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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1992^l^'ii#33FOR TSR ROLE-PLAYING GAMES

COVER: The Old bridgetoihe haunted islanddoesn't look very sturdy,but thot's the least ofyour troubles. Adreaded onl bars theway in Jon Fraze's coverpainting for "Mad Gyoji.

Any Eccentricity Will DoBarbara has written DUNGEON'® editorials for long enough.Since she’s away on a brief and well-deserved vacation, I’mtaking this opportunity to introduce myself. My name isWolfgang Baur, and I'm the new assistant editor ofDUNGEONAdventures {and editorial assistant for DRAGON® Magazine).When I heard about the job opening, I Jumped at the chanceand came up for a very friendly interview. I had no idea howwell the staff was hiding its eccentricities.Rumor has it that editors are an odd bunch. Rumor has it

right. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that this issue features anOriental adventure, but I’ve noticed that the periodicalsdepartment at TSR is turning into Chop Sockey Theater. BothBarbara and Roger practice aikido, a defensive (ha!) Japanesemartial art of throws, holds, and pins. Practice sessions takeplace on a padded mat, which gives you some idea of theamount of people-flinging involved. Roger and Barbarapractice at the local YMCA at lunchtime and attend classes atnight. First thing in the morning, they're comparing notes andpracticing holds in Roger's crowded cubicle. If they offer todemonstrate yonkyo on you, I suggest you decline. Yonkyo isJapanese for “Vulcan nerve pinch,’’ and it hurts.I’m taking up tae kwon do for strictly defensive purposes.Don’t let anyone tell you that practicing a martial art is a job

requirement here. It only seems like it. In fact, any eccentricitywill do. Zeb Cook and other game designers fly stunt kites,weather permitting. In the summer, squads of people line up toconvert the grassy field out back into an archery range. In thewinter, people go out less and tend to burrow into their officesand cubicles. Office decoration tends to the bizarre, includinggiant robot collections, swords, masks, giant cartoon blow-ups,chain mail and fior clothing, antlers serving as toilet-paperholders, and huge purple crayons.

I’ve got a few quirks of my own, but I’ll restrain myself andjust list the editorial ones. There are several pet projects thatI’ve always wanted to see in DUNGEON Adventures. Feel freeto send in proposals on all of the following: DARK SUN™adventures; something playable with gnomes (not gnomoi!); anadventure centered around a medieval craft guild and its

The Readers LETTERS 4

M. S. Rooney,Patrick

Carpenter, andGreg Gliedman

Tfed JamesThomas Zuvich

J. Mark Bicking

David Howery

Colin Sullivan

THAT ISLAND CHARM(AD&D® adventure, levels 7-12)Here’s a tale of a big boat trip thatstarted from a tropic port, aboard abriny ship 6

THE SIEGE OF KRATYSFREEHOLD(AD&D adventure, levels 1-4) Stackthe arrows! Boil that pitch! Ores areknocking on your front door. ... .22

DARK DAYS IN WELLDALE(AD&D adventure, levels 3-5) Thehalflings’ village is no longer awondrous and most pleasant place toreside. Can you figure out what’swrong with their well? 36

ALiCORN(AD&D adventure, levels 1-2)Goblins want the unicorn dead.They’re going to get their

wish—unless you get there first. . 50

MAD GYOJI(AD&D Oriental adventure, levels7-10) The island had been forgottenby everyone—but one personremembered, and from there heplayed out his revenge 54

Continued on page 35

Vol. VI, No. 3

PUBLISHER; James M. WardEDITOR; Barbara G. YoungASSOCIATE EDITOR;Roger E. MooreASSISTANT EDITOR:

ART DIRECTOR:Larry W. SmithCARTOGRAPHER: DieselTYPESETTING; TSRGraphic Art Services

Wolfgang H. Baur SUBSCRIPTIONS;EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Janet L. WintersDale A. Donovan

The Editors HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALLOF US(A Wild and Crazy Bunch, levels246-792) Are they from wildspace orRavenloft? A rogues’ gallery of thedungeon’s masters 76

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to onewho is striking at the root.

Henry David Thoreau, Walden

THAT ISLANDCHARMBY M. S. ROONEY, PATRICK CARPENTER, AND GREG GLIEDMAN

First, your ship sinks. Thenthings really go bad.

Artwork by Bob Klasnich

At any distance greater than 10', PatrickCarpenter is likely to be mistaken for abeholder because of his false central eye

and the rhizome growth atop his head.M. S. Rooney is a small, doglike scaven-ger found in warm regions. He appearshere because of a magical bag of tricks.The most powerful and respected of thedesigners is Greg Gliedman. This gener-ally reclusive creature inhabits only out-

of-the-way places. Unlike Carpenter andRooney, Gliedman does not hurl rocks.

“That Island Charm” is an AD&D®adventure for 4-8 player characters oflevels 7-12 (about 55 total levels). Atleast one elf, one ranger, and one spell-caster are recommended. As cautionand thought on the part of the adven-turers is central to successfully con-fronting their formidable adversaries,players of the “hack-and-slay” persua-sion can very quickly find themselves,quite literally, to be fish bait. Because ofthe importance of PC-NPC interactionand player initiative in determining thecourse of the plot, the DM should readthe scenario thoroughly to role-play thevarious NPCs effectively and to keepthe story moving smoothly.The adventiu'e is set on an uncharted

semi-tropical atoll, several miles offshore

of a port city that the PCs frequent.Thus, this adventure may easily begin ina city on the Sea of Fallen Stars in theFORGOTTEN REALMS® setting or in aport on the Azure Sea in the WORLD OFGREYHAWK* setting. The city is re-ferred to as Port Naliam, but this namemay be freely modified with few reper-cussions on the adventure.The climax of the adventure occurs in

a partially submerged cavern, so theDM should be familiar with rules foraquatic adventuring, as detailed onpage 79 of the AD&D 2nd EditionDungeon Master’s Guide. Additionally,the DM should peruse the MonstrousCompendium entries for the morkothand marid.This adventure hinges on the charm

abilities of the morkoth, which aresomewhat nebulously defined in itsMonstrous Compendium entry. Theauthors of this scenario have inter-preted the innate abilities of morkoth asbeing of a power above that of PC-accessible charm spells; it is similar tothat of a vampire (see page 65 of theAD&D 1st Edition DMG}. These levelsof charm power are more loosely differ-entiated in the 2nd Edition rules (see

6 issue No. 33

THAT ISLAND CHARM

page 64 of the 2nd Edition DMG), soindividual interpretations may varyfrom those presented herein. ^ no caseare the charmed NPCs or PCs mindlessautomatons, but they have been in-structed by their masters to act in cer-tain ways. As always, the decisions ofthe DM should prevail over any rule-lawyer nitpicking or our own humbleopinions.

Beginning the Adventure

The DM should arrange for the PCs toarrive in the coastal city of Port Na-liam, doubtless drawn by the opulentand glamorous lifestyle of the marinemercenary. While the party is in town(ideally while near the docks), read orparaphrase the following to the players:

The afternoon’s cool sea wind waftsaround you, bringing with it thescents of the piers and wharfs of thecity. As alluring as the odor of decay-ing fish and unwashed sailors is, youmanage to turn toward the entranceof the Swaggerin’ Shark Tbvem, adingy establishment that attracts

flotsam such as yourselves. The bar-keep, Thersites Coldguts, scowls atyour entry and curses under hisbreath.

Allow the party to interact with Cold-guts or any of the other mongrel-likepatrons of the tavern. Even if the partyhas never been in the tavern before, theproprietor treats them as if they werelifelong customers, so long as they tipwell.

After a few moments of what passesfor small talk in the Swaggerin’ Shark(perhaps discussing the party’s latestmisadventures), Coldguts lowers hishead conspiratorially and whispers tothe adventurers.

“Remember the disappearin’ ships Imentioned to ya last time ya draggedyerselves in here—the Shamrock, theAdmiral Andres—no, I see ya don’t.Well, these ships have been vanishin’off the main tradin’ lanes to thesouthwest. It’s been makin’ newsround here on the docks, seein' ashow they was loaded with silver an’such. Course, nobody’s taken a mindto ’vestigatin’ it, as ships sink everyso often anyhow. But the big newsjus’ happened. The most recent boatto disappear came back!

“What’s more, the crew of this ‘unsez thet the other ships all wreckedon a small reefed isle, where thecargo is jes’ lyin’ offshore waitin' tobe picked up. The crew of this re-turned ship, the MacLean, needs helpto salvage the cargo and is willing tohire a party to protect them from thenatives on the island—some orneryogres or such.

“Ordinary-like, I wouldn’t mentionthis kinda small news to big-time’venturer-types like yerselves, butthe cap’n of the MacLean tol’ me hewas a-lookin’ fer powerful folk toinsure ‘complete success’—that’swhat he said. He’s willin’ ta give upa third share of the salvage, too. Ithink they’re still at Skull Pier, ifnobody else has signed on yet.

“Easy plunder an’ poundin’ theheads of brainless ogres sounds likeyer kinda’ hobby, so I told the cap’nya might be a-comin’.’’ Coldgutspauses, as if awaiting some reaction.He then says, “You know, it wasawful nice o’ me to tell ya this.”

Coldguts expects a tip of at least 3 gpfor his information. However, as heforgot to withhold the location of theship, Coldgute may be snubbed withlittle consequence. If questioned further,he can supply the party with little elsein the way of useful information, exceptthat the captain of the MacLean lookedrather tired.The party should make their way to

Skull Pier, where they find a batteredsea vessel busily being prepared for anocean voyage. 'This is the MacLean, amerchant cog out of Alir

THAT ISLAND CHARM

set forth to ensnare a human vessel;this time he wrecked the trading cara-vel Admiral Andres. Among the An-dres's crew was a group of foiu*mercenary adventurers, including anelven fighter/thief named Endorianawho resisted the morkoth’s charm.Caught at an obvious disadvantageagainst the morkoth, she feigned being

charmed until an opportunity to escapepresented itself.

The elf is currently entrenched in theleast-accessible portion of the island,

surrounded by dense foliage and self-laidtraps. The marid and morkoth are un-aware of her absence, not being given totaking precise tallies of their prisoners.

The morkoth has been careful to peri-odically renew the potency of the charmspell over its servants, particularly themarid, with whom the morkoth keeps indaily contact. Concerned about thepossibility of a search party discovering

the isle, the morkoth conceived of avariation upon its original plan. Themorkoth instructed the marid to attractair-breathers of reasonable power toguard the surface isle against possiblediscovery and intervention by the out-side world. The marid, judging frompast experiences, interpreted this com-

mand to mean he should lure adventur-ers to the island.

A week ago, the marid used his lowerwater ability to ground the cog MacLeanon the island with a minimum of dam-age to the ship. After the maridcharmed the crew, the sailors were setto the task of repairing their ship. Themorkoth ordered the MacLean and itscrew to return to Port Naliam, provid-ing a false story about treasure retriev-al and dangerous ogres to bait a party ofmercenaries into the morkoth’s feedingpool.

Adventure Key

From the departure of the MacLeanfrom Port Naliam, events proceed alonga fairly brisk timeline that will likely

culminate in a confrontation with themorkoth and marid in the partiallysubmerged caverns beneath the centerof the atoll. The course of the adventurecan be organized into five sections. Theparty will have the best chance of suc-cess by following this course, but asalternative decisions are possible, anumber of outcomes are detailed in thetext.

First, the PCs journey to the island.

The trip ends abruptly when the ship iswrecked on the atoll by the marid. Theadventurers encounter and interactwith the inhabitants of a makeshiftvillage of castaways from previouswrecks. After discovering various flaws

in the castaways’ stories, the PCsshould be drawn to examine the re-mains of the ogre settlement, wherethey can meet and perhaps talk withthe surviving ogre.

Next, the PCs should come upon thexaicharmed but initially hostile Endo-riana, who can inform the party of thetrue nature of the island. This knowl-

edge should lead the adventurers toconfront the morkoth and marid in theundersea caverns, concluding with thevictory of the party and the escape of allconcerned from the isle if the party winsthe battle. The whole affair (from ship-wreck to denouement) should ideallylast no more than a game day or per-haps two.

1. The Voyage. The island is approxi-mately two days’ journey southwest ofPort Naliam, just off one of the primetrading routes. Under the directions ofthe charmed crew of the MacLean, thevoyage should progress without anydifficulties. As most of the trip utilizes acommonly traveled sea lane, no water-borne encounters are included. Fimther-

more, after the first day, the ship is

secretly trailed by the marid, who in-sures that the MacLean and its passen-gers face no trouble until they near theisle.

During the voyage, the crew is laconicbut never unfriendly to the adventur-ers, almost always accommodating thedesires of the PCs. Captain Iferrence isthe most voluble of a taciturn lot, butonly if directly questioned. No oneamong the crew volunteers informationunless asked.

Ibrrence runs a tight ship and canusually be found on the decks, supervis-ing the sailors. If any of the PCs areparticularly alert (though they shouldhave little reason to be), they mightnote that Tbirence gives no thought toexactly how the treasure will be sal-vaged and does not discuss the subjectwith the adventurers. If questioned, heavoids this topic, urging the PCs not toconcern themselves. (“We’ll work it outwhen we get there.’’)

If the PCs are curious, the DM candescribe the Captain’s daily scheduleand allow them to draw their own con-

clusions. The crew has been ordered tobe reticent but cooperative, and so willtry to quietly avoid contact with theparty.

After sunset the second day. CaptainTferrence (following the morkoth’s in-structions) sails the vessel off the mainroute and toward the island. Hourslater, near midnight, the marid sum-mons several walls offog, utterly ob-scuring vision on board.Simultaneously, the marid destroys theship’s rudder and begins pushing theMacLean faster on its course withstrong jets of water.

The crewmembers remain calm andsit at their posts listlessly. If any PCsare awake and ask about the goings-on,Tferrence calmly informs them, “Weseem to have entered a bank of fog.”The crew will assist the PCs howeverrequested but seem oblivious to theweather, having been reassured by themorkoth that they will wash ashoresafely, just as they did the first time

they wrecked on the isle.Anyone lowered near the water or

those with good hearing can determinethat the ship is moving very quickly.Only 2dl0 rounds after the fog closes in,the ship smashes into the reef and themarid uses his great strength to tearthe hull to bits. The PCs may takewhatever precautions they can in oneround before the deck beneath themsplinters asunder. Sleeping PCs arerudely awakened by a sudden rush ofocean water as the cabin crumbles intopieces around them. Read or paraphrasethe following to the players;

It is with some dismay that you notethe deck of the MacLean heave apartand hurl you into the sea. You fallgracelessly into the ocean and arepreparing to survive in some mannerwhen the mast and a good-sized por-tion of the deck collapse on top ofyou. Gurgling and thrashing aboutas you normally do when drowning,you frantically attempt to performsome final heroic actions.

Allow the PCs to take whatever des-perate measures they wish, but notethat spell-casting is impossible in these

conditions. For whatever PCs remain inor on the water (presumably the majori-ty of the group), read the following text:

The ocean seems unpleasantly alivewith a powerful current pulling you

8 Issue No. 33

THAT ISLAND CHARM

beyond the reef. You struggle to keepabove water until a great surgebrings your feet into contact withsilt. Another wave heaves your sod-den carcasses ashore. You lie still inthe dark, unfashionably covered withsand and kelp. Then you hear theunhappy groans ofyour comradesand realize that you weren’t so mi-raculously lucky after all.

Unless PCs actively deny life-preserving activities (for example, a PCsteadfastly maintains that the wreck isan illusion and ardently inhales seawa-ter), all aboard the ship survive theexperience thoroughly soaked but other-wise unharmed. Those who dropped orlost possessions (such as heavy armor)in the wreck find their items on thebeach, pushed ashore by the marid’sefforts. Paper items such as scrolls andbooks suffer considerable water damageunless somehow protected or sealed.Those headstrong enough to have

attempted to breathe underwater with-out magical assistance will be similarlybeached, although quick resuscitationmight be necessary, as they have beensubmerged for two rounds (see the 2ndEdition Player's Handbook, page 122).Ask the PCs for their actions after

washing ashore. A preliminary searchfinds all hands of the MacLean havesurvived the wreck and are on thebeach, dazed but still fairly calm. Pick-ing through the large amount of wreck-age strewn along the shore reveals mostof the contents of the ship’s hold, includ-ing water-logged rations. If the PCswonder at this freakishly strong cur-rent, let them chalk it up to DM benevo-lence. A detect magic spell, however,will indicate the marid’s water controlfor three rounds after the PCs washashore.

After the PCs have gathered theirwits about them and are beginning towonder “What next?’’ continue with thefollowing text:

You are beginning to reconsider theworth of this entire enterprise whenyou hear a call of greeting. A lowvoice reeking of authority and com-mand sounds slowly in the night,coming from a torch-bearing group ofsober-looking men walking down thebeach toward you.“Hail, strangers. I am Captain

Johansen, late of the Admiral An-

THE ISLAND0 360

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1

Feet

dres, and a sworn officer of the LordMayor of Port Naliam. I am the act-ing lord of this island domain, and assuch command you to identify your-selves on pain of swift justice. Pleasedo not be rash.”

If the PCs keep quiet, Captain Tter-rence identifies himself and his crew.Johansen is a grim man, used to givingharsh commands and to seeing themobeyed without question. He is not loudor brash, preferring to use low, icy mon-otones and silent stares to intimidate.He was never a pleasant person to beginwith, and the marid has seen fit to leavehim in charge of the castaways (hekeeps them from wandering about andcausing trouble). As soon as he realizesthe PCs and the sailors are ship-wrecked, he expects immediate compli-ance and subordination from allconcerned.

Johansen listens to whatever the PCshave to say and then orders everyone toreturn with him to the settlement, car-rying as much of value from the Afoc-Lean as possible. If the PCs askquestions, Johansen bares his teeth in

what passes as a smile and says, “Idon’t answer questions, so don’t askthem. If you like talk, you can wait tillyou get to the village and jabber withthe Old Man. Ifyou enjoy living, comewith us.”

Johansen turns from the PCs andheads the group as it moves north. Oneof Johansen’s underlings grumblesabout the Captain “going easy on thesecast-off weaklings” and gestures every-one to follow. The soldiers, like theirleader, are generally large, tall, andthoroughly unlikable. All are charmed.The crew of the MacLean will follow,and the PCs appear to have nowhereelse to go. The soldiers lead the casta-ways to area 2.Captain Gustav Johansen: AL LE;

AC 7; MV 9; F7; hp 59; THACO 14; #AT3/2; Dmg by weapon type; SA bastardsword specialist; S 17, D 12. C 16, 1 12,W 13, Ch 4; ML 18; studded leatherarmor, bastard sword +2, dagger ofvenom.

First Officer William Briden: ALLE; AC 5; MV 12; F5; hp 48; THACO 16;#AT 1; Dmg by weapon type; SA cutlassspecialist; S 18/94, D 7, (5 18, 1 9, W 8,Ch 13; ML 18; chain mail, knife, cutlass

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THAT ISLAND CHARM

+ 1/+2v8. magic-using and enchantedcreatures, throwing axe, lantern, flaskof oil.

Will is Johansen’s yes-man, enforcer,

and bully. He especially dislikes“smarty-pants” wizards or otherscholar-types.

Soldiers (6): AL LN; AC 7; MV 9; FI;hp 6 each; THACO 20; #AT 1; Dmg byweapon type; SA specialization (seebelow); ML 18; studded leather armor,long sword, light crossbow, 10 quarrels.Two of these soldiers are crossbow

specialists, the others are sword aficio-nados. They are a grumpy and mean lot.No experience points should be award-

ed for killing these NPCs. All the casta-ways seem to be working together forsome form of common (“lawful”) benefit,though they have been charmed and arenot entirely in command of theiractions.

2. The Castaway Village. CaptainJohansen and company silently bringthe PCs and the other shipwreck survi-vors from the desolate beach where theycrashed (area 1 on “The Island” map) tothe makeshift village (area 2) where thesurvivors of previous wrecks currently

dwell. As the adventurers approach thevillage, read or paraphrase the follow-ing text:

As you round a patch of dense tropi-cal plant life, you see the waveringlights of several prominently placedtorches illuminating a short bamboostockade. Beyond this, the thatchedpalm roofs of a number of huts can bedimly discerned. As you draw nearer,a crude gate swings open in the shak-ily built wall, and yoitr militaryescort leads you into the village.

The “Castaway Village” map showsthe layout of the ramshackle settle-ment. It is about 1:00 A.M. as the PCsenter the village, and no one is awakeexcept the gate-keeping crossbowmanand Old Man Moran, the polymorphedguise of the marid Al-Azif.Johansen and his company guide the

survivors of the MacLean to the mainbuilding (area 2A), where they can sleepfor the rest of the night. Old ManMoran greets the PCs and urges themto rest until morning, when matters canbe more readily discussed.

If the PCs are suspicious or cautious

enough to keep their own night watch,the NPCs will happily accommodatethem. Old Man Moran retires for thenight after making the others comfort-able in their tropic island nest. Johan-

sen and the soldiers depart for theirown quarters. Nothing untoward willhappen to the PCs during the night, andthey may enjoy a safe and tranquil rest.The next morning, read the following

to the players:

Your pleasant dreams are brought toan abrupt end as the ridiculouslywrinkled visage of some decrepitcreature leers into your blinkingvision like some ersatz jack-in-the-box. With entirely too much ease,you identify this pruned face as be-longing to Old Man Moran, whoresembles a stock character in somemelodramatic, indigestion-conceiveddream you had last night. Unfortu-nately, the kelp in your sand-encrusted hair helps you recall thatthis brave expedition is all too real.

Old Man Moran wobbles about,waving his spindly arms in an up-ward gesture. Your fleeting hopesthat he is a mute but kindly old manare dashed as he begins to speak in a

wavering, reedy voice. “Wake up,wake up, my new little friends! Youmust meet with your fellows outsidenow!”You are still trying to figure out

why a 5'-tall man called you littlewhen you notice the presence ofseveral dozen persons standing justoutside the entrance of the hut. Thecrew of the MacLean is among them.

The castaways stand expectantly,awaiting the PCs. As soon as the adven-turers leave the hut, a corpulent manwith light hair greets them warmly andintroduces himself as Captain Hale ofthe Shamrock, out of Alir, and deliversthe following rambling tale. Allow thePCs to freely interact with Hale and theothers. All of the surviving crews of thethree wrecked vessels are present, al-

though they have little to add to Hale’sstory.

“Well, it’s good to meet you, friends.I’ve already told our story to Cap’n'Iferrence, but we figured to let youget all the rest you wanted after lastnight. Now, you already heard aboutour two ships—the Shamrock and the

10 Issue No. 33

THAT ISLAND CHARM

Admiral Andres—getting wrecked onthat nasty reef offshore. Well, itturns out that your boy 'Iterry, here,didn’t look around on the islandmuch after bumping into some ofthose ogres, so he just assumed thatwe all went down with the ship. Butthe thing is, we didn’t!”All too briefly. Hale pauses in his

blustering narrative. Seeing that theexpected guffaws and knee-clappingare not forthcoming, he resumes histale.

“You see, most of us managed toswim ashore after the wreck, and wefound Old Man Moran had beenlivin’ here for years, hunting theogres. So we settled down here inthis clearing and built us a couple ofroofs to keep out the rain. We wereabout ready to start puttin’ togethera boat to get us on out of here whenanother fog storm came and wreckedthe Andres. That was a few weeksago, and now we’re all here together.“Cap’n Johansen put together this

wall to keep the ogres out. Nasty folkthem ogres—it’s been them stoppingus from finishing our escape boat. Butnow that you guys are here, I don’tthink we have anything to worryabout.” Hale and many others smilehappily at the prospect of escape.

Now is the time for the PCs to beinquisitive and talkative. The casta-ways cheerfully answer PC queries tothe best of their knowledge, with thefollowing general amendments to thetruth (as laid down by their masters);—The ogres are aggressive and antag-

onistic. They come from the cavernsbelow the isle. They have killed many ofthe castaways and have disrupted theconstruction of escape vessels.—There are no other intelligent inhab-

itants of the isle (beyond the ogres). Noone who has gone into the caverns hasever returned.

—Old Man Moran has been on the islefor many years and is an absolutelytrustworthy person.After listening to the various stories

of the castaways and examining thearea, the PCs may notice several dis-crepancies between the account andactuality. For example, the shoddy con-dition of the walls clashes with thepurported ogre menace, as does thecondition of the escape vessel (see area2D) and the general absence of injuries

or corpses (despite the supposed fatali-ties) in the village, not to mention thelack of ogre footprints in the area.

PCs raising these or other points (suchas why the ogres live in human-sizedtunnels), or questioning the existence ofthe actual ogre settlement will be told

how clever and deceitful the nasty ogresare. If the PCs point out absolute con-tradictions (such as the construction ofOld Man Moran’s hut; see area 2A), thecastaways can only scratch their headsin confusion.

A detect lie spell or similar divinationsindicate that all of the above bits ofinformation are fabrications, told to thevillagers by the morkoth or the marid.A detect charm spell reveals the alteredstates of the sailors. Needless to say, donot suggest either spell to the players.Let them examine the facts and drawtheir own conclusions.Immediately following their chat with

Captain Hale, the PCs are free to min-gle with the castaways and to roam thevillage and island.

2A. Central Hut. This is the largebuilding where Old Man Moran and thecrew of MacLean take shelter. It is acircular structure akin to a raised tepee.The wooden roof is shaped like a cone,with a central opening 25' above the firepit. If asked why such a large structurewas built for one person (as the previouscastaways should not have expected theMacLean to arrive), the sailors shrugignorantly. Old Man Moran says it’s hishome, built when he retired here yearsago. Knowledgeable examination of theconstruction will show that the buildingis not more than a month old (carpentryskill will easily reveal this). Indeed, if

specifically asked, crew members of theShamrock will recall building it atMoran’s request.Old Man Moran is the false identity

that the marid Al-Azif has assumed tointeract with and to control the casta-ways as the morkoth’s intermediary. Ifasked about his history, Moran tells ofhis long career as a hunter and traveler,and of his eventual retirement to thisuncharted isle to escape the confines ofcivilization. Al-Azif based the characterof Moran on an obnoxious human whoonce attempted to slay the marid. Hecan play Moran convincingly for anylength of time.

While the PCs are present. Old ManMoran can be found here at all times.Ordinarily, the marid takes time out to

serve his master regular meals (and tosubmit to a renewal of the charm), buttoday his task is to introduce the partyto the morkoth, which he will try to doas detailed in area 2G. Moran detects asboth magical and charmed if such divi-nations are utilized. If attacked, he fleeson foot into the cavern (area 5), intend-ing to be followed. For the marid’s sta-tistics, see area 5.

2B. Crew Quarters. These two build-ings are identical but slightly smallerreplicas of the central hut. The northerndomicile houses the remaining crew ofthe Shamrock (three sailors and Cap-tain Hale) as well as the military andmercenary complement of the AdmiralAndres (six soldiers, two officers, andtwo mercenary adventurers). The south-ern hut contains the rest of the crew ofthe Andres (12 sailors). Both huts arewell stocked with native edibles, includ-ing a variety of fruits and cured meat.If the PCs question the inhabitants of

these huts, they can verify the stormconditions which brought the sailors tothe island as being identical to thoseexperienced by the PCs. The castawayscan tell the PCs that the wrecks of thetwo ships lie near the shore where thePCs were grounded. The ogres and thewrecks will be blamed for the heavylosses of life among the crews, althoughastute PCs might notice the completeabsence of burial sites near the village.PCs examining the behavior and

mood of the castaways can note that allseem oddly complacent about theirpredicament, especially in light of theheavy casualties suffered. Inquiresabout this odd state of mind are metwith remarks about how comforting it isto have powerful ogre exterminatorspresent on the island.The two remaining mercenary adven-

turers, Dolopion and Andronicus. willmention their backgrounds if askeddirectly; see Endoriana’s story in area 4for an unaltered version of their ac-count. The mercenaries say that theirtwo missing members died in the wreck,and no hint will be made of their jour-ney into the cavern. If the other casta-ways are separately and specificallyquestioned, they can recall that all fouradventurers, including an attractivefemale elf, were washed ashore alive.The absence of the other two merce-naries will be blamed on the ogres.Captain Hale: AL LG; AC 8; MV 12;

F3; hp 21; THACO 18; HAT 1; Dmg by

DUNGEON 11

THAT ISLAND CHARM

weapon type; SA club specialist; S 16, D9. C 15, 1 10, W 11. Ch 15; ML 18; club,hat ofprotection +2. Hale is a large,friendly man, if a bit of a fool. He deeplymourns the drowning of his first officer(“My little buddy!”).Dolopion of Skamandros: AL CG;

AC - 1; MV 12; C8; hp 47; THACO 16;#AT 1; Dmg by spell or weapon type; S13. D 11. C 15, 1 12, W 16. Ch 14; ML18; bronze plate mail +2, shield +2,

morningstar *1, staffof withering {fivecharges), ring of warmth. Spells: bless,

command { x 2), faerie fire, sanctuary,heat metal, hold person ( x 2), obscure-

ment, silence 15' radius.The company cleric of the mercenary

adventurers, Dolopion cannot receive

spells higher than second level until the

morkoth’s charm is lifted (his deity isaware of his altered mental state). He ismiddle-aged and a tiresome conversa-tionalist, dwelling on the grimmer as-pects of the afterlife.Andronicue Decius Claius: AL CN;

AC 0; MV 9; F8; hp 57; THACO 13; #AT2; Dmg by weapon type; SA battle axespecialist; S7, D 15, C 15, 1 7 (10 with-out hat), W 4, Ch 7; ML 18; full plate+ 1, large shield -I missile attractor,battle axe *3, hat ofstupidity.

Decius is the new strong arm of themercenary party, having recently joinedthem in Alir. He is crude, arrogant, andlecherous, having quickly earned the

enmity of Endoriana before the Andreseven left dock. He is also unwittinglycarrying two cursed items, believingboth to be potent defensive wards, andwill certainly brag about them (amongother things) if given half a chance.SaUors (15): AL LN; AC 10; MV 12;

FI; hp 5 each; THACO 20; #AT 1; Dmgby weapon type; ML 18. The sailorshave one short sword and dagger each.

2C. Water Source. A mound of smallstones about a foot high marks thelocation of a spring from which thecastaways draw fresh water. If anyoneremoves the top stone, water streamsforth. Intrepid PCs who break up themound of stones can find no natiualsource of this water—it simply wells upfrom the sand.The water is created by the marid,

and observant PCs can notice that (DidMan Moran is always within 60’ whenthe spring is utilized. Should clever PCssomehow distract Moran from the well,it will not function. Castaways confront-ed with this mystery will thank the

gods for their kindness. (“And we justthought we were lucky!”)

2D. Escape Ship. The partially com-pleted hull of the castaways’ escape

vessel lies on the sandy beach here. It isa poorly built shamble of half-rottenwood and too few nails. Anyone withany construction-related proficiencywho examines the craft can determinethat this ship is not simply damaged orundersupplied: It is badly built. Eventhose without such skills can see theshabby state of the boat, but the casta-ways will claim that their efforts havebeen hampered by ogre attacks and poorworking conditions.

2E. Wooden Barrier. This 7'-tallwooden wall is better built than theboat at area 2D, owing to the devotionto duty of Captain Johansen’s soldiers.However, a rc with engineering skillcan perceive that the wall could notpossibly withstand even one ogre, muchless a vicious tribe. Unskilled PCs look-ing closely at the wall can come to simi-lar conclusions. The one gate is a simpleaffair made of bamboo and could beeasily knocked out of place by anyonewith a strength greater than IS.

2F. The Clearing. Beyond the walllies a flat sandy clearing. Outside thecleared space, the area is overgrownwith lush vegetation. Two trails exit theclearing, one heading due west towardthe central sea inlet and the other head-ing northwest into the heart of the

island.

The western trail appears to be rela-tively new, having b^n hacked throughfrom the direction of the village a

month or so ago. Man-sized footprints goback and forth along the trail in greatnumber and frequency. The other trailis much older and is far less frequentlyused, although a large set of recentlymade tracks can be found in the dirt.All of the above information can be

gleaned by the successful use of track-

ing proficiency. The large tracks on thenorthwest trail are those of Kazir, theogre survivor, who has been secretlywatching the castaways. The westerntrail leads to the cavern opening (area

5), and the older path leads to the ogresettlement (area 3).

2G. Coral Reef. About 50 yards outto sea, a substantial coral reef circlesthe island. Due southeast of the village

lie the wrecks of the Shamrock and theAdmiral Andres under 30' of water.Both ships suffered extensive damageand are broken into several pieces. If anextensive underwater search is mount-ed by the PCs, the wreckage may bediscovered, along with fragments of theMacLean. Nothing of value can be sal-vaged from the debris, for the marid haslong since moved the contents of theships’ holds to the morkoth’s cavern.

Examination of the submerged wreck-age suggests that a force substantiallygreater than running aground on a reefdestroyed the ships. If asked, the casta-ways are greatly puzzled and suggestpossible merrow involvement.

An Invitation to Lunch

After a few hours of exploration. OldMan Moran invites the rcs to lunchwith the officers and mercenaries. Thespring is utilized for water, and a heartymeal of boar and fruits is served. Allowthe PCs to converse further if they wish.Immediately after the meal, Old ManMoran suggests a prompt attack againstthe ogre stronghold. Johansen, Briden,Decius, and Dolopion volunteer to ac-company the party, as does Moran (‘Tvehunted many things in my day, kiddo.”).

If the PCs agree, Moran and companylead the party along the western trail to

the cavern opening (area 5). If the adven-

turers decline, they are scorned as cow-

ards by the NPCs and receive muchverbal abuse from Decius and Briden.Nonetheless, the expedition will not de-

part without them. Moran graciouslygives the party as much time as theyneed but reminds them that until theogres are defeated, escape will be difficult.

If the PCs quietly wander away fromthe village to explore on their own (evenbefore the lunch), no one will take

action, as the marid does not know thatanyone else is on the island. When thePCs return to the village, they willagain be invited to a meal and asked toattack the ogres. If the adventurers

directly confront the castaways withknowledge of their deceptions, Moranorders everyone to savagely attack the

party.

In the ensuing conflict, the PCsshould have a clear advantage, soMoran (who will not assume his trueform and will avoid direct combat) or-ders a general retreat after a few casu-alties. He dashes for the cavern, hopingthe PCs will incautiously pursue.

1 2 Issue No. 33

THAT ISLAND CHARM

If captiu-ed, Moran poses as a Circe-esque enchanter who has held the casta-ways prisoner on the island out of greedand antisocial tendencies. He surren-ders himself and anyone still charmedas hostages (albeit reluctantly) andoffers to take the party to the cavern,

“where I keep my hoai^.” Moran at-tempts to lead the PCs into the centralcavern, where the morkoth can try tocharm or destroy the PCs as outlined inarea 5.

It is possible that the PCs could inno-cently accept the castaways’ story andstroll blithely into the jaws of themorkoth, especially if the players areaccustomed to uncomplicated, implausi-ble adventure hooks. Such PCs willprobably die in the cavern. Tb forestallthis, a benevolent DM might wish todraw the clues in the village more bla-tantly to the attention of the players.

However, as this scenario was designedto surprise lazy or unthinking players,you may wish to remember that he wholives by the sword dies—often in anunappetizing manner.

3. The Ogre Settlement. Read orparaphrase the following material tothe players if the PCs investigate thetrail to the north.

As you walk along the well-wornpath leading north you notice drygullies on either side of the trail.They are about 2’ deep and appear tohave been made by the rapid drain-age of water from some point fartherup the path.After several minutes of walking

between lush tropical foliage, youenter a large clearing dotted withseveral wrecked mounds of driedmud and bamboo. Debris is strewnon the ground, and everything insight appears to have been thor-oughly soaked within the past week.

If there are any rogues in the party,the DM should secretly roll againsttheir detect-noise skill percentage. If

any roll is successful, i^orm the PCthat he hears a faint scampering andrustling coming from the edge of theclearing. The source of the noise is Ka-zir, sole survivor of the island’s ogretribe (see area 3C for further details).The village once held nine huts con-

structed of earthen bricks and bambooframes. The dwellings were blasted bypowerful jets of water during the

marid’s attack. All the huts save one(area 3B) have completely collapsed.Broken spears and other signs of afierce battle are liberally strewnthroughout the ruined encampment. Ageneral search of the area will revealone of the following details for everyturn spent searching.

3A. Footprints. Near one of the hutson the edge of the clearing, footprints inthe dried mud show the passage of acreature much larger than human size.Those PCs familiar with ogres can iden-tify these tracks as being significantlylarger than those of an ogre. The trackslead southwest out of the clearing andinto the sea. They were left by themarid, who entered the village in liquidform and departed canying the ogrecorpses to the morkoth’s lair. Even acursory examination will show signs ofthe great size of the creature that madethese tracks (broken branches, trampledundergrowth, etc.).

3B. Ogre Hut. 'This building remainsmostly intact despite the warping of itsnorth and east walls and the collapse ofits entrance. Anyone imder 5' tall (andnot too fat) can squeeze through thehole in the northeast comer. Crudefurnishings inside the hut include amattress of palm fronds and an over-turned bamboo table.This relatively sturdy building was

the home of the ogre chieftain andhouses the sacred treasures broughtwith the ogres from their home on themainland. PCs investigating under themattress can find a rusted strongboxburied beneath a thin covering of dirt.The box is sealed but can be forced openwith a strength of 15 or better. It con-tains a boar-bone headdress (20 gp val-ue), three sculptured lapis lazuli icons ofa little-known ogre fertility god (50 gpvalue each), an ornate silver spearhead(old dwarven craftsmanship, worth1,000 gp), and 29 grime-encrusted coinsthat are apparently worthless but, ifcarefully cleaned, can be sold for 50 gpeach to an antiquarian. None of theseitems are magical, but they are sacredto Kazir and he will go to extreme endsto acquire them.

3C. More Tracks. Any PCs withtracking proficiency can note a set offresh tracks here. 'These can be recog-nized as ogre tracks if the PCs havesome previous experience with ogres.

They were left by Kazir, the ogre survi-vor, when he returned to scavenge forfood and gear after fleeing from thegiant who devastated his village. Thisgiant was the marid Al-Azif, who in his18'-tall humanoid form destroyed theogre settlement and seized its inhabit-ants to serve as food for the morkoth.Kazir, who had been foraging when

the marid attacked, returned in time towitness his chief, Pagiz, fall in battlewith the giant. Kazir fled into the un-derbrush until the marid departed.Since then, Kazir has lived in a con-cealed, bare hole in the ground nearby.He was searching the ruins for histribe’s sacred treasures because he be-lieves they will help him if the giantretiuTis. The arrival of the PCs causedhim to flee into the nearby brush, wherehe spies on the adventurers as theyexamine the ruined village.When his tracks are discovered, Kazir

will act in one oftwo ways. If the PCshave retrieved the sacred tribal trea-sures, he emerges from the brush anddemands the return of these items. Hespeaks a local dialect of Ogrish, quaint-sounding but nonetheless readily com-prehensible to those with proficiency in

DUNGEON 13

THAT ISLAND CHARM

that language. Kazir waves his spearthreateningly but will not engage anyof the PCs in combat. If the PCs try toconverse with him, he proves quitereasonable and can tell the party hisstory in exchange for the tribal trea-sures. If Kazir is attacked, he fightssavagely, though he is clearly no matchfor the party.

If the PCs have not gained possessionof the tribal artifacts, Kazir departs forhis bolt-hole on discovery of his tracks.He moves speedily, watching the partyas he departs. In his haste, he inadver-tently springs one of Endoriana’s pit

traps. Subsequently, the party will hearKazir’s bellowing calls for help in

Ogrish. These shouts can be easily fol-lowed to the trap at area 4A, where thePCs can rescue Kazir or deal with himas they see fit.

Kazir, ogre: INT low; AL CN; AC 5;MV 9; HD 4 + 1; hp 26; THACO 17; #AT1; Dmg IdlO -*-2; SZ L; ML 12; MC. Noexperience points are offered for killing

Kazir out of hand, as he is not evil andis quite willing to talk and be a tempo-rary ally.

3D. Still More Tracks. Along the

perimeter of the village, another set oftracks can be discerned by those withtracking skill. These prints are clearlysmaller than those of a typical humanand never actually enter the ogre en-campment. The trails lead northwestinto the foliage and directly into a con-cealed pit trap (detailed at area 4A).The tracks and the trap were left byEndoriana, the sole uncAarmcd memberof the company of the Admiral Andres.(See area 4 for further details concern-ing the elf and her traps.)

4. The Fugitive. Read or paraphrasethe following to the players when thePCs enter the area west of the ogrevillage;

The jungle becomes extremely dense|

as you make your way toward the|

northwest shore of the isle. Roots and'

branches protrude over the almost-nonexistent path, limiting your view '

to only a few yards in front of you-After you walk for a few minutes, thetrail tiu’ns to the east and narrows,forcing you to travel in single file.

Pause to allow the players to adjusttheir PCs’ marching order to accommo-date the thick foliage, then roll a dex-terity check on ld20 for the PC at thefront of the party. If he fails the check,he is caught in one of Endoriana’ssnares (see encounter 4B for details).Ask the PCs for their actions in the

next round and roll initiative. Althoughthe PCs are not yet under attack, stand-ard combat procedure should put themon edge and perhaps cause trigger-happy PCs to launch a useless attack.TVy to give the PCs every indicationthat something is about to happen tothem (roll ld20, jot down numerals onpaper, etc.) and calmly note whateveractions they may take.Endoriana is hidden above in a tree

and concealed with her cloak ofelvenkind. Moreover, she has furthercamouflaged herself by lying closeagainst the trunk and tying palm frondsand other foliage to her body. Thus,even PCs capable of detecting invisibleobjects will not notice Endoriana unlessa Wisdom check is made at a penalty of- 2 (to account for her skill at hiding inshadows).In the following encounters, Endoriana

will attempt to lead the party directly

into her traps, seeking to incapacitate asmany of the PCs as possible before hav-

14 Issue No. 33

THAT ISUND CHARM

ENDORIANA’S TRAPS 1I

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ing to deal with them directly.The round after the point guard has

been snared, a loud scraping noise comesfrom north of the path. This is caused byEndoriana as she removes the stonecover from an ogre well (see area 4C).This pattern of noises leading to traps

will be repeated by Endoriana as manytimes as possible. If she becomes awarethat the party can see her, she flees intothe trees directly above the nearesttrap, swinging and jumping frombranch to branch.Endoriana; AL N; AC 2; MV 12 plus

springing; F7/T8; hp 42; THACO 14; #AT3/2 or 2 (bow); Dmg by weapon type; S14, D 19, C 15, 1 13, W 10, Ch 13; ML 14;leather armor *2, short bow + 1, shortsword ofquickness +2, bracers ofbrachi-ation, cloak ofelvenkind, boots ofstriding

and springing, potion of healing, da^er,16 arrows. Thief skills: PP 55%, OL 50%,F/RT 95%, MS 89%. HS 75%, DN 30%,CW 90%, RL 40%. If the DM uses non-weapon proftciencies, consider Endorianato be proficient in the following; set

snares, direction sense, tumbling, surviv-

al (forest), hunting.

4A. Game Pit. This is a 10'-deep pitdug to serve the dual purpose of inca-pacitating threatening creatures andcapturing wild game for Endoriana’sfo^ supply. The sharpened bamboostakes buried at the iMttom cause anadditional 1-6 hp damage to those fall-ing into the trap. If the PCs did notencounter the ogre Kazir previously, heis in this pit, injured and unable tostand on a broken leg. If anyone fol-lowed Endoriana’s false trail from en-counter 3D in the ogre village, this isthe trap that they encounter.

4B. Upside-Down Trap. A tripwireruns between two large trees. It is con-nected to a concealed vine noose thatloops over the trail (under the dirt) andis tied to a bent sapling just off the trail.Anyone crossing the tripwire mustmake a successful dexterity check or bejerked 30' into the air where he is heldaloft by the foot, upside down. If theunfortunate adventurer is wearingmetal armor or weighs more than 200lbs. (including equipment), the vine

suspending him has a 20% cumulativechance per round of breaking, droppingthe PC to the jungle floor below (andinflicting 3d6 hp damage).

4C. Old Well. This old ogre well has

been disguised by Endoriana to appearidentical to the forest floor. On the rimof the original well cap (which she hasremoved and placed to the side) she hasinscribed a message in Common andhas placed around it an assortment ofcoins equalling 24 gp total value. Any-one approaching this encounter noticesthe faint runes circling the cap stone.The message reads; “Be warned, slaveof evil, for you are about to die!” Theinscription is written in such a manneras to force the reader to move aroundthe stone to decipher the writing. As thereader reaches the word “for,” he fallsinto a 70'-deep well, the bottom 10' ofwhich are filled with water. The PCsuffers 6d6 hp falling damage and mustdeal with the possibility of drowning atthe bottom. 'The sides of the well areslick and damp, with no easy hand-holds (rogues use their climb walls skillat -30%).

4D. Pit 'Trap. Endoriana heads to-ward this area if she is pursued on foot.Here, a 3'-deep pit is covered by a largepalm leaf and some smaller bits of for-est debris. The floor of the pit is linedwith a wooden board through whichthree daggers have been pounded,blades upward. Those stepping on theleaf land on the daggers, two ofwhichstill bear active coats of a powerfulmagical sleep poison. Anyone steppinginto this trap has an 80% chance ofsuffering ld4 hp damage and must savevs. poison at —2. If the save is failed,the victim lapses into a comatose slum-ber lasting for 2-20 turns. Even if thesave is successful, the unfortunate PC isslowed for 2-20 rounds. Comatose PCscannot be roused by any means short ofneutralize poison or heal spells.

4E. Quicksand Trap. This trap is the

last one to which Endoriana will head.If she is being pursued by a group ofangry PCs, she springs over the trapand awaits her pursuers in a tree justbeyond the area. If the PCs are slow tofollow her, she fires arrows from thetree at the PC who appears the mostfriistrated with the chase, attempting to

goad the party into the quicksand. Ob-servant rcs might note (if activelysearching) that one of the trees bears anOgrish rune indicating danger.Anyone who blunders into the danger

zone breaks through the palm leavesand light foliage covering this 20'-deeppatch of quicksand. 'Treat the area as

mud from a transmute rock to mudspell. Sinking PCs are easy targets forEndoriana, who shoots at those appear-ing capable of escape. If other PCs re-main untrapped, she will flee.Malevolent DMs may wish to havesinking PCs brush against a dead snakeor other submerged object, but suchparanoia-inducing cruelties are strictlyoptional.

4F. Endoriana’s Lain This is Endo-riana’s treetop stronghold, where shesleeps, eats, and passes her scant sparetime whittling branches into spikes forher next trap. There is little of notehere, only some bananas and berries, afew bearskins, a small knife, and astout branch that has been marked with26 scratches (a crude calendar). 'Theremains of a fire and some boar bonesare scattered near the base of the tree.

If Endoriana cannot immobilize allparty members, she attempts to escapeto her lair, doubling back into the trees.If any PCs remain trapped, she tries totake them prisoner if she has safe op-portunity to do so. She will engage insustained combat only if cornered orpursued by a lone PC. If seriously

DUNGEON 15

THAT ISLAND CHARM

THE CAVERNArea 5

Treasure Pile

wounded (12 or fewer hp remaining),she surrenders, hoping to deceive themorkoth and escape again.If the PCs attempt to parley with

Endoriana, she talks with them from ahigh branch. If she has taken any pris-oners, she interrogates them. Endorianaassumes that the PCs are charmedservants of the morkoth sent to captureher, and it will be difficult to convinceher otherwise. If convinced of the par-ty’s good intentions, she introducesherself and tells her tale;

“We had signed on to guard the Ad-miral Andrea, since we needed trans-port back to ^e mainland. Thecaptain thought the previous disap-pearances were suspicious for such acalm stretch of water. Anyhow, wewere at sea for only a day or so whenwe were surround^ by a bank ofthick fog. TVy as we might, wecouldn’t leave the fog bank, and theship was pushed off course by a strongcurrent. Not knowing where we wereheading, several sailors started fight-ing over positions near the pilot boat,and the captain’s soldiers soon killeda couple of the crewmen.“Right after this fight, the ship

bucked in the air and just aboutbroke in half. The helmsman yelledthat we’d hit a reef, and then all hellbroke loose as everyone scrambledfor something to hold on to. We allended up in the drink, but everybodywashed ashore, even the two deadguys in the hold and most of ourprovisions. Then we met the survi-vors from the missing ship that hadbeen wrecked here, and they took usin for the night.

“The next morning, the Shamrocksurvivors talked to the captain and

1 square = 10'

urged us and the soldiers to attackthe ogres living on the island. 'Theytook us to a large cave opening andclaimed it was the ogres’ lair. Well,we all headed into the cave, accompa-nied by many sailors and castaways,but as soon as we entered, everyonefelt dravra toward the center of thecave. Nobody seemed to notice therising water level.“After some time, we came into a

cave half-filled with water. As soonas I entered, I could see somethingstrange happening. All of the sol-diers and sailors put down theirweapons and relaxed, even though abig, slimy fish-monster was in thewater next to them. Even my friendsjust stood there looking stupid as thisugly thing swam in front of us.“Then one of the castaways we had

met, their old leader, started order-ing us to return to the village and tobe content and a whole lot of othergarbage. I knew from their responsethat everyone had been charmed, so Ijust stayed quiet and left with every-one else. Well, almost everyone.Finnegan, our wizard, stayed behindwith that horrid thing. I tried to pullhim along, but he just walked intothe water and stood there while wewent back to the village.“As soon as it was dark that night,

I took off for the jungle and hid.You’re the first real people I’ve seenin weeks.”

If treated kindly, Endoriana will ac-company the party on any escape planthat seems likely to succeed. However,she will urge the PCs to destroy what-ever has charmed her comrades and thesailors, as it appears as though this sea-faring menace will strike again and

could prevent their escape. She can leadthe PCs to the cavern entrance (area 5)if asked.

5. The Cavern. The PCs may be di-rected to the cavern in a number ofways. In the grim possibility that theytrusted the charmed castaways, theywill be led to the morkoth by the poly-morphed marid and the four most pow-erful NPCs. It would be much better,however, if the PCs enter the cavernswary and prepared, accompanied byEndoriana.

The cavern has only one entranceabove sea level large enough to permitaccess by the adventurers. Five otherspiralling tunnels exit into the oceanwaters. If the PCs come here looking forogres, they may notice that the cavernentrance is only large enough for man-sized creatures. Old Man Moran’s expla-nation, if confronted with this fact,mentions other, hidden, tunnels. Deciussneers and says, “Well, 1 suppose thatmeans they can't stop us from reachingtheir lair, can they?”Once the PCs enter the tunnel, the

morkoth’s hypnotic powers take effect.The PCs are irresistibly drawn to thelair of the creature without noticingtheir peril (no saving throw is allowed).The tunnel is only wide enough to allowone person at a time to enter, so theplayers should arrange their charactersin single file. If present, the marid (asOld Man Moran) takes the lead. Theother NPCs bring up the rear, but theyare willing to relocate if the party de-sires. Endoriana stays at the tail end ofthe line unless convinced of her safety(a fellow elf or other c/iorm-resistanttype behind her).While in the tunnels, the PCs may

take any normal precautions andactions, but under no circumstances canthey stop moving forward. Endoriana isaware of the morkoth’s enchantingabilities; if she is present, she stronglyurges whatever defensive actions thePCs can take.The PCs can easily notice the increas-

ing depth and wsumth of the water.Those capable of identifying slopes feelthat the tunnel is steadily descending.If the marid is not with the party asMoran, the PCs feel a rushing currentof water slip past them very quickly.This is the marid responding to thetelepathic call of the morkoth, who hasdetected the approach of the party.After progressing the length of the

16 Issue No. 33

THAT ISLAND CHARM

tunnel, the PCs reach the central ca-vern (see “The Cavern” map). This caveis roughly hemispherical, with the floordescending to 10' below sea level at thefar end and the cavern roof reaching 40'above sea level. The morkoth is waitingin the deep end of the cave. The first PCto enter the cavern must save vs. spellswith a -4 penalty or be charmed.

If the PCs have an adequate lightsource (radius 60' or more), a dim,

murky shape may be discerned in thefar end of the cavern. If he is not al-ready among the party, the marid waitsin liquid form at the center of the ca-vern, 30' away from the entry. Any PCsattempting to approach the morkoth areattacked by a water jet from the marid.Charmed rcs step to the side of thecavern and attack anyone attempting togo around the center. Charmed NPCswait until everyone has entered thecavern before attacking. They attemptto block escape at all costs.Once combat begins, charmed ser-

vants attack without quarter, as themorkoth really doesn’t mind a few deadbodies lying around. If water jets areinsufficient, the marid assumes materi-al shape and attacks. He has already

cast detect invisibility upon himself{invisible characters will be obvious

unless levitating or flying, as they dis-

place water normally).The servants fight until all un-

charmed PCs are dead or the morkoth isslain, in which case the charm is brokenfor all. The morkoth itself avoids com-bat, preferring to float near the surfaceat the far end of the cavern, attractingoffensive spells. The morkoth is virtu-ally immune to all magic and reflectseven area-effect spells such as fireballback at the caster. If anyone is able toapproach the morkoth, it submergesand fights underwater.In extremes (if, for example, none of

the party is charmed), the marid willuse its limited wish ability to raise the

water level in the cavern to the ceiling.Remember the restrictions on under-water combat at all times (see the 2ndEdition DMG, page 79). Any individuals(including the marid) freed from thecharm (by dispel magic or some othermeans) will join in the attack againstthe morkoth.If the party is of lower level or has bad

luck saving against the morkoth’s

charm, a kind DM may wish to allow

them to find a ring ofspell storing withdispel magic. However, if the PCs aremore experienced or have ample oppor-tunity to overcome the enemy, the DMshould pull no punches. Ingenious (ordesperate) PCs might attempt to actcharmed, like Endoriana. Unless theydemonstrate independent behavior, themorkoth will not check for charm (suchas testing whether or not individualsobey his suggestions). Moreover, neither

the morkoth nor the marid will remem-ber Endoriana (puny mortals tend tolook alike after you’ve seen a lot of

them).

AI-Azif, marid: INT high; AL CN; AC0; MV 9, fly 16 (B), swim 24; HD 13; hp76; THACO 9; #AT 1; Dmg 8d4; SAmany spell-like abilities, water jet; SDimmune to water-based magic, resistantto cold; MR 26%; SZ H; ML 20; XP15,000: MC.Morkoth: INT exceptional; AL CE;

AC 3; MV swim 18; HD 7; hp 31; THACO13; #AT 1; Dmg IdlO; SA tunnel hypno-sis, charm; SD spell reflection; MR spe-cial; SZ M; ML 14; XP 2,000; MC.

DUNGEON 17

THAT ISLAND CHARM

Concluding the Adventure

If the PCs slay the morkoth, allcharmed individuals are freed. Thegrateful Al-Aaif overcomes his proudnature and provides magical transportfor all concerned (using a limited wishspell, unless he has already done so) to alocation of their choice. If the PCs areinsolent or suspicious of the marid inany way, he departs in a huff to theplane of elemental Water. Under nocircumstances will he perform any otherservices for the PCs, as he must resumehie delayed search for the lost elementaltreasure.

If both the marid and the morkoth areslain, or if Al-Azif is unable to assist

them, the castaways can construct aseaworthy vessel in two weeks’ time.They will gladly ferry the PCs back toPort Naliaro.

If the morkoth appears to have wonthe battle (all PCs dead, charmed, orfeigning charm), it eats one random PC,alive or dead, liiis should dissuade anyPC pretending charm from waiting verylong to escape. If no uncharmed PCs

remain alive, and Endoriana is also outof the picture, consider the adventureover (at least until new PCs hear aboutthe vanishing ships).At the bottom of the cavern, surviving

PCs can find 7,546 gp and 21,805 gpworth of silver ingots (4,361 bars eachworth 5 gp). Scrupulous PCs will returnthis treasure to its proper owners (mer-chants and mine-owners in Alir andPort Naliam). Unscrupulous PCs willfind themselves trailed by assassins,bounty hunters, and mercenary wizardsshould they manage to remove this lootfrom the cavern.Elsewhere in the cavern, among the

skeletal remains of the morkoth’s food,the PCs can discover a wand ofa>njura~tion (33 charges); potions of climbing,

invisibility, and cloud giant strength; arod of lordly might (48 charges); and asealed wizard scroll with the spellsprismatic spray, delayed blast fireball,and mass invisibility. This treasure willnot be reclaimed by the sailors, as itbelongs to their deceased comrades andconstitutes the survivors’ reward totheir rescuers.

Upon returning to Port Naliam, theadventurers are met by the Lord Mayor,who congratulates them on a job welldone. He proposes a ceremony in whichthe PCs are named "Guardians of theSea,” a purely honorary title withoutreal reward or oflicial responsibility, butwith possible later effects.The scenario has several possible

follow ups. Endoriana and her un-charmed friends might fill any openingsin the pcu^y ranks (well, perhaps notDecius Claius), as ^ey are so few as tono longer constitute much of an adven-turing group. At some future date, thePCs might be called upon by the LordMayor of Port Naliam to perform someservice as Guardians of the Sea. ThePCs are under no compulsion to performsuch duties, but the title could be easilyrevoked, resulting in a substantial loss

of public honor. The PCs could be usedas political troubleshooters (or lightning

rods) in situations where the normalauthorities could not or would not serve.In any case, the task would probably bedeceptively simple and extremelydangerous. Q

AD&I3* (iURt’S. ( oK . AlhcihiAvis sV Allies, I'jrjmHj,

HdUlcicth. Diplomat Ht\kIK.)0. SupremiK’v, Spiicv Hulk

And much, much n>orv!

for more inlorm;iiKif)

writer or cull:

PO BOX 1463Worcester, MA 01607

(5081987-1530

Prtptre )Klied doys of gforiiMis noyfiein ud

TOTAL CONFUSION!

That’s right it’s the fith Annoal

TOTAL CONFUSIONGaming Convention!

18 Issue No. 33

THE SIEGE OFKRATYSFREEHOLDBY TED JAMES THOMAS ZUVICH

The ores rememberedTarran Kratys. Today hewishes they had not.

Artwork by P. L. WOll

7^ would like to thank all the gamerswho play-tested this adventure, whetherthey won or lost the battle, especiallyKarl, Greg, Kevin, Michael, Eilidh,

Matthew, Doug, Terrance, Ian, andJohn. Fight onJ

“The Siege of Kratys Freehold” is anAD&D* 2nd Edition adventure for 4-8player characters of levels 14 (at least12 total levels). Playing time for thisscenario is 4-8 hours. In order to playthis adventure, you will need a largetable and sever^ dozen miniatures torepresent the various forces. In a pinch,some cardboard counters will do. Al-though the adventure includes large-scale combat that could be resolved withthe BATTLESYSTEM™ rules, the textincludes a set of rules that allows thisadventure to be played with little devia-tion from the standard AD&D rules.The word “unit” herein is taken tomean a squad of five humans or ores(see “Combat” for details).The PC group should include several

fighters and a mage of at least 3rd level.The adventure works best with PCs ofgood or neutral alignments. It is strong-ly suggested that you use the optionalnonweapon proficiency rules. Usefulproficiencies include blacksmithing,engineering, leather working, stonemasonry, and healing. In order to suc-ceed in this scenario, the PCs will needa diverse set of abilities and talents.This adventure assumes that the

player characters have very few magi-cal items; a 3rd-level PC might haveone low-power item. As a guideline,magical items present in the groupshould have an experience-point valueof 500 XP or less. Suitable items includepotions, scrolls, and -

THE SIEGE OF KRATYS FREEHOLD

X’Celsiah Mia, in which case he would

be quick to recommend the PCs (assum-ing that they successfully complete this

adventure) to the general when sheruns into her “difficulty” in “Courier

Service."

Adventure Background

Roughly a month ago, in the middle ofsummer, a destructive fire ragedthrough the coastal city of L’Trel (or any

large coastal city in your campaign).The fire caused great hardship in L’Treland the surrounding countryside; thou-sands of people died in the blaze, andthousands more died (and are stilldying) in the plagues and civil unrestthat followed.

L’Trel is (or was) the main bastion ofcivilization for a large section of coast-

line centered on the Reach River valley.L’TVel is a major city in the nation ofVolkrad, a huge, sprawling, underpopu-

lated land (see the map of the Nation ofVolkrad on page 25 ofDUNGEON issue#27). Volkrad has laid claim to the river

valley and the hills beyond, but most ofthe humanoids living in the hills active-ly dispute the claim.

Volkrad's army normally maintains aconstant patrol around the border of the

Reach River valley, to provide some ofthe outlying farms (known as freeholds)a degree of protection against maraud-ing ores, ogres, trolls, and other human-oid raiders. However, even though all ofits citizens serve a mandatory three-year term in the army, Volkrad is al-ways short of soldiers. In the aftermathof the recent fire in L’Trel, troops wereneeded to restore order and aid in therebuilding process. A sacrifice had to bemade, so the army gave up its patrols ofthe valley border and sent runners toinform the freeholds that they were ontheir own until L’Trel returned to atleast a semblance of order.

The ores of the hills and mountainsquickly noticed the valley’s predica-

ment. After gathering informationabout the extent of the damage toL’Trel, the orcish high-command of theBlood Rune tribe charged one of itsbright young captains, a half-ore namedHallir (see “Ore Personnel Roster”), to

assemble a small troop and go wreakhavoc in the now-defenseless outer

reaches of the valley. The opportunitycreated by the fire seemed too good topass up.Captain Hallir immediately picked

his target: Kratys Freehold, the home ofone of his tribe’s most hated enemies,

Ihrran Kratys. During his term of ac-tive duty as a captain in Volkrad’s army,

Tarran Kratys earned the undyingenmity of the Blood Rune tribe throughseveral humiliating defeats. The oreshave been trying to get revenge on'Ihrran for years. Unfortunately, for

them, ’Ihrran has been living in the

valley, protected by the army’s regular

patrols, ever since he retired from ac-tive duty four years ago. Now, Hallirintends to take the opportunity present-

ed by the collapse of the border patrols

to make a deadly strike at Ihrran.

For the Dungeon Master

This scenario is meant to wring everyounce of creativity out of both the

Dungeon Master and the players. If thePCs do an average or poor job of defend-ing Kratys Freehold, the holders will

lose the battle against the ores.

Before starting the scenario, copy the

freehold and its surroundings onto a“battlemat” or a large piece of paper. Ata minimum, draw out the freeholdbuildings and the surrounding orchard.Use the largest scale possible; 1" (on themap) = 10 yards is a good scale to use.Blocks or paper counters are suitable

for representing the buildings and sur-roundings. The creative use of otheritems can substitute when there are notenough miniatures.

Beginning the Adventure

Tb get the PCs to stop at Kratys Free-hold, you can use one of the followingadventure hooks or make up somethingthat ties into the events of a larger

campaign. All of the lead-ins below

assume that the PCs are traveling inthe vicinity of the freehold. KratysFreehold is located near the south end

of the Reach River valley (otherwiseknown as the L’Trel Valley), quite closeto the foothills.

1. Isolated freeholds often serve as

wayside inns, providing travelers with aplace to sleep and a hot meal for a smallprice. An NPC in the area could suggestthat the PCs stop at Kratys Freehold fora night; the Kratys are known for theirhospitality.

2. A PC fighter needs level training.After the PCs make enquiries, a localNPC suggests that they contact Thn-anKratys. (“He’s a former army captain,you know.”) If a PC mage needs level

training, the NPC suggests seeing MyrsKratys, Thiran’s wife and a well-knownmage.

3.

One of the PC’s horses throws ashoe. Everyone in the vicinity knowsthat Ihrran’s son, Brand, is the bestblacksmith around.With adventure hook 2 or 3, the PCs

might have to return to Kratys Free-hold several times before the ore attack

occurs. With this approach, IkTranwould not have to hire the PCs (seebelow); they should be willing to assist

out of friendship.

Nearing the Freehold

As the PCs reach the freehold, read orparaphrase the following to the players:

Even though you’ve gone a few daysout ofyour way, Kratys Freehold hasbeen easy to find. The sun is settingnow, but you can see the freeholdjust ahead. With a muttered “thankyou” to the merchant who told youhow to get to this out-of-the-wayplace, you pick up your pace a little,hoping to make it to the freeholdbefore full dark.

The freehold perches on the top ofa small, bare hill that lies in themiddle of a carefully cultivated or-chard. From here, it appears that thefreehold consists of several large

stone buildings surrounded by ahigh, sturdy log fence. A watchtower,rising from one corner of the stock-ade, completes the defensive struc-

ture of the freehold.

In just a few minutes, the shortclimb up the hill is finished and youare standing in front of the freehold

gates. The young man on guard dutymeets you in the graveled road infront of the gate.

If the PCs politely explain their purposein coming to Kratys Freehold, the guardstands aside and lets them pass throughthe gate into the courtyard. Thrran

himself comes to the gate to greet thePCs and inform them of the freehold’srates. The freehold charges 1 gp pernight per person for a space in the mainhall, or 5 sp for a space in the barn’s

hayloft. This prices include meals. TheKratys freeholders will also care for andfeed horses, mules, etc., at a cost of 2 sp

per animal.

DUNGEON 23

THE SIEGE OF KRATYS FREEHOLD

An After-Dinner Discussion

Whatever reason the PCs have for com-ing to Kratys Freehold, the suppertimeconversation turns to the PCs’ exploits.The Kratys family seems very inter-ested in such tales, and you shouldencourage the PCs to tell a few storiesabout their past adventures.After the PCs have had a chance to

brag for a few minutes, read or para-phrase the following to the players.

Although the text below presents a setspeech by Thrran, this is only part of aconversation between him and the PCs.The players will interrupt with ques-tions, and you should do your best tokeep a conversational rather than aspeech-delivering tone of voice.

You’ve been up for hours, swappingtales of the past with Thrran, hiswife, and the other Kratys freehold-ers. The freeholders paid great atten-tion to your tales of past exploits. Inhis turn, 'Ihrran spins several stories

about his life in the Volkrad Army.'Ihrran’s tales reveal a long and var-ied military career and a fine tacticalmind.The tide of conversation has shifted

though, and now you are discussingmore recent events. As your journeytakes you closer to the great city ofL’Trel, you’ve been hearing tales ofwoe and destruction in the city. Younever imagined those troubles couldaffect someone this far from the city,but the other freeholders becomepensive and quiet as Tbrran's deep,battle-roughened voice fills the deep-

ening gloom of the great hall.'Tm sure you’ve heard about the

great fire that swept through L”Trelabout a month ago. Even out here onthe freehold, we’ve heard all sorts ofrumors flying about as to whatcaused it. The most prevalent rumorhas it that the fire was started by amagical accident. A grain buyercame through two days ago and toldme that the fire came close to de-stroying the whole city. I’ve alsoheard that the fire destroyed the citygranaries and most of the shipyards,and that thousands of people died. Acouple of people came by last week,saying that L’Trel was rife with loot-ing, food riots, and general lawless-ness. Tferrible times, but until nowwe never figured that L’Trel’s trou-bles would touch us.

“A messenger came by the otherday and told us that the army hasdecided to temporarily cancel all the

valley border patrols and divert thesoldiers into L’Trel to keep order inthe city. It’s that lack of a borderpatrol that bothers me. There’s allkinds of ores up in the hills, justwaiting for a chance to raid the val-ley. With the patrols gone, and ourfreehold being so far off the beatenpath, I think it’s just a matter of timebefore we get some sort of trouble.

“Ibll you what. I developed somepretty good instincts by the time Imade captain, and my impression isthat you are good and trustworthy. Ifyou’ll stay on here at the freehold asmen-at-arms for the next 30 days, oruntil the army patrols resume, I’llgive you each 1 gp per day, meals, abed, and care for your animals. Inaddition, ifyou stay the full 30 days,I’ll throw in a bonus of 50 gp for eachof you. Sound good?”His offer presented, ThiTan leans

back in his chair, exchanges astrained look with his wife, Myrs,and quietly waits for your answer.

Ibiran’s offer is negotiable. In addi-

tion to the 1 gp per day offered, he willinclude up to 1 sp per day per level ofthe PC. One gold piece per day is a verygenerous offer (see page 110 of theDungeon Master’s Guide) for this type ofwork.

If the PCs have come to the freeholdfor level training, Tbiran offers thefollowing instead of the above wage-offer. All the PCs can have hot mealsand beds, and one of the PCs will re-ceive free level training, if all of the

PCs agree to stay at the freehold for 30days. He will not train any of the PCs(and neither will Myrs) if the PCs refuseto stay. If the PCs refuse ’Ihrran’s offerand leave the freehold, this adventure isover.

If the PCs accept 'Ihrran’s offer ofemployment, the freeholders quicklyadd the PCs to their watch/duty cycles.Refer to the following section to deter-

mine the sequence of events after thePCs hire on at the freehold.

Siege Timetable

This timetable describes the majorevents of the ore attack. Time is givenon a 24-hoxu- clock. Sunrise is at 07:30each day, and the sun sets at 20:30.

Remember that the PCs’ actions canradically alter this timeline. Also, the

freeholders and PCs do not necessarilyknow what the ores are doing, eventhough the timetable gives a descriptionof their actions. In order to spy out someof these events, the PCs will have tosend scouts over the freehold walls.

Day One

The PCs hire on at Kratys Freehold asguards, as described the previous sec-tion. At this time, lay out a battlemat(or large piece of paper) with the free-hold drawn on it, and give the playersthe Freehold Area map and the detailmap of Kratys Freehold.Most of the time, the PCs will have

calm watch duty. It is best to simply skipover this time period, after mentioningto the players that the PCs have fivedays of mind-numbingly boring watchduty. At your discretion, random en-counters may occur in the time betweenwhen the PCs hire on and when the oresbegin their attack on Day Six. Use arandom encounter table for TbmperateForest or Tfemperate Rough terrain.

Day Six

19:30. As the freeholders trail backinto the hold after a hard day of work inthe fields, the lookout in the tower spotsa suspicious-looking dust cloud comingfrom the southern field (area 6) andrings the alarm bell. The freeholderspromptly round up the livestock, hur-riedly preparing to shut the gates. Oneturn after the alarm sounds, the free-holders gather inside the freehold andshut the gates.

Myrs informs the PCs that IbiTanwent out to the southern field in themorning has not yet returned. If the PCswant to go out into the south field to lookfor ThiTan and investigate the dustcloud, Myrs informs the PCs that Tkiranhas issued standing orders that no one isto leave the freehold for any reason dur-ing an alarm, once the gates are shut.Myrs and the other freeholders will doeverything short of resorting to physical

violence to enforce this order.

One turn after the gates shut, Tarrancomes hobbling through the orchardwith five ores in hot pursuit. The oresstop at the inner edge of the orchardand shoot arrows at Thrran while helimps up the hill toward the freeholdwall. Despite his wounds, Ihrran skill-fully limps and jogs his way up the hill,

24 Issue No. 33

THE SIEGE OF KRATYS FREEHOLD

avoiding most of the arrows. Once hegets to the freehold wall, the other free-

holders lower a rope and haul him over.The five ores leave the orchard as soonas Thiran gets over the wall; they re-

main in hiding until the main ore at-tack force arrives.

Tkrran collapses from his woundsseconds after he is hauled over the wall.

The freeholders carry their leader intothe main hall (area lOB). Myrs quicklyattends to Thrran, pulling out several

arrows and using her healing skills onhim. After a few moments, Tarran re-gains consciousness. When Ihirancomes around, Myrs assures everyonethat he will live, but it will be sometime before he recovers from hiswounds.In his current state, Ibrran can talk

and give orders, but he cannot fight.The freeholders quickly gather aroundTbrran to hear what happened. Assum-ing that the PCs join the crowd, read orparaphrase the following to the players.

His bloody head still cradled in his

wife’s lap, Tbrran urges everyone tocome closer so he can tell you whathappened in the south field. Thefreehold leader coughs up a bubble ofblood that Myrs tenderly wipes away,then the fighting man talks in afaint whisper broken by coughing

fits, a mere shadow of the dynamicboom of his normal voice.“Looks like we got trouble sooner

than I expected. Reyals, Matthew,Kery, and myself were working thesouth field, repairing some of theirrigation ditches. All of a sudden,

Kery drops with a black-shaftedarrow through her throat. The rest ofus saw what happened and hit thedirt, but I think another arrow gotMatthew straight away, and Reyalsand 1 both got nicked. A dozen or soores came running out of the treesbetween us and the freehold. Thewretched creatures must've spent

hours sneaking around in order toget into position. We ran for it, butthey cut us off. I managed to getthrough, but when I turned to helpReyals, the ores had already cut himdown.“Losing those three to marauding

ores hurts, but that isn’t the worst of

it. I recognized their shield sign:

they’re ores of the Blood Rune tribe.Those of you who didn't serve with

me in the army might not know whatthat means. I led a couple of success-ful sorties against the Blood Runetribe, and they swore vengeanceagainst me. They’ve been wanting toget at me for years, but the borderpatrols kept ’em out. I’m certain thatthose dozen or so ores were an ad-vance scouting force for a largerattack group. 1 think we’d better getready for a siege.”Tk^an’s speech trails off for a mo-

ment, then that same whisper issuesorders to prepare the freehold for

attack.

At this time, inform the players that,in addition to playing their normal PCs,they will also run Captain Ikrran Kra-tys and the freehold forces for the rest ofthis adventure. Be sure that the playersclearly understand that Ikrran’s objec-tive is to see that the freehold survives.

Give the players a copy of the “Free-holders’ Statistics and Equipment”sidebar. Look at a watch or a clock andbegin timing the scenario now. Thetime taken to complete the scenario will

be important when awarding experiencepoints for the adventure.

Control of Myrs, Llewyn, and Brand,the three important NPCs, should begiven to thrra individual players. Ikr-

ran and the rest of the freeholdersshould remain under the group controlof all the players. If all the players pool

their knowledge and ideas to run Tv-ran, their final decisions should provide

a more accurate portrayal of hie exten-sive battlefield experience.

From now on, do not interfere withthe players' decisions regarding the

freeholders, unless they are acting in amanner contrary to the freeholders’ bestinterests. Any time that you need to tellthe players something that one of thefreeholders would know, step into theappropriate role for a moment. Theplayers should make their own deci-sions; you will simply relate whateverinformation is required, then return the

NPC to the players’ control.Give the players a few minutes to look

over the “Freeholders’ Statistics andEquipment” sidebar, then ask the play-ers what they plan to do to prepare forthe attack, llie players will come upwith ideas for defending the freehold.

Ibll them (in the character of IkrranKratys) how many men will be re-quire, the raw materials needed, the

estimated time to completion, etc. Baseyour answers on the information pre-sented in “Possible Player Actions.”

Once the players have decided whichPCs and which freeholders are doingwhat, move on to the next event in thetimetable. No more than one hourshould be spent in this phase of thescenario. If the players spend too muchtime planning and plotting, they willreduce their experience-point award.

See Tkble Two.During this phase, the players “are”

TkiTan Kratys, furiously thinking ofways to defend his people and his free-hold, and perhaps occasionally consult-ing with his family and with his newlyhired mercenaries (the PCs). It may benecessary to remind the players of thisfact several times during their discus-sions. The danger of having the playerscontrol Ikrran Kratys is that the play-ers may be more concerned with havingtheir TCs go for glory rather than de-fending the freehold and looking out forthe freeholders. If the players try sev-

eral times but seem utterly unable tothink as if they were 'Ihrran, you shouldgive total control of Tkrran to the player

you feel would best be able to handle it.

20:00. The main ore attack force ar-rives, and the ores begin establishing acamp at area 7. Trees screen the camp-site from observation from the freehold.

Captain Hailir posts one unit of medi-

um infantry on guard duty in the camp,and three units bf archers take up con-cealed guard positions at three locations

(area 8) along the edge of the orchard;

this cover gives -4 to the ores’ armorclass. (Remember that each unit con-sists of five warriors, humans or ores.)The rest of the troops work on establish-ing a camp.The orcish archers have a virtually

unlimited supply of arrows, so they

shoot at anybody they see on the free-hold walls. They also fire off completelyrandom shots from time to time, just tokeep heads down in the freehold.

21:00. An orcish herald (heavy infan-tryman: AC 4; hp 8; see “Ore PersonnelRoster” for complete statistics) strides

up to the front gate of the freehold anddemands to speak with Tkrran Kratys.The herald carries two flags. One flag iswhite, and the other bears the red,runic emblem of the Blood Rune tribe.In booming, orc-accented Common, theherald shouts, “I bear a message for the

DUNGEON 25

THE SIEGE OF KRATYS FREEHOLD

Freeholders’ Statistics andEquipment

Many of the freeholders have had morethan eight years service in Volkrad’sarmy. ITiose freeholders who have notyet served or who did not serve forquite so long have been heavily trainedby the long-term army veterans. Be-cause of their training, the freeholdersform a highly efficient fighting unit. Ina normal army, the freeholders wouldcount as “elite” troops.Tarran Kratys (human male, age

50): AL CG; AC 5 (10); MV 12 (1); F6;hp 48 (4); THACO 15; #AT 1; Dmg byweapon type +3; S 18(07), D 9, C 15,

1

14, W 16, Ch 17; chain mail, bastardsword +1, long bow, short sword,spear, dagger. Nonweapon proficien-cies: reading/writing (free), languages(modern Orcish), land-based riding,animal lore, agriculture.Tarran is a natural leader. During

his time in the army, he won manybattles with daring, innovative tacticalmaneuvers. Since his retirement fouryears ago, Ibrran has devoted himselfto the success of the freehold.Myrs Kratys (human female, age

48): AL CG; AC 8; MV 12; M5; hp 13;THACO 19; #AT 1; Dmg by spell orweapon type; S 8, D 16, C 12, 1 16, W14, Ch 12; staff; two potions of healing(heal 4 + IdS hp each). Spells: detectmagic, mending('x2), Tenser’s floatingdisk, levitate, strength, clairvoyance.

Myrs also has several other spells in hertomes: audible glamer, charm person,comprehend languages, read magic,sleep, continual light, pyrotechnics,web, lightning bolt, suggestion. Non-weapon proficiencies: engineering,healing, languages (modern Elvish),reading/writing (free).Myrs served as an army medic and

engineer for several years. She quit thearmy about 20 years ago to spend timerunning the