CONTENTS

TABLE OF Dropping like a Stone...... 49 Advice for the DM CONTENTS Jann Lair ...... 51 Advancing Monsters ...... 78 Warding of the Dead...... 53 Adventuring in Three The DM’s Dirty Little EL 9 Dimensions ...... 30 Secret ...... 3 A Light in the Dark...... 54 But I Know the Trap How to Use This Book...... 3 Dealing with the Is There! ...... 32 Running a Clever Dungeon Cage Trap...... 55 Cover and Spread Effects...... 74 Room...... 3 Avaard’s Dilemma ...... 57 Cryptograms ...... 82 Running a Clever Puzzle ...... 4 Ladies of the Lake...... 60 Familiars as Scouts ...... 57 Running a Clever Trap...... 4 Watch Your Balance ...... 62 Fighting in Cramped Encounter Levels of EL 10 Quarters...... 10 Concurrent Traps...... 5 Cave of the Snake ...... 64 Fighting while Climbing ...... 63 Ten Indispensable Spells...... 5 More than Meets the Eye .....69 High-Level Preparation: Scaling Challenges Down...... 6 Path of Deceit ...... 72 The DM...... 122 Shambling Death ...... 73 High-Level Preparation: Encounters ...... 7 EL 11 The Players...... 122 EL 1 Formidable Opposition ...... 75 How to Win Friends and A Familiar Situation ...... 7 In Media Res...... 77 Influence PCs...... 92 EL 2 Release the Hounds ...... 79 Incorporeal Creatures in Close Quarters ...... 9 Zyphur’s Cryptic Spellbook....80 Combat ...... 87 Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty ...... 10 EL 12 Letter Addition Puzzles...... 23 Temple of Draxion...... 12 Just Passing Through ...... 82 Logic Problems...... 45 EL 3 Medusa’s Traveling Casino....88 Making a Deceitful Sales Bugbear Pit Fight ...... 15 With a Little Help from Pitch ...... 49 No Loose Ends ...... 17 My Friends...... 91 Mapping and Mazes ...... 27 Pool of Endless Froglings.....18 EL 13 Mazes and High-Level EL 4 Dark Hunt ...... 93 Characters...... 112 Capstan Water Trap...... 21 Simply Shocking ...... 95 Mazes...... 41 Curse of Iron ...... 23 EL 14 Nonlethal Combat...... 9 Mimic Madness ...... 24 Safe and Sound...... 96 Playing Monsters Smarter EL 5 Tangled Webs ...... 98 Than You...... 68 Dark Water Trap ...... 26SampleEL 15 file Riddles ...... 106 Displacer Beast Maze...... 27 Beholder Dome...... 101 Running Multiple-Opponent Trouble Cubed...... 29 Riddles and Prizes ...... 104 Encounters...... 95 Watery Grave...... 30 EL 16 The Soothing Approach ...... 7 EL 6 Twelve Heads Are Better Strange Bedfellows...... 47 All of the Treasure, None than One ...... 107 Underwater Movement and of the Traps ...... 32 EL 17 Combat ...... 71 Cubical Kennel ...... 34 Where’s the Party? ...... 110 Combat Adjustments Grotto of the Shocker EL 18 for Water ...... 71 Lizards...... 36 Primary Thinking...... 113 Using Antimagic Zones ...... 79 Hill Giant Madness...... 37 EL 19 Variant: What Disabling a EL 7 Towering Dead ...... 116 Device Means ...... 33 An Object Lesson...... 38 EL 20 When Good Battles Good...... 35 Fire and Water...... 41 Thrice Be Damned...... 118 Fool Me Once ...... 45 EL 22 Troll and Pets ...... 46 Blown Away ...... 123 EL 8 Chuk’s Magik Shoppe...... 47 Map Legend...... 127

2 THE DM’S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET

with a little preparation, you can use them in any THE DM’S adventuring context. These encounters generally need very little introduction. In most of them, the DIRTY LITTLE PCs walk down a dungeon corridor and see what’s in the room (or don’t see it, depending on the amount SECRET of invisibility used). They resolve the challenge, lick their wounds, and then go on to some other part of Picture this situation: The player characters see a ges- the dungeon. ticulating wizard floating over a dark chasm. As if by The book is sorted by encounter level (EL). To magic, a light goes on in a player’s brain. He declares choose an encounter for your players, figure out their that his character charges headlong off the edge of characters’ average party level. Pick an encounter with the cliff, expecting that he’ll continue across the invis- an EL that matches or comes close to that average. ible bridge that doubtless spans the chasm. Of course, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with What do you do in this situation? the capabilities of the items and creatures mentioned Despite your natural inclination to let the player herein. In most cases, when an average creature is kill off his character, your reflexes probably kick in. used, this book only shows the differences between You laugh, or you cock an eyebrow, or you say, the Monster Manual description and the description “Ohhh-kay?” after you spit out your drink. With a here. The book provides help in how to use these flash of insight, the player realizes that there may aspects of the encounters, but that doesn’t substitute be other explanations why the wizard can defy grav- for research on your part. ity. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll let him halt his charge This book also contains many sidebars with tips for before he discovers the exact depth of the chasm Dungeon Masters. You can use them to customize the the hard way. encounters in your game or create similar types of Then you realize you have fallen prey again to the encounters yourself. You’ll find the legend for all the DM’s Dirty Little Secret: you’re really on the players’ maps in this product on page 127. side. You use your omniscience and omnipotence to Most encounters have entries for “Scaling the keep your PCs alive and happy (at least in the long Challenge.” These allow you to use the encounter at a term, resurrections being what they are). You don’t tell higher or lower EL than the one given at the top of your players that, though, because they keep putting the entry. Even if your characters are all 10th level, their precious PCs in situations where you have to you can use encounters at other ELs when you find pull their fat out of the fireball. After all, you have a these scaling sections. Don’t forget to change the responsibility to keep them coming back. Sampletreasure awarded file if you alter the encounter level. And some days, that responsibility gets to you. You’re Treasure appropriate to an EL 5 encounter seems not a fifth or sixth or seventh PC. You’re the Dungeon paltry for an EL 9 encounter, and far too rewarding Master. Some days, you get that urge to show them for an EL 3 encounter. you’re not on their side, and that you have the power and cleverness to let them know who’s boss. Welcome to the book that’s designed for those RUNNING A CLEVER bad dice days. The Book of Challenges: Dungeon Rooms, DUNGEON ROOM Puzzles, and Traps is composed of dozens of the At any time, you can throw six orcs running down a smartest and meanest encounters we could envision. 10-foot-wide corridor at your players’ characters. This is the book of “Oh, man!” and “I can’t believe it!” That may be a good fight for some parties, but it’s and “You have to be kidding me!” Yes, the encounters hardly clever. If the orcs suffer ranged weapon fire, are balanced by encounter level, and yes, they can all not all of them will be able to reach the PCs’ front be solved with a little thought. Yes, we even provide line, and none of them will be able to reach the PCs’ hints you can give your players. But fundamentally, back line. they’re all just a bit nasty. If a player announces that A clever encounter takes advantage of the mon- he’s going over a cliff in one of these encounters, he’s sters’ or NPCs’ capabilities and tactics. Clever crea- going over the cliff. tures should spend a lot of time thinking about how Because sometimes, even we have one of those days. they might survive an encounter with well-armed PCs. Six orcs parked behind nine-tenths cover with heavy crossbows, and a gaping pit in front of them— HOW TO USE THIS BOOK now that might be a challenge. Four orcs in that situa- The Book of Challenges contains encounters you can tion, plus two on a ledge behind the PCs might be plug into your favorite dungeon. Most are set even better. Four orcs running from a rampaging hill 3 against the backdrop of a “typical” dungeon, but giant . . . well, you get the idea. THE DM’S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET

Here are six general strategies for maximizing effectiveness of the monsters and NPCs you throw at RUNNING A CLEVER your PCs. PUZZLE Box Them In: Most players think of fights in one Many DMs are wary of making puzzles. Others are direction, the one where they close to meet the com- too comfortable making them, sometimes without batants. PCs attacked from several sides are automat- realizing the complexity some puzzles require. To ically at a disadvantage, because they must choose find the right level of comfort, identify a puzzle type where their area spells go, worry about being flanked, you can create and then practice until you create a and separate to attack multiple foes. memorable one. Split Them Up: If you can separate the party To set up a puzzle, figure out what you want it to members from each other, they won’t be able to coop- do. Do you want to deliver a message, provide a clue erate. Trap the scouts behind a barrier, drop the spell- to a mystery, or make solving the puzzle the only casters through a trapdoor, or use nets and bull way out of a deathtrap? When you have figured that rushes to drag the PCs kicking and screaming away out, pick a puzzle type. Several puzzles in this book from each other. Get flying creatures into the air, so come with sidebars on how to make others like that flying PCs have to leave their friends to attack them. Mazes, letter-addition puzzles, and codes all flying enemies with melee weapons. Be careful with have simple principles you can follow. Of course, this one, though. Splitting the party neutralizes the these sidebars can’t provide the cleverness you’ll cooperative nature of the group, which won’t be fun need to challenge your players. if it happens all the time. Then try making the puzzle. Use the strategies Show Them One Thing, Give Them Another: A herein, and keep trying them until you conclude that mid-level party seeing three iron golems coming at you would like to solve the puzzle if another DM pre- it will have a panic attack. But a hill giant sorcerer sented it to you. could easily cover two cronies and himself with illu- Try to personalize your puzzles. They need to sions that make them appear as iron golems—and he make sense in the world your PCs inhabit. Don’t may stop the PCs from casting spells on them, since give them a puzzle about rock music or cars, because the PCs will falsely believe they’re useless against the the PCs have never heard of either. Instead, use ref- “constructs.” Deception only needs to last a few rounds erences to NPCs, cities in your world, or monsters to be meaningful. A self-censoring party is a far less the PCs might face. dangerous one. Before you give your puzzles to the PCs, write a list Make Them Dig Deep: In a lair of cold creatures, of hints. These should usually be rewards for making only the sorcerers will be ableSample to muster enough file successful skill checks. A puzzle about magic items fire spells to win. Using many of the same types of could require a Knowledge (arcana) check, for creatures drains a subset of the party’s resources instance. In all cases, a simple Intelligence check while never tapping into another subset. The heroes should give a hint of what type of puzzle the PCs face. need to ration resources, and that benefits those on You can also devise hints that require spells or class the receiving end of the PCs’ wrath. features, such as letting a cleric use his turn undead Set Them Up, Knock Them Down: Two crea- ability to open a magically locked chest bearing the tures with compatible powers can combine to be visage of a ghoul. much more effective. A wyvern’s poison deals Con- When the PCs solve a puzzle, reward them. Just stitution damage, and an achaierai’s insanity re- solving a puzzle makes them feel smart, but solving a quires a Fortitude save. If the achaierai attacks puzzle that hands them a magic item or opens a secret immediately after the wyvern drops a PC’s Constitu- door makes them feel smart and accomplished. tion into the single digits, that PC probably won’t make his saving throw against the insanity. Two near-simultaneous attacks can mean one dead PC. RUNNING A CLEVER TRAP For these sorts of battles, your monsters probably When the characters fall prey to a trap, they’re usually act on the same initiative number, though one can unprepared, unwary, or outclassed. Players take great always delay a moment or two. pride in getting past traps, because they think that Hang Them if They Can’t Take a Joke: Make means they’re smarter than the makers of the dun- sure you have a way out for any creature that wants geon. Conversely, they feel great shame when they to get away. A flying creature fighting at the edge of walk right into the trap. a cliff has a much better chance to get away than one To see all the parts of a great dungeon trap, look in a closed room. The PCs still get the experience, to a real-world example: the mousetrap. A mouse- 4 but they lose any treasure the escaping NPCs are trap has three parts: the bait, the trigger, and the carrying. That alone gets the heroes to be more illusion of safety. The mouse is attracted by the bait strategic in the future. (some cheese), trips the trigger (a pressure-sensitive THE DM’S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET neck-breaker), and is stunned when it happens (since players may not be willing to risk the spell’s chance of the neck-breaker seems far removed from the cheese). failure in a life-or-death situation. (A bat familiar’s Although your PCs are (hopefully) a bit smarter than blindsight ability has a similar effect, but a player mice, the same principles apply. who sends his leather-winged pal into every room The bait should always be something the PCs want. may soon be looking for a new familiar.) Before you flip to the treasure chapter in the DUN- Detect Magic: Many of these challenges involve GEON MASTER’s Guide, think a little deeper about what unexpected uses of magic. Knowing they really want. They want experience. They want to where the magic is can help charac- conserve their resources. Most importantly, they want ters immensely. Spellcasters should Encounter Levels to feel comfortable breaking into something’s lair and always press for more information of Concurrent Traps killing it. These characters are easy to motivate, about the number, location, schools, Multiple traps of the same because simply presenting a door plays into the PCs’ and strengths of the auras they detect, type do not necessarily have expectation that they can walk unimpeded through allowing for educated guesses about the same additive effect on a dangerous area. what’s there. Encounter Levels that multi- The trap’s trigger can be magical, mechanical, or Dispel Magic: Once the characters ple monsters of the same both. Almost any spell or device can become a trap if know magic is there, their spellcasters type do. If you have a trap of given some thought. Even the ultra-benign raise dead should consider blowing it away, at a certain CR, adding another spell can trigger the revival of something the PCs least for a time. In some cases where such trap nearby raises the want to stay dead. If your PCs can shrug off the there are many magical effects, this EL by 1. Adding any greater damage from a crossbow trap, set up a ballista trap. can require a lot of dispel checks, some number of such traps may The best triggers are ones that create some amusing, of which will certainly fail. Again, raise the EL by an additional embarrassing, or otherwise memorable victimiza- detect magic helps here. At higher 1, but might not even do that. tion, such as a hidden catapult that propels a PC levels, greater dispelling, globe of invulner- This is because a single solu- into a freezing cold river. ability, and antimagic field can be used to tion that can beat one trap The illusion of safety is the most important ele- a similar effect. Mordenkainen’s disjunc- can usually beat any number ment. A trap should go off when the PCs are com- tion is also a good choice, but it is often of similar traps. fortable with their situation. A rickety bridge an overreaction. For example, imagine a spanning a crevasse does not appear safe, but a door Fly: In some cases (but definitely not long line of pit traps. If the on which the PCs have already disabled a trap with all), the physical barriers in these PCs use fly spells to get over a low Search DC does. Put them on guard when encounters can be skirted by flying. the first one, they can use the their guard is down, and knock them off guard The impressive speed and versatility of same spells to get over the when their guard is up. Sampleflight allows file characters to meet chal- rest of them. Thus, the addi- For more on the making of traps, see Chapter 4 of lenges in three dimensions rather tional traps don’t really rep- the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide and the supplement, Song than two, something their opponents resent an additional chal- and Silence: A Guidebook to Bards and Rogues. may not be able to address. If charac- lenge, nor do they represent ters don’t have access to this spell, levi- an additional drain on the tate, jump, spider climb, and feather fall PCs’ resources. TEN INDISPENSABLE are highly recommended. In this book, when multiple SPELLS Freedom of Movement: Many chal- traps appear side by side, This book requires significant adaptability on the lenges in here impede the characters’ they are given a CR rating for players’ part. A key component of that is their spell ability to move freely. Being able to each individual trap, then one selection. Walking into these atypical environs fight normally underwater, in webs, or for the entire group. This gives armed with nothing but fireballs and lightning bolts in other difficult surroundings counters you the maximum XP the may make for frequent trips to the local purveyor of the natural advantages of the creatures party gets for dealing with raise dead spells. and traps in these encounters. that group of traps. Whether prepared or set into magic items, the Gaseous Form: Most challenges in spells that follow are must-haves for dealing with the this book are physical. When the char- brain-bending challenges in this book. You shouldn’t acters simply wish to bypass them, becoming less be disappointed when players use these spells to physical certainly helps. This spell and the more thwart the challenges herein. Instead, you should powerful wind walk are even more effective in these take magnanimous pride that your players are sharp cases than polymorph self and polymorph other. After enough to use resources so efficiently. all, changing into a bird won’t give a PC damage Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Forewarned is fore- reduction 20/+1 and the ability to seep through armed, and this is one of the best ways in the game to cracks in walls. be forewarned. At higher levels, players should con- Invisibility: The challenges involving creatures are 5 sider foresight, scrying, and true seeing to get results that less effective if the creatures can’t find the characters. are even more reliable. Augury can be helpful, but Invisibility and its more powerful associated spells THE DM’S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET

often can stop these encounters before the creatures cast per day. Reducing a creature’s size (say, from get started. Of course, some creatures in here can see Large to Medium-size), not only lowers its physical invisible characters, a fact those creatures might not ability scores, but could provide an interesting story reveal immediately. angle as well (for instance, a runt minotaur hoping Mage Hand: This spell has two purposes here. The to win the respect of his peers). first is jostling small objects and traps. The second is Hampering monsters the same way a DM ham- discovering when this isn’t possible, since mage hand pers characters can be less work for the same moves only unattended objects of 5 pounds or less. reward. Perhaps an ettin has lost his greatclubs or a Thus, if mage hand can’t move a small object, the titan no longer has his warhammer. Creatures with caster knows the object is not what it seems. Telekin- limited use abilities, such as the gorgon or the man- esis and unseen servant do this more effectively, as can ticore, may have already used some or all of them summoning a creature that can understand the caster for the day. This tactic works as long as the players and thus do more than simply attack. can be made aware of the limitation. Maybe an ogre Magic Missile: Though this spell does less damage mage used his cone of cold earlier that day to kill an than either fireball or a barbarian with a double-axe, owlbear. If the players find a partially frozen owl- energy spells and melee attacks are often thwarted bear corpse, they have a chance to figure out their in these encounters by environmental factors like nemesis is not up to full strength. water, resistances, and barriers. Magic missile strikes As an alternative, consider putting a powerful crea- unerringly, even around most types of cover and ture in an environment that’s hostile to it, or simply concealment. inconvenient. Perhaps a kuo-toa took a wrong turn Teleport: When all else fails, flee. Teleport, dimension getting back to the pool and ended up in the court- door, word of recall, phase door, and similar spells make yard of an abandoned castle. With the sun coming up this tactic a lot easier on a moment’s notice. soon, the adventurers can wait in the stables for the Other good spell choices include arcane lock, break right moment to strike. If the griffon the party is run- enchantment, daylight, detect snares and pits, detect ning from is foolish enough to follow them into a thoughts, disintegrate, displacement, endure elements, find thick grove of trees, its maneuverability is drastically traps, find the path, ghost sound, guidance, hold portal, cut down. The same way you play up a creature’s intel- invisibility purge, knock, light, message, project image, pro- ligence to make it tougher, playing up a creature’s stu- tection from elements, quench, repulsion, resist elements, see pidity can help even the odds. Even smart monsters invisibility, shatter, silence, slow, stone tell, water breathing, can make bad decisions. wood shape—and, of course, raise dead. The Hill Giant Madness encounter demonstrates Sample file another equalizer: ability loss from disease. Using cursed items can further offset a creature’s powers, as SCALING CHALLENGES it did for Motty. Creatures can even have permanent DOWN spell effects on them from previous adventures, such Throughout the Book of Challenges, we have provided as blindness or bestow curse. numerous encounters designed to stretch not only At the lower end of desirability, but still acceptable the capabilities of the players and their characters, in certain situations, is simply knocking down hit but those of the monsters as well. The Monster points. Consider a mimic that hasn’t had time to fully Manual has specific rules for making monsters heal after its last encounter with a group of goblins. tougher by raising their Hit Dice, while the Player’s Like most of the tricks in this book, scaled-down Handbook and DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide provide tools monsters should be used sparingly. You should never for adding character levels to monsters and adding introduce a new monster type as a weakened version. traps to their lairs. Using scaled-down monsters may make the players For a change of pace, a DM may want to scale a unimpressed, unprepared, or reckless when they monster down, making it weaker. The possible rea- meet the normal version. Even if they have seen the sons for scaling down an encounter are numerous. So monster before, they may feel cheated if they run into are the ways to do it. weakened monster after weakened monster. The most complicated way to scale down a crea- Scaling down the CRs is an inexact science at best, ture is by reversing the process for scaling it up. and that may lead to more complications when as- Removing Hit Dice removes skills and combat abili- signing experience points. Used judiciously, however, ties. It may reduce the effectiveness of spell-like it offers more opportunities for cleverly designed abilities or even the number of spells a creature can encounters. 6 ENCOUNTER (EL 1)

EncOunters The room looks a little too domestic The Soothing Approach to be in a dungeon. A cat hisses from A variety of skills or spells a large bed in one corner. A closed Now we get to the meat of this book: the various might allow the characters to chest rests at the foot of the bed. A villains, tricks, traps, puzzles, riddles, and other solve this crisis in a calm and clothesline hung with laundry hazards that you bought this book for in the first simple manner. Remember stretches across the room. A table place. The encounters are organized by ELs; con- that these animals have not and chair occupy another corner. On sult the Scaling the Challenge sections if you find yet become familiars. Thus, a shelf above the clothesline, a hawk an encounter you like that is of an inappropriate they are still animals (and not flaps its wings and cries piercingly. A level for the PC heroes. Above all, use these en- magical beasts). set of open cages sits near the door. counters to make your D&D® games more fun for Animal Empathy can im- A disheveled young man stands in everyone involved. prove the attitude of an animal the doorway, near the cages. He’s with a successful check (see calling to the hawk. the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide). A FAMILIAR SITUATION Assume that the cat begins as (EL 1) The room was Eliat’s base of opera- hostile and the rest begin as Place this encounter near the entrance to a dun- tions for exploring the dungeon and unfriendly. Any animal whose geon, preferably one not far from a village, thorp, or the surrounding area. The sorcerer attitude is adjusted to friendly hamlet. This encounter offers interesting noncom- made it comfortable. The door is nor- returns to its cage. bat possibilities for an adventure, since it relies mally locked with a very simple lock Animal friendship (Drd 1, Rgr more on skill use, common sense, and problem (Open Lock DC 20), but Prufrock has 1) can win the loyalty of a solving than on combat. the key. The laundry is thoroughly single animal, but only if the A few weeks ago, a gnome sorcerer named Eliat dry, but the clothes are barely big caster actually wishes to be the went to the wizard’s supply shop in the nearest enough to fit a Small character. A animal’s friend. That’s unlikely town. She wanted to buy an animal to become her Search check (DC 15) reveals the to be the case in this situation. familiar. They didn’t have any in stock at the time, room hasn’t been occupied for at least Animal trance (Brd 2, Drd so Eliat arranged for an assortment of animals to be a week. 2) effectively hypnotizes ani- brought to a particular location. She didn’t tell the Creatures: Prufrock, the young man, mals, making them easier to shopkeeper that the place was a dungeon she is focused on trying to recapture the manage. planned to explore. creatures: a bat, a cat, a hawk, a rat, and a Calm animals (Animal 1, The owner of the shop, Marina, received payment Tiny snake (a viper). Drd 1) soothes and quiets in advance for five animals, directions to Eliat’sSampleThe bat hangsfile from the ceiling in the animals, rendering them base, and the key to her chamber. When she the far corner of the room. The cat docile. They neither attack nor acquired a set of very fine animals, she sent her stands on the bed, hissing and spitting. flee, allowing PCs to gently aide, Prufrock, to deliver them. He toted all the The hawk is up on a shelf 10 feet above reach them and place them cages into the area specified by the buyer, but he the floor. The rat has gotten into the into cages. tripped as he was putting the last one down and fell chest through a small hole. The snake Charm person or animal across and onto the cages. His mishap opened or hides under the table. (Drd 2) makes a single animal damaged all the cages, and the potential familiars dPrufrock: Male human Com1; hp regard the caster as its trusted escaped. When the player characters arrive, they’re 2; 4 sp, 6 cp, fresh fruit, strips of meat, friend. A charmed animal faced with a challenge: getting the animals back sunflower seeds. gladly returns to its cage. into cages unhurt. dBat: hp 2; see Monster Manual. Hypnotism (Brd 1, Sor/Wiz As the characters approach this area, have them dCat: hp 4; see Monster Manual. 1) allows the caster to make a make a Listen check (DC 0, +1 per 10 feet from the dHawk: hp 8; see Monster Manual. brief and reasonable request of listener). If they succeed, read the following text. dRat: hp 2; see Monster Manual. affected creatures, which might dSnake, Tiny Viper: hp 2; see include “return to your cages.” Monster Manual. Sleep (Brd 1, Rgr 2, Sor/Wiz From down the corridor, you hear a young man Tactics: Assuming the PCs don’t 1) solves the problem by speaking in pleading tones. “Come on. Come on greet him with violence, Prufrock asks simply putting the animals into down. Who’s a good girl? Come on.” if any of the characters are Eliat, then a deep slumber, after which the asks for their help in recapturing the PCs can easily gather them up. Prufrock is trying to coax a hawk down from its creatures. He’s very concerned about perch. He isn’t being very successful. his charges being hurt, so he asks the characters to be very careful. He shrieks with terror if a character Eliat’s Room draws a weapon, scared that a creaure will be killed 7 When the characters enter this area, read the fol- and he’ll lose his job. He’s an indecisive person, so he lowing text. relies on the heroes to take action. ENCOUNTER (EL 1)

The bat is scared and doesn’t want to move. Since bonus on Reflex saves). The snake hisses at anyone the ceiling is 15 feet up, the characters can’t reach it, approaching, but attacks only to defend itself. It even with long weapons. If the PCs move the table prefers to flee from attackers, so canny PCs should be underneath the bat, a character with a reach weapon able to herd it into a cage. can stand on the table to reach it. Alternatively, a Development: If the characters leave the door character using the Balance skill could perch on the open, the animals may flee through it, particularly clothesline (DC 20). when attacked or frightened. This can lead to wild The cat doesn’t want to go back into its cage. Unless chases up and down the dungeon corridors. If other calmed down, it attacks anyone who moves adjacent monsters live nearby, this may draw their attention, to it. If the door is open, the cat scoots out as soon as turning a humorous situation into a nasty one. someone makes a threatening move (possibly provok- Treasure: The chest in which the rat hides also ing attacks of opportunity from the characters). contains sufficient magical materials for a character The hawk perches on a shelf 10 feet off the ground; to obtain a familiar (100 gp worth). it’s only 5 feet above the clothesline. A character with Ad Hoc XP Adjustment: In addition to award- a reach weapon could strike at it, or a character bal- ing the characters XP for the animals, award them ancing on the clothesline could grapple it. It defends XP for Prufrock, assuming that they deal with him itself if attacked. reasonably. If someone sticks a hand through the hole in the chest, the rat tries to bite it. The chest is locked Scaling the Challenge with a simple lock (Open Lock DC 20), but not EL 2: To make this encounter more unusual, con- trapped. If the chest is opened, a character can sider what might happen if the animals get into a easily catch the rat and put it back into its cage. The stash of potions kept by Eliat. Roll randomly on the chest also contains 100 gp worth of magical materi- list of minor potions in the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide, als suitable for summoning a familiar (see the or select potions that create interesting situations. For Player’s Handbook). instance, enlarged or reduced animals might prove As long as the snake remains under the table, it has significantly more difficult to corral. Blur makes it one-half cover (+4 cover bonus to AC and a +2 cover tough for a character to successfully grapple a creature

Sample file Open cages Viper A Familiar under table Situation

Chair

Hawk on 10-ft. ledge Viper under table Bat on 15-ft. ceiling Cat Chest with Bed rat

Bat on 15-ft. ceiling

Clothesline Cat Chest with (5 feet from floor) Scale in Feet 5 rat 8 2.5 ENCOUNTER (EL 2)

because of the 20% miss chance. An animal under deal subdual damage to the creature (1d3 points for the effects of a potion of jump or invisibility might Medium-size attackers or 1d2 points for Small easily escape the characters. Award 150% of the attackers, plus Strength modifier). Alternatively, the normal XP for any magically altered animal the character could pin the animal, holding it immobile characters can catch. for 1 round and giving other opponents a +4 bonus EL 2: Perhaps a powerful druid who didn’t like to on attack rolls. In this situation, because of the ani- see them in captivity freed the animals. The druid mals’ relatively small sizes, a character holding a casts animal growth on them just as the characters pinned animal can move at half normal speed as a arrive. This doubles each animal’s HD and increases move-equivalent action. each animal’s size by one category for the duration On its turn, the creature tries to wiggle free by of the spell (10 minutes minus whatever duration making an Escape Artist check (opposed by the has already elapsed; to simulate this, you could roll opponent’s grapple check) as a standard action. Suc- 1d6+2 minutes to determine the remaining dura- cess indicates that it escapes (if only grappled) or is tion). Award 200% of the normal XP for any familiar now only grappled (if it was pinned). If the animal caught while in this state. escapes the grapple, it moves as far away from its opponent as possible. Nonlethal Combat If the characters don’t wish to injure or kill the ani- mals, they have two combat options: subdual and CLOSE QUARTERS (EL 2) grappling. The characters begin this encounter by entering a 15-foot-by-15-foot room. The ceiling is 20 feet over- Subdual head. When the PCs look for details, read the fol- Characters may resort to knocking a creature uncon- lowing text. scious, subduing it before putting it into its cage. Unarmed Attacks: A character can make an On the other side of this room, some straggly ever- unarmed attack at his normal melee attack bonus. green plants grow out of irregular heaps of earth. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the They surround what appears to be a small tunnel creature attacked. An unarmed attack automatically opening only a few feet in diameter. A few coins deals subdual damage. glitter among the dirt and weeds. A small dragon “Armed” Unarmed Attacks: Some characters covered in green-black scales sits in the opening. trained to attack unarmed, such as monks, are consid- SampleUpon seeing file you, it hisses. Open cages ered armed; thus, they do not provoke an attack of Viper A Familiar opportunity when they strike. They may choose to under table deal subdual damage with their regular attack rolls. The partially collapsed tunnel network was created Situation Subdual Weapons: Some weapons, such as the sap, quite some time ago by a burrowing creature. A suc- naturally deal subdual damage. Attack and damage cessful Knowledge (nature) check (DC 20) reveals it Chair rolls for these weapons are handled normally. was an ankheg. Subdual Damage with a Nonsubdual Weapon: An odd chemical odor permeates the air. An Most weapons, such as swords, are designed to deal Alchemy check (DC 10) reveals that it’s chlorine. Hawk on 10-ft. ledge normal damage. When attacking to subdue with such Creature: Svetreth, a wyrmling green dragon, uses Viper a weapon, the character suffers a –4 penalty on her the confined space of this tunnel to his advantage. He under table attack roll. hopes the characters will pursue him into the 4-foot- Bat on 15-ft. ceiling Cat Chest with tall tunnel. The tunnel winds for about 100 feet be- Bed rat Grappling fore it ends in rubble where the tunnel collapsed. A character may try to grab the animal. Initiating a dSvetreth: Male wyrmling green dragon; CR 2; Bat on grapple provokes an attack of opportunity from the Small dragon; HD 5d12+5; hp 37; Init +4; Spd 40 ft., 15-ft. ceiling target. If the attack of opportunity deals damage, the swim 40 ft., fly 100 ft. (average); AC 15 (touch 11, character fails to start the grapple (but may try again flat-footed 15); Atk +7 melee (1d6+1, bite) and +2 with a subsequent attack). melee (1d4, 2 claws); SA Breath weapon; SQ Acid Roll an opposed grapple check: base attack bonus + immunity, dragon traits, water breathing; AL LE; SV Strength modifier + special size modifier. The special Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 13, Int Clothesline size modifiers to a grapple check are as follows: Large 10, Wis 11, Cha 10. Cat Chest with (5 feet from floor) Scale in Feet 5 rat +4, Medium-size +0, Small –4, Tiny –8 (cat, hawk, rat, Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +2, Hide +4, snake), Diminutive –12 (bat). Intimidate +2, Listen +9, Search +7, Spot +10; Alert- 2.5 If the character’s grapple check result exceeds the ness, Improved Initiative. 9 animal’s check result, the character has initiated a Breath Weapon (Su): 20-ft. cone of corrosive grapple. On her turn, the character may choose to (acid) gas (2d6 damage; Ref DC 13 half). ENCOUNTER (EL 2)

Dragon Traits: Immune to sleep and paralysis effects, blindsight 30 ft., keen senses. Blindsight (Ex): The creature maneuvers and fights as well as a sighted creature by using non- CCloselose Quarters Fighting in Cramped visual senses (mostly hearing and scent, Quarters but also by noticing vibration and other environmental clues). Invisibility and The narrow tunnel restricts darkness are irrelevant, though the crea- most characters’ ability to ture still can’t discern ethereal beings. move and fight. Small charac- The creature usually does not need to ters can move at their normal make Spot or Listen checks to notice speed. They suffer no penalty D creatures within range of its blindsight in melee unless they wield ability (in this case, 30 feet). Medium-size weapons, in Keen Senses (Ex): The creature has dark- which case they suffer a –2 cir- vision out to 100 feet. It sees four times as cumstance penalty on attacks. well as a human in low-light conditions Medium-size characters and twice as well in normal light. move at half normal speed, Tactics: The dragon begins combat by suffering a –2 circumstance breathing a cloud of corrosive gas. His penalty on attacks with Small breath weapon fills the whole room and or smaller weapons or a –4 cir- extends 5 feet back into the passageway. cumstance penalty on attacks If not in melee, he then retreats 40 feet with Medium-size weapons. back into the tunnels. If in melee, he Creatures larger than Medium- Scale in Feet 5 adjusts 5 feet back into the tunnels, size can’t fight in the tunnel where he has three-fourths cover (+7 at all. Weapons larger than cover bonus to AC and +3 cover bonus 2.5 Medium-size can’t be used in on Reflex save) from anyone not at the the cramped tunnel. tunnel mouth. His tactics likely mean Treat any piercing weapon that the characters can only engage him (except those that must be monster or one that has chosen an old burrow as a in melee one PC at a time. swung, such as a pick, scythe, lair. It’s more believable if the creature has the If the characters don’t pursue him, gnome hooked hammer, or intelligence to set up an ambush, but even animals Svetreth returns onlySample when he can usefile spiked chain) as one size can adopt this strategy if experience has shown his breath weapon again. Once he smaller for calculating the them that it works. breathes, he can’t breathe again until 1d4 penalty on attack rolls. EL 1: Three dire rats. Consider adding some forks rounds later. The only ranged weapon in the tunnel, allowing the rats to flank unwary Should one or more characters pursue that can be used from a prone characters. Svetreth, he alternates between full position is a crossbow, which EL 2: A badger or an imp polymorphed into a rat or attack actions and double moves to draw can be fired with a –4 circum- monstrous spider. the PCs deeper into the tunnel. As soon stance penalty on the attack. EL 4: A pixie. Consider adding some roots trailing as he can use his breath weapon again, Remember that if another down into the tunnel for the pixie to manipulate with he tries to reach at least two PCs with entangle character blocks a character’s its spell-like ability. his attack. line of sight, the target gains EL 6: Three wyrmling blue dragons who use their Digging up the earth at the the effect of cover (usually Treasure: burrowing ability to split up the party and give them- front of the tunnel yields 60 cp, 24 sp, 10 one-half cover, which grants selves flanking bonuses. gp, and 2 pp. At the far end of the tunnel, a +4 cover bonus to AC). Svetreth keeps a pile of 200 gp, 50 pp, and This also applies to charac- a black pearl (worth 500 gp). HERE, KITTY, KITTY, KITTY ters using reach weapons to The dragon’s attack past an ally. Ad Hoc XP Adjustment: (EL 2) effective tactics grant him an advantage A small community of svirfneblin (see Gnome in the in this encounter, even though he can’t Monster Manual) located near the surface has lost its fly in the cramped tunnel. Award 110% of the normal guardian, a male krenshar raised from a kitten. The XP for this encounter. krenshar guarded the thorp, pacing around the fringes and sleeping on this or that stoop. He’s been Scaling the Challenge gone for three days. 10 The small tunnels and confined spaces described The krenshar was attracted to a passing female here would be suitable for a number of different krenshar, one that wanted a mate. The male left the creatures. Choose a small creature, either a burrowing underground area, and the two krenshars settled ENCOUNTER (EL 2)

down together not far from the village. The male Important Characters: Merrival “Twobutton” Glenth, would like to return, but the female doesn’t trust female svirfneblin Exp3 (innkeeper); Rolth Jebeddo the community. “Fix-It” Schapper Garrick, male svirfneblin Exp2 If the PCs can find the pair, they might convince (provisioner/blacksmith). them to return to the village. Failing that, they can at Others: Town guards, War1 (2); Exp1 (3); Com1 (39). least report to the village that the “cat” is safe. Notes: The thorp has a small inn that has two rooms to rent. It offers standard fare, along with Welcome to Passway some very good beer. A shop that sells general pro- When the characters approach the svirfneblin thorp visions enables the characters to buy and sell items for the first time, read the following text. worth up to 40 gp. You may want to position this settlement as a haven in which the characters can take refuge between In a large underground area, many passages adventures. The low level of the townsfolk and the come together. The walls are perforated with small size of the thorp mean that if the characters use numerous small cave openings, many of them this place as they go up in level, they’ll find it too obviously occupied as homes. A few buildings restrictive. You may want to have the settlement grow cluster around hot springs. Several families of as they do, increasing in size to enable the characters deep gnomes have set up a community here. to buy and sell more expensive goods. Some of the They seem friendly and peaceable, going about locals should gradually increase in level to help keep their daily tasks, such as preparing food, mend- the characters (and villains who follow the charac- ing clothes, and tending small herds of goats. ters) in check. Most of them wear belt knives. Occasionally, a gnome sports a sheathed weapon. The Trail A character with the Track feat can attempt a A council of four elders runs the community. When Wilderness Lore check (DC 13) to find three-day- the characters arrive, the council is debating what to old tracks. A Medium-size catlike creature (the do about the missing krenshar. No one in the small krenshar) followed a 10-foot-wide passageway, head- community is skilled at tracking, and only the two ing north from the cavern holding the thorp. The guards have warrior abilities. Additionally, they fear tracker can continue following these tracks at half that something may have killed the krenshar. They speed. After about half a mile of tracking, a second feel unable to deal with something strong enough to kill their protector. None of the elders want to leaveSample file the community to investigate. They look to the characters’ arrival as a great opportunity to get outsiders to solve their problem for them. They don’t have much in the way of treas- ure. They can offer free accommodations at the local inn for as long as the characters are hunting for the krenshar (up to one week). Furthermore, the elders promise to reward the characters with up to 200 gp worth of goods, paid upon the successful return of a live and healthy krenshar. A Gather Information check (DC 15) reveals that the day before the krenshar disappeared, he acted restless, prowling around and never settling down. Someone heard yowling from the north.

cPassway (thorp): Nonstandard; AL NG; 40 gp limit; Assets 200 gp; Population 50 adults; Isolated (svirfneblin 100%). Authority Figures: Elder Mayhew Narnottle Nook Garrick, male svirfneblin Clr1; Elder Mardnab Duvamil Springnoth Fletchmip, female svirfneblin Ftr1; Elder Jebeddo Geerch “Flatshoe” Schapper, male svirfneblin Rog1; Elder Tuntulla Portsack 11 Gelflim, female svirfneblin Exp4. ENCOUNTER (EL 2)

check (DC 13) locates a second set of similar tracks stands over his insensate body, protecting him from that joins the first. These lead another quarter-mile anyone who comes near. to a small cave. EL 5: The female krenshar has led the male back Without the Track feat, a Search check (DC 13) to her pride. Instead of two krenshars in the cave, can find the trail, but can’t follow the tracks. This there are six adult krenshars and two noncombatant means that each time the tunnel forks, the charac- cubs. Only one of the adults begins as indifferent to ters must find the trail again (Search DC 13) or the PCs; the rest are unfriendly. guess randomly which direction to go. Roll 1d4+1 to determine the number of times the character must make this check. TEMPLE OF DRAXION (EL 2) The Temple of Draxion features a selection of fairly Krenshar Lair weak monsters in good defensive positions. To do The round cave is about 20 feet in diameter and has a well, the PCs must develop a plan of attack and stick 10-foot-high ceiling. to it, even as circumstances change. The defenders in Creatures: The two krenshars are curled up (but the encounter try to deceive the PCs. Groups willing not asleep) at the far end of the cave. Allow each one a to accept anything the DM says at face value might Listen check (DC 10, +1 per 10 feet of distance) to flee or possibly surrender without a fight. hear the PCs approaching. If the PCs are sneaking, The area depicted in this encounter was once part this Listen check is instead opposed by the worst of a hidden temple of Erythnul. Most of the complex Move Silently check result among the PCs. has collapsed, but two aspiring human brigands, dKrenshars (2): hp 12, 11; see Monster Manual. Creigh and Keir, have made it their headquarters. Tactics: As soon as the krenshars notice the They have started recruiting fellow brigands in approaching characters, they use their scare ability, hopes of forming a gang. So far, they have managed combined with a loud screech, attempting to frighten to attract only a few kobolds. off intruders. They don’t attack unless a PC attacks one of them or approaches within 5 feet. 1. Blocked Passage The PCs can use the Animal Empathy skill to This passage could be an old storm sewer under a city, calm the krenshars (with a –4 penalty, since the or just a dungeon corridor, depending on where you creatures are magical beasts). Alternatively, the have decided to set the encounter. The west half is PCs can use Diplomacy to calm the male krenshar, filled with rubble from a cave-in. Wooden posts every since he is used to hearing speech, though the 15 feet or so support the ceiling check suffers a similar –4 penalty.Sample The male kren- file A Search or Profession (mining) check (DC 10) shar begins with an indifferent attitude, but the shows that the cave-in is old, but the passage has been female starts as unfriendly. cleared and shored up recently. A Search check (DC The PCs may instead choose to use nonlethal 10) on one of the posts reveals that it is fairly fresh. A combat to subdue or capture the krenshar (see the dwarf or other character with the stonecunning racial Nonlethal Combat sidebar). Spells such as calm ani- trait gets a +2 bonus on such checks. mals and charm person or animal don’t work on magi- Rubble completely blocks the passage north of the cal beasts. secret door. It takes a Search check (DC 15) to locate Treasure: A small pouch lies in a corner of the the secret door. cave, left there by some long-ago traveler. The PCs can find it with a Search check (DC 15). It holds 2 pp, 2. Main Entry 13 gp, 25 sp, and a garnet worth 100 gp. A secret door opens onto a corridor lit by a single If the PCs return the krenshar unharmed, the torch. An acrid smell, like coal smoke, hangs gnomes reward the PCs with 200 gp worth of goods or heavy in the air. At the corridor’s far end, you see a services. (No single item is worth more than 40 gp.) huge bas relief of a leering face, half demon and Ad Hoc XP Adjustment: Award full XP for any half boar. Between you and the face, you see a krenshar returned to the svirfneblin thorp. If the wide flight of broken steps going sharply up to PCs return only with the information that the kren- your left. A column near the base of the steps sup- shar is safe, award half the normal XP award. Char- ports a torch that lights the area. acters who slay the krenshar earn full XP, but also You barely have time to take in the details of the gain the enmity of the svirfneblin—they won’t be area when the clangor of a gong fills the air. welcome in Passway again. 12 Scaling the Challenge The sound of the gong comes from area 2B. The gong EL 1: The male krenshar ingested some id moss has a very low pitch that carries well through the and is currently in an unconscious stupor. The female area’s stonework, making the source difficult to ENCOUNTER (EL 2)

locate. With a successful Listen check (DC 15), a PC notes that the sound comes from behind the face. The torch is an everburning torch, placed here to pro- vide light for a sentry in area 2A. TTempleemple of Draxion 2A. Dais and Statue When Creigh and Keir discovered the ruined temple, a large, hollow statue of the deity Erythnul stood here. The statue was wrecked, so the brigands 2 2B cleared it away and replaced it with an articulated wooden statue, which Keir built to resemble a red 1 UU dragon. Neither Creigh nor Keir has actually seen a 3 red dragon, so Keir’s handiwork actually looks more like a big red viper than anything else. The hollow statue contains a set of levers for making 2A U the statue move a little, a grate for a coal fire (to gener- ate smoke), a device for projecting alchemist’s fire, and several peepholes and slits the people inside can use U to look out. The original statue also contained a big 5 brass bullhorn for making the statue “speak,” so the 4 brigands have retained that as well. 5 When someone looks up the stairs, read the follow- ing text. Scale in Feet 5 The stairs seem very worn and badly cracked, but serviceable. A second column about halfway up 2.5 bears a burning torch, giving you plenty of light to see. At the top of the stairs, you see a bright (1d4+1/19–20, dagger); or +1 ranged (1d10/19–20, red serpentine figure writhing in a mass of black- heavy crossbow); AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will ish smoke. Tendrils of smoke stream from its nos- +2; Str 12, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 11. trils and rise from a dais where it stands. Its eyes SampleSkills and file Feats: Appraise +3, Bluff +4, Disable glow a lurid orange. You can’t quite tell how big it Device +5, Disguise +4, Escape Artist +5, Gather is, because all you can clearly see is its triangular Information +2, Hide +5, Listen +6, Spot +6; Alert- head, like that of a viper. ness, Improved Initiative. Possessions: Leather armor, heavy crossbow, 10 bolts, With the smoke and poor lighting at the top of the potion of cure light wounds, bag of caltrops. stairs, it’s hard to determine the statue’s true nature. dKeir: Male human Com1; CR 1/2; Medium-size A Spot check (DC 15, +1 per 10 feet of distance) can humanoid; HD 1d4+4; hp 6; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 determine that the “dragon” is actually some sort of (touch 10, flat-footed 12); Atk +2 melee (1d6+3 quar- construction. terstaff); AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 14, The stairs leading up to area 2A rise at a 45-degree Dex 10, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10. angle. The total distance from the base of the stairs to Skills and Feats: Craft (woodworking) +3, Handle the landing at area 2A is 35 feet. Every 10 feet a char- Animal +2, Listen +2; Great Fortitude, Simple acter travels up or down the stairs represents 15 feet Weapon Proficiency (quarterstaff), Toughness of movement; treat the first square entered as 5 feet, Possessions: Leather armor, quarterstaff, potion of cure the second as 10 feet, the third as 5, and so on. Should light wounds, bag of caltrops, 21 gp. a character move diagonally on the stairs, each diago- Tactics: The moment the brigand at area 2A sees nal counts as 10 feet of movement. a PC at the base of the stairs, he shouts, “Who enters Creatures: One of the two brigands, Creigh or Keir the lair of the mighty Draxion?” If Keir is on watch, (50% chance of either), keeps watch from inside the he says “dragon” instead of “Draxion” unless he first statue. The other begins the encounter asleep in area succeeds at an Intelligence check against DC 10. 6, but joins his comrade in the statue 5 rounds after The sentry plays at being a dragon for as long as he the gong sounds. can manage, with such imperious commands as: dCreigh: Male human Exp1; CR 1/2; Medium- “Intruders, surrender thyselves to the mighty Drax- 13 size humanoid; HD 1d6+1; hp 4; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; ion! Devourer of cities! Scourge of the air! Lord of AC 13 (touch 11, flat-footed 12); Atk +1 melee all he surveys!” The party may attempt Sense Motive ENCOUNTER (EL 2)

checks (opposed by the sentry’s Bluff check) to see Creature: A single kobold armed with a light cross- through this ruse. bow keeps watch here. The sentry is likely to be at a loss if the party actu- DKobold: hp 2; see Monster Manual. ally surrenders. He fully expects (and hopes) that the Tactics: As previously noted, the kobold rings an party is going to challenge the “dragon.” Should any alarm gong when he sees the secret door open in character come to the top of the stairs, the sentry area 1. If the characters move up the stairs toward triggers the flame projector built into the statue. This area 2A, he leaves his post to meet the other kobolds sprays two flasks of alchemist’s fire through a nozzle in area 4 (see below). set into the statue’s mouth, making it appear as if the If the PCs linger in the area, or if they move toward dragon is breathing fire. The spray creates a 20-foot- the face, the kobold opens fire with his crossbow. He long cone of flame. Any creature within the area of retreats to area 4 if the PCs have any ability to endan- the cone suffers 1d6 points of fire damage; a success- ger him. ful Reflex save (DC 15) reduces the damage by half. If the creature fails this save, it catches on fire 3. Sally Port Mechanism (Reflex save DC 15 negates). See the Catching on This lever operates the secret door at area 2B. Pulling Fire sidebar in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s the lever down opens the door. It also lowers a stone Guide for more details. block that closes off the passage between area 2B and Each time someone uses the flame projector, the area 4. The block not only serves as a counterweight operator must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 15); if the to operate the door but also seals off the passage check fails, the statue catches on fire, taking 1d6 against intruders. The shaded area on the map indi- points of damage each round. Should this occur, one cates the position of the block. Moving the lever up bandit retreats to area 4 to get some water to douse raises the block and closes the secret door. the flames. The round-trip takes 2 rounds. Reloading the flame projector requires 2 full 4. Barracks rounds of activity and two flasks of alchemist’s fire. This area once served as a vestry. It now contains four The nozzle can be aimed at either stairwell or directly crude beds with straw mattresses (beds for the forward. Changing its arc of fire requires a full-round kobolds) and a collection of digging tools and sup- action. When the characters first enter the area, the plies. The kobolds used these tools to clear the pas- statue is aimed at the direction of their approach. sage leading here. The supplies are mundane: water, During rounds in which the flame projector isn’t hardtack, kobold beer, dried meat, and dried fruit. used, Creigh fires his crossbow while Keir reloads the Creatures: The room always has at least three flame projector. Should the PCsSample attack the statue, file sleeping kobolds. both bandits grab any remaining alchemist’s fire (see dKobolds (3): hp 2; see Monster Manual. Treasure, below) and flee down the stairs, scattering Tactics: The kobolds awaken the instant they hear caltrops on the stairs behind them. the gong. They arm themselves and wait for either the sDragon Statue: 2 in. thick; hardness 5; hp 20; bandits (at 2A) or their sentry (at 2B) to give them AC 4; break DC 23. Characters inside the statue have instructions. Two rounds after the kobold from 2B nine-tenths cover. arrives, two kobolds head back to area 2B to fire their Treasure: The bandits keep a store of six flasks of crossbows at retreating PCs; the other two move to alchemist’s fire here (not including any used in the area 3 so that they can open the “face” at a moment’s initial flame blast). notice. After taking their positions, if the kobolds hear a fight from area 4 (that is, if the PCs have gained 2B. Guard Post/Sally Port access to that room), they return in a rush. The kobolds avoid melee combat as long as they An enormous leering face, half demon and half boar, can. If the PCs manage to engage the kobolds in is carved into the wall at the end of the passage. melee, they flee as soon as the first kobold is killed, making for the secret door to area 1. A successful Knowledge (religion) check (DC 10) The brigands, Creigh and Keir, make a last stand identifies the face as a symbol of Erythnul. The stone here if the party breaks through the statue in area 2A. face doubles as a massive secret door (hardness 8, hp They use their alchemist’s fire on the PCs as they 180; break DC 32) with two arrow slits concealed in approach, then switch to melee weapons. The pair has it. A successful Search check (DC 20) reveals both no stomach for a real fight. As soon as one loses half the arrow slits and the secret door. To open the door, his hit points, he surrenders, and the other follows suit. one must pull the lever in area 3. Because of the mas- Treasure: Hidden in one of the beds are 12 gp and 14 sive area of the door, a knock spell won’t open it a 14-gp chunk of lapis lazuli (a payment from Creigh unless cast by at least a 10th-level spellcaster. to the kobolds for their work so far).