O)Oonligbt 0) A~N~Ss

D ungeonsAdvanced &D ragons ·

m ~ V WI ID m I Game Adventure O)oonligbt0) a~n~ss An AD&D®Adventure for 4-6 characters of 4th-6th level

by penny & SkipWilliams

Table of Contents Dungeon Master's Background ...... 2 A Note on Lycanthropy (Optional Rules) ...... 2 Thornburg ...... 5 Courier Service ...... 9 Cold Springs ...... 12 Fun in the Forest ...... 16 Sphinxes and Others ...... 22 Brant's Bandits ...... 29 Hennits and Antihennits ...... 36 Rude Awakenings ...... 38 Sharptooth Valley ...... 41 The Moun tain Pass ...... 44 The Hermitage ...... 46 Scrying Rules/Moon Chart/Prerolled Saves ...... 47

Credits Original Tournament Design: Penny & Skip Williams Editing & Development: John D. Rateliff Brand Manager: Lisa Stevens Cover Illustra tion: Jeff Easley Interior Illustration: Jack A. Keefer Cartography: Dennis Kauth and Rob Lazzaretti Typography: Angelika Lokotz and Eric Haddock Art Director: Dawn Murin

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Visit our website at www.tsr.com ters are exposed to various types of lycanthropy. These can Dungeonmaster's Backgrounb be as simple as a nighttime raid on the PCs' camp by a Some or all of the player characters in this module are pack of wolves (several of which are secretly werewolves) suffering from lycanthropy . Each character so cursed will or a dungeon encounter with a swarm of giant rats (with naturally wish to find a cure before his or her personality several wererats unobtrusively among their number), to as and alignment change to embrace the darkness within, subtle as the dying curse of some evil high priest the char­ leaving the new animal-self dominant. Conventional acters have just slain or side effect of that magical fountain cures having failed, the characters are seeking for a semi­ they all drank from. It's best if more than one PC is in­ mythical place called "the Hermitage on the Lake," fected-ideally at least half the party, if not all, should be which offers them one last hope of finding someone will­ suffering from exposure to a variety of weretypes. In the ing and able to effect a cure before it's too late. Unfortu­ original tournament upon which this module is based, the nately, no one seems to know exactly where the player characters were a werewolf ranger, a wererat thief, Hermitage is. It is said to be a retreat far away from the a werebear cleric, a weretiger mage, an elven werefox hustle and bustle of civilization that only the truly pure fighter/ mage, and a wereboar barbarian. or needy may find in their hour of greatest need. The adventure opens in the walled city of Thornburg, which is currently undergoing a werewolf panic. The city gates have been sealed and a mob mentality rules, with A note on f ycantbropy angry citizens ready to set upon any suspicious-looking (OptionalRules) stranger. Characters who confess their affliction will ei­ The following optional rules are provided to help the ther be lynched on the spot ("Get him!") or arrested and DM adjudicate the chances of player characters becoming held until they can be formally executed. The PCs are werebeasts, infecting others with their curse, and invol­ thus faced with two goals throughout the adventure: untarily assuming bestial form. The much briefer stan­ keeping their lycanthropy secret and finding a cure before dard lycanthropy rules may be found in the DU NGEON time runs out. M AS TER® Guide (under "A DM's Miscellany") and the Before the adventure begins, then, the DM should MON STROUS M ANUAL™ tome (under "Lycanthrope"). arrange a series of encounters in which the player charac- th e Progress of tbe Disease A character may be cursed with the magical disease known as "lycanthropy" in any of a number of ways. The most usual is to be bitten by a werebeast. In the standard rules, the chance is 1% per hit point lost. Under these op­ tional rules, a character so bitten has a chance of acquir­ ing the disease equal to the percentage of his or her total hit points lost due to the injury. Thus, a 1st-level character mauled for 4 out of his total of 5 hit points would have a much greater chance (80%) of catching the disease than a 5th-level fighter who got scratched for a mere 4 points out of 40 (10% chance) in the same fight. A character reduced to zero hit points or below who survives due to prompt aid (the "death's door" rule), or one slain by the beast and then raised from the dead, should be given a 95% chance of becoming a werebeast. In all cases, the particular type of lycanthropy picked up in this fashion will be the same as the attacking creature (thus a person attacked by a werewolf will become another werewolf, not a wererat or wereboar, and so forth). Note that if the attacking were­ beast is in animal form at the time the character may not realize until long afterwards that there was anything su­ Samplepernatural about the encounter file and thus may not seek aid (beyond standard healing spells for the injury) until it is too late. Three traditional cures for lycanthropy are listed here: the DM may allow the player characters to learn of them from NPCs they encounter in the course of tl1e adventure 2 (gypsies, Muldoon the druid, Stewart the ranger, Grim, character in question might have little cause to suspect the gynosphinx, etc.). Whether or not these remedies that he or she has been infected until the process is too far work is, of course, entirely up to the DM. gone to cure by ordinary means. Characters can also be­ (1) Swallowing a fresh sprig of belladonna within an come werebeast, especially evil types, through commit­ hour of the attack has a 25% chance of negating the dis­ ting heinous acts that are more "animal" than human ease, but remember that belladonna is toxic and can kill (e.g., cannibalism), but player characters should rarely the patient (1% chance), incapacitating any survivors for fall in this category. ld4 days. (2) Cure diseasecan negate the blight, but only if cast ]nt>oluntaryChanges to Wetefonn within three days of infection and only if cast by a priest ("GoingWete") or priestess of at least 12th level (this adventure assumes that no clerics of appropriate level are available in the Infected characters will assume wereform under one of campaign this side of the Hermitage). two circumstances: when undergoing great stress or dur­ (3) Remove curse may negate the infection but only if ing certain phases of the moon. Any time the character cast on the victim while in wereform (i. e., after the dis­ takes one-third or more of his or her total hit points in ease has fully manifested itself) and even then only if the damage in combat, he or she has a flat 50% chance to shift character in question succeeds on a saving throw vs. poly­ into wereform (kindly DMs may, optionally, reduce that morph. If this cure works, the character immediately re­ chance to 25% in daylight hours). In addition, all infected verts to normal form, free of the curse. Remember that the characters undergo the change during the time of the full werebeast will do everything within its power to disrupt moon (at sunset on the night before, the night of, and the the spell, including fleeing at top speed or simply attack­ night after the moon becomes full). Use the Moon Chart ing the priest with tooth and claw. Think of the werebeast provided as an appendix to this adventure as a handy as a second personality beginning to emerge that will means to keep track of how many days the characters eventually devour and replace the PC's original personal­ have left before disaster strikes. It's up to the DM to de­ ity. At first it isn't aware of what the PC does, nor does the cide the moon's phase when the adventure begins: the ad­ PC know what his or her bestial form does under the full venture assumes that the opening scene takes place moon. Eventually each becomes aware of the other, but during the dark of the moon, but a generous DM may rule only when they are beginning to merge with the were­ that the full moon has just passed, allowing a full month beast mind as the dominant one. When it is in control it before the next transformation. does everything possible to destroy the PC's friends (al­ The change to wereform temporarily boosts the charac­ lies of the hated original personality), either by killing ter's Strength to 19 but renders the character unable to them or by infecting them in turn. If only one PC is in­ function for one or two rounds (roll any die: odd = one fected at the beginning of the adventure, that could easily round, even = two) due to disorientation. While in were­ change after the first full moon! form, the character is immune to normal weapons and can Demihumans are a special case: most are not trans­ only be harmed by silver or magical weapons (spells, acid, formed by the disease (with the notable exceptions of the and fire still have their usual effects). Lycanthropes cannot elven werefoxes and dwarven werebadgers). So long as a abide the touch of silver or smell of wolfsbane, and some demihuman player character keeps to the "designated have such a strong antipathy that silver actually burns driver" role, well and good, but if such a PC gets too their skin (for 1 point of damage per round) when in close cocky over his or her "invulnerability" don't be afraid to contact. The werecreature is not interested in any posses­ take the character down a peg or two. For example, you sions and will abandon them, either dropping them where might rule that just because the particular form of lycan­ the change took place or scattering them somewhere be­ thropy the demihuman has just been exposed to does not tween that spot and wherever he or she winds up. Hence, trigger a shapechange doesn't mean he or she is immune keeping track of clothes, weapons, and the like becomes a to the disease . Rather, it might cause the character to be matter of some difficulty. The player has no control over utterly debilitated throughout the next full moon and will the character's actions in wereform (see the "Prerolled eventually kill outright if not cured before the disease has Saves" section on page 47); instead, the DM directs the fully taken hold (say the second or third full moon after wereform's actions (i.e., choosing to fight or run if injured, exposure). deciding whether or not to eat the horses, dig for truffles, Note that characters might also become werebeasts raid a chicken coop, or whatever seems appropriate at the throughSample malfunctioning or cursed magical items, scrolls, time). Have the werecreature file react to situations entirely as or potions. A cursed cloakof the bat might turn the charac­ an animal would; self-preservation should be the crea­ ter who uses it once too often into a werebat; a faulty po­ ture's overriding goal, although evil werebeasts will do as tion of invulnerabilitycould make its drinker a werebear; a much harm and wreak as much havoc as possible in the cursed scroll could turn its reader into a we~etiger. These time availabJe to them. disease vectors are particularly insidious because the Characters who change to wereform remain in that 3 form until the next sunrise. If a character was wearing that he or she recently acquired lycanthropy and is trying armor when the change occurred, apply damage as per to find a cure. Tell each player that the character is trying the following table. to keep his or her curse a secret from everyone (including Ordinary clothing (shirts, beeches, skirts, etc.) will be the other players and player characters) and see how long shredded beyond any future use unless taken off and it takes before they all realize that they 're in the same stored before transformation occurs . Experienced lycan­ boat. Each has tried, and failed, to find a cure and been thropes eventually learn to disrobe before transformation, told that his or her last hope is to find "The Hermitage on storing all their items in some safe place they can be sure the Lake," a quiet retreat located somewhere up in the to find upon resuming their human (or demihuman) Spikey Mountains. This Hermitage is rumored to be form. On e small consolation for characters who find chock-full of powerful priests who should be able to cure themselves naked, lost, amnesiac, and unarmed at dawn the affliction. Legend also says that pilgrims seeking the is that the reversion to human form (or demihuman, as hermitage should wear amber (a traditional sovereign the case may be) restores ld6 x10% hit points of any dam­ against disease) as a token of their sincerity. Allow each age they may have suffered. character a chance to find or buy some piece of amber jewelry -a sword pommel, amulet, ring, cloak pin, belt A ~inalnote buckle, bracelet , headband, or whatever . Whether he or she chooses to openly display it is, of course, up to the PC. In the normal course of thing s, all the player characters Note that , for reasons discussed later (see page 46), an in a party know each other before the adventure begins. arrowof directionand similar magics will not avail in find­ Just to keep things interesting, you might want to let the ing the Hermitage. players roll up all new characters and quietly inform each

Armor Type: leath er studded/ ring scale chain splint or banded plate Damage: 1 hp ld2 ld3 ld4 ld3+1 ld4+1

Note: subtract-1 hp from these figures for sma ll werebeasts (e.g., wererats and werebats); add +1 hp for large werebeasts (e.g., werebears, were­ tigers, and werecrocodiles). Winged forms (werebats and wereravens) present special problems which the DM shou ld resolve as he or she sees fit, taking into account any creative preparations on the player's part.

Sample file

4 Slip over or under the wall. Th walls are under the watchful eye of the air patrol (see page 6); the sewers lead At fir t you thought you liked Thornburg. Aft r all, it to heavy iron grates wruch have recently b n set with sil­ wa th only town for mile around, with high wall , ver liver in such a way that player characters ca1mot get well-stocked inns, and fri ndly p opl . Then the were­ a good grip on them, making bend bar s/ lift gates rolls wolf car b gan. Before you kn w what was happen­ impos sible. ing, panic emed to have sw pt th town . The gates Smuggle self out. Even though no one is allowed in or were cl d, with well-armed guard car fully checking out, people still must eat. Food arrives daily from outlying th bonafid of anyone trying to enter or leave. Local farms and traveling merchants, who leave th ir goods at wizard t up an air patrol that blasted out of the sky the gates and collect their payment along with any barrels anything that tri d to g t over the walls. The burg - and casks empti d since their last visit. Character s might mei ter ent a me age a king for aid from a famou try to hide themselves inside these empti s, but this strat­ lycanthrop -hunter, a king him to come and help xter­ egy is on ly practical if they can somehow n gate their minat th m nace. What you intended as an ov might wei?ht as well, as otherwise the drovers will immediately tay ha stretched into almost a week, with no end in realize that someone or something is inside that shouldn't ight. It' high time you were moving on-but how? be. The city cemetery also lies out ide the city wall , so a desperate charact r might try to hide inside a coffin and get carried out by pallb arers. Given the present cri is, Allow the player characters to exercis their ingenuity though, guards are likely to intercept th procession and trying to find ways around, over, under, or through the in ist on cremating the remains, which should give en­ city walls. Brute force shouldn't work, as any blatant at­ coffined PCs a few bad moment . tack on th gate guards results in quick reinforcements, Other po sibi lities are limit ed only by the players' who tand an excell nt chance of overwhelming the at­ imagination and their character ' capabilities. tackers and dragging them off to the city jail. Even if tru crude tactic succeeds, the townspeople will alert every­ (homburg O)ilitia one for miles around that the "evil fi nds in human form" are at large and provide them with a detailed de cription The ga te guards are quite vigilant and shoot down of the PCs' appearance. Characters who prefer sub terfuge anyone een trying to escape with th ir silver-tipped ar­ to an un qual combat might try any of a variety of ap­ rows. No one in town, not ev n criminals, will trust any­ proach : one trying to hide or slip out of the city. If approached Try to bluff their way past the gate. The guard h r with such a proposition, any citizen will call for help, and are careful to check for pas es, requiring characters who a vigilante team similar to the one describ don pages 6-7 want to get past to either steal or forge one (to produce a will app ar in 2d4+1 rounds to pound the offender flat passable copy, the forger must have an original to work with silver- tudded bludgeons. No proof is needed, and from). The quarantine i tight, so with or without a pass no questions are asked. Gate guard will arr st and jail the guard in charg will still hold suspicio us-looking anyone trying to leave the city for any reason (except the characters for questioning. Trying to charm a guard stands hipment guard ); all pa es are now void. The guards an excell nt chance of being observed by his or her fel­ will attack if characters become abusive. Since martial law lows, who consider this an attack on one of their number i in effect, there is no appea l for inju tice of any sort until and imm diately retaliate. the emergency is over. Join a caravan. ormally this would work, but at pr - sent all caravans have be n d layed from leaving th city. Gate <3uarbs Hence while any of a number of merchant caravans Watch Officers, 7th-level Fighters (2): A 2 (plate mail & would gladly hire on the PCs, that won't get them out of shi Id); MY 12; 56, 47 hp; THAC0 14 (13 with two­ the city any faster. handed sword due to specialization); #AT 2 ( p cializa­ Join the guards. This option may appea l to characters tion); 0mg ldl0+2 (two-handed sword, specialization) of the "if you can't b at them, join them" persuasion. It or ld4 (dagger); SA weapon peciali t (two-handed has the advantage of familiarizing the character with the sword); SZ M; AL LG; XP 650 each. patrol routine and watch patterns. However, if the char­ acters sign up in a group they wi ll quickly be sp lit up Guards, 1st-level Fighters (6): AC 4 (chain mail & shield); (mages going to the air patrol, fighters to the gates, and MY 12; 7 hp each; THAC0 20; #AT 1 (spear, short Samplesword) or 2 (short bow); 0mgfile ld6 (arrow, short sword, oth rs to the me halls, stre t patrol , or house-to-house search details). A character in the guard has a good spear); SZ M; AL NG; XP 35 each. chance of making a break or slipping off quietly, making this a good option for solitary characters, but thereafter Cleric, 5th-level: AC 4 (chain mail & shield); MV 12; 25 hp; THAC0 18; #AT 1; 0mg ld6 (mace); SA pells; SD spells; s curity will be tightened as a result. SZ M; AL LG; XP 650. Wi 17. Spell : cure light wounds x3, 5 detectevil, protectionfrom evil;aid, holdperson, know align­ Note that if the OM needs more assistance within the ment x3; dispelmagic, prayer. city walls to bring the PCs und er control, there are dozens of vigilantes , not to mention hundreds of ordinary citi­ Mage, 5th-level: AC 10; MV 12; 10 hp; THAC0 19; #AT 1; zens, who will rush to aid the constabulary. 0m g ld4 (dagger); SA spells; SD spells; SZ M; AL LG; XP 650. Int 17. Spells: color spray, magic missile, shield, (be Stt·ccts of (bornburg sleep;detect invisibility, ESP; Melf's minute meteors. Should characters think to ask the citizens of Thorn­ Wall Patrols burg for information about the Hermitage, they get an earful. o one seems to know exactly where it is, other Wall Guards, 1st-level Fighters (40 per shif t per wall­ than somewhere to the north and up in the mountains. section): AC 4 (chain mail & shield); MV 12; 7 hp each; Several informants say that they've heard there's an old THAC0 20; #AT 1 (spear, short swo rd) or 2 (short bow); man in Cold Springs named Mudface who knows where 0mg ld6 (arrow, short sword, spear) ; SZ M; AL NG; it is (note that none of them know his real nam e, nor that XP 35 each. "01' Mudface" is mere ly a nickname). One or two sugges t Patrol Leaders, 4th-level Fighters (1 per shif t per wall­ they try the gypsies, who travel around a lot and so ought to know where thing s are. A spy planted in an inn by section): AC 2 (plate mail & shield); MV 12; 56 hp; THAC0 17; #AT 1 (short swo rd, morning star) or 2 Baron Brant urge s them to try Brant's Castle, whi le a sym­ (short bow); 0mg ld6 (arrow or short swo rd) or 2d4 pathetic farmer sugges ts that the druid in the woods to (morning star); SZ M; AL LG; XP 175 each. the north might be able to help them. To help player characters realize that their situation is Clerics, 3rd level (2 per shift per wall-section): AC 3 becoming ever mor e untenabl e, run the following en­ (splint mail & shield); MV 12; 14 hp each; THAC0 20; counter for them. #AT 1; 0mg ld6 (staff); SA spe lls; SD spells; SZ M; AL LG; XP 175 each. Wis 13. Spells: cure light wounds x3; You're out on the street, mulling over how to leave hold person. thi s town, when yo u're caught up in the press of people. You're carried along, eventually coming to a Cleric, 5th-level (1 per shift per wall-section): AC 4 stop in front of an i.tu1.When you arrived in town, this (plate mail, Dexterity penalty); MV 12; 25 hp; THAC0 was a cozy little place known as "Th Wolf Whistle." 18; #AT 1; 0mg ld6+1 (flail) or ld4+1 (war hamm er); Now the walls are cover d with burn marks and SA spe lls; SD spe lls; SZ M; AL LG; XP 650. Wis 16, Dex gouges and the hastily whitewashed sign hanging 6. Spells: cure light wounds x3, detect evil, sanctuary;ai.cl, over the door bears a new name: "The Wet Whistle." hold personx2, know alignment x2; dispel magic. An empty cage with hideou ly twisted bars next to the door was once the resid nc of the inn 's mascot. It ap­ Air Patt·ol (on a carp~t of flying) pears that something brok i.11-not out. Mage, 7th level: AC 7 (Dexterity bonus); MV 12, fly 24 (car­ Right now the inn is ringed by a crowd of angry­ pet offlying); 19 hp; THAC0 18; #AT 1; Dmg by spell; SA looking citizens, mo t of whom are armed with great spells; SD sp Us; SZ M; AL LN; XP 1,400. Dex 17, Int 17. bludgeons, crudely studded with bent silver pieces. A Spells: featherfa/1,magic missile x6; detectinvisibility, stink­ knot of th larges t men peer through a ground-floor ing cloud,web; fireball, slow; Rary's mnemonicenhancer (al­ window with scowls on their faces. They speak i.t1low ready cast for thr e extra magic missiles). whisp rs. A man on the fri.t1ges of the crowd turns to fac you. "We've got one cornered," he whispers Mages, 5th level (2): AC 8 (Dexterity bonus); MV 12, fly hoar ly. "It's not gonna get away from us this time, 24 (carpetof flying); 15 hp each; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg the filthy shapechanger!" by spe ll; SA spel ls; SD spe lls; SZ M; AL NG; XP 650 "Get your clubs h re," shouts a str t p ddler. "Sil­ each. Dex 16, Int 15. Spells: featherfall, magic missile x3; v r-studded clubs for killing mon ters. Only t n silver flaming sphere, web; lightning bolt. pieces each. Get one before they get you!" Fighter, 7th level: AC 4 (banded mail); MV 12, fly 24 (car­ pet offlying); 49 hp; THAC0 14 (12 with Strength bonu s, The villagers are certain that they have trapped a 10 with long bow specialization at point blank range); lycanthrope inside the inn. They h·y to pressure the char ­ Sampleacters into joining them. ("Youfile look like you've been #AT 2 (long bow) or 3/2 (long swo rd) ; 0mg ld8+4/ld8+4 (sheaf arrows, Strength bonus) or ld8+4 around-grab a club and join us. I'll bet all your toad­ (long sword, Strength bonus); SA bow spec ialist; SZ M; sticker s are enchanted, huh? Even better!") They will be AL NG; XP 975. Str 18/78. quite suspicio us of any characters who refuse to join the ambush attempt. Make clear that den0tmcing the mob or

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