Colorful Characters 11: Ione Grear, Disgraced Pilot

Ione was born and raised on Coruscant, in the heart of the Emporer’s new order. His human family prospered when the Old Republic was transformed into the Galactic Empire. They were not wealthy, but they were proud citizens of the Imperium, and raised their children to respect and obey Palpatine’s government. Ione, like his siblings, was encouraged to consider military service. And when he was of age, Ione enlisted in the Imperial Naval Academy.

The academy was a harsh trial for Ione. He had always been heavy, and his instructors were merciless in their disapproval. The young recruit was singled out for additional training many times during his education, often in needlessly cruel ways. Once he was required to undergo an additional hour of exercise in the middle of every sleep cycle for over a month. For his part, Ione rarely complained. Not that he had anyone to complain to. He was not well loved by his classmates, due to his ability to get the entire group marked for half rations, or second laps through the obstacle course.

Despite his difficulties, Ione successfully graduated from the naval academy with the rest of his class. He barely managed to skirt beneath the maximum weight limit, but he was an officer in the Imperial Navy. And like all officers, the first year of his commission was spent in a TIE cockpit. He took great pride in his skills as a pilot, and even volunteered to help the technicians keep his squadron’s TIEs in top fighting shape. His skill and dedication were noticed, and he was given a posting on the Imperial Class Star Destroy Judicator as a TIE Interceptor pilot.

Ione had been stationed on the Judicator for two years when he received word that his family, parents and two younger brothers, had been killed in a speeder crash. His elder sister, also in Imperial service, but stationed on Imperial Center, was arranging the funeral. Ione was crushed by his family’s passing, but could not abandon his duties as an interceptor pilot. He did his best to carry on, but despite his efforts, he began to gain weight as he sought to find some solace in the comforts of food. His commanders were understanding at first, but his weight continued to increase. When disciplinary action failed to curb his eating problem, Ione was dishonorably discharged from his majesty’s service.

Without a career to focus on, but unwilling to abandon his values or his love of ships and flying, Ione took his half of his family’s inheritance and bought a ship. Nothing too impressive, just a little Seinar Fleet Systems scout ship. He also bought a TIE/In Fighter from a black market dealer, and burned through the last of the credits modifying the two in a cheap garage on Corellia. He improved the weapons systems and the speed, as well as adding some minor shield power to the TIE, in exchange for losing some of its maneuverability. The biggest modification was adding a docking clamp to the scout ship, allowing him to carry the TIE with him, and launch it when needed. He self-deprecatingly named the ship Grear’s Folds, and christened the TIE Spitball One.

These days Ione does whatever freelance work he can pick up. Much to his chagrin, this often includes smuggling work, which Ione avoids if at all possible. He prefers to keep his work legal, and still has some friends in the Empire who help him out if there’s ever a freelance Imperial contract to be had.

Personality
Grear is a morose fellow. He’s probably suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression, but he wouldn’t allow himself to blame a medical problem for his outlook even if he could. He’s simply doing his best to get by, even if he sometimes wonders if ‘getting by’ is worth it. Despite being a diehard Imperial, he is not so sexist or xenophobic as most members of the Imperial military. Just the same, ff he happens to encounter rebels, it’s likely he’d attack them in the hopes of going out in a blaze of glory–perhaps even to be remembered by the Empire.

Tactics
Grear is unlikely to engage in combat unless he meets with rebels. If he does find rebels, or is attacked by another aggressor, he will use his flying skills to the best of his ability to defeat his foe, and will not retreat. If the attacking ships attempt to use superior maneuverability to defeat him, he will put Grear’s Fold on auto-pilot, and attack them in Spitball One. If outmatched, he may attempt to trick foes into believing he is defeated by allowing Grear’s Fold to drift powerless through space, only to launch in his TIE when the enemy’s defenses are down.

If attacked outside of his ship, Grear will attempt to escape to the safety of his ship. Or to the safety of his TIE, if Grear’s Fold has been boarded.

Thoughts on Use
Grear and his ship make a great source of transportation for any type of player–though rebels will want to keep their affiliations secret!

Ione Grear
Type Discharged TIE Pilot
Gender/Species Male/Human
Age 32; Height 1.5 meters; Weight 148 kg.
Physical Description Short and squat, with folds of excess weight barely fitting in to his sweat stained and threadbare olive drab uniform.


Dexterity 3D
Blaster 4D
Perception 3D
Knowledge 2D
Strength 2D
Mechanical 4D
Starfighter Piloting 5D
Space Transports6D
Astrogation 5D
Technical 4D
Space Transports Repair 6D


Special Abilities None; Force Sensitive No
Move 10
Force Points 1; Dark Side Points 1; Character Points 5


Equipment The Grear’s Fold, Blaster Pistol (4D), 2x Thermal Detonators (10D/8D/5D/2D), Datapad, Comlink, 10,000 credits

The Grear’s Fold
Craft Modified Seinar Fleet Systems “Lone Scout B”
Type Modified Scout Vessel
Scale Starfighter; Length 30 meters
Skill Space Transports – Lone Scout
Crew 1; Passengers 2
Cargo Capacity 150 metric tons; Consumables 6 Months
Hypderdrive Multiplier x1.5; Backup Hyperdrive x10; Nav Computer Yes
Maneuverability 1D; Space 5; Atmosphere 295; 850 kmh
Hull 4D; Shields 2D
Sensors
–Passive 30/1D
–Scan 50/2D
–Search 75/3D
–Focus 5/4D
Weapons
–1 Quad Laser Cannon
–Fire Arc: Front
–Skill: Starship Gunnery
–Space Range: 1-3/12/25
–Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5km
–Damage: 6D
Droid Pilot Astrogation 4D, Sensors 2D, Space Transports 2D+1, Starship Gunnery 2D, Starship Shields 2D+2

Spitball One
Craft Modified Seinar Fleet Systems TIE/In Fighter
Type Modified Space Superiority Fighter
Scale Starfighter; Length 6.4 meters
Skill Starfighter Piloting – TIE
Crew 1
Cargo Capacity 25 kilograms; Consumables 2 Days
Maneuverability 2D; Space 10; Atmosphere 415; 1200 kmh
Hull 2D; Shields 1D+2
Sensors
–Passive 20/0D
–Scan 40/1D
–Search 60/2D
–Focus 3/3D
Weapons
–2 Laser Cannons (Fire-Linked)
–Fire Arc: Front
–Skill: Starship Gunnery
–Fire Control: 2D
–Space Range: 1-3/12/25
–Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5km
–Damage: 5D

Magical Marvels 1: The Womb Dagger

If I haven’t made this clear before, I’m a huge fan of 4chan’s “Traditional Games” forum. This makes me something of an oddity on the “respectable Internet.” The general consensus is that everything on 4chan is awful, and saying anything positive about it makes you a bad person. As is often the case, the general consensus on this matter is drawn from ignorance. Not only does it overlook that many of the cute and harmless Internet jokes everyone is so fond of originate there. But it is most often informed by an encounter with /b/. And while /b/tards may be the most numerous of 4chan’s contributors, I’m a fa/tg/uy. And I’m proud of that. But defending 4chan’s non-/b/ subforums isn’t the purpose of this post.

About two years ago I participated in a thread on /tg/ which forged the most horrible magical item any GM has ever concocted. A wicked cursed dagger so ghastly in nature that I honestly hesitated to post about it. It’s not an item any civilized GM would include in a game. Its value lies in how amusingly vile it is. We called it: The Womb Dagger. It was created in a generic thread about cursed items [Very mildly NSFW link]. You can view the entire discussion if you like–there are some gems in there. But here is the full write up which I put down on paper once the thread was completed.

I would like to make clear that I am not responsible for creating the majority of this. I merely sorted all my favorite ideas together, then made a nice write-up. I would also like to add, in all seriousness, that this item may be offensive to some readers. If sexual elements in role playing games bother you, you may not wish to read further.

Womb Dagger
Aura Overwhelming Transmutation; CL 28th
Slot none; Weight 2lb.


DESCRIPTION


The dreaded Womb Dagger is a cursed minor artifact created by a long forgotten god of trickery and balance. Most of the few womb daggers are very plain, though a few are adorned with ornate carvings. All Womb Daggers are +6 Keen weapons. However, the true wonder–and horror–of the item is obscured from identification with spells.

When a woman uses the dagger to kill a creature of any type capable of sexual reproduction, the wielder becomes pregnant with the (now dead) creature’s offspring. If the character is already pregnant and kills with the dagger, then immediately after giving birth she will become pregnant again. Each killed creature is added to her ‘queue.’ Creatures are born as halfbreeds, half the DNA of the killed party, and half the DNA of the killer. In some cases this can cause odd creatures to be created, since not all species would normally be genetically compatible.

The dagger wielder can never harm the child in any significant way, but will always recover fully from any injuries relating from pregnancy and birth. In such cases where such injuries may be extreme, such as with hill giant or draconic children, this can be a lifesaving feature of the dagger. The woman’s children are strongly predisposed to be quite fond of their mother, and will remain with her as companions throughout her life, barring any extenuating circumstances.

If a woman’s queue becomes large enough, she will begin to bear young in ‘litters’ to avoid an endless repetition of pregnancies after clearing two or three dungeons.

If the dagger is wielded by a man, then any time he kills a creature of any type capable of sexual reproduction, he will “carry” that creature’s genetic legacy with him. The next time the male dagger wielder has sexual contact, he will have a 100% fertility rate, negating the use of any preventative measures. Men will maintain a queue of waiting young much like their female counterparts will, though they will only ever pass children along one at a time.

So long as a man wielding the Womb Dagger has a queue of children waiting to be passed on, he will find that he is irresistible to women. Heterosexual women passing within [10 * # of children in queue] feet of him must succeed on a DC: 16 will save or make aggressive advances on him. These women will suffer the same pregnancy and birth related oddities experienced by women who kill with the dagger. This includes their young having a lasting fondness for them. However, that fondness will be overwhelmed by a deep hatred of their father. Most often, these children will leave their mothers once they reach adulthood, and attempt to hunt down and murder their father.

Hook Horrors for Pathfinder

Several months ago, when I posted The Hall of a Dozen Deaths, I mentioned that I had been unable to find the Hook Horror in either one of Paizo’s Bestiaries. I found this really disappointing, because the Hook Horror is one of my favorite, classic D&D monsters. As best as I can tell, Wizards of the Coast doesn’t actually have any particular ownership on the monster. It originally appeared in a magazine called White Dwarf published by Games Workshop, before appearing in TSR and later WotC products. Though if I am wrong on that, or if my quotations from Monster Manual II are problematic, I imagine I’ll receive a cease and desist letter if this blog ever ends up on Wizard’s radar.

Below is the classic Hook Horror monster, updated for the Pathfinder role playing game. I based it off of the Hook Horror as it appeared in the Dungeons and Dragons Third Edition Monster Manual II. I realize, of course, that it’s no great task to update a monster from D&D 3 to Pathfinder, but I decided to post this for three reasons. First, easy as it is to simply throw a 3.0 monster into a Pathfinder game, few GMs will take the time to notice that the creature should have different skills and more feats, so I took care of that. I also calculated combat maneuver bonus, which is important to the Hook Horror, due to its special grabbing attack. Second, it has been a very long weekend, with lots of computer issues, and I really don’t have the energy for a more full bodied post. And my final, very selfish reason, is that people have been getting to my blog by typing “Pathfinder Hook Horror” for months. At least now they won’t reach my blog only to realize that what they’re looking for isn’t here.

So, without further ado:

Hook Horror
The hulking creature has the screeching head of a vulture, with the hard carapace of an insect. It’s long limbs end in wicked hooks, which look like they’re good for more than just climbing.


Hook Horror (CR6)(Aberration/Underground/Temperate)


XP 2,400
N Large Aberration
Init +3; Senses Perception +9, Blindsight 60ft.


DEFENSE


AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural)
hp 65 (10d8 + 20)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Wis +8


OFFENSE


Speed 20 ft., Climb 20ft.
Melee bite +8 (2d6 + 3); 2 claws +13 (1d8 + 7)
Space 5ft.; Reach 10ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, power sunder, rending bite


STATISTICS


Str 24 Dex 17 Con 14 Int 7 Wis 12 Cha 9
Base Atk +6/1 CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Cleave, Improved Trip (B), Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Improved Natural Attack (Claw)
Skills Climb +16, Stealth +8, Acrobat +9, Perception +9
Languages Undercommon
SQ light sensitivity


ECOLOGY


EnvironmentAny Underground
Organization Solitary, pack (5-20), or clan (21-40)
Treasure Standard

Sly hunters of cavernous subterranean areas, hook horrors are territorial monsters that distrust intruders and fiercely protect their hunting grounds. Underground areas where hook horrors dwell echo with the constant clacking and scraping sounds of their hooks against stone, as they wend their way across cliffsides and cavern walls.

A hook horror stands about 9 feet tall, and weighs approximately 400 pounds. Its long, powerfully built arms and legs end in wickedly curved hooks. Its head resembles a vulture’s, with a monstrous beak. Its torso is shaped like a beetle’s body and covered with a rough, stonelike exoskeleton, studded with sharp, bony protuberances.

Hook horrors normally live in extended family groups or clans, each of which is ruled by the eldest female. The eldest male usually leads the clan’s hunters and warriors. The clan stores its eggs communally, in a central, well-defended area of its home system of caverns or warrens.

Hook horrors are omnivores, consuming lichens, fungi, plants, and any animals they can catch. Meat is their preferred food, and drow is rumored to be one of their favorite meals.

Combat

Hook horrors attack in groups, using their climbing skills to ambush foes from above. They fight cooperatively and work together against the largest and best armed opponents. Hook horrors use their arm hooks to trip foes. If a battle goes poorly, they retreat by scaling walls.

Improved Grab (Ex) If a hook horror hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with both claw attacks, it deals normal damage, and rolls a combat maneuver check to begin a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it automatically hits with its rending bite attack on the same round (this replaces its normal bite attack for that round.) Thereafter, the hook horror has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its claws to hold the opponent (-20 penalty on combat maneuver checks to grapple, but the hook horror is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals damage for both claw attacks and a rending bite.
Power Sunder (Ex) A hook horror attempting to strike a foe’s weapon or shield does not incur an attack of opportunity. On a successful power sunder attack, a hook horror deals double damage.
Rending Bite (Ex) A hook horror can automatically bite a grabbed foe for 3d6 + 19 points of damage.
Blindsight (Ex) A hook horror emits high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that bounce off nearby objects and creatures. This ability enables it to discern objects and creatures within 60 feet. The hook horror usually does not need to make perception checks to notice creatures within range of its blindsight. A silence spell negates this ability and forces the hook horror to rely on its weak vision, which has a range of 10 feet.
Light Sensitivity (Ex) Exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) imposes a -2 penalty on a hook horror’s attack rolls.
Skills: A hook horror recieves a +8 racial bonus on stealth checks when in subterranean areas. This is not included in the calculation of Hook Horror’s stealth check above.

Colorful Characters 10: Khatael Nafleed, Elven Soldier

In the immense forest of Uvnebrie, larger in size than any of the great nations, Lady Tevre is the absolute authority. For centuries she has led her fellow wood elves in the judicious application of law in the largely lawless wilderness. She is a kind and goodly ruler, and freely allows any who wish to pass through the forest in peace to do so unmolested. But if any wrongdoing occurs within the Uvnebrie’s boundaries, Lady Tevre’s network alerts her instantly. What her scouts do not see, her wizard’s wards spells or her cleric’s divinations will catch. And what they do not catch will be whispered to Tevre’s druids by the trees themselves. Nothing happens within Uvnebrie to which the wood elves are not a party.

And when wrongdoing does occur, The Lady’s justice is swiftly carried out by her fearless and loyal warriors. Khatael Nafleed is one such soldier. He has served the lady with a fierce loyalty since shortly after her reign in the forest began, as one soldier amongst thousands. And he has always been happy in his role as a bringer of justice, and as a vassal to the Lady Tevre. Like many of her subjects, Khatael loves her as his queen.

Some few decades past, Khatael was part of a team sent to dispatch a necromancer. The fool human had thought he could twist the forest’s creatures into fearsome undead predators, and avoid The Lady’s justice with his simple concealment spells. The battle was bloody. The necromancer had managed to corrupt a number of wolves and bears, and bend them to his service. Four elves were lost, but the Necromancer was felled, and his abominations put properly to rest.

This was the most significant altercation within the forest boundaries in several decades, so lady Tevre herself came to survey the damage that had been done. She sent her honor guard to help gather the corpses of the corrupted animals for burning, and knelt in prayer beside each of the four elven corpses, wishing them a speedy journey to the afterlife. As she prayed, an undead wolf, who had escaped the earlier fighting, bounded into the clearing. The monster made to leap upon the elven queen, but Khatael ran between them, taking a vicious bite to his face before a volley of arrows ended the wolf’s unnatural life.

Lady Tevre herself helped Khatael onto her horse, and for Oakshead Fortress, her stronghold in this section of Uvnebrie. She pushed her horse forward without rest, but even so it took the better part of a day for her to get the wounded soldier to the healers at the citadel. The healers were able to stop Khatael from worsening, but were unable to completely heal his wounds. The bite-marks of the undead wolf had been suffused with necromatic magics. They would remain as black craters in the soldier’s skin for the rest of his life. For his part, Khatael viewed the wounds as a badge of honor.

The healers would not release Khatael for two weeks, until they were certain they had done everything they could for his wounds. Once free of the healers, he was immediately summoned to appear before lady Tevre, who had since withdrawn to her primary stronghold of Forestheart Citadel. When he arrived, she offered her personal thanks for saving her life. And, in recognition of his devotion to his duties, she granted him the rank of Captain, and gave him command of a dozen soldiers. Finally, as a personal gift given in gratitude, she gave him a rapier which had belonged to a very dear human friend and companion, who had died long before she had become ruler of Uvnebrie.

In the time since, Khatael has led the elves under his command on many successful campaigns throughout the forest. They were the first to discover that some more of the necromancer’s animals had gotten loose, and spread their corruption to others in the forest, and were on the forefront of the battle to eliminate the monsters. They also routed the attacks of several drow raiding parties. Perhaps what Khatael is best known for is his defeat of the Great Forest Worm, a colossally sized vermin which destroyed whole acres of trees before it was killed.

Personality

Khatael’s only concern is his service to the Lady Tevre and her goals. He is utterly, and ruthlessly indifferent to all other concerns. He considers any problems outside of the Uvnebrie forest to be of no importance to him. He lacks even the foresight to see which outside problems could potentially spread to become problems within Uvnebrie. However, if a clear argument is made, demonstrating how an outside problem will soon affect Unvebrie, he may be willing to listen. However, he is still likely to conclude that any problems can be dealt with once they reach the forest.

Tactics

Khatael is a master of both the blade and the bow, and can engage in armed combat of any kind comfortably. He is significantly more skilled as an archer, however, and often prefers to snipe his enemies from a great distance. While fighting within the borders of Unvebrie, he will never give up. He may retreat temporarily to tend to wounds or to formulate a plan, but he will never remove himself so far that he might lose track of where his foe is.

Thoughts on Use

Khatael could be used during any encounter with wood elves. If the PCs are working in the interest of a forest, Khatael could be a very useful ally. Though if their actions could be viewed as harmful to a forest, Khatael and the elves under his command (Rangers & Fighters of levels 5-8) could make deadly foes. It’s also worth noting that Khatael is the type who could easily become overzealous in his duty. While his patroness is Lawful Good, Khatael himself is Lawful Neutral. He may be of the opinion that it is simply better to never let anyone into the forest, rather than risk allowing them to harm it.

Interesting Facts

  • This character was largely randomly generated. Dice were rolled to determine everything from gender, to class. Stats were rolled organically (thank goodness they matched up with the class!) Number, type, and specific magic items in his possession were likewise rolled. I drew magic cards randomly from my green collection to determine events in his past, and what type of personality he was. Even his name is based off items in a randomly selected pages of randomly selected books.

Khatael Nafleed, Elven Soldier (CR 10)

XP: 6,400
Male Elven Fighter 11
LN humanoid
Init +8; Senses Perception +6, Low Light Vision


Defenses


AC 24, Flat Footed 19, Touch 15 [10 + Armor(9) + Dex(4) + Dodge(1)]
hp 85 (11d10 + 11)
Fast Healing 1
Immunities Sleep effects, Bleeding
Fort +8 Ref +7 Will + 4 (+6 v. Enchantments)(+7 v. Fear)


Offense


Speed 30ft
Melee Rapier of Puncturing +17/+12/+7 (1d6 + 5/18-20 x2)
—–Special(Wounding): Successful hits also deal 1 point of bleed damage. Damage stacks, applied at the start of each turn.
—–Special(Puncturing): 3/day, wielder may make a touch attack with the weapon to deal 1d6 points of CON damage.
Ranged Composite Longbow +21/+16/+11 (1d8 + 10/x3)(100ft)


Stats


Str 16 (+3) Dex 19 (+4) Con 12 (+1) Int 13 (+1) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 15 (+2)
Base Atk +11/+6/+1; CMB +14; CMD 28
Feats Dodge, Iron Will, Lunge, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Longbow), Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Specialization (Longbow)
Skills Perception (+6), Intimidate (+16), Stealth (+10), Survival (+13) [Armor Check Penalty: -2]
Languages Common, Elven
SQ
–Weapon Training 2:
+2 to Bows, +1 to Light Blades
Lunge: You can increase the reach of your melee attacks by 5ft for one turn by taking a -2 penalty on AC until your next turn.
–Quick Draw: Draw weapon as a free action.
Point Blank Shot: +1 attack and damage for ranged weapons on targets within 30ft
–Far Shot: Range penalties reduced by half
–Precise Shot: No penalties for shooting into melee
–Rapid Shot: Make one extra ranged attack. Both attacks suffer a -2 attack roll penalty.
Gear +3 Composite Longbow (Str Rating +3), 50 arrows, Rapier of Puncturing (PFCR Pg. 474), Ring of Regenration (PFCR Pg. 462), Gem of Seeing (PFCR Pg. 514), Iron Flask (PFCR Pg. 521), Masterwork Full Plate Armor, 50ft of fine elven rope, three days worth of rations, a warm cloak, 80gp.

Colorful Characters 9: Raughm Saltbeard

Like all members of the Saltbeard clan, Raughm, son of Thulas, was born with stark white hair. And, also like all firstborn men of the Saltbeard clan, it was ordained that Raughm would join the clergy of Moradin. During his early life, Raughm met those expectations without complaint or incident. Though he had no skill as a scholar of Moradin’s teachings, he served his clan will with his simple wisdom, devotion to duty, and loyalty. He did not stand out amongst dwarven folk, for good or for ill.

Shortly after Raughm entered his second century, the stronghold of the Saltbeared clan was visited by travelers. They were dirty from the road, and claimed to be refugees from the Greenstone Clan, who lived far to the south in the jungle of Dejich. Their mountain stronghold, they said, had been destroyed by a great shaking of the earth. Only two score of Greenstone dwarves remained, and they asked whether they might be allowed to settle amongst the Saltbeards, as their numbers were too few to continue as a clan of their own. The Saltbeards, being an amicable people, accepted the Greenstone clan as full citizens.

The next few decades proceeded very normally for both clans. They mined for precious ores, forged weapons and armor of great beauty, and warred against goblins and orcs whenever the opportunity arose. The two clans had been living as one for thirty years before the woman approached Raughm. She was a Greenstone named Ryllen, and a picturesque example of dwarven nobility. At first she was simply flirtatious, flattering the simple dwarf. As the months progressed, though, she became more aggressive. She told Raughm that, for the good of her people, she wanted to be wed to him. Despite living together as a single clan for decades, the Saltbeards had been wary of endangering the white beards they were so proud of by becoming bonded with the Greenstones. It was Ryllen’s hope that seeing a “respected and honored paragon of Saltbeard values,” such as Raughm, wed to a Greenstone noble would break the taboo.

Raughm was excited to have the attentions of such a beautiful dwarven woman, and immediately agreed to the wedding. Ryllen had one stipulation, however, which she insisted Raughm meet before they announce their bonding plans. There were two items of great importance to the Greenstone clan which had been left behind in their destroyed stronghold. She would need Raughm’s help to retrieve them. Only them would she wed him. The task seemed minor enough, and Raughm agreed to accompany her on her quest.

The journey south to the Dejich Jungle was a long and difficult one. Raughm had never been more than a few miles from the Saltbeard clan stronghold before, and found the increasingly humid temperatures nearly unbearable. The two faced many challenges along the road, and Raughm grew ever more devoted to Ryllen during their journey. Finally, after six months of travel, the two reached their goal. The Greenstone clan stronghold. Just as the Greenstones had claimed, the mountain had split violently down the middle. Raughm wondered about what violent force could possible caused such destruction.

The two entered cautiously, and made their way through the crumbling hallways to Ryllen’s former chambers. A wooden shelf lay cracked and broken on the ground, exposing a stairway behind it. The two descended down into what appeared to be a hidden chamber. Ryllen gleefully ran over to some skeletal dwarven remains. She removed some unusual hide armor, and a great warhammer, from the corpse. Believing their great journey to be at an end, Raughm asked if these were the heirlooms they had been seeking. In response, Ryllen smashed him in the side of the head with the hammer.

Ryllen left him there to die. And as he lay bleeding on the ground, he called out to Moradin for aid. But no answer came from the All Father. Instead, the room began to warp and twist, the stone trembling. A bloody mist seeped into the room, and coalesced into the form of a 10ft tall dwarf. It spoke in a booming voice, sputtering acid onto poor Raughm as it spoke.

“Your weakling god cannot hear you here, cleric. I have profaned this room, which my servant brought you to. The hated dwarf god is blind here. But I will help you.”

“Who are you?” Raughm thought, unable to speak. He could feel his extremities growing cold, knew his life would leave him soon.

“I can give you back your life. I can grant you vengeance against she who betrayed you. I can make you my champion…all you must do is agree to serve under the sign of the Dead Mountain. I am Agg. Enthrall your will to mine and you will live.”

Raughm was no scholar, but he knew of Agg of the Dead Mountain. No god was so feared and loathed by dwarven kind. Yet death drew ever nearer, and Raughm was afraid. He found the strength to bloodily sputter the words out of his mouth: “I enthrall my will to Agg, the terrible, of the Dead Mountain. Grant me life. Grant me vengeance…”

Agg drew in a deep breath, and exhaled mightily, filling the room with ash. A moment later, Raughm emerged fully healed of his injuries. He had always been a temperate dwarf, but now he felt filled with unholy rage. He ran out the chambers, and through the dwarven citadel. He found Ryllen as she was descending the path leading back into the jungle below. He leaped upon her, taking her by surprise. She never even fought back as he smashed her head into the stone again, and again, and again, leaving nothing but a bloody mess in his hands.

When he stood from his bloody work, Agg was again standing over him.

“Don the armor, and take the weapon, then go forth into the world. Rot the trees and salt the earth. Let nothing grow where you have been.”

Raughm, unable to reject the will to which he had bound himself, merely nodded, and complied. Since that day, hundreds of years ago, Raughm has traveled from village to village doing Agg’s will.

Personality

Even among dwarves, Raughm is quiet. Amongst other races he does not speak at all, because he was never able to master the common tongue. He tries to appear friendly, offering healing to any in need. He often offers his healing spells to poor villages with sick or wounded members, who would otherwise be unable to afford magical healing. Only once Raughm is well loved and allowed to stay in the village, does he begin his work corrupting the land, spoiling the food, eventually forcing the entire village either to move, or to die.

Tactics

Raughm is not the greatest combatant, and avoids direct conflict when he can. If forced to fight, he will use his hammer and his spells as appropriate, but will flee at the first opportunity to do so.

Thoughts on use

Raughm is a good mystery villain, much like Hiles Gorefeet. The mystery can be set up one of two ways: either the characters are in a town whose land is dying, and are tasked with finding the cause. Or, alternatively, the characters can learn of a series of towns which each suffered similar famine-like conditions, and from there learn that the same dwarven cleric visited all the towns.

Raughm Saltbeard (CR 10)

XP: 9,600
Male Dwarf Cleric 11
CE humanoid
Init +0; Senses Perception +5 (+7 with regards to stonework.), Darkvision 60ft


Defenses


AC 14, Flat Footed 16, Touch 16 [10 + Armor(4) + Dex(0) + Size(0)]
hp 96 (11d8 + 33)
Fort +7 Ref +3 Will + 12 [+2 to any save v. poison, spells, or spell-like abilities.]


Offense


Speed 20ft
Melee Deadearth Hammer + 11/6 (2d6 + 3/x3)
Channeled Energy: 6d6 [6/day; Negative Energy; Will DC: 16][May substitute normal effect to heal or harm earthen outsiders]
Prepared Cleric Spells (CL 11th; Concentration +16 [+20 when casting defensively]) (Domain Spell is in Bold)
6th (1 + 1)–Antilife Shell, Harm
5th (3 + 1)–Insect Plague, Unhallowx2, Wall of Stone
4th (4 + 1)– Giant Vermin, Unholy Blight, Cure Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds
3rd (5 + 1)–Contagion, Meld to Stone, Greater Rot, Cure Serious Wounds, Inflict Serious Wounds, Stone Shape
2nd (5 + 1)–Desecrate x2, Death Knell, Undetectable Alignment, Cure Moderate Wounds, Soften Earth and Stone
1st (6 + 1)–Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Inflict Light Wounds, Curse Water, Rotx2, Magic Stone
0 (at will)– Stabalize, Create Water, Purify Food and Drink, Light
Domains Destruction, Earth
Domain Powers
Acid Dart (Sp)(8/day): As a standard action, attack a foe within 30ft with an acid dart as a ranged touch attack. Dart deals 1d6 + 1/cleric level damage.
Destructive Smite (Su)(8/day): Melee attack gains damage bonus equal to 1/2 of cleric level. (5) Must be declared prior to making the attack.


Stats


Str 13 (+1) Dex 11 (+0) Con 16 (+3) Int 4 (-3) Wis 20 (+5) Cha 13 (+1)
Base Atk +8/+3; CMB +9; CMD 19 (23 v. Trip & Bull Rush)
Feats Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Quicken Spell, Extra Channel, Elemental Channel (Earth)
Skills Appraise -4 (-2 for precious metals & gemstones), Diplomacy +25, Perception +5 (+7 with regards to stonework.)
Languages Dwarven
Gear Famine Hide Armor, Deadearth Hammer, Holy Symbol of Agg of the Dead Mountain, Four potions of Cure Critical Wounds, Ring of the Ram (PFCR Pg. 482), Glove of Storing (PFCR Pg. 515), Wineskin filled with Blackberry Wine, Wineskin filled with Acid, 250 gold pieces


New Spells


Rot
School
Necromancy; Level cleric 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range Touch
Target Food, earth, or plant
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw
Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
This spell draws the nutrients from whatever it is cast upon. A pot of stew or plate of food can become fetid and unpalatable. A single tree, shrub, or other plant can will wither and die. A patch of ground with a roughly 10ft radius from the caster can be rendered completely barren for three weeks, killing all but the most hardy plants growing there.

Greater Rot
School Necromancy; Level cleric 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range Touch
Target Food, earth, or plant
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw
Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
This spell functions as Rot, but with greater range. Greater Rot could be used to spoil an entire store room of food, or all the food in a decently sized kitchen. It can be used to kill 3d6 trees or shrubs, so long as they are within 50ft of each other. If cast upon the ground, Greater Rot causes an area in a 30ft radius to be rendered completely barren for two months.


New Equipment


Famine Hide Armor
Aura Strong Necromancy; CL 12th
Slot Armor; Price 18,900 gp; Weight 25lb.
This armor appears to be normal Hide armor, though it is somewhat discolored. The hide used to create this armor was harvested from an animal who died due to famine. Once a week, this +2 Hide Armor allows its wearer to drain all nutrients from an area of earth up to 100 square feet in size. This process takes a minute, and grants the armor’s wearer full health when it completes. The land will remain completely barren for a year.
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Circle of Death, Hide of an animal killed by famine. Cost 11,750gp

Deadearth Hammer
Aura
Strong Transmutation; CL 13th
Slot none; Price 50,320 gp; Weight 16 lb.
This +2 Heavy Warhammer (two handed martial weapon, 2d6 damage for medium creatures) is crafted from stone harvested from the heart of a mountain, magically strengthened to be as hardy as steel, though much heavier. The 4ft long handle is crafted of mithril, with a leather grip. Once per month, the hammer may be smashed into the ground to cause an earthquake, radiating out as much as 2 miles from the hammer’s impact.
Requirements: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Move Earth; Cost 25,320 gp


New Deity: Agg of the Dead Mountain


Magmaheart, The Stonebreaker
Lesser Deity
Symbol
A mountain on one side. On the back side is a mountain split in two.
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Worshipers Evil dwarven cultists
Domains Destruction, Earth, Chaos, Evil, Fire, Maddness
Favored Weapon Warhammer
Agg was once a celestial revered by the dwarves, called Aggonem. In ages long past Aggonem entered into a great battle with the demon hordes of the abyss. Details of the battle are not known, but it is said that he fought on tirelessly for years, as only a celestial could. After long ages of war, Aggonem was brought low by the demons. A demon general stepped forward, and struck Aggonem’s head from his neck with the celestial’s own warhammer. So strong was the force of Aggonem’s will, though, that his death caused a every demon within a mile to be sucked into a vortex centered on the place of his death. When the screams of the demons had died down, and silence momentarily covered the abyssal battlefield, Agg emerged. The evil god seeks the destruction of all which dwarves hold dear.

Colorful Characters 8: Orom Huntsorc

The childhood of Orom Huntsorc is not so different from that of any half-orc. He believes he probably had a human mother, though he does not know. He never knew his mother, and his first memories are of the streets of the small city of Ilton. He merely assumes that she was human, because everyone else in Ilton is. The opportunities available to Orom in his formative years were few. The only education he received was that which could be learned stealing food, and fighting other children so he could keep it.

It was during his childhood that Orom gained an affinity for dogs. There was a number of strays in the city, and they tended to congregate wherever the castoff children did. The children spared what food they could, and the dogs provided some protection from adult criminals, or worse, the city guard. The dogs had no prejudice towards Orom’s heritage. The simple creatures were loving, loyal, and helpful.

By the time Orom was fifteen, he was so much larger and stronger than the other children that he could easily have started or joined a gang, as most of the other children his age were beginning to do. But to Orom, joining a gang meant tying yourself to Ilton. He didn’t want that, he hated Ilton. All his life he’d known nothing but hardship and suffering, and he knew there had to be some place where he could live the way he saw everyone else live. With a home to return to, plenty of food to eat, and a reasonable expectation that you’d never get stabbed for that food.

Eager for an alternative, Orom found a posting for a bounty nailed to the board outside of a guard station. A petty thug who had fled the city with 300 gold pieces stolen from a local merchant. He was believed to be hiding in the woods surrounding Ilton. Orom gathered eight of the strongest dogs, and ventured outside of Ilton for the first time. His hunting was clumsy at best. He was a city slicker, and nearly died in the wilderness due to a complete lack of survival skills. But through determination and luck, Orom not only survived, but found the thief he had been chasing. He dragged the man back to town, and was rewarded with 15 gold pieces. A pittance compared to the amount which was taken, but more money than Orom had ever been able to earn doing any other kind of work.

The young half orc continued hunting bounties, and became a great deal better at it. Within a few months he had enough to begin renting a small apartment of his own. But he rarely stayed there. Each time he returned to town with a bounty, he eagerly began searching for a new one to go after. The more time he spent in the forest, the more the city felt alien to him.

When Orom was twenty five, he was drinking quietly in a tavern when a fight broke out. Orom was, by then, a cool and collected warrior. He didn’t feel the need to join into the brawl. But then a small, wiry man fell back onto Orom’s table. The man was clearly drunk, and when he pulled himself up, he saw Orom, shouted that the thrice-damned orc had shoved him, then pulled a dagger. Orom quickly drew his own dagger, and buried it in the man’s chest. The fight–a good clean affair, with nothing more deadly than fists up until then–stopped. Everyone turned to look at Orom, and he suddenly realized he needed to make his way out of the tavern as quickly as possible.

Now with a bounty on his own head, Orom fled Ilton, and traveled deep into the forest, further than he had ever gone before. After two weeks of travel, he found a dirt road passing through the woodlands. Drag marks on the road indicated that it was used for hauling logs south, likely from the ironwood groves to the city of Asterem, which exported the rare wood. Orom considered following them, but stopped himself. He had never been happy with city living, and another city would be no better, he decided. So he set up camp a few yards off the road in order to have some time to think.

He was still thinking a few days later when a group of men using horses to drag logs along the road passed by. That’s when the idea struck Orom, and he began following the loggers stealthily. When they camped for the night, so did he. And when they left in the morning, he remained. He remained in that area for three weeks, watching as the loggers came by. They consistently reached this part of the road by late evening, and set up camp not long after.

So Orom began clearing trees in a large area by the side of the road. It was slow work, but he was in no rush. Methodically he dug a foundation, and began constructing an Inn for the loggers to stay at along the road. It took him months of work, and the loggers took note and began to joke with him as they passed, or sing songs about the ‘crazy woodland orc.’ After six months, the Inn was finished. It wasn’t pretty, but it was functional. He christened it “The Tree Grown Orc” after his favorite of the jovial songs sung by the loggers during the construction. Orom became well beloved by the loggers for his warm accommodations, and his strong ale. Though his cooking was bad enough that, after a few months, the loggers begged him to hire someone to prepare the food. He told them that if they brought him someone, he would hire them for 50 silver a week. The next group to come back from Asterem had an old woman named Ysilla with them, and she’s worked for Orom ever since.

For fifteen years, Orom has successfully owned and operated The Tree Grown Orc, happy to live a life of playing with his dogs, brewing ale, hunting game, and listening to loggers sing drinking songs.

Personality

Orom is stoic, and quiet. He doesn’t talk much to anyone, and he doesn’t talk at all to those whom he finds unpleasant. If he needs to communicate with them, he’s most likely to simple gestures, grunts, or in extreme cases, blows.

Orom does get along well with his regulars, though. They all like him for making their hard journey much more pleasant, and Orom has found that he likes being liked.

Tactics

Orom is a powerful foe with either his trademarked falchion, or his composite shortbow, and his four dogs can prove very useful in combat.

Orom likes to remain at range and hidden if possible. If he can get away with it, he will move to different positions around his foes, so they’ll never be able to predict where his arrows will come from. If he is able to fire from concealment within 30 feet of his prey, Orom will send in his dogs. His increased accuracy at that range makes Orom more confident that he won’t harm one of his friends.

If he runs out of arrows, his foes begin advancing on his location, or one of his dogs is harmed, Orom will switch to his falchion and charge. He likes to use the heavy weight of the massive blade to sunder weapons and armor. Not only does it often cripple opponents more quickly than attacking them directly, but it also keeps them alive to be turned in for the bounty.

Thoughts on Use

Inns are a staple of tabletop gaming, so GMs are always in need of good colorful Innkeepers for them. Orom can be a fun one. And if the GM is in the mood for a filler adventure, bounty hunters from Ilton could always come looking for him.

Orom could also be used to hunt down players who cause trouble in or near his Inn, such as skipping out on payment. He might even be used by the city of Ilton to hunt players down in exchange for a pardon.

The Tree Grown Orc

The Tree Grown Orc is a very simple building. A single story, the building consists of a main hall with a hearth and general sleeping area. Four private rooms with very basic amenities are spaced around the east and west sides of the Inn. A simple kitchen can be accessed through a door across from the entrance to the main hall. And, through the kitchen, are doors to both Orom’s private room, and Ysilla’s private room. A third door from the kitchen opens into the outdoors, and forty yards away from the door is Orom’s distillery.

Orom Huntsorc (CR 3)

XP: 800
Male Orc Ranger 4
CN humanoid
Init +3 (+5 in forests); Senses Perception +9 (+11 v. dwarves, or in forests), Darkvision 60ft


Defenses


AC 16, Flat Footed 13, Touch 13 [10 + Armor(3) + Dex (3)]
hp 47 (4d10 + 12)
Fort +6 Ref +7 Will + 3


Offense


Speed 30ft
Melee Falchion + 8 (2d4 + 4/18-20 x2) (+2 to attack & damage rolls against dwarves)
Ranged Composite Shortbow + 7 (1d6 + 3/x3) (+2 to attack & damage rolls against dwarves)(+1 to attack & damage rolls within 30ft)
Prepared Ranger Spells (CL 1st, Concentration +3)
–Level 1 (1/day): Calm Animals (Pg. 252 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook)


Stats


Str 17 (+3) Dex 17 (+3) Con 15 (+2) Int 9 (-1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 8 (-1)
Base Atk +4; CMB +7 (+9 when sundering. No AOO.); CMD 20 (+2 v. sunder.)
Feats Point Blank Shot, Endurance, Power Attack, Improved Sunder
Skills Craft(Brewer) +6, Handle Animal +6, Intimidate +4, Perception +9, Stealth +10, Survival +9 (+11 when tracking); [+2 to Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks concerning dwarves.] [+2 to Knowledge(Geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival in forests.]
Languages Common, Orcish
SQ
Favored Enemy – Humanoid(Dwarves)
Wild Empathy – (Pg. 64 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook)
Combat Style – Archery
Favored Terrain – Forest
Power attack – May choose to take a -2 penalty on attack rolls in exchange for a +4 on damage rolls.
Endurance – (Pg. 122 of the PF CRB)
Gear +1 Falchion, Composite Shortbow, 24 arrows, large quiver, Studded Leather armor dyed dappled shades of green and brown, one dagger in his belt, one dagger in his boot, steel toed boots, 20lb of caltrops, 3 sets of manacles, flint and tinder, 58 gold pieces


Greadhut


Orom’s Animal Companion, Greadhut is as the dog listed on page 87 of the Pathfinder Beastiary, except as noted below.
hp 16
bab +1
Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +0
Skills Acrobatics +3 (+11 jumping)
Feats Improved Bull Rush
SQ Link, Share Spells
Tricks Attack, Come, Defend, Fetch, Guard, Heel, Seek


Moot, Hornt, & Forvet


In addition to his animal companion Greadhut, Orom has trained three other dogs which he cares for. Each is as the dog listed on page 87 of the Pathfinder Beastiary. Each knows the following tricks: Attack, Come, Defend, Fetch, Guard, Heel

Colorful Characters 7: Hiles Gorefeet AKA "Speak No Evil"

Though Hiles does not know it, he is the last in a proud line of halfling leaders. Hiles grandfather led a large band of nomadic halflings for many years. The band flourished under his leadership, and he was well loved. As was his daughter, Iyllia, whom he was grooming to replace him. Iyllia was with child when the band arrived at the tower of Gasner The Blue, a wizard with whom they had often traded in the past. Hiles grandfather entered the tower to greet the wizard, but within he found only carnage, and demons.

Gasner, no great practitioner, had intentionally summoned these demons. And while Gasner successfully brought these creatures onto the material plane, his skills were insufficient to hold them captive. His entrails decorated the tower’s interior like streamers. The halfling leader fled the scene, and ordered his band beat a hasty retreat, but the demons were too quick. The fiends had the halflings surrounded before the last cart had fully rounded about.

The demons took pleasure in torturing some of the halflings, releasing or killing them only after the poor fool had offered his soul in exchange. Those who would not relent were tortured for days before finally succumbing to death. Those halflings who avoided torture, though, suffered the most dire fate. The demons took them back to the Abyss, and sold them as slaves in the Abyssal city of Dis. Among these was Iyllia, sold to a mighty Balor called Tarro’Ghk’Zheir. Two months later, Iyllia died as she was tortured during childbirth. She survived only long enough to name the child Hiles, and apologize to him for the life she was bringing him into.

The other mortal slaves of the demon kept the child alive, though none were willing to take on the responsibility of “raising” him. That level of caring is too dangerous in the Abyss. They were able to tell the child his name, but none knew his family name, and so for many years Hiles did not have one. It wasn’t until Hiles was five, when he was stamping the corpses of the damned to mush in an abyssal winepress, that Tarro’Ghk’Zheir mockingly gave him the name “Gorefeet.”

Tarro’Ghk’Zheir grew somewhat fond of Hiles, insomuch as demons can be fond. He found the little halfling’s cowardly nature amusing, and often passed time by finding creative ways to terrify Hiles. And despite his cowardly nature, Hiles did prove himself useful as a servant. Which is why, when Tarro’Ghk’Zheir traveled to the material realm to wreak havoc there, he brought Hiles with him. For his own part, Hiles never really knew much about his master’s schemes, concerning himself only with avoiding the demon’s wrath. He didn’t know what the strange underground complex was, or what the cultists in red robes were for. Then the adventurers came. They scattered the cultists, raided the underground complex, and killed Tarro’Ghk’Zheir.

All without noticing little Hiles.

Never having been free, Hiles didn’t know what to do. And he was far too scared to experiment, at least at first. He carried on with his assigned duties, believing that this was merely another game being played by his master. One which would end as soon as he strayed from his duties, and the mighty demon could threaten to flay his skin from his bones. As his supplies dwindled, and the corpse of the mighty demon began to decompose, Hiles began to wonder if it was a game after all. Perhaps, for whatever reason, the cruel demon was gone…a concept which terrified Hiles nearly as much as invoking the demon’s wrath. Hiles had never known life without Tarro’Ghk’Zheir, and couldn’t imagine how to function without him.

Fortunately, the comforting voice of Tarro’Ghk’Zheir came to him. It berated him for being a fool and believing for even an instant that any harm could befall the great Tarro’Ghk’Zheir. The voice then demanded that Hiles bring it a meal of freshly dead humanoid. Hiles ventured out of the dungeon for the first time, found a nearby village, and knocked out a young human man in the dead of night, bound him, and dragged him back to the dungeon in a bag of holding. He set the young man loose there, to be hunted down. Tarro’Ghk’Zheir likes his meat to experience terror before death.

Tarro’Ghk’Zheir’s voice has continued to speak to Hiles, and for twenty years the halfling has fed his master from dozens of villages and cities both near and far. More recently, the urban legends which tell of the halfling murderer call him “Speak No Evil,” because of the phrase which Hiles now repeats over and over again.

Personality

Hiles is cowardly and uncertain of himself. He will often apologize to his victims even as he murders them. Extended conversations with him are next to impossible. If he’s not murdering you, he’s fleeing from you. And if PCs manage to force him to do neither, anything he says will be incoherent. If captured outside of his dungeon, GMs may choose to insert clues to the location of his dungeon into his ramblings. No matter what, though, the phrase “Speak No Evil” should pass his lips frequently. It is his mantra.

Tactics

Hiles is motivated in everything he does by terror. It is likely that he would flee if forced into a direct confrontation with anyone who seemed confident enough to stand up to him. He prefers to prey on those who are just as scared of him as he is of himself. If forced to deal with a capable foe, Hiles will attempt to separate that foe from any allies, and will always prefer to strike from the shadows.

If reduced to 50% health, Hiles will beg not to be hurt anymore.

Thoughts on Use

Hiles is designed as an encounter for characters levels 6-8. He’s a much more grim encounter than often comes up in D&D games, and should be used only with a group which is comfortable with high levels of violence and other disturbing content.

The encounter might come about when the players are hired to look into “Speak No Evil” by a city Hiles was recently hunting in. A more interesting plot hook might be Hiles capturing an NPC the players know personally. The player characters would then need to hunt Hiles down, hoping to save said NPC. If your group is amenable to being split, you might even have one of the PCs be captured by Hiles.

Interesting Facts

-Immediately after being killed, Tarro’Ghk’Zheir reformed in the Abyss. He raged at having been defeated, then returned to his citadel to carry on his affairs. He has completely forgotten about Hiles, and has never contacted him or even bothered to wonder what happened to him.

-Hiles once heard the phrase “Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.” Being as uneducated as he is, the halfling believes this to be a prescription for creating wards against evil. For reasons unknown, he latched on to the last part, and believes that tongues can be used to protect against evil. Once Tarro’Ghk’Zheir’s corpse is completely surrounded by tongues, he thinks, then the demon will never be able to hurt him again.

Dungeon

Every room of this twisted maze is essentially identical. Old and broken items lie in piles scattered randomly through each room and corridor. From simple items like benches, barrels, and shelving; to more distinguishing items such as torture equipment, sacrificial altars, and demonic statues. It is possible that some forgotten treasure is buried under a few of these piles. The blood and scraps from hundreds of humanoid creatures are scattered randomly throughout the dungeon as well, though no tongues will ever be found.

If the players enter the room marked with the pentagram, they find the rotting, still-flaming corpse of a Balor Demon, (Tarro’Ghk’Zheir). On the walls of this chamber are tongues. Dozens upon dozens of tongues, each one nailed to the wall, forming something which resembles a grotesque set of scales. If the characters take the time to count thoroughly, they will find three hundred and twenty eight tongues on the wall. Some of them appear to be as much as fifteen years old.

Note: I notice now, too late, that there’s a small portion of the map which I forgot to fill in. I apologize for that.

Hiles Gorefeet, AKA “Speak No Evil” (CR 7)

XP: 3,200
Male Halfling Rogue 8
CE Small humanoid
Init +8; Senses Perception +12 (+16 v. Traps)


Defenses


AC 21, Flat Footed 16, Touch 16 [10 + Armor(5) + Dex(4) + Size(1) + Dodge(1)] (+2 v. Traps) (Can’t be Flat Footed)
hp 73 (8d8 + 24)
Fort +6 Ref +11 (1/2 damage on save)(+2 v. Traps)Will + 2 (+1 vs. fear)


Offense


Speed 25ft
Melee Wounding Dagger + 11/+6 (1d3 + 4/19-20 x2)(+1 bleeding damage, -1 HP each round, cumulative)
Ranged Dagger + 11/+6 (1d3 + 1 /19-20 x2)(10ft Increment)
Sneak Attack 4d6
Vital Strike When using attack action, may make one attack at highest BAB. Damage dice are rolled twice for this attack.


Stats


Str 16 (+3) Dex 19 (+4) Con 16 (+3) Int 8 (-1) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 10 (+0)
Base Atk +6/+1; CMB +8; CMD 16
Feats Improved Initiative, Dodge, Weapon Finesse, Fleet, Weapon Focus (Dagger), Quick Draw, Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +17, Climb +8, Escape Artist +15, Perception +12 (+16 v. Traps), Sense Motive +12, Sleight of Hand +15, Stealth +19,
Languages Halfling, Common, Abyssal
SQ May move at full speed while using stealth, can draw weapons as a free action
Gear +2 Studded Leather Armor, 10x +1 daggers for throwing, +1 Wounding Dagger, 10ft of chains, 2 meat hooks, 20ft of demonshair rope (+5 to escape artist DCs), 5lb of caltrops, bodybag of holding, 80 gold pieces

Colorful Characters 6: The Owlbear

When The Owlbear was born, she was called Ebrya Wucen. Her parents were nobles in good standing with both the nobility, and the common people. Her father had devoted himself to the clerical magics, and never required any payment for his healing services. Her mother was an engineer, who helped design the city’s aqueduct system. Ebrya’s childhood was happy.

When Ebrya was eight years old, her family visited the court of a fellow noble family of somewhat higher rank. There, they were entertained by a jester of great skill. Up until the moment she went to bed, the young girl jabbered on about how funny he had been. Three hours later she was awakened by that same jester, who bound her tightly and propped her up against the wall. From that position, she could see that her parents had been bound as well. The Jester drew a meat cleaver from within his cloak, and began to attack Lord and Lady Wucen. Ebrya closed her eyes, but she could still hear the wet chopping sounds, and her parents muffled screams, which seemed to continue for hours.

The scene wasn’t discovered until the morning. There were no pieces of Ebrya’s parents large enough to identify. Those in the castle tried to shield Ebrya from the slaughter, but it was far too late for that. The young girl had been forever changed. The jester was caught a mere fortnight later. As it turned out, he had merely been an assassin posing as a jester. Who sent him was never discovered, and he was executed soon after his capture. Meanwhile, Ebrya left to be raised by her parent’s devoted servants, all of whom loved her dearly, and did their best to raise her as her parents would have wished.

Ebrya started sneaking out at night, just to get away from the home where she had lived with her parents. After realizing her fine clothes made her stand out too much, Ebrya took to wearing the dirtiest rags she could find. It wasn’t long before she simply blended in with all of the other children living on the streets. She befriended some of them, though never really grew close to anyone. They taught her how to survive on the streets; how to hide, steal, and fight to get whatever you needed.

One evening when Ebrya was 13, she witnessed a beating. She often saw fights. Fights were commonplace, it was how many disputes were settled away from the gilded halls of the nobility. This was not a fight. A scrawny man–she recognized him as a local sneakthief–was brutally kicking a 10 year old pickpocket in the stomach repeatedly. For a moment Ebrya was at a loss for how to help. Instinctually she ran up to the man and kicked him in the back of the knee. She was as shocked as he was when he fell flat on his back. She barely kept enough presence of mind to give him two hard kicks in the head before helping the younger child up and running off.

For Ebrya, the what she felt after that was life changing. She felt really powerful for the first time since her parents’ murder. Not only had she physically dominated a man who, while scrawny, was still much larger than her; but more importantly she had stopped further harm from coming to an innocent. She wanted to feel more of that, and so she convinced her caretakers to hire a hand-to-hand combat instructor for her.

Two years later, Ebrya left her home in the company of her parent’s most trusted servant: Refald. The old man accompanied her as she made a long pilgrimage to the Monastery Of The Moon’s Back, an ancient structure far to the north, nestled in the snow capped mountains which marked the edge of the kingdom. There lived an even more ancient order of monastic warriors. When she arrived, she begged them to accept her as one of them. They told her to wait while the deliberated, and left her outside of the monastery. She knew how much monks respect discipline, so she remained standing at attention outside the door. She remained there for seven days, save for when she slept or ate. Refald insisted that they return home, but Ebrya would not be swayed. At dawn on the eight day, the monks opened the door, and accepted Ebrya as one of them. She turned to Refald, entrusted him with the affairs of her parent’s house, and disappeared inside.

No one would see the girl again for 12 years. In that time she trained constantly, mastering every aspect of the martial skills. And when she returned home a grown woman, she found things much the same as she had left them. Refald was still maintaining her parent’s affairs, with a dozen other servants besides. More importantly, the city streets were still filled with crime and brutality. Ebrya began preparations as soon as she returned, dipping into her parent’s impressive holdings (which had continued to grow under Refald’s management) and purchasing the equipment she would need through far-off vendors, under fake names.

She constructed for herself a disguise which would strike terror into the hearts of those who would harm the weak. She kept the simple uniform of the monastery, dyed black, and added to it a great brown hooded cloak which she adorned with owl bear feathers around its edges. To cover her face, she acquired a large pair of goggles, and the beak of a real owlbear, enchanted to alter her voice. Her house staff was somewhat unsettled by this, but they had known and loved her all of her life, and supported their mistress in this endeavor.

And so did Lady Ebrya Wucen put away her name in favor of one which would give pause to those who would harm others: The Owlbear.

Personality

Ebrya is not a jovial person. You could count the number of times she’s smiled since her parent’s murder on your fingers. She feels a great deal of empathy for those in need, however, and will rush to their aid in whatever way is most appropriate at the time. As The Owlbear, she may save people from a burning building or beat an evildoer into submission. As Lady Ebrya, she spends much of her family’s wealth establishing orphanages and hospitals which she personally visits frequently.

As the Owlbear, she speaks only when necessary. She much prefers not to be seen as well, so if possible she keeps her distance from anyone she’s not fighting. As Lady Wucen, she has become a social recluse. She pours all her time into her charitable projects, and otherwise doesn’t seem to leave her manor.

Tactics

The Owlbear is a ferocious fighter, and could easily stand toe-to-toe with any combat veteran. However, she much prefers to strike from hiding. During an extended combat, even against inferior foes, The Owlbear will take what opportunities present themselves to hide herself. Once concealed, she will again spring out at her opponent, taking them by surprise.

The Owlbear prefers not to draw blood, avoiding strikes to areas which bleed freely such as the forehead. Though the sight of blood does not sicken her, it does bring back painful memories of the murder Ebrya witnessed as a child. She also prefers not to kill, though neither preference is set in stone for The Owlbear. If blood or death is required, then blood and death are acceptable.

Thoughts On use

The Owlbear is a vigilantee in a large city. There are a number of ways in which the players could encounter her.

  1. The players, in performing some crime, are attacked by The Owlbear.
  2. The players, in investigating some crime, find that The Owlbear has already trashed the villains the PCs were hoping to interrogate.
  3. The players are contracted by a noble who wants The Owlbear dealt with. (Evil PCs could be given the truth, while good PCs might be told that The Owlbear is a deadly criminal.)
  4. In a political game, the PCs hear about “Strange Lady Wucen, never the same since her parents died. Now she stays holed up in her house…poor lady.”

Once in play, though, The Owlbear’s use is very simple: a distrusting friend to good players, and a relentless foe to evil players.

Interesting Facts

-Ebrya is completely asexual. She is not interested in sexuality, no matter what. Note that she is not disgusted by it. If anything, she is completely apathetic about sex.

-Many of the nobles in the city are finding their less-than-legal methods of income are being hindered by The Owlbear’s activities. There are a number of contracts out for her head.

-Ebrya has never been comfortable with jesters or other mirthmakers since her parent’s murder. It’s a large part of why she never laughs, the sound itself brings back the guilt she still feels over having enjoyed the antics of the man who would, hours later, kill her parents.

Statblock Notes

This character was built using the Gestalt alternate rules established in the brilliant D&D 3.5 supplement “Unearthed Arcana.” Since the Gestalt system was published under the Open Games License, you can view a detailed account of it at HypertextD20 SRD. However, the simple version of the Gestalt system is that the character takes two classes simultaneously, gaining the best parts of each one as they level.

I would not recommend using gestalt in most situations. In an ideal party of at least 3 PCs, gestalt builds would unnecessarily unbalance the party. Additionally, gestalt further complicates the already complicated D&D 3.X / Pathfinder character creation system, so it is inadvisable for new players. When it comes in handy is A: when there are only one or two players, and the characters need to be more powerful in order for the party to be well rounded, or B: when the GM wants to create a truly memorable opponent for the PCs. Of course, some may just enjoy playing characters who are insanely overpowered, and that’s cool too.

Ebrya “The Owlbear” Wucen (CR 17)

XP: 76,800
Female Human 16 (Gestalt Rogue 16/Monk 16)
LG humanoid
Init +8; Senses Perception +20 (+28 to find traps), Darkvision 60ft


Defenses


AC 23, Flat Footed 13, Touch 23 [10 + Monk(4) + Wis(1) + Dex (4) + Ring(3) + Dodge(1)] (Cannot be caught flat footed or flanked)
Spell Resist 26
hp 116 (16d10 + 32)
Fort +11 Ref +14 (+5 vs. Traps)(1/2 dmg on success, no damage on failure) Will + 11 (+2 vs enchantments)


Offense


Speed 85ft
Melee Unarmed +17/+12/+7(3d8 + 3/x2)
Flurry of Blows +14/+14/+9/+9/+4/+4/-1
Ranged Dagger + +16/+11/+6(1d3/x2)
Sneak Attack 8d6
Ki Pool 9


Stats


Str 16 (+3) Dex 18 (+4) Con 13 (+1) Int 18 (+4) Wis 13 (+1) Cha 12 (+1)
Base Atk +12/+7/+2; CMB +19 (No AOO & +2 for Grapple, disarm, trip); CMD 29 (+2 vs. grapple, disarm, trip)
Feats Improved Initiative, Fleet, Dodge, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Grappling Hook Mastery, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Deflect Arrows, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip
Rogue Talents Fast Stealth, Weapon Training (Unarmed), Finesse Rogue, Improved Evasion, Feat (Quick Draw), Feat (Toughness), Feat (Skill Focus: Acrobatics)
Skills Acrobatics (+29)(+37 for jumping, +57 for jumping if 1 point of ki is spent), Climb (+22), Disable Device (+31), Escape Artist (+23), Intimidate (+20), Knowledge(Local) (+23), Knowledge(Nobility) (+12), Linguistics (+23), Perception (+20)(+28 to find traps), Ride (+18), Sense Motive (+20), Slight of Hand (+23), Stealth (+23), Survival (+9), Swim (+11), Use magic Device (+20)
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon
Special Qualities
–Power attack
: May choose to take a -4 penalty on attack rolls in exchange for a +8 on damage rolls.
Great Cleave: If you hit, you may attack an adjacent foe within reach at your full BAB, and may continue doing so until you miss. You may not strike the same foe twice while using this ability, and you take a -2 to your AC until the next turn.
Combat Reflexes: You may make attacks of opportunity each round equal to your Dex bonus (4), and may make attacks of opportunity even while flat footed.
Grappling Hook Mastery: When using the grappling hook to latch on to a stationary object, you gain a +4 on the attack roll. The Range Increment of the Grappling hook is also 20ft.
Slow Fall: When a wall is within arm’s reach, the character takes damage as though the fall were 80ft shorter than it is.
Stunning Fist: In addition to damage, foes hit by unarmed attack must make DC: 19 fort save or be affected by one of the following conditions for one round as chosen by attacker: Stunned, Fatigued, Sickened, Staggered for 1d6 + 1 rounds, or permanently Blind / Deaf
Deflect Arrows: Once per round, when you would normally be hit by a ranged attack, you may deflect the projectile, taking no damage from it.
Purity of Body:Character is immune to all disease.
Wholeness of Body: May use 2 points of Ki to heal 16 damage.
Diamond Body: Immunity to poison of all kinds.
Abundant Step: 2 points of ki allow a single use of Dimensional Door as the spell. May not take other creatures along.
Quivering palm: 1/day, Quicering Palm attack can be declared. Roll attack normally, if damage is dealt, then within 16 days the monk may attempt to kill the target as a free action. Fortitude DC 19 negates.
Gear Goggles of Darkvision, Owlbear’s Screech, Ring of Protection +3, Amulet of Protection from Scrying, 3x grappling hooks, 3x 100ft coils of silk rope, 30x throwing knives, spyglass, crowbar, 10 pair of masterwork manacles, 5 vials of acid, 5 vials of alchemists fire, 5 tunderstones, 5 smokesticks, magnifying glass, journal, ink, quill, masterwork lockpicking tools, Wand of Scrying 27 charges, Wand of Deep Slumber 10 charges, Wand of Illusory Wall 44 charges, simple black hooded cloak & monk’s fighting clothes, 1000gp, belt containing 2 dozen small bags of holding


New Feat: Grappling Hook Mastery


You are extremely deft with the use of a grappling hook.
Benefit: When using a grappling hook to latch on to a stationary object, the thrower gains a +4 on the ranged touch attack required. The range increment of the grappling hook is improved to 20ft.
Normal: You must succeed on a ranged attack roll to latch on to an object. The range increment of the grappling hook is treated as 10ft.


New Item: Owlbear’s Roar


Aura Faint Illusion; CL 3rd
Slot
Covers Mouth and cheeks; Price 7,500 gp;Weight 1 lb.


Description


This real owlbear’s beak has been enchanted to alter the voice of the speaker. The tone which comes forth from the beak is deep and raspy, making it impossible to distinguish who the speaker is. This item is primarily used to provide the user with an intimidating edge, granting a +2 to all intimidate checks.


Construction


Requirements Craft Wonderous Item, an Owlbear’s Beak, Magic Mouth; Cost 3,750 gp

Yes, this is supposed to be Batman. I wrote it because Arkham City came out for PC today, and my life is officially going to be consumed by it.

Colorful Characters 5: Delana The Gravedigger

Delana was born in the town of Obleton to a local widow. The widow, a seamstress by trade, had a brief tryst with an elven ranger who was passing through Obleton with his adventuring party. Though Delana’s mother never saw her elven lover again, she always spoke fondly of him to her half-elven daughter.

Like most half elves, Delana had a difficult childhood. As a member of a much longer lived species, she matured much slower than the other children in the village. A decade passed for her the way a pair of years passed for her fellows. Childhood friends matured quickly enough to have children of their own for Delana to engage with as peers.

One day, as a child of twenty, Delana was out with a hunting party. She was learning to track and to use a bow in an attempt to be closer to the father she had never met by emulating his craft. During the hunt, she came into a clearing where she found herself separated from her companions. In the clearing stood a shambling undead, which began inching towards her with hunger in its eyes. The young half elf fled and rejoined her companions, warning them of the nearby danger.

The group decided to find and kill the beast, but by the time they returned to the clearing, it was gone. Given Delana’s mental age, they assumed the child simply had an overactive imagination. Delana’s pleas for them to trust her fell on deaf ears. Later that night, Delana awoke to a wet smacking sound. The undead had returned, and was eating her companions. She screamed, and the creature turned to attack her. It bit her on the forearm, tearing away a large chunk of meat. The girl flailed, and somehow managed to escape, fleeing into the woods.

Delana was lost in the wood for four days, and lost a great deal of blood before she stumbled back into Obleton. Her mother and the townsfolk tended to her wounds and her exhaustion as best they could, but she was never quite the same. It was a full decade before she spoke a single word to anyone again, and when she did speak what she said was often cryptic. More disturbing still was that what she said could often be interpreted later as descriptions of events which had not yet occurred when she spoke.

Fifty years later, Delana’s mother passed away. Now a fully grown and developed half elf, Delana dug her mother’s grave, buried her, and set the tombstone in place with her own two hands. Every day for weeks Delana returned to the graveyard, visiting not only her mother’s grave, but each of the graves in turn. Shortly thereafter, she requested that the townspeople help her build a small home for herself near the graveyard, so as to free her mother’s larger home up for the next young couple to start a family in the village.

Delana has continued to live in the village of Obleton through the many decades and centuries of her life. The town has always been kind to her, and in her peculiar way Delana has worked to protect the town and its inhabitants. She very rarely speaks to anyone, but she is always kind when she does. Those who now live in Obleton (now a much larger town) are generations removed from anyone who knew Delana as a young woman. People often wonder why she came to their small town, never realizing that she has lived there her entire life.

The old woman still helps with the hunting occasionally, but it is a skill she never quite took to. Her livelihood is supported by the village. The only real work she does is in the graveyard. It is well known locally that when old woman Delana begins to dig, someone will be dead by the time she reaches six feet deep.

Personality

Delana is not crazy. She is, in fact, quite sharp for a half elf of such advanced age. Many of her mannerisms are eccentric, though. She does not speak much, preferring to listen. When she does speak, she is often cryptic. If pressed for a more firm answer, she merely chuckles as though her oblique answers are a joke which only she understands.

Delana does have two very strong convictions. First, if she believes that the village or anyone in it is in danger, she will bring all of her abilities to bear on the problem. She will offer help as clearly as she can, though, even when trying to be clear, her responses are often difficult to understand. Second, Delana has a great fear of, and hatred for, the undead. A lifetime of outliving friends has made Delana very comfortable with death, and the perversion of it which is represented by undeath enrages her.

She knows that the sorcerous powers which have slowly manifested since that first encounter with an undead creature include abilities which she views as abhorrent, and she has done her best to turn her focus away from them.

If faced with a choice between raising the dead and allowing Obleton to be destroyed, it is unclear which conviction would prove stronger in Delana’s mind. It is certain, though, that failure to uphold either would break the poor old woman’s mind.

Tactics

Delana is not a fighter, but if attacked she is more likely to fight with her shovel than with her few offensive spells. If Delana is reduced to below 50% health, she will begin casting Cone of Cold and other frost based damaging spells, as well as any non-evil necromancy spells.

Delana will never cast evil necromancy spells, such as Animate Dead, except under extreme duress. The guilt of doing so would likely either drive her completely mad, or cause her to commit suicide.

Thoughts on Use

Delana is intended to be a seer in the traditional fantasy sense. Goodly characters can seek her foresight and wisdom to aid them on whatever quest they are on. Delana’s cryptic nature allows the GM some room to toy with players by forcing them to puzzle out the meaning of Delana’s answer before proceeding further.

Interesting Facts

-Delana refers to graves as “beds,” and to death as a type of sleep. Something which she might say is “I make the beds for the long sleep we all must take.”

-As a joke, Delana refers to her trusty shovel by the name “Samuel.” She often acts as thought she believes the shovel is her husband.

-Delana can often be found walking amongst the graves mumbling to herself. Unbeknownst to the townsfolk, she is reciting the life story of those who are buried there. She has committed each to memory. For most of the graves, she knows the story because she was part of the life of that person. For others, she has used her divination spells to learn of their life, and taken care to memorize it accurately.

Delana, The Gravedigger (CR 12)

XP: 19,200
Female Half Elf Sorcerer 14
NG humanoid
224 years old (Venerable)
Init +0; Senses Perception +31


Defenses


AC 10, Flat Footed 10, Touch 10 [10 + Armor(0)]
hp 84 (14d6 + 28)
dr 10/- (Nonlethal damage only)
Resistance 10/Cold
Fort +5 Ref +4 Will + 16 (May Reroll Will 1/Day)


Offense


Speed 30ft
Melee Samuel The Shovel + 9/+4 (1d8 + 2/20 x2)
Sorcerer Spells (CL 14th; Concentration +18; +2 save DC for Divination spells)
7th (3/day)– Greater Scrying, Finger of Death
6th (5/day)– Legend Lore, True Seeing, Undeath to Death
5th (6/day)– Wave of Fatigue, Cone of Cold, Telepathic Bond, Contact Other Plane
4th (7/day)– Detect Scrying, Locate Creature, Scrying, Bestow Curse, Animate Dead
3rd (7/day)– Arcane Sight, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Tongues, Gentle Repose, Vampiric Touch
2nd (7/day)– Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, See Invisibility, Blindness/Deafness, Scare, False Life
1st (7/day)– Comprehend Languages, Detect Undead, Identify, Cause Fear, Ray of Enfeeblement, Chill Touch
0 (at will)– Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Read Magic, Bleed, Disrupt Undead, Touch of Fatigue, Light, Ghost Sound, Ray of Frost
Bloodline Undead
Bloodline Powers
Grave Touch (7/Day) — touch attack causes living creature to become shaken for 7 rounds.
Death’s Gift — Cold Resist 10, DR10/- v. Nonlethal Damage
Grasp of the Dead (1/Day) — Skeletal arms attack foes. (See Pathfinder Core Rulebook page 77)


Stats


Str 15 (+2) Dex 10 (+0) Con 13 (+1) Int 13 (+1) Wis 21 (+5) Cha 18 (+4)
Base Atk +7/+2; CMB +9/4; CMD 19
Feats Eschew Materials, Skill Focus(Perception), Toughness, Iron Will, Still Spell, Silent Spell, Quicken Spell, Alertness, Improved Iron Will, Spell Focus (Divination), Greater Spell Focus (Divination)
Skills Perception (+31), Profession(Gravedigger) (+19), Spellcraft(+15), Sense Motive (+7)
Languages Common, Elven
Gear Rags for clothing, Samuel the Shovel, 17 copper

Deadly Dungeons: Scholomance Part 1

It may be seen as a black mark in the tabletop gaming community, but I spent several years as an avid World of Warcraft player. For all its flaws, the game is damned good at being what it is. My favorite game activity was Instancing, or dungeon-delving to use the tabletop terminology. My favorite dungeon in the entire game, bar none, is Scholomance (Naxxramas being a close second). Before the numerous nerfs it has gone through over the years, it had everything I love. The grim undead motif, the unique challenges presented by each room, the numerous bosses, involving quest lines, and compelling lore all combined to make Scholo perfect for me. I’ve probably logged more hours inside Scholomance than I have in any other five instances combined.

So much do I love Scholomance, that a couple years back I sketched down the map, wrote up some quick stats for the various monsters and enemies found within its halls, and ran it as a D&D dungeon. The short session was a blast, and ever since then I’ve been determined to put more detail into the dungeon so that it can serve as the centerpiece for a truly challenging adventure. The project is a large one, though, so I’ve broken this post into 3 parts which will be put up over the next few weeks. Part 1, which you’re reading now, will include the maps, and room descriptions. Part 2 will cover monsters, enemies, bosses, and treasure found withing Scholomance. Part 3 will cover role playing details, as well as several of the quests which can be done in Scholomance.

As a disclaimer before I move on to the content of the post, not everything is precisely as it can be found in World of Warcraft. Scholo has changed a lot over the years, and here I’ve combined my favorite elements from all of Scholo’s long history. Additionally, since [Tape of Measuring] never drops for me, some of the rooms may be scaled incorrectly. I’m confident, however, that this does not adversely affect dungeon design whatsoever. Finally, I have not included Caer Darrow island, or the mansion which leads into scholomance. If I do include them, they will likely be altered to fit into my game world, and be found in part 3.

Without further ado:

Scholomance B1-1

B1-1 A: The descending stairs are made of dark stone, lit only by torchlight. Dusty skulls and rib cages are strewn sparsely on the landing. Rats and other vermin occasionally scuttle in and out of view.

B1-1 B: The stone stairway gives way to a wooden platform edged by deteriorating railings. The room extends ten feet beyond the platform, and the walls are densely packed with burial drawers, many of which appear to have been forced open. Elaborate candelabras, and skull-laden chandeliers light the room, and an iron gate across from the entrance leads into the next. Four armored skeletons guard the way forward.

GM’S Note: If the players look over the edge of the railing, they will be looking into room B2-1 E

B1-1 C: This is a balcony looking over a large room below. (GM’s Note: Room B2-1 A) A stairway on either side of the balcony leads down into the room below.

Scholomance B2-1

B2-1 A:Five large chandeliers and numerous candles light this massive library. Book shelves of varying sizes are spaced along lower walls, while stone shelves containing mummified remains dominate any wall space too high to be reached. Under the stairs in the south of the room is an alcove with a balcony looking over another room below. (GM’s Note: Room B2-1 E) Necromancers and undead gather around tables, or in the large open space in the center of the room, discussing hells-knows what. A succubus wanders amongst them, as if overseeing their conversations.

B2-1 B: More bookshelves boarder his low-ceilinged room. Six small pits in the stone floor are filled with the remains of numerous dead creatures. Around the pits stand small groups of necromancers–a teacher and one or two students. Two armored skeletons and a drider patrol the room.

B2-1 C: Stairs lead down to a small wooden platform which opens onto a small balcony extending from the cliff face. The balcony overlooks the lake below. A large iron bowl rests on the balcony’s edge, without any obvious purpose.

GM’S Note: Pouring the blood of an innocent into this bowl summons Kirtonos the Herald, a powerful vampire.

B2-1 D: The walls of this massive room are covered in stone shelves, many of which still contain mumified remains. Others have been converted into storage for books, potions, scrolls, or candles. Various bookshelves have also been set up around the room. On the north side of the room, two alcoves end in balconies which look over another room. (GM’s Note: Room B2-1 E) Here, again, groups of young necromancers converse with each other, and with their undead tutors. A skeleton the size of a hill giant patrols this room, along with three skeletons in more ornate armor than those in previous rooms, and a drider.

GM’s Note: The southern door is covered behind a tapestry. When the players walk past it, a number of rats should scamper out from behind the tapestry. Perception DC 15 to notice that the rats seem to come from nowhere.

B2-1 E: This room is a teeming pit of mindless undead. Simple skeletons, zombies, and ghouls jostle each other as they aimlessly wander within the confines of this room. A drider walks amongst them, acting as shepherd to the horde. A heavy portcullis blocks access to a chest in a small alcove on the east side of this room. The door on the east side is thick, and has an ornate lock on it.

GM’s Note: Rattlegore has the key to the heavy door. Lockpicking DC is 35. The portcullis can be raised by finding the secret torch lever in room B3-2. Lifting it is nearly impossible, requiring a strength check of 32.

Scholomance B2-2

B2-2 F: The floor in this large, open room is uneven, sloping gradually downwards towards the east. Like every room, the floor is covered with dusty bones and broken coffins. Dozens of student necromancers stand or sit around the room, listening to an elaborately robed skeleton give a lecture on the effects of negative energy on dragons. The skeleton stands on a raised platform filled with bookshelves, and tables covered in scrolls and urns. In the shadowy corner of the platform stands an armored zombie wielding a large sword.

B2-2 G: Bubbling cauldrons and tables filled with steaming beakers fill this room. There are fewer students in this alchemical laboratory than there are in other rooms–only three groups, each guided by a professor. Four large glass cylinders filled with green liquid hold the floating bodies of various undead creatures. Tables with straps obviously intended for humanoid creatures are positioned around the room, though none of them are presently occupied. At the far end of the chamber, surrounded by hundreds of candles, a lich in ornate robes paces.

B2-2 H: This room is filled with newly hatched dragons, each fluttering unstably on untested wings. All of the have a pallor which leads you to believe they must be quite ill, but this does not appear to concern the three handlers which patrol the room. Unlike most rooms and corridors within this crypt, no bookshelves line the walls. However, every 5 feet there is a recess in the wall, with a hole dropping into the room below.

Scholomance B3-1 & 2

B3-1: Heaping piles of bones fill this dirt-floored room. Most of the piles are situated under the holes to the room above. In the center of the room is the largest pile, reaching almost to the ceiling. Bone constructs with crude blades instead of forearms mill about the room. Atop the central bone heap stands the largest of the constructs, twice the size of the others, mindlessly overseeing the wanderings of his subjects.

B3-2: This room is devoted to shelves for the dead. There are even three rows of open shelves which separate the room into four “aisles.” Unintelligent zombies and skeletons wander between these aisles in groups. A small alcove on the far side of the room is filled with hundreds of candles. Within, a single spectral woman in noblewoman’s robes reads from a book.

GM’s Note: One of the torches in this room, near the alcove, is a lever. Characters with 5 ranks in Knowledge(Architecture) are entitled to a Perception check DC: 20 to notice that the sconce for the torch seems to hang oddly on the wall. Pulling it opens the portcullis in room B2-1 E. If a character reads the book which the spectral woman is reading, they will find plans for a bag of devouring.

Scholomance B3-3 & B4-1

B3-3 A: You emerge onto a walkway surrounding the edge of a two-level room. Like many rooms before it, the walls are covered with open shelves displaying mummified remains, while the walls below the walkway are covered in burial drawers. Six rooms can be accessed from this one, with each doorway marked by a raised portcullis.

B3-3 B: The entrance of this room is 10ft above the rest of it. Twin sets of stairs allow access to the pit below. Dozens of zombies fumble and bump into one another there. At the far end of the room, standing stock still in a small nook, is one zombie which seems somewhat amused by the poor motor skills of his brethren.

B3-3 C: The entrance of this room is 10ft above the rest of it. Twin sets of stairs allow access to the pit below. Bloody meat hooks hang from the ceiling, and stone tables covered in rotting carcases give off a horrible stench. Half a dozen ghouls pace across the blood stained floor. Across the room, with his back to the entrance, stands a man garbed in scarlet skillfully hacking a corpse to pieces with his meat cleaver.

B3-3 D:The entrance of this room is 10ft above the rest of it. Twin sets of stairs allow access to the pit below. Eerie purple flames in braziers around the room cast unsettling shadows. Three groups of necromatic pupils are gathered here, guided in their studies by a strikingly beautiful elven woman.

B4-1 A: (See description for B3-3 A)

B4-1 B: Stairs at the entrance of this room descend into water which is about a foot deep. Several sarcophagi rise above the water, and four skeletons wielding staffs and wearing robes pace amongst them. Across from the entrance, another set of stairs rises into a small alcove, where a spectral woman stands, as though waiting.

B4-1 C: A large sarcophagus dominates this room, flanked by two armored skeletons. On either side of the sarcophagus are stairs which lead down into water which is about a foot deep. Numerous smaller sarcophagi rise above the water here. Amongst them stands a man with pale skin and sunken eyes wearing full plate armor, and wielding a massive sword which glows blue. He is flanked by two armored skeletons.

B4-1 D: Five sinister looking skeletons, each with bones of an unusual hue, paces about this room. Behind them stands a hunched corpse golem, with skin as pale as snow, and powerful arms hanging at its sides like battering rams. Three 10x10ft sections of this room are lower than the rest of it, and covered under about a foot of water. A handful of Sarcophagi dot these low areas.


And there are the maps & room descriptions for Scholomance. I’ll be working on parts II and III, and you can expect to see them in the coming weeks. If my spelling or grammar errors are particularly egregious today, I apologize. Preparing this post has been more draining than I might have expected.