Module DW1 : Lair of the Unknown Johnstone Metzger

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They Who Make Trouble Dangers

Rival Adventurers
Description and Cast How many other enterprising scoundrels and would-be treasure-finders
Whether or not the game starts with the PCs at the doorway into the there are, and in what groups they organize themselves, is up to you. A
dungeon, at some point they should realize that they are not the only ones number of example characters are described and you are free to invent
who have discovered the location of Xallevyrx. In fact, they have a host of more. These adventurers cause trouble all on their own, as their grim
rivals—other adventurers intent on beating them to the choicest loot this portents show, but they can also discover any of the dungeon front’s
subterranean lair still holds. These other adventurers have discovered a dangers and cause them to become active. Survivors of such foolishness
back way into Xallevyrx, through the natural caverns beneath it. If the PCs may even turn to the PCs for help, dragging them into the mess they made.
are not quick enough, these tomb-robbing opportunists will leave them Type: Unholy ground (the forest is a cursed place).
nothing but monsters to discover. Impulse: To sow discord and cause trouble.
As the PCs explore Xallevyrx, the dangers of the dungeon front will be
triggered and they will join the rival adventurers in this front. If these rival GRIM PORTENTS
adventurers aren’t dealt with, they might even trigger some of these dangers ○ Rival adventurers cause trouble in Westham without ever going to
themselves. Of course, they will probably not survive and even if they do, Xallevyrx.
they are in no way prepared to deal with the consequences of their actions. ○ Rival dungeoneers recover treasure from Xallevyrx, take it back to
Only the PCs can do that! town, and stir up trouble.
 Belrain Swordsinger, Elven sheriff of Westham. ○ The PCs find dead adventurers inside Xallevyrx.
 Glurni, son of Kâst, Dwarven mining engineer. ○ Belrain the Sword Singer comes after the adventurers exploring
 Kirsha, wealthy sorceress. Xallevyrx, including the PCs.
 Penrose Wiyams, tomb robber. ○ Rival adventurers recover pieces of wyrdstone, take them back to town,
 Supper Brown, priest of Melanoë. and stir up trouble.
 Velli Turinsdottir, graduate student and caver. Impending Doom: Rampant chaos (as the wyrdling curse spreads across
the land).
Custom Moves
Details:
When you absorb a piece of wyrdstone… (page 43). This danger is described in detail on pages 28-41.
Stakes New classes for adventurers can be found on pages 92-108.

 Will Penrose Wiyams betray the PCs?

 Will the PCs make an ally of Belrain, or an enemy?
 Will Velli Turinsdottir find enough treasure to fund her research? Will
she survive the terrors of Xallevyrx?
 Module DW1 : Lair of the Unknown Johnstone Metzger
Reference Sheets Red Box Vancouver

Unknown Dangers Dangers

Blight of Fungus
Description and Cast One of the Unknown Wizard’s many experimental projects was the
The secrets of Xallevyrx have lain hidden from all but a few for half a cultivation of specialized, magical fungus. He hoped to create a form of
century. Now they are ready to escape. This underground structure was biological technology, perfectly suited to a subterranean environment, that
built on top of natural caverns that contain a crystal of great magical only he could control. His creations have grown and died and fought with
power—the wyrdstone. This stone, an intruder from another plane of each other over the last half-century. For all that time, they have remained
existence, is the root of all that is supernatural in the Haunted Forest. It inside Xallevyrx, but if something should happen that would release them
makes the dead rise from their graves to attack the living, and it warps the out into the world, they could spread like wildfire, choking off all other
shape of all life that comes in contact with it. It feeds the mutant fungus that vegetation and making the countryside unliveable.
festers in the Unknown Wizard’s laboratory. It sustains the undead he left Type: Invasive species (use cursed places moves).
behind. And just like a siren’s call, it draws the goblins and the Impulse: To blanket the earth with itself.
gravesleeping orcs to it, slowly but surely. Only the phasic spiders,
themselves intruders from another plane, beware its power and seek to GRIM PORTENTS
nullify its influence. ○ Attack mushrooms and spore stalkers roam the halls of Xallevyrx.
 Attack mushrooms. ○ Carpets of mold creep out into the hallways of Xallevyrx and the
 Dragonmarked goblins. caverns below.
 Mutated zombies. ○ Attack mushrooms and spore stalkers roam the Haunted Forest.
 Orcish gravesleepers. ○ The creeping mold is unleashed upon the Haunted Forest.
 Phasic spiders. ○ The fungal blight invades croplands and villages.
 Sewn-up zombies. ○ The fungal blight invades Westham.
 Spore stalkers. Impending Doom: Famine (as the fungus destroys any and all edible
vegetation in and around the Haunted Forest).
Custom Moves
Details:
When you find yourself covered in blight fungus… (page 49). The fungal threat is described in detail on pages 48-49.

Stakes
 Will the dead in the Haunted Forest be put to rest?
 Will the fungal blight cut off all access to Xallevyrx?
 Will the orcs manage to summon a dragon?
Module DW1 : Lair of the Unknown Johnstone Metzger
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Return of the Dragon Army Rise of the Undead

Though Lord Stefan claimed victory over the invaders, not all of the The leftovers from the Unknown Wizard’s attempts at necromancy have
dragon’s minions have been defeated. A force of goblins still lurks within been left as traps in the brick labyrinth, but they are not the only undead in
the caverns below Xallevyrx, where they took refuge in the final days of the Xallevyrx. Those servants that remained here when the end came have
war. The orcs who were formerly their commanders sleep in graves outside become undead mutants under the wyrdstone’s influence. The phasic
of Xallevyrx for weeks or months at a time. They hate the sun, and do not spiders have cocooned them in webs to keep them contained, but once the
venture far from their graves when they are awake, but they have undead are stirred to action—when living, breathing adventurers disturb
discovered fissures in the walls of Xallevyrx caused by an earthquake and them—all of them spring into action, and the spiders are overwhelmed.
sometimes lurk within its halls when they catch the scent of adventurous Type: Plague of the undead (horde).
human explorers. Once these graves are discovered, or the orcs and goblins Impulse: To swell the ranks of the dead.
encounter stiff resistance from armed humans, there is no going back to
sleep and no more hiding—there can be only war. GRIM PORTENTS
Type: Wandering barbarians (horde). ○ Zombies escape from the brick labyrinth and wander the dungeon,
Impulse: To bring war to the sunlovers. attacking the living.
○ Cocooned zombies escape from the phasic spiders and wander the
GRIM PORTENTS caves below Xallevyrx, attacking the living.
○ Orcs rise from their graves and enter the dungeon, looking for humans ○ Phasic spiders attack those they hold responsible for freeing the
to slay. zombies.
○ Goblins venture out from the caverns below Xallevyrx to find out what ○ The undead escape from Xallevyrx and make their way to Westham.
is happening. ○ The power of the phasic spiders to contain the wyrdstone’s magic fails
○ The orcs reassume leadership of the goblins. completely, and dead bodies in the Haunted Forest once again rise from
○ Orcs and goblins swarm out of the dungeon to make war on nearby their graves.
human settlements. Impending Doom: Pestilence (as a plague of the living dead washes over
○ The orcs perform ritual human sacrifice to summon a dragon. Westham).
Impending Doom: Tyranny (as the summoned dragon terrorizes the
countryside). Details:
The undead are described in detail on pages 57-59.
Details: Zarina the zombie is described on page 78.
These remnants of the Dragon Army are described in detail on pages 50-55. The zombie king is described on page 80.
Module DW1 : Lair of the Unknown Johnstone Metzger
Reference Sheets Red Box Vancouver