Nymph’s Reward
DM information
for the DM
Random encounters normal forest
Shroud Path encounters
adventure background
random encounters heavy forest
the forest
Wilderness encounters
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
Vexia's lair “H”
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
H9
H10
H11
H12
H13
H14
H15
H16
H17
H18
H19
H20
Return to the Black Glen
Concluding the adventure
DM Information
This is an adventure set in the World of Greyhawk in hex location L4/92. This is between Dyvers
and Greyhawk. This is an adventure for a group of 5 to 7 characters of 4th to 6th levels. There should be
about 30 total levels in the party. A good mix of classes is desirable, as well as a mix of races.
This adventure takes place between the free cities of Greyhawk and Dyvers in the Gnarley
Forest. The characters are assumed to be escorting a caravan from one city to the other city. The DM can
use other ways to insert the characters into the adventure, but the caravan guards will be the easiest.
For the DM
In the Gnarley Forest around Lake Sember, a covey of hags once existed. They spread their evil
all over the northern Gnarley Forest to the free cities of Dyvers and Greyhawk. The covey consisted of
an annis named Vexia, a greenhag named Thessinthorn, and a sea hag named Magglerak. Magglerak
lived in Lake Sember. Though the covey was responsible for much of the evil abounding in the area, the
group was torn by internal strife. The 3 hags spent much of their time squabbling and bickering amongst
themselves. In most of their quarrels, Vexia, the annis, would end up the victor. This is because she was
the most powerful and cunning, or so she thought. Vexia even had the nerve to call it “her” covey, and
forced her leadership on the other 2.
After one of their more horrendous disagreements, Thessinthorn and Magglerak grew utterly
resentful of Vexia's selfish and boastful nature, and decided to put an end to it. They devised a plan to
strip Vexia of her annis powers and expel her from the covey. They invited Houpshe, a sister greenhag
of Thessinthorn to come down from forests far to the north and join the covey replacing Vexia.
Using her change self power, Magglerak appeared as a handsome human male and lured Vexia
into a frustrating chase. Magglerak stayed just out of reach of Vexia's talons until they reached a body of
water, where the young “man” mysteriously disappeared.
After being taunted in this way several times, Vexia went to Thessinthorn and demanded hat she
devise a way for Vexia to capture the elusive man. Thessinthorn presented Vexia with a magical potion
and instructed her to drink it when she was within sight of the man, for it would give her the power to
lure him to her. Soon after that, Vexia came across Magglerak in her man guise. The annis immediately
downed the potion and was changed into the form of a beautiful nymph. The man stopped and looked at
her. Vexia, getting into her nymph role, invited him to sit close and speak with her. She watched with
great anticipation as the man came to her, then she reached out and grabbed him with a shout of triumph.
But with a victory cry of her own, Magglerak shifted to her natural, albeit hideous form, and
pulled away from Vexia's weakened grip. Shocked and furious, Vexia was threatening Magglerak for
her deception when Thessinthorn appeared with Houpshe. The 3 took Vexia back to the “black glen”
where the covey would meet to do evil. When they got to the glen, they cursed Vexia. In vain, she tried
to assume her natural form, but she found that Thessinthorn's potion had taken away most of her powers.
In the glen, Thessinthorn, Magglerak, and Houpshe formed their own covey and banished Vexia from
their territory. They also forced her to live in the form that they found most disgusting, that of a nymph.
Vexia immediately tried to return to her lair, where she had the means of breaking the curse. Her
servants didn’t recognize her and tried to capture her. She barely escaped with her life and fled to the
forest’s northern edge. She has been hiding there for the past 6 months, planning her revenge. All she
needs is an opportunity to free herself from the hag sisters’ magic.
If Vexia can get someone else to go into her lair and bring out a special brew she has hidden in
her laboratory, she believes that her powers will be restored to her. This brew is a potion, created by
Thessinthorn, which increases a hag’s magic resistance by 40%. The annis hopes to gain the help of
some adventuring do-gooders to accomplish her plan. She will use her cunning, knowledge of the area,
and a still functioning hag eye that was created by the 1st covey and is usable by means of a cauldron in
the Black Glen. She can also use her fog cloud ability 3 times a day and still has her previous magic
resistance. These 2 powers are all that remain of her annis powers.
While Vexia plotted, the success of the new covey was short lived. Both Magglerak and Thessinthorn
believed that Houpshe should be subservient to them and began ordering her around. Houpshe didn’t
take that well, and the covey erupted into fits of fists and shrieks. The fight ended with each hag leaving,
vowing to get back at the others. Now each of them seek to force the others’ loyalty from their separate
lairs, and the covey is now inactive. Nearby, Vexia's lair awaits her return.
Aubaerus the Ravenmaster is a hierophant druid. He has kept close track of these hags and is
pleased to see that their covey has failed. He has had to work hard at times to balance the evil of the
covey and would definitely not like to see Vexia gain a cure for her curse. He believes that the natural
order of things, so he won’t interfere but will offer advice. He will keep an eye on the adventure and
won’t make an appearance until the end of the adventure.
Adventure Background
PC’s: The caravan you have been traveling with moves slowly and you are anxious to proceed west to
Dyvers. You have contracted to be guards for the journey to Dyvers, and once there will continue
with your adventuring. As another morning comes, you break camp and are moving out ahead
when a small, timid voice calls to you from the trees south of the road. Cringing in obvious fear
and shyness, a slim figure peeks out from behind a large oak tree and motions for you to come
closer. No one else from the caravan sees her.
DM:
If the characters approach the figure, the following occurs.
PC’s:
The figure is a very beautiful young woman with long, flowing green tinged hair set with several
flowers. She wears a torn gray cloak, but neither this nor the worried, fearful look on her face does much
to hide her superior beauty. She looks as if she should be clad in the most elegant robes. Her smile
would shame the sun shinning in the sky. After watching you for a moment and reassuring herself that
you won’t harm her, the lovely creature steps out in front of you and speaks.
“Good travelers,” she begins. “I am Willori, a daughter of these forests. I believe that you would
call me a nymph. Please forgive my boldness for calling out to you, for I am troubled. One of my sisters
is very ill. She was cursed by a horrible witch that lives in the forest to the south, and I fear that she may
die unless the curse is broken! Forgive my fears, please, for I saw that you carried those,” she wrinkles
her nose and points to your weapons. “In truth, I believe that you may be my only hope in freeing my
sister from her curse. And I think you will need those to do it. No, good sirs, I am not asking for your
help, I am begging and imploring you!” She looks as if she will either cry or run and hide. She steels
herself and continues. “Oh, if you could only travel to the witch’s lair and get the antidote, I would be
forever in your debt!”
DM:
The characters can talk this over and even ask the DM questions. Willori will wait while this
happens, with hope brimming in her eyes, for the character’s response. If asked why viewing her
doesn’t cause blindness, as is typical with a nymph, Willori explains that she can mute her power
to be viewed without danger when she desires this, but the viewers must be respectful and kind.
If the characters seem reluctant to help, she will offer the characters a silver brooch set with a
blue gemstone and says that she has more items like this that she will give the characters if they
succeed. This is actually a hag eye, and it has a magical aura. She will claim that it will bring
good luck.
Willori / Vexia:
HAG, ANNIS:
DM:
hd 7 +7 hp 45 thaco 13 morale 15 int very 12 align chaotic evil
(chaotic neutral)
ac 0 (9) move 15” (12) str 18/00 (10) #att 2 claws /
1 bite (nil) damage 1d8 +8 claw / 2d4 +1 bite (nil) magic resist 20%
size large 8’ tall (mansized) exp 4,000 surprised 1 on a d10 vision normal
& infravision spells change self at will (nil) / fog cloud 3 per day
spell level 8th
combat -1 per die from edged weapons & +1 from blunt
weapons (nil) information those stats in parenthesis are for in the nymph form
Assuming the characters take the bait, read the following player character information block to
the characters.
PC’s:
Willori is obviously delighted that you have agreed to help her. She continues, “My sister,
Butternut, is a beneficial daughter of the forest. She is very friendly and helpful. The witch, Vexia,
knows of her goodness and hates her for it.”
“One day, my sister found the witch wounded and near death. Vexia appeared so pitiable that my
sister felt sorry for her and wanted to help. The witch said she needed an elixir that she had in her pouch,
but that she was too weak to get it. Butternut kindly removed it for her, uncorked the bottle, and handed
it to the witch.”
“Vexia was about to drink it when she said she wasn’t sure if it was the right one, and that if she
drank the wrong one it would kill her. She said the one she needed tasted like fresh honey and asked
Butternut to taste it for her. She promised my sister that it would do her no harm.”
“Butternut tasted the potion and fell to the ground, too weak to stand. The foul witch had only
pretended to need help, and she cackled her hag’s gleeful laugh at having duped my sister. She cursed
my sister and left her to die.”
“That is where we found her. Since then, the color has drained from her face. She grows uglier
and uglier each day. She is turning into a terrible creature, and there is nothing I can do to help her! I
fear that she won’t last much longer. That is why I must be soo bold in confronting you. If you could
just bring me the potion that the witch had in her pouch, I am sure that we can find a remedy for the
curse.”
DM:
Willori will refuse to take the characters to see Butternut. She will state that “Butternut wishes
no one to see her suffering.” If any spells are used on Willori, the DM must remember that she has a
20% magic resistance. If the characters detect for enemies or harmful intentions, they will get only slight
readings as the “nymph” is too consumed with recovering the potion to think about harming the
characters right now. Her story has a few shreds of truth in it, stretched as it is. Accusations of lying, if
such are detected for by magic, lead Willori to burst into tears and cry, “Everything is so complicated!
For the love of my sister, please believe me and help me!”
If a know alignment spell is used on Willori, her alignment is chaotic neutral with evil
tendencies. If confronted about her alignment, she appears ashamed and mumbles that she is very upset
about things, and that lately she has found herself thinking thoughts not becoming of a nymph, thoughts
about revenge. In truth, the change to a nymph has started to change Vexia's alignment, which shocks
and upsets her. Her distaste for weapons has become quite real, again much to her horror. Should this
situation continue, she is horrified that she might actually become a true nymph.
An ESP or true seeing spell will reveal Willori to be exactly what she is. The DM should be
prepared to ad-lib this. Should Vexia be left alone, in a short time she will be a true nymph. She might
say that she was an evil creature that was polymorphed into a nymph, and now she is trying to atone for
her past evils. Should something like this happen, she casts a fog cloud spell and flees as fast as she can.
The nymph will ad, hastily, to the party the following information.
PC’s: “The witch has a lair of caves that lie deeper in the forest south of here. She has many minions
and servants in this land that watch for intruders, so you will have to travel quickly and quietly.
Avoid the open spaces, for her servants watch those too. When you reach the deep forest, you
will find the Shroud Path. It is a dark and evil trail that leads into the lair of the witch and her
loathsome sisters. You will know it when you find it. Follow the Shroud Path until you come to
the Black Glen, a large clearing with a big pot in it. I will meet you there.” Willori hands you a
silver brooch and disappears into the trees.
DM:
A ranger may try to track Willori, but with a 20% penalty. Willori knows the woods very well.
She will travel swiftly to the hag’s forest.
Random Encounters Normal Forest
Check for random encounters every 4 hours. A 1 on a d10 means an encounter occurs. Then
consult the encounter table below to determine what the encounter is.
2d6 roll
2
3
4-5
6-7
8
9
10
11
12
encounter type
1 weretiger
1 basidirond
2 giant badgers
10 goblins
8 gnomes
4 centaurs
4 ravens, giant
1 wandering ranger
1 dryad
LYCANTHROPE, WERETIGER:
BASIDIROND:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
hd 6 +2 hp 39 thaco 15 morale 14 int average 10
move 12” align neutral ac 3 #att 2 claws / 1 bite
damage 1d4 claw / 1d12 bite sp def +1 weapon to hit exp 975
hd 5 +5 hp 32 thaco 15 morale 13 int non- 0 align neutral evil
ac 4 move 6” size mansized 6’ to 7’ tall exp 667 #att 1 spore cloud
damage 2d4 points and save vs poison or smother from cloud in 1d4 +1 rounds
immune to all mind affecting spells sp def cold slows it by 50% and prevents
spore cloud sp att can emit hallucinatory cloud of spores out to 20’ +1d20’
this will affect any character failing a save vs poison for 1d4 rounds after leaving
the cloud. Types of hallucinations are:
Individual is in a swamp and removes all armor to stop from sinking
Spiders attacking, individual strikes & attacks the floor to kill them
Individual has shrunken, and shouts for help to return to normal size
Item held is a poisonous viper, character drops it and leaps back to avoid a bite
Character is suffocating, runs around gasping for breath in random directions
Associates are diseased, character avoids coming within 10’ of them.
Character is melting, stands howling and “holding” self together.
Leech is on your back, character tears off anything worn across the back and attacks it.
BADGER, GIANT:
hd 3 hp 24 thaco 18 morale 10 int animal 1 align neutral ac 4
move 6” ground / 3” burrow #att 2 claws / 1 bite damage 1d3 claw / 1d6
bite exp 125
GOBLIN:
hd 1 -1 hp 4 thaco 20 morale 10 int low 6 align lawful evil ac 6
move 6” #att 1 short sword damage 1d6
size small 4’ tall exp 15
GNOME:
class fighter level 1 hp 7 thaco 20 morale 10 int average 9 ac 6
move 9” #att 1 longsword or 1 crossbow bolt or 1 javelin damage 1d8 sword / 1d4
+1 bolt / 1d6 javelin size mansized exp 35
CENTAUR:
hd 4 hp 20 thaco 17 morale 14 int low to average 5 - 10 align neutral good
to chaotic good ac 5 normal 4 for leaders move 18” #att 2 hooves & 1 weapon
These have shortswords
damage 1d6 hoof / 1d6 sword size large 8’ to 9’ tall
exp 175 normal 270 leader
RAVEN, GIANT:
hd 3 +2 hp 21 thaco 18 morale 10
ac 4 move 3” ground / 18” fly class “C”
size mansized 8’ wingspan exp 144
int low 6 align neutral evil
#att 1 bite damage 1d4+2
Ranger:
class ranger level 2 hp 13 thaco 19
morale 14 statistics 14 or better
Arms studded leather / shield / longsword / longbow / 24 sheaf arrow / 1 dagger
#att 1 weapon damage by weapon type ac 6 move 9” align neutral good
information this ranger is part of Rinthal’s following and are tracking a group of goblins
mentioned previously. For information on Rinthal’s group see area “A.”
DRYAD:
hd 2 hp 11 thaco 19 morale 12 int high 13 align neutral move 12”
ac 9 #att 1 knife damage 1d3 sp att charm person 3 per day with a -3 to the save
magic resist 50% spells charm person 3 per day / speak with plants @ 4th level /
dimensional door through a tree to her own oak tree size mansized 5’ tall exp 975
Random Encounters Heavy forest
2d6 roll
2
3
4
5-6
7-9
10
11
12
encounter type
2 merrow
5 pixies
6 mongrelmen
4 centaur skeletons
Shroud Path
4 bugbears
3 ogres
1 ettercap
OGRE, AQUATIC:
hd 4 +4 hp 26 thaco 15 morale 12 int average 10 align chaotic evil
ac 4 move6” ground / 12” swim #att 2 claws / 1 bite +3 to hit str or 1
weapon damage 1d6 +6 claw / 2d4 +6 bite or by weapon type +6 str
sp att 10d8% chance of camouflage size large 9’ tall exp 420
SPRITE, PIXIE:
hd ½ hp 2 thaco 20 morale 11 int exceptional 15 align neutral
ac 5 move 6” ground / 12” fly class “B” #att 1 sword or 2 arrows +4 to hit
with arrows damage 1d2 sword arrow types sleep save vs spells or sleep for
1d4 turns / war 1d4 +1 points of damage / memory save vs spells or lose all
memory needing a heal or limited wish to restore memories magic resist 25%
spells 1/day @ 8th level polymorph self / know alignment / dispel magic /
dancing lights / ESP / become visible for as long as they desire / illusion
sp power normally invisible -4 to be hit size small 2½’ tall exp 650
MONGRELMAN:
hd 3 x6 / 1 x6 hp 24 x6 / 7 x6 thaco 18 / 20 morale 10 int low 7
ac 5 align lawful neutral move 9” #att 1 short sword damage 1d6
sp powers camouflage / mimic / pick pockets 70% chance size mansized 5’
exp 120 / 35
SKELETON, MONSTER:
hd 6 hp 27 thaco 15 morale 13 int non- 0 align neutral ac 6
move 9” #att 1 damage 1d8 immune to mind affecting spells
exp 300 sp def immune to sleep & charm spells
BUGBEAR: hd 3 +1 hp 14 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 6
move 9” #att 1 morning star damage 2d4 +2 str
size large 7’ tall exp 120
OGRE:
align chaotic evil ac 5
sp att +1 to surprise
hd 4 +1 hp 25 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 8 align chaotic evil ac 5
move 9” #att 1 giant club +3 to hit str damage 2d4 +6 str size large 9’ tall
exp 270
ETTERCAP: hd 5 hp 27 thaco 15 morale 13 int low 6 align neutral evil ac 6 move 12”
#att 2 claws / 1 bite damage 1d3 claw / 1d8 bite poisoned claw save vs poison or
die in 1d4 turns sp def many traps around lair sp power spin webs as a spider
size mansized 6’ tall exp 650
Shroud Path Encounter Table
2d10 roll
2
3
4
5-6
7 - 10
11 - 12
13 - 15
16
17
18
19 - 20
encounter
1d2 merrow
1d6 +2 mongrelmen
1d4 +2 bugbears
2d4 centaur skeletons
the Black Glen, area “D”
1d3 ravens
Vexia's Lair, area “H”
Houpshe's Cave, area “E”
Thessinthorn's tree house, area “F”
Magglerak's Lake, area G
No encounter
OGRE, AQUATIC:
hd 4 +4 hp 26 thaco 15 morale 12 int average 10 align chaotic evil
ac 4 move6” ground / 12” swim #att 2 claws / 1 bite +3 to hit str or 1
weapon damage 1d6 +6 claw / 2d4 +6 bite or by weapon type +6 str
sp att 10d8% chance of camouflage size large 9’ tall exp 420
MONGRELMAN:
hd 3 x6 / 1 x6 hp 24 x6 / 7 x6 thaco 18 / 20 morale 10 int low 7
ac 5 align lawful neutral move 9” #att 1 short sword damage 1d6
sp powers camouflage / mimic / pick pockets 70% chance size mansized 5’
exp 120 / 35
BUGBEAR: hd 3 +1 hp 14 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 6
move 9” #att 1 morning star damage 2d4 +2 str
size large 7’ tall exp 120
align chaotic evil ac 5
sp att +1 to surprise
SKELETON, MONSTER:
hd 6 hp 27 thaco 15 morale 13 int non- 0 align neutral ac 6
move 9” #att 1 damage 1d8 immune to mind affecting spells
exp 300 sp def immune to sleep & charm spells
RAVENS, NORMAL:
These are normal ravens. They will pass overhead watching the characters,
and then fly away to make a report to Aubaerus.
The Forest
The hags are not the only denizens of the forest. The area around their lairs is avoided by all
good creatures of the woodlands. The hags have staked claims to the territory and marked their
boundaries well. Their evil influence has warped and corroded the lands around them. As the characters
venture deeper into the forest, they will become aware that the atmosphere and character of their
surroundings is growing steadily more twisted and evil. In the heavy woods, the trees and branches seem
to bar the passage of the characters. Movement through this area of the forest is at ½ the normal rate.
Vision and infravision are limited to 30’. Once the characters find the Shroud Path, area “C,” the terrain
changes.
Check for encounters every 4 hours by rolling a d10. A 1 on a d10 indicates an encounter
happens. If an encounter occurs, refer to the random encounter tables previously detailed.
Wilderness Encounter Areas
A)
DM:
The Rangers
This encounter can take place anywhere in the northern part of the forest. If the characters travel
across the open terrain on the map, t occurs ½ way between the road and the deeper woods to the
south. This is with a group of adventurers that call themselves the Rangers. This is a group that
cares about the woodlands and nature. They are working for Dyvers and Greyhawk in efforts to
keep the caravan route as clear as possible from monsters.
PC’s: Three figures on horseback ride into view ahead of you, hailing you as they approach. They wear
long green cloaks with the hoods pulled low over their faces. The 1st rider, apparently the leader,
motions the others to halt with a raised hand. He is a tall, bronze skinned man, and you can see
chainmail under his tunic. Bows, knives, and other weapons sprout from beneath the clothing
and harnesses of all three.
The 1st man smiles and says, in a clear voice, “Well met, good travelers. I am Rinthal. These are
my traveling companions, Freaton and Sudeio.” A short bearded, slim man and a lyre carrying
half elf nod their greetings to you.
DM:
Rinthal waits patiently but expectantly for the characters to introduce themselves. The three have
been trailing a group of goblins from the southern part of the forest and have ridden far with little rest.
Rinthal is a good judge of character and will watch for any suspicious looking characters.
This group won’t reveal their identity other than what they have already given. They question the
characters to get a general idea of their destination and the general purpose for being in the area. The
Rangers ask the party if they have seen any sign of goblins in the woods, and if so inquire for details.
How many of them were there? Where did they come from? Where did they go? Etc. They know little of
the hag’s covey, but do know that one of their friends, a woodsman named Jerro Hamen, disappeared in
the area a while back. The Rangers can tell the characters that strange things happen in the deeper woods
to the south, probably due to a group of bickering hags that occupy the area.
Unless attacked, the Rangers converse with the characters briefly, then continue on their way. If
the characters reveal their mission to the Rangers, Freaton, the druid, will remember them and inform
the Ravenmaster of the party’s mission.
If attacked, the Rangers fight fiercely and to the death. If melee ensues, Freaton will shape
change into a hawk and fly off to alert allies. 8 weeks later a group of 8 rangers of 8th level and Freaton
will confront the characters and take them to either Dyvers or Greyhawk, whichever ids closer, for trial.
If the characters attack the Rangers, they will be declared outlaws in both Dyvers and Greyhawk for life.
Rinthal:
class ranger level 8 hp 57 thaco 13 morale 15 ac 2 move 9” str 18/30
Int 10 wis 15 dex 16 con 14 chr 14 align lawful good magic items +2
bastard sword / ring of protection +1 arms longbow / 24 sheaf arrows
#att 3/2 +2 to hit sword +1 str damage 1d8 +2 sword +3 str spells entangle
Freaton:
class druid level 7 hp 38 thaco 16 morale 13 ac 5 move 12” / fly 36”
class “C” align neutral str 9 int 11 wis 15 dex 15 con 14 chr 15
Magic items +2 leather armor / +2 spear arms dagger / sling #att 1 weapon
Damage 1d4 dagger spells animal friendship / bless / cure light wounds x2 / detect evil
/ charm person / heat metal / slow poison / warp wood / call lightning / protection from
fire / sticks to snakes
Sudeio:
class bard level 7 hp 29 thaco 17 morale 12 ac 2 move 12” str 13
Int 15 wis 11 dex 16 con 11 chr 16 align neutral good magic items +2
shortsword / bracers of defense ac 4 / +3 dagger arms longbow / 24 sheaf arrows
#att 1 weapon damage by weapon type spells charm person / dancing lights / shield
/ continual light / locate object / suggestion
B)
DM:
The Ravens
This encounter takes place when the characters are about to enter the southern forest, anywhere
along the edge of the woods.
PC’s: You are about to enter the southern forest when you hear the faint sound of some squawking
bird. Looking up, you see several large, black, low flying birds turn and race toward you from
the west.
DM:
These are Aubaerus’ ravens. The druid is aware of the character’s travels and wants to
investigate further. The ravens, unless stopped, fly down and try to frighten the party’s mounts.
Aubaerus would like the characters to leave his woods alone. He has ordered his ravens to make the
mounts become skittish and resentful of being in the woods.
The DM should roll a d12 for each mount. On a result of 6 or higher, the mount fights against the
owner to stay out of the forest. On a roll of 10 or higher, the mount bolts in a random direction away
from the wood’s edge. Riders must save vs paralyzation or be thrown for 1d3 points of damage. A
bolting mount flees for 1d6 turns before slowing. War horses get a -4 bonus to the roll for bolting. A
ranger in the party reduces the chance by one point also.
If the characters make haste, they should be able to make it to the forest before the ravens are
upon them. Once the party is under the cover of the trees, the ravens won’t follow. If the characters
attack the ravens, 2 will flee to Aubaerus and inform him what happened and the rest will try to frighten
the mounts. If anyone tries to magically speak to the ravens, they only babble things like; “The master
doesn’t want you here!” “Go away!” “Leave this place!” “Stay out of the forest!” etc.
RAVEN, NORMAL: hd ½ hp 2 thaco 20 morale 8 int 1 animal align neutral ac 7
Move 1” ground / 36” fly class “C” #att 1 beak damage 1 point exp 5
Sp att 10% chance of striking an eye sp def not surprised during the daytime
C)
DM:
Shroud Path
The characters may come across the Shroud Path through a random encounter or by crossing the
boundaries of the hag’s territories on the wilderness map.
PC’s: Opening up before you is a trail of some kind, 5’ wide. The trees and brambles to either side of
the path bend and curve upward to form an arch and block out direct sunlight. The path is a dark
tunnel through a wall of leaves, roots, and briars.
Standing along the center of the path, spaced at regular intervals as far as you can see, are 6’ tall
stakes. On each stake is suspended an assortment of skulls and bones. Some bones appear to be
human while others don’t. These are decorated with colored dyes, feathers, and tattered strips of
cloth that sway in the light breeze. You notice small red points of light in the eye sockets of the
skulls.
DM:
On the wilderness map, it is marked by the dotted line. Anyone traveling across the line will
encounter the path. It marks the territories that the hags have established, dividing the land among
themselves. Anyone that knows the path well will be able to reach the lair of any hag or the Black Glen
within a few minutes. Anyone not familiar with the path will wander aimlessly until they encounter a
lair.
Upon encountering the Shroud Path, each character must make a saving throw vs spells. Anyone
failing the save reacts as if under a cause fear spell. They scream for run into the forest for 1d4 rounds
unless restrained. Screaming characters have a 25% chance of attracting a “heavy forest encounter” to
the scene. The encountered creature reaches the area in 1 turn, but won’t enter the path. A paladin or
cleric of good alignment, if they make their saving throw, can prevent the fear in others by boldly
presenting their holy symbol and rolling successfully to turn a shadow.
The stakes and bone talismans stretch along the entire path. Once a character has beaten the fear
power of the talisman, they are immune to its effects.
While on the path, the characters are unaware of what direction they are traveling. They can’t
control the timing of their arrival at the Black Glen or any other possible destination. Movement is for
normal terrain and vision operates normally on the path. There will only be encounters from the Shroud
Path encounter table. While on the Shroud Path there is a 1 in 6 chance of an encounter each hour.
The strange skulls and bones are evil talismans that the hags placed on the path for 2 reasons. 1st,
they keep outmost of the prying eyes of would be enemies. 2nd, they cause fear, even in their servants,
so that Magglerak's minions stay in her area, Thessinthorn's minions stay in her area, etc.
The red lights in the eye sockets are fireflies. Shaking or rattling the skulls will dislodge them
and reveal them.
D)
The Black Glen
PC’s: The narrow path opens up before you to become a large clearing in the midst of the thick forest.
On all sides of the circular clearing, paths covered by arching tree limbs lead deeper into the
forest. A strange charcoal colored haze fills the air above the glen, blocking out the sunlight.
Your attention is drawn to a large black cauldron in the center of the clearing. It is 5’ tall and 5’
wide at the mouth. The dirt and turf of the area is mossy, darks, and strewn with small piles of
bones.
DM:
The glen has been abandoned for over 5 months now, and the minions of the various hags avoid
it. The bones are human, demi-human, and humanoid in origin. The cauldron is empty save for a
small amount of bluish slime in the bottom. This slime is magical and was formerly used by the
hags to see through the hag eyes. Lying behind the cauldron is a 10’ long pole made of black
wood. The characters won’t be able to see the pole no matter where they enter the glen. The hags
used it to stir their concoctions in the cauldron. There is nothing of value in the glen.
When the characters have explored the glen for 1 turn, Willori steps from the shadows of the
trees into the lighter shadows of the glen.
PC’s:
The nymph appears. She smiles excitedly and says, “Oh, good sirs! I praise the good powers of
the forest that you have made it this far. I have been with my sister and those who attend her, and I have
told them of your bravery. We have hope!”
She turns and points to one of the trails that winds into the dark forest.
“This path will take you directly to Vexia's lair. Be swift and courageous. Carry the stone of luck
before you! When you arrive at the lair, a cave at the base of a large hill, be careful to enter by giving
the passwords.” She looks around and pulls you in close to whisper. “You must speak the words
‘Vexia's Wrath’ as you enter, or quick death will befall you! Once inside, seek out the laboratory to find
the creature’s potions. Bring back to me, here, on that is contained in a red clay jug. Now, fare you
well!”
The nymph slips into the forest, leaving you staring at the Shroud Path that will take you to
Vexia's lair.
DM:
The results of casting some spells on the nymph are the same here as before. If the characters
follow the path that the nymph indicates, they will soon arrive at area “H.” Once the characters
proceed down the path, Vexia / Willori returns to the glen and takes up the stirring staff. She uses
it to froth up the slime in the cauldron, through which she can use the hag eye to follow the
progress of the characters. If a character took the staff, she will find another after roundly cursing
the characters. Thessinthorn and Magglerak are not aware that this hag eye still exists, so they
won’t be alerted to Vexia's ploy.
E)
Houpshe's Cave
PC’s: Ahead of you, the terrain climbs and becomes a rocky hill. A large clearing, the grass and weeds
trimmed short, forms a yards that leads up to a cave opening in the hillside. Barking voices come
from the cave mouth, and from this distance of 100’ away, you can see several short, squat
humanoids pushing each other around and arguing. Suddenly a shrieking woman’s voice sounds
across the clearing, and the humanoids cower and scatter. A trail of smoke curls from the cave
entrance into the overcast sky.
DM:
The cave mouth is 100’ wide and 60’ high, and leads to the home of Houpshe the greenhag. Her
natural form is hideous, with orange eyes, pale green bark like skin, and long wiry black hair. She
normally dresses her plump 5’ tall figure in gray rags. Her favorite tactic is to take the form of a lost
pilgrim asking for directions to some unknown sage. The humanoids are her mongrelmen servants.
Houpshe can hear anyone approaching within 60” of her cave entrance and will lie on the ground
as if unconscious. She will be in the form of a pilgrim and will be near the opening to the cave. She
orders her mongrelmen to scatter into the forest when the characters enter the clearing. This is part of
her ambush plan. The mongrelmen will return within 1 turn, and Houpshe will take her natural form and
attack the outsiders in the cavern.
The cavern extends 120’ into the hill and gradually slopes downward. At the back are Houpshe's
quarters, where she has here own cauldron and a crude laboratory. Though formidable, she is the least
established of the hags and is contemplating returning to her old home in the forest to the north.
The smoke comes from the mongrelman campfire some 40’ inside the cave. Beyond this point,
all is in continual darkness, so that even infravision is useless unless the character enter the cavern.
Inside the cavern, vision is 10’ with a torch and 15’ with infravision. Houpshe can use the darkness and
her magical abilities to lead the characters around the cave in a merry chase while she tries to pick off
the characters 1 at a time from behind. The mongrelmen have memorized the layout of the cavern and
can move about it stealthily at a rate of 6”. The characters will not be able to move faster than 3” without
continually stumbling and tripping over rocks, debris, and bodies that litter the cave.
This information is given to the DM to expand on this adventure. It would be a good idea for the
DM to have the hags come back around to give the characters problems in the future. Her treasure is in
the back of the cave in a locked chest with a poisoned needle trap. Those struck by the needle must save
vs poison or die in 1d4 rounds.
HAG, GREEN:
hd 9 hp 49 thaco 11
morale 17 int very 12 align neutral evil ac -2
move 12” ground / 12” swim magic resist 35% size mansized 5’ to 6’ tall
exp 4,000 #att 2 claws damage 1d2 +6 claw surprise only 1 on a d10
str 18/00 spells @ 9th level audible glamer / dancing lights / invisibility / pass
without a trace / change self / speak with monsters / water breathing / weakness
10 MONGRELMEN: hd 4 x 2 / 3 x3 / 1 x5 hp 22 x 2 / 16 x3 / 7 x5 thaco 17 / 18 / 20 morale 10
int low 7 ac 5 align lawful neutral move 9” #att 1 short sword
damage 1d6 sp powers camouflage / mimic / pick pockets 70% chance
size mansized 5’ exp 120 x2 / 65 x3 / 35 x5
TREASURE: 8,000gp / potion of water breathing / wand of sleep with 92 charges
F)
Thessinthorn's Tree House
PC’s: Ahead of you, suspended 40’ above ground in a cluster of massive trees, is a giant wooden
structure. It is made of a collection of log walls and floors at various angles, with roofs of
thatched sticks and leaves covered with tar. The whole of it is draped in long ivy and moss. What
few windows or openings you see are hidden by shadow. From here and there you hear the
creaking of doors and footsteps, and you catch a glimpse of a large furry face that peers out of a
small side opening and vanishes back inside. The structure is built on at least four 8’ diameter
ash trees and several other thin ones. Cut into the sides of one of the large ash trees are wooden
steps that lead up to an open trapdoor.
DM:
This is the stick mansion of Thessinthorn the greenhag. Of all the hags in the Gnarley Forest, she
is the oldest and most established. Her tree house has stood for hundreds of years. It has been concealed
from elves, druids, human explorers, adventurers, and even good dragons. She has repulsed attacks from
the Rangers. She has used her powers and the powers of the hag covey to cause problems for the
Rangers as well as Dyvers and Greyhawk. Thessinthorn is devious, calculating, and patient, unlike
Vexia. Her natural form isn’t as hideous as Houpshe's, though she is still quite ugly. She spends most of
the time shape changed into either a large bugbear type of humanoid or an old but beautiful elf maiden.
Whatever form she takes, she wears a tattered black and green robes, and she always carries 1 or 2
potions in her pouch for safety measures. These are gaseous form and flying.
Thessinthorn's stick mansion is accessible through the open trapdoor on the bottom, by flying in
through a window, or by a dimensional door spell. Only by flying to an unguarded opening can the
characters hope to enter the house unnoticed. “Thess” has laid magicks on the very walls and on the
moss that grows upon them. The tree house can’t be burned down because Thessinthorn has taken
magical and alchemical precautions against this. Should the characters try to use a dimensional door
spell to enter; several magic mouths will begin shouting alarms. This will alert everyone in the tree
house and they will arrive in 1d3 rounds.
Thessinthorn has 15 bugbear servants. She keeps the inside of the house dark and cold enough
for them to live comfortably. For personal guards, she has 3 verbeeg giants. Her minions are posted
throughout her mansion as a watch, taking shifts on patrol. The chance to enter the place unnoticed is 1
in 10 at best.
Thessinthorn rarely leaves her home, preferring to have her bugbears do her dirty work. When
they bring back a captive, she is as cruel and malicious as any of her hag sisters. She currently has
several human, elf, and mongrelmen as captives.
Thessinthorn's tree house is a bizarre, twisting series of rooms with no determinable halls or
pattern whatsoever. Intruders wandering in it will become lost as if in a maze spell unless precautions
are taken. Marking the walls for progress or using a rope can prevent becoming lost. Her central
laboratory is immense. It has many potions that she won’t hesitate to use.
This place is not detailed, but a DM can detail it if the DM wishes to expand on the adventure.
The treasure is detailed below.
TREASURE: 8,000gp / 200pp / oil of mercury / potion of deftness dexterity 20 / banner of friendship /
Harrowhelm / potion of restoration / +3 shortsword / scroll of protection from fire
HAG, GREEN:
hd 9 hp 55 thaco 11
morale 17 int very 12 align neutral evil ac -2
move 12” ground / 12” swim magic resist 35% size mansized 5’ to 6’ tall
exp 4,000 #att 2 claws damage 1d2 +6 claw surprise only 1 on a d10
str 18/00 spells @ 9th level audible glamer / dancing lights / invisibility / pass
without a trace / change self / speak with monsters / water breathing / weakness
BUGBEAR LEADER:
14 BUGBEAR:
hd 4 hp 24 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 6 align chaotic evil
ac 4 move 9” #att 1 morning star damage 2d4 +2 str sp att +1
to surprise size large 7’ tall exp 150
hd 3 +1 hp 19 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 6
move 9” #att 1 morning star damage 2d4 +2 str
size large 7’ tall exp 120
3 GIANT, VERBEEG:
align neutral evil ac 0
#att 2 weapons +3 to hit
exp 300
align chaotic evil ac 5
sp att +1 to surprise
move 12" hd 5 +5
hp 30 thaco 15
damage 1d12 +6 strength
size 9' tall
G)
Magglerak's Lake
PC’s: Before you stretches a calm forest lake. Its green waters are overgrown with reeds and algae. At
its north end, a forest stream tumbles over a natural stone wall and falls into the lake’s water,
sending ripples out to the central depths. On the east side of the lake, the stream travels back
through the wall of trees into the deep forest.
DM:
Hidden by the northern waterfall is a large crevice in the rock that winds underground to a series
of water filled burrows beneath the lake. These gloomy halls are the lair of Magglerak the sea hag. After
Vexia, she is the most arrogant of the hag covey and is by far the most horrid appearing. Of late, she
doesn’t travel outside of her lair. She has managed to snatch a few victims at the edge of the lake and
pull them down to a watery doom.
Magglerak has very little contact with the world beyond her lake and is continually plotting and
scheming to reunite the new covey beneath her rule. Her burrows are inhabited by 10 merrow that won’t
fight outside of the lake unless the characters appear to be weak. Also in the water are 3 giant water
spiders and Magglerak's collection of prisoners. The prisoners are a nixie, and a female human warrior.
The nixies are kept in crude iron cages, while the woman is held in an underground air pocket that is
accessible only by swimming under water for 4 minutes.
The characters can see the footprints of several large, web footed humanoids around the edge of
the lake. Nothing will happen to the characters unless they enter the water.
As with Houpshe and Thessinthorn, Magglerak's lair may be too tough for the party to handle at
this point. The treasure is detailed below, and the lair is not detailed. The DM can detail the lair if the
DM wants the characters to go through it.
TREASURE: 5,000sp / 9,000gp
HAG, SEA HAG:
hd 3 hp 16 thaco 17 morale 11 int average 10 align chaotic evil
ac 7 move swim 15” #att 1 damage 1d6 +4 magic resist 50%
exp 1,400 size mansized sp att sight of hag means save vs spells or grow
weak from fright losing ½ str for 1d6 turns glace 3 per day save vs poison or
die from fright (25%) or stand paralyzed (75%) for 3 days str 18/00
10 OGRE, AQUATIC:
hd 4 +4 hp 26 thaco 15 morale 12 int average 10
align chaotic evil ac 4 move 6” ground / 12” swim #att 2 claws / 1
bite +3 to hit str or 1 weapon damage 1d6 +6 claw / 2d4 +6 bite or by
weapon type +6 str sp att 10d8% chance of camouflage size large 9’
tall exp 420
3 SPIDER, GIANT WATER: hd 7 +7 hp 40 thaco 12 morale 13 int semi 2 align neutral
ac 4 move 15” #att 1 bite damage 3d4 sp att bite means save vs
poison or be paralyzed for 1d4 turns size large exp 1,130
3 SPRITE, NIXIE:
Justeen:
hd ½ hp 2 thaco 20 morale 10
int very 12 align neutral ac 7
move 6” ground / 12” swim #att 1 damage by weapon type exp 270
magic resist 25% size small 4’ tall spells If one or more humans approach
within 30 feet of a group of nixies, the nixies pool their magic to create a
powerful charm spell, one such spell per every 10 nixies. The victim must make a
saving throw vs. spell at -2 on the die roll. Before a charmed humans enters the
water, there is a 75 % chance that a dispel magic will break the charm. Once the
victim is in the water, the chance of dispelling the magic drops to 10%. Nixies
keep each charmed slave for one full year, forcing him to do all their heavy labor,
but thereafter the charm wears off and the victim is set free. During this
enslavement, the nixies keep a water breathing spell on the human captive. Nixies
can cast this spell on any creature, or dispel it, once per day; the spell's duration is
one day. sp fear nixies fear fire and very bright lights, so a flaming sword or a
light spell keeps them at bay. Nixies try to negate a continual light spell by
summoning small fish to crowd around the light and dim it.
class fighter level 2 hp 12 thaco 19 morale 13 attributes all average
Arms unarmed
information she is a human female captive. She will serve any good
aligned character that rescues her.
H)
Vexia's Lair
If the characters know where they are going, it will take them 12 turns to get to this lair from the
Black Glen. Unless they stray from the Shroud Path, they will have no encounters along the way.
The annis’ lair was originally created by an underground stream that surfaced at the base of the
hill to form a pool. From this pool, the brook ran for miles through the forest, joining other streams until
it ended up in Magglerak's lake. The water source dried up long ago, and various creatures have used the
empty tunnels for burrows.
Then Vexia arrived and ordered her orc and ogre servants to carve out a suitable home from the
dirt filled caves. From the outside, all that is visible of the lair is a rocky depression at the base of the
hill. At the bottom of the depression, against the hillside, is the cavern entrance, area H1.
The caves inside are carved through some areas of solid rock, sediment, and tree roots. The walls
and ceilings are held together by brick, wooden beams, and mud cement packing. Unless otherwise
noted, ceiling heights are 15’ to 20’ high. The floors are uneven and covered with packed dirt. Those
areas used by Vexia's humanoid servants are littered with food scraps and dung. Except where noted, all
areas in the caves are dark and cool, and infravision will function normally.
This environment is home to many small creatures such as ants, mice, and snakes, etc., that have
learned to avoid the cave’s owners. It is also the den of several large creatures that Vexia uses for
guards, food, and sometimes both. The characters will hear scuttling, crawling noises as they proceed
through the caves, and small shapes scramble out of their path continually. Rocks and dirt are dislodged
from the walls whenever a character passes close to it. While these sounds may unnerve the characters,
it will also give them a bonus on surprising guards, who are used to the noises and won’t be alert to the
movements of the characters.
Due to Vexia's 6 month absence, the orcs, ogres, and giants who serve her have neglected their
posts. They are living off the stores in her cellar and gallivanting around the area. When the characters
encounter them, the monsters have a 4 point penalty to their being surprised. The monster’s careless
talking and carousing will give the characters a +1 bonus to avoid being surprised.
All doors in the lair are made of split oak logs bound together with iron bands and coated with
some kind of sticky, resilient pitch. Door latches and levers are iron and were made by dwarves before
Vexia's crew stole them long ago.
Vexia's Lair Level #1
H1)
Cave Entrance
PC’s: The shroud Path ends abruptly, leaving you at the foot of a large hill in the gnarled woods. Hence
the name of the woods, the Gnarley Forest. You can see patches of blue sky through the breaks
in the trees and clouds. Before you, the ground drops into a small depression, what must have
been a natural pool at some point in the past, before it climbs steeply up the hillside. At the
bottom of the depression is a cave with its opening covered the roots of an old twisted tree. The
entrance appears to be about 20’ high and 10’ wide, although it is partially concealed by the tree
roots. Spaces between the roots look just large enough for a small person to squeeze through.
DM:
The tree roots are Vexia's doorman. She developed a spell to activate this and promptly lost the
new spell a week later. Anyone trying to enter the lair without saying the password “Vexia's
wrath” 1st, will find 1d4 roots constricting about their person for 1d4 points of damage per round.
Each root has a thaco of 16, has an armor class of 6, and 8 hit points. Any character caught by a
root can make a saving throw vs paralyzation to slip free of the root, but this is available only on
the 1st round that they try to enter the cave. After that the save does nothing. A successful saving
throw means the character slithers through the roots into the cave safely. Chopping a root off
causes the tree to replace it with 1d3 more the next round. Fire will kill the roots if the roots are
chopped off. This kills the tree permanently. Of course, the opposite of the spell plant growth
would work easier and quicker.
H2)
The Bat Cave
If the characters enter the lair at night, all of the bats that nest here will be outside in the forest
and there will be no encounter. During the day, any torches or loud noises within 20’ of the small side
cave will cause a horde of 85 normal bats to swarm about for 2d4 rounds. The bats’ frenzy may
extinguish any torches and each character takes 1d2 points of damage before the bats settle down again.
The chance of the bats extinguishing a torch is 1 in 6 times. Infravision is useless during the bat swarm,
and the characters will be left to make their way blindly down the corridor.
The door to area #3 has a huge iron latch with a lock. The latch squeaks horribly when turned but
won’t alert any of the lair’s denizens except those in room #3.
BAT, COMMON:
hd ¼ hp 1 thaco 20 morale 3 int animal 1 align neutral ac 8
#att 1 bite damage 1 point move 1” ground / 24” fly class “B” sp att
swarming will put out torches 1% chance per bat per round size tiny 1’ long
exp 15
H3)
Reception Chamber
PC’s: The huge door swings into a dusty, torchlit room with solid stone walls. Torch brackets are set in
the walls every 10’, but only 1 holds a burning torch. On the west side of the room, semi-circular
stairs lead up to a 30’ wide dais. In the western wall of the dais, another door is set deeply into
the wall. Chiseled into the steps of the dais are runes or glyphs of some kind. Standing on the
steps are 6 monstrosities. Skeletons that are half man and half horse act as mounts for human
skeletons carrying metal shields and spears. The figures stare at you but do no more.
DM:
The centaur skeletons with their skeletal riders wait to attack until someone has started to climb
the steps of the dais. Then they attack with a +1 bonus to hit due to their height on the 1st round. The
centaur skeletons attack with their 2 front hooves while the riders use spears like a lance. The undead are
protected from clerical turning by the mystical glyphs on the steps. When off of the dais, the skeletons
are turned as a spectre.
The door on the dais is false. It has no lock, only an iron latch just like all of the others in Vexia's
lair. The door is trapped so that if anyone opens it, spears are launched from both the north and south
walls. The spears strike with a thaco of 14 and do 1d8 points of damage each. The spears hit random
targets in the doorway. The trap has a 15% penalty to being detected and a 15% penalty to being
removed. Nobody ever uses this door. There will be 8 spears fired at the false door area.
If the door from area #2 is closed and the inside latch is pulled upward, the secret door in the
north wall slides to the west revealing the path to the rest of Vexia's lair. The skeletons and false door
can be avoided if the characters search for a secret door 1st and figure out how to open it. A slight draft
from the north wall carries the torch smoke from this room to area #2.
The ogres at area H9 are supposed to keep all of the torches burning, but they are barely able to
keep one burning now. The skeletons have no treasure.
4 SKELETON, HUMAN:
hd 1 hp 5 thaco 19 morale no fail int non- 0 ac 7
align neutral move 12” #att 1 spear damage 1d6
size mansized exp 65 sp def immune to sleep & charm spells
6 SKELETON, MONSTER: hd 4 hp 20 thaco 17 morale 13 int non- 0 align neutral ac 6
move 9” #att 2 hooves damage 1d3 hoof immune to mind
affecting spells exp 300 sp def immune to sleep & charm spells
H4)
DM:
Waste Dump
Anyone listening at the door will smell a strong, sour odor coming from whatever lies beyond.
PC’s: When the door is opened, a sickening, musty odor fills the air. Whatever lurks in the dark
chamber beyond gives off a terrible stench. Piled up against the walls of the 20’ by 30’ chamber
is a mass of disgusting scraps and waste material. The floor is covered with slop and dung, and a
few small bones.
DM:
Though the garbage and slime in this room certainly looks menacing, it is harmless normal
waste.
Against the east wall, buried under a 1’ deep mound of wet ashes and slime, lies a wooden
trapdoor in the floor. It opens to reveal a 60’ drop into a small cave that Vexia uses as a trash dump.
Since she has been gone, her orc and ogre servants have neglected to open the trapdoor and dispose of
the waste. They have only opened the door to this room to toss in their trash, hoping that it would drain
down the hole.
The room contains nothing of value. The cave at the bottom of the hole is a 10’ cube filled with
6’ of soft, disgusting slime. There are 4 rot grubs in the sludge that will be swift to attack anyone fishing
around in their home. Anyone searching for 1 turn has a 30% chance of finding a soiled leather pouch
containing 25gp. This was accidentally thrown in with the trash bin by an orc months ago.
WORM, ROT GRUB:
H5)
hd 1 hit point each numbers 5d4 thaco n/a they get to a victim when
the victim touches them powers upon touch they burrow into flesh.
There must be flame applied to the wound immediately doing 1d6 points
per grub to kill them. sp way to kill them cure disease kills them
instantly kills host in 1d3 turns
Unfinished Chamber
PC’s: Upon entering this large chamber, you can see that it obviously has suffered a collapse in the
past. Large wooden beams brace crumbling areas of the ceiling. The beams are held together
with ropes, wire cords, and spikes. Piles of rock and dirt reach up the walls almost to the ceiling,
15’ overhead. Scattered about the room are mining tools and a large, crude wheelbarrow that is
missing its wheel.
DM:
Vexia is planning on expanding her lair in this direction until several of her minions were killed
when this chamber collapsed while being excavated. Since the hag has disappeared, the orcs and
ogres have qui digging everywhere and thrown all of their tools into this room. If anyone is
foolish enough to remove the wooden braces, the ceiling will immediately collapse, burying
everyone in the room with 3d4 feet of rubble. The collapse causes 10d4 points of damage
initially, and anyone buried beneath the rubble suffocates in 1d4 rounds unless rescued. Digging
out a buried person is nearly impossible. It requires a bend bars / lift gates roll for every 10’ the
rescuers must dig. Digging has a 40% chance of causing an additional cave-in that buries
everyone in the room. There is nothing of value in the room.
H6)
The Well
PC’s: The air in this chamber is very cool and damp. The walls are 15’ high and curve into an arched
ceiling. In the center of the floor is a 6’ diameter hole that descends into darkness beyond your
vision. Against the southern wall lies an overturned wooden bucket sealed with wax. It is almost
2’ wide at the mouth and has a metal handle to which is attached a coil of rope.
DM:
The shaft is a well that drops 80’ to an underground pool of fresh water. Items dropped into the
well will splash into the pool in 2½ seconds. Hiding down the well, clinging to the side about 40’
below the surface, is a shadow. This undead creature waits until the characters are leaving before
emerging from the well to pick off stragglers. It will surprise anyone climbing down into the
well, attacking when the character reaches the 40’ depth. At the bottom of the well, 10’ below
the surface of the pool, lies the shadow’s treasure of 45gp and a silver ring worth 15gp that it has
taken from lone orcs that it has killed in this room.
SHADOW:
H7)
hd 3 +3 hp 20 thaco 17 morale no fail int low 6 align chaotic evil
ac 7 move 12” #att 1 touch damage 1d4+1 sp att touch drains 1 point of
strength for 2d4 turns. If the victim is reduced to 0 str points, then they die and become a
shadow sp def +1 or better weapon to hit size mansized exp 420
sp def #2 90% invisible in darkness immune to: sleep & charm & hold spells / cold
attacks
Empty Room with an Air Shaft
PC’s: This room is dusty, but the air here is fresher than in other areas of the caves. Dim sunlight from
the world above filters down through a 1’ wide shaft in the ceiling.
DM:
The shaft is used to keep s slight air current moving through the caves, and it narrows and
widens irregularly up to the surface 70’ above. Anyone trying to climb out will make it no farther
than 10’, even if they are a gnome or halfling. A character that uses a potion of diminution or
similar magic, will climb out in 1d4 +1 turns and has a 50% chance of finding an aquamarine
gem worth 150gp embedded in the chimney wall near the top.
Gulshadir’s Lair
H8)
DM:
The door to this cave has hinges at its top and swings vertically to allow it occupant to enter and
exit at will, much like a doggy door. When the characters get to this door, they will be able to tell
by the smell that some large animal lives nearby. “Gulshadir” is scrawled on the door in the
annis tongue. This is the name of the smilodon that lives here. Gulshadir means big cat in the
annis tongue. If the characters are noisy or they are speaking as they approach the door, there is a
40% chance of the tiger coming out of the door and attacking them with a normal chance for
surprise. Unless the characters use magical means to cover their entrance, the tiger won’t be
surprised.
PC’s: This cave, though spacious, seems small because of the yellowed bones that completely cover
the ground. Some still have greasy meat attached to them. You then notice a large, yellow furred
tiger stalking towards you from the shadows at the rear of the cavern. 6” fangs protrude from
either side of its great mouth, and it has only 1 good eye. With little warning, the tiger growls
and leaps to attack.
DM:
The DM should roll for initiative normally. The tiger is Vexia's pet. He is used to being fed by
the ogres from area H9. The ogres toss him meat from the doorway. The characters have a
chance to notice that the tiger has grown quite lazy and fat. Some of the bones are human or
humanoid, but there is nothing of any value in this room.
CAT, SABER-TOOTH TIGER:
hd 7 +2 hp 33 each ac 6 thaco 13 move 12”
int animal size large #att. 1 bite / 2 claws damage 2d6 bite /
1d4 +1 claw sp. att. +2 to hit morale 10 sp. def. surprised
only on a 1 exp. 880 each
H9)
DM:
Ogre’s Playroom
Before the characters enter, the Dm must determine if the ogres inside will be surprised. If the
characters have dealt with the tiger, there is a 50% chance that the ogres will have heard the roars
of the tiger and be preparing to feed him. If so, only 1 ogre will be in this room. The other will be
in area H13 getting meat for the tiger. The DM must modify the character information below as
needed.
PC’s: This room is large, and torches burn in brackets all around the walls. In the center is a 10’ long
table made of wooden slats and logs. Sitting at the table are two 9’ tall humanoid creatures
wearing furs over their dull brown skin. They appear startled at your entrance, and one of them
barks something at you in a guttural voice.
DM:
The actions of the ogres depend on whether the characters have surprised them. If the characters
have obtained surprise, the ogres are not prepared to fight and may be approached peacefully by a strong
looking party. If the characters attack immediately, the ogres react by hefting the table and throwing it
on the characters. The DM should make a normal attack roll against 1d4 party members. Those struck
take 2d4 points of damage and are knocked to the ground for the rest of that round. After this attack, the
ogres run to area H10, try to wake their sleeping comrade there, and grab their weapons.
The ogre who spoke asked, “Who are you?” in the ogre tongue. If the characters respond quickly
in orcish or ogrish, the ogres might speak with them, but will grow angry and attack in 6 rounds. If the
characters mention Vexia's name, the ogres suddenly become fearful, cautious, and sober. They demand
that the characters tell them what has happened to Vexia. If the characters don’t respond in a convincing
manner, the ogres attack.
If the characters don’t obtain surprise, the ogres will be ready for combat. All three ogres will be
waiting at the table for the characters. The ogres will ask who the characters are and wait for an answer.
If the characters do answer, they throw the table at them and grab their weapons from the floor and
attack.
Also in the room are two 4’ tall benches, several 1’ tall mugs, some chicken bones, and 4 mottled
sacks of feathers, pillows for the humanoids. The treasure of the ogres is kept in area H10.
OGRE:
hd 4 +1 hp 25 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 8 align chaotic evil ac 5
move 9” #att 1 giant club +3 to hit str damage 2d4 +6 str size large 9’ tall
exp 270
H10)
Ogre’s Den
If the characters surprised the ogres in area H9, the ogre in here is drunk and asleep, lying upside
down on a table. If the characters didn’t surprise the ogres in area H9, he will be here ready and armed
with a +1 battle axe waiting behind the door to surprise intruders. This ogres gets the normal chance for
surprise.
The sharp smell of stale alcohol permeates this room. The smell issues from this room. A large
barrel without a lid, is overturned and empty near the west wall. The place looks like a great deal of
fighting has happened here recently. Several torch brackets lie on the floor, while 1 torch burns against
the north wall. Torn cloth and smashed wood splinters are scattered all around. These are the remains of
the crude beds the ogres once used. Great gouges have been taken out of the packed dirt floor, and
another large table lies upside down in the center of the room. The ogres have had several disagreements
lately and have fought and tumbled about the room, destroying its contents. The treasure of the ogres are
buried in cloth sacks 1’ underneath the dirt in the northeast corner. If the characters didn’t surprise the
ogres, the treasure will have been dug up and easy to find. The treasure consists of a +1 battle axe, a
potion of fire resistance, 440sp, and 38gp.
The ogre will fight ferociously, but ineffectively. He has a -1 penalty on all to hit and damage
rolls due to inebriation.
OGRE:
hd 4 +1 hp 25 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 8 align chaotic evil ac 5
move 9” #att 1 giant club +3 to hit str / or the axe +1 axe +3 str -1 drunkenness
damage 2d4 +6 str / or 1d12 +1 axe +6 str -1 drunkenness size large 9’ tall
exp 270 magic items +1 battle axe
H11)
Kitchen
PC’s: The intense heat and smoke in this room comes from a crude fire pit in the northwest corner of
the chamber. Several orcs are moving around the room’s 3 bulky tables. They are carrying pieces
of bloody meat, knives, and long cleavers. The orcs and two human women at the fire pit cower
in fear whenever they must approach a large humanoid who is devouring an immense charred
carcass.
DM:
If the characters don’t obtain surprise, the orcs shout an alarm and arm themselves. The large
humanoid is an ogre named Kromig. He is the biggest and meanest of the ogres. He attacks with a long
spiked club, commanding the orcs to attack. The orcs will stay at the back of the fray if at all possible. If
the characters defeat the ogre and don’t attack the orcs, the orcs won’t attack the characters. If the orcs
are questioned, and threatened, the orcs will say that Vexia has been gone a long time and probably
won’t be coming back.
Fighting in this room is 40% likely to alert the ogres in area H12, who will arrive in 1d4 +4
rounds.
The women have been prisoners here for the last 4 months and know little that can help the
characters. They will claim to have never met Vexia but say that there is a large giant in the caves, and
that he and the ogres are indulging themselves on food from the hag’s larder. The women won’t share
information with the characters unless directly asked, but will stay with the party until they are safely
out of reach of the hag’s minions. They live with the other prisoners in area H12 and can tell the
characters about the other prisoners held there.
Kromig’s half devoured food is the carcass of an elf. Most of the meat in the kitchen is human,
demi-human, chicken, or beef.
KROMIG, OGRE:
hd 4 +1 hp 29 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 8 align chaotic evil
ac 5 move 9” #att 1 giant club +3 to hit str damage 2d4 +6 str
size large 9’ tall exp 270 treasure bejeweled dagger worth 150gp / 60sp in a
pouch
6 ORCS:
hd 1 hp 5 thaco 20 morale 12 int average 8 align lawful evil ac 6
move 9” #att 1 spear or 2 arrows damage 1d6 spear & arrow size 6’ tall
exp 15
2 WOMEN:
these are 0th level non-combatants that are unarmed.
H12)
DM:
Ogre Den & Prisoner Pen
If the ogres in this room are alerted to a fight in the kitchen, they grab their weapons and rush to
join the fight. Otherwise they are found lying in their fur beds, unprepared. The DM will have to
add the description of the ogres to the player information block below if necessary.
PC’s: This chamber is large and dark. The walls are stone, but unfinished. Three piles of furs lie on the
floor, and scattered about them are piles of rocks and dirt. The room smells strongly of sweat and
spoiled milk. Against a large door in the northwest wall is propped the great tree trunk of a fir
tree. From behind the door someone is crying.
DM:
If the ogres are in this room, then read the following additional player character information
block.
PC’s: In each of the 3 piles of furs is a large creature snoring.
DM:
If the ogres are here when the characters enter this room, they are quick to respond to any
intrusion. Their motto is “Bash heads now. Ask questions later.” Their halberds are leaning against the
wall near the tree trunk. They will fight to the death for they know that Vexia will kill them for allowing
intruders to get this far.
Hidden under the fur piles are 400sp, 550gp, a gem worth 500gp, a gem worth 50gp,m and 2
gems worth 250gp each.
The fir trunk is kept against the door to keep the remainder of the orc and human slaves in their
quarters. It can be lifted away from the door with a combined strength of at least 34 points.
Behind the door is a small dirty cave where the 2 women and 2 orcs from the kitchen are kept.
They are greatly afraid of the ogres, for the ogres beat them regularly. They have all watched other
prisoner being eaten as time went by. The ogres eat live food only on special occasions. They live now
off the stores in Vexia's larder. But now the cellar stores are running low.
The woman and orcs know that Vexia was last seen leaving the caves to chase after a man in the
woods. Apparently, she had chased him several times, but the man always escaped her. She hasn’t been
back in her lair for the last 6 months. They also know of another captive, a human warrior, that Vexia
boasted to have captured before she left. They think the warrior is being held somewhere in the caves.
Once freed from the prison, the orcs flee as fast as they can, and the women stay with the party.
3 OGRES:
hd 4 +1 hp 25 thaco 17 morale 12 int low 8 align chaotic evil ac 5
move 9” #att 1 giant halberd +3 to hit str damage 2d6 +1 +6 str size large 9’ tall
exp 270
H13)
Vexia's Cellar
PC’s: At the bottom of the steps, the corridor opens into a 40’ by 30’ chamber with a flat stone ceiling
30’ overhead. The chamber is dimly lit, and dark shapes hang above you in the air. The shadowy
forms of sacks, barrels, and crates fill the room, stacked to heights above your heads. Most of
them appear to be empty. The smells of salted meat, rotting fruits, moldy breads, and stale beer
assault your noses. The floor is sticky, as if something has been spilled on it. Insects are buzzing
about the room in a small swarm. Loud, raucous singing comes from an exit to the north.
DM:
The hanging shapes are skinned animal carcasses suspended from hooks in the ceiling. The meat
looks like it has been salted and left to cure, but it is spoiled. The 6 kegs that are 8’ tall are filled
with sour mead. They were stolen from a merchant over a year ago. A few sacks are filled with
breads, all covered with harmless molds. Smaller barrels and baskets are full of spoiled, slimy
fruits and berries, but most of these containers are empty and strewn about the room in disorder.
Nothing in the room will harm a character unless they eat or drink something. Anyone who does
must save vs poison with a -1 penalty or become violently nauseated in 2d4 turns. The nausea
lasts for 1d4 +2 hours, during which time the victim loses 2d4 points of strength and is unable to
fight for more than 2 rounds without taking a round to vomit. The light comes from mold
growing on the spilled mead. The singing comes from room H17.
H14)
Spiders’ Lair
Vexia designed this room to lure any would be trespassers to their deaths. The stairs descend 20’
to the web filled nest of 3 giant spiders that quickly swarm over anyone who enters this room.
The stairs are trapped so that anyone stepping on or prodding the 5th step will set off the trap.
The staircase flattens out, and anyone standing on the steps must make saving throw vs paralyzation or
slide down to the nest of the spiders below. Such unfortunates take 1d3 points of damage from the fall,
and the spiders get 1 free attack as if the characters were completely surprised. The spiders are hungry;
they haven’t been fed for the last 2 weeks. They attack until destroyed and have no treasure.
3 SPIDER, GIANT: hd 4 +4 hp 31 thaco 15 morale 13 int low 6 align chaotic evil
ac 4 move 3” ground / 12” web #att 1 bite damage 1d8 exp 650
sp att poisoned bite, save vs poison or die in 1d4 rounds size large 10’ diameter
Level #2
H15)
Guard Chamber
PC’s: Torches line the walls of the stairs to this room. Leading from the cellar, down the stairs, and
through this 20’ square chamber to an arched, open door is a trail of sticky sour mead. Against
the east wall, between the eastern and northern doors is a 10’ tall chair. Leaning against the wall
next to the chair is an 8’ long club with metal spikes protruding from the thick end. On the floor
in the center of the chamber is a crumpled black cloth.
From the open door in the northern wall you hear a deep, booming voice engaging in singing and
reverie. The singer can’t be seen in the chamber behind the door.
DM:
The chair, club, and black cloth belong to Boris, Vexia's hill giant executioner. The black cloth is
the hood that he wears when butchering the hag’s enemy prisoners. He has stolen one of the kegs of sour
mead and carried it from the cellar, and into his own quarters, area H17.
Anyone in the chamber can clearly hear the giant’s singing, and if a character can speak hill
giant, he will be able to tell that the giant is drunk. The giant’s speech is slurred and his grammar is bad,
even for a hill giant. Unless the characters make a great racket, the giant will remain in his drunken
stupor.
The door to Vexia's laboratory, room H16, is locked. Boris has the key in his left boot. Any thief
has a normal chance to pick this lock.
H16)
Vexia's Laboratory
PC’s:
The stairs descend into a large room containing a 20’ long workbench covered with all kinds of
alchemical equipment. Several beakers, some filled with multi-colored powders and others empty, are
surrounded by various parts of animals and the gnarled limbs of nightmarish creatures. Some small
creatures are crawling around on the floor beneath the table.
Against the north wall is another workbench covered with similar objects, including several jars
and bottles of odd colored liquids and the pickled innards of unknown creatures. The south wall is
decorated with strange glyphs and scratches etched into the stone and brick.
A flurry of wings draws your attention to the east end of the room. Flapping about in a hanging
wire cage, 5’ tall and 3’ wide, are many winged creatures the size of a large crow. They have bat wings,
claws, needle like mouths, and hungry yellow eyes that glare out at you.
DM:
These creatures are stirges. They serve Vexia as lab test animals and instruments of torture.
Vexia dabbled in alchemical and necromantic experiments that produced horrible results. She
has a large collection of pickled creature parts, and some she never got around to pickling. The briny,
poisonous pickling solution smells like vinegar. Anyone touching the fluid must save vs poison with a
+2 bonus or take 2d6 points of damage. A successful saving throw means ½ damage.
The creatures crawling on the floor are harmless roaches and beetles. Vexia would feed them to
other animals she kept in this lab.
If the characters search through the oddities on the central table for 1 turn, they can find several
normal and giant badger’s claws, a 1’ stinger from a wyvern, a shriveled human skull the size of an
orange, an assortment of newt eyes and bat wings, and a water-filled mug holding an oversized black
leech.
If the characters search the bench along the northern wall for a turn, they may recognize a few of
the pickled items. A cow tongue, a rabbit’s ear, a faerie’s wing, the horn of a unicorn, a collection of
human eyes that are used to make hag eyes. They can find an 80’ length of charred but usable rope, a
blood encrusted dagger, and a large pot of black pitch. Characters searching for 2 turns will find 4 vials
of liquid. A poison that is more pickling agent, a potion of diminution, a philter of glibness, and a philter
of love. Searching for 4 more turns will turn up 2 more vials containing an elixir of madness, and an
elixir of youth.
Hidden amid the clutter is a voluminous black leather sack that holds 4 containers. One jar is
labeled “grahachi,” which means “screams” in the annis tongue. If opened, this dark, translucent jar
disgorges its contents. This is a piercing many toned wail that will cause fear as the 1st level priest spell
in anyone failing a saving throw vs spells. The scream brings the giant from area H17 within 4 rounds.
This jar works only 1 time. When the jar is opened, the scream escapes and it can’t be used again.
The 2nd container is a red glazed clay jug. When the stopper is pulled, the pungent odor of
cinnamon fills the air. This is the potion that Vexia seeks. It increases the imbiber’s magic resistance by
40%, but only works on a hag. Any character who so much as sips the potion must make a saving throw
vs poison or lose 1d6 points of constitution and 1d6 points of strength for 2d4 turns.
The 3rd container is smaller, made of glass, and contains over 250 dried husks of dead wasps.
The 4th container is an empty silver ewer worth 14gp.
The glyphs on the south wall are illegible without a comprehend languages or read magic spell.
They describe the process by which a hag eye is made.
The door to the stirge’s cage is in the base, which hangs 3’ above the floor. The door is latched
and shut with a human femur bone. Opening it releases the stirges, who voraciously attack until slain.
STIRGE:
hd 1+1 hp 5 thaco 17 morale 8 int animal 1 align n/a ac 8
move 3” ground / 18” fly class “C” #att 1 damage 1d3 1st hit then each round drains
1d4 points of blood size small 2’ wingspan exp 175
H17)
Executioner’s Room
PC’s: This cave-like chamber with a smooth stone floor is 30’ high and extends about 40’ into the rock.
A lantern, hanging by a chain from the ceiling, sheds light on the whole room. At the rear of the
cavern is an 8’ tall keg of mead like those in the cellar. The smell of stale beer is almost
overwhelming in this room. Toward the back of the chamber, on the east side, sits a 5’ long
padlocked chest. Nearer the door is a 5’ tall mound of furs, skins, and feathers.
DM:
The room echoes with the resounding notes of giant song. Unless the hill giant has been alerted,
he is slumped against the west wall and singing lustily. He wears thick brown animal hides over his
massive shoulders and around his waist. His eyes are closed, and in each hand he swings a foot tall mug,
sloshing and spilling mead onto the floor. He doesn’t seem to notice the characters as long as they are
quiet.
This is Boris, Vexia's executioner. Although he is loyal to the hag and efficient at carrying out
her will, he has been inactive during Vexia's long absence. He does worry about her when he is sober,
and once in a while he takes a stroll around the lair and forest outside, calling Vexia's name. These
searches are as much a reassurance to himself that Vexia isn’t’ coming back to destroy his reverie as
they are to find the missing witch. He occasionally feasts in the kitchen with the ogres, and even
remembers to take food and water to Vexia's secret prisoner, in room H19, every now and then.
In his drunken state, Boris has a -6 penalty to being surprised and fights with a -2 penalty to hit
and damage. Because of his great size, he will sober up in 2d6 rounds once he realizes that there are
intruders in the room. If combat starts, he will barrel out into the guard chamber, room H15, grabs his
club, and begins to demolish everything in his way for 1d6 +3 rounds. Each round, he has a 40% chance
of attacking furniture or doors near him instead of the characters. Thos inanimate objects struck must
save vs crushing blow or be blasted to pieces.
Though drunk, Boris can pose a great threat to the characters if they attack him immediately.
Clever and daring characters might try to parlay with him. In his state, Boris will be more likely to talk
with intruders than kill them if they approach in a friendly manner. The DM should roll for his reactions
with a -2 modifier. Boris knows common and will speak to the characters in that tongue.
If approached peacefully, Boris reveals that his mistress has been gone “for a long, long time,”
and he fears hat she won’t be coming back. He won’t mention her name but talks about “bad ole
Magg’rk and nashty Thess’thern,” saying that his mistress hated them, though they often worked
together. He complains about the itch on his back that he is unable to reach, and about how much food
his mistress’s secret prisoner in room H19 eats. “He hash eaten sho much, der’s almos’ nuttin’ left in
Mishtrash’s shellar!”
Boris’s reactions to hearing his mistress’s name pronounced aloud by a character could be
startling. He instantly grows wary, ashamed, and sober. The giant very coldly and shyly begins
questioning the characters about their knowledge of Vexia. He won’t believe anything the characters say
and will try to take these “guests” to the prison cell in area H12. He will use force if he has to, while he
goes searching for his mistress.
Once he begins fighting, Boris won’t stop until he or all of his opponents are dead. All the ogres
and orcs in the caves that are alerted by this fight will stay out of it until Boris either is dead or has
calmed down.
The tall keg in the back of the room is 1/3 full of sour mead. The rest has either been drank or
spilled onto the floor. The chest is locked and trapped with a poisoned needle trap. Those struck by the
needle must save vs poison or die in 1d4 rounds. Inside the chest are a small +1 shield, a potion of
super-heroism, a bag of holding that weighs 10 pounds and holds 100 pounds, 1,000sp, 1,250gp, 1 gem
worth 500gp, a gem worth 100gp, 2 gems worth 250gp, and 2 gems worth 50gp.
The hides and skins that are 5’ tall are Boris’s bed. They are moth eaten and smell terrible.
Because of this they are worthless. There is no treasure here except for what is in the chest.
BORIS, GIANT, HILL:
H18)
ac 3 move 12" hd 12 +2 #att 1 +3 to hit damage 3d4 +2+7
sp att throw rocks for 2d8 int. 9 align chaotic evil size 9' tall
exp. 2,000 each thaco 9 hp 50
Vexia's Bedroom
PC’s: This room is totally dark. The dust on the floor seems to have settled long ago. Standing in the
center of this odd shaped room is a rusted iron kettle positioned on a circular tripod. Beneath the
cauldron is a small depression in the worked stone of the floor. In the far south corner is a large
bed, apparently made of sawdust and furs with wooden beams for a frame. The sleeping surface
is 5’ high. A shelf in the northwest corner is attached to the wall 10’ above the floor. The “L”
shaped shelf runs 20’ along each wall. The ceiling is 15’ high. Standing in the corner below the
shelf, shrouded in shadow, is a 6’ tall humanoid figure that doesn’t move. The smell of dust,
death, and decay are strong here.
DM:
This room has been entered only by Boris since Vexia's disappearance. The hill giant has passed
through here going to area H19 several times to feed the prisoner there. The giant footprints can be
easily seen here on the floor. Any character can follow these footsteps while in this room. The still,
silent figure is a zombie that guards the secret door to area H19. The zombie will fight to prevent anyone
from entering the secret door except Vexia and Boris. Anyone not accompanied by Boris will be
attacked when they come within 10’ of the zombie. The zombie won’t pursue the characters out of this
room.
The cauldron is empty. The bed in the corner has been crudely made and left to gather dust.
There is space beneath it for 2 man sized figures to hide from anyone not specifically looking there. The
space is empty except for some dirt and dust balls.
On the shelf are 2 bags of dried frog bodies, many normal spider webs, and a potion of healing.
On the northern shelf sits what appears to be a stone block, 1’ x ½’. If this block is pressed it slides into
the wall, causing a secret door in the west wall to unlock. Anyone investigating the shelf will be attacked
by the zombie.
Part of the west wall beneath the shelf swings outward into area H19 if the brick on the shelf is
pushed. The door relocks when shut and can be opened only by pressing the brick.
ZOMBIE:
hd 2 hp 11 thaco 19 morale no fail unless turned int non- 0 align neutral
ac 8
move 6” #att 1 claw attack damage 1d8 sp def immune to all mind
affecting spells & cold spells sp vulnerability always strike last in a round / holy
water does 2d4 points per vial size mansized exp 65 drawback always loses
initiative
H19)
Prison Cell
PC’s: This room smells of human waste and sweat. The rattling of chains draws your attention to the
back of the chamber, where a figure sits on the floor, with their head bowed. Low moans come
from the thin, bruised person.
DM:
This is Jerro Hamen, a Ranger who is also a ranger class NPC. He was taken prisoner by Vexia
over 8 months ago, when he was investigating the forest around her lair. The hag knew that by taking
this man prisoner, she would draw other searchers to her lair where they could be taken care of. She told
the man this, but nothing has come of this yet. He hasn’t been tortured by Vexia for over 6 months now,
just beaten and starved by the giant. He believes that problems have developed between Vexia and the
other hags of the covey. Jerro has crossed paths with both Magglerak and Thessinthorn and knows that
there is no end to the guile and treachery that they work on each other and those around them. He and
the other Rangers have been trying to eradicate the hags of this area for a very long time. He will be very
grateful if the characters rescue him, and he can reveal a good deal of information about the hags, that is,
as much as the DM wants the characters to know about.
To reward the characters for their help, Jerro passes their names and descriptions throughout the
Dyvers and Greyhawk lands, so that any other of the agents of the Rangers will recognize them and aide
them. Jerro has no knowledge of any nymph named Willori or Buttercup. “But that doesn’t mean they
don’t exist, maybe I just never met them,” He will say.
Jerro will stay with the characters until they get to the surface. Once they get to the surface, Jerro
thanks the characters and promises them payment at a later date. Within 1 month, as long as the
characters are in the Dyvers to Greyhawk area, they will meet an 8th level bard who is a Ranger. The
bard will present the characters with a coffer of 4,000gp in coins. If the characters attacked Rinthal at
encounter “A”, the rescue of Jerro will make a small amount of progress of making things “right”
between the characters and the Rangers.
If the door to this room is shut for any reason, a successful bend bars / lift gates roll, with a -20%
penalty, is needed to open it from the inside.
If all of the characters are trapped inside the room, they will have to wait for the hill giant to
come and feed the prisoner. This will happen in 2 days. The giant opens the door with a plate of gross
meat and stale fruit and a jug of water. Upon seeing the characters, the giant will try to grab 1 or 2 of
them to serve as a meal for him. This pattern will continue until the giant or everyone in the party is
dead. If the giant is killed, the characters are in trouble. If the DM still wants the characters to have a
chance, then Willori will open the door in 4 days.
Jerro Hamen: class ranger level 4 hp 8 now normally 25 thaco 17 morale 14 ac 10
Align lawful good move 12” #att 1 normal but unarmed now str 17 int 11
Wis 12 dex 16 con 15 chr 10 equipment is in area H20
H20)
DM:
Vexia's Treasury
The door to this chamber opens onto, is a 5’ diameter crawlspace set 6’ up on the wall. A
permanent illusion, cast by a now dead prisoner, makes it look just like the rest of the corridor.
Once the characters climb into the room and have a light source, read the following player
character information block to the players.
PC’s: The ceiling of this chamber is only 8’ high. The floor is at the level of the crawlspace through
which you entered. Most of the cave’s rock floor is covered with coins. There is gold, silver,
platinum, and even electrum coins in here. Other items including jewelry and weapons decorate
5 humanoid skeletons. A low wail comes from the north end of the cave, growing in pitch and
intensity as a ghost-like figure coalesces before you.
DM:
This is a programmed illusion of a groaning spirit. The wizard that cast it is long dead. Everyone
in the cave must make a saving throw vs spells or fall unconscious for 6d6 turns. The DM should make
sure that those that fail the saving throw believe that they have fallen to a banshee’s death wail and they
are now dead. The illusion begins anew every time someone else enters the cave and moves towards the
treasure. All characters that save the 1st time are immune to the effects in following times. Those coming
in for the 1st wail must make the saving throw as normal, but every saving throw after the 1st wail get a
+3 bonus to the save. The spirit will simply wail, and won’t attack. The wail will alert Boris the hill
giant if he is still alive. Boris will arrive in 1d4 +2 rounds.
TREASURE: potion of ventriloquism / potion of fire resistance / scroll with enlarge, wall of stone,
polymorph self, unseen servant, and read magic / silver necklace worth 3,000gp / 115pp /
740gp / 95ep / 660sp
Jerro’s gear:
+2 chainmail / bastard sword / +2 dagger / longbow / a quiver of 16 arrows / 3 +1 arrows
/ a silver moon and lyre pin that is the symbol of the Rangers.
Return to the Black Glen
DM:
Once the characters have cleaned out Vexia's lair and obtained the nymph’s potion, they should
plan on returning to the Black Glen to meet the nymph. If they have guessed the nymph’s true
nature, they may attempt to do away with her while it is easy. If not, and the Dm judges that the
characters are tough enough to handle Vexia once she regains her power, the Dm should allow
the characters to complete the mission. If the characters have no clue that Vexia is the nymph
Willori, the characters should have the following encounter while they are traveling back to the
Black Glen.
PC’s: Ahead of you, seated on one of the skull covered talismans placed along the path, is a large
charcoal colored raven. It lets out a squawk to get your attention, and then drops to the ground.
While quizzically eyeing a beautiful cluster of wild flowers on the edge of the path, it picks up a
rock in one of its claws and drops it into the flowers. You hear a loud hiss, and a lightning fast
figure lunges out of the flowers to strike at the raven. However, the raven has already flown up
and flaps away down the Shroud Path. You hear a human voice say, “Beware!” and see the evil
looking snake recoil itself beneath the flowers to wait for you.
DM:
The snake is far enough off the Shroud Path that the characters can easily avoid it or kill it from a
distance. The snake is a common poisonous snake and not an evil creature. The raven is Aubaerus the
Ravenmaster. He has taken this opportunity to warn the characters. He feels that he shouldn’t interfere
too much but should provide the characters with enough information to be responsible for their own
actions. After using the snake to give the characters an omen, from the beautiful and innocent strikes
danger and death, he won’t communicate further with the party.
When the characters arrive at the Black Glen, everything appears normal. Vexia / Willori will
know they are coming with the hag eye, unless the characters destroyed it during the adventure. If so,
she is wary, and yells to them from the edge of the forest to leave the potion by the black cauldron. She
gives the excuse that it is the nymph’s way of exchanging gifts. If asked about a reward, she offers to
conduct the characters to a buried horde of gems after she has the potion. The horde of gems is not real,
but a lie. If the characters refuse to give her the potion or try to coax her out into the open, she uses her
fog cloud ability to approach the characters for one surprise snatch at the red clay jug, if she knows
where it is. Vexia gets a surprise modifier of -5 to this roll, grabbing the jug successfully on a roll of 10
or better on a d20. She will try one time and then flee.
If the characters didn’t destroy the hag eye, Vexia is more relaxed, believing that all is going
according to her plan. She approaches the characters openly, happily, and anxiously. She will promise
the reward of the gem horde that is false. If attacked in nymph form, she uses her fog cloud ability to
shield her escape.
Once she has the potion, Vexia unstoppers the jug and drains the contents in 1 round. With her
altered magic resistance, she has a 60% chance of shrugging off the witches’ curse. If the potion is
successful, she begins laughing. Within 2 rounds, she will have gained back all of her powers as she
shifts to annis form. Vexia then attacks the characters until they are dead or she has been defeated. She
won’t stop to eat anyone during the fray.
Vexia's annis form is truly terrifying. Her dark silver hair is long and wispy. Her fangs are 3”
long and dull black. Her eyes are dull green and piercing. She is just over 8’ tall, with talons sharp as
razors. Her dress is a long, tattered robe that hangs to the ground, tied around the waist by a belt of
human skulls.
If the potion doesn’t work, Vexia begins cursing and raving in a very un-nymph-like manner.
She attacks the nearest character with her bare hands, doing no damage, and then attempts to escape
with her fog cloud spell, vowing to destroy all of her enemies some day.
SNAKE, POISONOUS:
HAG, ANNIS:
hd 2 +1 hp 12 thaco 19 morale 8 int animal 1 align neutral
ac 6 move 15” #att 1 bite damage 1 bite save vs poison or take
3d4 points in 1d4 rounds size small 5’ long exp 175
hd 7 +7 hp 45 thaco 13 morale 15 int very 12 align chaotic evil
ac 0 move 15” str 18/00 #att 2 claws / 1 bite damage 1d8 +8 claw /
2d4 +1 bite magic resist 20% size large 8’ tall exp 4,000 surprised 1
on a d10 vision normal & infravision spells change self at will / fog cloud 3
per day spell level 8th
combat -1 per die from edged weapons & +1 from
blunt weapons
Concluding the Adventure
The characters will end this adventure having discovered a great evil. Though the hags have not
formed a new covey now, the potential is there. Even separated, the hags are powerfully evil. If left
alone, their borders will gradually expand until they pose a threat to all travelers in the area.
Should Vexia escape in nymph form, she will return to her lair. If the characters killed the giant
and most of the ogres, she will be able to enter and reach her laboratory. Given a few months, she will
be able to create another potion for the remedy of the curse.
Once Vexia regains her annis powers, if she has survived, she begins her revenge on the other
hags. An all out war may develop, with each hag seeking to bolster her defenses by drawing on the
surrounding lands. The resulting evil will concern Aubaerus immensely. He may even hold the
characters responsible and demand, through an apprentice druid, that they remedy the situation. He may
demand that the characters destroy the hags and clear the area of evil creatures. If the characters agree to
this, they will get help from the Rangers. If the characters attacked the Rangers, they could very well be
forced to clear out then hags as an act of restitution.
There are many possibilities for further adventures in the hag’s forest. The DM can expand on
the lairs of Houpshe, Thessinthorn, and Magglerak. They have acquired much treasure over the years
through their power and treachery, and will continue to plot and scheme against humankind.
If all of the hags are destroyed, the concentration of evil in the area is broken. The Shroud Path
and the Black Glen are quickly overgrown and claimed by the forest, aided by Aubaerus and other
druids.
There are rumors of an ancient abandoned elven civilization around Lake Sember. While
clearing out the hags’ lairs, the characters may discover a map to this area, which has also become
corrupted by the influence of the hags.
If driven away and not completely destroyed, the hags could return at some time and place to
exact revenge on the characters who foiled their plans.