The Great Flanaess River Adventure Chapter 14: Nyr Dyv 14 - Nyr Dyv.pdf · The Great Flanaess River...

The Great Flanaess River Adventure

Chapter 14: Nyr Dyv By The Oliver Brothers

A CAMPAIGN ADVENTURE TAKING CHARACTERS FROM LEVELS 1-10+

Navigating the Nyr Dyv, the adventurers move ever closer to their final destination. If they can survive the sometimes violent weather and the always violent creatures of the deep, the player characters will find themselves under watchful eyes as they round the Cairn Hills peninsula. Then, upon entering Midbay, they will discover that while the bay may be calm, what lurks in the sky is not (It’s not called Dungeons & Dragons for nothing!). From there they will enter the last leg of their journey – the Selintan River. Can the player characters survive the creatures of the deep? Will they discover the ones who watch with evil eyes? And will they make it to the mighty Selintan River alive? Find out in these very pages: Chapter 14 of the Great Flanaess River Adventure!

Get ready to return to the greatest world in all of modern role playing for some old school, classic, First edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

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Chapter 14 - Nyr Dyv

“As I look across thither, I think of the sea monsters that swim in that sea and of the wrecks that strew the bottom, many fathom deep.”

-Henry David Thoreau Journal

Introduction

Nyr Dyv

The Nyr Dyv has been called “deep water” and “the great lake,” but its name translates more accurately as the “Lake of Unknown Depths.”1 It has been written that “the blue expanse of the Nyr Dyv is the largest known fresh-water lake upon the Oerik.”2 The lake has three major inlets, including the Velverdyva River which flows all the way from Lake Quag and beyond, and two major outlets, including the Selintan River which flows south to the Woolly Bay. The lake’s depths are truly unknown, and the further one travels from shore, the deeper the water and greater the mystery – and danger -- of those depths. While all manner of good creature dwell in and on these lakes, scores of foul creature rise up out of those mysterious depths.

“One of the most unusual features of the Lake of Unknown depths,” it has been noted, “is the people who make their home upon great barges.”3 These folks are the Rhennee, lake gypsies who travel about the Nyr Dyv, fishing, trading, and adventuring along the lake. They can be found anywhere their barges may go, including all of the port cities, however, they are not always greeted with kindness. Many consider them offensive, unclean thieves.

While there are many physical features associated with the Nyr Dyv, two of the major features of this adventure are Midbay and the Selintan River.

Midbay

Although Midbay is part of the Nyr Dyv, it is geologically different from the rest of the lake. The bay itself is surrounded by the Cairn Hills, “the northward-thrusting arm of the Abbor-Alz,” and “these hills surround Midbay on Nyr Dyv.”4 The waters of Midbay gather to form the Selintan River,

which of the Nyr Dyv “is one of its most placid regions.”5 While threats still assuredly abound in the Midbay region, because of the shallow and placid waters, the area is considered safe from the monsters that dwell in the darkest reaches and depths of the Nyr Dyv.

Selintan River

The waters of Midbay then flow into the Selintan River, “a relatively broad and deep channeled outlet of the western Nyr Dyv, it flows past Greyhawk City into Woolly Bay, and is plied by considerable traffic.”6 The Selintan, like Midbay, is a placid body of water, the flows gently southward. Through the Cairn Hills it cuts a magnificent gorge, then gives way to gently rolling hills, where halflings tend to their flocks of sheep and fish in the shallows of the river, bartering their goods with the passerby on river vessels nearly all bound for – or coming from - Greyhawk. The Selintan is free of all manner of foul creature under its gentle waters, but is wholly plagued by the evil of men who float atop this watery highway. These men are only checked by the high numbers of their fellow kind who travel the river.

Chapter Overview

This penultimate chapter of the Great Flanaess River Adventure takes place on the Nyr Dyv and is primarily a hexcrawl chapter. After departing Ghoul’s Island, the player characters will be on their last stretch of their waterborne journey to reach their destination, Greyhawk. While they could portage across the base of the Cairn Hill’s peninsula that juts out in the Nyr Dyv, this should be discouraged as breaking with the player characters initial pledge to journey by canoe to the gem of the Flanaess. Additionally, it is assumed that they will make this final journey by the most direct and safest (relatively speaking) route, especially if they have maintained their travel by canoe, and that is to stay close to shore around the Cairn Hills’ peninsula.

The player characters will encounter along the way the vodyanoi, freshwater umber hulks, a sea serpent, and a clan of scrag and merrow. In addition, a storm will begin to brew, turning into a tempest, forcing them to seek shelter in the hidden

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cove of a crazy old sea dog. As they round the peninsula, they will be watched, and mysterious attacks will begin to occur. As nighttime closes in so too will a heavy fog off of the lake, bringing with it the drowned of a large ship that sank rounding this same peninsula years ago. All of these mysterious attacks have been brought about by a coven consisting of a greenhag and her sea hag followers who live in a cave in the Cairn Hills, monitoring all who dare round “their” peninsula.

Once the player characters enter Midbay, the water will become placid and calm and the threats will no longer come from the depths of the lake. Rather, they will come from the surface and the air. The party will come across a Rhennee barge pulled alongside a military patrol boat. The occupants of the military boat, however, are all dead and the Rhennee look suspiciously guilty. In a short time, as the complexities of the dead are soon revealed, a red dragon will approach their position from the east. The dragon has claimed one of the old cairns for its lair and has recently ventured out for a meal (or two or three), having feasted on the military soldiers then flying further east for more food. It is now returning to its lair, but once again, sees the opportunity for another meal. The Rhennee, seeing the dragon, hope to fight it off so that it returns to its lair, allowing them to locate the dragon’s treasure. The player characters and the Rhennee could cooperate for potentially better success, or it may prove to be a race to find the dragon’s lair. Regardless, what better way to end a Dungeons & Dragons campaign than by the attack of a red dragon.

Key to Nyr Dyv

Hex85 (F4-87)

“Here is no dark unexplored bottom, with its imagined monsters and mud, but perfect sincerity, setting off all that it reveals.”


1. FARMLANDS

As the journey for the day commences, your canoes begin to leave sight of the Gnarley Forest to the south and once again the land give way to small farms creating checkered patterns in the land. The paddling is hard going for the winds are constantly shifting, often blowing in your face, and it makes the water choppy.

The player characters may or may not have noticed that the farmlands in the previous hex began to disappear as the distance between the Gnarley Forest and the Nyr Dyv in Hex84, the location of Ghoul’s Island from Chapter 13, grew ever closer. At one point, the distance is only half-a-hex or 15 miles. As it is too dangerous to live so close to the Gnarley Forest, the land there remains undisturbed. As Hex85 gets underway, the familiar checkered pattern of farmhouses and farmlands return. The road that follows the southern shoreline of the Nyr Dyv continues to follow its course.

2. THE ROAD SOUTH

Late in the day, the road that follows the southern shoreline of the Nyr Dyv begins to drift away from shore, bending in a southeasterly direction.

The road does bend southeast, heading toward the Selintan River where it journeys upriver and then crosses over into Greyhawk. The distance by road to Greyhawk at this point is approximately 75 miles. Player characters should be discouraged from journeying overland on the last leg of their journey, especially to honor the original goal of reaching Greyhawk by river. After all, as Emerson said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

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Hex 86 (E4-86)

“They were so black, - as no sea I have seen, - large and powerful, and made such a roaring around me, that I could not but regard them as gamboling monsters of the deep.”


3. ATTACK OF THE VODYANOI

As you paddle the lake on this peaceful morn, your serenity is disturbed by the claws that reach up from the murky depths and take hold of your canoes.

There is a small group of vodyanoi, freshwater umber hulks, who live in an underwater single-room cave that developed from erosion under the shoreline. They prey on creatures that pass by and their favorite delicacy is human. They are also territorial and see anyone or anything passing by their lair as an affront. They will swim out, reach up, and overturn the canoes. They emit a horrible roar, both above and below water, and due to the nature of their lair, they are covered in a moss that makes them appear black rather than their natural green. As they are near their lair, they will fight to the death to protect it. Each vodyanoi that is reduced to less than 12 hit points will attempt to summon electric eels to help defeat their enemy.

Vodyanoi (3): AC 2; MV 6”; HD 8; hp 32, 33, 40; #AT 3; Dmg 3-12/3-12/1-10; SA: once per day there is a

50% chance (each) to summon 1-20 electric eels to its aid.

Eel, electric (# summoned): AC 9; MV 12”; HD 2; hp 9 each; #AT 1; Dmg 1-3; SA: once per hour (six turns) it can delivered an electrical shock covering a 15’ radius causing those within 5’ to take 3-24 hit points of damage, those within 6’ to 10’ to take 2-16 hit points of damage, and those between 11’ and 15’ to take 1-8 hit points of damage; SD: immune to electrical effects.

Treasure: In the underwater cave located in the side of the lake’s banks are 23,441 gp, 8 pieces of turquoise worth 10 gp each, 1 onyx worth 50 gp, 2 pieces of coral worth 100 gp each, 3 oriental topaz gems each worth 1,000 gp, 1 opal worth 2,500 gp, 1 star sapphire worth 5,000 gp, a ring of fire resistance, a ring of delusion, a wand of fire, a wand of secret door & trap location, and a waterproof scroll tube containing the spell Mordenkainen’s disjunction.

4. THE CAIRN HILLS

As the sun begins to set behind you, in the distance in front of you the terrain begins to alter. The grassy plains give way to more barren hills which then stretch as far as the eye can see.

The player characters are about to find that the shoreline is now the northward-thrusting thumb of the Cairn Hills that is a peninsula jutting out into the Nyr Dyv. Commencing with Hex87 and continuing through the rest of this chapter, the player characters will be following a shoreline marked primarily by barren hills and only occasionally dotted by some drought resistant grass, bushes, and trees.

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Hex87 (D4-85)

“They battle with the tempests of a century. See what scars they bear, what limbs they lost before we were born!”


5. STRANGE CLOUDS

As morning breaks and the sun begins to rise in the east, you see several different types of clouds. Some look as if they are piled up on each other, while others are long and strung out. Both, however, are moving in opposite directions of one another and the winds are beginning to blow.

A tempest is beginning to form and the wind directions are beginning to shift.

6. DARKENING SKIES

The skies overhead begin to darken and the wind begins to blow stronger, mostly from the north.

There are two storms developing, one from the north and one from the south. They are about to clash over the Nyr Dyv.

7. STRONG WINDS

The winds have grown stronger and are now entirely against you, blowing from the northeast, making it difficult to paddle and gain any distance.

The storm from the north is the predominate storm, hence the winds are blowing south, but upon striking the Cairn Hills, they are shifting to the southwest.

8. THUNDER & LIGHTNING

The crack of lighting breaks out of the darkened clouds to the north and thunder rumbles continuously

It is perhaps time to turn to shore and seek shelter.

9. RAIN!

The rain begins to fall, at first in one or two large splats on the lake, then picking up in number and intensity. The heavens then open up and the canoes begin to take on water. Just ahead, on the shore, there appears a refuge, a small cove where you may be able to seek shelter from the storm.

Between the dangers of the heavy rains flooding the canoes, the blowing winds which make paddling near impossible, and the lightning that poses the greatest risk to objects on the lake, the inlet will prove their best shelter from the tempest.

10. KERK’S COVE

The small cove with steep cliff walls and a sandy beach are the perfect refuge from the winds and lightning, but not the pelting rain. At the back of the cove there sits a small shack from which a light shines out of a solitary window. This, perhaps, may prove a refuge from the rain as well.

The cove is “the home of a crazy old sea dog named Kerk” who has a “little shack and fishing boat” and nearly every day he goes out to “catch fish and somethings trade them for other food and grog.”7

Despite being loud and boisterous, and that’s when he is sober, Kerk is an affable, friendly, and jovial man. He is short and skinny with a full beard and bug eyes. His hair has thinned and along with his beard he is entirely gray. He has spent nearly all of his life on the Nyr Dyv, first as a fisherman, then as a slave on a ship, and later, after escaping, as a crewman on various ships, both legitimate and piratical. He is old, his brain a bit addled, and his glory days are surely behind him. He found this tiny cove long ago and swore one day he would retire rich in his little piece of paradise – one out of two ain’t bad. Kerk has no money or anything much of

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value, other than his boat and fishing gear – which fills a cave. He fishes mostly and then trades for food and grog to sustain him. He is well known and liked by the Rhennee with whom he does much of his trading.

He has a one room shack, about 20’ square, which has one door, a window looking out on the beach, and a small secret trap door in the back (you have to crawl through it). There are four small caves in the cove, in one of which he keeps his boat. There is a small trail that winds its way upwards to the cliffs above, but is only narrow enough for one person. The water in the cove is no deeper than 15’ and is home to lots of small fish. Kerk sometimes fishes in the cove and sometimes he takes out his boat.

If the player characters knock, he will open the door, peer out left and right, then belt out, “Shiver me timbers, it’s rainin’ strangers.” He says odd things like that. He will tell them to come in, then immediately tell them to stay out. He often thinks out loud. He will then suggest they put the canoes in the cave behind the shack. Then he will invite them in for a dinner of fish, beans, and grog. He will apologize up front for the effects of the beans if they chose to spend the night.

Kerk (6th level fighter): AC 10; MV 9”; hp 36; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 or by weapon type. Kerk has a big fishing knife (dagger).

Treasure: 1 cp.

Hex88 (D4-84)

“It is always something startling and memorable to meet with a serpent in the midst of a broad water, careering, over it.”


11. BUMP

As you paddle along, suddenly the canoe bumps over something and your momentum forward is arrested momentarily.

The player characters just happened to run into a sea serpent. It could turn out to be a really bad day.

12. SOMETHINGS IN THE WATER

Something catches your peripheral vision off the port side of the canoe and disappears below the water just as fast as it appeared.

The sea serpent is following the party’s progress.

13. BUMP, SLIDE

Your canoe, once again, strikes something, causing the canoe to momentarily stop. Then something sliding against the hull of the boat sends a shudder through both you and the canoe.

The sea serpent is toying with the party.

14. ANOTHER SIGHTING

This time, your peripheral vision catches sight of something off the starboard side of your boat just as it disappears back under the water.

The player characters should be good and nervous about now.

15. RISE OF THE SEA SERPENT

Suddenly, shooting up out of the water in front of your canoe is a giant sea serpent, its fangs bared as it plunges its head underwater, only to come up and begin wrapping itself around your canoe.

The sea serpent has decided it is hungry and attacks. It will wrap itself around a canoe and constrict it causing 10% damage to the total construction each melee round.

Sea serpent (snake): AC 5; MV 12”; HD 10; hp 52; #AT 2; Dmg 1-6/3-18; SA: Constriction, poison.

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Hex89 (C4-83)

“Still ever and anon I observed the same commotion in the waters over the same spot, and at length I observed the snout of some creature slyly raised above the surface.”


16. THE SNOUT

At midday, as you paddle the lake, you see some commotion in the water ahead. It seems relegated to one spot between your canoes and shore. As you focus your attention on that one spot, the snout of some creature slyly breaks the surface.

The player characters have come across the domain of the merrow who prey upon humans who pass through their area. The merrow are aquatic ogres who are green scaled creatures with long necks, huge mouths, and webbed hands and feet. In addition to the merrow, there are 6 scrag, freshwater trolls, who associate with them

The current group is a patrol consisting of one merrow subchief, five male merrow and 1 scrag (marine troll). They will attack the party and, if successful, drag them back to their lair, dead or alive, along with all of their valuables. If they are not successful in capturing or killing the party, they will dispatch a merrow to bring forth the tribe, including half of the females. The chief, the shaman, and the remaining subchief will ride into combat on the backs of their mantarays followed by the clan. If the player characters attack their lair, an underwater cavern complex underneath

the southern shore, all will defend it to the death, but they will try to lure the characters into the large central chamber that is home to the giant octopus.

The key to the merrow cavern is as follows:

A. ENTRANCE

The entrance to the lair of the merrow is exceptionally wide, but it allows for passage of the giant octopus and the manta rays.

B. CENTRAL CHAMBER

The central chamber of the lair is the home of the giant octopus who lairs in the dark crevice at the back of the cave.

C. LAIR OF THE SCRAG

Although the scrag are part of the merrow clan, they keep to themselves most of the time.

D. MANTARAY CORRAL

This cave is home to the manta rays.

E. MERROW LAIR #1

One-half of the merrow males lair here.

F. MERROW LAIR #2

The other half of the merrow males lair here.

G. FEMALE LAIR

This is the female lair of the merrow.

H. LAIR OF THE YOUNG

This is the lair of the young merrow.

I. GUARDS

Two of the merrow are always posted on guard at the entrance to the chief, subchiefs, and shaman’s lairs, as well as the treasury.

J. SUBCHIEFS’ LAIR

The two subchiefs lair here, partly because of their status and partly because they serve as guards to the chief.

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K. SHAMAN’S LAIR

The shaman of the merrow clan lair’s here.

L. LAIR OF THE CHIEF

This is the lair of the merrow chief and there are usually 1 to 3 female merrow present.

M. TREASURY

The merrow clan is communal by decree of the chief, so all possessions, other than weapons, are kept in this chamber. It consists of +3 piercing spear, +2 piercing spear, a staff-spear, a chest containing 27,504 gp, two potions of water breathing, a potion of growth, +3 plate mail, a +2 shield, an ornamental dagger that is jewel encrusted worth 2,750 gp, and strings of pearl containing 560 pearls valued at 5,600 gp.

Merrow, chief: AC 3; MV 6”/12”; HD 6+6; hp 49; #AT 3 or 1; Dmg 1-6/1-6/2-8 or by weapon type; SA: +2 on damage, SD: camouflage. The chief wields a +3 piercing spear (2-12 +3 damage).

Merrow, shaman (3rd level): AC 4; MV 6”/12”; HD 4+4; hp 36; #AT 3 or 1; Dmg 1-6/1-6/2-8 or by weapon type; SD: camouflage. The shaman wields a +2 piercing spear (2-12 +2 damage). The shaman can cast the following spells once-per-day:

First level: Push, sleep, shield

Second level: Darkness 15’ radius, shatter

Third level: Hold person

Merrow, subchief (2): AC 3; MV 6”/12”; HD 5+5; hp 42 each; #AT 3 or 1; Dmg 1-6/1-6/2-8 or by weapon type; SA: +1 on damage, SD: camouflage. The subchiefs both wield +1 piercing spear (2-12 +1 damage).

Merrow, males (20): AC 4; MV 6”/12”; HD 4+4; hp 34 each; #AT 3 or 1; Dmg 1-6/1-6/2-8 or by weapon type; SD: camouflage. Each male merrow wields a piercing spear (2-12 damage).

Merrow, females (14): AC 5; MV 6”/12”; HD 3+3; hp 26 each; #AT 3 or 1; Dmg 1-2/1-2/1-6 or by weapon type; SD: camouflage. Each female merrow wields a normal spear.

Merrow, young (7): AC 6; MV 6”/12”; HD 2+2; hp 18 each; #AT 3 or 1; Dmg 1-2/1-2/1-4 or by weapon type; SD: camouflage. Each young merrow wields a normal short spear.

Scrag (6): AC 3; MV 3”/15”; HD 5+5; hp 32 each; #AT 3; Dmg 2-5/2-5/3-12; SA: may attack up to three different opponents at a time; SD: regeneration after 3 melee rounds at 3 hit points per melee round, but can only regenerate in water.

Mantaray (3): AC 6; MV 18”; HD 11; hp 48 each; #AT 1 and 1; Dmg 3-12/2-20; SA: swallows whole on scores +2 over needed to hit causing death in 6 melee rounds, paralyzation with stinger attack (save versus paralyzation) causing paralysis for 2-8 rounds.

Octopus, giant: AC 7; MV 3”/12”; HD 8; hp 42; #AT 7; Dmg 1-4 (x6)/2-12; SA; constriction, 25% chance of being pinned, 25% chance of being held with 18/20 strength; SD: each tentacle is valued at 8 hit points (above the 42 hp for the creature), black ink cloud. Note: if attacked in its lair it will not retreat.

Hex90 (B4-82)

“The neighboring fence of roots, agreeable forms for the traveller to study, like the bones of marine monsters and the horns of mastodons or megatheriums.”


17. THE BONES OF MARINE MONSTERS About mid-morning, in the distance upon the shore, rising up out of the dusty terrain are large bleached white bones reaching upward toward the sun. They

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look to be the bones of some marine monster that died long ago.

The bones are of an ancient plesiosaurus that once roamed the Nyr Dyv. It died on shore and over time it was buried over. More recently, the bones have been exposed and present an ominous sight to any who see it. The size of this plesiosaurs was unusually large, stretching nearly 150’ from its jaws to the tip of its tail. Its rib bones which protrude upward from the soil were some 30’ in length. There is little fear of a plesiosaurus being currently in the water, but the player characters don’t need to know that little fact.

18. THE POINT

About Noon time, you can see that the land mass you have been following ends. The peninsula that juts out into the Nyr Dvy reaches its point and you can see that within a few miles you will be rounding it and entering Midbay.

The terrain at this point gets lower and closer to the lake, while set back in the hills is a cave where live a coven of sea hags, led by a greenhag. Since the bones of the plesiosaurus (See area #16) they have been able to see the player characters and will be able to do so as they journey around the point.

19. JELLYFISH

The waters of Midbay are calmer and less choppy than those of the Nyr Dyv. The water temperature must have become warmer for you begin to see jellyfish floating in the water. As your canoes approach their translucent bodies, they appear to give way, allowing your canoes to pass.

The jellyfish swarm is being generated by the coven of sea hags in an attempt to slow down the player characters.

Jellyfish (12): AC 10; MV 1”; HD 1 hit point; hp 1 each; #AT 1; Dmg non-lethal bite; SA: 1% chance of either an allergic reaction to the sting or infection.

20. JELLYFISH SWARM

More and more of the jellyfish gather about your canoes and they are no longer yielding to your presence. Instead, they seem to be piling up

against the hull of your canoes and those you have bypassed are now keeping up with you in pursuit. The lake waters around your canoes are becoming so heavily laden with their bodies that it is slowing down your forward progress.

Jellyfish swarm: AC 10; MV 1”; HD 2; hp 12; #AT 1; Dmg 1-4; SA: 1% chance of either an allergic reaction to the sting or infection.

21. ATTACK OF THE MAN-O-WAR

Your ability to paddle forward has slowed to a crawl due to the jellyfish piling up against the hull of your canoes. Anymore collecting on the bow of your boat and they will be spilling into your canoes. That, however, becomes the least of your worries when a large tentacle breaks the surface of the water in front of your canoes and reaches toward you.

This is the attack of a giant portugese man-o-war. There is only a 10% chance of seeing it prior to its attack. This is a 4 HD man-o-war meaning it has 40 tentacles reaching 40’ each. Each tentacle is valued at 1 hit point each, but the creatures 25 hit points are only affected if the creature is struck on the body.

Portugese man-o-war, giant: AC 9; MV 1”; HD 4; hp 25; #AT 1; Dmg 1-10; SA: poison causes paralyzation (save versus paralyzation), failing the save means the player character has been drawn up and will be devoured in 3-12 turns; SD: transparent, 90% probability undetected, tentacles regenerate in 2 days.

22. SEE WEED, STRANGLE WEED

The waters of Midbay must truly be warmer than those of the larger Nyr Dyv for you begin to observe seaweed in the water. And with that observation, long green fronds break the surface of the water all around your canoes and lash out in your direction.

The seaweed (kelp) is actual a group of strangle weed that are also being controlled by the sea hag coven.

Strangle weed (12): AC 6; MV nil; HD 4; hp 18 each; #AT 1; Dmg a hit indicates the victim is entangled

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by a frond which has a strength of 4-16 points, if the player characters have less, the difference is the amount of damage, while if they have more it is the percentage they will be able to break free (10% for every point greater); SD: any entwined character strikes at -2 on to hit rolls.

23. GREEN FOG & THE DROWNED

This encounter will take place after the player characters have established their camp for the night on shore. They will still be under observation by the coven of sea hags due to their vantage point in their cave located in the hills looking over the peninsula. As it will take an entire day to circumnavigate the peninsula, from early morning to the player character’s establishing their camp, they will be watched.

Around the Midnight hour (the witching hour, of course), a green fog will begin rolling in off the water. It will tumble and swirl over the water, then over the land, reaching toward the location of the player characters’ camp. They can try to outrun in, but they will not have time to flee to the hills for safety before it overtakes them. They will have to come up with another alternative. If the cloud envelops them, in the first round it will make them bilious (save versus poison) causing them to take a -1 on to hit rolls for 2-8 rounds. In the second round, it will cause paralysis for 3-18 rounds (save versus paralyzation).

On the heels of the green fog, rising up out of the water, are the drowned from the Radigastar, a ship which sunk in the depths of Midbay in a freakish storm over 100 years ago. The sea zombies follow the green fog and will attack any whom they encounter. It is, once again, the sea hag coven who has brought in the green fog and the drowned to target the player characters.

The drowned will walk out of the Midbay waters looking like human corpses that have been underwater for a long period of time, hence they are bloated and discolored. Their eye sockets are hollowed out and empty, their tongues are swollen, and their lips are colored black. Pieces of their flesh are missing for they have been nibbled on by the fish of the deep. Many of the drowned bear

weapons such as rusty short swords and daggers, hooks attached to missing hands, and clubs (regardless of armament, however, they will always do their 1-10 damage).

The sea zombies will attack relentlessly, unless the green fog rolls back into Midbay, in which case they will follow, leaving in a similar manner to the way they came. The hags will only do so if the player characters are all but defeated and they can easily capture them, taking them back to their cave.

Drowned (sea zombies) (47): AC 7; MV 6” (12” in water); HD 5; hp 25 each; #AT 1; Dmg 1-10; SA: disease, 10% chance of contracting a disease if struck; SD: fire based attacks only cause half damage due to waterlogged bodies (however, lightning and electrical attacks deal double damage), immune to sleep, charm, hold, and cold-based spells.

24. VISITATION OF THE SEA HAG COVEN

If the sea zombies were able to nearly destroy the player characters, the coven of hags will send the fog back into Midbay and they will attempt to capture the player characters and take them to their cave in the hills. If the player characters destroyed the sea zombies, the coven will wait until later in the night to pay a visit to the player characters and then try to capture the party and bring them back to their cave.

The green hag is the leader of the coven, but the three sea hags do not always agree with her. For instance, the green hag likes to call upon the green fog to do much of her work, whereas the sea hags just want to attack the party themselves, kill them and eat them. In fact, the attempt to capture the player characters is solely the plan of the green hag, while the sea hags just want to eat them. The green hag wants to collect the magical items of the party and know what they are and their effects. The sea hags just want to eat the player characters and figure they can worry about the treasure later. Needless to say, there will be a lot of bickering. However, the sea hags always do precisely what the green hag wants because she is more powerful than they are.

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The green hag only carries the potion of human control with her, but may use the broom of flying to ride out to the player character’s location. The sea hags are each armed with a +1 dagger and are forced to run out to the player character’s location. They are, however, fast runners.

The ultimate goal is to capture as many of the player characters alive, then bring back both the living and the dead to their cave in the hills. In addition, they will cart any magical items or valuables they may have in their camp or in their canoes. The cave is a one room cave with a commanding view of the peninsula (and as it is only a one room cave, no map is provided). Upon arrival at the cave, the sea hags will begin feasting on any of the deceased player characters. Those that are alive are forced to sit at the back of the cave under their watchful (and hungry) eyes, as the green hag begins to learn about them, their treasure, and any magical abilities.

Greenhag: AC -2; MV 12”; HD 9; hp 45; #AT 2; Dmg 7-8/7-8; SA: 18/00 strength so they add +6 to their damage hence the 7-8 damage per claw, mimic humans and common animals, at will once per round can cast audible glammer, dancing lights, invisibility , pass without trace, chance self, speak with monsters, water breathing, weakness (all employed at 9th level of ability), 90% likely to hide in foliage, surprise 5 in 6 (19 in 20 if invisible);SD: magic resistance 35%

Sea hag (3): AC 7; MV 15”; HD 3; hp 13, 16, 18; #AT 1; Dmg 1-2 or by weapon type; SA: fright, upon seeing a sea hag a player character loses one-half of its strength for 1-6 rounds (save versus magic), death look, three times a day the sea hag can cast her death stare causing instantaneous death (save versus poison); SD: water breathing ability, magic resistance 50%. Each of these sea hags carries a +1 dagger.

Treasure: 12,454 cp, 6,040 sp, 4,953 ep, 14,400 gp, 180 pp,, 6 green emeralds each worth 500 gp, and 6 black pearls each worth 1,0000 gp, a black opal broach worth 600 gp, a jade bracelet worth 400 gp, potion of human control, gem of seeing, broom of flying, cloak of the manta ray.

Hex91 (B4-83)

“Like the dragon's teeth which bore a crop of soldiers.”


25. RHENNEE AND A CROP OF SOLDIERS

At midday, paddling south through Midbay, you see in the distance a boat with a barge pulled alongside it. There are men from the barge passing back and forth from the boat who appear to be ferrying items from boat to barge. A voice bellows in the distance and all of the men on the boat scurry back to the barge while some move fore and aft to stand behind ballistae. They all stand silently watching your approach.

The men on the barge are a group of Rhennee, gypsy barge folk who wander the Nyr Dyv. They keep mostly to themselves, but they enjoy engaging in bartering, hunting, and adventuring. They were sailing their barge north from the opening of the Selintan River when they came across the Furyondy Patrol boat. It was drifting in the water with none of the soldiers in sight. The Rhennee became curious, pulled alongside the boat, only to discover all of the soldiers were dead and bloodied. They boarded the boat, looked around, and found no one alive and possibly several missing as the Furyondy patrol boats are usually manned with a dozen soldiers and they found only 8, and those 8 were in very poor shape. Some were missing heads others half their body as if cut in twain. Several simply had been cut multiple times, sliced open from head to toe. As they could offer no assistance to the soldiers, they decided the

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boat was fair game and they began to ransack it. Then, along came the adventuring party.

Marko is the chief of the Rhennee and he has four guards. There are 20 Rhennee folk on the barge, 14 men and 6 women. There is also one wise woman, Vadoma, who Marko consults before making decisions, and two advisors, Dika and Tsura, both female, who serve as his “lieutenants.” There are 5 children on the barge as well. Three of these children do not look like the Rhennee and were captured on one of their sojurns up the Crystal River. The Rhennee are armed with two ballistae, heavy and light crossbows, javelins, harpoons, spears, and javelins. Each is armed with a knife and dagger, their common means of in-close fighting. They wear an assortment of armor, mostly covered over by wildly colored and patterned clothing. No two dress alike.

Normally the Rhennee appear to be open and friendly, when in reality they are cautious, suspicious and schemers. Under these circumstances, however, they are suspicious. Allow some time for the player characters to inquire as to the circumstances of the dead soldiers and for their suspicions to arise that the Rhennee may have played a hand in their demise. Especially in light of the fact they were caught looting the boat.

If the player characters attack the Rhennee, introduce the next encounter (See area #26) after approximately 3 rounds. If the player characters come to believe the Rhennee’s story, then move on to the next encounter (Again, see area #26). If the player characters do not believe the Rhennee, wait to see what they do about it (e.g., fight them, arrest them, etc.) before moving on to the next encounter (Again, see area #26).

Marko, Rhennee, chief, fighter 5th level, thief 6th level: AC 3; MV 12”; hp 64; #AT 1 or 2; Dmg 1-6 or by weapon type OR dagger and knife. The chief wears +3 leather armor, carries a +1 shield, and wields a +3 dagger, a +1 knife, a +2 longsword, and has 3 +1 javelins. He also carries a potion of extra healing and a potion of giant strength (fire).

S 17, I 13, W 10, D 17, Co 12, Ch 9

Vadoma, Rhennee, wise woman, illusionist 5th level, thief 3rd level: AC 8; MV 12”; hp 21; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 or by weapon type. Vadoma carries a +1 dagger. She has the following spells memorized:

First level: Audible glamer, color spray, detect illusion, wall of fog

Second level: Fog cloud, improved phantasmal force

Third level: Fear

S 8, I 17, W 16, D 17, Co 9, Ch 7

Dika, Rhennee, advisor, illusionist 3rd level, thief 2nd level: AC 7; MV 12”; hp 12; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 or by weapon type. Dika wears +1 leather armor, carries a +1 dagger and a knife, and has access to the spears and light crossbows. She has the following spells memorized:

First level: Color spray, detect invisibility

Second level: Hypnotic pattern

S 10, I 16, W 10, D 16, Co 15, Ch 12

Tsura, Rhennee, advisor, illusionist 2nd level, thief 2nd level: AC 7; MV 12”; hp 12; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 or by weapon type. Tsura wears +1 leather armor, carries a +1 dagger and a knife, and has access to the spears and light crossbows. She has the following spells memorized:

First level: Color spray, hypnotism

S 12, I 15, W 8, D 17, Co 12, Ch 17

Guard, Rhennee, fighter 5th level, thief 4th level (4): AC 7; MV 12”; hp 28, 34, 36, 42; #AT 1 or 2; Dmg 1-6 or by weapon type or 2 attacks with dagger and knife. Each guard wears leather armor and has a shield. They each carry a +2 dagger and a knife, a +1 longsword, and have access to harpoons, javelins, spears, light crossbows the ballistae, and 2 +1 javelins each.

Folk, Rhennee, fighter 2nd level, thief 2nd level (20): AC 8; MV 12”; hp 16 hp each; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 or by weapon type. Each folk wears leather armor, carries a dagger and knife, and has available on

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the barge javelins, spears, and both heavy and light crossbows.

Children, Rhennee, thief 1st level (5): AC 10; MV 12”; hp 4 each; #AT 1; Dmg 1-2 or by weapon type. Each of the children have a dagger and a knife.

26. THE DRAGON’S TEETH

Suddenly, a sound unlike any you have ever heard before pierces the sky and everyone stops what they are doing to find the source. From the east, flying at great speeds just 20’ above the water, is a massive creature featuring an incredible wingspan, with two massive claws and a tail. You have heard many stories of these horrible creatures, but seeing one fast approaching your position sends fear down into the marrow of your bones.

The creature is Flaschstorban, a huge adult red dragon. He has recently taken over one of the abandoned cairns in the Cairn Hill peninsula. It is situated 8 miles inland from the location in area #25. Flaschstorban, having left his lair in search of a meal, came across the soldier’s patrol which, in their fright, fired upon him. He utterly destroyed the occupants of the boat, ate some, and flew off with several others. Eventually their remains were dropped over Midbay. It then found a giant carp to feast upon, before deciding his hunger was satiated. He is heading back to his lair when he has chanced upon more humans around the boat that attacked him. Figuring more humans near the boat that assaulted him could not be friendly, he has decided to attack. He will do so for three rounds before deciding to return to his lair by flying due west. If hit for damage in either of the first two rounds, on the next round it will use its breath weapon but it will only do so once.

All creatures under 1 hit dice will flee in fear as Flaschstorban approaches which will last for 4-24 turns. Those with fewer than 3 hit dice will suffer either fear (50% chance) or panic (50% chance) unless they save versus magic. Creatures with 3 or more hit dice will fight at -1 on their “to hit” dice unless they save versus magic. All creatures with 6 or more hit dice can disregard the fear effects.

As the dragon attacks, there will be utter confusion and the player characters actions will in no way be

able to be coordinated with the Rhennee. The Rhennee will attempt to fire the ballistae as the dragon passes over, while the others will fire heavy crossbows or throw harpoons, javelins, and spears.

When the dragon departs for its lair, Marko, the Rhennee Chief will order his folk to prepare to follow the dragon in pursuit. He wants the dragon’s treasure. The player characters now have three courses of action they can take: 1) they can try to forge an alliance with the Rhennee to track down the dragon’s lair and attack the creature together with strength in numbers, then divide the spoils; 2) they can decide to go it alone, seeking the treasure all for themselves, which means they will be in a race with the Rhennee to see which group can find the dragon, slay him, and secure the treasure first; and 3) the player characters could decide to paddle on to Greyhawk, giving up their chance at the dragon’s horde.

Flaschstorban, Dragon, red, huge, adult: AC -1; MV 9”/24”; HD 11; hp 55; #AT 3; Dmg 1-8/1-8/3-30; SA: fear, aura, breath weapon (3 times per day), magic use, detect hidden or invisible creatures within 5”. Flaschstorban has the following spell abilities (as if 11th level user): Shield, magic missile, haste, invisibility, fireball.

27. THE DRAGON’S CAIRN

On the slant of a rising hill, there sits a structure made of large piled stones. Standing sentinel beside it is a lone, bare tree. The large stones are piled as such to create a large mound with a massive opening. Despite the large opening, something has smashed into the sides of the entryway, knocking many of the stones loose. Over the entryway is a flat stone upon which are carved some ancient runes, worn down from the interminable winds atop the hill which also explains the presence of the naked tree.

The cairn was once a burial site of some ancient and there was no entrance. Many years ago, the entrance was created so as a party of adventurers could ransack the tomb. Later, various denizens of the hills wandered into the cairn and laired there, many expanding the size of the entrance. Adventurers came, cleared them out, and returned

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to Greyhawk with their treasure. This process has been repeated many times with the most recent occupant being Flaschstorban, a red dragon, who came from the eastern side of the Nyr Dyv, seeking a new home, having been driven out by some wily humans. He is no too keen on humans right now. He brought much of his treasure with him to his new lair and he has gained some additional treasure from targeting new victims on the Nyr Dyv.

28. TRAPPED DESCENT

The entrance was originally a cairn, a mound of stones, and the entry to this long hallway was covered over. Knowing his final resting place would be ransacked by thieves, the wizard developed a number of traps to protect his eternal rest. The hallway trap consists of reloading crossbow bolts dipped in poison. The mechanism has slain many an intruder over the years. The mechanism only works 50% of the time, and as the poison is old, it too only works 50% of the time. Each location marked with a trap is a pressure plate that will fire 1-4 crossbow bolts from the stone walls on either side of the hallway. A roll of 1-3 out of 6 and the crossbow bolts will fail to fire. If a player character is struck, a roll of 1-3 out 6 will indicate the poison is too weak to have any effect. The dragon has triggered this trap several times, but his armor protected him from the bolts and he has since learned the location of the pressure plates.

29. PIT TRAP OF CLAY

You come to an intersection in the hallway with a 20’ wide corridor running both north and south. Before you is an open pit that measures the length of the hallway (40’) by the length of the corridor (20’). Looking down, the pit is 30’ deep with spikes lining the bottom. It is evidently a trap that was never reset. At the bottom of the pit are several skeletons, one human the other dwarf, lying amongst the spikes; victims of the devious trap.

Actually, the human and dwarf were victims of the clay golems. At either end of the side corridors, there once stood a clay golem. When a creature stepped on the fake floor over the pit, it was to give way and trap the unsuspecting victims in the pit. It was the designated mission of the clay golems to

then destroy the intruders. The clay golems attacked but were ultimately destroyed by other members of the human and dwarf’s party.

Down either corridor, the player characters will find the floor is littered with broken pieces of clay.

30. PIT TRAP OF STONE

Once again you come to an intersection with a pit trap that has been sprung. At the bottom of the pit are the remains of what was likely a human in plate armor – now merely a skeleton encased in rusted metal.

This particular adventuring party made it further than the previous one as they did not have to contend with the two clay golems (See area #29). They did, however, have to deal with the stone golems standing sentinel at either end of the corridor. They defeated one, hence the stone that litters one side of the corridor, but they did not destroy the other, only harming it. They managed to move on to the next corridor (See area #31) but when the two iron golems animated, the entire party was destroyed.

If anyone tries to pass the corridor, the stone golem will animate and attack. It will not enter area #33, nor will it exit the cairn.

Stone golem: AC 5; MV 6”; HD 60 hit points; hp 27; #AT 1; Dmg 3-24; SA: ability to cast a slow spell on anyone within 1” of its front every other melee round; SD: +2 or better magic weapons to hit, immune to all spells except rock to mud which slows the golem 50% for 2-12 melee rounds.

31. PIT TRAP OF IRON

One more pit trap greets you at the intersection. At the bottom of this one are the bones of a dozen deceased humanoids and several other creatures, most likely orcs, all on or under a statute lying face down at the bottom of the pit. On the far side of the pit trap is the top of a stair case descending downward into a darkened chamber.

The bones in the trap include multiple adventurers who fought the two iron golems that stood sentinel at the ends of the side corridors. They managed to

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defeat one of the iron golems, getting it to fall into the pit trap and then eventually wearing it down, but they paid a heavy price. One iron golem survived and returned to its position at the end of the side corridor to continue standing sentinel. Since that high level adventuring party’s foray into the cairn, others have also tried and a few of the ignorant were killed. Most, however, realized they only needed to make it into the crypt and the golem would not follow. The dragon comes and goes as it pleases due to its speed, its armor, and is lack of concern for what lies in the hallway and side corridors.

If anyone tries to pass the corridor, the iron golem will animate and attack. It will not enter area #33, nor will it exit the cairn.

Iron golem: AC 3; MV 6”; HD 80 hit points; hp 80; #AT 1; Dmg 4-40; SA: poisonous gas cloud expelled one ever 7 melee rounds; SD: +3 magic weapons to hit or deal damage, immune to all spells except electricity based which slows the creature 50% for 3 melee rounds (note: fire damage heals the iron golem).

32. STAIRS INTO THE CRYPT

Just past the last pit are stone stairs leading down into the dark. At the top of the stairs, there are several pieces of bent iron protruding from the stone walls on either side, and rubble litters the steps.

There once was a set of stone doors that were wizard locked at the top of these stairs, hence the bent iron protruding from the stone walls. The stone doors were the reason the golem guardians did not enter the crypt; they never needed to. Eventually, an adventuring party managed to get the doors opened and they remained that way until the dragon destroyed the doors to make a wider entrance for his comings and goings. The rubble that was once the stone doors extends down the stairs, mostly along the walls, and lies at the bottom of the stairs on the floor of the crypt.

33. THE CRYPT

The crypt itself is massive and dark. There is little on the stone floor, other than debris, and the domed

ceiling looks to be 50 to 60’ in height. There are seven archways leading further into the dark, although the one straight ahead has apparently been greatly enlarged and debris surrounds its entryway.

Flaschstorban has been doing some redecorating. First, he destroyed the double stone doors at the top of the stairs so as to make more room for better egress (See area #32). Second, he knocked the sarcophagus from its central location in the crypt and flung it down the corridor (See area #35). He then chose the archway directly across from the stair to serve as his lair, which he then widened by destroying much of the stone. Finally, his treasure he moved into the two side corridors next to his lair.

The ceiling is domed and 60’ in height at its apex. Each of the side corridors features a stone archway that is 20’ wide and 20’ high, all except the one where the dragon now lairs. The acoustics in the room are such that anyone walking into the crypt or talking or making any sound will have the sound move throughout the dome, thus alerting the dragon to any intruders.

34. RED DRAGON’S LAIR

The archway across from the stairs has been widened to double its size and is surrounded by fallen rocks and debris. There is something massive lying in the dark corridor; no doubt you have found the red dragon who flew over Midbay.

This is the area where Flaschstorban spends most of his time sleeping (See area #26 for the dragon’s statistics).

35. THE BROKEN TOMB

At the end of the corridor, there is a stone sarcophagus that once bore the carved features of its occupant on the lid. Now, it is smashed and overturned at the end of the hallway, as if some violent force threw is against the stone wall. The occupant of the coffin is nowhere in sight.

When Flaschstorban took over the cairn, he did the one thing no other adventurer had ever done: he opened the sarcophagus. He stripped its occupant of his valuables, which he claimed for himself

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tossing them into one of his treasuries (See area #36), and then hurled the sarcophagus down the corridor, striking the back wall, where it now rests.

36. TREASURY #1

Past the archway, this corridor is filled with all manner of coffers, chests, and various loose items strewn about in a haphazard manner.

One of the coffers is rather large and, once opened, contains sawdust. Digging through the sawdust the player characters will discover a 2’ statute of a red dragon made from rubies. Another statute is a purple colored dragon made of amethyst, a white one made of crystal, a blue dragon made of sapphire, a green one made of emerald, and a black one made of obsidian. Each of the statutes is worth 5,000 gp or the whole collection could be sold for 50,000 gp. This is Flaschstorban’s favorite collection and one he takes care in protecting and pride in owning.

A smaller coffer contains 12 golden holy symbols of Boccob. They include pendants, rings, bracelets, necklace, and the ornamental topping of a staff. Each features a pentagram with an eye in the center. They are each worth 100 gp or 1,500 gp for the collection (2,500 if sold to a cleric of Boccob).

A coffer holding 117 gems: 5,000 gp (x2), 1,000 gp (x7), 500 gp (x12), 100 gp (x22), 50 gp (x25), and 10 gp (x49).

A large chest, unlocked, appears to contain a full combat kit for a human fighter for it contains plate mail, a longsword, shield, boots, and two potions. They are, however, all cursed items: plate mail of vulnerability, cursed berserking longsword, shield -1 missile attractor, boots of dancing, and a potion of delusion and potion of poison.

A rolled up carpet, covered in dust, sits off to the side. It is a carpet of flying.

There are a pair of 4’ tall braziers made of burnished copper standing upright, each weighing 40 lbs, and worth 100 gp each.

Between them is a small copper box containing 800 gp worth of rare incense.

A large crate which is badly damaged has the following items on top of it:

There are a pair of boots that are boots of levitation, although they still have someone’s skeletal feet in them. They once belonged to the occupant of the sarcophagus.

There is a skeletal arm and hand with a ring on it lying in the hallway, also once owned by the occupant of the sarcophagus. It is a ring of three wishes.

The other skeletal hand of the cairn’s former occupant, sans arm, is wrapped tightly around a rod. It is a rod of smiting with 32 charges remaining.

Inside the crate itself are 12 ivory tusks. Ten are in good condition, but two are badly chipped where the crate was damaged. The 10 in good condition are worth 250 gp each, while the other two are valued at 50 gp each.

A black piece of cloth is rolled up with something inside of it. The black piece of cloth is actually a cloak of elvenkind that is at the same time a cloak of protection +4. Inside the cloak is a +4 shortbow and 20 +1 arrows, 8 +2 arrows, and 7 +3 arrows.

A 1’ square black box is wrapped in metal bands, holding the lid shut. If the box is opened, inside they will discover a dragon’s eye. It is the eye of an ancient dragon that exudes the dragon’s aura causing a fear reaction. It is an item few wish to own and no one wishes to look upon. See MONSTER MANUAL page 30 for effects.

A chest contains a number of odds and ends inside. They are a potion of climbing, potion of healing, potion of fire resistance, potion of heroism, potion of healing, and a potion of speed. There is also a gold necklace with three rings decoratively attached to the chain. The chain itself is worth 150 gp and the rings are ring of feather falling, ring of regeneration, and a ring of telekinesis. In addition, there are horseshoes of speed, a portable hole, and a tube of keoghtom’s ointment.

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A 20’ long rectangular box contains the following items, all neatly laid side by side: +1 lance, +1 spetum, +1 ranseur, +1 partisan, +1 pole axe, +1 halberd, +1 voulge, +1 fauchard, and a +1 glaive.

Finally, by itself on the floor is a rope of climbing.

37. TREASURY #2

Past the archway, you see the corridor is brimming with coins and what looks to be nothing but coins.

Flaschstorban used the few coffers and chests he had to ferry his coins to this new lair, then dumped them in this corridor.

The corridor contains 939,188 cp, 139,926 sp, 49,609 ep, 27,142 gp, and 1,183 pp.

Hex92 (B4-84)

“One morning he saw this monster, with a head somewhat like a horse's raised some six feet above the water, and his body the size of a cast: trailing behind.”

-Henry David Thoreau Journal 38. A HEAD SOMEWHAT LIKE A HORSE

Early in the morning, as you paddle south toward the Selintan River, a monster’s head breaks the surface, a head that looks somewhat like a horse’s raise some six feet above the water. The body, mostly submerged, has a long thin tail trailing behind it. It turns toward you and quickly submerges.

Also traveling along the shore line is a herd of 12 giant seahorses. They occasionally surface and

look around, as the one just did. They are shy and usually avoid contact, although this one is curious over the party of adventurers as they rarely see canoes in Midbay. They will follow the canoes for a bit, frolicking and playing out of simple curiosity. At first, only one at a time will show themselves. If the player characters leave them alone, two will begin to show themselves at a time. Eventually, they will grow bored and by mid-morning they will submerge and move on.

Seahorse, giant (12): AC 7; MV 21”; HD 3; hp 19 each; #AT 1; Dmg 2-5.

39. THE SELINTAN

As dusk begins to settle on Oerth, the vast openness of Midbay begins to channel toward the more comfortable confines of the Selintan River. Southeast of your position, you see there are other boats also moving in the direction of the river.

This area of Midbay is highly trafficked by boats, as is the entire Selintan River for many people are heading to Greyhawk to buy, sell, and trade in everything from goods and services to words and deeds. There is the potential for the player characters to meet other people on the waters here.

Hex93 (C4-85)

“If one would reflect, let him embark on some placid stream, and float with the current . . . turn the prow downstream, and rock, tree, kine, knoll, assuming new and varying positions, as wind and water shift the scene, favor the liquid lapse of thought, far-reaching and sublime, but ever calm and gently undulating.”


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40. FLOAT WITH THE CURRENT

As you approach the Selintan, you can feel the pull of the current toward the river. It takes almost no effort to paddle the canoes and minimal effort to steer in the proper direction. The shores are marked by mostly rocks, a few trees, with knolls stretching off into the distance both north and south before arriving at the larger of the Cairn Hills. The presence of cows chewing on scrub-brush is the only thing that occasionally punctuates the scenery.

As the flow of the water from Midbay to the Selintan is so strong and the elevation begins to drop, there is no need to paddle for the canoes will easily follow the current.

41. SELINTAN RIVER GORGE

Shortly after noon, the banks of the river begin to rise up as the river drops ever so slightly in elevation. You are entering a gorge.

This is the Gorge of the Selintan River which the player characters will be in until late in the afternoon.

42. BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER SELINTAN

In the distance, spanning the gorge over the river is a bridge. As you draw closer, you see there are three people standing on the bridge at its center. They move to the eastern side of the bridge and point in your direction.

It is not a welcoming party. Rather, it is a group of three young orcs with devious designs. For fun, they plan to drop rocks from off the bridge onto the boats below. Each of the orcs has a large rock weighing approximately 25 lbs.

Orc (3): AC 6; MV 9”; HD 1; hp 4, 6, 7; #AT 1; 1-8 or by weapon type. Each is armed with an axe and pole arm.

Treasure: The orcs have 1, 3, and 4 ep respectively.

43. GREYHAWKS

As you continue your journey down the Selintan, high atop the gorge you see movement. Suddenly,

from a roost comes swooping down to the river a bird with a pale gray body, a tail that is black with three white bands, and legs of orange. One plummets into the river and arises quickly with a struggling fish trapped in its beak.

These are the greyhawks for whom the great city of Greyhawk is named. There are multiple roosts high above the gorge along the river in this location.

Greyhawk (58, most in pairs): AC 5; MV 1”/36”; HD 1-1; hp 5 each; #AT 3; Dmg 1/1/1; SA: plummet dive attack at +2 to hit for 2/2 damage (no beak attack).

44. SELINTAN RIVER MARKET

As the heights of the gorge diminish, you once again come to a section of the river where the banks are just slightly above water level. It is there on the southern shore that you hear shouts. A couple of halflings call out they are selling fish, while not much further down the river, another is selling fresh fruit. And still further down the river, a Halfling waves a loaf of bread to catch you attention.

This area is a well-known impromptu river market where various hustlers, mostly halflings, sell items to those traveling along the river. They have been successful on this particular stretch of the Selintan, so this area along the southern shore has developed into a small river market. Most of the items come from Greyhawk while some come from Steaming Springs. Regardless, however, most are carried by hand and foot along the River Road before the sellers leave the known route and descend down to the river.

All of the items sold are food and common goods. They are also all sold with a mark-up price of 50% to 100% more than they are worth, but that is in large part due to the location. For many coming from the Nyr Dyv, this is their first opportunity to purchase supplies to tide them over until they reach Greyhawk.

45. TRIBUTARY

As the sun begins to set, from the north comes a tributary that merges with the Selintan, and continuing its journey southwest to Greyhawk.

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Not much past the tributary, the player characters will reach the end of the day, as well as the end of the hex and Chapter 14. With only a half-day’s journey left on their odyssey, they will reach the City of Greyhawk (See Chapter 15).

Random Encounters

As previously mentioned, this campaign includes all encounters for the party within each chapter. However, if DMs feel that there should be additional random encounters, the following random encounter tables are provided for the Nyr Dyv, Midbay, and the Selintan River.

Dice Roll Encounter_______________

01-04 Men, Commoner 06-09 Men, Merchant 10-14 Men, Bandit 15-19 Men, Brigand 20-24 Men, Buccaneer 25-29 Men, Pirate 30-34 Men, Commoner 35-44 Men, Pilgrim 45-49 Men, Slave Radiers (3-6) 50-90 Gnolls 91-92 Ogres 93-94 Orcs (2-5) 95-96 Hill Giant 97 Wyvern 98 Dragon Turtle 99 Ettin 00 Roc

Endnotes

1 Hammock, Allen. (1980). The World of Greyhawk Gazetteer. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., p. 24. 2 Niles, Douglas. (1989). Greyhawk: Gem of the Flanaess. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., p. 33. 3 Hammock, Allen. (1980). The World of Greyhawk Gazetteer. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., p. 24. 4 Hammock, Allen. (1980). The World of Greyhawk Gazetteer. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., p. 24. 5 Niles, Douglas. (1989). Greyhawk: Gem of the Flanaess. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., p. 33. 6 Hammock, Allen. (1980). The World of Greyhawk Gazetteer. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., p. 24. 7 Reynolds, Sean K. & Chris Pramas. (2000). Slavers. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, p. 24.

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