The smith is a very powerful man, with a
bushy beard and large hands forever working
some piece of iron. He is assisted by a
dull-witted stable 'boy' and a rat-faced
young apprentice. Though the smith's main
skill is shoeing horses and similar work, he
can mend armor and do minor weapons
work, and so is kept quite busy. He is usually
seen drinking quietly (though he brawls
on occasion) at the Waterside Tavern.

Chon, Smith's boy: Level 0 local man, AC
10 (no armor); hp 3; AL NG; XP 8
S 16 I 6 W 8 D 12 Co 14 Ch 10
<hedonist. friendly introvert, hot tempered, soft-hearted, greedy, deceitful, foolhardy, miserly, zealot, interest: drugs>
Carried: dagger, purse with 10 cp, 10 sp, 2
ep, 1 gp

Sammy, Apprentice Smith: a Veteran (Level
1 Fighter), AC 4 (chain & shield); hp 8;
AL N; XP 18
S 17 I 13 D 8 W 9 Co 15 Ch 10
<capricious. rude extrovert, morose dreamer, soft-hearted, covetous, scrupulous, foolhardy, spendthrift, martyr, interest: horticulture>
Carried: dagger, purse with 6 cp, 6 sp, 4 ep,
3 gp

Smith: Otis, a man-at-arms ex-mercenary,
AC 7 (no armor) or better (see below);
hp 100; AL NG; XP 5000
S 18/07 I 15 W 15 D 17 Co 18 Ch 13
<precise. aloof, cheerful, brilliant, soft-hearted aesthetic, energetic spendthrift, virtuous martyr>
Carried: dagger (and hammer in smithy),
purse with 1 cp, 4 sp, 7 ep, 2 gp.
Languages: Common, Alignment, Elvish,
Gnomish, Ogrish, Sprite. Spells
(druidical)—detect magic, speak with
animals, affect normal fires.

In a secret place beneath the old anvil at
the rear of his shop, Otis has a suit of chain
mail + 2, longsword + 2, and a pouch with
25 gems (a mix of amethysts, chrysoberyls,
pearls, and tourmalines, each worth 100
gp). Nearby are his pallet, a chest (containing
clothing and adventuring gear suited to
his level), a small table and chair, and an
assortment of old but serviceable weapons
(including normal longbow, a quiver of 20
arrows with cold-wrought iron heads,
shortsword, and cold iron battle axe).
The smith is secretly a ranger knight <ranger lord>
(Level 10), an agent of the King of
Furyondy, a Knight Bachelor of Veluna, and
formerly a watcher of activity in Hommlet.
Otis claims to be an ex-mercenary. His
apprentice and "boy" believe this to be true,
though the former (an alert snoop) knows
where Otis hides his special equipment.
Otis will accompany adventurers to the
Temple of Elemental Evil if the opportunity
arises. He slays or misleads evil creatures and
helps those of Good while not unduly risking
his life. After one or two such expeditions,
however, he decides that even a Good party
must go it alone, as he does not wish to reveal
his true identity and purposes—to be certain
that some powerful Evil character does not
loose the prisoner (as, in the Greyhawk Campaign,
did Lord Robilar).

This ranger further assists Good characters
if in great need. In his guise as a man-at-arms,
he asks for a suit of chain mail and a longsword,
and then substitutes his own magical
counterparts. His sword glows only upon his
utterance of a secret rune, so the magic upon it
may be kept hidden for some time. His "fee" is
one equal share of treasure gained. Otis is
Neutral Good, and cooperates with Y'dey and
Murfles (see area 3, seven special followers— <>
Murfles (area 3), 2 giant owls, and four
sprites. The owls conceal themselves amidst
the thick foliage of a mighty oak nearby. By
night, they watch for and report to Otis any
activity around the Temple. The sprites are
from the nearby AREA, and are thus very familiar
with their surroundings. They make a temporary
home in a hollow high up the huge
trunk of a nearby Ipp tree (quite near the owls'
oak), in the small woods to the north of the
track between Nulb and the Temple. They
watch by day, reporting to Otis on activity
around the Temple.

Owls (2): AC 6; MV 3"/18"; HD 4; hp 27; 2;
#AT 3; Dmg 2-8/2-8/2-5; SA surprise on
1-5; SZ M; XP 258; 238

Sprites (4): AC 6; MV 9"/18"; HD 1; hp 7, 6,
5, 5, #AT 1 or 2; D dagger (1-4) or arrow
(1-3); SA surprise 75%, and arrow (victim
must save vs. poison or sleep 10-60 turns),
SD move silently, invisible at will (-4 AC
bonus), SZ S; XP 87, 86, 85, 85

>> 3.