Vol. IV, No. 6 M2 December, 1979 THE FELL PASS Legend and Introduction On the north wall there is scratched a message in Along the caravan routes that tie the dwarvish letters. It reads, “For the love of your ances- Cities of the West to the Kingdoms of the East, many tales are told of the mountains tors, TURN BACK!” called the Towers of the Sun. One of these of the world could travel the mountains in legends concerns a dark road said to be hid- The West End (Map 1) den among the twisty trails that spiderweb safety. And, incidentally, this brave act would the mountains. Into the earth the road leads, also enable the Prince to claim the mountains General: The Fell Pass is a system of geo- into and through a series of vast caverns filled as his own territory. This is in accordance thermal caverns, a fact which will be readily with treacherous traps and cunning mon- with the dwarf ethic of doing well while doing discernible by dwarves, gnomes or other sters. Yet dangerous though the path is, good. characters with a special knowledge of geo- many a party of adventurers have been Prince Huruch, however, did not do well. logy. There are no stalactites or stalagmites tempted to walk it, for the stories say that the His attempt to purge the Fell Pass failed. here as in a limestone cavern. Unless other- loot of a hundred lost caravans lies con- After a few early victories, word was sent wise indicated, floor, walls and ceiling are of cealed along that evil way. from the Pass of a new and terrible power fairly smooth, grayish-brown stone. Most of The dark road is called the FELL PASS. that had entered the West End. Shortly the galleries are wide enough and smooth Tread it carefully, friend. thereafter, all communication with the Prince enough to allow passage for horses or pack and his party failed. From that time since, General Notes animals, although not carts or wagons. Ceil- neither the Prince nor any of his followers ing height varies from 12 to 20 feet. has been seen or heard from. As might be expected in a geothermal The location of the Fell Pass has been left The new power in the West End is Vlog, cavern, it is warm and humid inside the Pass. self-proclaimed Lord of Ogres, who has vague so that the prospective Dungeon The West End has the highest altitude of the Master will have no trouble slipping it into his claimed the Diggings as his lair (see item three parts of the Pass, so the temperature is #13) or her campaign. The legend assumes that it a comfortable, though moist, 72° F. lies somewhere near established trade 02: FALLEN ROCK: This entrance to routes, so misleading or enticing players into 01: THE PIT OF BONES: This pit is four the Dwarf Diggings is blocked by loose the Pass should prove no problem. Indeed, it feet deep and nearly filled with a variety of rubble. Clearing this rock to allow passage is perfectly possible for a party of characters weathered bones. A more than casual exam- will take 6 turns. to enter the Pass without realizing they have ination of these remains will reveal that half The sound of the passage being cleared entered a “dungeon.” In fairness, the Dun- of the bones are those of horses and pack is certain to alert the dwellers in the chamber geon Master should “remind” the players of beyond. These are eight giant bats. The bats the legend of the Pass if they should come are not terribly bright and will attack any upon it, so that they will have some idea of intruders. what they are getting themselves into. Most For game purposes, the giant bats may parties will want to enter the Pass despite, or be treated as giant rats with wings. Note, even because of, such warnings. (Heh, heh, however, that bats rely on their keen hearing heh!) and acute sense of smell rather than their Although the Fell Pass is described here eyesight, and thus can easily overcome spells in the manner of a dungeon, technically it of Darkness, Illusion and Invisibility. may be considered a wilderness area. Thus 8 Giant Bats—AC 7; HD ½; Move Druidic abilities, specifically the useful Detect 12”/18”; D/A 1-3; HP—1, 3, 3, 3, 1, 2, 4, 4. Snares and Pits spell, should operate inside The chamber beyond the fallen rock is the Pass except in the area of the Dwarf empty. On the north wall there is scratched a Diggings, which are not a work of Nature. message in dwarvish letters. It reads, “For The Dungeon Master should become the love of your ancestors, TURN BACK!” completely familiar with the contents of the Fell Pass before conducting an adventure animals, while the other half is a mixture of 03: SECRET PORTALS: These three through it. Much detail is given in the Pass human, dwarf, orc and centaur bones. camouflaged entrances to the Diggings Key below, and the Dungeon Master is re- The bones are just bones, and there is appear to be made of natural stone, but in minded not to reveal more to the players nothing dangerous or valuable in the pit. The fact are of a substance similar to self-sealing than their characters can reasonably per- pit was dug and filled by an earlier band of rubber. A character can, by firmly pressing ceive for themselves. Divining the rationale adventurers as a warning to travelers entering against the surface of the portal, push behind bizarre events is a major part of the the Pass. So far, the warning has fallen on through the wall to the other side. The hole challenge of a good dungeon. blind eyes. made by the character’s passage will “heal” THE DWARF DIGGINGS: Items #02 instantly, as will attempts to cut or chop PASS KEY through #15 comprise the Dwarf Diggings, through the portal. all that remains of an outpost pioneered by Horses and pack animals will not Start: As there are two ends to the Fell Pass, Prince Huruch the Proud, the noble son of a voluntarily pass through these seemingly a journey through the Pass may begin at powerful southern king. After establishing solid walls. either the West or the East End. For simplic- this stronghold in the Towers of the Sun, ity’s sake, the Pass will be described here Prince Huruch had planned to clear the Pass 04: GUARD ROOM A dwarf-sized table West to East. of its foul denizens so that the good peoples and three chairs occupy the center of this M3 Vol. IV, No. 6 room. Shield-sized clay disks, glazed to depict net (position marked by “X” on the map). If goblins. Goblin-bags are visible on the belts dwarf hunting scenes, hang on the northwest stepped into, the net will snap up, suspend- of the goblins. The rank smell of the bear and and southeast walls. ing 1-2 characters from the ceiling, about 12 its victims is easily discernible outside the feet above the floor. At the same time, a loud door to this chamber. 05: GUARD ROOM: Two ogre lookouts gong will sound three times. The bear will awaken at any sound louder sit with their backs to the secret portal, listen- The gong is an alarm, obviously. The than a fingersnap. And even if a party enter- ing for intruders passing through the galley second turn after the trap is sprung, four ing this room is quiet, there is a 1 in 10 outside. They will detect a party of a chance ogres bearing clubs will come charging in. An chance per turn that the bear will awaken of 1-4 (d6) or a 100% chance if the party additional ogre will arrive every turn there- anyway. Cave bears are notoriously territor- stops to examine or search for the secret after for six more turns. ial, so the bear is sure to attack any group of portal. Extricating the character or characters intruders, defending its lair to the death. If the If the ogres detect a party, they will not caught in the net will require three turns of players choose to jump the bear while it attack it, but will instead run to chamber #13 cutting with a dagger or sword. A character in sleeps, they will get 1 free melee round and a and inform Vlog, their leader. Vlog will then the net may attempt to free him or herself if +4 to hit in that round. organize an ambush which will jump the the character has a dagger handy. No other A search of the goblin-bags will reveal party in the galley outside of chamber #4 or weapon can be brought to bear by a char- that one is empty, another contains 80 g.p. #14, depending on the direction the party is acter entangled in the tough, silken strands. and the third contains a vial of dark brown traveling. Because the ambushers will be Applying fire to the net will free the liquid that tastes like bad whiskey. leaping out of a secret portal, the ogres will trapped player or players immediately, but The liquid is in fact a Potion of Fire Resis- almost certainly (1-5, d6) have the advan- will also ignite the rest of the silk in the room. tance. tage of surprise over the party. All persons in the burning room will take 1-8 1 Cave Bear—AC 6; HD 6+6; Move Since the ogre lookouts are listening for points of damage every turn that they remain 12”; D/A 1-8/1-8/1-12 (hug on 18+ for movement in the galley outside, they can be inside.