Pirate Cove
1 Floating Tunnel
The only entrance to the cove is through a small tunnel in the rocky base of the island of Harpy Point, among the choppy water. This tunnel is only passable or even visible during low tide when the water receeds. A ratty rope has been installed along the top of the tunnel — the most ideal entrance is in a small skiff, where one of the boaters pulls the rope for leverage, propelling the boat into the grotto within. The passage is 300′ long.
2 Grotto
The light that filters into this grotto makes the water a translucent light blue. The space opens into a rounded 100’x100′ room. Along one end is a sturdy wooden dock, back from which stretches a tunnel deeper into the rock.
If the characters study the dock, they realize that the timbers are ancient and the wide trunks that make up the posts must have come from Elsemere Wood. If the characters search the grotto floor at the bottom of the 50′ of water, they discover an old pirate vessel, the Hierotecles. The ship contains around 10,000 gold dubloons as well as the skeletal remains of the pirate crew, complete with rapiers and cutlasses. Three of the pirates have on their remains a cutless cutlass. Everything seems relatively well preserved by the location in the sheltered saltwater grotto.
3 Back of Grotto
Near the back of the grotto, a bunch of split boards have been cast aside and a thousand muddy footprints head into the tunnel.
Any time that the party spends here will shed more light onto the situation. It’s obvious that this is where the begotten of the old ones have ended up, climbing out of the water and heading into the deep passage within.
4 Long Tunnel
Part-way down the tunnel, there is a branch to the left. The main tunnel continues downward, taking on more natural cavernous form.
5 Pirate Cache
This 10’x15′ niche in the rock is packed with corpses, treasures and other goods.
This niche is also where the begotten, digging over the long centuries of their labor, have come to finally die. As such it is littered with horrible corpses of almost-man-things in various stages of decay.
Anyone clambering over or moving aside the dead fish-men’s bodies to examine the treasure runs the risk of catching the shakes (DC 13 Fortitude) or slimy doom (DC 14 Fortitude). The incubation period for each is one day, so characters will not notice if they are infected right away.
Among the goods are crates of shovels, picks, and other implements of destruction, including torches and two rare powder kegs.
6 Deeper tunnel
The tunnel runs deeper here, and the ground grows ever muddier.
As the characters enter, they feel a cold draft. The smell of lemon and brine wafts in from the deeper depths.
7 Steep slope
The tunnel grows very steep here, the walls ever more moist and the ground ever more slick. A low murmuring can be heard down the corridor.
This tunnel continues down to the Lair of the Old Ones. Everyone should roll a significant Balance check (DC 30) to avoid sliding down the shaft into the lair.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged Horror of the Old Ones, Location by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Dazzle
Illusion (Phantasm)
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3, Trickery Domain 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: one Creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
This spell creates a phantasm to dazzle the unwary. The victim perceives whatever thing they covet the most, either as a stationary object, or as something the caster is offering them. Failing a will save, they act to achieve whatever they see, blinded to all other considerations for the duration of the spell. They will defend themselves normally but will take no other actions as long as the spell persists.
If the dazzle is placed in such a place that going to it would cause the subject harm, they receive another saving throw with a +4 bonus to break free of the compulsion.
The phantasm only exists in the subject’s mind, and so others do not perceive the illusion.
On a successful saving throw, the phantasm appears ghostly and translucent and persists for the duration of the spell, but the victim is not compelled to pursue to it.
For example, when cast on a greedy merchant, this spell would create an illusion of someone offering them chests filled with treasure. The merchant would be compelled by the phantasm to go to the illusion and accept the illusory treasure for as long as the spell lasted. For a wyvern, it might create an illusion of some helpless prey, upon which it would be compelled to go feed.
As a phantasm, this spell is a mind-effecting effect and so will not effect undead or constructs.
Posted in Spell and tagged bard spell, bard spell level 3, illusion, phantasm, sorcerer / wizard spell, sorcerer / wizard spell level 3, spell level 3, trickery domain by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Harpy Point
8 Feeding Ground
A strewn pile of bones serves as a centerpiece to this enclosure in the rocks. A low stone overhang provides a partial shelter from falling rain.
Among the bones are a collection of small trinkets from nearby towns and a few adventures packs which have been ransacked. The party will have to thoroughly search the bones (DC 20) to find all the items:
- masterwork leather armor that’s survived the thrashing
- ring of resistance +1 on a skeletal finger
- moldy boots of speed at the very bottom of the pile
- 100gp in coins at various strata
9 Lounge
A set of smooth stones encircles an ash-filled firepit. Two trees have struggled to grow up through the cracks in the rocks, their low limbs curled back in toward the trunks. A sliver of smoke wafts up and out to sea against a backdrop of falling rain.
The firepit is still warm, a sign that this location is still used. If the party stays in the area for more than a minute, they will likely hear the high shrill screeches of harpies in the nest.
This concavity in the rock forms a smooth surface, which has been padded with many layers of twigs, hay, bits of hide and great greasy feathers.
The nicer items are here, along with three harpies who have grown fat off the nearby townsfolk, and who have also begun to develop sorcerous powers due to proximity to the old one and also from some small teachings from the gargoyles in the nearby lighthouse. They are haughty and aggressive, leaping to attack unless convinced otherwise.
Creatures: Harpy Sorcerers HP 38, 50, 48
Harpy Sorcerer CR 8
CE Sex Race sorcerer 3
size Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Init: +2 Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Listen +7 Spot +3
AC: 21 (+4 shield spell, +4 mage armor, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 11
HP: 38, 50, 48 (HD 7d8 and 3d4)
Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +9
MV: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 80 ft. (average)
Attack: +9 masterwork spear (1d8)
Full Attack: +9/+4 masterwork spear (1d8) and +3 claws(2) (1d3)
Atk Options: Flyby attack, 1 wand of acid arrow: ranged touch +10, 2d4 acid + 2d4 acid next round
Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Base Attack: +8 Grp: +8
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 18
Feats: Dodge, Flyby Attack, Persuasive, Ability Focus (Captivating Song)
Skills: Bluff +11, Concentration +3, Intimidate +7, Listen +7, Perform (oratory) +5, Spot +3
SA: Captivating Song (DC 19)
SQ: Darkvision 60 ft.
Spells Prepared or Available:
0th (6/day): detect magic, ghost sound, ray of frost, resistance, touch of fatigue
1st (6/day, 4 remain): shield, mage armor, and either shocking grasp, burning hands, or magic missile
Posessions: masterwork spear.
Captivating Song (Su): The most insidious ability of the harpy is its song. When a harpy sings, all creatures (other than harpies) within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 19 Will save or become captivated. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same harpy’s song for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
A captivated victim walks toward the harpy, taking the most direct route available. If the path leads into a dangerous area (through flame, off a cliff, or the like), that creature gets a second saving throw. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. (Thus, a fighter cannot run away or attack but takes no defensive penalties.) A victim within 5 feet of the harpy stands there and offers no resistance to the monster’s attacks. The effect continues for as long as the harpy sings and for 1 round thereafter. A bard’s countersong ability allows the captivated creature to attempt a new Will save.
Tactics: The harpies are likely aware of the party’s approach and will cast mage armor and shield on themselves as soon as they see that they are armed (already included in above stats). The harpies are hostile, and will attack immediately, using their song one at a time to attempt to lure party members off the high cliffs (DC 19 Will save). Failing that they will attack with their spells and use their spears in flyby attacks. In addition, one of them wields the wand of acid arrow (ranged touch +10, 2d4 acid + 2d4 acid next round) listed in the treasure below.
Vicious, the harpies will fight to the death.
Treasure: a battered sea chest with 7,000 silver coins, six large chests stamped with a tax collector’s seal containing 70,000 copper coins, 3 gems in a leather pouch: a black agate worth 10 gold, a galena worth 25 gold, and an octel worth 98 gold, 4 gems in a soggy, gouged velvet-lined jewel case: a brandeen worth 90 gold, a clear topaz worth 825 gold, a brown diopside worth 9 gold, and a pink tourmaline worth 105 gold, a potion of blur, a wand of acid arrow with 33 charges, a +1 quarterstaff, a +1 large steel shield, a ring of climbing, a hand of the mage, and a potion of expiditious retreat.
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Encounter and tagged Horror of the Old Ones, Location by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Nazur Tscheryn
The renouned mage of Charille created many magic items found in the realm.
Outclassed in his youth by other mages of the day, notably Djander, he spent much of his early adulthood amassing a fortune crafting magic items for the merchant and the upper classes. This enabled him to practice magics with minimal supervision, especially by the authorities of the kingdom. There are those who say he experimented with dark magic, but he actually remained clear of the school of necromancy, which tempted him at every turn in his research.
Over his career, he has gone down in history as the creator of many magic items found within the realm:
Bag of Haggling
Brooch of Tangents
Ring of Melding
Cloak of Midnight
Helm of Hiding
Appraiser’s Gem
Rod to Ruin
Nazur’s Wand and its many variants
many warded coffins
In his golden years, he has created a potpourri mixture of reagents he calls Magedust which has been known to improve the duration of certain schools of magic, among other effects.
Speaking to him of Djander (even to this day) sends him into a rage.
Nazur Tscheryn
Medium-size Male Human
Diviner15
Hit Dice: (15d4)+15
Hit Points: 63
Initiative: +0
Speed: Walk 30 ft.
AC: 10 (flatfooted 10, touch 10)
Attacks: *Dagger +1 +8/+3;*Dagger +1 (Thrown) +8/+3; ;
Damage: *Dagger +1 1d4+1;*Dagger +1 (Thrown) 1d4+1; ;
Vision:
Face / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Qualities: +2 bonus to Spellcraft when learning Divination, Summon Familiar
Saves: Fortitude: +6, Reflex: +5, Will: +11
Abilities: STR 11 (+0), DEX 10 (+0), CON 13 (+1), INT 29 (+9), WIS 15 (+2), CHA 8 (-1)
Skills: Appraise 14; Balance 1; Bluff -1; Climb 0; Concentration 19; Craft (Alchemy) 15; Craft (Gemcutting) 14; Craft (Untrained) 9; Decipher Script 14; Diplomacy -1; Disguise -1; Escape Artist 0; Forgery 11; Gather Information 1; Heal 2; Hide 0; Intimidate -1; Jump 0; Knowledge (Arcana) 15; Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) 12; Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 14; Knowledge (Geography) 17; Knowledge (History) 16; Knowledge (Local) 14; Knowledge (Nature) 12; Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) 13; Knowledge (The Planes) 16; Listen 2; Move Silently 0; Profession (Bookkeeper) 3; Ride 1; Search 11; Sense Motive 3; Speak Language(Elven, Celestial, Draconic) 3; Spellcraft 29; Spot 3; Survival 2; Swim 0;
Feats: Craft Rod, Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Greater Spell Penetration, Heighten Spell, Maximize Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Penetration
Challenge Rating: 15
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Possessions: Dagger +1; Headband of Intellect +6; Ring of Mind Shielding; Rod of Negation; Wand of Mirror Image;
Spells:
Spells per Day: (4+1/7+1/6+1/6+1/6+1/6+1/4+1/3+1/2+1/ DC:19+spell level)
Wizard – Known:
Level 0: Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Bullet, Cipher, Control Shadow, Dancing Lights, Daze, Decode, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Dim Illumination, Ember, Flare, Ghost Sound, Granitehand, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Night-Vision, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Puff of Wind, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance, Shovel, Signal Fire, Sort, Spark, Spectral Dart, Trip
(more to list later)
Posted in Character by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.