Adventures	-	Dragon magazine	-	1st Ed. AD&D
Players' background	-	-	-	-

BETRAYED!
Intrigue and adventure for 4-8 player characters
Designed by Jim Bengtson

This AD&D® adventure is designed for a
group of 4-8 characters of levels 3-5. Parties
having lower-level members should have
more adventurers than upper-level parties.
The group should include a ranger and at
least one cleric or druid.

Players' background
You are in the city of Gurdikar, at the
southern tip of the Palim Mountains. Situated
on the trade road between the dwarven
city of Galantor and the gnome kingdom of
Oparan, the free city of Gurdikar is governed
by the powerful Council of Merchants.

After a week of enjoying the city's pleasures
(and emptying your money pouches),
your party is approached by a man who
introduces himself as Eskan Colnet. He tells
you that he needs the aid of a group of
brave and honest adventurers, and you
agree to hear his story.

"Recently, though, our shipments of
spice have been stolen with alarming regularity.
Our caravans are found, burned and
shattered, with the guards slain and the
spice gone. This brings me to my current
problem, which concerns my nephew, Brannod
Colnet.

"Three weeks ago, Brannod went on a
camping trip up into the mountains to
celebrate a reunion, of sorts, with his friend
Vasil Volenta, of the House of Volenta. The
House of Colnet and the House of Volenta
have had good relations for many years,
though things have cooled between us for
business reasons. Brannod and Vasil have
been friends since childhood, though they,
too, have not been very close lately. When
Vasil contacted Brannod and asked him to
spend a few days in his company, as in the
old days, Brannod was pleased to accept.

"But Vasil Volenta returned alone a few
days later, bruised and battered. He told us
that a rockslide had buried Brannod and his
escort, killing them all. He alone escaped,
because he had been riding out ahead of the
group. He led us to the spot and showed us
the remains of the escort, buried under tons
of rock. Looters had stripped the area of
any useful or valuable items. Wild animals
had apparently been at the remains; the
bodies that could be identified were all
escorts from the camping group, but Brannod
's body was not found.

"We resigned ourselves to our loss and
began mourning when, a week later, we
received a note, by courier, from a member
of Brannod's escort -- still alive! He was at
a small village to the north. He claimed that
the group had been ambushed by orcs, and
that Vasil was responsible. The orcs seemed
to know which among the group was Brannod,
and captured him after a brief fight.

This man escaped by feigning death when
he was injured--and then crawling into some
nearby bushes. After the surviving guardsmen
were herded away, boulders were
hurled down upon the caravan to make it
appear that the group was hit by a landslide.
The guardsman said he saw a man
standing at the top of the hill from which
the boulders were thrown, but the man was
not a giant. Perhaps he had the strength of
a giant.

"The orcs led their captives east through
the valley. The guardsman's wounds were
not serious, as it turned out; a broken ankle
was the worst of his problems. He was able
to find a pack horse that escaped the landslide,
and he made his way southwest to the
nearest village, where he received help.
"My brother and I are convinced of this
man's -honesty, but we need more than the
word of a simple mercenary before accusing
the House of Volenta of being connected
with the raid on Brannod's party. I want
you to go into the mountains and find evidence
of Vasil's treachery, and to see if
Brannod yet lives. If you are successful, my
brother and I will richly reward you."

Specifically, Eskan offers the party a mace
of disruption, a rope of climbing, and a ring
of warmth as rewards. However, these items
cannot be received before the mission is
completed, under any CIRCUMSTANCES. Brannod
must be returned (or his remains
brought back) along with his killers -- alive,
if at all possible -- before the party can
claim the rewards. (If the PCs bring back
extra prisoners, they may be entitled to an
additional reward.)

If the PCs accept Eskan?s offer, he gives
them a map of the Palim Mountains (the
Players' Map; see page 53) marking the <link>
location of valleys, villages, and forts, and
showing where the ambush occurred. They
also receive a pouch containing 100 gp for
outfitting expenses.

Notes to the DM
Brannod Colnet is still alive, the captive
of a firbolg giant in the pay of the House of
Volenta. This giant is also responsible for
the stolen spice shipments that have plagued
the House of Colnet. The giant often maintains
his diminutive form to further the
impression that he is a normal human with
abnormal strength. Though he is quite
powerful, a determined and clever party of
low-level characters should be able to take
on him and his allies and win -- though the
going will certainly be rough.

This adventure takes place in the Palim
Mountains, which may be located on the
DM's campaign maps (and renamed) if
used as part of an ongoing campaign. These
mountains are thickly forested with mixed
deciduous and coniferous trees. Because of
the very rough terrain, characters are only
able to move 1½ miles (3 hexes on the
large-scale map) per hour through the
mountains. This roughly corresponds to the
figures listed for "very rugged terrain" on
the outdoor movement tables in the DMG,
p. 58. Occasionally, characters may find a
path zigzagging across the face of a mountainside
(such as near encounter area 1l),
but travel on such a path does not make
movement easier: The only way to move
faster than 3 hexes per hour is to stay in the
valleys (see below). The party has 8 hours
of daylight by which to travel, plus an hour
of partial darkness at dawn and another
hour at dusk.

Both random and set encounters appear
in this part of the Palim Mountains. Some
of the encounters are dangerous, while some
may be very helpful to the party. Some,
such as the werewolf (encounter area 11)
and the giant (encounter area 1), require
careful handling.

Valley encounters
Travel through the valleys is at the rate of
2 miles (4 hexes) per hour. Encounters in
the valleys differ from those in the mountains
around them. Check for valley encounters
using the table below, rolling for
morning, night, and pre-dawn times.
 

Dice	Encounter
01-30	No encounter
31-40	5-10 wolves (HD 2 + 2, AC 7, MV 18", #AT 1, DAM 2-5)
41-60*	2-5 hunters from the nearest village; 1st-level fighters, AC 10, MV 12", armed with spears and short bows  <link: Hunter class, by Gary Gygax>
61-74*	Patrol from the nearest fort; 10 vets, AC 7 (leather and shield), MV 12", armed with long swords and spears; and, 1 swordsman as leader, AC 7 (leather and shield), MV 9", armed with long sword and 2 daggers
75-90	1-2 poisonous snakes (HD 2 + 1, AC 6, MV 15?, #AT 1, DAM 1 plus poison for 3-12)
91-00	2-5 giant ticks (HD 3, AC 3, MV 3?, #AT 1, DAM 1-4 plus blood drain of 1-6 hp/round)

* -- For night encounters, a die roll of
41-74 indicates 3-6 orcs from Gador's Hall
(see encounter area 1, room 16).

Mountain encounters
If the PCs leave the valleys,
the encounters they have will CHANGE,
though most are non-aggressive. Check the
following table for mountain encounters at
morning, night, and pre-dawn times.
 

Dice	Encounter
01-10	1-2 eagles, flying over adjacent hex (60%) or same hex (40%) (HD 1+3, AC 6, MV 1?/30?, #ATT 3, DAM 1-2/1-2/1-2)
11-25	1-4 giant ants (workers), foraging 5-20? away from party (HD 2, AC 3, MV 18?, #ATT 1, DAM 1-6)
26-35	1-2 falcons, flying over adjacent hex (60%) or same hex (40%) (HD l-l, AC 5, MV 1?/36?, #ATT 3, DAM 1/1/1)
36-45	1 ram, 4-16" away (HD 2, AC 6, MV 15?, #ATT 1, DAM 1-2 plus charge damage, if any)
46-60	2-8 huge ravens, flying over adjacent hex (60%) or same hex (40%) (HD 1-1, AC 6, MV 1?/27?, #ATT 1, DAM 1-2 plus eye attack)
61-65	1 skunk, 2-8? away (HD ¼, AC 8, MV 12?, #ATT 1, DAM 1 plus musk squirt)
66-00	No encounter

If a ranger searches for tracks, he will
find only signs of small game unless within
2 hexes (1 mile) of a set encounter, in which
case he may find signs of that encounter. If
a speak with animals spell is used on local
wildlife, the party will receive only very
vague information on nearby encounters.
No animal knows of the basilisk (those that
did are now stone statues), and most animals
know of a ?nice man? (the hermit)
who lives around here. All animals dislike
the brutal orcs.

Villages and forts
The villages located around the perimeter
of the Palim Mountains are small, usually
consisting of no more than 10-30 peasant
families each. The residents know next to
nothing of the mountains, other than that it
is dangerous to go wandering about there.

The surviving guardsman is at the village
marked on the Players' Map. If the player
characters seek him out, he will repeat what
he told Eskan in the note, with the following
additional details.

"The man who buried the escort with
boulders had a long black beard and carried
a two-handed sword. He dressed in brown
clothing. Vasil Volenta seemed very friendly
with him, calling him something that
sounded like "Bator." ?

If questioned further, the guardsman will
admit that he did not see the man actually
throw the boulders. The man walked into
view moments after the last boulder crashed
down upon the remains of the escort. Vasil
and the man then shouted to each other and
parted, the orcs and their captives leaving
with the strong man.

The guardsman's broken ankle prevents
him from accompanying the party. Besides,
he wishes to return to Gurdikar after a few
more days of REST and recuperation.

The forts are the bases for patrols of
provincial troops, which go out regularly
into the Palim Mountains. Log palisades
around the forts provide protection from
wild animals, but they would quickly fall
before siege equipment. The population of
each keep consists of a 40-man garrison of
0-level fighters, who are commanded by a
<swashbuckler> assisted by two <swordsmen>.

Both keeps have trading posts, where PCs
can stock up on most common items found
in the Players Handbook (at a 10% higher
price). Each fort also has a small chapel,
where a <prefect> cares for the spiritual
and physical well-being of the soldiers
and nearby villagers.

None of the soldiers will agree to join the
party if approached, and the 0-level fighters
will not give information to strangers. However,
if the commander or one of his assistants
is bribed, he will tell the party some or
all of the following facts: The Palim Mountains
are home to a basilisk and groups of
rock reptiles, bowlers, and cave fishers, but
no one is sure where their lairs are located.
The mountains also contain bands of orcs,
of varying numbers, liable to pop up anywhere,
and somewhere among the peaks is
the home of a wealthy hermit who occasionally
comes to the fort to buy supplies.
 

Encounter area 1: Gador's Hall
Rangers and elves have a 2-in-6 chance of
spotting Gador's Hall from the valley floor,
4-in-6 if they are actively looking for it.
They will see a faint path on one side of the
valley leading up the mountainside. The
path ends at a house built into the mountainside,
with attached stables. Smoke drifts
from the chimney. A pair of very large
double doors are on the south end of the
building, with a large brass knocker on each
door.

The double doors are made of solid oak
(a successful bend bars/lift gates roll is
required to force them open). They are 10'
tall and are locked. If characters attempt to
force the doors open, there is a 20% cumulative
chance per round that the noise will
be noticed, and Gador will meet the characters
in his human form (see scenario 2 <link>
below). Hidden above the doorframe (easily
spotted if characters climb up to look) is a
key that will open the door. Gador keeps it
there as a spare. If the door is opened quietly
(by using a silence spell, a knock spell,
or the key), then use scenario 1 below.

The floors of Gador's Hall are cut from
stone. The ceiling in rooms 1-5 is 20' high
and only 14' high elsewhere. All double
doors are 12' tall, but single doors are of
normal height (7').

Room 1: Main Hall
Scenario 1: This large room is lit by oil
lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A large
table dominates the room. It is surrounded
by 15 chairs, the one at the head very much
larger than the others. A haunch of meat is
roasting over the coals in a fireplace off to
one side. Paintings of mountain scenery
hang on the walls. The doors are locked and
untrapped. Twelve paintings, worth 10-40
gp each, hang on the walls.

Check on the following random encounter
table once per turn that the PCs
remain in this room.
 

Die roll	Encounter
1	Gador, in giant form, from corridor 2
2-3	Brunnel, from corridor 13 (through secret door)
4-6	1-4 orcs, from corridor 13 (through secret door)
7-11	No encounter
12	Double encounter -- roll twice, using d6 die

Scenario 2: The door is opened by a man
dressed in servant's robes, a sheathed longsword
at his side. Behind him, beside a
large table, stands a big bearded man
dressed in leather, his hands on a sheathed
two-handed sword. The man at the door is
Brunnel (see room 15 for statistics), while <link>
Gador, in human form, waits by the table
(see room 3 for statistics). Orcs are watching <link>
through a peephole in the secret door,
and they will rush to defend Gador if the
party attacks.

If the characters have spoken with the
injured guardsman at the village, they will
notice that Gador (because of his beard and
clothing) resembles the man whom the
guard saw appear after the landslide. Gador
will try to use trickery to fool and capture
the party, hoping to make them think he is a
friendly but eccentric hermit. If the party
members are not hostile, Gador will greet
them in a friendly manner and, after finding
out the party's task, will offer to help
out. He claims to know where a band of
orcs may be hiding, and he promises to lead
them there the following morning. In the
meantime, he invites them to stay in his
home as his guests.

If the characters accept Gador's hospitality,
they will be served food and drink con- <berries, peas, milk, apricots, meat>
taining delayed-action sleep poison. When
the PCs go to sleep for the night in the guest
rooms (8, 9, and 10), they will drop into
total unconsciousness. While they are in this
condition, Gador will strip the PCs of all
their possessions except the clothes they are
wearing and toss them into cells (rooms 17,
18, and 20), where they will awaken in 2-5
hours. (If possible, split the party up into
cells in such a way that the 'treasures'
hidden in each cell can be put to the best
use by the characters.) Gador will put the
PCs' magical possessions (if any) in a chest
in room 5 and their normal possessions in
room 22.

Room 2: Corridor
The corridor is dark, but a light can be
seen under the doors at the far end. The
ceiling is 20' high.

Room 3: Gador?s living room
This room is lit by oil lamps suspended
from the ceiling. Several bearskin rugs
cover the floor, and couches line the walls.
A small fire burns in a fireplace, and paintings
of mountain scenery hang on the walls.
There is a bar in one corner of the room.

Gador, the renegade firbolg giant, will be
encountered here (if not met elsewhere
already) when the party enters this room.
His statistics are as follows: HD 13 + 7, hp
55, AC 2, MV 15?, #ATT 1, DAM by
weapon type (+10). Gador has the following
spell-like powers, which he can use one
per round when not in melee combat: detect
magic, diminution (as the potion, with
double effect and double maximum duration),
fool's gold, forget, and alter self. He
can also bat away projectiles (such as arrows)
with a free hand, twice per round, on
a roll of 6 or better on a d20.

Gador is chaotic neutral and greatly
dislikes humans. He enjoys the idea of
raiding caravans, even if he doesn't use the
treasures he gets from them. Gador uses his
two-handed sword with both hands when in
human form, but he needs to hold it with
only one hand when in giant form. Gador
only possesses his +10 bonus to damage in
his giant form (10½' tall).

Gador also has a figurine of wondrous
power, a golden lion. If forced to fight, he
first invokes the lion and has it attack any
magic-users while he takes on the fighters.
If Gador is slain, the lion reverts to its
statuette form. In animal form, the lion has
HD 5 + 2, AC 5/6, MV 12?, #ATT 3,
DAM 1-4/1-4/1-10 plus rake for 2-7/2-7 if
forepaws hit, surprised only on a 1.

If encountered at night, Gador is 60%
likely to be very drunk. In such a case, he
attacks at -5 "to hit" and has 58 hit
points, due to his greatly intoxicated state.
If Gador is encountered while drunk, there
is a 10% chance that he will have passed
out, but if any damage is inflicted upon
him, he will awaken and begin to fight
drunkenly.

Eight kegs of ale are stacked behind the
bar. Hidden in a secret compartment in the
bar are 30 bottles of a very good wine. In
the room may also be found six paintings
valued at 10-40 gp each and five bearskin
rugs worth 50 gp each. The bottles of wine
would bring a price of 20 gp apiece from a
connoisseur. In his pocket Gador keeps a set
of keys that open all the doors and chests
throughout the Hall.

Room 4: Gador's library
This room is obviously a library, with
bookshelves lining two walls and maps and
paintings covering the other two walls. A
pair of large desks and a large table stand in
the center of the carpeted floor. The room is
illuminated by two oil lamps hanging from
the ceiling. The doors are unlocked and not
trapped.

Gador is very interested in maps and
books on distant lands. Most of the 125
books in the library deal with geography
and history. Of the 5 maps hanging on
the walls, only one is familiar to the characters;
it is essentially identical to the Players' <link>
Map. Reading the books may give the
characters some hints about lejends that
may be expanded into later adventures.

The maps and books are worth 5-20 gp
apiece to a collector, but the bulk and quantity
of these books will probably not make
the effort of transporting them or shipping
them worth the while.

Room 5: Gador's bedroom
This bedroom obviously belongs to a very
large person, judging by the size of the bed.
It is 12" long and 8" wide, and it is covered
with furs. In one corner of the room is a
closet, while a desk and large chest are
along another wall. A very large painting of
mountain scenery hangs over the bed. The
room is lit by a hanging oil lamp, and another
oil lamp sits on the desk.

The doors are locked but untrapped. The
closet contains spare cloaks, boots, and
clothing for someone of about 11' in height.
In a locked drawer of the desk is a contract
signed by Vasil Volenta, agreeing to pay
Gador 750 gp for holding Brannod Colnet
captive (so that he can be used for a surprise
ransom demand later on). Another contract
agrees to pay Gador 500 gp per mission for
hijacking shipments bearing the mark of the
House of Colnet. This is all the proof the
party needs of Volenta's involvement in the
crimes. Also in the desk is a paper showing
the expected routes and dates of shipments
for the House of Colnet, which Kellan and
Eskan can use to identify the spy in their
merchant house.

In the chest (which is locked) will be any
magic items and money previously taken
from the party, as well as the following: a
pouch containing five 100 gp gems; a small,
finely crafted wooden box (50 gp) containing
a silver stick-pin with a diamond head
(1000 gp) and a gold necklace (1100 gp); a
green potion of fire resistance; a green
potion of flying, a yellow potion of healing,
4,840 electrum pieces; and 6,510 gold
pieces. There are 15 furs on the bed, worth
5 gp each, and the painting is worth 75 gp
to a collector.

Room 6: Corridor
The corridor is lit by torches in holders
spaced 10 feet apart.

Room 7: Kitchen
This room, obviously a kitchen, has a
large oven, several counters, and cupboards
over the counters. A blood-stained chopping
block in one corner has a large meat cleaver
stuck into its top surface, and a solid oak
trap door is set into the floor in another
corner of the room.

This room is lit by 2 oil lamps bolted to
the walls. This is where Brunnel (see room
15 for statistics) prepares meals; he is here
25% of the time. The cupboards hold the
usual dried herbs and preparations. The
trap door leads down into a freezer (large
blocks of ice line the walls) that holds the
carcasses of 3 deer and 1 human (one
of Brannod's bodyguards, which Brunnel
was planning to prepare as a reward for the
orcs). The ice is maintained by a small ice
toad (HD 5, AC 4, MV 9?, #ATT 1, DAM
3-1 2 plus cold damage), which is fed on
dinner scraps and ?useless? prisoners. The
toad has been trained by Gador not to
attack him or orcs, and they can enter and
leave the freezer at will. Other creatures are
not so favored -- even Brunnel dares not
enter the freezer. Nothing else is of value
here.

Room 8: Guest room
This bedroom contains 2 large beds, a
table, and two chests. The floor is carpeted,
and an unlit oil lamp hangs from the ceiling.
The door is unlocked, and the chests
are unlocked and empty. Nothing of value is
here.

Rooms 9-12: Guest rooms
Use the description for room 8, adding a
few minor items here and there from the
Dungeon Dressing Tables in the DMG, pp.
217-219.

Room 13: Corridor
There is a peephole in the secret door.
The orc <sentinel> at point ?x? is drowsy and
bored, but will certainly notice anyone
walking down the corridor from either
direction, in which case he will yell an
alarm to the orcs in room 16 and attack.

If the party is imprisoned in rooms 17,
18, and 20, the guard will notice any attempt
to kick the doors down, but he will
not hear any whispered conversations or see
a door being opened quietly. It is possible
for a thief to sneak up on him from the
cells, if a successful move silently roll is
made. The orc (HD 1, AC 6, MV 9?,
#ATT 1, D battle axe) has the keys to rooms
17-22.

Room 14: Storage Closet
Shelves line the walls of this room, filled
with various miscellaneous items such as
blankets, tablecloths, and other household
equipment. There are also three large barrels
of oil. The room is dark, and nothing of
particular value is here.

Room 15: Brunnel's room
This room contains one bed, a desk, and
a chest. The floor is carpeted, and a pair of
crossed longswords are hung above the bed.
The room is lit by an oil lamp bolted to one
wall.

If Brunnel has not been encountered
elsewhere, it is 70% likely that he'll be
here. He is a half-orc, though he easily
passes for human. A dwarf character has a
10% chance per turn, cumulative, of realizing
that Brunnel is a half-orc. He is Gador's
butler and cook, and he wears robes over
his splint mail +1 to keep up appearances.
He carries a longsword +2 beneath his
robes. In the chest (to which Brunnel has
the key) are 430 silver pieces. He also wears
a silver ring worth 100 gp.

Brunnel is a <swordsman> (25 hp, AC
3, MV 9?, lawful evil, STR 18(89), INT
13, WIS 13, DEX 14, CON 16, CHA 10).
His combat adjustments are +3 to hit and
+5 to damage from strength, or +5 to hit
and +7 to damage with his sword?s bonuses.
If the party was captured and had
any magical armor or weapons better than
his longsword, Brunnel will be employing
them.

Room 16: Barracks
The walls of this room are lined with
bunk beds, and a chest is at the head of
each set of bunks. At the far end of the
room is a fireplace and a table.

There are 20 beds, and the area by the
fireplace is used as a kitchen. This is where
the orcs relax when not on guard duty or
out causing havoc. The orcs will hear and
respond to any alarm raised by the guard
(see room 13), but they don't like Brunnel
and will ignore any noise coming from his
room. Because the door opens outward into
the corridor, it is possible to block the door
shut, trapping the orcs inside room 16. The
chests are not locked and contain only spare
clothing and miscellaneous items for the
orcs (each HD 1, AC 6, MV 9?, #ATT 1,
D battle axe), plus a total of 63 copper
pieces and 24 silver pieces.

Room 17: Cell
The stone floor here is covered with filthy
straw, and the stench in the room is incredible.
The door is solid oak, with a 1" square
window of iron bars set into it about 5' off
the ground. The room is lit only by the light
shining from the hall through the bars in
the door. A successful bend bars/lift gates
roll is required to kick the door open.

A fist-sized rock has fallen loose from the
wall here and is lying under the straw in
one corner. If thrown, its maximum range
is 3", and it does 1-3 hp damage plus a
chance of stunning its target equal to the
thrower's bend bars/lift gates figure.

Room 18: Cell
Use the general description for room 17.
A half-dressed human skeleton lies in one
corner; hidden in the heel of one of its boots
is a set of lockpicks which will allow a thief
the chance to pick the locks on the doors.

Room 19: Cell
Use the general description for room 17.
There are seven humans in this room. One
matches the description given of Brannod
Colnet. All are bruised, filthy, and half-starved,
possessing nothing but the clothing
on their backs.

Brannod Colnet is a 1st-level thief with 5
hp, AC 10 (8 with DEX bonuses), MV 12?,
neutral alignment, STR 11, INT 15, WIS
13, DEX 16, CON 13, CHA 15. His
chances of success at thieving skills are: PP
30%, OL 30%, F/RT 20%, MS 15%, H/S
10%, HN 10%, CW 85%. (In a city as full
of intrigue and backstabbing as Gurdikar, it
is only natural for members of the merchant
families to pick up thieving skills.)

The other 6 men in the cell are 0-level
fighters (each 2-7 hp, AC 10, MV 12",
neutral). They are loyal to Brannod alone.

Room 20: Cell
Use the general description for room 17.
Under the straw in one corner of the room,
carefully wedged into a crack in the stone
floor, is a dagger of orcish manufacture. It
may be found after 2 turns of searching
the cell.

Room 21: Cell
Use the general description for room 17.
The body of a dwarf lies in one corner, a
worn metal belt buckle in one hand. On the
wall beside it, scratched into the stone, is
the following message in Common: ?Overheard
guards ? armor, weapons in next
room ? avenge me.?

This dwarf was captured a few days ago
while wandering in the mountains. Brannod
Colnet saw him being tossed into this cell,
and he has seen orcs sneak into the cell
every so often to beat the dwarf up. Yesterday
he saw several drunken orcs enter the
room and heard them kicking and beating
the prisoner. After an hour, the orcs left,
and no one has entered the room since.

Room 22: Storeroom
This unlit room is filled with crates and
boxes. In one corner is a pile of armor, and
on the wall above are racks holding assorted
weapons. If the party was captured by
Gador, their non-magical armor and weapons
will be found here, except for any exceptional
items which may have been
claimed by Brunnel or an orc. The other
weapons and armor were taken from Brannod
Colnet, his group of escorts, and from
other wanderers in the mountains. The
major contents of the room include:

    8 longswords
    5 spears
    23 daggers
    3 suits of plate mail (man-sized)
    8 suits of chain mail (man-sized)
    3 suits of banded mail (man-sized)
    1 suit of chain mail (dwarf-sized)
    18 helmets (various sizes)
    12 shields (various sizes)

The 12 boxes and 23 crates display the
mark of the House of Colnet and contain
the missing spice shipments. The party will
also find 5 barrels of ale, apparently stolen
from an earlier shipment.

Rooms 23-24: Stables
Room 23 holds Gador?s heavy war horse,
while room 24 holds Brunnel?s light war
horse. Gador can ride his horse only in his
human-sized form. The horses will not
attack unless attacked first. Chain barding,
saddles, tack, and other gear are stored just
inside the doors, while hay and oats are
stored in the loft. (Heavy war horse: HD
3 + 3, AC 7, MV 15?, #ATT 3, DAM 1-8/
1-8/1-3; light war horse: HD 2, AC 7, MV
24?, #ATT 2, DAM 1-4/1-4).
 

The rest of these encounters lie scattered
across the mountains, waiting for adventurers
to discover them.

Encounter area 2: Rock reptiles
Two rock reptiles (HD 5 + 5, AC 3, MV
6?, #ATT 1, DAM 1-4 + (5-12), chameleon
powers, surprises on 1-3) have their lair
here. They are very active at night but are
dormant in daylight. Neither has any treasure
yet.

Encounter area 3: Rock reptiles
A solitary rock reptile of the largest size
(HD 5 + 12, 12? long, bites for 13-16 hp
damage) lairs here. This rock reptile managed
to catch a couple of orcs a few weeks
ago, so it has acquired a little treasure (28
cp, 44 sp, dagger +1) that it keeps in its
lair under an overhanging rock.

Encounter area 4: Galeb duhr
This location is noteworthy because the
moderately steep slope here is covered with
loose rock, unlike any of the area around it,
and looks like a good place to climb if PCs
are so inclined. At the top of the slope may
be seen several large boulders. Anyone who
tries to climb the 30-foot slope up to the
large boulders must make a roll of dexterity
or less on d20 to avoid slipping and causing
a small rockslide. A character who fails this
roll will slide back down the face of the
slope, suffering 2-12 points of damage from
falling debris.

One of the boulders at the top of the slope
is actually a galeb duhr (HD 8, AC -2,
MV 6?, #ATT 2, DAM 2-16, various magic
spells for attack and defense, various resistances
vs. attacks). The galeb duhr knows
Gador is a giant and the hermit is a spellcaster.
If it likes the party (reaction roll,
DMG, p. 63), or if the party gives it a gift,
it will give them limited information or
advice. It will not engage in combat unless
the PCs are foolish enough to attack it first.

Encounter area 5: Cyclopskin
This remote valley is the home of a family
of cyclopskin. It is 65% likely that the
3 largest cyclopskin (from room 4) will <link>
be out hunting and will return in 1-6 hours.
If so, the party has a 20% non-cumulative
chance per hex (while within 2 hexes of the
path) of meeting them. Rangers and elves
have a 2-in-6 chance of spotting the cave,
4-in-6 if they are actively searching for
noteworthy features. The cyclopskin are
implacably hostile toward all humans.

Room 1: Entrance tunnel
The tunnel ends at a large wooden door,
which is unlocked.

Room 2: Main room
A small fire burns in the middle of this
cavern; a small iron kettle is suspended over
it. A giant, one-eyed woman (7? tall) sits
nearby, stirring the contents of the kettle. A
giant child (5? tall) sits against the far wall,
playing with some bones. (Female cyclopskin:
HD 5, AC 3, MV 12?, #ATT 1,
D club, +2 on damage. Young cyclopskin:
HD 2 + 2, AC 4, MV 12?, #ATT 1, D fists
for 1-4.)

Room 3: Women's cave
Rough hides hang on the walls here. A
torch burns on the far wall, providing some
light. In a pile of furs in one corner lies a
female cyclopskin, who awakens if PCs do
not enter silently. (Female cyclopskin: HD
5, AC 3, MV 12?, #ATT 1, D club, +2 on
damage. The hides are worth about 5 cp
apiece.

Room 4: Men's cave
A large pile of smelly furs lies in the
middle of the cavern.  If the male cyclopskin
are NOT out hunting, they will be in here.
Each has HD 5, AC 3, MV 12", #ATT 1,
D clublike morning star, +2 on damage.
Under the furs are 6 gems worth 100 gp
each.

Room 5: Children's cave
A pile of ragged furs are piled in one
corner of the cave.  Sitting on the furs are
2 young cyclopskin.  Each has HD 2 + 2,
AC 4, MV 12", #ATT 1, D fists for 1-4.

Room 6: Storeroom
Crude shelves have been cut out of the
stone walls here.  Dried leaves and grasses
line the shelves, along with roots and other
food.  Behind a pile of dried leaves is a glass <food>
vial containing a yellow potion of extra-healing,
the cyclopskin know of its powers
and will USE it in an emergency.

Encounter area 6: Cave fisher
Anything moving in this valley attracts
the attention of a cave fisher, which lairs
20' above a cliff, and has normal changes to
surprise.  It has HD 3, AC 4, MV @1",
#ATT 2, DAM 2-8/2-8 plus 60' adhesive
filament.  The cave fisher has no treasure as
such, though the bones of many animals
(and a few orcs) may be found within one-half
mile of it.

Encounter area 7: Bowlers
  This part of the slope is grassy, with few
trees.  At the top of  the slope can be seen a
number of boulders. If any characters head
up the slope, 3 of the boulders begin
rolling down the slope toward them.  These
are bowlers (each HD 1, hp 2-5, AC 4, MV
6" + special). Each bowler has a base 10 gp
gem in its center.

Encounter area 8: Bowlers
This encounter area is similar to 7,
except that 5 bowlers inhabit the area.

Encounter area 9: Bowlers
    This encounter area is similar to area 7,
except that 4 bowlers live here.  The remains
of 2 orcs may also be found here; one of
them clutches a pouch with 22 gp inside.

Encounter area 10: Basilisk
    If the PCs enter <1> of the hexes at the edges
of this AREA, each member of the party has a
25% chance of discovering a crude wooden
sign in the bushes nearby.  The sign is lettered
in Common and reads: DANGER! DO
NOT ENTER! DANGEROUS MONSTER! Patrols
from the forts try to keep these signs posted
in plain sight, but occasionally the orcs from
Gador's Hall (see encounter area 1) will
ride by and tear them down.  If the PCs
continue to travel through this AREA
(whether or NOT they see the sign) they will
notice that the valley is unnaturally quiet.
Rock formations bearing uncanny resemblances
to living creatures -- a wabbit, a
deer, a bear -- will appear in the foliage.

This AREA is the lair & surrounding
territory of a basilisk (HD 6 + 1, AC 4, MV
6", #ATT 1, DAM 1-10 plus petrification).
There is a 60% chance that the basilisk is
out sunning itself on the hot rocks, and
characters will have a 30% chance per hex
(cumulative) of encountering it.  Its cave, in
the center of the valley, is behind some
rocks and vines, but can be easily spotted.

The tunnel leading to the basilisk's lair is
about 80' long and opens into a chamber of
roughly oval shape, 12' wide and 30' long.
The little rock formations that litter the
tunnel entrance are petrified animals (foxes,
wabbits, etc.).

At various places on the chamber floor
are stone formations resembling men, orcs,
and dwarves -- many of them chipped or
broken.  These are the petrified remains of
intruders who were surprised by the basilisk
while investigating its lair.  Most of the
statues have clothing or gear nearby; if all  <clothing>
of the statues are searched thoroughly, the
total treasure to be found in non-petrified
pouches and backpacks includes 4,460 gp,
170 pp, a green potion of invisibility, a
white potion of heroism, and a blue potion of
healing.  A cloak of protection +3 is
wrapped around one statue's shoulders.  In
the hand of another statue is a bone tube
holding a cleric spell scroll containing dispel
magick and protection from evil, 10' radius.

Encounter AREA 11: Werewolf
    At the end of a winding path leading up
this mountainside is a small, crudely built
log cabin.  The cabin is 10' x 15', with a
dirt floor.  The furniture consists of a table,
a cot, and a locked chest containing 5 pelts
(worth 3-6 gp each) and a pouch containing
12 ep and 35 pennies.

This is the home of Diren Belora, a
hunter.  He was recently infected with lycanthropy,
and came here so he wouldn't harm
anyone when the blood urge overpowered
him; now he's CE and dangerous.
He will be friendly toward the party and
will try to get them to stay with him at his
cabin until nightfall, when he can attack
under darkness.  He will NOT reveal his
affliction to the party beforehand.

If the party is within 4 hexes of the cabin
when night falls, the werewolf will track
them down and attack.  It has HD 4 + 3, AC
5, MV 15", #ATT 1, DAM 2-8, +1 or
better weapon needed to hit (or silver
weapon), surprises on 1-3.

There is a 70% chance in the daytime
that the werewolf (in human form) will be
out hunting; if so, characters have a 20%
non-cumulative chance per hex (while
within 4 hexes of the cabin) of encountering
him. Rangers and elves have a 2-in-6
chance of spotting the cabin from the valley
floor, 4-in-6 if they are actively searching
the mountainside for something noteworthy.

Encounter area 12: Pedipalps
This area is inhabited by a variety of
huge pedipalps, 3 in number (each HD
2 + 2, AC 4, MV 9?, #ATT 3, DAM 1-6/1-
6/1-8 plus gripping attack with automatic
damage). The pedipalps, if surprised, will
be seen waiting silently for animal prey to
come by.

Encounter area 13: Pedipalps
See area 12. 1 huge pedipalp lurks
here. An orc's dagger is stuck in one of its
pincers, rendering the extremity useless (2
attacks only, for 1-6/1-8).

Encounter area 14: Pedipalps
See area 12. 4 huge pedipalps roam
here.

Encounter area 15: Pedipalps
See area 12. 4 huge pedipalps hunt for
prey in this area. In the recent past, one of
them killed an cyclopskin which now lies in
a gully where the 2 monsters lurk. The
cyclopskin was carrying a sack containing
three human-sized helmets, a 250 gp gemstone
on a silver necklace, and a bone scroll
case with a sheaf of illegible papers inside.

Encounter area 16: Hermit
These are several points at which the
party may encounter the hermit who lives
in these mountains. As the PCs travel into
each area marked 16, each character in the
group has a 5% chance of seeing a one-armed
old man sitting among the trees to
one side of the path, watching the group
pass. The hermit will do nothing unless the
party reacts violently, in which case he will
use an entangle spell to slow the party down
and then vanish among the trees by using a
tree spell. If the party is friendly and respectful,
he will say "The caterpillar is in
truth a butterfly. Everything may not be as
it seems." Then he will walk into the forest
and vanish among the trees. See encounter
area 18 for more information on the hermit,
who is a retired druid.

If he has already been encountered and
has delivered his warning, the hermit will
remain hidden among the trees during
further encounters. If the characters are
having difficulty finding Gador's Hall, the
DM may have the hermit direct them to the
galeb duhr by remarking that "the rocks
have ears, too," and giving them directions
to the galeb duhr's location.

Encounter area 17: Rock pile
The valley ahead is almost blocked by a
large pile of boulders. Beneath some of the
boulders can be seen pieces of bone, ripped
cloth, and crushed armor. Orc and animal
tracks are all around. This is where Gador's
force ambushed Brannod Colnet and his
escort. The boulders are too large and too
heavy to move without a lot of effort.

Encounter area 18: Hermit?s grove
The crowded forest here opens up into a
well-kept grove. There is a 75% chance
that, unless he has been encountered elsewhere,
the lone inhabitant of the grove is
home. He is a one-armed old man who
wanders among the trees, singing softly to
himself in the tongue of the druids. The old
man is Edmar Kantorna, a retired druid.
He lost his left arm while adventuring in his
youth. Unable to continue adventuring, he
retired to the mountains to be close to nature.
Practice has enabled him to cast spells
with only one hand. Edmar Kantorna is a
5th-level druid (20 hp, AC 8, MV 12?, uses
a staff of the serpent (python) for attacks).
He wears a ring of protection + 2. The loss
of his arm does not affect Edmar's ability to
cast spells; when encountered be will be
carrying the spells detect magic (x2), detect
snares & pits (x2), entangle, speak with
animals, barkskin, charm person or mammal,
cure light wounds (x2), obscurement,
and tree (x2). Edmar has a friend who is a
large brown bear (HD 5 + 5, AC 6, MV
12?, #ATT 3, DAM 1-6/1-6/1-8 plus hug).
The bear will appear in 1 round whenever
Edmar calls for it, and he will do so immediately
if he is threatened or attacked.

Edmar has complete and detailed knowledge
of the entire region, including the
locations of all the set encounters. He knows
about Gador and his activities. If the party
has been respectful of nature and treats him
with respect, Edmar will share his knowledge
with the party. He may, however,
withhold some information to keep things
interesting.

Edmar lives comfortably in a cave, the
entrance to which is hidden by a plant
growth spell. The party will not be able to
locate the cave without Edmar's assistance
or magical spells. Edmar keeps a small
hoard of 573 gp, 423 sp, and 32 cp buried
in the dirt floor of his cave. He would love
to share the company of a fellow druid, and
likes elves, half-elves, and rangers as well.

Ending the adventure
If the PCs rescue Brannod Colnet, the
House of Colnet will give them the promised
rewards. If the characters bring proof
that the House of Volenta was behind the
thefts, they will get an additional 2000 gp
(total). If they bring back the stolen shipments,
they will receive a finder's fee of 1 sp
per 1 gp value of the shipment (this works
out to 5000 sp, or 250 gp).

The city of Gurdikar will also award the
PCs a bounty of 1 gp for each orc head they
bring in and 50 gp for the giant's head (500
gp if he is brought in alive).