AD&D 2.0 Ravenloft Adventure - Church of The Poisoned Mind
AD&D 2.0 Ravenloft Adventure - Church of The Poisoned Mind
AD&D 2.0 Ravenloft Adventure - Church of The Poisoned Mind
Introduction
This adventure module is intended to be used with AD&D 2nd Edition rules and the Ravenloft
setting. Using other rules or another setting will involve quite a bit of work for the DM. Very little
introductory material is provided; this module drops the player characters right into the action!
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The cellar door is not locked or trapped, but allow the party to take whatever precautions they
feel necessary. Once opened it reveals a staircase leading underground and a humanoid
skeleton (if the characters have seen or otherwise know of gnolls they will recognize it as a gnoll
skeleton). There are two sets of small booted footprints in the thick dust on the stone steps. The air
is thick with a smell of mould and decay.
Dungeon Key
1. ENTRY CHAMBER: eastwards until the junction, then disappear as
does the layer of dust on the floor.
This damp chamber has an arched, vaulted
ceiling some 20 feet high in the centre. The 2. WATER ROOM:
walls are masonry (cut stone blocks), the floor
A fast flowing stream 3 to 5 feet deep enters
rough flagstones. Thick webs hide the ceiling.
this rough hewn chamber at the north from a
There is a pile of refuse and rags in the middle
passage that it fills entirely, and exits to the
of the floor.
south in the same manner. Toward the south,
The refuse pile consists of husks, skin, bones, it forms a pool some 4 feet deep at its edge
spider castings, and filth. Any character and about 7 feet deep at the centre. The
examining the pile will be attacked by the pool is home to a group of blind, white fish,
Large Spider dropping from above. If the party and you can see a few blind, white crayfish
have the foresight to burn the webs, the spider crawling among the rocks on the bottom.
will take d6 points of damage and then leap to
Eight rotting barrels and a few scattered
the attack.
buckets lie at the south east corner.
Large Spider Ac 8 HD 1+1 Mv 6 Wb 15 Thaco
19 #At 1 Dmg 1 SA Poison (Type A Save +2 15
Mins 15/0) Sf 2 Sz S 2’ Mle 7 XP 175
Scattered amongst the pile in the middle of the
room are 19 sp and a gnoll skull with a 50 gp
garnet inside (only found on successful search
roll).
The solid oak door to the west is stuck. Anyone
listening hears a moaning sound rising and
fading. Once the door is opened, a strong
breeze blows out any torches and 50% chance
of doing the same to lanterns. Torches can’t
be relit in the corridor while the door is open.
The secret door down the east passage pivots
inwards at a push (Str 14+) making a loud
scraping noise. The small footprints carry on
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Lying at the bottom of the pool is the limned Ghouls (3) AC 6 HD 2 Mv 9 Thaco 19 #At 3
over skeleton of the former abbot. If the Dmg d3/d3/d6 SA Paralysis d6+2 rnds 1-2 Left
remains are disturbed, a tube is dislodged from Arm, 3-4 Legs, 5-6 Right Arm, 7-8 Body (see
its hiding place next to the skeleton. The notes) SD Undead Sf 3 Sz M 5-6’ Mle 12 Xp 175
streams current carries the tube away unless
4. BARREL STORAGE:
someone dives into the icy water immediately.
This requires a swimming check and an attack
The slope leads down into a cold, damp
roll against the tubes Ac of 6 (size and speed), if
room with a slightly sweet scent in the air.
the party does not react quickly the tube will
Stacked against the west wall are 15 large
be swept away down the south passage.
wooden barrels. Condensation has collected
The tube is ivory but not quite watertight and on the walls, floor and contents of this room.
contains a roll of vellum. Written upon in an
unknown language is a partially smudged Ten of the barrels are full of a strong, sweet
message (see player hand outs 1a and 1b) brandy. Anyone tasting it must save vs.
from the abbot to the head of his order. It Paralyzation; failure produces no ill effects, but
seems the abbot has discovered that the local those that fail gain +2 on any fear checks for
high priest has subverted the fellow monks to the next hour. One of the barrels has a slight
the worship of a goddess of disease and leak that keeps the floor wet. Any dropped
corruption named Kiputytto and the abbot flame will ignite everything, characters in the
was calling for military aid to prevent the room must save v RSW (+Dex bonus) to dive
atrocities. Obviously he failed to send the back out of the room. Any caught in the blast
message before the high priest had him takes 5d6 damage (save v BW (+Dex bonus) for
strangled and thrown into the pool. half damage). This will continue to burn for 1
hour and rooms #4 and #5 will be smoke filled
3. CEREMONIAL CHAMBER: (reduced visibility and save v PPDM or –2 on all
rolls due to coughing).
This large, square chamber appears to be a
dead end. Its domed ceiling arches up to 25 One of the empty barrels contains the
feet high in the centre and its walls are mutilated remains of a human woman (early
covered in frescoes of people in various twenties). The PC opening this barrel will need
states of revel. A 10 feet square section of to make a horror check.
wooden planking is leaning against the south
5. BARREL PREPARATION:
wall.
The floor of this room is littered with the
Behind the platform on the south wall are 4
broken remains of wooden barrels. A slope
holes in the wall. Two are parallel to each
leads down to the west.
other , 10 feet apart and 3 feet from the floor.
The other two are 3 feet higher up and directly PC’s making a successful observation check
above the first two. These square holes are 6 will note a salty layer on what would be the
inches wide and 6 inches deep, one still has inside of the barrel fragments. Anyone rolling a
wooden splinters in it. 1 will also notice that the barrels were clawed
Hidden amongst the fresco is a push switch apart.
which opens a 10 feet square section of wall 1 6. LEATHER STORE:
foot above the level of the highest holes and
leading into a secret tunnel inhabited by 3 This room is lined with workbenches and
ghouls who will attack the first character to shelving, almost every conceivable leather
climb up to the opening, automatically gaining item is on view and tanning racks stand at the
surprise if no special precautions are taken.
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far end of the room laden with unworked If the sentries have not yet been encountered
leathers. the party are confronted by 3 monks in
hooded robes with ceremonial kris daggers at
Roughly a dozen of each non-armour leather their belts. They will attack the party
item from the PHB can be found here; all are immediately.
good quality. At least six sets of leatherworking Ghoul/Monks (3) AC 5 HD 2 Mv 9 Thaco 19 #At
tools can be gathered up and enough leather 3 Dmg d3/d3/d6 SA Paralysis d6+2 rnds 1-2 Left
to make most items is at the far end. Arm, 3-4 Legs, 5-6 Right Arm, 7-8 Body (see
7. ALARM DOOR: notes) SD Undead Sf 3 Sz M 5-6’ Mle 12 Xp 175
Closer examination of the bones reveal
The heavy oak door to this room opens
gnawing marks.
inward and is slightly ajar, no light comes from
within and no noise can be heard. 10. CELLS:
The door is rigged to drop a normal skeleton on Down the length of this corridor you can see
the first person to enter the room. The noise is a trio of sturdy oak doors staggered along
enough to alert any inhabitants at #8 #9 and either side, each with a heavy wooden bar
#10 to the party’s location and as such be across the middle to prevent its opening.
prepared for them. The ghoul/monks at #9 visit
this room at midnight to check and reset the As each PC crosses the first section of this
trap as required. corridor have them roll a save v Rods, Staves,
and Wands (with no Dexterity bonus unless they
8. BLEEDING ROOM: specifically stated they were examining the
floor) to see if any step on the hidden pressure
A large stone table dominates the centre of
plate. If activated the pair of light crossbows
this room, it has a slightly beveled surface
at #11 will fire (Use the PC’s surprised AC unless
towards its centre and to its eastern end.
they were actively searching for traps, hit the
Above the table, suspended from a hook in
front two pc’s with Thaco 15 2d4 dmg).
the ceiling is a copper brazier. Several
beaten copper bowls lie scattered in the 10a. CELL:
south east corner.
Against the far wall of this cell lie the skeletal
Closer examination reveals mottled blood remains of a large humanoid with an
stains on the table, particularly the slight lip on elongated snout.
the eastern end and also on the beaten
copper bowls. The hanging brazier is an The skeleton belongs to a gnoll, hidden
incense burner and is worth about 15 gp, but is underneath in a small leather purse are 15 sp
empty. and 2 ep.
9. SENTRIES: 10b. CELL:
This solid oak door appears to be stuck, unless When you open this door the smell that
the sentries have already come out and been reaches you is enough to make you gag.
encountered, then it will be wide open. Lying on the floor is the maggot ridden
remains of a human male.
This room looks like it was once used as a
sleeping chamber. A couple of rotting pallets Have all the party save vs. Poison or be unable
still remain in one corner, next to which lie a to enter the room due to the smell (a rag
small collection of bones. soaked in brandy over the nose and mouth
would prevent this). The maggots pose no
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danger to the party but allow them to take any entrance. He was too afraid to enter, but his
precautions they desire. There is nothing of sister Karina was older and not so easily scared.
value here. Shortly after she entered the tunnels he heard
her scream, once, and ran down the stairs to
10c. CELL:
find her. But he tripped and the next thing he
knew he was in this small room and couldn’t
Lying on the floor of this cell are the bones of
get out.
a small humanoid amongst a pile of tattered
pink rags. Tobias AC10 HD1/2 Hp 6 Mv 6 or 9 Thaco 20
#At 1 Dmg 1 Sf 3 Sz M 4’ Xp 15 (if led back to
These are the remains of a halfling priest of his campsite and family 200 xp, if Karina’s
Lathander who wandered to close. There is a remains recovered from #4 then 300 xp).
small golden pendant on a chain of the sun,
Lathanders symbol (PC’s passing a religion 11. BOW TRAP:
check may recognize this).
Just beyond the entrance to this chamber
10d. CELL: stand two light crossbows on an intricate
wooden framework laced with wires. At the
A thick layer of rags, accumulated through rear of the room stands an iron bound
long years, covers the floor of this cell. wooden chest.
Scattered amongst the rags are 6gp and 5 cp. The bows cannot be removed without
It will take a full search to reveal these. dismantling the frame work, which in turn
10e. CELL: cannot be moved without damaging it. The
frame has an AC of 8 and will sustain 20 hp of
This cell is empty except for a dark stain over damage if attacked before it collapses useless.
most of the floor. The chest is heavy but not locked. It contains
480 bolts for the light crossbows.
The stain is dried blood.
12. STORAGE ROOM:
10f. CELL:
The slopes up towards the doors to this room
If loud noises have occurred, the DM will need
are quite steep and the oak doors are barred
to amend the following.
from this side.
As you open this cell you can see a young,
The door to this chamber opens to show a
dark tousle haired, human boy, about 5-6
room stacked with simple wooden crates
years of age lying unconscious on the floor.
each marked with some unrecognised writing
He has several cuts and bruises evident but
and with bits of rotting straw escaping
his breathing is deep and regular.
through the many holes amongst them.
Once awakened the boy will be fearful. Unless
If the thirty crates are examined they will be
magic is used, he will not understand the
found to contain six straw packed, green glass
languages of the party. He has a broken leg,
bottles each. The bottles have corks in but are
reducing his movement to 6 unless healed by a
empty.
cure spell, however this will only increase
movement to 9. If the writing is somehow translated it reads
“Product of the Church of Dion”.
If communication becomes possible the boys
name is Tobias, he and his sister were playing
hide and seek amongst the strange old ruin
near their campsite when they found the cellar
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any attempts to pick them. Of course, Golmek contain the partly eaten remains of their former
carries the keys to these locks. occupants.
If all else fails, the door is AC 6 and has 50hp, The first group of these ghouls encountered
although this would create a lot of noise and receive a +2 surprise bonus and will also cause
attract any nearby monsters. the party to take a fear an horror check.
When any player characters enter the room, Ghouls (5) AC 6 HD 2 Mv 9 Thaco 19 #At 3 Dmg
read (or paraphrase) the following: d3/d3/d6 SA Paralysis d6+2 rnds 1-2 Left Arm, 3-
4 Legs, 5-6 Right Arm, 7-8 Body (see notes) SD
As you enter the room you can see why such Undead Sf 3 Sz M 5-6’ Mle 12 Xp 175
measures were taken to ensure its security.
Several lustrous gems, hundreds of precious 27-31. SECRET CHAMBERS:
coins, objects of art, etc. lay scattered Each of these chambers is defended by a
around the room. ghast lieutenant and 4 ghoul monks.
If the hourglass is turned the secret door will As you open the door a blur of teeth and
automatically open for the 2 minutes it takes nails assaults you.
for the powder to run through and then closes,
this function only works when the hourglass is in A rabid ghoul has been confined here for some
this room. crime against Golmek.
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Mezzandien
Abbot of the Church of Dion.
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Dragonsfoot
Church of the Poisoned Mind
Copyright © 2005 Mik Calow
1st Edition September 2006
http://www.dragonsfoot.org
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