City of Skulls

Dorakaa: City of Skulls Sample file 1 Palace of Iuz 8 The Jade Streets 15 Shinzinen's (Drow debauch tyostelry) 2 Boneheart Citadel 9 The Iron Barracks 16 "The Smoke" (Smithing & Fiery magics) 3 Archmage Null's Tower 10 Kaquizel's Tower 17 The Armory (Fornorian & Fiend guards) 4 The Legion of Black Death 11 The Destiny Wall 18 "Train by Pain" (Monster trainers) 5 Grand Cathedral 12 Assassins Legion Hall 19 Cemetry (Clndead, Undercity entrances) 6 The Agony Feilds 13 Poisoners Guild 7 The Fiend Gardens 14 Brotherhood of Torturers Advanced Dun«zeons-p£>ra«zons 0d a Edition ^ 20d a Edition i^^, Official Game Adventure City of Skulls by Carl Sargent Credits: Table of Contents Design: Carl Sargent Introduction 2 Editing: Dezra Phillips Preparing the Adventure 3 Cover Art: Jeff Easley Interior Art: Eric Hotz The Challenge 10 Cartography: Steve Beck Getting into Jail 16 Production: Angelika Lokotz The Halls of Wretchedness 20 The Halls of Torment 38 The Boneheart Citadel 49 TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. POB 756 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton Court of the Hezrou 55 Lake Geneva Cambridge CB1 3LB Escape from Dorakaa 61 WI 53147 U.S.A. United Kingdom SampleA Glorious Re turnfile? 62 Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc. Distrib- Reference Section: uted to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Dis- tributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Pregenerated PCs 29 Maps 2,3 32 ADVANCED DUNGEONS Si DRAGONS, AD&D, WORLD OF GREVHAWK and GREYIIAWK are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Player Handout 32 DUNGEON MASTER, DM, MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM, and the TSR logo Wandering Monster Tables 33 are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Notoriety Record Chart 33 All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof Blank Handout Scroll 33 are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Priests and Mages of Iuz 34 This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of Iuz's Hit Squads 35 America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written con- sent of TSR, Inc. Copyright 6 1993 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed In the U.S.A. ISBN 1-56076-6(18-5 9405XXX1501 Introduction f^ity of Skulls is an adventure for 6-8 player 8: Outer Planes Appendix is needed for details of L^ characters of levels 9-12, with a total of 70-75 fiends. experience levels being optimal for the adventure. While all adventures suggest that the DM read This adventure requires a PC group with strong through and be familiar with the scenario script, combat skills and good magical ability. Pure role- this is especially true for City of Skulls. This playing is not important to success in this sce- adventure employs a special game mechanic, the nario, but intelligent and subtle use of magic is "Notoriety" score, which is used by the DM to greatly superior to mere firepower. While physical determine certain NPC interventions which may strength and muscle are required for success, have a fateful effect on the success or failure of smart and resourceful use of magic and deception the PCs. Familiarity with the Notoriety score are at a premium here. game mechanics will help the DM run this ad- Certain other WORLD OF GREYHAWK® prod- venture easily and well. In addition, the adventure ucts are useful for playing this adventure. The script contains many notes on the tactical actions From the Ashes boxed set is a valuable general of NPCs in conflict situations. These should be resource. Since the set has rules for specialty read in advance by the DM, ensuring that the PCs priests of Iuz (including certain spells) and new are truly challenged in this adventure! In addi- monsters that are included in this adventure, the tion, notes on the PCs' use of key resources (such DM running this adventure will benefit from hav- as charm spells), and the need for the PCs to be ing this world source available. The sourcebook thoroughly prepared in order to succeed in their Iuz the Evil is of great importance since it gives arduous task, should be read carefully by the DM. full details for major NPGs who can only be sum- Finally, for players who do not have characters of marized briefly here. New spells and magical sufficiently high level (and as a guide to the DM as items from that book are used in this adventure to optimal strengths, possession of magical items, also. The Marklands sourcebook is helpful as gen- etc.), a set of pregenerated PCs is provided. These eral background, but a DM without this source- are found in the central reference section (pp. 28- book will not need to make any adjustments to 35), which also includes NPC details, play-aids for this adventure. MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM™ the DM, and other materials. Sample file Preparing the adventure s chapter briefs the DM on the logistics of objects of suspicion, and gnomes because there running the City of Skulls adventure. It is are very, very few gnomes in the lands Iuz rules. essential that the DM carefully read through the Again, PCs of these races can be played in this material here. adventure, but they will be subject to suspicion. This is dealt with through the Notoriety score; the DM should study the Notoriety section below to Player Character Alignments prepare for this eventuality. This adventure is NOT suitable for evil-aligned PCs. They would simply not be recrviited by the NPCs who bring them into the plotline. However, One-Shot Magical Items good-aligned PCs will have trouble in City of This adventure places an absolute premium on Skulls, since this adventure sends them into the "one-shot" magical items (scrolls and potions) capital city of the evil empire of Iuz. Evil priests and on charged items such as rods, staves, and and fiends have the ability to know alignment/ wands. The nature of City of Skulls is such that detect good, therefore good-aligned PCs are espe- resting to regain spells and hit points makes suc- cially notable in Dorakaa. Such PCs will be more cess in the adventure less probable. The entire visible than neutral-aligned PCs. This is particu- rationale behind the PCs' mission is that of a swift larly true of Lawful Good PCs, since their morality raid, a rapid strike. If the PCs rest for hours to and ethos is diametrically opposed to that of Iuz. regain spells, the forces opposing them will have This is handled through the Notoriety score time to regroup, consult, and react with poten- mechanic, which is detailed below. The more tially devastating force. This, too, is handled notorious PCs are, the tougher the opposition through the Notoriety mechanic. The adventure they will encounter. script does not forbid PCs to act in this way, but if Therefore, good-aligned PCs can be played in they must do so their chances for success are this adventure, but a successful PC party will greatly diminished. include a fair percentage of Neutrals. Specifically A well-prepared PC party will, therefore, pos- this should mean characters of Lawful Neutral sess many one-shot magical items. The pre-gener- alignment, for the following reason: the NPCs who ated PCs demonstrate the kind of magical item commission the PCs for this ominous adventure distribution that is appropriate for this adventure. are themselves predisposed to Law and Good, and The following chapter, "The Challenge," also deals if the PCs have neither element in their align- with one-shot magical items, including magical ment, it is not likely they would be recruited. TheSampleitem barte filer and trade. A powerful PC group with- DM is encouraged to study the pre-generated PCs, out plentiful mid appropriate one-shot magical who are predominantly Neutral in alignment. items will be less likely to succeed in this ad- Their backgrounds detail why they are trustwor- venture than a party which is less powerful in thy for an adventure of this kind. The DM can terms of levels but has many such items. either run the adventure with these PCs or use them as models for the types of PCs that will most The Power of Clutrni plausibly be recruited for the adventure. Special mention must to be made to the DM regarding the adjudication of charm spells. Any Player Character Races intelligent group of PCs in this adventure is Certain player character races are at a disadvan- almost guaranteed to employ charm person (or tage in this adventure because certain races will mammal) spells in order to gain helpers, guides, stick out like a sore thumb in Dorakaa. All demi- and sources of information. This does not create human races (especially elves and, to a lesser problems in situations where an NPC is charmed, extent, gnomes and halflings) will be thus disad- questioned, and then left alone. Where the DM vantaged—elves because of their great animosity requires guidance is in cases where the PCs toward the ores Iuz uses as standard troops, charm an NPC and then have him or her tag along halflings because they are the least likely to be permanently as an auxiliary party member. corrupted by evil and thus most likely to be The first issue here concerns what an NPC Preparing tfie Adventure actually knows and can tell the PCs. In the case of normally in accordance with the intelligence and important NPCs, this is specified.

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