygo.
A Exploding Bottle (fire, zone) F At-Will
Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in the burst); +10
vs. Reflex
Hit: Ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of
the encounter. Any creature that ends its turn in the zone
takes 3 fire damage.
Triggered Actions
Sly Goblin Tactics F At-Will

Trigger: An enemy misses Slygo with an attack.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): Slygo can shift up to 3 squares.
Skills Bluff +11, Stealth +12, Thievery +10
Str 10 (+2)
Dex 17 (+5)
Wis 12 (+3)
Con 11 (+2)
Int 12 (+3)
Cha 14 (+4)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather coat, short sword, 3 exploding bottles,
key to hidden treasure chest
4. Shanties and Tents

One-fifth of the buildings in these areas are 10-footsquare wooden hovels with a single door and window.
The rest are tents wedged in and around the more
permanent structures. The goblin families of Shantytown live here.
5. Old Temple Road

The old stone road that leads out of town is covered
in mismatched flagstones and kept clear of jungle
growth. Goblin pirates originally felled the trees
along the road, using the lumber to expand Shantytown and repair their ships.
Pikes and stakes have been driven into the ground
alongside the road at intervals and are decorated with
skulls and rotting heads. Most of these are human,
but some are goblins that annoyed Granack.
T he Spiral
The road from Shantytown leads to the Spiral, an
ancient gateway built by lizardfolk. The Spiral is the
entrance to the Secret Valley, and it also serves as
Granacks private residence.
When the characters approach the Spiral, read:
The old flagstone road leads to an enormous granite cliff,
the bottom third of which is overgrown with jungle vines.
Carved into this bluff at ground level is a giant snakes head
with lamp light burning in its eyes. Pillars hold open its
fanged maw, within which is set a pair of wooden double
doors.
Perception DC 15: A similar snakes head protrudes
from the rock wall fifty feet above ground level.
Perception DC 20: Lurking in the open mouth of the
upper snake head are two bugbear guards.
If Captain Slygo is with the characters, he refers
to the carved heads as the Great Snake Heads of
Kekuala. He can recount the information given in the
Cult of Kekuala sidebar.
The adventurers can also learn this information
with a successful DC 19 Religion or History check.
33
Approaching the Spiral

Unless the characters take measures to stay hidden,
the guards in area 1 spot them as they approach.
One bugbear warrior leaves to warn Granack (area
4) while the other watches to see what the characters
do. The bugbears have only melee weapons, and they
withdraw if subjected to ranged attacks.
Wooden Doors: The wooden doors leading to the
Spiral are barred shut and require a DC 21 Athletics check to break open. Breaking through the doors
alerts the Spirals inhabitants. Knocking on the doors
brings one of the bugbears from area 1 to investigate.
Scaling the Cliff: Characters can reach the upper
snake head by scaling 50 feet up the cliff. Thanks to
abundant handholds and vines, the climb requires
only DC 10 Athletics checks.
Truce: If the characters approach and ask to see
Granack, the bugbears demand to know their business. Convincing the bugbears to let the party in
requires good roleplaying, or a DC 15 group Bluff
check or group Diplomacy check. Slygo, if present,
can contribute to the group check. If the bugbears
are convinced that the characters mean Granack no
harm, the guards make their way down toward the
entrance, open the doors, and escort the characters to
area 4.
Encounters in the Spiral

The lizardfolk built the Spiral for use as a gateway
and guardhouse, but Granack now uses it as his private residence. Its twisting main passage leads down
to a bronze door (area 8), which opens onto a tunnel
leading to the Secret Valley.
Architecture: The walls and ceilings are covered
with intricate and colorful abstract mosaics. In keeping with the philosophy of Kekuala, there are no
straight lines within the Spiral. The doorways are of
slightly different shapes and sizes, just as the main
passage varies in thickness and width as it descends.
Cult of Kekuala
In the days of legend, the lizardfolk deity Semuanya
lived with its mate Kekuala in the great Bog of
Semuanya. Over time, Kekuala became more and
more distracted by abstract and cerebral matters,
until ultimately the god split into two entities: male
and female. These two were the first mortal lizardfolk. The death of the deity was deemed a marvelous
sacrifice by the early lizardfolk, and they resolved to
honor it.
A great empire of the lizardfolk arose, one dedicated to matters of the intellect, knowledge, and
abstract philosophy. This empire covered vast territory, and the temple on Blood Anchor Island was just
one of its many centers of worship and learning.
Eventually, the golden age of the lizardfolk empire
came to an end. The ruling class had become removed
from the common lizardfolk and were failing to deal
with their concerns. A rival philosophy became more
powerful, that of the more warlike cult of Semuanya.
The ways of Kekuala proved too abstract to deal
with the practical concerns of fighting battles, and
eventually they were abandoned, leaving shamans
of Semuanya in charge. The way of Kekuala was
forgotten.
The lizardfolk empire is a largely forgotten piece
of history. The rise of the cult of Semuanya forbade
all reference to it in their oral traditions, and memory
of it has faded. The ruins on Blood Anchor Island are
one of the few remnants of this ancient civilizations
achievements.
pillars that form a vaulted dome at the apex. The passage downward is a sloping ledge cut from the rock of
the chamber, which spirals inward as it descends.
Falling: The edge of the downward-spiraling
ledge features no protective rail. Any creature that
falls off the edge takes 1d10 damage as it hits the
level below.
Alarm: If alerted to the presence of a hostile force,
Granack remains in his quarters (area 4), guarded
by his faithful hobgoblin cleavers (who are otherwise
encountered in area 3).
1. Upper Snake Head

A staircase built into a stone tunnel leads up the
neck of the higher snake head, opening into a wide
stone platform situated within the jaw of the snake.
Like the head on the ground, the upper part of this
head is supported by pillars carved to represent the
snakes fangs. The platform provides a magnificent
view of Blood Anchor Cove.
Light: Varies depending on the time of day.
Monsters: 2 bugbear warriors.
The two bugbears stand in the shadows atop the platform, keeping watchful eyes on the entrance and the
cove beyond.
Central Chamber: The center of the Spiral is a

single open chamber dimly lit by guttering torches.
Its ceiling rises to 70 feet above the upper entrance,
and it is supported by irregularly shaped serpentine
34

2 Bugbear Warriors
Level 5 Brute

HP 76; Bloodied 38
Speed 6
XP 200 each
Initiative +5
Perception +4
Low-light vision
Standard Actions

M Skullthumper (weapon) F Encounter
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature granting combat advantage
to the bugbear); +8 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the target falls prone and is
dazed (save ends).
Minor Actions
Predatory Eye F Encounter

Effect: The bugbear deals 1d6 extra damage on the next
attack it makes against a target granting it combat advantage before the end of its next turn.
Skills Intimidate +7, Stealth +9
Str 20 (+7)
Dex 16 (+5)
Wis 14 (+4)
Con 16 (+5)
Int 10 (+2)
Cha 10 (+2)
Alignment evil
Equipment hide armor, morningstar
2. Storeroom
Granack keeps his personal supplies of food and alcohol in this chamber. Enough rations are stored here
to keep five Medium creatures alive for two weeks.
Twenty-four kegs of rum and fifty-three bottles of red
wine are here as well.
35
3. Kitchen
Granacks meals are prepared here.
Light: Dim (sputtering torches in sconces).
Monsters: If the characters have successfully infiltrated the Spiral without raising the alarm, Granacks
three hobgoblin cleaver followers are here, preparing
a slaughtered kruthik for their captains next meal. If
an alarm has been sounded, the cleavers are instead
in area 4.
When the door is opened, read:
This kitchen is a conglomeration of pots, pans, half-eaten
food, and cluttered benches. It smells of rotting vegetation
and burned meat.
The cleavers are Granacks cooks, bodyguards, and
lovers, and they are the only ones he trusts to prepare
his food and keep his bed. These females are willing to die to protect Granack, but he does not feel the
same way about them. The other goblins fear these
favored servants because they are good at overhearing any dissent and reporting it back to their leader.
The cleavers intimidate even the bugbears.
Treasure: Each cleaver wears three pieces of jewelry, amounting to one treasure of the characters
level.
3 Hobgoblin Cleavers
Level 3 Brute

HP 54; Bloodied 27
Speed 6
XP 150 each
Initiative +3
Perception +2
Low-light vision
Standard Actions
m Handaxe (weapon) F At-Will

M Twin Strike (weapon) F At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one or two creatures); +8 vs. AC
Move Actions
C Phalanx Movement F At-Will

Effect: Close burst 1 (allies in the burst); the cleaver can
shift 1 square, and then each target can take a free action
to shift 1 square to a square adjacent to the cleaver.
Triggered Actions
Enraged Attack F Encounter

Trigger: The cleaver is first bloodied.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The cleaver uses twin strike.
Trigger: The cleaver is subjected to an effect that a save can
end.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The cleaver can make a saving
Str 17 (+4)
Dex 14 (+3)
Wis 13 (+2)
Con 14 (+3)
Int 10 (+1)
Cha 11 (+1)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, 2 handaxes
4. Granacks Quarters
Granack resides here with his imp advisor and pet
guard drakes. In his spare time, the hobgoblin pirate
counts his gold and plots his next raid.
Light: Bright (torches).
Monsters: Captain Granack, Vex (imp), 2 guard
drakes.
Other Creatures: If an alarm has sounded, the
bugbear warriors from area 1 and the hobgoblin
cleavers from area 3 might also be present.

This room is a true pirate captains lair, decked out with
rich carpets, expensive chairs, skulls, a pair of chests, tapestries and large framed mirrors on the walls, statues of
religious figures (most of them damaged or defaced in some
way), and furled maps. A large bed sits squarely against the
north wall, its posts made of figureheads taken from captured ships.
A swarthy, red-skinned hobgoblin slouches in a chair
draped with mangy furs, a large feathered hat on his head.
As he stands and draws his two scimitars, two green-scaled
drakes slink out from behind the chair and hiss at you.
Fresh meat, boys! shouts the hobgoblin.
If an alarm has been sounded, Vex is invisible and
perched above the door. Otherwise, the imp perches
on the back of Granacks chair in raven form.
If the characters try to parley with Granack, he
listens to what they have to say unless Slygo is present. In that case, Granack realizes that Slygo is using
the adventurers to overthrow him, and he attacks and
tries to kill Slygo first. Granacks guard drake pets are
named Rudder and Keel, and they fight to the death
to protect their master.
Frescoes: Behind the tapestries and mirrors,
ancient crumbling frescoes line the walls. These
paintings depict an aspect of Kekuala engaged in
contemplation of various concepts, represented by a
sequence of patterned and asymmetrical shapes.
Treasure: The items in the room are ill kept and
worthless. The maps depict the Silverwrack Coast,
some marked with trade routes and the locations of
various goblin and hobgoblin tribes. At your discretion, one of the maps might be an old treasure map
leading to a particularly dangerous island that even
Granack is hesitant to explore.
Granack carries the keys to the two locked chests,
which can otherwise be opened with DC 21 Thievery checks. These chests contain two treasures of the
characters level. Granack also has the key to area 7.
36

Captain Granack Level 5 Elite Skirmisher (Leader)
Imp
Medium natural humanoid, hobgoblin

HP 124; Bloodied 62
Speed 6
Small immortal humanoid (devil)

HP 40; Bloodied 20
Speed 4, fly 6
XP 400
Initiative +6
Perception +8
Low-light vision
Traits
Sly Charge
If Granack charges, he triggers no attack for leaving the
initial square.
Standard Actions
m Scimitar (weapon) F At-Will

Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage, and Granack can shift 1 square.
M Dual Strike (weapon) F At-Will
Effect: Granack uses scimitar twice.
Minor Actions
C Tactical Deployment F Recharge 5 6

Effect: Close burst 2 (allies in the burst); the target can take
a free action to shift up to 3 squares.
Triggered Actions

Trigger: Granack is subjected to an effect that a save can
end.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): Granack can make a saving
Skills Athletics +11, Bluff +9, Intimidate +9, Stealth +9
Str 18 (+6)
Dex 14 (+4)
Wis 12 (+3)
Con 14 (+4)
Int 10 (+2)
Cha 15 (+4)
Alignment evil
Equipment leather armor, 2 scimitars
Standard Actions
Level 3 Lurker
XP 150
Initiative +8
Perception +8
Darkvision
m Bite F At-Will
Vanish (illusion) F At-Will
Effect: The imp becomes invisible until the end of its next
turn or until it hits or misses with an attack.
M Tail Sting (poison) F Recharge when the imp uses vanish
Hit: 2d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 10
poison damage and a 2 penalty to Will (save ends both).
Skills Arcana +9, Bluff +9, Stealth +9
Str 12 (+2)
Dex 17 (+4)
Wis 14 (+3)
Con 16 (+4)
Int 16 (+4)
Cha 16 (+4)
Alignment evil
Languages Common, Supernal
Vex is also a shapechanger and has the following

additional power.
Minor Actions
Change Shape (polymorph) F At-Will (1/round)
Effect: The imp alters its physical form to that of a Tiny
raven until the imp uses this power again or until it drops
to 0 hit points. It retains its statistics but cannot use tail
sting in this form. It takes a DC 26 Insight check to discern that the form is a disguise.
2 Guard Drakes
Small natural beast (reptile)
HP 48; Bloodied 24
Speed 6
Level 2 Brute
XP 125 each
Initiative +3
Perception +7
Standard Actions
m Bite F At-Will
Hit: 1d10 + 3 damage, or 1d10 + 9 while the drake is
within 2 squares of an ally.
Str 16 (+4)
Dex 15 (+3)
Wis 12 (+2)
Con 18 (+5)
Int 3 (3)
Cha 12 (+2)
5. Collapsed Ceiling
The ceiling here has fallen, filling this chamber with
rubble and earth. Abstract murals on the walls provide no clue as to the rooms original purpose.
6. Barracks
This ill-kept room is the sleeping quarters of the
guards in the Spiral. Pungent skins have been piled
along the walls, which are set with curious abstract
murals similar to those found in other areas of the
complex.
7. Prison Cell
The wooden door to this room is locked. Granack carries the key, or the door can be opened with a DC 21
Athletics check or Thievery check.
Light: None.
Creatures: 8 human prisoners.
A foul stench fills this room, which is occupied by several
malnourished and unhappy prisoners.
The rag-clad prisoners are starving, filthy, and miserable. Six are humans from settlements up and down
the Silverwrack Coast, along with two foreigners
taken from merchant ships. They wear shackles that
slow them until they are removed (requiring a DC
27 Strength check or a DC 15 Thievery check). The
prisoners are ready to fight for their freedom if the
characters are willing to lead them. They are the
equivalent of human goons.
37

One of the prisoners is Harno Holt, the twentyfive-year-old son of a powerful merchant named
Drago Holt. He is pathetically grateful to be rescued.
8. Bronze-Covered Door
Characters who descend into the Spiral eventually
come to a door, beyond which stands a tunnel that
leads to the Secret Valley.
Light: Dim (sputtering torches).
When the characters descend to the end of the
spiral, read:
At the bottom of the Spiral stands a bronze-plated wooden
door. Abstract swirls and patterns engraved into the metal
are marred by corrosion.
Excessive dampness has caused the door to bloat and
seal shut. The rotted wood beneath the bronze is soft,
however, and the door can be broken down with a
DC 13 Athletics check.
When the characters break through the door,
read:
Beyond the door, a tunnel twists away into the darkness.
This tunnel runs the better part of two miles and
opens out into the Secret Valley. Aside from a few bats
near the exit, no creatures reside here.
T he Secret Valley
Beyond the Spiral spreads a primeval jungle sheltered
by tall, rocky ridges. The characters must venture into
this dangerous landscape to retrieve Captain Slygos
precious treasure.
When the characters enter the Secret Valley,

read:
Ahead, the tunnel suddenly opens up to the outside. Twenty
feet beyond its end stand two curved, fanglike pillars that
mark its location. The jungle is dense here, with vines
hanging from the tall trees and the ground covered with
undergrowth and decaying vegetation.
Mountains peek over the tips of the trees, extending all
the way around this broad valley. Insects swarm through
the cool air, which carries the smell of earth and slight
decay as well as the distant calls of birds and other nameless creatures.
By counting his steps from the fang-shaped pillars,
Slygo has a rough idea of how far into the jungle
his treasure waits to be found. When he came here
last time to bury his hoard, he set out in a straight
line due north, until quite by chance he came to the
temple of Kekuala (see below). If Slygo is with the
party and cooperative, he can save the characters a lot
of time in finding the treasure.
Without Slygos aid, finding the temple is harder,
requiring three successful DC 13 group Nature
checks. Each failed group check costs each character
one healing surge.
T emple of K ekuala
This building is an ancient temple of Kekuala, its
floor plan designed to simulate an ancient symbol for
wholeness or completion. Priests and pilgrims would
meditate within, moving from room to room.
The building is made of stone but covered over with

earth, creeping moss, and vines. It features no windows, and the only light inside comes through holes
and cracks in the roof. Traces of large mosaics and
murals can be seen on the floors and walls, but
these have been defaced and chipped away, leaving
only glimpses of what once was. Nothing lives in the
temple or uses it as a lair, since the lizardfolk inhabiting the valley wont allow it.
Apart from the murals, the only objects of interest
are the skeletal remains of four goblins, whose shattered skulls and gnawed bones are scattered across
the floor. A character who makes a DC 21 Insight
check notes Slygos attempt to hide his nervous reaction to the sight, suggesting that he recognizes the
remains. If pressed, he admits that these were the
last of his loyal pirate chumsDelko, Kenkle, Smark,
and One-Eyed Borbo. The five goblins came together
to bury the treasure, but lizardfolk attacked them as
they left the temple. Only Slygo escaped. Slygo then
encourages the party to dig faster.
Buried Treasure
Slygos treasure is in a wooden chest concealed under
a loose flagstone in the main hall (marked X on the
map). The floor was built over hard packed earth,
which Slygo and his pirates dug up. After being
revealed, the chest is easy to remove from its hole. It is
locked (DC 22 Thievery check to pick), but Slygo still
has the key on a leather thong around his neck.
Treasure: The chest contains five treasures of the
characters level. See Concluding the Adventure.
When the characters discover the temple, read:

A conglomeration of irregular domelike structures looms
up from the undergrowth ahead. Closer inspection reveals
that the domes are connected to form a larger building
covered with moss and thick tangled vines. A long section
extends from the main body of the structure, at the end of
which an entrance opens up.
38
Savages of Semuanya
As the adventurers make their way out of the temple
with Slygos hoard, the lizardfolk who hold this site
sacred attack them. The lizardfolk of the island are
particularly savage, keeping their numbers down
through selective cannibalism, feasting on the old
and the weak. Their weapons are crude and they
practice scarification. They are hostile toward all
other species.
Light: Varies depending on the time of day outside. Dim light within the temple.
Monsters: Threescars (greenscale bog mystic), 2
greenscale hunters, 4 greenscale raiders.
When the lizardfolk attack, read:
A half-dozen lizardfolk with lustrous green scales and crude
weapons suddenly storm out of the jungle. As the largest of
them howls in anger, you see that it bears three nasty scars
across its face.
Lore: Threescars is the oldest of the island lizardfolk, and he is too tough and ornery to end up being
eaten. His war band keeps watch over the temple, and
he became aware of intruders as the characters made
their way through the valley.
Development: If the heroes leave the temple
without digging up the treasure, or avoid the temple
entirely, the lizardfolk attack when the characters
make camp or prepare to leave the valley.
If Captain Slygo is present, he fights alongside the
characters, realizing theyre his best hope of survival
against the savage lizardfolk. He hurls exploding
bottles at Threescars to provoke the bog mystic into
engaging in melee.
Undergrowth: Squares outside the clearing that
surrounds the temple contain heavy jungle undergrowth and are difficult terrain.
39

Greenscale Bog Mystic Level 6 Controller (Leader)
2 Greenscale Hunters
Medium natural humanoid (reptile), lizardfolk

XP 250
HP 70; Bloodied 35
Initiative +4
Perception +7
Speed 6 (swamp walk)
Medium natural humanoid (reptile), lizardfolk XP 175 each

HP 54; Bloodied 27
Initiative +6
Perception +8
O Swamp Tangle F Aura 5

Whenever an enemy in the aura is hit by an attack, squares
in the aura are difficult terrain for that enemy until the end
of its next turn.

M Sidestep Attack (weapon) F At-Will
Effect: The lizardfolk shifts 1 square and makes a melee
basic attack.
Skills Athletics +10, Nature +8
Str 17 (+5)
Dex 15 (+4)
Wis 12 (+3)
Con 14 (+4)
Int 8 (+1)
Cha 8 (+1)
Alignment unaligned Languages Draconic
Equipment light shield, spear
Traits
Standard Actions

A Bog Cloud (poison) F Recharge 5 6
Attack: Area burst 2 within 5 (creatures in the burst); +9 vs.
Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + 7 poison damage, and the target is dazed until
the end of the mystics next turn.
Miss: The target grants combat advantage until the end of
the mystics next turn.
A Swamps Grasp (zone) F Encounter
Attack: Area burst 2 within 5 (enemies in the burst); +9 vs.
Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage, and the target is immobilized (save
ends).
Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed (save ends).
Effect: The burst creates a zone of difficult terrain until the
end of the encounter. The zone does not affect creatures
that have swamp walk.
Minor Actions
M Feral Tail Lash F At-Will

Requirement: The mystic must be bloodied.
Hit: 1d6 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of
the mystics next turn.
Skills Athletics +10, Nature +12, Stealth +9
Str 15 (+5)
Dex 13 (+4)
Wis 19 (+7)
Con 14 (+5)
Int 10 (+3)
Cha 12 (+4)
Alignment evil
Languages Draconic
Equipment spear
Level 4 Skirmisher
Standard Actions
4 Greenscale Raiders
Level 3 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid (reptile), lizardfolk XP 150 each

HP 45; Bloodied 22
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Standard Actions
m Club (weapon) F At-Will

Effect: The raider marks the target until the end of the
raiders next turn.
Minor Actions
m Tail Sweep F At-Will

Requirement: The raider must be bloodied.
Hit: The target falls prone.
Triggered Actions
M Hunters Response (weapon) F Recharge 4 5 6

Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the raider shifts.
Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Melee 1 (the triggering
enemy); +8 vs. AC
Miss: Half damage.
Str 18 (+5)
Dex 15 (+3)
Wis 10 (+1)
Con 13 (+2)
Int 8 (+0)
Cha 8 (+0)
Alignment unaligned Languages Draconic
Equipment turtle shell shield, club
Concluding the
A dventure
With Granack defeated, the goblin pirates abandon
their murderous ways and the adventurers mission is
complete. They can return to Mastwick as heroes and
collect any outstanding rewards.
The characters must decide how to divide the treasure. The Fortune Star crew expects to receive a full
share. If Slygo is still with the party, he also asks for
a share equal to that of a party member. The goblin
considers this to be a generous deal and a fair reward
for the characters ridding the world of Granack. In
any case, Slygo departs the island on a small boat or,
if the characters allow it, he reclaims the Red Cutter.
If the characters dont share the treasure, the crew
of the Fortune Star becomes their enemy, and the
adventurers lose face in Mastwick and nearby areas.
If the characters deny Slygo his share, he sulks and
leaves without protest. The total wealth found in the
adventure is eight treasures, even though the adventure sees the party gain only about half a level. You
can compensate for this extra treasure by reducing
the characters rewards in future encounters.
Colgrave and his scalawags might attempt to steal
the treasure after its back aboard the Fortune Star.
They prefer to do so with subterfuge rather than
through a confrontation with the adventurers.
If the adventurers encounter Captain Slygo in
the future, the circumstances of their parting in this
adventure will set the tone of their next meeting.
About the Author
Timothy Ide is a freelance illustrator who lives and works in

Adelaide, South Australia, with his red-haired wife and two
cats. In his spare time he likes writing, drawing, performing
in Gilbert & Sullivan stage shows, painting model wargaming
figures, and risking life and limb in medieval reenactment
combat (the SCA). He has always liked goblins and pirates, so
goblin pirates were a natural consequence.
40
Player Handout:
Silverwrack
Coast
41
Player Handout:
Blood Anchor
Island
42
Demonomicon of Iggwilv:
Fraz-Urbluu, Prince
of Deception
By John Ross Rossomangno
Illustration by Ralph Horsley
Perhaps it was Zagig who set me upon my course. From the
pages of the Tome of Zyx I learned the foundation of what
has become my art, my lifes work. Together we imprisoned
the Prince of Deception. And in observing his attempts at
escape, I refined my craft. Long after I had finished with
Zagig and begun to advance my own plans, a pair of easily
duped adventurers released the demon prince from his
prison.
And now a creature whose very essence is composed
of hatred and destruction is swollen with rage. But it is a
scheming rage, an eruption of ruin to be brought forth in
due time. When that eruption occurs, Fraz-Urbluu will
certainly visit vengeance not only on his former prison, the
Material Realm, but on every demon prince that conspired
to humiliate him. I am not too proud to admit that even I
fear the consequences of his centuries of plotting.
from the Demonomicon of Iggwilv
Mounting R age
There is no shortage of cunning demons throughout
the Abyss known to revel in duping their foes. But
none approaches the mastery of deceit possessed by
Fraz-Urbluu. He delights in schemes that manipulate his victims into carrying out his will, then slowly
reveal to them the atrocities that their actions brought
about. The longer he prolongs a beings suffering,

the better. Victims of his greatest triumphs are frequently imprisoned in Zoragmelok, the fortress-city
that is the seat of Fraz-Urbluus power, where those
torments are prolonged for centuries.
His taste in torment stems from both his demonic
nature and from his hatred of mortals, particularly
humans, whom he considers responsible for his own
imprisonment. The infamous wizard Zagig duped
Fraz-Urbluu into appearing in the material world,
stripped him of his power, and sealed him within a
bas-relief beneath Castle Greyhawk for several hundred years. Only the intervention of a hapless pair of
adventurers, deceived by the demon prince, finally
freed him. The mortals reward was their abduction
and the destruction of their most prized possessions.
The princes boundless fury at the humiliation of
being outwitted and ensnared swelled even further
when he returned to his layer of the Abyss. He found
Hollows Heart in ruins thanks to rampaging armies
of rival demon princes and infighting among his
subjects as they vied for dominance. The final insult
was the theft and dismemberment of his prized staff,
an artifact that could grant him absolute power over
even the mightiest rival while within Hollows Heart.
43
Fraz-Urbluu, Prince of Deception
Lore
Arcana DC 30: Residing in Hollows Heart, the
176th layer of the Abyss, Fraz-Urbluu is known as
the Prince of Deception. His mastery of illusion and
deceit is matched only by his prowess in demonic
summoning; he is even able to call forth other demon
princes for a limited time.
History DC 30: The demon prince was imprisoned by the wizard Zagig for centuries, and the
knowledge gleaned from Fraz-Urbluu contributed
to works such as the Demonomicon of Iggwilv. Upon
his escape, the demon prince discovered his realm
in ruin and his greatest treasure, the Staff of FrazUrbluu, sundered and lost.
Fraz-Urbluu
Level 30 Solo Skirmisher
Huge elemental humanoid (demon)

XP 95,000
HP 1,108; Bloodied 554
Initiative +21
Perception +24
Speed 10, fly 10
Blindsight 10, darkvision
Immune charm, illusion
Traits
O False Opportunity (illusion) F Aura 5

No enemy can teleport into or out of the aura. If an enemy
in the aura hits or misses Fraz-Urbluu with an attack
during his turn, the demon can immediately take a free
action to slide the enemy up to 5 squares, and the enemy
grants combat advantage until the end of Fraz-Urbluus
next turn.
Screened
Unless Fraz-Urbluu allows it, no scrying sensor can observe
him and no divination ritual can be used to gain information about him. A scrying sensor instead sees nothing or an
illusion that Fraz-Urbluu dictates as a free action (Insight
DC 42 to discern the illusion is false).
Instinctive Escape
If Fraz-Urbluu starts his turn unable to take actions, illusory
escape recharges, and he can use it as no action.
Worst of the Worst

Fraz-Urbluu counts no other demon lord as an ally.
His rivals despise him, because his deceptiveness
knows no bounds, and Fraz-Urbluu can even call
forth such lords and trick them into fighting his
enemies. Many of these rivals were happy to aid in
Zagigs plan to imprison Fraz-Urbluu. But now that
he has returned to his realm, these conspirators seek
to hide their involvement. Fraz-Urbluus enemies
watch Hollows Heart but have not yet dared to move
against its master.
Orcus and Grazzt in particular are wary of FrazUrbluu. Orcus eagerly colluded with Zagig and
makes no secret of it. Now he is concerned that if the
Staff of Fraz-Urbluu is recovered, it could be used to
destroy him (or any demon) if he is again summoned

to Zoragmelok. Meanwhile, Grazzt is determined to
prove he can outsmart the Prince of Deception by
being the one who collects the parts of the staff and
assembles them.
Despite the ongoing activities of his cults, the
wrathful demon has remained quiet, by and large.
While the other demon princes keep an eye on the
domain of Fraz-Urbluu (mainly to be sure that he
stays there), the Prince of Deception seems focused
on restoring Hollows Heart to its former glory. He
relies upon his cultists and other agents to seek out
news about the remains of his broken staff.
Unbeknownst to his enemies, who strive to keep
any pieces of the staff from his possession, FrazUrbluu already possesses the crystal, meaning that
Standard Actions
Minor Actions
m Slam F At-Will
m Bite F At-Will
M Demonic Fury F At-Will
Effect: Fraz-Urbluu uses slam twice and bite once.
Abyssal Deception F Daily
Requirement: Fraz-Urbluu must be bloodied.
Effect: Fraz-Urbluu takes 200 damage, illusory escape
recharges, and Fraz-Urbluu uses it. In the space he
vacated, another demon princesuch as Grazzt, Juiblex,
Kostchtchie, Oublivae, or Zuggtmoyappears. The
demon prince is weakened, and it attacks Fraz-Urbluus
enemies on Fraz-Urbluus initiative count. If Fraz-Urbluu
uses a minor action to dismiss the demon prince, FrazUrbluu becomes visible, or the demon prince becomes
bloodied, it disappears, returning whence it came.
C Summoning Master F At-Will

Effect: Close burst 20; 1d3 + 1 vrock lackeys appear in the
burst, and then 1d2 nalfeshnee lackeys appear in the
burst, up to a maximum of six demon lackeys present at
any one time.
M Tail F At-Will
Requirement: Fraz-Urbluu must have no creature grabbed.
Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +30 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d6 + 25 damage, Fraz-Urbluu can pull the target up
to 2 squares, and the target is grabbed (escape DC 32)
and takes ongoing 35 damage until the grab ends.
Move Actions
Illusory Escape (illusion, teleportation) F Recharge 4 5 6

Effect: Fraz-Urbluu turns invisible and teleports up to 10
squares. He remains invisible until he hits or misses with
an attack or until the end of the encounter.
Triggered Actions
Variable Resistance F 3/Encounter

Trigger: Fraz-Urbluu takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or
thunder damage.
Effect (Free Action): Fraz-Urbluu gains resist 30 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or
until he uses this power again.
Skills Arcana +26, Bluff +29, Insight +24, Stealth +24
Str 31 (+25)
Dex 19 (+19)
Wis 19 (+19)
Con 29 (+24)
Int 22 (+21)
Cha 28 (+24)
Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common,

Primordial, telepathy 20
44
Large elemental humanoid (demon)

XP 4,750, or

0 if called by Fraz-Urbluu
Perception +17
Speed 8, fly 8
Darkvision
anyone who hopes to make the staff whole again must

eventually confront the prince. Thus, it is actually in
his best interest for his would-be conquerors to obtain
other pieces of the artifactso those pieces will be
ripe for the plucking when the search for the crystal
brings those enemies right to his doorstep.
m Claws F At-Will
Hit: 19 damage.
Physical Description
Vrock Lackey
Standard Actions
Triggered Actions
C Spores of Madness (poison) F Encounter

Trigger: The lackey drops to 0 hit points.
Attack (Free Action): Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst);
+33 vs. Will
Hit: 15 poison damage.
Miss: Half damage.
Str 23 (+21)
Dex 19 (+19)
Wis 15 (+17)
Con 20 (+20)
Int 12 (+16)
Cha 19 (+19)
Alignment chaotic evil
Languages Abyssal, Common
Nalfeshnee Lackey
Huge elemental humanoid (demon)

XP 4,750, or

0 if called by Fraz-Urbluu
Perception +21
Speed 6, fly 6
Darkvision
Standard Actions
m Claws F At-Will
Hit: 19 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends).
Triggered Actions
C Dying Curse (psychic) F Encounter

Trigger: The lackey drops to 0 hit points.
Attack (Free Action): Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst);
+33 vs. Will
Hit: 15 psychic damage.
Miss: Half damage.
Str 25 (+22)
Dex 13 (+16)
Wis 23 (+21)
Con 23 (+21)
Int 23 (+21)
Cha 27 (+23)
Alignment chaotic evil
Languages Abyssal, Common
The immense bulk of Fraz-Urbluu is covered in taut,

bluish-gray skin. He often hunches in an ape-like
posture when at rest, his muscular forearms reaching to the ground, yet still stands nearly 18 feet tall.
His small, smoldering eyes contrast with his tall ears
and pointed head. When he is pleased at gaining
the upper hand, his mouth opens to reveal a smile of
fangs. When he is agitated, his tail thrashes around,
lashing and clubbing anything nearby.
T he Cult of
Deception
Followers of Fraz-Urbluu congregate in groups of
like-minded individuals. Calling themselves the
Cult of Deception, their goal is to undermine organizations and figures of trust and authority, and in
so doing procure more victims to swell the number
of souls that contribute to Fraz-Urbluus burgeoning power. A cell of the cult typically masquerades
as a sect of worshipers of a good deity or a seemingly
altruistic agency. The cell members recruit individuals under the false premise of furthering a good
cause, then slowly convince these people that certain
dark deeds must be committed to further the greater
good. This trend continues until a subject becomes
willing to die to avert some great catastrophe.
When such a victim is claimed for Fraz-Urbluu,
the soul is delivered into the princes clutches rather
than passing on to its final resting place. The afterlife that the soul experiences is a ruse, perpetrated
through illusions that Fraz-Urbluu creates within the

sealed prisons of Zoragmelok. Then, little by little, he
reveals to his victim the truth of the situation before
finally devouring the individual.
Though he prefers human victims, Fraz-Urbluu
also actively seeks out devas. A deceived and corrupted deva is reborn in Zoragmelok as a rakshasa
and given a position in the hierarchy of the ruling
caste of Hollows Heart. These creatures are sometimes returned to the world to sow further discord
among the friends and family of their former lives.
Beyond providing the demon prince with sacrifices, the Cult of Deception represents his spies in the
world. They gather information on the cults of rival
demon princes, archdevils, and anyone else FrazUrbluu thinks he can manipulate to his advantage.
A cell of the cult might hire adventurers, through
a front organization, to attack enemies or seek out
information on the Staff of Fraz-Urbluu under the
guise of keeping it from the demon lord.
Adventure Hooks
The Cult of Deception makes an effective heroic and
paragon tier adversary. Cells are usually encountered in areas of civilization, and their membership
is drawn from the populace in that area. High-ranking members often summon demons to guard their
inner sanctums but otherwise rely upon less overtly
demonic defenses.
F A popular young man becomes the primary
suspect in a series of murders. Because he is an
acolyte in the Temple of Erathis, his brethren insist
that there has been a misunderstanding. Several
of the faithful are actually followers of FrazUrbluu and have convinced the errant acolyte that
he must dispense justice where they cannot. The
characters must convince the deluded young man
that he has been lied to and ferret out the traitorous members of the temple.
45

F A curio dealer believes she has determined the
location of a piece of the Staff of Fraz-Urbluu and
hires the characters to escort her to it. They must
contend not only with the creatures infesting the
dungeon but with cultists of both Orcus and FrazUrbluu trying to reach the fragment first. The
dealer herself could be an incubus, one of FrazUrbluus favored forms of demon.
F The heroes encounter a lost soul, a man who claims
to have escaped from Hollows Heart after being
waylaid by the Cult of Deception. He wants to guide
the party toward setting his evil deeds right again.
Whether the spirit is sincere or another of FrazUrbluus deceits is for the characters to figure out.
F As the adventurers delve into the Cult of Deception, they uncover the involvement of rakshasas. A
cabal of the creatures, whose members call themselves the Hollow Rajahs, serves Fraz-Urbluu and
acts as the heart of the Cult of Deception.
Hollow s H eart
The 176th layer of the Abyss is a mutable place, bending to every whim of its ruler. Prior to his captivity,
Fraz-Urbluu had molded it to his satisfaction. But
during his centuries away, nearly everything eroded
into fine white ash, even the ruins left in the wake
of his rivals rampaging armies. The sky itself was
stripped of its features, remaining black despite the
strange light that illuminated the stark landscape in a
perpetual dusk.
Much of Hollows Heart remains a cold, unfinished
wasteland, and the flat plains of white ash that stretch
between outposts of so-called civilization are littered
with the bones of the lost. Upon his return, the demon
prince began restoring some of his forgotten cities
beginning with his capital, Zoragmelok, but to date has
neglected many broad swaths of wilderness.
Most of his rivals, and even the dwellers within
Hollows Heart, believe the demon prince is
preoccupied with restoring his realm to its former

glory. But many of these efforts are empty and constructed for show. Some cities are nothing more than
abandoned facades, and a forest viewed up close can
turn out to be little more than several lines of trees
meant to be observed from a distance.
Unbeknownst to even his own servants, FrazUrbluu is saving most of his energy to be channeled
into his staff when he succeeds in reassembling it.
Upon its completion, the full extent of his power will
be realized, and he can use the staff to restore and
sustain the rest of his domain.
Inhabitants
Several lesser demons had created their own small
empires within his realm while Fraz-Urbluu was
imprisoned. The prince laid most of these to waste
with little effort upon reclaiming custody of Hollows
Heart, but pockets of resistance remain. He is unwilling to spend energy and resources defeating more
entrenched foes if they do not represent an immediate threat, certain that when his staff is again whole
he will punish them appropriately.
Many of the lesser demons of Hollows Heart, and
even some of the once-trusted rakshasa governors,
grew accustomed to the lack of rule in Fraz-Urbluus
absence and reveled in the exceptional chaos that
reigned during that time. Although they dare not
approach Zoragmelok, they marshal their forces in
the hope that a day will come when they can usurp
the Prince of Deception. These pretenders to the
throne are hardly hospitable hosts, but visitors to the
176th layer can sometimes find common ground
among them in a shared hatred for the realms ruler.
During Fraz-Urbluus time away, a rakshasa
dubbed himself The High and Holy Rajah, and the
demons he governed were put to work constructing a
new city. The place called Ketilon was built of a goldflecked stone mined from another layer of the Abyss
and is immune to being destroyed by the demon
princes whims. Located on the shores of one of the

few remaining oceans in Hollows Heart, the port
city exploits the fact that the ocean meets with the
Astral Sea, allowing passage out of the Abyss. Ships
frequently come and go, ferrying pilgrims from the
material world who have come to worship the Rajah
as a living god. Upon arriving in Ketilon, the pilgrims
become prey for the rajah and his demonic subjects.
Some packs of demons fled other layers when
Hollows Heart was unprotected, but the return of
Fraz-Urbluu stranded them. Knowing the torments
the demon prince surely has in store for them when
they are captured, many of these creatures are desperate, willing to trade their knowledge of the layer
for a means to escape. Some turn to Ugudenk, the
Squirming King, who has burrowed into a corner
of Hollows Heart from the 177th layer. His warren
of endless tunnels leads to the Writhing Realm, but
few seeking passage along this route find their way to
anything but his gaping maw.
Adventure Hooks
Epic-tier characters can unearth the Prince of Deceptions schemes and directly confront Fraz-Urbluu.
Even though they are most likely to deal with his
most powerful servants outside Hollows Heart, they
must travel there to battle the demon prince, who is
unwilling to expose himself anywhere else.
F In collecting fragments of the Staff of Fraz-Urbluu,
the characters have gained the princes attention. Fraz-Urbluu sends agents to monitor them
and deliberately passes information about them
to his rivals. When the heroes are beset by these
demonic forces, they must determine why FrazUrbluu seems intent on losing control of the
pieces that he should so desperately want. Or is
this scenario nothing more than a deception?
F A kingdom is being overtaken by a zealous movement that reveres the High and Holy Rajah. Its
46

cities begin to empty as pilgrimage cruises
depart daily for the holy land of Karantis. The
heroes must travel to Hollows Heart to save the
pilgrims and defeat their false god.
F The party is contacted by the Mother of Witches,
Iggwilv. Although she has not discerned exactly
what the Prince of Deception is up to, she believes
he is nearly ready to exact his revenge on his
rivals, including her. She seeks the partys assistance in destroying Fraz-Urbluu, because allying
herself with another demon prince would upset
the balance of power in the Abyss just as much as
allowing Fraz-Urbluu to regain his former status.
T he Staff of
Fraz -U rbluu
The Staff of Fraz-Urbluu consists of four pieces: two
roughly equal halves of the wooden staff itself, a bestial claw of adamantine to top the staff, and a crystal
that sits within the claw. Unlike other artifacts, the
staff is intended to come into play during the heroic
tier and accompany its wielder through to the epic
tier as more pieces are acquired. Fraz-Urbluu is currently in possession of the crystal.
Staff of Fraz-Urbluu
Heroic to Epic Tier
This broken staff fragment is clearly part of a larger whole,

yet its well-worn sheen hints at guarded power.
Implement: Rod, staff, or wand
Enhancement Bonus: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d8 damage per plus
Property
You gain an item bonus to Arcana, Bluff, and Intimidate
checks equal to the items enhancement bonus.
Lore
Arcana DC 23: The Staff of Fraz-Urbluu was lost
during the sack of Hollows Heart after the demon
prince was imprisoned in the natural world. Unable
to destroy it, his enemies sundered it into pieces. Even

individually, however, the fragments contain their
creators malicious love of deception and potent summoning ability.
Arcana DC 31: A great deal of Fraz-Urbluus
personal power is contained within the staff, but
only when it is whole. Reassembling the staff could
enable a wielder to usurp control of the 176th layer
of the Abyss or potentially destroy the demon prince
forever.
Starting score
Owner gains a level
Each fragment joined to the first
Owner tricks a good creature into performing

an evil act (max 1/day)
Owner does not follow up on information about

other staff pieces (max 1/day)
Owner admits to the staffs true nature
5
+1
+5
+2
1
2
F Be reunited as a complete entity.
Number of Pieces
Maximum Concordance
One 6
Two 12
Three 16
Four 20
F Return to Fraz-Urbluu to rule over Hollows

Heart.
Pleased (1620)
F Lead unsuspecting mortals down the path of ruin.
The staff and I are meant to rule over greater beings, but I
will not forsake my companions . . . trust me.
Goals of the Staff
Roleplaying the Staff

Each fragment of the staff communicates telepathically with its possessor but frequently attempts to
deceive that person. Its preferred method of deception is to claim to be a human soul trapped in the
fragment along with the spirits of demons. It encourages the wielder to commit acts of evil while seeking
out the other pieces of the staff but, if it is confronted
about the evil deeds, it blames the influence of the
demons inside it while the human continues to
plead for freedom. If its wielder is willing to aid the
staff, it interacts more openly with that individual.
Concordance
In addition to seeking out and joining other pieces of
the staff to itself, each segment of the artifact delights
in acts of dishonesty. Regardless of other conditions,
the artifacts maximum concordance is determined
by the number of pieces that have been gathered and
assembled by a single owner.
The staff might find more comfort from being in the

hands of Fraz-Urbluu, but it is all too eager to trick
and destroy demons and mortals while performing as
an instrument of its current wielder.
Properties
F The item functions as a +4 implement, increasing to +5
if you are 20th level or higher, and to +6 if you are 25th
level or higher and the items concordance is 17 or higher.
F Once per day, you can perform the Summon Demon ritual
with no need for components. This item functions as the
rituals focus.
Utility Power (Charm) F Daily (Minor Action)
Effect: Until the end of your next turn, enemies cannot
attack you or target you with any effect that targets an
enemy. An enemy ignores this effect if you attack it, if it
is marked by you, or if it is in your defender aura.
47

Satisfied (1215)
I have reached an understanding with this staff now. You
need not concern yourself with its motives.
The staff is eager to be completed. It spends less time
manipulating its wielder and more time seeking to
aid the quest to complete the artifact.
Properties
FT
he item functions as a +3 implement, increasing to +4 if
you are 16th level or higher.
FT
he item bonus to skill checks also applies to Diplomacy.
Attack Power F Encounter (No Action)
Trigger: You hit a target with a charm power using this
item.
Effect: You slide the target up to a number of squares equal
to the items enhancement bonus, and the target grants
combat advantage to you until the end of your next turn.
Normal (511)
Ive told you, this staff is less remarkable than you think,
now stop asking about it!
The staff periodically lies to the wielder to get its
way and encourages the wielder to do the same with
others.
Property
The item functions as a +2 implement, increasing to +3 if you
are 6th level or higher.
Utility Power (Illusion) F Daily (Standard Action)
Effect: You become invisible until you hit or miss with an
attack, or until the end of your next turn.
Unsatisfied (14)
Im not so sure I trust you, or anyone. You tell me one
thing, but the staff tells me another.
Subtly, the staff tries to convince its wielder to abandon any companions who are unwilling to pursue its
agenda. The staff pretends nothing is wrong while it
surreptitiously attempts to manipulate events so that
it falls into hands that are more willing or compliant.

The staff continues to function as if its attitude were
normal, but it gains the following property that the
DM can use secretly.
FREE ONLINE PLAY!
Property
The item uses telepathy 10 to communicate with others and
manipulate them into acting against its wielder.
Angered (0 or lower)
No! I wont lie for you anymore!
The staff secretly hampers its wielder and uses its
abilities to convince others that its owner is a dangerous liar who must be stopped. The staff continues to
behave as if its attitude were unsatisfied, but it gains
the following property that the DM must use secretly.
Property
The item provides no item bonus to any skill checks. Instead,
the user takes a 4 penalty to Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, and
Intimidate checks.
Moving On
Its all been a lie!
A demon of a level equal to the wielders level + 1d4
appears at a most inopportune time (the middle of
a dangerous battle, during a tense negotiation) and
attacks the possessor of the staff until it acquires the
item or it is destroyed. If the demon is successful, it
and the staff return to the Abyss; otherwise another
demon appears one week later.
About the Author
John Ross Rossomangno is a freelance writer whose

most recent work for D&D Insider includes Pearl of the Sea
Mother and The IggwilvGrazzt Affair. Over the course of
thirty years of gaming, he has always had a soft spot for villains or, at least, has always found their stories to be the most
interesting. More about the author can be found on his website: BrokenBinding.com.
Customize & Play a

Unique Hero from 100s
of Race & Class Combos
www.ddo.com
48
Elves with
Demonic Designs
The Feyri: Faerns Hidden Threat

By Erik Scott de Bie
Illustrations by Sean Murray
The feyri trace their heritage to interbreeding between elves
and demons to produce powerful offspring and perfected
bloodlines. They are half-mad with frustration after millennia of imprisonment and because of their belief that they
have been denied their birthright. Their elven pride and
innate demonic viciousness make them a scourge among
the civilized realms as they work their subterfuge.
Descendants of ancient elf houses befouled by interbreeding with demons, the daemonfeyand their
lesser spawn, the feyriburrow into the foundations
of mortal society in Faern, seeking to sow chaos
and have their revenge against elvenkind first of all,
and anyone else second. Members of the race can be
found the world over, operating alone or in isolated
small cells, often manipulating members of lesser
races to do their bidding.
Dark Lineage: The first daemonfey were born
from House Dlardrageth in long-ago Earlann (what
is now the great forest kingdom Cormanthor). The
elders of the house summoned demons to beget
half-fiend children, some of whom in turn produced
lesser demon-touched elves called feyri. They transmitted the corruption to other, lesser houses of the
elven realm of Siluvanede, spawning an entire race of
demonic fey.
A People out of Time: The Dlardrageths committed their atrocities centuries ago. Soon afterward,
their fellow elves defeated them and imprisoned the
few surviving daemonfey and a small army of feyri in
permanent magical stasis. They escaped in 1369 DR,
and though they have had the intervening century to
adjust, many feyri still view this new world as strange
and difficult. To make matters worse for them, their
leaders (Sarya Dlardrageth, her son, Ryvvik, and
her nephew, Xhalph) vanished only a few years later
when they were at the head of a feyri attack on the
fledgling kingdom of Cormanthor, leaving the surviving feyri directionless in a foreign land.
Quest for Ancient Relics: In Faern today, the
daemonfey and their feyri relations operate mostly
as individuals or in small groups. They dont have the
collective strength and organization to mount a fullscale incursion, but they are far from helpless. All
feyri know about the heritage of Dlardrageth, including the caches that the house created to store its most
prized treasures. Those storage places have been
looted over the centuries, meaning that the items the
feyri believe to be their possessions are now back in
the world at large. No member of the race will pass
up an opportunity to visit a curio shop or some other
49
Elves with Demonic Designs

purveyor of antiques, in the hope of discovering one
of the long-lost relics.
Masters of Disguise: Feyri lie, cheat, and spin
webs of deception to get their way. With their natural
ability to change their face and shape, they often hide
in plain sight or impersonate enemies so as to frame
them for criminal activity. Blackmail is one of the
feyris favorite devices, its use enhanced by their natural ability to conceal their true features. One of the
Feyri Skin-Dancer
Medium fey humanoid
HP 55; Bloodied 27
Speed 6
Standard Actions
Level 6 Lurker
XP 250
Initiative +9
Perception +8
Darkvision
m Claw At-Will
M Treachery Revealed Recharge when the skin-dancer
uses confusing target
Hit: 2d6 + 10 damage, and the target is weakened (save
ends).
C Confusing Target (polymorph, teleportation) Recharge
when the skin-dancer uses treachery revealed
Attack: Close burst 5 (one creature in the burst); +9 vs. Will
Hit: The skin-dancer assumes the form of the target, and
can immediately teleport itself and the target, swapping
places. Creatures must make a DC 28 Insight check to
distinguish between the skin-dancer and the target. The
effect ends after the skin-dancer makes an attack or at
the end of the encounter.
Minor Actions
Change Shape (polymorph) At-Will

Effect: The skin-dancer alters its physical form to appear
as a Medium humanoid until it uses this power again
or until it drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific
individuals form, the skin-dancer must have seen that
individual. Other creatures can make a DC 28 Insight
check to discern that the form is a disguise.
Skills Bluff +10, Stealth +10
Str 10 (+3) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 10 (+3)
Con 13 (+4) Int 18 (+7) Cha 15 (+5)
Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven
best manipulators among the feyri is the skin-dancer

Dalthira, who makes her living in the city of Never
winter as a professional character assassin. She
Feyri Marauder
Large elemental humanoid
HP 110; Bloodied 55
Speed 6
Standard Actions
Level 8 Brute
XP 350
Initiative +6
Perception +9
Darkvision
m Burning Broadsword (fire, weapon) At-Will

Hit: 2d10 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save
ends).
m Claw At-Will
M Sword and Claw Recharge when first bloodied
Effect: The marauder uses burning broadsword once and
claw once. If both attacks hit the same target, the target
also falls prone.
Minor Actions

Effect: The marauder alters its physical form to appear as a
Medium humanoid until it uses this power again or until
it drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific individuals
form, the marauder must have seen that individual.
Other creatures can make a DC 31 Insight check to discern that the form is a disguise.
Triggered Actions
M Fiendish Rend At-Will (1/round)

Trigger: The marauder bloodies an enemy or reduces an
enemy to 0 hit points or fewer.
Effect (Free Action): The marauder makes a melee basic
attack against a target other than the triggering enemy.
Variable Resistance 2/Encounter
Trigger: The marauder takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or
thunder damage.
Effect (Free Action): The marauder gains resist 5 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or
until it uses this power again.
Skills Athletics +12, Endurance +14
Str 16 (+7) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 10 (+4)
Con 20 (+9) Int 8 (+3) Cha 12 (+5)
Equipment 2 broadswords
wears a different face every day and enjoys tricking

noble scions and merchant heirs into compromising
situations.
Reviving a Dying House: One of the most
important facets of a feyris existence is its pedigree.
Most feyri can describe their family tree in exacting detail, tracing their bloodline to Sarya or one
of the other nobles of House Dlardrageth. For this
reason, feyri are insular when it comes to weakening
their superior bloodline. They usually restrict their
breeding activities to other feyri or the occasional elf
(preferably of demonstrable Cormanthor heritage).
A few feyriafter the purges that followed Saryas
revolt and a century spent in hidingare amenable to
breeding with elves of various backgrounds, resulting
in less pure feyri. Most feyri take grievous offense
to this tainting of their legacy and often attack such
mutts on sight.
The Last Heir: Most of the feyri consider themselves leaderless (beyond whatever hierarchy might
exist in the small cells they have formed). Some look
optimistically upon a powerful noble daemonfey
called Lilianviaten, or Lilten, believing that he is
or will become the Last HeirSaryas successor as
the leader of the race. Legend identifies Lilten as
a Dlardrageth princeone of the houses original
noblesand the older brother of Sarya herself, and
says that he escaped imprisonment in Earlann and
passed undiscovered for thousands of years.
Warrior, bard, and priest, Lilten is sometimes
called Changecloak because of his often-shifting
loyalties, exemplified by his betrayal of his former
patron, Erevan Ilesere, the elven god of mischief, in
favor of Beshaba, goddess of misfortune.
While many feyri are not willing to believe that
Lilten is the Last Heir (else why would he have not
come forward before now?), others actively hope for
the revelation of this prophesied sovereign of their
blood, believing that event to be a precursor to the
restoration of their race. When he is asked whether
50
Feyri blood sorcerer and Dlardrageth prince
there is any truth to the tales about him, Lilten only

smiles slyly.
A Thousand Shifting Faces: It is often said
the feyri resemble elves the way tieflings resemble
humans, but one should not make the observation
aloud to one of them: feyri bristle at the suggestion
that they are an offshoot of the elf race. The chaotic
nature of their ancestry ensures that no two feyri look
quite alike, though common features include horns,
fangs, forked tongues, and barbed tails. A breed
of feyri descended from a worshiper of Beshaba is
marked with the graceful antlers that characterize
the goddess of mischief. Some feyri manifest multiple
arms, wings, or even more demonic characteristics,
often evidencing a mixture of demonic heritages.
The feyri marauder known as Mogwyn inherited her
build and her six arms from her mighty father Baron
Xhalph, nephew of Sarya (and the son of a marilith),
and her great beauty and cunning from her seductress mother Talya Floshin, who some believed to be a
daughter of the demon prince Grazzt.
By contrast, some feyri dont manifest obvious
demonic features, and those who look normal are
perhaps the most dangerous of all. Some feyri are
born and raised among their elf cousins and do not
even know the truth of their nature. It inevitably
manifests, howeverusually violentlywhen the
fledgling feyri comes of age.
Masters of Ancient Arcana: Feyri have a strong
talent for magic. The more traditional among them
sometimes practice bladesong, an ability that marked
them as among the greatest warriors in the Crown
Wars. Most if not all feyri have the natural ability to
change shape, which they use to hide in polite society
and advance their aims. The weakest feyri generally
have one or two demonic abilities, such as producing
flame or launching into a fiendish rage at the slightest
provocation, while those of stronger bloodlines might
be able to drain life from their foes or shrug off blades
or spells.
Feyri Blood Sorcerer
Level 20 Controller
Medium fey humanoid

HP 187; Bloodied 93
Speed 6
Standard Actions
XP 2,800
Initiative +12
Perception +13
Darkvision
m Demonic Whip (fire, necrotic, weapon) At-Will

Hit: 4d4 + 8 damage, and ongoing 10 fire and necrotic
damage (save ends).
R Bloodflame Spear (fire, necrotic) At-Will
Hit: 3d8 + 10 fire and necrotic damage, and the target is
dazed (save ends).
A Bloodseeking Hurricane (necrotic, zone) Encounter
Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +23
vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d6 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target falls prone.
Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of
the sorcerers next turn. The zone is difficult terrain for
enemies, and any creature that enters the zone or ends
its turn there takes 10 necrotic damage. A creature can
take this damage only once per turn.
Sustain Minor: The zone persists until the end of the
sorcerers next turn, and the sorcerer can move the
zone up to 3 squares.
Move Actions
Feyri Deception (teleportation) Encounter

Effect: The sorcerer teleports up to 6 squares and is invisible until it hits or misses with an attack or until the end
of its next turn.
Minor Actions

Effect: The sorcerer alters its physical form to appear as a
Medium humanoid until it uses this power again or until
it drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific individuals
form, the sorcerer must have seen that individual. Other
creatures can make a DC 35 Insight check to discern that
the form is a disguise.
Skills Arcana +18, Bluff +20, Endurance +19, Insight +18
Str 16 (+13) Dex 15 (+12) Wis 16 (+13)
Con 19 (+14) Int 16 (+13) Cha 20 (+15)
Equipment robes, whip
51

Dlardrageth Prince
Level 21 Elite Skirmisher
Medium elemental humanoid

HP 404; Bloodied 202
Speed 6
XP 6,400
Initiative +17
Perception +19
Darkvision
Standard Actions
m Daemonfey Blade (necrotic, thunder, weapon) At-Will

Hit: 2d8 + 10 damage. In addition, one creature within
10 squares of the prince takes 10 necrotic and thunder
damage.
M Bladesong Crescendo (teleportation) At-Will
Effect: The prince uses daemonfey blade twice, teleporting
up to 3 squares before each attack.
Minor Actions
C Clarion Challenge At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Close burst 5 (enemies in the burst); +24 vs. Will
Hit: The prince pulls the target up to 4 squares.
Effect: The prince alters its physical form to appear as a
Medium humanoid until he uses this power again or until
he drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific individuals
form, the prince must have seen that individual. Other
creatures can make a DC 40 Insight check to discern that
the form is a disguise.
Triggered Actions
Bladesong Warding (necrotic, thunder) At-Will (1/turn)

Trigger: An enemy within 2 squares of the prince makes an
attack that does not include the prince as a target.
Effect (Free Action): The target takes 15 necrotic and thunder damage.
Variable Resistance 2/Encounter
Trigger: The prince takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage.
Effect (Free Action): The prince gains resist 20 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until
he uses this power again.
Skills Arcana +23, Athletics +21, Bluff +21
Str 22 (+16) Dex 20 (+15) Wis 18 (+14)
Con 26 (+18) Int 26 (+18) Cha 22 (+16)
Equipment longsword
One of the feyri most accomplished at wielding arcane power is Lord Pharnth, a member of the
group who refer to themselves as blood sorcerers. He
combines fey magic with blood and bone to produce
formidable and persistent ill effects.
Uneasy Allies: Feyri often act with antagonism
toward anyone and everyone, but it is possible to
earn their trust. They respond well to intelligence,
strength, and power, as well as a certain moral flexibility. They dislike those who delude themselves
into thinking themselves equal to the feyri, but they
love to compete with worthy rivals. Seeing through
the disguise of a skin-dancer on multiple occasions
without attacking often draws the feyris attention,
offering interesting or witty creatures the chance to
prove themselves worthy of an alliance. Often, the
skin-dancer Dalthira will play along with a clever
stranger, even if she knows doing so is dangerous
(such as if her friend means to betray her) simply
because she revels in generating chaos. On the other
hand, a feyri of much greater repute, such as someone who might qualify as the Last Heir, considers
only how someone might serve his or her purposes,
and this feyri will discard a friend the instant that
person ceases to be useful or becomes even a minor
annoyance.
Dueling with the Daemonfey: Feyri vary widely
in their abilities and skills. Dalthira rarely shows
her true face to anyoneat least not before their last
few breaths. In a conflict, she surrounds herself with
allies and uses confusing target to throw off enemies,
sticking close to her assumed double. Once the jig is
up, the skin-dancer uses treachery revealed to punish
enemies that see through her guise.
A feyri marauder like Mogwyn is a much more
straightforward opponent, because she trusts her
multiple arms and massive build to carry her to
victory.
As a feyri blood sorcerer, Lord Pharnth draws
magical strength from his tainted bloodline. He
wields a bloody whip that feasts greedily on the life of

his foes.
Finally, a Dlardrageth prince like Lilten is a noble
if ruthless combatant, preferring to defeat foes one
at a time while punishing cowards and the unworthy with his twisted bladesong and his ancient blade
forged for use in the legendary Crown Wars.
About the Author
Erik Scott de Bie is a speculative fiction writer best known

for his work in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting,
including the third novel in the Shadowbane series, Shadowbane: Eye of Justice. His work has also appeared in numerous
anthologies, including Realms of the Elves, Realms of the Dead,
When the Hero Comes Home (and its sequel, When the Villain
Comes Home), and Human for a Day. He moonlights as a game
designer, contributing to the The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought
and Beyond boxed set and the Neverwinter Campaign Setting, as well as the tie-in D&D Encounters season, The Lost
Crown of Neverwinter .
52
Prisoners of the
Iron Flask
By Derek Guder
Illustration by Sam Carr

Foolishly, mortals have always tried to truck with
demons, devils, and forces from beyond the natural
world. They summon, bind, and bargain with these
dangerous entities. One ancient, simple method of
imprisoning and commanding such a creature is to
trap it in an iron f lask, to be bound into service and
released later.
This practice usually leads to the f lasks owner
being betrayed or killed by its unwilling servant,
but that fact does little to deter the ambitious and
unwise. Stories of iron f lasks make clear the high
cost of ambition free of restraint and the inevitable
treachery of evil.
To Catch a Demon
An iron f lask looks like a palm-sized urn crafted of
simple, heavy iron without much decoration. The
stopper is often a brass plug adorned with intricate
runes and sigils. Cheaper and less reliable flasks vary
in appearance, a sign that they might be more dangerous to employ than usual.
An iron f lask can be used to trap almost any nonnatural creature, though it is usually turned against
demons, devils, and elementals. Those most tempted
by the flasks power also seem to be prone to dealing
with nefarious forces.
When the command word is spoken, the owner
of an empty flask can try to capture an otherworldly
target in the container. Most flasks can hold only one

prisoner at a time. At any time, the owner can speak
the command word again to free the captive, which
must obey the owners orders for a short period of
service. After fulfilling its duties, the servant is free
to depart. Once a creature is freed, it is impossible
to trap the same one again for more than a year, and
most creatures do not forget their wounded pride.
Many tales involving an iron f lask end with a former
prisoner returning to extract vengeance on the flasks
owner for the indignities it suffered.
If the flasks stopper is removed without the command word being spoken, the prisoner is released
with no obligations. Most creatures freed in this
way are quite angry at having been confined and
are eager to vent their rage on anyone unfortunate
enough to be nearby.
Anyone who knows the command word for an
iron f lask can tell whether it is empty or it contains a
prisoner, but there is no way to determine the exact
identity of the captive without releasing it.
Rumors speak of especially powerful iron f lasks
that can trap even the strongest outsiders. The original Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless is said to be an
artifact that has a mind of its ownor perhaps is
controlled by whatever being is trapped within it.
Some believe that an occupied f lask can fuel dangerous rituals, and treasure hunters seek the urns for
that reason.
53
Prisoners of the Iron Flask

Iron flasks are not common items, but they are well
known to mighty arcanists, particularly those who
deal with demons, devils, elementals, and their ilk.
Knowledgeable patrons and organizations, eager to
use the flasks to advance their plans, hire adventurers to recover them from lost treasure troves or steal
them from the collections of rivals.
Many inferior copies of iron f lasks have been
crafted over the centuries, giving the items a tainted
reputation. If you want to increase the risk of using
a flask, you could give it a curse or a chance to fail
outright (such as a cumulative 5 percent chance of
failure each time it attempts to capture the same
target).
The statistics below represent a standard iron f lask
that is well crafted and holds one prisoner at a time.
Iron Flask
Level 26 Rare
This metal urn, closed with an engraved brass stopper, is

surprisingly heavy despite being small enough to fit into the
palm of a human hand.
Wondrous Item
1,125,000 gp
Attack Power (Charm) Daily (Standard Action)
Requirement: The flask has no creature trapped inside it.
Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature with an origin other than
natural); +29 vs. Will
Hit: The target is removed from play (save ends).
First and Second Failed Saving Throw: Unless you lose a
healing surge as a free action, the failed saving throw is
instead a success.
Third Failed Saving Throw: The target is trapped in the
flask until the bearer of the flask frees the target as a
standard action or until the flask is destroyed. While in
the flask, the target is removed from play, and it doesnt
age or need to breathe, eat, or drink. When the target
is released, it appears in an unoccupied square adjacent
to the flask, and the target is dominated by the flasks
bearer until the end of the encounter or until the bearer
ends the domination as a minor action. The released
target cannot be affected by an iron flask again for a
year and a day.
Miss: The power is not expended.
R andom P risoners
The Iron Flask
of Tuerny the Merciless
The first iron flask was created by Tuerny the Merciless, a tyrannical wizard who ruled a kingdom through
mental control and armies supplemented with summoned demons. Always desperate for greater power,
he crafted the magic item and trapped the great
Grazzt within it.
Inevitably, the demon lord turned on the wizard
at a dramatic moment and dragged Tuerny back to
the Abyss, where he was transformed into a dretch
as punishment. That was not the end of his story,
though; Tuerny survived and was promoted to a nalfeshnee. He helped free Iggwilv from Grazzts prison,
and the two formed a brief and ill-fated alliance to
conquer the world.
The Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless was thought
to have been lost but is rumored to have reappeared
over the centuries. A remote monastery claimed to
be guarding the flask, keeping it out of the hands of
those who would abuse its power. Iggwilv herself is
also said to possess it. The flask supposedly contains a
portion of Demogorgons might, allowing the Mother
of Witches to spy on mighty demon lords without
being detected. The true fate of the flask might be
forever lost to the ages.
If you want to introduce an iron f lask into your

game, you can use the following tables to create
one randomly or simply pick options that best fit
the campaign. Because the flask holds only a single
captive, rolling on the tables might not result in a
balanced encounter. To create a full encounter out
of the release of a prisoner, you can add other monsters, craft an environment that significantly helps
the prisoner, or increase the prisoners level. Other
options include turning the creature into an elite or
solo monster or allowing the flask to contain a higherlevel monster, such as a pit fiend (level 26) or balor
(level 27).
Almost all the creatures, themes, and templates
in these tables were first published in a variety of
rulebooks and supplements, including the Monster
Manual; the Dungeon Masters Guide; Book of Vile
Darkness; Demonomicon; Manual of the Planes;
Monster Manual 2; Monster Manual 3; The Plane Above:
Secrets of the Astral Sea; The Plane Below: Secrets of
the Elemental Chaos; and Dungeon Masters Guide 2.
(Exceptions are noted where they occur.) Most of
this information is also available online in the D&D
Compendium.
54

Prisoner
Themes and Templates
d%
Creature (level)
0150 None; to create an occupied flask, roll again
Fire demon (18)
51
52
Bebilith (18)
Indwelling devil (18)
53
54
Barbed devil (18)
55
Ash-wrought soulburner (19)
56
Rakshasa noble (19)
57
Goristro (19)
58
Mavawhan (19)
59
Nalfeshnee swine guard (20)
60
Ice devil (gelugon) (20)
61
Djinn thunderer (20)
62
Armanite lancer (20)
63
Haures (20)
64
Nabassu (20)
65 Shaadee (20)
66
Kazrith (20)
Quarrak (21)
67
68 Unbound balor (21) (from Dragon 377)
War devil (malebranche) (22)
69
70
Djinn windbow (22)
71 Efreet fireblade (22)
72
City corruptor (evanissu) (22)
Jarrlak (22)
73
Nycademon (22)
74
75 Ultrodemon schemer (22)
d%
Creature (level)
76
Hezrou (22)
Corruption devil (22)
77
78
Infernal girallon (22)
Astral stalker (22)
79
80 Efreet cinderlord (23)
81 Efreet flamestrider (23)
82 Storm devil (23)
83
Hellwasp devil (23)
84
Glabrezu (23)
85
Nabassu deathwing (23)
86
Nalfeshnee tyrant (23)
87
Rakshasa dread knight (24)
88
Djinn cloudstalker (24)
89
Djinn stormsword (24)
90
Assassin devil (24)
Marilith (24)
91
92
Bonegouge assassin (24)
Ferrolith (24)
93
94 Seszrath (24)
Hezrou mangler (24)
95
96
Draegloth abomination (24)
97 Efreet pyresinger (25)
98
Voracalith (25)
Pillager devil (25)
99
Djinn skylord (25)
100
Themes and Templates
prisoner in the flask is not just any creaturesomeone

trapped it for a reason. Keep in mind that complete
randomization might lead to paradoxical combinations, such as a marilith with the slave to the Nine
Hells theme, a corruption devil that is one of Lolths
chosen, or an efreet slithering idol. You can ignore
such incongruous matches, or you can use them as
inspiration to further develop the history and circumstances of the prisoner.
The themes provided are skewed heavily toward
demonic influence. Make adjustments if you want a
creature that is devilish, elemental, or something else
altogether.
After selecting the imprisoned creature, you can roll

on the Themes and Templates table to determine
the creatures history and goals. Every captive of an
iron flask has a story to tell. At some point, someone
defeated the creature and trapped it inside the urn.
What was it trying to do before it was captured? Was
it imprisoned in the flask as punishment? What does
it want to do after being released?
Feel free to diverge from a monsters stereotype to
surprise the player characters and emphasize that the
d% Theme or Template
0105 Demogorgon cultist
Feywild denizen
06
0711 Legion of Avernus
1216 Lolths chosen
1721 Orcus blood cultist
22 Snaketongue cultist
2327 Those who hear
2832 Tiamats red hand
33
Beast of Demogorgon
34
Champion of Bane
35
Chaos warrior
36
Dragontouched destroyer
37
Grizzled veteran
38
Hellbound soldier
39
Mad alchemist
40 Slithering idol
41 Spectral assassin
42 Spiderblessed spinner
4347 Baphomets Horned Legion
4852 Faithful of Grazzt
5357 Kostchtchies Winter Host
5862 Oublivaes Ruinlords
6367 Pazuzus Dread Flock
6872 Yeenoghus Death Pack
7377 Zuggtmoys Rot Cultists
7882 Chaos beast
8387 Devotee of darkness
8892 Doomdreamer
93 Maenad
94
Moilian dead
9599 Slave to the Nine Hells; roll d10 to determine
specific theme
Roll twice and apply both
100
55
Legendary Prisoners
2. The Helpful Assassin
4. The Battle-Crazed Spider
Perhaps instead of determining the occupant of an

iron flask randomly, you prefer to have the urn contain
a high-level legendary prisoner to challenge the party
(or to throw a monkey wrench into an otherwise
straightforward storyline: Everything was going fine
until we freed Orcus!). You can roll on the Legendary Prisoners table below or fill the iron f lask with a
demon lord or god that is more appropriate for your
campaign.
An assassin devil was sent to the natural world to

slay a mortal wizard whose soul belonged to the Nine
Hells. The arcanist had been unnaturally extending
his life for some time, and his former patrons had run
out of patience.
Unfortunately for the devil, the wizard was prepared and trapped it in an iron f lask. Over the years,
the urn passed through multiple hands and eventually ended up in the possession of a group of sturdy
adventurers.
The player characters are in an interesting situation. The prisoner of their iron f lask speaks of untold
riches waiting in the tower of a cruel and twisted
wizard. It would be more than happy to guide the
party through the towers traps and wards, leading
the group to the inner sanctum. All the characters
must do is release the prisoner once they find the
wizardassuming, of course, that the occupant of the
flask is telling the truth.
Brackenbite, a haures, was touched by Lolth. The

undead spider demon had marched at the front of her
armies in countless battles and delighted in nothing
so much as slaughter. Its happiness, as demons measure such things, was cut short when it was betrayed
by an enterprising rival.
Trapped in an iron f lask, Brackenbite was traded
between drow houses as a token of power, respect,
and prestige. None of the drow dared to open the
stopper and release the haures, but they all lived
under the threat that one of them might someday succumb to the temptation. That mutual fearand the
prospect of suffering brutal reprisals from the other
houseskept them in check.
The flask is a regular target of elaborate and subtle
robberies. Currently, it is under the control of House
Eilservs, but rival drow have decided to take a different tactic: hiring adventurers to acquire the urn
directly.
Brackenbites devotion to Lolth has grown during
its centuries of imprisonment. The demon pays close
attention to the drow machinations going on around
it, always looking for signs of disloyaltyand of the
traitor that sealed it away long ago.
Legendary Prisoners
d10 Prisoner (level)
1
Baphomet (28)
Dagon (32)
2
3
Demogorgon (34)
Grazzt (32)
4
5
Kostchtchie (31)
6
Ogrmoch (34)
7
Orcus (33)
8
Pazuzu (33)
9
Yeenoghu (28) (from Dragon Annual 2009)
10
Zuggtmoy (22)
A dventure Seeds
Below are six sample prisoners, complete with adventure seeds. They are numbered so that you can easily
select one randomly.
1. The Chained Idol

A twisted yuan-ti cult has venerated a prisoner of an
iron flask for centuries. The trapped marilith (which is
named Toavenkii and has the slithering idol template)
has no interest in leading the cults debased services
and desperately wants freedom. It has been whispering to some of the more weak-willed members,
simultaneously driving the cult to be more aggressive
in raiding and more lax with security. Survivors who
have escaped the cult spread tales far and wide.
3. The Twinless One

The diminutive quarrak demons are born as twins.
When one dies, the other soon follows suit. But when
one is trapped in an iron f lask, the other discovers that
it is free from constantly fighting with its twin.
Qiiv came to this realization when its twin
Keev ran afoul of a higher-ranking demon and was
imprisoned in a flask. At first, Qiiv was ecstatic at its
newfound freedom from the incessantly annoying
Keev. But the quarrak couldnt bear to be too far from
the iron f lask, so it stole the item and fled. Then the
careless demon lost the urn somewhere along the way
and has no idea of its current location.
Qiiv wants to be reunited with his beloved and
hated twin, so it hunts for the iron f lask, leading a
small horde of other quarraks. The demons worship
Qiiv for being the twinless chosen one, unaware
that its twin is simply sealed away.
5. The Former Servant

Ganarontel the nalfeshnee was a particularly lazy
and incompetent example of its kind, so its lord
trapped the bumbling demon in an iron f lask to make
an example of it. At first, Ganarontel made little effort
to escape, but as the centuries mounted, it began to
chafe in imprisonment and finally learned the burning drive of ambition.
Now a part of a self-important wizards collection
of artifacts, the demon reaches out to anyone nearby
who might hear it and come to its aid. The nalfeshnee
craves freedom and vengeance and is willing to bargain very dearly to achieve its goals.
56

Unfortunately for Ganarontel, its former lord has
had a long and successful career of its own. Rumors
say that the lord rose to become a balor. One minor
demon even claimed that it eventually became the
mighty prince Orcus.
Most people who have heard the story laugh off
the idea. On the other hand, if it were true, the imprisoned nalfeshnee would know many of the demon
princes oldest and most closely guarded secrets. That
would make the iron f lask a priceless prize indeed.
6. The Purging Angel

As the Dawn War waned and the primordials were
defeated, the angel Hadariel refused to let its enemies
be bound, insisting that they were too dangerous to
live. Instead, it advocated for the destruction of all
primordials.
When Hadariels objections were dismissed, the
rogue angel went on its own crusade across the planes,
hunting and killing agents of the primordials wherever
it found them. Some effort was made to reign in the
angel, but anyone sent after it ended up slain, and the
gods soon turned back to their own plans.
Eons later, Hadariel learned of a mortal city that
venerated the elements. It began to annihilate the
place until a desperate wizard resident used an
iron flask to trap the angel. The few survivors of the
cataclysm banded together to form the Shield of Radiance, a secret society determined to guard the urn
and prevent Hadariels return.
Time was unkind to the group, and eventually it
was broken, its members scattered, and the iron f lask
stolen. Now, the surviving members search for the
urn, as do othersincluding those who wish to eradicate primordial influence, and primordial cults that
mistakenly believe Hadariel to be a champion of the
elemental lords. The imprisoned angel simply wants
its freedom so it can resume its quest to purge the
planes of all vestiges of primordial taint.
Using the Flask

An iron f lask is relatively easy to work into any
campaign that includes demons, devils, or similar
otherworldly creatures. It can also be the mechanism
for introducing such elements into a game.
You can use or adapt the ideas below to make an
iron f lask part of an existing campaign. They can also
be combined with the sample prisoners and adventure seeds above.
A flask is a powerful item, so use it with caution.
The container allows the player characters to remove
a formidable enemy from the battlefield and turn it
into a temporary ally. Once released, the creature is
likely to hold a grudge for a long time (especially if its
immortal). If the heroes use the flask to subvert an
enemy, they likely will face their foe again later.
The scenarios below are numbered for those who
want to determine one randomly.
1. A Trapped Sage
The characters require a key piece of information to
complete their quest. The only creature that possesses
the knowledge is trapped in an iron f lask. The party
must find the flask, free the prisoner, and convince it
to helpnot to mention deal with the current owner
of the flask and whoever imprisoned the creature in
the first place.
This plot is a twist on the story of traveling to a
sage to learn information. It also allows the use of an
exotic or planar creature as the sage without requiring the adventurers to trek across the multiverse.
2. A Trapped Ally
A powerful ally that the characters have come to
rely on (such as a friendly dragon or angel) has been
trapped in an iron f lask, requiring them to mount a
rescue. Whatever villain imprisoned the creature is
sure to oppose the party and might even command

the captive to attack the heroes.
Adventurers who rely heavily on a specific nonplayer character are particularly susceptible to this
turn of events. The scenario can remind them not to
take an allys assistance for granted.
3. A Trapped Villain
An iron f lask can give the player characters the
chance to talk to a dangerous villain without the
immediate risk of violence. The encounter is a good
opportunity for roleplaying or exposition.
If the trapped villain is an established enemy of
the heroes, they might be tempted to exploit or subvert their foe. Even if they choose to leave the villain
imprisoned, the mere presence of the iron f lask can
invite trouble. Perhaps the villains minions are seeking the urn so they can release their master, or maybe
other forces want to acquire the flask for their own
purposes.
Alternatively, the player characters could find an
iron f lask that holds an unfamiliar entity. This scenario is a great way to introduce a new villain to the
campaign. The heroes might release the prisoner to
accomplish a specific goal, and the creature ends up
sticking around and becoming a recurring threat.
4. A Secret Weapon
In a quest to defeat an ancient god, a rampaging
primordial, or a threat to the multiverse, the player
characters might face an enemy that they cannot kill
or overcome. In need of some way to dispose of their
foe, they track down the Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless and try to use it to capture their enemy.
Their quest doesnt end there, however. After trapping their foe, the heroes must protect the flask from
falling into the wrong hands. If the villain were ever
released, it certainly would seek bloody vengeance
against the adventurers.
57

This scenario works well for an artifact or quest
item version of the iron f lask, where the urn is the keystone to a larger quest, not an item that the characters
will use in their normal adventuring career.
5. Puzzle Hunt
An ancient force has been broken into pieces and
sealed within several iron f lasks that were scattered
to the winds. The player characters must find the
urns as part of a greater goal. They might be trying to
resurrect an old god or racing against a cult bent on
reforming a dangerous primordial.
This plot allows for incremental success or failure
without necessarily dooming the whole quest. Each
piece of the shattered entity is effectively a separate
prisoner that must be dealt with. In this scenario, it is
especially important to make each prisoner distinct
and surprising so the pattern of finding a series of
flasks doesnt grow stale.
6. Role Reversal
The player characters are the ones trapped in an iron
flask. Either each hero is confined in a separate flask,
or the whole party is imprisoned in a special flask
designed to hold multiple captives. The players can
create new, temporary characters for a brief adventure to free their usual party.
With the right group, it can be interesting to have
one players temporary character find the iron f lask
that contains another players regular character. The
temptation to use the bond of command when releasing the prisoner presents opportunities for dramatic
roleplaying.
About the Author
Derek Guder is the event programming manager at Gen

Con, where he does his best to juggle thousands of events. He
has written a handful of articles for D&D Insider, including
The Fraternal Order of the Inner Vault. Derek is vocal and
vulgar on Twitter under the handle @frequentbeef.
58
Coming Next Month

Tears of the
Crocodile God
The Hidden Shrine

of Ta moacha n
By Will Doyle
By Stephen Radney-MacFarland
This deadly dungeon will chew you up and swallow

you whole. A little chewin, a little tenderizin, an
down you go. A D&D adventure for characters of
levels 1517.
Lost Tamoachan is about to be rediscovered. This 4th

Edition adaptation of the original AD&D module by
Harold Johnson & Jeff R. Leason was previously available only as a DM Reward adventure through the
Wizards Organized Play Program. Now its available
to D&D Insider subscribers! A classic D&D adventure for 7th-level characters.
Fjorins Foothold
By Christopher Perkins and Aeryn Rudel
Fjorin Hammermain cut a deal with the monsters
infesting his adamantine mine, and adventurers are
about to pay the price. A D&D adventure for characters of levels 35.

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A Dungeons & D ragons Roleplay ing Ga me Supplement

Issue 208 | NOVEMBER 2012

One Piece at a Time

By John Ross Rossomangno

Development and Editing Lead

Kim Mohan, Miranda Horner

Senior Creative Director

Graphic Production Manager

Digital Studio Consultant

Scott Fitzgerald Gray,

Eric Belisle, Noah Bradley,

Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, D&D Insider, their

One Piece at a Time

Also in September, we received Mike Schleys

TM & 2012 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rights reserved.

tavern. Champions came to challenge the red dragon,

Some Assembly Required

the party uncovers treasure, you can include objects

Small natural humanoid (reptile)

m Short Sword (weapon) F At-Will

Fleet Feet F At-Will

Medium natural beast

Some Assembly Required

A gaggle of farmers are gathered in the center of town,

Major Quest: Justice for Kevmar

Major Quest: Rescue Zeta Windsnap

Hot on the Trail

Clue 1: Kevmars Body

Some Assembly Required

Clue 3: Burglarized Shed

When the adventurers are ready, read:

Clue 5: Sigil of Kerang

Some Assembly Required

T1. Tripwire Trap

T2. Covered Pit

T3. Small Tunnels

Some Assembly Required

If the party waits stealthily, the characters see kobold

Level 1 Minion Skirmisher

Small natural humanoid (reptile)

m Javelin (weapon) F At-Will

Narrow Escape F Encounter

Medium natural beast

Some Assembly Required

m Dagger (weapon) F At-Will

2B. Repair Room: A few lengths of iron rail and

Level 1 Minion Skirmisher

Small natural humanoid (reptile)

m Javelin (weapon) F At-Will

As the characters enter 2A, read:

Narrow Escape F Encounter

Some Assembly Required

m Dagger (weapon) F At-Will

Small natural humanoid (reptile)

m Short Sword (weapon) F At-Will

Fleet Feet F At-Will

Medium natural beast

Some Assembly Required

Mine Chase Events