Encounter: The Haunting of The Snug Harbor (EL 8)
The Haunting of The Snug Harbor
This location is the player’s first contact with the town of Onuago, and the beginning of The Horror of the Old Ones, an adventure coming soon from Unicorn Rampant publishing.
Inn features: The entire inn is lit by daylight filtering in through the windows by day and by the hearth and candles on the tables by night. All doors are simple wooden doors (hardness 5, HP: 10).
1) Snug Harbor Common Room
This inn is well taken care of, even in these times of trouble. The floors are swept and the mahogany wood of the bar is polished to a golden sheen. A bartender stands behind the bar, a middle aged man with flaming red hair, a shinny, bald pate, and a humongous sprouting beard that all but swallows his face, his dress nondescript aside from the multicolored suspender he wears. Above his bar hangs a massive great axe.
NPCs that are likely to be encountered here include: Mme. Babushka, Jax the Jaded, and the innkeeper Parvic Potbelly. By night there will also be 2-10 other patrons drowning their sorrows.
Services available here include a common meal of fish stew and bread taken with the other patrons for 3 copper, a single meal of grilled cod, potatoes and rice for 1 silver, ale for 1 silver a gallon or 4 copper a mug, wine for 2 silver a pitcher, stronger spirits for 10 gold a bottle, a bed in the common room upstairs for 2 silver and a private room with a double bed for 5 silver.
In addition, Mme Babushka’s services are available for 20 silver – including the 5 silver for a private room, though she may well try to get more from a wealthy-looking patron (appraise +6, sense motive +16).
If the party speaks about their boat, they are likely to attract the unwelcome attention of Jax, who desperately wants passage out of town.
2) The Haunted Room (EL 8)
This small room reeks of death. A ghastly, maggot-ridden corpse lies on the stained bed. There is a small table and a wardrobe.
As the door to the room is opened, a translucent figure dressed in dirty but nicely tailored servant’s clothes floats up from the head of the bead where it was moaning quietly to itself. It faces you and shouts “Leave me!” before unleashing a horrifying wail.
Examining the corpse’s clothes will reveal the insignia of the Baron of Stieglitz on the breast.
Creatures: This room is haunted by the ghost of Lux Cathcart the former butler of Baron Stieglitz. The ghost will try to frighten away anyone entering the room, and will defend itself if attacked.
Lux came to this inn still alive but mortally wounded. Several days ago he escaped form the Castle Stieglitz, stealing some jewelery and coming to Onuago where he intended to use the money from the jewelery to start a new life elsewhere with his sweetheart who lives in east Onuago.
Unfortunately, he was wounded by a zombie while escaping, and though able to swim to a boat and make his way to onuago, he became feverish and died shortly after arriving at the inn.
Now his spirit cannot rest until the letters and jewelry are delivered to his love in the east side of town.
Lux Cathcart, Butler and Restless Soul CR 8
neutral (chaotic) male human aristocrat 7
medium undead -ghost (incorporeal)
Init: Senses: darkvision 60 ft
Listen +2 Spot +2
Languages: common, wyndm
AC: 16 (+1 dex, +5 deflection) touch 16, flat-footed 15
HP: 53 (HD 7d12)
Resist: +4 turn resistance
Immune:undead immunities
Fort: +2 Ref: +2+1 Will: +5+2+1
MV: fly 30 ft (perfect)
Attack: incorporeal touch +6 (1d4 ability damage (any))
Attack Options: frightful moan, horrific appearance
Space / Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft
Base Attack: +5 Grapple: +5
Abilities: Str:10 Dex:12 Con:- Int:14 Wis:13 Cha:20
SQ: undead traits, rejuvenation, +4 turn resistance
SA: manifestation, frightful moan, draining touch, horrific appearance
Feats: athletic, alertness , iron will, animal affinity
Skills: 60 sp appraise +10+2 = +12 bluff +10+5 = +15 diplomacy +10+5 = +15 disguise +5+5 = +10 handle animal +10+2+5 = +17, hide +8+1 = +9, listen +5+8+1 = +14, search +5+8+2 = +15, spot +5+8+1 = +14.
Draining Touch (Su): A ghost that hits a living target with its incorporeal touch attack drains 1d4 points from any one ability score it selects. On each such successful attack, the ghost heals 5 points of damage to itself. Against ethereal opponents, it adds its Strength modifier to attack rolls only. Against nonethereal opponents, it adds its Dexterity modifier to attack rolls only.
Frightful Moan (Su): A ghost can emit a frightful moan as a standard action. All living creatures within a 30-foot spread must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or become panicked for 2d4 rounds. This is a sonic necromantic mind-affecting fear effect. A creature that successfully saves against the moan cannot be affected by the same ghost’s moan for 24 hours.
Horrific Appearance (Su): Any living creature within 60 feet that views a ghost must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or immediately take 1d4 points of Strength damage, 1d4 points of Dexterity damage, and 1d4 points of Constitution damage. A creature that successfully saves against this effect cannot be affected by the same ghost’s horrific appearance for 24 hours.
Manifestation (Su): Every ghost has this ability. A ghost dwells on the Ethereal Plane and, as an ethereal creature, it cannot affect or be affected by anything in the material world. When a ghost manifests, it partly enters the Material Plane and becomes visible but incorporeal on the Material Plane. A manifested ghost can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons, or spells, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. A manifested ghost can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armor. A manifested ghost always moves silently. A manifested ghost can strike with its touch attack or with a ghost touch weapon (see Ghostly Equipment, below). A manifested ghost remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where is it not incorporeal. A manifested ghost can be attacked by opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. The ghost’s incorporeality helps protect it from foes on the Material Plane, but not from foes on the Ethereal Plane.
When a spellcasting ghost is not manifested and is on the Ethereal Plane, its spells cannot affect targets on the Material Plane, but they work normally against ethereal targets. When a spellcasting ghost manifests, its spells continue to affect ethereal targets and can affect targets on the Material Plane normally unless the spells rely on touch. A manifested ghost’s touch spells don’t work on nonethereal targets.
A ghost has two home planes, the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. It is not considered extraplanar when on either of these planes.
Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a ghost through simple combat: The “destroyed” spirit will often restore itself in 2d4 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A ghost that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its old haunts with a successful level check (1d20 + ghost’s HD) against DC 16. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a ghost for sure is to determine the reason for its existence and set right whatever prevents it from resting in peace. The exact means varies with each spirit and may require a good deal of research.
Turn Resistance (Ex): A ghost has +4 turn resistance.
Skills: Ghosts have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Tactics: The ghost will unleash a frightening moan if the door to this room is opened. If characters do not flee, it will continue to moan. Characters have an opportunity to talk with it at this point, though it will require a adjustment form indifferent to friendly. If attacked it will use it’s horrific appearance and draining touch to slay it’s attackers.
If destroyed it will rejuvenate in 2d4 days unless its letters and jewelry are taken to its intended.
Treasure: In a velvet bag in his coat – a trinket for his intended – 2000 gp worth of jewelry. On the belt- just a few copper pieces in a purse and an ornate but dull dagger (it is a costume piece -1 to attack & damage) worth 50 gp.
Also, hidden under the pillow (DC 10 search check) are love letters between him and someone named Dusana. The letters indicate his intention to come to her with something that will let them start a new life together now that “the baron has gone”.
Development: The ghost cannot rest until the trinket is delivered to his intended, and will rejuvenate in 2d4 days.
Characters defeating the ghost will receive a +5 on gather information checks relating to the Castle Steiglitz after successfully completing this encounter due to gratitude from the inn’s patrons and excitment generated on the topic.
Finding Dusana, the ghost’s love, in east Onuago requires a DC 10 gather information check. The party must then travel through the east part of town to the edge of town near the north bank of the river where she lives in her partent’s home. She is friendly, then tearful and heartbroken at the news of Lux’s death. If the players deliver the jewelry to her she will accept if gratefully and announce her intention to leave the dying town. Before they leave she will offer them assistance finding things out about the town in the form of knowledgable people to talk to. This information will confer a +2 on gather information checks taken in the town of Onuago.
Ad Hoc XP Adjustment: If the players put the ghost to rest without defeating it give XP for a CR 8 encounter. If they defeat it and then put it to rest, give CR 8 + 10%, and if they just defeat it without putting it to rest, give only half XP for the encounter.
Posted in Encounter and tagged Location by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Character: Mme. Babushka (CR 9)
Lenka Babushka CR 9
neutral old-aged female human (wyndm) expert 10
medium humanoid
Init: +1 Senses: normal
Languages: common, wyndm, giant, elven, dwarven
AC: 13 (+1 dex, +1 armor, +1 deflection) touch 12, flat-footed 12
HP: 22 (HD 10d6-10)
Saves: Fort: +2 Ref: +4 Will: +10
MV: 30 ft
Attack: +10 stiletto (1d4)
Full Attack: +10/+5 stiletto (1d4)
Space / Reach: 5ft / 5ft
Base Attack: +7/+2 Grapple: +5
Abilities: Str: 6 Dex:12 Con: 7 Int: 12 Wis:16 Cha: 18
Feats: 5: weapon finesse (dirk), deft hands, persuasive, negotiator, nimble fingers
Skills: 84 sp Slight of Hand +13+1+2= +16, Open Lock +10+1+2= +13, Craft Clothes +13+1 = +15, Bluff +13+4+2= +19, Sense Motive +13+3+2= +18, Tumble +5+1= +6, Appraise +5+1= +6, Disguise +5+4= +9, Forgery +1+1= +2, Knowledge Local +11+1= +12, use rope +2.
Possessions: masterwork leather and whale-bone corset (+1 armor bonus), +2 stiletto (8,000), ring of protection +1 (2,000), nonmagical items of value, 2,000 gp in necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings, 100 gp.
This old but provacatively dressed woman smells very strongly of perfume. She sits perched on a stool at the end of the bar calmly watching the inn over a glass of red wine.
Mme babuskha will appraise the party and quickly determine they are the wealthiest patrons to enter the snug harbor in some time. She will take any opportunity to get as much money out of them as possible by selling information or her services.
She spends her days at her home, a nice townhome on the edge of the colonist’s quarter near the Snug Harbor.
Posted in Character and tagged expert, Horror of the Old Ones by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Character: Jaded Jax (bard) CR3-4
This is one of the characters that will be present in the Snug Harbor Inn at most times.
Jaded Jax CR 4
neutral evil male human bard 4
medium humanoid
Init: +2 Senses: normal
Listen Spot
Languages: common
AC: 17 (+2 Dex, +5 Armor) Touch 12, Flat Footed: 15 [+1 with Dodge]
HP: (HD 4d6+4)
Fort: +1+1 = +2 Ref: +4+2 = +6 Will: +4+1 = +6
MV: 30 ft.
Attack: +2 dagger (1d4-1)
Space / Reach: 5ft / 5ft
Base Attack: +3 Grapple: +2
Abilities: Str:9 Dex:14 Con:12 Int:11 Wis:13 Cha: 16 (with the +1 at 4th level)
SA: Bardic music, bardic knowledge, countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1, inspire competence, bardic spells.
Feats: Spell Focus (Enchantment), Dodge, Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand)
Skills: 42 sp Appraise (Int) +2, Bluff (Cha)+7+3 = +10, Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex) +4+2 = +6, Knowledge (local) (Int) +2, Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex) +4+2 = +6, Perform (Cha) +7+3 = +10, Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) +7+1 = +8, Sleight of Hand (Dex) +7+2+3 = +12. Common, elven, orcish.
Spells Available:
Spells / Day: 0th: 3, 1st: 3, 2nd: 1
Spells Known:
0th: detect magic, ghost sound, lullaby, mage hand, prestidigitation, summon instrument
1st: charm person (DC 15), cheat*, expditious retreat
2nd: invisibility, suggestion (DC 16)
Posessions: (3,300gp) +1 mithrail chain shirt (2,300 gp), dagger, p otion of cure light wounds (50 gp), antitoxin, lyre of mal-oudiousness * (3,125 gp), ratty clothes, 12 copper.
Description: Having lived only a short time Onuago, he has quickly become famous for his beautiful and haunting melodies. Unfortunately, his voice is his only redeeming quality. Dirty, and disheveled, he often reeks of yesterdays wine and/or the privy. His hair is dark, but thinning and he is constantly scratching his head and muttering under his breath. One of his eyes was taken in a knife fight and he wears a black patch w/ gold and jade decoration to conceal it. His nose is crooked, and his teeth are yellowed and stained. His features have a pinched look which causes him to resemble a rodent. He is of middling height, slight of build, but thick through the waist from too much wine. His dress, though once fine, is now threadbare and patched. It has been speculated that he stole it from some wealthy nobleman years ago. He keeps a dagger hidden in his sleve and is quick to brandish it if he feels threatened. The inn keeper tolerates him for his lovely singing, as he keeps the customers darker thoughts at bay while they drink away their sorrows. Gold will get you stories and rumors about the goings on in the city. He sleeps on the floor near the hearth with his hands clasped around his lyre. No one is certain where he came from but he has become a fixture at the Snug Harbor Inn.
Personality: Jax has earned the title of “jaded”, he is well known for his foul disposition and quickness to anger. Jax is drunk more often than not, and will do anything to ensure that the wine continues to flow. He is as arrogant as he is ignorant, knowing very little outside the realm of drink and song. Though he might not be wise or well learned, he is in possesion of an animal cunning. He will oft try to wring an extra coin out of a patron with blatant flattery, and simpering subservience, but these behaviors are naught but a ruse. In reality he is a coniving lout with no thoughts of others. He will do anything to get ahead, and would not think twice about slitting someone’s throat to do so. Jax is also a coward though, so if he feels that his life is in danger, he will attempt to flee.
Motivation: Jax has only two goals: wine and escape. No deed is too low to accomplish fulfilling both. He often steals wine from the inn when he has no coin to pay, and has no qualms at picking the pockets of the inn’s patrons, especially those deep in their cups. He has been prowling up and down the coast in search of a seaworthy vessel to carry him to greener shores. He has little coin, and what he has he spends on wine. Therefore, he plans to stow away on the first ship he comes across.
Party Interaction: Upon learning that the party has access to a ship, he will immediately attempt to charm them with his bardic wiles. He will offer them rumors and song in exchange for passage out of the doomed city. He is persistant and will follow the party. If they refuse him or ignore him, he will begin to beg and offer to help the party in whatever endeavors they undergo. If this does not work, he will become angry and distant, attempting to steal enough gold from them to buy passage. If caught, he will attempt to flee. He has a hiding place in E. Onuago where he will fall back to if chased.
* see Book of Vile Darkness
Posted in Character and tagged Horror of the Old Ones by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Character: Parvic Potbelly (Inn Keeper of the Snug Harbor) Fighter CR 3
Description: Parvic is a middle aged man with flaming red hair. He has a shinny, bald pate, but his humongous sprouting beard all but swallows his face. Extremely short, Parvic makes up for it with his tremendous girth, and booming voice. He laughs loudly and often, and locals often refer to him as the last good natured man left in Onuago. He has great bushy eyebrows, and sparkling blue eyes that seem to twinkle when he is filled with mirth. Parvic always has a rosy hue to his cheeks, and tends to sweat profusely. Although the passage of time has stolen his youth he still retains his bearlike strength. His inn is well taken care of, even in these times of trouble. The floors are swept and the mahogany wood of the bar is polished to a golden sheen. His dress is nondescript, aside from the multicolored suspender he wears. Above his bar hangs a massive great axe to remind all the he was not always a jovial, good natured inn keeper, and that his establishment is no place for trouble.
Parvic Potbelly: fighter 1 commoner 3
Posted in Character and tagged fighter, Horror of the Old Ones by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Magic Item: Lyre of Mal-odiousness
This magical lyre was once the prized possession of the famous philanthropist bard Zagreus. It is enchanted to magically enhance performances and bestows a +5 circumstance bonus to perform checks while being played.
It was buried with him long ago. A dastardly rake named Jax plundered his tomb to steal the lyre and became cursed in doing so. Now, any time anyone possessing it attempts to gain monetarily they find themselves frustrated. This manifests in various ways but is generally a -10 circumstance penalty on their social skill checks to do so; negotiations turn sour, diplomacy checks almost always fail etc.
Minor transmutation; caster level 5th; Create wondrous item, eagle’s splendor; Price: 3,125 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Posted in Magic Item and tagged wondrous item by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Magic Item: The Hand of Despair
Posted in Magic Item and tagged wondrous item by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Creature: Phase Guardian (CR 8)
Phase Guardian (CR 8)
Large Construct
Hit Dice: 15d10+20 (102 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 26 (–1 size, +15 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+21
Attack: Slam +16 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack: 2 slams +16 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, find master, guard, low-light vision, shield other, spell storing
Special Defense: Phasing
Spell Resistance: 50%; Immune to all spells when out-of-phase, susceptible when in phase.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 16–24 HD (Large); 25–45 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
The tall, lanky figure seems to disappear completely every few seconds, reappearing a few seconds later. For a moment, you can make out the symbol of an hourglass, but only for a moment. (more desc here)
Forever oscillating in and out of phase with the current time, phase guardians are slaves to time. When one is fashioned, the phase guardian is keyed to a particular magical timepiece. Henceforth, it regards the wearer of that timepiece to be its master, protecting and following that individual everywhere (unless specifically commanded not to do so).
A phase guardian obeys its master’s verbal commands to the best of its ability, although it is not good for much beyond combat and possibly simple manual labor. It can also be keyed to perform specific tasks at specific times, down to six second accuracy, if it’s in phase when the alarm goes off. The wearer of the timepiece can call the phase guardian from any distance, and it will come as long as it is on the same plane.
A phase guardian is some 9 feet tall and weighs more than 1,000 pounds. Phase guardians cannot speak, but they understand commands given in any language, though only in six-second increments.
COMBAT
Phase guardians are straightforward in battle, bashing with their heavy stone fists. They are made for defense and are not particularly impressive on offense.
Find Master (Su): As long as a phase guardian and its timepiece are on the same plane, the phase guardian can find the timepiece wearer (or just the timepiece, if it is removed after the guardian is called).
Guard (Ex): If ordered to do so, a phase guardian moves swiftly to defend the wearer of its timepiece, blocking blows and disrupting foes. All attacks against the timepiece wearer take a –2 penalty when the phase guardian is adjacent to its master.
Phase Other (Sp): Forever oscillating in time, a phase guardian must phase through time. If the Phasing is ever dispelled or otherwise disrupted, the phase guardian is trapped in whatever time it is disrupted in, and begins losing hit points at a rate of 1HD/rnd.
Spell Storing (Sp): A phase guardian can store one spell of 4th level or lower that is cast into it by another creature. It “casts” this spell when commanded to do so or at a predetermined time. Once this spell is used, the phase guardian can store another spell (or the same spell again).
CONSTRUCTION
A phase guardian is built from wood, bronze, stone, steel. The materials cost 5,000 gp. The timepiece also runs on two ounces of magesilver, kept within an hourglass that constantly resets itself every round, the amound of time it takes for the magesilver to flow from the top bulb of the hourglass to the bottom one.
The creature’s master may assemble the body or hire someone else to do the job. Creating the body requires a DC 16 Craft (blacksmithing) or Craft (carpentry) check. The keyed timepiece is fashioned at the same time, and its cost (20,000 gp) is included in the cost of the guardian. After the body is sculpted, the phase guardian is animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, similar to an alchemist’s laboratory and costing 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and the ritual can be performed together. A phase guardian with more than 15 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds +5,000 gp to the market price, and the price increases by +20,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Huge, modifying the cost to create accordingly.
CL 15th; Craft Construct, limited wish, discern location, shield, phase other, caster must be at least 15th level; Price 120,000 gp; Cost 65,000 gp + 4,600 XP.
TIMEPIECE
If a phase guardian’s timepiece is destroyed, the guardian ceases to function until a new one is created. If the wearer dies but the timepiece is intact, the phase guardian carries out the last command it was given.
Posted in Creature and tagged construct by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Creature: Brass Golem (CR 8)
These metal statues are carved in the form of muscular men and women – often appearing as athletes or heroes. Usually they are cast in brass but are also made of bronze or copper. They are animate guardians that are set in temples to detect and catch intruders. Priests form their bodies from metal and then summon a spirit from their deity’s home plane to animate their bodies. They are sometimes also known as wrestling golems, templar statues, wringen golems, wrestlen golem or guardian statues.
Brass Golem CR 8
good (often lawful) Medium Size Construct (Outsider)
Init: +4 Senses: darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility, detect evil
AC: 27 (+4 Dex, +13 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 23, damage reduction 5/adamantine and evil
HP: 76 HP (HD 9d10+27)
Immune: magic
Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +4
MV: 30 ft
Attack: slam +12 melee (1d4+6)
Full Attack: 2 slams +12 melee (1d4+6)
Atk Options: improved grab
Space / Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft
Base Attack: +6 Grp: +12
Abilities: Str 23 (+6), Dex 21 (+4), Con —, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11
SQ: Construct traits, damage reduction 5/adamantine and evil, darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility, detect evil, immunity to magic.
SA: improved grab
The handsome goldish-colored statue suddenly swivels it’s head to lock it’s glowing blue eyes with yours. It bounds off the pedistal it was on, dropping it’s discus, and charges at you.
COMBAT
Upon detecting evil intruders guardian statues charge their opponents and tackle them using a slam and their improved grab ability. Once grappling their foes they will attempt to wrestle them to the ground and pin them there. Foes that struggle will be dealt subdual damage until they submit. They will hold a foe indefinitely or until a priest of the temple arrives to decide the fate of the interloper.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a guardian status must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Immunity to Magic (Ex): Immune to all magic with the following exceptions. Spells with the fire descriptor do no damage but instead cause it to become hasted and to deal an additional 1 point of heat damage with it’s slam attacks for 1 round for every 10 points of fire damage dealt. In addition the golem will be healed by 1 point for every 3 points of damage that would have been dealt and returns 1 point of DR for every 10 points of fire damage. Spells with the cold descriptor deal no damage but instead cause it’s DR to be reduced by 1 for every 10 points of cold damage dealt. It’s DR cannot be reduced below 0 in this fashion. It’s DR returns at a rate of 1 point per round. Spells that dismiss or otherwise banish outsiders drive off the spirits within them, effectively slaying them.
Construction
A guardian statue is cast or carved from a metal such as bronze, copper or brass weighing 400 lbs and costing 200 gp. It must then be treated with special alchemical mixtures and oils worth 1000 gp.
Creating the body requires a successful DC 20 Craft (sculpting) check.
CL 9th; Craft Construct, dispel evil, true seeing, commune, raise dead, caster must be at least 9th level; Price 30,000 gp; Cost 15,000 gp + 1,200 XP.
Posted in Creature and tagged construct by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Encounter: Old Captain Thorenson
“Kommen Sie in, and welcome, my friends… I am Kjarl Bard Thorenson, son of Thoren Bard Kjarlson… and on and on… You seem a nice lot… make yourselves comfortable… the signs of the zodiac… ah yes… Ven I was your age, I lived out at sea. I sailed a great vessel… the Fjord Escort ’twas, ja… The only mistress far me, if ya catch me drift.”
At this point the characters notice a stench emanating from the bearded man; they do catch his drift. Luckily, he lights a pipe and the room is filled with the tangy odor of sweetleaf. An owl paces back and forth along a perch on the far end of the room. The old man continues without pause as the characters examine the room.
The walls of this living room are covered with nautical regalia — silver sextans, sea-soaked and sun-stained maps of faraway lands; even a proverbial ship-in-a-bottle adorns the oaken table before the window. The light from the lone window barely illuminates the room, assisted by a fading fire under the mantle and the dim cherry of Thorenson’s pipe.
“So, how do you expect to fight it… I mean… 24, 40, 60 sailing men… driven back in fear… Have you seen it yet?”
He waits only briefly for an answer, continuing,
“And the gilled children… swimming out to sea along a warm current… right out to Harpy Point… no doubt to feed the harpies on the rocks… foul bitches… feeding on your young… My friend’s child! O, Anrik, now there was a lad… a wee tot, but full of piss and vinegar… I’ve seen so many terrible things… at sea… and at that window…”
The owl lets out a squak, eyeing the characters and making them feel uneasy. The characters will later see the same owl hunting rats elsewhere in the wharf district if they wander the streets at night. Grack is the old man’s closest companion now that he’s lost the sea to his memories, and keeps a close watch on the house. His eyes glow an intense golden glow, and he always appears to be on the verge of speaking, leaning forward and peering deep into any character’s eyes that come near.
If pressed with great skill, the old man will tell of his past life as a shipwright and then sailor, culminating with his encounters with sea serpents, after which he retired from the sea some sixty moons ago. He will speak of his friend’s loss of his child to “the mutation.” This friend, Falkonne, has been studying the mutation on the east side of town, where the disease seems to have appeared with the most prevalence. He urges the party to talk to him, and to relay a message, which he removes from his pocket and hands the most trustworthy of the party (determined with a sense motive check +12) a letter, sealed with an emblem of the Wyndm marsh tongue for sea (“go”), which appears as two wavy lines with two dots in between, roughly like so:
~
..
~
The note is in the Wyndm marsh tongue and reads:
Falkonne, I fear the worst for you. I have heard nothing from you in weeks, and cannot help thinking that you too have become one of the sea-spawn and become harpy bait. I watch the eastern sky with my spyglass looking for signs of your demise. Alas, I am too pessimistic. But an old man am I! On a positive note, the harpies seem awfully quiet lately. I send Grack to deliver this note to you, and hope you will return word of your whereabouts. As one of my few friends, you must understand my request that you halt your work and return to more a civilized neighborhood. With care, -KBT
Posted in Character, Encounter by Stephen Hilderbrand with 1 comment.
Creature: Wyndm-Wolf (CR 3)
Wyndm-Wolf (CR 3)
Medium Fey Wolf
Armor Class: 15 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Hit Dice: 4d10+5 (32 hp)
Initiative: +4
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1
Speed: 50 ft.
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+10
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: trip
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10
Skills: Hide –1*, Listen +6, Move Silently +7, Spot +6, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Track
Environment: forests and mountains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (3–5)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None, though the hides are considered luxury items
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: 5–6 HD (Large); 7–8 HD (Huge) (very rare)
Level Adjustment: +3 (cohort)
A Wyndm-wolf grows about 6 feet long and stands about 3-1/2 feet at the shoulder. It weighs about 300 pounds. Wyndm-wolves can speak Fey and all three Wyndm tongues.
COMBAT
Wyndm-wolves typically hunt in packs, and tend to eat creatures smaller than themselves. However, with the colonization of the Wyndm-lands, and thus the introduciton of cattle to the lands, they have acquired a taste for beef and pork. A pack usually circles an opponent, each wolf attacking in turn to exhaust it. When solitary, they usually sneak up on their opponents.
Trip (Ex): A Wyndm-wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the Wyndm-wolf.
Skills: Wyndm-wolves have a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. Wyndm-wolves have a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks. *Their natural coloration grants them a +7 racial bonus on Hide checks in forests and mountains. A Wyndm-wolf has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Posted in Creature and tagged fey, Horror of the Old Ones by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.