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Designed by Wolfgang Baur Edited by Michele Carter and Anne Brown Cover Art by Jeff Easley Interior Art by Karl Waller Cartography by Dave Sutherland III, John Knecht, and Robin Raab Typesetting by Angelika Lokotz Play test and Review by Steve Kurtz and David J. Gross Special Thanks to Jeff Grubb, Zeb Cook, and Dave Zenz

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ISBN 1-56076-564-X 9431XXX1501 Contents

Chapter 1: Ivrtrotwctiovt, Against the Assassins, Holy Slayer PCs,

2: When the Well Rvms Dnj, 6

Chapter 3: The Heart of a Lion, Liham, City of Soldiers, 11 Blood in the Streets, 14 At the Palace of Sly Ravens, 17 At the Bazaar, 19 The Phoenix, 22 The Furrowed Mountains, 24 Among the Hill Tribes, 26 Across the Haunted Lands, 28 A Den of Wolves, 33

Sample fileDeath oti the Movmtam, 43 Exploring the Mountain, 44 Beginning the Adventure, 45 Getting Around, 46 Timeline of Events, 61 Story Appendix, 62 Ititrofcvictiovt

"Know for certain, that we slay no man in this world for any gain or reward, unless he have first injured us." Hasan i-Sabbah

raise be the Caliph, jewel of the world, sword of the righteous, shield of the faithful, gateway to wisdom, lord of justice, friend of mighty PQudra, prince of the true believers, whose blood is of the Grand Caliph, whose words are sweeter than the song of the nightingale, whose verses flow like sweet water, whose mildness and clemency endear him to Selan the Gracious, blessed as the lamb of the fields. May Fate grant him glory, prosperitySample, and a long life . file Praise be the Grandfather, the Caliph of Shadows, sword of the faithful, master of night, lord of liars, scourge of the unrighteous, old man of the mountain, binder of genies, he whose strength is that of the lion, whose stealth is as the serpent, whose Word is the Law, whose eyes reach and rend the hearts of the craven and the foolish, whose everlasting protection keeps safe the Word of Hajama the Courageous. May we all avoid his notice.

It has reached me, O wise readers, that once there were, among the great city of Liham the Red, the City of Soldiers, those who conspired against Fate and those who stood as a bulwark against the swords of the assassins. Which of these stood to Liham's aid, and which gave her to mighty Qudra? A$*Ar\$t the Assassins Mountain. The end requires PCs to enter and survive a foray into the fortress of the holy slayers. he adventures in this book pit the player Death, on the Mountain: This adventure is for PCs Tcharacters against the sons of the mountain and of levels 8 to 9. After they have won the trust of the their whispering swords. The approach of the assassins fellowship of the Everlasting, the PCs are called upon is deadly, and can be frustrating because they rarely to dispose of a threat considered too great even for the resort to fair and open combat. Holy slayers may not holy slayers. When the Grandfather dies, the PCs are be able to defeat trained warriors when fighting toe-to- caught up in the chaos of factional fighting, slaughter, toe, but that isn't their purpose. The assassins are the and plots within plots. Only the cautious will survive Hidden Ones, striking from concealment, willing to an ordeal as servants of the Grandfather. exploit any method or surrender any number of martyrs for their cause. For the assassins, nothing is Ho\x\ $\z\\er PCs true and everything is permitted. The following adventures demand both an '^f- he workings of the holy slayers are usually experienced DM and clever players; they require wit, secretive, but a group of players may include a good role-playing, and smart tactics. The DM must be holy slayer PC. The other players will probably already careful not to overwhelm the PCs, and to leave them know of his identity as a holy slayer. This is fine in an escape in most situations. Although progress against most adventures, assuming the PC doesn't receive "the the Everlasting may be slow, the adventures can be all call" very often and drag his friends with him. It the more satisfying for that. presents a problem, however, when the party faces While the adventures provide a framework for assassin opposition and the loyalty of the holy slayer storytelling and expansion, not every option can be PC is called into question. described; the DM may occasionally need to The best possible situation is for a player to keep his improvise. With the descriptions of areaSamples and NPCs filekit secret from the start. This allows him to play his from the Holy Slayer Sourcebook included in this box, character normally as a rogue of some kind until a this should be easy. critical moment in the adventure, when his true When the Well Runs Dry: This adventure, profession is revealed. The DM may want the player to designed for characters of levels 5 to 6, provides and act as a holy slayer informant within the party, introduction to the fanaticism of the holy slayers. It rewarding him with XP awards for good role-playing. occurs when the PCs spend a night in an isolated It is much likelier, however, that the PC's kit is merchant outpost. It describes a typical oasis and a already known to the other players. This might seem bold robbery attempt. like a problem, but it provides good role-playing fodder The Heart of a Lion: This adventure pits PCs of because the PCs may not trust their companion. The levels 6 to 7 against the cult of the Everlasting on holy slayer PC will have lots of chances to meet more Assassin Mountain itself, with the life and reputation NPCs, and he can be the center of negotiations with of a caliph at stake. Plague threatens the city of Liham, other holy slayers. To perpetuate the mystique, the DM and the PCs' success may save the city. This adventure should pass the player mysterious notes from time to is divided into three portions. The beginning allows time, but forbid him from showing them to the other the PCs a chance to improve their station through players. quick action and clever negotiation in the city of If the PC is a member of a fellowship other than the Liham. The middle involves the journey to Assassin Everlasting, he is instructed by his superiors to find out all he can about the Everlasting's operations and to A PC member of the fellowship of the Grey Fire prevent them from scoring any propaganda coups. may well be directed to the Al-Farids (see below) by After the meeting with the caliph (see "At the Palace other members of the Grey Fire. Because of the current of Sly Ravens"), all holy slayer PCs will be contacted hostility between the Everlasting and the Grey Fire and told to meet a comrade (away from the rest of the fellowships, such PCs will be told to kill the PCs) for instructions. The DM should take the player Grandfather or one of his lieutenants if they get the into another room and quiz him on everything: people opportunity. They have thus received "the call." present, food and supplies, numbers of guards, and Whether a player chooses to have his character obey is entrances and exits. The PC should then be told that up to him. his fellowship wants him to spy and report on the PC holy slayers should be in the thick of the action headquarters of the Everlasting while maintaining in these adventures. Slayers of Najm and Hajama are complete secrecy about his own affiliations. This at more risk of dying quickly and violently than are should arouse the suspicions of the other players. most PCs. This is one of the implicit risks of the kit: it Again, tell the player of the holy slayer character that creates martyrs. If things get too difficult for the PC, he may not reveal his orders or information; XP the DM might suggest to the player that it may be time rewards for good role-playing may be in order. to abandon the fellowship and suffer the consequences. If the PC is a member of the Everlasting, the expedition against the Grandfather may seem like a sure way to get kicked out of the sect, but all may be forgiven if the PC is drawn into the plots of his superiors. Up until this point, the player has probably had it pretty easy as a fanatic uncommitted to a specific faction of the Everlasting. The DM should make any PC member of the Everlasting choose a Sample file faction for his character. He should be given only the barest background about each splinter group (the DM should paraphrase the information in the Sourcebook). If the player doesn't choose a faction, all factions assume that since he is not one of their own, he must be an enemy. Regardless of which faction he chooses, he is told not to interfere in operations of the fellowship, but is to keep a close eye on his confederates. He will be ordered to report to a factional leader once he gets to Assassin Mountain itself—the fortress known as Jabal Sarahin. At that time, he will be expected to undertake the oathbinding ceremony described in the Sourcebook. If the Grandfather needs leverage against the PCs, he will use the holy slayer PC to intimidate the party into obeying (for an example of how this might work, see the story on p. 13 of the Holy Slayer Sourcebook).