TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

1

NecromancerGames

Third Edition Rules,First Edition Feel

TM

Product Update Password forTrouble at Durbenford: Corrigaz

This product requires the use of the Dungeons and Dragons® Player’s Handbook,

published by Wizards of the Coast®.This product utilizes updated material from the v.3.5 revision.

Author:Robert J. Schwalb

Developer: Bill Webb

Producer:Clark Peterson

Editor:Kevin Walker

Managing Editor:Andrew Bates

Art Director:Mike Chaney

Layout and Typesetting:Mike Chaney

Interior Art:Jim Nelson, Tyler Walpole, Brian LeBlanc, ErikRoman, Cara Mitten, Steve Ellis, Andrew Bates,Talon Dunning, Leif Jones, and Mike Chaney

Front Cover Art:David Day

Cartography:Ed Bourelle

Front & Back Cover Design:Mike Chaney

Playtesters:Zak Kendrik, Dan Heinrich, Stacee Smith, Eric Brinkley,Elizabeth Kendrik, Daren Gerenia, Troy Yost, Matt Lively,Joe Quarles, Henry Higgenbotham, Marc Quinn, MindyQuinn, Andy Welch, Jonathon “the Monkey King” Moore,B Todd, Thomas Adkins, Jon “Q” Parker, Daniel Young,Shane Coffey, Nate Summar, Chris Williams and Joseph“the younger” Quarles (hero points for all).

Special Thanks:Bill Webb and Clark Peterson for their commitmentto classic adventure gaming. To Scott Greene for theTome of Horrors, ENworld for being ENworld, toMatt and John for the use of the laptop during thefinal stages. Thanks to Chris and the rest of the crewat Temple Games, Dan and Zak for their overwhelm-ing support and expertise in playtesting, and to mywife Stacee for persevering whenever my life stops forwriting.

©2004 Clark Peterson, Necromancer Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the writtenpermission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. Necromancer Games, Necromancer Games, Inc. and theNecromancer Games logo, The Tomb of Abysthor, Bard’s Gate, Demons and Devils, The Crucible of Freya,The Wrath of Orcus, Rappan Athuk and The Dungeon of Graves are trademarks of Necromancer Games,Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places, items, art and text herein are copyrighted byNecromancer Games, Inc.Sword & Sorcery Studios and its logo, Creature Collection, Creature Collection2 and Relics and Rituals are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc., and are used by permission. “D20System” and the D20 System logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used under the termsof the D20 Trademark License. Dungeons and Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are trademarks ofWizards of the Coast, and are used in accordance with the Open Game License contained in the LegalAppendix. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to thetrademark or copyright concerned.This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elementsare fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised.Check out Necromancer Games online at http://www.necromancergames.comAnd check out the Sword and Sorcery Studio online at http://www.swordsorcery.com

PRINTED IN CANADA

CreditsTM

2

INTRODUCTION

Table of ContentsIntroduction 3

Wilderness Overview 10

Environs of Durbenford 19

Adventures in Durbenford 39

Baldenton & the Chimera’s Lair 53

Dyer’s Hamlet 60

Kal’Iguas Encounter Areas 69

Entrance Level: Whimpering Depths 72

Level Two: The Middle Chambers 85

Level Three: the Nanoc’s Prison 93

Return To Durbenford: Part One 99

Camp of the Loggers 102

Horrors of the Cold, Dark Earth 109

Return to Durbenford: Part Two 129

Under the City and to the Water Falls 140

The Errant Prince 153

Caer Durbenford 158

Confrontation and Final Resolution 166

NPC Appendix 169

New Item Appendix 193

New Monster Appendix 196

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

3

Introductionmately slowed the number of wicked who wouldotherwise be condemned to suffer in the burningpits of his subterranean empire. Rynas grantedonto mortals a means to improve their fates, totake control of their destinies and to combat thedemon’s servants. Orcus, in his endless hate of allthat is light and good, fashioned a mighty weaponcapable of killing his hated foe. Crafted from thebones of angels and quenched in the blood of thefirst godling he himself had killed, the sword ema-nated unspeakable sounds, the suffering screams oftormented dead with every swing. The length ofthe blade was milky white, etched with blasphe-mous words hateful to the ears of the good and themighty. Its hilt was the collarbone of a virtuouslillend and he bound the handle in scaly hide ofthe first couatl. For its pommel, he mounted theperpetually bleeding heart of a wyrmling golddragon. To complete its unspeakable evil, Orcusencased the sword in a scabbard of coagulatedunicorn blood, held in a semi-fluid state by thedemon-god’s hate.

With the weapon complete, Orcus gave the swordto Mal’Tagrithe, a newborn succubus, eager toplease her master. Orcus commanded his servantto carry the sword to the mortal world, for its merepresence would blight the land. In the hands of anevil warlord, he believed, the sword could slay thetitan Rynas and send the Material Plane back intothe chaotic frenzy of discord and woe as it wasbefore the titan’s influence.

Thus went forth the iniquitous Mal’Tagrithe,out of the yawning abyss, accompanied by ca-cophonous shouts and twittering shrieks of thedamned forming an unholy chorus for her flight.On wings of black scales, she rose from the depthsand came onto the world of mortals. The entireworld was hateful to her. Woodlands grew in per-fec t symmetry . Races to i led happi ly andside-by-side, each eager to please the other byoffering their natural talents to assist the whole.Rynas, that meddlesome titan, sat atop his moun-tain content with all he had wrought. When shetouched the soil, it burned her. The sun scorchedher, its rays a divine blessing. Laughter and joyfrom content mortal mouths deafened her for thedin was awful to her sinful ears. Thus, she fled fromthe gaze of Rynas to lands beyond his sight toplaces where creatures forsook the titan’s will.Bleak and inhospitable were these lands of looserock and debris, of stunted trees and choking weeds.In this dismal place, she looked for the championthat would wield Orcus’ sword.

In this warped realm of cold suffering was whereshe found Garathorn. This nefarious ogre bastard

Trouble at Durbenford is a mini campaign ad-venture designed for parties of four or morecharacters of at least 8th level. Inside this text isa blend of all three basic elements of adventure:wilderness, city, and above all dungeons.

While the adventure focuses on spar ingDurbenford from the dangers all around it, muchof the action occurs in the neighboring areas.Rumors fly everywhere of giant sightings from thefrozen lands north of the misty Kal’Iugus Moun-tains, strange lights have been seen in the ruins ofCaer Durben and something stirs in the old sanc-tuary now known as the Whimpering Depths. Tothe south, the woodcutters suffer from attacks bymysterious plant creatures, and spreading through-out the smaller communities is an insidious drugknown as higdne. To what degree are these thingsconnected? It is up to the heroes to separate thetangled threads to discover the truth about whatexactly is behind the trouble in Durbenford.

This module fully details the town of Durbenfordand all of its environs. From the ancient dungeonof Whimpering Depths, to the sewers beneath thetown, to the crumbling castle atop Mount Rynas,the module details every pertinent locale. By theconclusion of Trouble at Durbenford, startingparties of about six 8th-level characters shouldreach 14th level. Functioning as a stand-alonemega-adventure or in conjunction with many otherfine Necromancer Games adventures this adven-ture promises to provide months of exciting gameplay.

Adventure BackgroundLegends speak of a time when the world was young,

before the seeds of distrust were sown between elves anddwarves, before orcs were condemned to the dark placesin the earth, when man first brushed the sand of creationfrom his eyes and when great Rynas walked the earth. Atitan, perhaps, Rynas was more than mortal, but less thana deity. His powers were far beyond the ken of mortals; hecould raise mountains, form lakes where none lay before,seed forests and breathe life into the nostrils of the dead.Despite his might, instead of lording over the short-livedraces, he chose to guide mortals. He taught them to workmetal for tools, the ability to cultivate the land and mostnotably, to harness fire. Mortals prospered under hisfatherly attentions. Art, philosophy and literature flour-ished. Yet, all empires fall, and though his intensionswere noble, he had a flawed understanding of evil’scapacity to wreak havoc.

Orcus, the gluttonous demon god of the dead,hated Rynas as the titan’s improvements stalledmortal wars, quelled their selfish desires, and ulti-

4

INTRODUCTION

had never before known love; nor was he contentto be subject to what he perceived of Rynas’ do-minion as a tyrannical ruler. Mal’Tagrithe seducedthe mortal –it was an easy task— and bade him toraise an army that would blot the light from thesky. He succumbed to her wiles and took up theevil blade, vowing to raze Rynas’ lands, despoil hispeople, and kill the titan himself. Garathorn gath-ered to himself legions of vulgar fiends. Wickedmen, troglodytes, trolls, evil giants and dragons allcame to him for the power of the sword made himmighty indeed. In a mere decade, Garathorn gath-ered a great host around himself, so great, theirnumbers covered all the lands for miles around,counting more than the stars in the sky. His bleaklegions marched onto the lands of Rynas, preparedto destroy the venerable titan, his people, and allhis works.

Rynas, blinded by his successes, had failed toforesee Orcus’ hatred and the demon god’s powerto affect the Material Plane. Moreover, his inabil-ity to recognize mortal corruption prevented himfrom anticipating the approaching armies. Thus,when Garathorn invaded, great tears fell from hiseyes forming rivers and lakes throughout the lands.His beloved mortals fell like wheat to the scythe.His cities burned, his lands despoiled and his peoplefled before Garathorn as he cut a swathe throughthe realm.

Angered by the invasion, Orcus’ corruptionstirred Rynas to violence. He descended from hismountain home, his steps causing mountains to

tremble, rivers to flow backwards,and the sky to weep

tears of blood.He traveled

through the ruin of his realm and called his sub-jects to himself, invoking them to ready for war.Dwarves shouldered arms, elves readied bows, andmen mounted their mighty steeds. All races serv-ing him grew brave in their hearts as they witnessedtheir beloved shepherd grow angrier every passingof the sun and each life sold to the thirsty sword ofGarathorn. When his numbers almost equaledthose of the hateful host, Rynas confronted thewicked Garathorn on the field of battle.

The two armies met with a clash, spilling red and blackblood slaking the thirsty earth. Thousands died by thestroke, yet none could defeat Garathorn as long as hebore the evil blade. Rynas waded through Garathorn’sservants to cleave to the dark warlord. Mal’Tagrithe,seeing the titan’s intent, quit the field of battle to hidefrom the titan’s wrath, fearing her own destruction, butelated by the materialization of Orcus’ will. Garathorn,having made a vow to end the titan’s reign, met theimmortal bravely shouting curses and blasphemous words.With Orcus’ sword raised, the ogre charged his foe, yetRynas met the ogre lord bravely with hands bare. Forthree years, the two battled while the melee swelledaround them. All of creation trembled as they struggledfor dominance. On the last day of the third year ofconflict, Garathorn thrust the sword into the heart ofRynas, but not before Rynas wrapped his great handsabout the ogre’s neck, choking the life from his foe. Bothdropped to the earth dead, stars dropped from on high,wails of lamentation poured from both of the gatheredhosts. Their leaders fallen, the two armies dispersed backto their own homes maddened with horror and fearfilling their hearts for what they had wrought. Descend-ing from above, some say, a gentle angel serving Muirgathered the remains of good

Rynas and bore him to

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

5

the great mountain of the world. Attempt as she might,she was unable to pluck the sword from the titan’s heart.Thus, she fashioned from Rynas’ body a vessel in whichto contain that evil blade. Once crafted, the body ofRynas formed into an unearthly ark known forever afteras the Nanoc, the vessel in the Celestial tongue.

Few now know whatever became of the sword orwhere it finally rested. One possibility is that Muirherself enclosed the wicked blade inside the Nanocand buried the container in a vault at the bottomof the great mountain so named after the formertitan. Others claim Orcus himself drew forth theblade and bequeathed it onto a favored general,who lies in wait for Rynas’ return. Fewer still claimthe giants of the far north inherited the sword, andnow stirred to war with the soft humans south ofthe Kal’Iugus to plunge the lands into conflictonce again. Regardless of the myths, the true fateof the sword and its vessel had been lost throughthe ages, until now.

Now, years later, beneath the heights of theKal’Iugus Mountains lies a pristine lake now calledRynas’ Tears. Snowmelt waterfalls and an under-ground sea feed this stretch of water, and in themists of the spilling cold water are bright rainbowsof startling beauty. Overlooking the lake on thesouthern shore is Durbenford, the center of thisadventure, and the home the heroes must save.

Current DevelopmentsThe city of Durbenford stands on the fateful land

where the titan met the champion of darkness allthose eons ago. Once again, the town faces a strugglethat threatens to destroy it and all the lands nearby.Thanks to the various power players who have ahand in the disruptions, the battle for the town is amany-fronted one.

Groembu and the Wyld WoodDurbenford is a good-size community, a large town in

fact, but it is only successful due to its extensive loggingindustry forming the basis of its economy. Despite theirlongstanding successes, recent disruptions and attacks atthe worksites in the Wyld Woods threaten the lifeblood ofthis town. The mounting costs to maintain the work in theface of these dangers, if unabated will bankrupt the town.

As Durbenford supplies the kingdom with lumber, theruler, Lord Marcus Durben, fears a royal condemnationand a potential removal from his post for perceived mis-handling of the industry, despite his sparing of no expenseto conceal the escalating problem from his betters. Worseyet, King Ulrich’s second son, Prince Geoffrey, is due toarrive in a week for reasons unknown; Durben suspects theLord knows about the failing lumber operations.

What is actually at stake is that a druid, Groembu,dispatches his corrupt minions to wage war on the wood-

cutters, believing, erroneously, that they are stealing hisprecious supply of higdne. Angered beyond reason, heemploys an army of gnolls, nilbogs, and fiendish treants tosabotage the worker’s efforts to contain the Wyld Wood.As the attacks increase, the economy grows less stable andchaos begins to take hold throughout the land.

King UlrichThe good king of the Northern Kingdom recently

learned of a very real and dangerous threat to his lands inthe form of a vast army of giants and their berserkerhuman warriors. The attack is immanent, but Ulrichdoes not have the ready resources to mount a suitabledefense against the invasion. Driven to desperation tobuild the necessary resources he sent out his couriers tofind a way in secret to gather coin quickly in a reasonablematter. He discounted such ideas of hunting for dragons,battling weird and wealthy cults or any of the other suchnonsense. Worse still, if he announced the danger andsuddenly raised taxes, merchants would flee back toother lands to ply their trade elsewhere in a friendlierenvironment.

At wits end, and about out of ideas, Ulrich wasready to increase taxes and do what he wanted todo least, until an agent of a secret society, the GreyRook Guild, approached him. This agent informedhim of a new drug found in the Wyld Wood thatboosted the peasants’ productivity without ad-verse physical affects. The increased productionleads to increased raw materials that could then beused to meet demands in foreign lands lending toa quick surplus in revenue. Of course, the long-term effects would be damaging, by glutting themarket with an overabundance of goods, but Ulrichwas more concerned with a short-term increase. Inaddition, increased productivity supplies more rawmaterials cheaper and easier to procure, thus lend-ing to cheaper fortifications, siege weaponry,armaments, and food. Ulrich, swallowing his dis-taste for the threat it placed on the working class,agreed to develop the drug on a trial run basis. If hesaw success, then he would agree to distribute thedrug throughout his kingdom.

HigdneHigdne (phonetically: HIG-dih-NAY) is a plant

found only in the heart of Wyld Woods. Normallythe plant has no effect if eaten other than being amild stimulant. However, when the root of theplant is treated by fey essence derived from extrac-tion tanks, it changes to a blue color. People whoeat this root after it has been infused can work foran exceedingly long periods (in effect conferringthe Endurance feat), while gradually eroding theirindividual wills, draining 1 point of permanentCharisma to a minimum of 3, per week of use. Forpetty lords with serf populations, the drug is an

6

INTRODUCTION

incredible asset, for it doubles and even triples theproductivity of their workers. Consequently, thereis a growing market among the noble classes for useof the drug on their serf populations. Even thoughthese nobles distribute it in secret, and then onlyin isolated communities due to its unavailabilityand associated dangers, the drug has seen remark-able success thus far. An example communityinundated with higdne is Dyer’s Hamlet, a sadtown corrupted by a noble’s greed.

The Grey Rook GuildThe Grey Rook Guild, through secret negotia-

tion with the “good” King Ulrich IX, now searchesfor the means to cultivate this plant in areas otherthan the Wyld Wood, to see its widespread usethroughout the kingdom. Considering their mo-nopoly on the commodity, regular demand wouldmake them the most powerful criminal organiza-tion in the land. None of this will happen unlessthe Guild can unlock the secrets of growing theroot.

To achieve this information, the Guild pur-chased all the smaller woodcutter companies inDurbenford and united them under a conglomer-ate called Udare and Sons to be the loggers’principle management company. While runningoperations as normal, specially trained infiltra-tors, called harvesters, can break into Groembu’slair to learn what they can about higdne, whilestealing specimens for distribution.

GiantsThe giants are indeed a threat to all of the

Northern Kingdom, but not as pressing a threat asbelieved by the king. The giants are musteringtheir forces to enslave the Northern Kingdom asdecreed by their witch doctors. However, they arenot to strike until Garathorn, the first giant, re-turns to them bearing the sword helring.

CorrigazAnother local threat sources from the Fetid Plain, a

vast swamp to the east of Durbenford. Deep in the blackheart of this land is an ancient evil, Corrigaz, once thegreatest druid in the land, now a foul undead overlord.Containing him are three brave rangers, known as themire wardens. However, Dyers’ Stream, a boundary ofthe swamp, is becoming poisonous, and some believethat the toxins originate from the bog.

Caer DurbenOther folk bel ieve that the problems in

Durbenford stem from the old ruins of Caer Durben,sitting high in the mountain peaks. Everyone knows

that the castle is cursed since the old Lady killedthe rightful ruler of the land. Legends claim ghostshaunt the citadel and fell things walk unashamedin the light of the son.

The Fat ManNot all of Durbenford’s problems stem from ex-

ternal sources and not all threaten the city. Thetown is home to many good and just people, butthere are a few, including Lord Durben himself,that are as corrupt as can be. The Fat Man has ruledDurbenford’s underworld unopposed for years, untilthe Grey Rook Guild set up shop. Small conflictshave plagued the city since, but nothing too overt.Any thief on the street feels the pressure of the rivalguilds and most say war is near. The Fat Manmaintains his power by blackmailing Lord Durbenabout some dark skeletons the lord has in his closet.Thus far, Durben has paid the fees and compliedwith the Guildmaster’s wishes, but his patience isending.

Lady AlliaraLord Durben’s wife, Lady Alliara, had a bastard

son in secret, and has lived with the shame foryears. Her marriage to the town’s ruler is strainedat best, his depraved appetites forming a wedgebetween the two. After his abuses and his crimesagainst the populace, Alliara’s grief has led her tohire an assassin to kill her husband. What she doesnot know is that the hired killer has friends whowould rule the city themselves.

The Band of the Bloody MoonGreble, the assassin hired by Alliara, works with

an evil adventuring group known as the Band ofthe Bloody Moon. They have planned on takingover the city. They have not been able to devise asuitable path to achieving their goals until Grebleinformed them of his newest mark. Now thatDurben’s life is in jeopardy, the Band believestheir ascension to the throne to be at hand.

Other ThreatsAside from the layers of treachery, sins, and intrigues,

many other creatures would seize the city for their owndark purposes. A cult recruits new members from thedecadent youth of the Nobles’ Quarter. The seepagefrom the Whimpering Depths causes all manner ofdespicable creatures venture forth from the depths of theUnderdark. Grimlocks, aranea and worse spill out fromthe depths to take hold of new lands. Orcs, feelingthreatened by the giants have taken a valley in theKal’Iugus, frost worms venture further south than everbefore. Is there no end to the dangers facing Durbenford?

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

7

Who is Behind All This?Mortal races have all but forgotten the wars of

their earliest of histories. The name of the titan isnothing more than myth, speculation and the ba-sis of many a legend. However, remaining in theMaterial Plane is the final witness to those war-torn days. Mal’Tagrithe has waited through thecenturies fearing to return to Orcus’ realm withouthis mighty sword. Even she never learned whathappened to the blade, and thus she has remainedin the mortal world, assuming guise after guise,quietly corrupting and secretly plotting until fiveyears ago, when she met Prince Geoffrey.

Mal’Tagrithe’s most recent form is in the guiseof a powerful merchant’s daughter. The merchant,a dealer in slaves and assassins in a sickened cityfar to the south, is unaware of his daughter’s mur-der and subsequent rep lacement by theshape-changing succubus. Power-hungry and cor-rupted by hidden desires, Jacques Ul’gae, themerchant prince, desired to extend his tradingempire into the verdant northlands. Therefore,when Prince Geoffrey arrived, his hopes for ex-pansion seemed to be at hand.

Prince Geoffrey, a scholar of ancient history,had always yearned to be more than just the sec-ond son to the good King Ulrich IX. He felt heshould be the rightful heir instead of his idiotbrother Prince Michael. In his frustration, heturned to knowledge to find a means to assume thethrone. His thirst for learning carried him through-out the lands, from exotic desert lands to the JadeHouses in the Far East. He traveled and unraveledmany of the mysteries of the universe. Finally,after years of exploration, his travels led him tothe bleak lands far to the south near the fabled pitsof Rappan Athuk, and to the city Braktu, a placeof corruption unlike any other. Braktu allows opentemples to Orcus, the Lord of Undeath, whereundead serve the living. Life is cheap and mean-ingless, and pleasure and pain are commodities forsale. Geoffrey came to this place and was enam-ored by its ability to fulfill any desire, no matterhow depraved. After a short time there, he metyoung Jessica, daughter of the Ul’gae consortium,and secret succubus in disguise.

Their relationship quickly descended into thedepths of sickness and vice, where her wiles firmlyenchained young Geoffrey. He spoke to her of all hehad learned of the history of the world. Normally hebored her, but she was intrigued when he told her ofthe legends of the Kal’Iugus Mountains, the ru-mored resting place of the fabled Nanoc. She alsoknew of Geoffrey’s quandary about his resentmentof his brother and his secret designs to expand hispower. Furthermore, her “father” craved the wealth

of the northlands, but feared his style of businesswould be unwelcome to the lords who ruled there.From these three threads, Jessica devised a plan toretrieve the sword indirectly, gain the throne forGeoffrey and sow enough discord to make way forthe merchant prince’s designs. She could destabi-lize the world, return the sword to Orcus, and growpowerful in the dark god’s favor.

She explained to Geoffrey that she could granthim the throne in exchange for two things. First,she must bear his child. Geoffrey hesitated at thisrequest, knowing the dangers that a bastard childwould pose to his family’s dynasty. However,Mal’Tagrithe was an expert at seduction andachieving her goals, so Geoffrey relented and per-formed the task. Second, he was to retrieve theNanoc from its resting place. Geoffrey, not want-ing to soil his hands with such base work as that,planned to hire a band of gullible heroes to re-trieve the artifact and bring it to him under thepretense that he was serving the Church and itsinterests.

Jessica then turned to her father and explainedto him that she was pregnant with the young lord’sson. The merchant, sensing the fruition of his evildesires at hand, demanded that Geoffrey wed hisdaughter, thereby assuring the introduction neededto expand his mercantile empire in the NorthernKingdoms. Geoffrey, unable to comply, fled backto his homeland to the safety of his people, butnever forgetting the deal he had struck with thesuccubus. In accordance with her plans, the mer-chant was outraged and plotted to kill not onlyGeoffrey, but the father as well. Jessica recom-mended that the merchant establish assassins in aremote town of Durbenford, for she knew the townwas close to the resting place of the Nanoc andGeoffrey would eventually make an appearancethere. When the prince arrived, they could kidnapthe prince thereby luring the king to the town.Once the king had arrived, they kill the king andthe prince, and pave the way for the bastard son torule the northlands.

In addi t ion to the danger s o f fu l f i l l ingMal’Tagrithe’s goals, Durbenford has other prob-lems that surface if word spreads that PrinceGeoffrey is en route. This town is in serious jeop-ardy. Udare and Sons is a front for the Grey RookGuild, a widespread criminal organization bent onmaking a profit by addicting serfs and peasants ona drug known as higdne.

The druid Groembu, who is himself addicted tothe narcotic and is the only one who knows how tomanufacture it, stymied their plans. As the GreyRook Guild’s agents move to infiltrate his hold-ings, he has responded with violence, by attackingwhat he erroneously believes is their actual entire

8

INTRODUCTION

organization: the innocent loggers. Attacks fromstrange beasts and plant creatures have increasedin frequency until it has almost completely stalledthe operations. However, it has done little to haltthe theft of his specimens. The situation is terriblyentrenched, ultimately threatening the prosperityof the town. Worse yet, the Grey Rook Guild iscoming closer to unlocking the secret of higdne. Ifsuccessful, they could open the door to widespreaduse of this oppressive agent despoiling the lowerclasses all for a few coins of extra profit. Of course,none of this matters, if the adventurers hand overthe Nanoc to Prince Geoffrey, which they un-doubtedly will.

How to Use This ModuleTrouble at Durbenford may appear at first glance

to be a difficult adventure to run given the sheervolume of plots and players involved, but withadequate preparation, you should have no troublein weaving a story that is sure to frustrate andexcite any player. The first thing you should do isto familiarize yourself with the book. The latterchapters follow a more linear style of play and so aonce over is probably okay. However, the firstchapters are event and setting driven. The playersmay explore and interact with any of the NPCs orencounter areas described therein. Thus, prepared-ness cannot be understated. It will enhance theenjoyment of yourself and your players.

This adventure, as other adventures of its ilk,assume the world in which the adventurers ex-plore exists apart from the characters, so manylocations may prove to be too powerful for thecharacters to handle, while others may seem to beexceedingly simple. By presenting a diverse palateof encounters and situations, players avoid thehumdrum experience of kicking down doors andkilling everything in sight. They learn to respectthe environment in which they play and developrelationships with the NPCs they meet. If an en-counter is too difficult for the heroes, they shouldretreat and remember the encounter so that whenthey are better prepared, they can go back whenthey are ready.

Even though a large portion of this campaign isleft to the PCs to explore as they wish, the morethey discover the more linear the adventure be-comes. They may explore some of the countryside,the smaller towns, become embroiled in the eventsfound in those locations, but ultimately they willreturn to Durbenford. Once they agree to retrievethe Nanoc, situations start to fall in line, and theheroes find themselves in a struggle to beat seem-ingly inevitable end of the town.

The final piece of advice offered deals withimprovisation. Improvising is the secret strength

of all the best DMs. No one can anticipate everycharacter’s action. The players may refuse to takethe Nanoc out from the Whimpering Depths, oronce there, given up after they face the devaguarding the sanctuary. Feel free to modify por-tions of the campaign to suit your needs anddemands placed upon you by the ever-unpredict-able players. Furthermore, feel free to expand theadventure as you see fit. It is entirely possible thatthe heroes fail to stop Mal’Tagrithe and Garathorntakes the sword to his waiting legions of giants. Acompletely new high-level campaign could evolveout of the mistakes made in this adventure. Ulti-mately, once you run this adventure, the detailsare yours to adjust and manipulate as you see fit.

Read-Aloud TextThere are very few read-aloud text blocks in this

adventure. The reason for this is that it allows youto determine what the party sees and hears basedon the circumstances of the encounter. Look forroom details in the first paragraph of the encoun-ter descriptions for a paraphrase of what is actuallyin the area.

Where text boxes are present, they convey im-portant information as told to party by an NPC.Read or paraphrase these boxes as you like, chang-ing tone to fit your conception of the NPC. A wayto improve these readings is to affect a certainposture or stance to make the NPC memorable tothe players.

Encounter TypesThere are three types of encounters in this ad-

venture.Random Encounters: These encounters enhance

play by introducing a non-scripted element to theadventure. You can select or roll randomly theseencounters, as you deem appropriate.

Event Encounters: An event encounter occursat a particular moment in the adventure or whencertain conditions have been met. Feel free tomodify these conditions as needed, based on thecircumstances in the adventure.

Keyed Encounters: These encounters happenat a particular location (such as a room, lair, or anoutdoor location), whenever the characters go tothat place. Most locations are fully developed, buta few are ambiguous for you to flesh out as needed.

NotationAll of the descriptions in this adventure are

titled with either just a number or a letter andnumber combination that indicates where orwhen an encounter is to be used. Keyed Encoun-ters include a letter referring to the map key and

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

9

a number referring to the area or room withinthat location. Dungeon levels are noted in asimilar manner, except that the first numberrefers to the level, while the second number,after the dash, refers to the room on that level(i.e. Area 1-4; a location on the first level of theDungeon, the fourth room). Event encountersalways use a number.

Starting the AdventurePrince Geoffrey draws the heroes into the quag-

mire of Durbenford’s plight, to have them find andretrieve the Nanoc. When they succeed, they areto wait for the Prince’s arrival in the town. There,they discover problems plaguing the town rangingfrom frequent attacks at their worksites to thesurfacing of some strange narcotic among the com-moners. While there in Durbenford, the heroesfeel compelled to put the problems of the moun-tain town to rest before the Prince arrives, lestthose with a stake in Durbenford find themselvesin a far more damaging situation to their respec-tive positions of power. All of these plots weavetogether to form a grand adventure spanning fromthe deepest dungeons to the most intricate ofintrigues.

Adapting the AdventureAgainst the default party size in the d20 system,

Trouble at Durbenford recommends parties of 6 or morecharacters. In first edition, many modules were designedfor as many as 8 to 10 characters! In an effort to restorethe flavor of those bygone days, this adventure is some-what more difficult than others are. If the adventuringparty has less than 6 characters, or of 6th-7th level, theywill need to rest more between encounters. Reduce thelikelihood of random encounters, and in some cases,reduce the number of monsters in keyed areas. Adven-turers of less than 6th level ought not to attempt thechallenges within these pages until they achieve a moresuitable level. To supplement deficiencies, encouragecharacters to take the Leadership feat or hire mercenar-ies to buttress their weaknesses.

SettingAs with all Necromancer Games products, the dun-

geons, wilderness and city presented here may all beadapted to fit into any existing campaign world with justa little effort. Locations, politics, and timelines are allvague to maximize adaptability to your own personalcampaign setting. Feel free to substitute any of your owngods and nations or political back-story for those used inthis module.

Vagueness aside, wherever you place this adventure, itis critical to locate Durbenford near a large body of water,a mountain range, a swamp, and a forest. This may bedifficult to find such a place in your personal setting ofchoice. Thus, if the locations are farther apart than thosepresented in this adventure are, you may need to add atown or two, expand encounter tables, and so on. Re-gardless, these changes should be minimal and occupyvery little of your time.

Monsters and StatisticsMonsters encountered in this module are all located in

appendices in an abbreviated “stat block” format, providingthe DM with the basic information he or she needs to run theencounter. Unique creatures, such as advanced monsters orthose with character levels feature a more substantial statisticblock. Refer to the MM or Tome of Horrors when moredetails as needed. New creatures not found in the MM or inthe Tome of Horrors receive a full entry in the MonsterAppendix.

A note on wandering monsters: Wandering monstersare part of the adventuring experience. Players expect toface a random troll when exploring a mountainside, orperhaps a rust monster when plumbing the depths of acavern system. Use them. However, use them withcaution. Wandering monsters should never be morepowerful than standard, site-based, or timed encounters.Use wandering monsters with more frequently if theparty has less experience points than needed to attemptthe next chapter. You should also use them as a means topresent a party with a vital piece of equipment or simplyto keep them on their toes. Where relevant in thismodule, frequency and details are included along withthe wandering monsters.

10

WILDERNESS OVERVIEW

The lands surrounding Durbenford are vibrant,filled with industrious loggers, woodsmen and pros-pectors. There are plenty of monstrous types lurkingin the shadows of the Wyld Wood, swimming be-neath the cerulean waters of Rynas’ Tears andfinding purchase in the snow-capped peaks of theKal’Iugus Mountains. It is important to rememberDurbenford and its environs are thriving with lifeand activity. Many wandering creatures roam theselands making much of it unsafe for careless explora-tion. Other locations, such as those areas lyingcloser to the towns and hamlets of this frontierland, have a greater number of farms and home-steads with frequent travelers, thereby making theseplaces somewhat tamer than the more brooding andsecretive areas.

This chapter outlines and describes all of theimportant locations surrounding the town fromwhich the adventure gets its name. However, manyof the sites noted here receive detail in the suc-ceeding chapters. Though information on theKal’Iugus Mountains is here, the details coveringCaer Durben lie in a later chapter. The LoggerCamp and the Druids Grove also receive their ownsections as the story unfolds.

Encounter Area OverviewThe environs of Durbenford feature many excit-

ing locations, ripe for adventure. Some locationsfit within the unfolding story as detailed in theIntroduction, while others exist as sidetracks, mini-adventures to prepare the heroes for the adventuresto come. What follows is a summary of the keyareas relevant to the development of Trouble atDurbenford. Refer to Map A for details on place-ment of these features.

1. Whimpering Depths (EL 8–10): This loca-tion marks the beginning of the Trouble atDurbenford campaign. Here is the resting placefor the Nanoc and the sword it purportedly holds.See Whimpering Depths for details on this largedungeon sprawl.

2. Camp of the Bloody Moon (EL 14): The eviladventuring party’s encampment and base of op-erations, where they plot and plan their wickedschemes.

3. Orc Staging Ground (EL 13): Orcs bandtogether here to defend against grimlock and tro-glodyte incursions. In addition, they ready for waragainst the giants, whom they suspect plan to in-vade. Of course, if a few human towns are burnedalong the way, so much the better.

4. Chimera’s Lair (EL 9): The chimera lairsnear the Baldenton. Though none of the residents

are aware of it, a foolish youth awakens it from itscenturies-long slumber. Now released from its slum-ber, it finds Durbenford a good place to begineating.

5. Woodcutters’ Camp (EL 10): This is the siteof the recent attacks against the forestry companyUdare and Sons. Refer to the appropriate chapterfor more details on this location.

6. Druid’s Grove (EL 11): Home and lair of thedespicable Groembu, the corrupted druid who manu-factures higdne to sate his own perverse desires. Thisarea receives its own chapter, called Horrors of theCold Dark Earth.

7. The Falls (EL 12): The lair of the dragonturtle, Old Gar, and secret hideout for the GreyRook Guild, the heroes confront their enemy inthe chapter detailing Durbenford’s sewers and theFalls.

8. Caer Durben (EL 13): The succubusMal’Tagrithe’s lair and base of operations. It isfrom here that the demoness orchestrates her vileplots. This location is where the final confronta-tion occurs between the heroes and the shadeGarathorn.

Other Significant Wilderness Areas

Villages and TownsDurbenford: The centerpiece of this mega-ad-

venture, Durbenford is the largest community inthe area. As the only mark of civilization in thefrontier of the far Northern Kingdom, it is a popu-lar trade hub and economic backbone for the entirearea. Udare and Sons, the logging company is afront in this town for the insidious Grey RookGuild.

Baldenton: This town is a small community ofidyllic farmers, specializing in hardy fruit and veg-etables. Even though the Grey Rook guild hasspies in this community, it has not yet introducedhigdne to its population.

Dyer’s Hamlet: A filthy hamlet of a declining popu-lation, its ruling body is entirely corrupt. The centraleconomy of this bleak place is its one textile factory,whose workers are all addicted to higdne. Aside from thethieves of the Grey Rooks, Dyer’s Hamlet is home toquite a number of despicable folk.

RiversBranching off from Rynas’ Tears, the great lake,

are three rivers: Gareth’s Run, Dyer’s Stream andthe Forben Brook.

Gareth’s Run: Traveling west by southwest, thetown Baldenton stands on its shores. This river

Wilderness Overview

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

11

flows at a gentle pace, its bed littered with sharp,broken chunks of rock and other less identifiableobjects, relics from an older era. Minnows swim inabundance through the waters, while freshwatercrayfish harvest the bed for algae, trash and otherdetritus.

Dyer’s Stream: This sluggish river travels to thesouth. Between Durbenford and Dyer’s Hamlet, thewater is clean and clear. However, after Dyer’s Hamlet,all manner of filth and waste clog the river, making itinhospitable, foul and unfit for consumption by any.Brown weeds grow along the river along with an abun-dance of cattails and marsh reeds. From time to time, PCsspot the carcass of a creature, poisoned by Dyer’s Hamlet’spollution. Several miles after Dyer’s Hamlet, the streamclears a bit, but the waters have a decidedly acrid taste.Drinking the water closest to Dyer’s Hamlet requires theimbiber to make a Fortitude Save (DC 18) or the waterdeals 1d2 points of temporary Con damage. The victimmust attempt another save in 1 minute against the sameDC or the water deals an additional 1d4 points oftemporary Con damage. The nature of the poison wateris due to the pollutants from the hamlet.

Forben Brook: Running due east and circlingthe easternmost boundaries of the Wyld Wood, isForben Brook, a tempestuous stretch of water with

rapids, eddies and being very dangerous for boat-ing. A good size waterfall marks where the Brookmakes its way to the southeast, proving to be adanger to careless boatmen. Bear can be seen fish-ing for the salmon swimming up against the streamduring mating season at Aegelof’s Falls.

Wilderness RegionsAside from the specific locations, five basic

regions comprise the wilderness surroundingDurbenford: the Farmlands, Rynas’ Tears, the WyldWood, the Fetid Plain and the Kal’Iugus Moun-tains. Each region has its own wandering monstertable included in its descriptions.

FarmlandThe majority of the land south and west of

Durbenford is flat and gently rolling farmland.From on high, the hills and lowlands seem to be apatchwork quilt of industry. Most of the trees havebeen cut in these lands, providing a suitable areafor farming, grazing, and cultivation.

Farmers: Most of the people who claim to be farmerslive and work on acres of communal farms. Peasants ownstretches of farmland, but make use of community barns,silos and stables. Each peasant’s livestock bear their

12

WILDERNESS OVERVIEW

owner’s mark; the peasants brand them at the time ofpurchase. As most peasants are illiterate, the symbolsmust be creative and distinctive. The nearness andcooperation engendered from such a system encouragesteamwork and friendliness between the farmers. Whendisagreements arise, it is customary for the parties tosummon a magistrate of agriculture from a nearby townto resolve their troubles. As his judgments are rarely fairfor either side, most disputes are resolved at a local level,but rarely with violence.

Travel: As this area is largely a frontier, there are notmany established roads, though many trails and pathscrisscross the fields throughout the area, allowing easytravel by foot or by mount. Fishing and merchant vesselstravel up and down Dyer’s Stream, but rarely Forben’sBrook and never Gareth’s Run, given how rough thewaters. In the case of the former, PCs may purchasepassage at a fair price of 2 gp per person and 3 gp per horse.Most boats plying the rivers are little more than skiffs andbarges, not suitable for any extended voyage.

Specific Wandering MonstersKing’s Guard Patrol: King Ulrich dispatches small

bands of guardsmen to patrol the land, maintain law andorder and ensure the King’s Will is done. When encoun-tered, the King’s Guard engages in light conversation,once they establish that the heroes intend no ill will. TheKing’s Guard exchanges news, information and perhapsa few swigs from a wineskin before moving on to surveythe land. See the NPC Appendix for details.

Pilgrims: In these dark times, many folk undertakepilgrimages to pay homage to the gods in the hopes ofabsolution for their sins. Pilgrims, in this area are either

heading towards Durbenford or away from Durbenford(50% chance of either) as their goal is the Temple of theShattered Sword. Though the pilgrims detailed in theNPC Appendix are commoners, you could include NPCsof any class or levels if the heroes need a fortuitous ally.The pilgrims know the lay of the land and can help lostPCs regain their way.

Shepherd: Overseeing a large flock (1d10+5 sheep),the shepherd is watchful for predators and thieves. Heknows quite a bit about the lay of the land, and is a willingguide, if the heroes do not mind the company of a fewsheep. See the NPC Appendix for details.

Merchant: This band of travelers is either heads to orfrom an urban community. Watchful for bandits or mon-sters, they are defensive and suspicious. If these NPCshead towards a city, they have one wagon full of finishedcommodities, such as rope, trail rations, lanterns (yourchoice). If they travel away from an urban center, theycarry gold (100 gp). See the NPC Appendix for details.

Bandits: The goblins near Durbenford are espe-cially nasty and organized. Trained by an expatriatenoble turned thief, these villains are the bane ofthe smaller communities. The bandits prey uponmerchant caravans; only in the direst of circum-stances do they attack farmsteads. See the NPCAppendix for details.

Herd Animal: This encounter can consist of anynormal herd animal, such as sheep, horses, cattleor whatever else you may desire. The herd does notattack PCs and likely ignores them.

Shadow mastiffs: Attacking only at night, thesefoul creatures prey upon wounded travelers. No oneknows from where they hail, but the sounds of theirbaying fills most common folk with fear and dread.See the MM for details.

Dire wolves: This pack prowls the night, scav-enging for food. They avoid the shadow mastiffs,as they have learned to respect their power. Theonly attack if they perceive the party is weakened.See the MM for details.

Gnolls: A small band of gnolls prowls the ver-dant lands, moving about to avoid attack by apatrol, ambush by the bandits, or vengeful slaugh-ter by hired adventurers. They eagerly attack smallparties, but retreat if half of their numbers areslain. See the MM for details.

Vampire spawn: These undead horrors broke freefrom the perimeter guard of mire rangers, and walk theland in search of fresh blood. Every week of game timeafter the heroes begin adventuring in this area, theirnumbers increase by 1d2. Once the pack has beendefeated, treat further instances of this encounter as NoEncounter. See the MM for details.

Trolls: These trolls hunt for food. Being brutishand warlike, they fight to the death. See the MMfor details.

Farmland Wandering MonstersDay

Roll 1d20 once per day on the following chart.1. 1d6 King’s Guard Patrol2-3. 1d4 Pilgrims4-5. Shepherd and flock6-9. Merchant Caravan (Ftr 3, War 1 [x3], Exp 4)10. 1d6+2 Bandits11-12. Herd Animal13-20. No Encounter.

NightRoll 1d20 once a night on the following chart. Encoun-ters can occur 1d4+2 hours past sunset.1-2. 1d2 shadow mastiffs3-4. 1d3+1 dire wolves5-6. 1d6+10 gnolls7. 1d2 vampire spawn8. 1d2 trolls9. 1d8+2 Bandits plus leader10-20. No Encounter.

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

13

Rynas’ TearsWaterfalls generated by the snowmelt from the

mountain heights form this magnificent lake,stretching over twenty miles across and at least 8miles wide. Smooth stones make up the bed of thelake. Home to several species of fish, otters andwaterfowl, it provides a good source of food and rawmaterials for the people of Durbenford. The water isfor the most part clean, as the three watercoursesdrain off waste and other hazardous contaminantsdownstream. Reeds and algae clot the wharfs nearthe town, but the water is cleaner away from shore.

The master of the lake is Old Gar, an ancientdragon turtle, who spends more time hibernatingin his lair than much of anything else. The dragonturtle lives in a cave at the base of the mountainsat about the center of the chain, a spot where thewater is deepest. Old Gar’s cavern leads to a sys-tem of caverns where the water from the peaksruns through old lava tubes to pour forth fromvarious tunnels to feed the lake itself. The GreyRook Guild uses these caves as a secret meetingplace; details are included in the Chapter entitledUnder the City and to the Falls. The dragonturtle, good natured and intelligent, if just a bitsenile, is not hostile towards the Grey Rook Guildagents. They claim they are explorers and areinterested in the caves above, as many interestinggeological formations exist there. In exchange forOld Gar’s tolerance and permission to enter andleave the caves at their whim, the thieves do notattempt to pilfer from his treasure.

Wandering MonstersThere are no wandering monsters on the lake,

though the shores are just as likely to have en-counters as anywhere else. Refer to the appropriatelocation for details on such threats as needed.

Wyld Wood (Avg. EL 7–8)The Wyld Wood is a verdant stretch of mixed

woods. The northern portion of the forest is pre-dominately coniferous, consisting of pine andspruce mostly. As the forest grows further to thesouth, other deciduous trees grow in dominance.Here oaks, maples, beech and more all grow inprofusion.

In the northern bands, there is precious littleundergrowth, most of it having been smothered bysoft brown needles. Again, the further south, thegreater the density of the foliage, until at the veryextent of the southern borders, the forest is virtu-ally impassable.

For the most part, the Wyld Wood is flat withonly the occasional rise. Bright green ponds, theirstanding water clogged with algae, dot the forest

throughout, and many of the southern trees havelichens and mass covering much of the ground.Mist persists throughout the woodlands, curlingup in tendrils at all but the hottest hours of theday, and always throughout the night. Weirdly, onthe western edge of the forest is a thick growth ofkudzu, choking the life out of many of the trees.This is the same growth plaguing Durbenford.Stranger still, the insidious vines halt about aquarter of a mile into the woods.

Travel through the woods is at half speed asnormal, but if the heroes breach the woods at thesouth, speed drops to one quarter of normal. Fight-ing in the woods grants one-quarter concealment toall combatants unless they are engaged in melee, inwhich case there is no concealment.

Specific Wandering Monster ResultsAchaierai: These foul birds migrated from the

Lower Planes to the Material Plane at the behestof some weird and powerful magic. They prowl thewoodlands for food, bent on spreading mayhem.They do not attack the druid, his minions or thefey the druid’s forces hunt. See the MM for details.

Greater Barghest: Drawn by the darkness ofGroembu’s evil, these creatures have grown pow-erful by feeding upon many of the creatures of theforest. Avid haters of the achaierai, they huntthese intelligent birds for pleasure. When encoun-tered, the barghests attack, fighting until the PCsdestroy half their number.See the MM for details.

Goblins: These goblins scour the woodlands insearch of plunder. See the MM for details.

Wolf-In-Sheep’s-Clothing: Heroes encounter thisbizarre monster just once. In the depths of the forest, itawaits foolish predators to close on its bait (a smallsquirrel). When its potential victim comes within 10-feet, it strikes. See Monster Appendix for the statisticblock. Also, see the Tome of Horrors for more details.

Wyld WoodWandering Monsters

Roll 1d20 every two hours during the day andevery hour at night. Feel free to expand the pos-s ib le wander ing monsters as you see f i t ,depending on the relative strength of the heroes.

1. 1d4+1 Achaierai2. 1d4 Greater Barghest3. 2d6 Goblins4. 1 Wolf-in-Sheep’s-Clothing5. 1d4+5 Hobgoblins6. 1d6+3 Nilbogs7. 1d3 Chuuls8. 1d6+5 Worgs9. Trinell and Allies10-20. No Encounter.

14

WILDERNESS OVERVIEW

Hobgoblins: These brutes hunt for fey creatures. Theydo not engage a party of well-armed adventurers unlessthey are sure to win. Captured hobgoblins are free withinformation, claiming they work for Groembu who com-manded them to capture as many fey creatures as possible.These creatures are equipped with nets in addition totheir regular equipment. See the MM for details.

Nilbogs: These creatures have the same task as thehobgoblins above. They do not give information easily.They also are armed with nets in addition to their regularequipment. See the Monster Appendix for the statisticblock. Also, see the Tome of Horrors for more details.

Chuuls: This brutish pack of monsters scours theforests for fresh meat. When encountered, they have justfinished making a meal of some worgs who had theunfortunate bad luck to be their next meal. The chuulsfight to the death. See the MM for details.

Worgs: These creatures prowl the woods in search offlesh. Nearly always hungry, they attack just about any-thing they encounter. See the MM for details.

Trinell: This half-celestial nymph opposes Groembuand his depredations on her people. Accompanying herare 4 pixies who are protective of the maiden of the wood.When encountered, there is a 50% chance they arefighting some other random monster prowling in thewoods. If the PCs come to their aid, or if not in combat,they show they too are fighting Groembu. The sylvanfolk tell them Groembu sends out his minions to capturefey to bring back to his lair. The ensuing screams leadthem to believe Groembu does something horrible. Sheand her companions offer to escort the heroes to Druid,

but once they reach the place, the forest folk slip backinto the woods to wage their ongoing war with the nilbogand other creatures having fallen under the evil druid’ssway. PCs befriending the forest folk receive XP as if theyhad defeated them in combat. Eventually, Groembu’sservants defeat Trinell and their allies, and the echoes ofthe pixies come to haunt the depths of the undergroundcomplex. See the Monster Appendix for details onTrinell, and the MM for details on the pixies.

Fetid Plain (EL 10–11)In contrast to the austere beauty of Rynas’s

Tears, with its reflection of the Kal’Iugus Moun-tains on its surface, the fetid plain is a suppuratingfen on the lake’s southern shore. Dyer’s Streamand the Wyld Wood hedge in this forbidding place,preventing it from spreading much farther than italready does. The Fetid Plain has spongy groundwith the occasional bog covered with a thick layerof sediment, leaves and rot. Breaking through theskin of these layers unleashes foul brown marsh gasthat smells bad, but is otherwise harmless. Twistedtrees of questionable species shelter this place,entrapping the moisture and causing a chill anddamp air, perfect for the numerous monsters thatbattle over the rare scrap of meat, the lost hunteror the foolhardy youth who entered on a dare.

Aside from the natural boundaries containingthe swamp, a small band of rangers patrols itsborders. Charged with containing the fiends andundead corrupting this bleak place, these men and

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

15

woman, known as the Mire rangers, serve theirown agenda and almost never assist the local farm-ers or townsfolk who face everyday dangers. Despiteentreaties made by the towns’ leaders, the Mirerangers refuse to treat with the communities forreasons of their own. Hence, they have not movedto assist them in the recent developments in theWyld Wood with Groembu the Druid.

The reason for their reticence stems from a largerthreat to the land. A dangerous power bubbles upfrom the center of the swamp. An ancient vampireand his undead troll minions prowl the swamps,searching for unlife sustaining blood. A powerfuldruid in his own right, a malicious undead monsterruined his life and claimed his soul 400 years ago. Hisallies, a circle of druids, hunted down and destroyedthe vampire that killed their leader, but they werethemselves slain to a man in the battle. Corrigaz,their leader and former archdruid, rose from death asundead, and now knows no end to his torment,existing as a perversion of nature rather than the

champion he once was. As powerful as he is, with hishost of trolls, he does not move much farther thanthe boundaries of the swamp due in part to the riverand the presence of Groembu in the Wyld Wood—the only other druid in the vicinity. The rangers,descendants of the original druids, buttress the natu-ral boundaries containing Corrigaz and his minions.These brave souls know the truth of what lurks in theswamp, but none other knows the proximity of theimpending threat.

Three rangers make up the mire rangers. Many feelthey are too few, but these individuals are mightyindeed, and more than able to halt the threat fromthe swamp. However, their numbers are far too thinto stop others from entering it. See the NPC Appen-dix for details on the Mire rangers.

Specific Wandering Monster ResultsChuuls: See the Wyld Wood Wandering Mon-

sters, above.Shocker Lizard: Shocker lizards roam throughout the

Fetid Plain. Hunted by the chuul and starving hags, thesesmall creatures have the ability to survive where thetypical fauna fails in the face of such a threat. PCs neverencounter solitary shocker lizards. These creatures aresmart enough to recognize strength in numbers. Whenencountering the PCs, the lizards swarm the PCs usingtheir lethal shock abilities as often as possible. If acharacter discharges electricity anywhere in the FetidPlain, there is a 20% chance the blast draws 1d3+9 moreshocker lizards. See the MM for details.

Mire Ranger: Mire rangers may seek PCs if theyhear or track the sounds of their passage. If so, theyappraise the characters, absorbing such details asmannerisms, stance, weaponry and moral predi-lections. If the PCs intend no harm, the mireranger approaches, with weapons sheathed or con-cealed. He explains the Fetid Plain is no place foridle treks, and urges the party to depart from theswamp. Mire rangers are easily offended and so ifthe party is rude, uncouth or in any way disrespect-ful, the warden leaves them to their fates.

Wardens are closemouthed about what dwells inthe Fetid Plain and why they patrol its borders andtheir invested interest in the swamp. PCs pressingtoo much offends the ranger and warrants resultsas above. However, if the party persists in pressingforward into the fetid plain, and they get intosignificant trouble, there is a 50% chance a mireranger hears the sounds of conflict and arrives in1d4 minutes to assist. See the NPC Appendix fordetails.

Ghasts and Ghouls: Scavengers no better thanthe carrion crows perching in the trees, screamingraucous cries, and cackling at those passing nearby,these ghouls hunt for flesh, raw and living. The

Fetid PlainWandering Monsters

Roll 1d20 every hour regardless of day or night todetermine if a wandering encounter occurs. On aresult of 1 or 2, roll again for a second encounter.Two groups of monsters are engaged in melee andthe unfortunate party has stumbled across them.Reroll until a second monster results.

As in the case of all wandering monster encoun-ters, you should roll for treasure as appropriate.

Day1-2. Roll again for second encounter.3. 1d4+1 Chuul4. 1d6+5 Shocker Lizard5. Mire Ranger6. 1d6+6 Ghouls7. Echoing Mad Laughter8. Ghastly Shriek9. 1d3+1 Trolls

Night1-2. Roll again for second encounter.3. 1d3 Annis Hags4. 1 Spider Eater5. 1d6+5 Shocker Lizard6. 1d3+1 Will-O’-Wisps7. Mire Ranger8. 1d6+6 Ghasts9. 1 Devourer10. Corrigaz11. Echoing Mad Laughter12. Ghastly Shriek13. 1d3+1 Trolls14. Corrigaz and 1d3+1 Trolls

16

WILDERNESS OVERVIEW

ghouls hunt by day and the ghasts hunt by night.See the MM for details.

Echoing Mad Laughter: Sounding from the heartof the swamp is a disturbing burst of barking laugh-ter. The source of the noise is indeterminate, butit panics the horses, requiring a Handle Animalcheck (DC 20 or 15 if it is war trained) or themount flees in a random direction.

Ghastly Shriek: Like the laughter above, thisshriek is one filled with sorrow and pain, lastingabout 15 seconds. Immediately afterward, the sounddies, and marsh birds take to wing from nearbytrees.

Trolls: After Corrigaz’s fall, he assumed controlover the local troll population, by slaughteringtheir leader and elevating himself above them astheir lord and master. These trolls scour the swampin search for blood for their master, and flesh forthemselves, in a place where little of it remains.As they are half starved they are vicious andunrelenting in melee, attacking with no regard forthemselves or their allies. See the MM for details.

Annis Hags: The repulsive humanoids form acovey in the heart of the Fetid Plain, lairing in amuddy hut decorated with the bones of murderedchildren. When encountered, there is a 35% chanceall three are foraging for errant young, hopelesslylost. See the MM for details.

Spider Eater: This out of place monster is trapped in agiant web of some enormous spider, now long dead.Characters who free the spider eater and succeed a HandleAnimal check (DC 24) may befriend the creature. See theMM for details. Characters who make the spider eater anally receive XP as if they had defeated it in combat. Theheroes may only encounter this creature once.

Will-o’-wisp: These malicious creatures work togetherto lead PCs to dangerous locations such as to the Hags,a service these creatures have performed many timeswhen luring children to their dooms. Alternatively, theymay lead the PCs to Corrigaz, for especially powerfulcharacters. For parties not nibbling at the bait, the will-o’-wisps use their voices to call them deeper into theswamp. See the MM for details.

Devourer: This lone creature wanders through theswamp in search of souls to consume. Having met one ofthe mire rangers a time or two in the past, this undeadhorror has learned to steer clear from fighting suchopponents. It has devoured a peasant girl from Baldentonwho ran away from home. This encounter occurs justonce. See the MM for details.

Corrigaz: The party may encounter Corrigazalone or with his animal companion Crunch, or1d3+1 trolls. Without Crunch or his troll min-ions, chances are they may be able to defeat theundying druid. Otherwise, they are in for a seriousfight. Corrigaz, in a mockery of his former duties,

walks the swamp as he once did in life. Occasion-ally, he stands on the back of Crunch and uses thegiant alligator almost like a raft. Instead of in-specting the plants and animals dwelling therein,he hunts them to slake his unholy thirst. Thevampiric druid has at least 13 lairs to which hereturns on the rising of the sun, or if defeated incombat. Feel free to select locations for these“coffins” at your discretion. See the NPC Appen-dix for details.

Kal’Iugus Mountains (Avg. EL 10)Towering over the Rynas’ Tears and the Wyld

Wood is an impressive chain of mountains, itspeaks lost behind mist and clouds. Snow blanketsthe peaks year round. Barren of any foliage beyonda few scraggly trees and brush, not much lives inthis inhospitable territory. Small birds, the occa-sional mountain lion and other appropriate faunasurvive despite all odds.

The mountains block much of the cold northernwinds from affecting the people below. On thenorthern face of the slope, the side away fromDurbendord is the remains of an ancient glacier.There remorhaz, white dragons and frost wormsdwell, and fighting against them are small clans ofbarbarians, violent and warlike. The lands northof Kal’Iugus are beyond the scope of this adven-ture, but feel free to reward curious players withviolence and death.

South of the mountains is verdant farmland andthe setting of this mini-campaign. This area func-tions as the northern extent of the NorthernKingdom. This side of the mountains is home tolarge numbers of hostile creatures. Aside from theWandering Monsters, the Whimpering Depths andCaer Durben (which is described in later chap-ters), there are four major encounter areas whichPCs may explore. It is important to note that PCsexploring the heights of the mountains for 6-hoursor more may suffer the effects of being at highaltitudes. See Other Dangers in the DMG forfurther details on High Altitude sickness. If theheroes probe Caer Durben before time, roll forwandering monsters for every hour they tarry there.If they search the complex, they are in for a verynasty fight for the succubus, Mal’Tagrithe lairshere, weaving her intricate plots and pulling thestrings of countless puppets. The heroes are sure todie if they venture into this area too early.

EnvironmentTraveling through the mountains is difficult at

best and considered as trackless terrain, reducingoverland movement to 1/4 speed. You should re-quire an occasional Climb check (DC varies) toreflect the uncertainty of the footing and the natu-

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

17

Dire Bears: These aggressive bears attack theparty in the hopes of a food source. They fightuntil they have 50% hit points before retreating.Combat with the creatures is avoidable if the PCsoffer food and succeed at a Wild Empathy check toimprove their normally Hostile attitude to Friendly.Characters without Wild Empathy but with theAnimal Affinity feat may make a Charisma checkto affect the attitude of the dire bears. If the heroesengage in conversation, these bears are aware ofthe evil adventuring party. The Band of the BloodyMoon has killed two of the bears’ cubs, hence theiraggression. If the heroes aid them in defeating ordriving off the evil adventurers, the bears accom-pany the heroes for as long as they explore themountains. See the MM for details.

Mountain Dwarf Hunters: Patrolling the moun-tain slopes are dwarven hunters, who search of aband of evil adventures (ibid) who raided theirstronghold. These dwarves are suspicious of theparty, as they are not certain what the interloperslooked like. They do know there was a dark elfamong them. If the PCs assist the dwarves in theirsearch, award them XP as if they had defeated thehunters. The PCs encounter these dwarves justonce. See the NPC Appendix for details.

Giant Eagles: These eagles roost on one of the moun-tains peaks and they circle over the area in search of foodfor their young. Old, powerful and more than anything,regal, these magical beasts could prove to be valuableallies. They do not attack or approach the PCs unlessattacked. They respond to hails 20% of the time. PCs seethe eagles flying overhead. If the PCs destroy them,consider all future rolls resulting in Giant Eagle as NoEncounter. See MM for details.

Kal’Iugus Wandering Monsters

ral obstructions interfering with exploration here.Each day the PCs spend in the Kal’Iugus Mountainscalls for an Environment check. There is a cumula-tive 5% chance each day for something to go awryin the environment. If the roll results in an envi-ronmental event, roll on the following table. Oncethe environmental occurrence has transpired, thecumulative chance for the hazard resets to 5%,increasing by 5% each day thereafter until the nextoccurrence. Of course, check for random weatheronce per day in addition to the possibility of envi-ronmental hazards (DMG, Weather).

Roll 1d20 every three hours the heroes spend in the mountains on the appropriate table below for either day or night.

Encounters should have randomized treasure where appropriate.

Cloudburst: Sleet or snow (depending uponaltitude) falls on the mountainside, imposing a –4visibility penalty to all ranged attacks. See DMGfor details on Weather Hazards.

Wind: Cold winds gust down from the mountaintop.These winds are of variable intensity. Roll 1d10: 1–4 (lightwind), 5–7 (moderate wind), 8–9 (strong wind), 10 (windstorm). Consult the DMG for further details on Wind Effects.

Landslide/Avalanche: Potentially fatal for PCs, a slideof snow and rock can wipe out the party and any combat-ants they face. In high altitudes, and in loud or destructivecombats, roll 1d12+3. On a result of 12 or better, theconflict causes a slide. Otherwise, an avalanche occursjust once. As above, refer to the DMG for details onAvalanches and Landslides.

Environmental HazardsEnvironmental HazardsEnvironmental HazardsEnvironmental HazardsEnvironmental Hazards: roll 1d12.1-9 Cloudburst10-11 Wind12 Landslide or Avalanche (occurs once)

Day1. 1d2 Dire Bears2. Mountain Dwarf Hunters3. 1d2 Giant Eagles4. 1d4+1 Hill Giants5. 1d2+1 Stone Giants6. 1d6+5 Troglodytes,

1d2 Giant Lizards andFlranax the foul

7. 1 Frost Worm8. 1 White Dragon9. 1 Frost Giant10. 1 Remorhaz11. 1d4+1 Winter Wolves12. Evil Adventuring Party

Night1. 1d2 Ettins and equal number of Brown Bears2. 1d2 Dire Bears3. Mountain Dwarf Hunters4. 1d4+1 Hill Giants5. 1d2+1 Stone Giants6. 1d10+10 Grimlocks, 1 Grimlock Leader,

1 Ogre Mage7. 1d6+5 Troglodytes, 1d2 Giant Lizards and

Flranax the foul8. 1 Werewolf9. 1 Frost Worm10. 1 White Dragon11. 1d2 Frost Giants12. 1d4+1 Winter Wolves13. Evil Adventuring Party

18

WILDERNESS OVERVIEW

Hill Giants: These giants dwell in the moun-tains along with many others of their kind.Hungry, they view the PCs as a viable foodsource. Stupid and monstrous, they fight to thedeath. See the MM for details.

Stone Giants: As in the case of the hill giants,stone giants make their home in the Kal’Iugusmountain range. These giants recognize the PCsas a food source and treat them such. They fightto the death. See the MM for details.

Troglodytes: Striking out from the Underdarkis a small strike force of troglodyte raiders.Twenty strong, and at least half mounted ongiant lizards, they plot to raid Dyers Hamlet, asit is small and thinly defended. A nasty troglo-dyte, Flranax the Foul, leads this band to fulfillsome promise to a dark and nearly forgotten god.An encounter with these creatures suggests thePCs have discovered their staging ground. Thetroglodytes, unwilling to give up their plans forattacking the human settlement, fight to thedeath. The troglodytes pursue fleeing PCs untilthey reach the foot of the mountain. See theMM for details on troglodytes and giant lizards,and the NPC Appendix for Flranax.

Frost Worm: This dangerous creature inhab-its the snowy heights near the peaks of themountains. If the PCs are below the snow, onthe slopes, this result is no encounter. If en-gaged, it fights to the death. See the MM fordetails.

White Dragon: This roaming dragon venturesfarther and farther from its lair, seeking a suit-able mate. In its search, however, upon seeing apotential meal, it does not hesitate to stop for asnack. The dragon’s lair lies beyond the scope ofthis adventure. Enterprising adventurers maywish to seek out the riches that must undoubt-edly l ie within i t s la i r . For character s sodistracted from the severity of the Durbenford’splight, reward them with the brutality of anarctic clime, along with a frequent frost wormand barbarian attacks… perhaps together. Seethe Monster Appendix for details.

Frost Giants: Explorers from beyond Kal’Iugus,these giants are contemplating an invasion ofthe soft lands south of mountains. They wouldsubject all of the inhabitants to a reign of cruelslavery. As forerunners for a possible invasion,these giants cannot allow word of their presenceto reach the leaders of the Northern Kingdom.These giants fight to the death. See the MM fordetails.

Remorhaz: This frightening creature hunts frost wormsand has been on one’s trail for weeks. The remorhazbelieves its quarry lurks somewhere in the higher eleva-tions, so ignore this result if the PCs are at lower elevations.See the MM for details.

Winter Wolf Pack: These wicked creatures huntin these mountains for living flesh. Brutal in theirperseverance, they are relentless, fighting untilthey have sated their hunger. See the MM fordetails.

Evil Adventuring Party (special): These vil-lains, calling themselves the Band of the BloodyMoon, have no care for whom or what they hurt.They trudge through these barren mountains insearch of treasure and conquest. This party shouldbe a foil to the PCs efforts. If the party defeatsthem, they rid the area of a menace, and thedestruction of these villains allows Lord Durben toavoid assassination at their hands (see Return toDurbenford). Should the heroes succeed in de-feating the Evil Adventuring Party, all futurerandom results of evil adventuring party shouldresult in no encounter. See the NPC Appendix fordetails.

Ettins and Brown Bears: These ettins, argu-mentative and destructive as normal for theirspecies, roam these mountains in search of food. Ifencountered, they fight to the death. A pair ofloyal brown bears accompanies these monsters.The PCs encounter these ettins just once. See theMM for details.

Grimlocks: Using the mountains as its base ofoperations, an ogre mage has amassed a small armyof grimlocks to slaughter traveling merchants,Baldenton, Dyer’s Hamlet and ultimately destroyDurbenford. Not sizeable enough now to be asignificant threat, in time the ogre mage maygather an army capable of fulfilling his diabolicalwishes. If the party defeats the cult, treat futurerolls as no encounter. See the MM for details ongrimlocks and the ogre mage, ad the NPC Appen-dix for the grimlock leader.

Werewolf: Once a dedicated defender of theinnocent, this once human fighter has succumbedto the foul disease of lycanthropy. Now, years afterthe attack, he revels in his bestial nature and preysupon the sheep herds grazing in the mountains. Ifhungry enough, and shepherds and their flocks arescarce, he descends into Durbenford under theguise of his human form and devours a maidenunder the light of a full moon. Once vanquished,consider all future werewolf results in the Moun-tains as no encounter. Use the statistics block forthe werewolf lord in the MM.

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

19

wrong place, maybe a run in with the evil adventuringparty who just might come into town for supplies…

Durbenford (Large Town): Non-standard; AL LN;3,000 gp limit (on average); Assets 75,000 gp; Popula-tion 5073 adults and about 2000 children; Mixed (77%human, 9% halfling, 5% elf, 3% dwarf, 2% gnome, 1%half-elf, 1% half-orc, 2% other).

Authority Figure: Lord Durben, male human Ari 7; TheFat Man, male half-orc Rog 11; the Guildmistress, fe-male human Rog 14.

Important Characters: Captain of the Guard HaroldTrindel, male human War 11; Lady Alliara, femalehuman Ari 2, Enc 2;Yieria Moonblade, female elf Brd 6;Mother Tara of the Shattered Sword, female human Clr9; Jonathon Onmykon, male human Com 7; BevinNightwind, male half-elf Drd 6; Orin Glamdren, malegnome Exp 13 (alchemist); Shubryn the Loud, malehuman Exp 7 (bawd); Pink Nelly, female human Exp 7(harlot); Thasik and Rug, male halflings Rog 5; Juptal,male gold dragon; Master Gren, human Wiz 7; KarlGeroldich, male human Clr 9; the Necromancer, femaleelf Nec 10.

Others: Town Guards sergeants War 6 [x2], corpo-rals War 3 [x4], watch War 1 [x50]; Adp 4 [x1], Adp 2[x2], Adp 1 [x24], Ari 4 [x1], Ari 2 [x4], Ari 1 [x24],Bbn 4 [x1], Bbn 2 [x2], Bbn 1 [x4], Brd 3 [x2], Brd 1[x4], Clr 5 [x2], Clr 3 [x4], Clr 1 [x8], Com 4 [x2], Com2 [x4], Com 1 [x4428], Drd 3 [x2], Drd 1 [x4], Exp 4[x4], Exp 2 [x8], Exp 1 [x147], Ftr 2 [x2], Ftr 1 [x4],Mnk 7 [x1], Mnk 3 [x2], Mnk 1 [x4], Pal 5 [x1], Pal 3[x2], Pal 1 [x4], Rgr 6 [x1], Rgr 3 [x2], Rgr 1 [x1], Rog3 [x4], Rog 1 [x8], Sor 3 [x2], Sor 1 [x4], Wiz 3 [x2], Wiz1 [x4], War [x193] (these numbers do not include themembers of the Grey Rook Guild).

Layout and Standard FeaturesSurrounding the land portions of Durbenford are 10-

foot high, 3-foot thick walls of stone, reinforced withsplays at every 30 feet. Atop the wall is a battlement witha five-foot wide catwalk from which soldiers may defendthe town. The battlements provide one-half cover tothose fighting behind them. It is uncommon for guards topatrol the walls, for Lord Durben has little to fear in theconquered wilderness.

Hewn Stone Walls: 3 ft. thick; Hardness 8; hp 540;Break (DC 50); Climb (DC 22).

Durbenford is a place of double standards. The richerthe neighborhoods the more frequent are the patrols.The Poor Quarter is a place of crime, where every citizenfears for his or her life. Each patrol follows a similar

Environs ofDurbenford

Overlooking the great lake of Rynas’ Tears, the majes-tic Kal’Iugus Mountains, and in sight of the verdantstretch of the Wyld Wood, lies Durbenford, a largefrontier town that stands as a center of civilization in avast sea of wilderness. Nestled between the Gareth’s Runand Dyer’s Stream and situated along Lord Haberdon’sHighway, Durbenford is an up and coming hub for tradeand business. It thrives on its bustling logging industry ofwhich the Wyld Wood supplies. In addition to thecommodity trade of such items as raw lumber, finishedproducts such as furniture, doors, house frames and evena couple of booming wagon manufactories, Durbenfordhas come to be known as the heart of the tree business.

DMs NotesWhile the adventure does not have to start here,

Durbenford is likely the best location, as it is central tothe unraveling of the mystery threading throughout theunfolding story. It is here where Prince Geoffrey’s solici-tor engages the PCs and hires them to retrieve the Nanocfrom the Whimpering Depths. It is here where the PCsare to bring the relic back to Geoffrey. Furthermore, asDurbenford is the largest city in the region, it is a primelocation to meet important NPCs such as Mother Taraof the Shattered Sword, a 9th-level cleric, has access toraise dead and may have more potent magic required torepair and restore damaged or fallen characters in thecourse of their exploits. Master Gren specializes in manu-facturing magic items. Provided the heroes befriend him,he could become a reliable source of equipment in theway of weapons, armor, and wondrous items. He pur-chases other trinkets to collect and to sell. Aside fromthese obvious allies, Durbenford teems with excitementand adventure as plots move within deeper plots, all tiedto even more insidious developments. By usingDurbenford to its fullest potential, you can buttressweakened PCs, or provide necessary XP before movingon to tackle the Groembu and the Logger Camp.

Interaction with the NPCs of Durbenford is critical touncovering vital information. PCs should spend a fewnights in taverns, listening to rumors and tales of thearea, interact with important characters, and watch forthe subtle clues as they unfold around them. Combat, atleast to start with, should occur rarely. Durbenford is apeaceful place for the most part, and the PCs are powerfulenough to be free from the thugs and ruffians prowlingthe streets at night. If the PCs discover the informationfrom the NPCs below, award them XP as if they haddefeated those characters in combat. However, feel freeto have a few encounters if the party sticks its nose in the

20

ENVIRONS OF DURBENFORD

pattern, walking in a spiral, moving deeper within theirrespective Quarter, until they reach the center and thenwork their way back to where they started. CaptainTrindel, Durbenford’s watch commander, randomizesstarting points each day to avoid building a pattern. Theonly exception to this rule is in the Poor Quarter, whereit is too dangerous for the watch to walk. A meagerdefense cordons off this section of the city throughoutthe night, but no guards actually enter.

One element transcends class distinctions inDurbenford, and it is the presence of a strange andinsidious vine growing rampantly throughout the city.Regardless of station, the intrusion of this plant spreadsrapidly, and it is everything people can do to slow itsprogress. In the Noble’s Quarter, very little of the vine isseen, for these citizens spend a good deal of moneyattempting to cleanse their streets of this infestation.The Poor Quarter, on the other hand, is a sea of green,the problem long out of control without the funds to haltits spread.

Structures throughout the city vary in quality depend-ing on where they are situated. In the Noble’s Quarter,houses are large and impressive architectural structurescomposed mostly of stone. Most buildings feature turretsand short towers, and all are hedged in by walls of stone,10-feet high. Many of the wealthier employ severalguards (statistics identical to the Watch).

In the Residential Quarter, houses are smaller andmore modest, comprised of both stone and wood. Usuallythese buildings have wood shingle roofs, and chimneybristle throughout the skyline. The same is true of theGuild Quarter, where those few homes are similar tothose in the Residential Quarter. The difference, how-ever, is that there are many more warehouses and shopsthan homes.

The Poor Quarter, beneath the profusion of growth,has buildings that are wattle and daub and in poor repair.Given that much of the construction materials hereoriginate from dung and hair, the entirety of the placereeks. Accompanied by the Tanneries and Dyers, thiswhole section of town is a vile place of despair.

Interior walls, 5-feet high, divide the town’s fourdistricts. Along the exterior walls are towers that holdthe various members of the watch, when on duty. Atopof each tower is an old and unused ballista, of which only20% of them are functioning.

As is the case with much of the other conditions inDurbenford, the road system is no different. In theNoble’s Quarter, the streets are cobbled and wide withrows of trees planted in the medians. In the ResidentialQuarter, the streets are also cobbled, but much narrower.The Guild Quarter features wider streets, but dingier,while the Poor Quarter feature mostly muddy streets andopen sewers. The major roads travel in a cross-shapedpattern through the city. Three of the major roads leadto one of the three gates (West, South and East) and twosmaller roads lead to smaller gates (Merchants Way to

the southwest and Beggars’ Gate to the southeast. Thelast of the major roadways leads to the shore of Rynas’Tears, where rows of shops line the steep drop off to thewharves far below.

Durbenford rests on a bed of granite and hence it isstable despite its proximity to Rynas’ Tears. In fact, theelevation increases as one draws closer to the lake, somuch so that at the shore there is a sizeable drop to thewaters below the town. There, numerous switchbackstairs descend to the fisherman’s wharves, where a di-verse collection of folk and boats of many sizes andshapes moor at the piers, overtop the sewers that spillrainwater and waste into the lake. Small shops, fishmon-gers for the most part, proclaim fresh catches from thedeep and mysterious lake. One might also find an occa-sional polished stone dealer as the lake is home to therare Trebolsk rock, a dun stone revealing whorls, andsnowflake patterns when wet. When polished, the stonesare worth a modest sum, between 1 and 5 gp.

Beneath the city is an extensive sewer system. One ofthe Durbenford’s founders was a fastidious man andhence used the same architect as designed the ones inother cities to build the extensive drainage system below.Unfortunately, few of the noble’s successors have sharedthe same outlook. Now the sewers, while still architec-turally impressive, are home to numerous and frighteningcreatures.

Town’s DefenseMarcus Durben understands that his city has not seen

a major attack in generations, and so he does not devotemuch time or energy to seeing to his flagging defenses.He maintains no standing army; he feels his watch andthe personal guards employed by the nobles are morethan enough to guard his community. If something doesarise, King Ulrich is not so far away that he could send afew soldiers his way. In a crunch, he can round up anadditional 250 soldiers from the town populace in amatter of hours.

Area LocationsThe following section details all of the important

locations and NPCs in Durbenford. In every case, theNPCs receive a full stat block in the NPC Appendix.Adventures involving these locations follow in the nextchapter. Refer to Map B for details on Durbenford.

Buying and SellingThe most obvious place to buy and sell in

Durbenford is in the Marketplace, where the partymay purchase supplies costing no more than 1000 gp.However, not everything the heroes may wish togain falls under this price. For expensive items ex-ceeding the base price, the PCs must make inquiriesthroughout the city to see if the item they desire is

TROUBLE AT DURBENFORD

21

even available. A Gather Information check (DC15) allows the character to discover if the item theyseek is present. There is a 20% chance for any itemworth 1000gp to 2000gp to be present in the city.There is only a 10% chance for items exceeding2000gp to be available for purchase. Evil equipment,such as unholy weapons and the like, have only a 5%chance to be present in Durbenford.

Some exceptions do apply. In the Nobles’ Quarter,PCs can purchase any equipment valued at 1500 gpor less but at 50% higher than list price. In the PoorQuarter, the gp limit is markedly less, 250 gp.

B1: WatchtowersBoth the watchtowers and the gatehouses have

the same features. Each stands 30-feet tall andwith open-air platforms covered by a slate roof.These structures, from their tops, have an unim-peded view of the city and the environs in anydirection. The interiors of these towers are acces-sible through a single reinforced door on theinterior of the city.

Locked Strong Wooden Doors: 2 in. thick;Hardness 5; hp 20; Break (DC 28); Open Lock(DC 20).

22

ENVIRONS OF DURBENFORD

On each of the three floors are two arrow slitsfacing away from the city. Towers not on the gatesare equipped with one ballista. Two guards maneach tower at any point during the day or night.After 8 o’clock at night, the guards lower an ironportcullis, and will not reopen it for any reasonuntil dawn.

Iron Portcullis: 2 in. thick; Hardness 10; hp 60;Lift (DC 25).

Thus, heroes approaching after dark must findsome other means to breach the city, such as byclimbing the walls (DC 20 or 5 with a rope), orenter from the northern shore.

NPCs: Two guards man each tower at any pointduring the day or night.

Watchmen Male or Female Human War1: CR—; hp 4 each; see the NPC Appendix for details.

Development: When the heroes first enter thecity, the guards are friendly and welcoming. How-ever, after the heroes return from the WhimperingDepths, the guards assume an air of suspicion,even if they know the heroes personally. Onceword gets out that they have defeated the DruidGroembu, th