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 Game Adventure

Destiny of Kings
by Stephen Bourne
CREDITS CONTENTS
Editors: David James Ritchie and Steve Winter DM's BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Cover Artist: Walter Velez
Cartographers: David C. Sutherland 111and Rob Lazzaretti A Death in Dunador
Typogrupher: Nancy Walker

ADVENTURING IN ANDEVAR
Road Encounters Table . . . . ,
Off-Road Encounters Table . .

ENCOUNTER AREAS

The Drake &Castle Inn . .. . .

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Conclusion, if Edmund is Dead
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 DM’s Background
Stop! If you plan to participate in this adventure as a player, A cornerstone of his strategy was to forge a secret alliance with
please stop reading here. Knowing the details of the adventure Aimar, Duke of Andevar, a small but important province on
will make it less fun to ulav for all concerned. the northern border of Dunador.
Unwilling at first to throw his lot in with Edrin, Aimar’s
heart has changed in recent years because of Halfreds ”injus-
tice‘’ toward him. Having twice lost parcels of land as a result
of the king‘s rulings and having all too often seen his harsh
judgements in civil matters overturned by the king’s justice,
Aimar has become increasingly estranged from his lord. The
latest affront to Aimar’s pride was an estate transfer just last
spring favoring the king’s old friend, William Menore, patriarch
of Fontenmere. It was the loss of this rich tract of cropland that
finally drove Aimar into Edrin’s arms. Together, Lord Edrin and
Duke Aimar have plotted for months, awaiting their chance.

A Death in Dunador
The plotter’s chance finally came just a few days ago. While
hunting in a rugged corner of the royal game preserve, Halfred
was struck in the neck by an errant arrow and killed instantly
Some have wondered aloud whether the shot was an accident,
but there were witnesses in sufficient number to label it
“misadventure.”
While the witnesses quibbled, the clerics labored, but all for
naught. Attempts to raise the king from the dead mysteriously
failed. Only Lord Edrin and his assassin knew that the deadly
projectile that felled Halfred was an unusual arrow of slaying
whose effect would defy all remedy
With the untimely death of King Halfred, Dunador’s politi-
cal situation has deteriorated rapidly The Royal Council,
under the direction of Hollend, announced to the people that
Prince Edmund will be king. Lord Edrin, however, has chal-
lenged the proclamation, putting forth his own claim to the
throne. There are those at the court and elsewhere who sup-
port him. Only reverence for the old king and widespread es-
teem for Hollend have, for the moment, checked Edrin’s plans.
After lengthy and tough negotiations, it has been agreed that
Edmund will be king, but that Edrin will serve as regent until
Edmund can be located and plans for his coronation at Fonten-
mere Abbey can be finalized. In exchange for holding the
throne for the young prince, Edrin has forced Hollend and the
Royal Council to accept him as next in line for the crown. In
this dark and foreboding atmosphere, the great and near great
of Dunador breathlessly await Edmunds return to Dunthrane.
All, that is, except Edrin. As regent, he has moved quickly
King Halfred’s guards have been removed from Dunthrane. In
their place Edrin has installed his own knights and has offi-
cially taken command of the military Hollend and the Royal
Council have no men-at-arms at their disposal at this time.
The Situation Naturally, Hollend fears for Prince Edmund’s safety Wan-
The principal source of the evil besetting Dunador is Lord dering about in the wilds of northern Andevar, the young
Edrin, brother to the deceased King Halfred and uncle to prince is a perfect target for assassination. Officially, Aimar
young Prince Edmund. All his life, Edrin has lived in the (Duke of Andevar) has stayed neutral on the issue of succes-
shadow of his older brother, nursing feelings of envy and spite sion, but Hollend suspects the worst. If only loyal warriors
toward the relation whose very existence barred him from ac- could be placed at Edmund’s disposal! But the old cadre of
cess to the power he craved. A decade ago, when Halfred and loyal palace guards has been scattered to the winds under the
most of his key advisors were away at war, Edrin tried to seize command of officers loyal to Edrin. Without trustworthy mili-
the throne, The coup failed and the quaking younger sibling tary retainers at his disposal, the old king’s advisor has been
was forced to throw himself at Halfred’s feet upon the sover- forced to consider a desperate plan.
eign’s return. Despite his compassionate heart, the king was Working in utmost secrecy, the aged Hollend has recruited a
obliged to punish his scheming brother. Stripped of most of his party of rugged adventurers to locate Edmund and bring him
titles and land, Edrin was sent south, there to reside in a mod- safely home. Bold and dangerous men have been brought in
est castle as the minor lord of a small and poor principality haste to southern Andevar. There they will meet with Hollend
Motivated both by his vaulting ambition and by a new bit- and plan the most dangerous move in a dangerous game. Should
terness at his brother’s treatment of h m , Edrin almost immedi- tbis plot be revealed, none can expect to escape with their heads-
ately renewed his plotting and slowly rebuilt his power base. the employment of a private mercenary force to locate and bring
2
in Edmund can only be viewed as heasonous when the Royal The king's retainers, led by Hollend, strike a bargain
Guard is already mounting its own official search. It would be whereby Edrin becomes regent until Edmund is crowned at
easy to accuse the plotters of a purpose less wholesome than en- Fontenmere Abbey Thereafter, Edrin will be next in line for the
suring the safety of the young prince. How readily would Edrin succession. In exchange for these concessions, Edrin agrees to
leap at such a revelation in order to extend the duration of his E recognize Edmunds claim to the throne.
gency on the pretext that the very foundations of the state were Working in utmost secrecy and entirely without the knowl-
threatened by treason so close to the throne? edge of the Royal Council, Aimar, Duke of Andevar, seizes
Prince Edmund and imprisons him at Griffon Castle.
Hollend seeks the aid of a party of adventurers to enter Ande-
A Pilgrimage to Andevar var, find Prince Edmund, and return him safely to Dunthrane.
A few weeks before King Halfred's death, Prince Edmund em- Lord Edrin's men, in the guise of brigands, sack Fontenmere
barked on a long pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Nevron in Abbey and steal the royal seal and scepter of Dunador.
The party of mercenary adventurers retained by Hollend
the Veronian Mountains. For generations the princes of
Dunador have made this holy trek on foot. Such a show of meets secretly with their employer at the Three Feathers Inn in
piety, humility, and devotion has always been thought most the south of Andevar. The adventure begins.
seemly in a man who would be king. Further, according to the
sages, drinking from the sacred waters of Nevron would en-
hance an heir's wisdom and strength. People and Places
Thus, dressed in gray pilgrim's robes and accompanied by only Aimar, Duke of Andevar: Secular authority in the northern
a handful of lightly armed retainers, young Edmund set out on province of Dunador. His men have seized Prince Edmund
his pilgrimage at just that moment when his presence would be and now hold him at Griffon Castle. Livery: A gold lion on a
mostly sorely missed. By now he has been gone almost a month blue field; Aimar's elite citadel guards and close lieutenants
and his exact whereabouts are &own. Lost in contemplation wear a gold lion on a gray field instead.
somewhere in the high mountains, it is doubtful that the young Andevar: Northern province of Dunador and general loca-
prince even knows of his father's fate or his people's need. tion of this adventure.
Armed only with a hue heart, youthful piety, and a beggar's Barbarian Bridge: Main crossing of the River Laine, located
bowl, the prince is, in Hollend's judgment, extremely vulnerable. north of the Capel Tower.
Hollend has by no means underestimated his opponent's Capel Tower: Northern outpost of Andevar, currently occu-
cnnning or ruthlessness, either. Even as the king's advisor pied by Lord Edrin's men.
moved to recruit his team of mercenary rescuers, the Duke of Drake & Castle Inn: Roadside tavern at the foot of the Veron-
Andevar's men have seized the prince in the Veronian Moun- ian Mountains.
tains. Lord Edrin instructed Aimar to kill Edmund, but the Duntlirane: The caoital of Dunador and the site of the r o d
duke is no fool. Hedging his bets, Aimar took Edmund to a se- court.
cret stronghold just beyond the northern frontier of his realm. Dunador: The kingdom whose future is now at stake.
There, at Griffon Castle on the banks of the Laine River, Edmund, Prince of Dunador: Heir to the throne and son of
young Edmund is being held captive by order of the duke. As the late King Halfred. His deliverance is the main object of the
long as the power struggle continues, his fate is in the wind. If quest.
Edrin's bid to take the kingdom is completely successful, Edrin, Regent of Dunador: Uncle to the prince and brother to
Aimar will surely kill Edmund. If Edrin fails, then the duke the late king. He is the main villain in this piece. Livery: A
can release the prince and claim to be his savior. Nor has black raven on a dark gray field.
Aimar ruled out the possibility of simply selling the young Fontenmere Abbey: Traditional coronation seat of the kings
prince to the highest bidder. For the moment, Aimar has re- of Dunador. It is located in Andevar, to the west of Montinelle.
ported to Edrin that he can't find Edmund. Griffon Castle: Secret fortification of the Duke of Andevar
Meanwhile, the evil regent has taken matters into his own where Prince Edmund is held captive.
hands. Unwillmg to rely too heavily on his newly recruited Halfred, King of Dunador: The departed sovereign whose
henchman, he has sent a group of his own men-at-arms to Ande untimely death precipitated the present crisis. Livery: A light
var to look for the prince, and, at the same time, loot Fontenmere blue cross of Dunador on a canary yellow field.
Abbey. Disguised as brigands, Edrin's men have sacked Fonten- Hollend Chief advisor to the late king and head of the Royal
mere and made off with the royal seal and scepter of Dunador. Council. He is also Prince Edmund's main supporter. He has
Without these precious symbols, no coronation can take place. hired the party for this quest.
Ruthless and diabolical, Lord Edrin bas left little to chance. Kirkroy, Knight of Andevar: A henchman of the Duke of An-
Ultimately, then, the group of adventurers must accomplish devar who will await the party at Barbarian Bridge.
two things: secure the release of Prince Edmund and recover Lusian Forest: A large wood in Andevar, rumored to be the
the artifacts required for the prince's coronation. site of some great evil. It is known to the local peasants as "the
Darkwood."
Montinelle: The principal fortress of Andevar and home to
Synopsis Duke Aimar.
Shrine of Nevron: The holy shrine, located in the Veronian
The following is a brief synopsis of these background events Mountains, which is the object of Prince Edmund's quest. Its
given in chronological order. magical waters are said to bestow wisdom and strength upon
the true heir to the throne of Dunador.
The Heir Apparent, Prince Edmund, embarks on a pilgrimage Three Feathers Inn:The tavern where the oartv first meets
to the Shrine of Nevron in the Veronian Mountains of Andevar. Hollend.
I ,

King Halfred of Dunador is slain in a hunting accident near Veronian Mountains: The bieh
the royal castle at Dunthrane. " ranee markine
Y " the northwest
frontier of Andevar.
Hollend, head of the Royal Council, announces that Prince Ed- William Menore: Patriarch of Fontenmere Abbey and senior
mund will be crowned king upon returning from his pilgrimage. cleric of Dunador. Menore is an old friend of the late king and
Lord Edrin, brother to the late king and uncle to the prince, a supporter of Prince Edmund.
challenges Hollend's proclamation and puts forth his own
claim to the throne.
 Beginning the Adventure
As a first step in preparing for the adventure, pick one of the Inviting the party to break their fast, Hollend directs them to
PCs to receive Hollends message. Preferably, this should be a a table laid with a simple meal of ale, bread, and cheese. While
fighter, ranger, or fighter multi-class of good alignment. Some- they eat, he contents himself with asking them about their trip
one of neutral alignment is also acceptable. Look mainly for and deftly prying from them details about their backgrounds.
leadership qualities in this adventurer. He will be responsible Once he is satisfied that the party meets his requirements for
for “ recruiting” the rest of the party for a dangerous mission. skill, boldness, and trustworthiness, Hollend speaks more
In order to make the circumstances of the adventure more seriously.
plausible, it will be necessary to establish some connection be-
tween Hollend and this individual that explains why Hollend “We‘Icome,my friends, to this troubled land. Your arrival
would place such trust in him. If this adventure is being used is time‘ly indeed; thank you for your haste. By now, you have
as an isolated adventure, you can do this very easily simply by doubt1ess heard of the death of our king, Halfred of Dun-
indicating that the chosen lndividual once served as a merce- thrane For over 20 vears I served him as chief advisor on the
nary captain in Dunador and is well known to Hollend. Royal Council. Through war and peace and feast and
If, on the other hand, you are fitting this adventure into an faminc?, T stood by this noble king until his death not a fort-
ongoing campaign, a less direct connection may be appropri- night iw.
ate. In this case, make it the character’s father who served “Thiz story, as I say, is well-known. He w a s hunting near
h a d o r and indicate that there is some “debt of honor” that the ro: Tal castle at Dunthrane when a deadly arrow pierced
the father once promised to pay by either coming to Hollend‘s his nei:k. Those .n his party called it an accident and, by my
aid or sending his kin to pay his debt. In this latter scenario, troth, I[can’t say otherwise. R u t I have my suspicions, a s do
Hollend trusts the character because his father vouches for others How does a yellowclad man on a white horse look
him.The son takes on the mission at the father’s request. anything like a deer? How does any normal hunting arrow
When the leader has explained to the players how it is that resist iill attempts at curing its c,ffects?We wonder much for
he was summoned to appear in Dunador, he informs them that little gain. Halfred is dead and we are plunged into sorrow.
on a certain day they must travel to the Three Feathers Inn, lo- “Bult there is one in this realm who shed n o tears at the fall
cated in the Dunadorian province of Andevar. Aside from this of Hal fred. Lord Edrin, the king’s brother, has coveted the
information and whatever hints the leader may drop as to the crown of Dunador for years. Adecade gone by he made to
reward that can be expected for serving the head of Dunador’s seize i t when my liege was gone to war, but he was stopped
Royal Council, the players will know nothing of their mission then M .hiie Halfred yet lived. This time, there may be no such
until briefed by Hollend. They enter Andevar from the west- grace I‘or Dunador. With the king gnne and our first tears of
emmost of the two southern roads. grief n ot yet dry upon our cheeks, he strode into the royal
Once the party has assembled and entered Andevar, read the court Twith his black-clad knights to claim the throne. Only
following passage to them. the so1‘row of the people and the meager opposition of the
Royal Council have thus far prevented him from taking the
It is with some apprehension that you enter the kingdom realm for his own. Already he !>asmade himself regent of
of Dunador. By now, rumors have traveled far and wide that Dunallor.
thines are not well in this troubled land. The king of “And thus we come to the purpose of our being here.
Dunador has been killed, felled by an arrow in what may There is one man-little more than a boy, really-who can save
have jeen a h u h n g accident, but might just as easily have us. Pri nce Edmund, Halfred’s son and heir, should rightly
been murder. Whatever the true fate of King Halfred, it is wear t he crown. And so he shall if he can but be spared the
now known far and wide that Dunador is a kingdom with- fate w:hich I suspect his uncle is plotting for him.
out a king. As you cross the frontier into this realm, i t is “For‘you see, Edmund is lost now to the eyes of man. Just
clear that a great sadness is abroad. Everywhere the peas- before his father’s death, he set off on a pilgrimage to the
ants have built mourning pyres and the air is thick with the Shrine of Nevron in the Veronian Mountains of our northern
heavy aroma of holy incense. provinIce of Andevar. For generations, the heirs apparent of
Dunac107~.~ have m a d e thiq nr~i lo~~
mim a w to the water- nf Nrvrnn.
~~~~o~
The Three Feathers Inn is a safe haven for anyone in Prince
~~~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~

The sa ges say that drinking from the sacred waters gives a
Edmund’s service. Rolfe, the innkeeper, once served in King Hal- prince the wisdom and strength to rule this realm when the
h d s army and remains entirely loyal to Edmund and Hollend. time ciJmes. I know not w.hcther this is true, but such devo-
When the party arrives at the Three Feathers, Rolfe, who has tion diies much to win the hearts of the people.
been briefed by Hollend, recognizes its leader either from past “We pray that Prince Edm.und will return soon from this
acquaintance, from Hollend‘s description, or from some family piigrirnage, but we have reason to believe that he is not safe
resemblance. After identifying himself, the innkeeper leads the in Ancb a r . Aimar, the duke ...
of this
.
province, .is a self-seek-
. ._ .,
party to a back room where Hollend awaits them. ing mtin who might turn a blind cy,?to the prince’s welfare If
it serv,ed his purpose. Worse still, tb.is Aimar may be in al-
At first, there is no sign of the king’s chief advisor, just an liance with Lord Edrin. This is my worst fear, for if that be
old, itinerate tinker in the hooded, travel-stained cloak of his
profession. But w-hen the figure st,mas ’ .,
ana tnrows 1 . ...
DacK nis
so, the‘n my prince is in mortal danger in Andevar. Edrin has
sworn to orotect the Prince, but to believe his word is to be a
hood, there is no mistaking him f cir any such thing. Tall, fool. Assassins may already be abroad in Andevar, with or
gaunt, and hatchet-faced, Hollend wears authority like a suit without Duke Aimar’s blessing.
of armor. Though quite aged now, the steel gray beard still ”Currently we do not know where Edmund is. Such is the
merges with a healthy head of cur‘lyhair and the sun-dark-
ened skin exhibits a glow of healilk.cL:A:..-
dLLLUllLh
~ ^^_^“^ ”.l& ~---
L L l c 11111111,
nature of his pilgrimage. Edmund travels inconspicuously
on foot, escorted by only a few men in pilgrim’s garb. By
now he may have reached the Shrine of Sevron. We don‘t
even know whether the prince has heard of his father’s
death. In any event, he must be found and brought safely
 back to Uunthrane Castle. If Prince Edmund dies, the realm Road Encounters Table (roll ld6)
will he crushed beneath the heel of this dark Lord Edrin. 1 20 Brigands (AC 6; MV 9; HD 1; hp 5 each; THACO 20; #At 1;
"On behalf of the Royal Council, and in the utmost se- Damage ld6; Sz M; ML 9; Int Avg; AL CE; XP 15) with one
crecy, I am asking you to enter Andevar and find Prince Ed- leader (AC 6; MV 9; HD 3; hp 20; THACO 18; #At 1; Damage
mund before it is too late. Anything you can learn of the 2d4; Sz M; ML 11; Int Very; AL CE; XP 65). Each brigand is
Duke of Andevar's motives will also he of value to us, and mounted on a light horse(AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; hg 12 each;
we will pay well for such knowledge. But, it is the safety of #At 0; S L; ML 6; Int 1; AL N; XP 35). Each brigand carries ld20
the prince that is our greatest concern. sp, ldlO gp, and a short sword. The leader carries 50 gp and a
''I suggest you begin your search at Montinelle, the capital broadsword.
2 15 Bandits (AC 6; MV 9; HD 1;hp 5 each; THACO 20; #At 1;
of Andevar and the home of Duke Aimar. Keep your eyes Damage ld6; SA double damage with lance when charging; Sz
open and discover what you can of Aimar's disposition and M; ML 9; Int Avg; AL CE; XP 15).Each bandit is mounted on a
the whereabouts of Prince Edmund. If this should prove light horse (AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; hp 12 each; #At 0; S L; ML 6;
profitless, the road through Montinelle will carry you di- Int 1;AL N; XI' 35). Each bandit is armed with a lance and short
rectly to Nevron, where you may find the hunting better. sword. and each carries ld20 SD and l d l 0 eo
"But, whatever you do, remember this. At no time should
you reveal the nature of your quest. If you are taken and
your mission discovered, you would certainly die most hor-
ribly, and the Royal Council's position will become ex- 4 A merchant caravan thaf was sacked by its guards. Only six SUT-
vivors can be found four men and two women. They have no
tremely difficult. You will he wise to pass yourselves off as possessions other than the clothes on their backs but they gener-
soldiers of fortune or, perhaps, as emissaries of a foreign ously reward anyone who escorts them to Montinelle.
country Conceal your identities as you will. 5 10 Goblins (AC 6; MV 6; HD 1-1; hp 4 each; THACO 20; #At 1;
"Also, mark well one other thing. In this whole region of Damage ld6; Sz S; ML 10; Int 8; AL LE; XP 15). Each goblin car-
Andevar, I know of only two men you can trust completely: ries a club and Id20 sp.
the patriarch of Fontenmere Abbey, William Menore, and 6 3 Jackalweres (AC 4; MV 12; HD 4; hp 20 each; THACO 17; #At
Rolfe, the innkeeper here at the Three Feathers. If pressed, 1; Damage 2d4; SA Unsuspecting foes meeting the jackalwere's
you may seek refuge there or here. gaze must save vs. spell or be affected by sleep; SI) Hit only by
"If you succeed in this quest to find and save the prince, iron or +1 or better weapons; Sz M; ML 12; Int 12; AL CE; X P
270). The members of this hunting pack are disguised as il
you will have the undying gratitude of this kingdom and the grims and claim to be either on their way to the Shrine o f
certain knowledge that you have saved it. More to the point, Nevron (if the party is headed in that direction) or on their way
you will also he rewarded handsomely for your efforts. I beg home from the shrine (if the party is headed away from
you to accept this mission and I pray that you succeed in it." Nevron). The jackalweres ask to travel with the party "for pro-
tection." If permitted to do so, they work into position for a SUI-
After this speech, Hollend gives the party 200 gp with which prise attack at close quarters. If denied this opportunity, they
to buy provisions for the trip. He is also prepared to offer them attack immediately
fresh horses should they request them. Finally, he gives the
party's leader small portraits of Prince Edmund and William If the party insists on plunging into the surrounding wilder-
Menore, patriarch of Fontenmere, and a rough map of Andevar ness, then refer to the Off-Road Encounters Table to determine
showing some @ut not all) of the province's key features. This what encounters they have. The Off-Road Encounters Table is
map does not show Eli's cottage, Griffon Castle, or the secret used only for cross-country travel in areas other than the Lu-
path through Noren's Wood. The locations of these features are sian Forest. Cross-country movement is impossible in the
noted in text. Show the players the map of Andevar anytime rugged Veronian Mountains. For every 20 miles (4 hexes) of
they need to see it. wilderness traveled, check once for an encounter which will
occur on a roll of 1or 2 on ld6

Adventuring: Off-Road Encounters Table (roll ld6)

in Andevar " 1 25 Brigands (AC 6; M v 9; HD 1;hp 5 each; THACO 20; #At 1;
Damage 1d6; Sz M; ML 9; Int Avg; AL CE; X P 15) with one leader
(AC 6; M V 9; HD 3; hp 20; THACO 18; #At 1; Damage 2d4; Sz M;
In view of the long distances to be covered it is assumed that
the PCs will use horses to journey through Andevar. Most of ML 11;Int Very; AL CE; W 65). Each brigand is mounted on a
light horse (AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; hp 12 each; #At 0; S L; ML 6;
the time the horses will be walking with a movement rate of 12 Int 1:AL N XP 35). Each brieand is armed with a short sword and
hexes per day in clear areas, 5 hexes per day in the L u s h For-
est, Noren's Wood, the Veronian Mountains, and the Moor-
land. Galloping will at least double this rate for short periods.
Galloping over long distances, however, exhausts a mount. hp 16;#At 1; Damage 2d4; Sz L; ML
After a 2O-mite gallop a horse will be almost ready to drop gnoU is armed with a bardiche or a khopesh and carries 2d6 ep.
dead! The DM needs to keep the horses in mind, and decide Five also carry short bows. The leader is armed with a
when they are unable to continue. broadsword and carries 8 gp. The gnolls are accompanied by six
In the event that the party finds itself afoot, it will travel at hyenas (AC 7; MV 12; HD 3; hp 10 each; THACO 17; #At 1; Dam-
aae2d4:SzS:ML6:Int
~~~. ~, ~, l:ALN:XP65).
the rate of four hexes per day in most of Andevar. Travel afoot
~~

3 18 Wild Dogs (AC 7; MV 15; HD 1A;hp 5 each; THACO 19; #At

through the Lusian Forest, Noren's Wood, or the Veronian 1;Damage ld4; Sz S; ML 5; Int 1;AL N; X F 35).
Mountains is at the rate of two hexes per day. 4 20 Hobgoblins (AC 5; MV 9; HD 1+1; hp 7 each; THACO 19; #At
The Road Encounters Table indicates the wandering mon- 1; Damage ld6; Sz M; ML 11; Int 9; AL LE; XP 35) of the Ripper
sters that are found on the open roads of Andevar. For every
40 miles (8 hexes) of open road traveled, check once for an en-
counter which occurs on a roll of 1on ld6. Use the Road En-
counters Table when the party is traveling along any roads
except the path through Lusian Forest, Noren's Wood, or the having hunted for some time without success.
track leading to the Shrine of Nevron. 6 9 Wolves (AC 7; MV 18; HD 3; hp 14 each; THACO 18; #At 1;
Damage ld4+1; Sz S; ML 10; Int 5; AL N; Xl' 120).
 Montinelle
Montinelle is the stronghold of the Duke of Andevar (some- trying to locate a s o m e of information; if the party tries to bribe
times addressed simply as "Andevar"). It consists of an octag- the sergeant-at-arms to get a look at his records; and if the party
onal area approximately 270 feet from side to side enclosed by tries to gain entrance to the citadel. In any of these three instances,
a 40-foot-highstone curtain wall. The wall is broken at each suspicions will be aroused unless a plausible cover story is pre-
corner by a guard tower. Each of the eight towers (Tl-T8) has a sented that adequately explains why information is being sought.
ground-level chamber with a spiral staircase leading 60 feet up Should the suspicions of individuals who are not guardsmen
to a trap door and the open parapets above. Each of the lower be aroused, they report the matter to the guard. Should iso-
chambers is a combination armory and guardhouse containing lated guardsmen become suspicious, they let the group go
locked weapons racks (holding spears, lances, maces, cross- about its business until they can quietly summon ovenvhelm-
bows, and bolts), oil barrels, two small beds, and a stove and ing force to the vicinity. Once a superior force of guardsmen
pantry area for catering. At any time, one guard will be off arrives or a melee breaks out, the guards try to arrest the char-
duty in the lower guardhouse and one will be above on the acters. Beggars, merchants, servants, and peasants do not be-
parapets. All the guards are human, and all wear the blue come involved in the affair, but there are 47 fighters in the
tunic with gold lion insignia of Andevar. castle who do: Sir Braken, 16 tower guards, 20 castle guards,
The two gatehouses flanking the southern entrance each the sergeant-at-arms, and 10 citadel guards.
contain a lower chamber used as a guardroom. There are no Citadel guards wear over their plate armor gray tunics with
armories in these guardrooms. Spiral stairs lead from the lower gold lions to indicate their special status. The rest of the guards
chambers to the parapets above. Each guardroom contains a are, unless other wise noted, equipped only with chain mail
pair of small beds, a fireplace equipped with iron pothooks, and wear the blue and gold livery of Andevar.
and a cabinet housing heavy crockery, pots, and cooking uten- Throughout any melee, it is the intent of Sir Braken and his
sils. The western gatehouse also contains a rude table and men to capture the party While willing to injure, they are re-
chair and a rough shelf full of dusty ledgers along the north luctant to kill and repeatedly call on the party to surrender.
wall. It serves as an office to the sergeant-at-armswho keeps a If arrested or subdued, the members of the party are dis-
sketchy record of the comings and goings through the south- armed, stripped of their armor and gear, and taken to cell D4
ern gate. If questioned, the guards atop the eight wall towers of the dungeon. All of their belongings are stashed in or next
direct all travelers to the office of the sergeant-at-arms. to the large chest in the jailor's office (Dl). Sir Braken accuses
the characters of being spies and threatens them with individ-
ual interrogation at a later time, but they will never actually be
Entering Montinelle harmed. If the characters ask to see the duke, they are in-
Upon approaching the southern gate, the party is stopped by formed that Aimar is not currently in residence at the castle. If
two castle guards armed with long swords. Over their chain Sir Braken used the net ofentrapment during the fight, he tells
mail they wear blue tunics with the gold lion of the Duke of the captives that he intends to make them regret forcing him to
Aimar on the breast. The guards immediately call the sergeant- use up the last of the net's power.
at-arms, who also wears the Andevar livery over his mail. He
subjects the characters to routine questioning about their busi- Tower guards (2 per tower, 16 total): AC 6; MV 9; HD 3; hp 22;
ness inside Montinelle. If satisfied that they have a legitimate THACO 18; #At 1; Damage ld8 (long sword), ld4 (light
errand inside the castle and aren't going to cause trouble, he crossbow); Sz M; ML 12; Int 9; AL LN; XP 65.
orders the group to enter his office and sign the register book Sergeant-at-arms: AC 6: MV 9; HD 4: hu 34: THACO 17: #At 1:
on the table that serves as his desk. If the characters offer a Damage ld8; SzM; ML 13; Int 1 0 , A i LN; XP 120.
bribe of 2 g p or more, the sergeant-at-arms lets them look at Castle guards (20):AC6; MV 12; HD 3; hp 24; THACO 18; #At
1; Damageld8; Sz M; ML 12; Int 9; AL LN; XP65.
the register. It shows that "Edmund of Dunthrane" entered
Montinelle 10 days previous, leaving the castle on the follow- Citadel guards (10):AC 3; MV 9; HD 6; hp 40; #At 1 (2 with
ing morning. Immediately below the entry showing Edmunds bow); Damage ld8 (long sword) or ld6 (longbow);Sz M; ML
departure is the name "Kirkroy," a reference to an individual 13; Int 10; AL LN; XP 270.
Sir Braken: AC 2; MV 6; HD 6; hp 44; THACO 18; #At 1; Dam-
who apparently left Montinelle shortly after the prince. In
truth, Kirkroy is the agent who followed the prince and ab- age 2d4; SA broadsword +1,net ofentrapment with 10' ra-
ducted him. dius, roll 20 to escape, otherwise totally incapacitated, net
The interior of Montinelle is divided into seven areas: the has only one use left); Sz M; ML 15; Int 12; AL LE; XP 420.
market, peasant huts, the jousting field, the reviewing stand,
stables, barracks, and the citadel.
Entry to all areas except the market, the huts, and the joust-
The Market
ing field is restricted. Any attempt to force an entry during The entire southern portion of the castle grounds is an open
daylight arouses the castle guards patrolling the market, market studded with gaily colored tents, canopied merchant
guarding the stable and main gate, and relaxing in the bar- stalls and small enclosures housing numerous varieties of com-
racks. As soon as a disturbance is noted, the gate is closed. Sus- mon livestock. The vendors at this market fair have available
tained disturbances attract a company of 20 guards from the for purchase at normal prices all of the items listed on Table 44
citadel. In addition, in the event of a general melee, 4d4 guards in the Player's Handbook other than weapons, armor, exotic ani-
from the wall towers also appear. mals, and boats costing more than 500 gp. Fine clothes, silks,
linens, and sundry art objects may also be found, but at
slightly inflated prices (normal price plus 10 to 20 percent).
Arrest and Imprisonment The market is thronged with peasants, merchants, and the
ever-present beggars. Ominously, there seem to be members of
Investigations conducted inside Montinelle must be performed the castle guard everywhere, filing between the stalls in ones
with discretion. %en melee or unsophisticated questioning
and twos, their eyes open for trouble. Point out to the players
draws attention to the characters and probably leads to arrest.
at some time during their passage through this area that at
Points of special danger occur when the party is in the market least one pair of guards is eyeing them with suspicion.
6
 Montinelle (ground level)

&
1 square ~ i o feet Note: walls are 40 feet high, towen are 60 feet high.

SecretDoor spiralstairs

Trap Door (in floor) stain

7
 If the players try to obtain information at the market fair, Having imparted these two valuable bits of information,
they draw a blank from the ignorant peasants. Even market Lemus declines to provide further useful knowledge, answer-
regulars know little. However. any merchant or beggar ap- ing all additional queries by returning to how he “jes’ couldn‘t
proached by the party will eventually, in exchange for a few ’elp wond’rin’ ’bout that monk.”
gold pieces, direct them to a certain Lemus, a veasant livinr,, in

-
the cittagc marked ivith an asrmqk on the mip of \lmtinrlle
Beyond this, no one in Mmrinrllc admits to knowinr anvthine The iousting
.
I ” Field
except his own business.
“ I
~~

The 40-foot by 130-foot open area near the west wall is Duke
Aimar’s jousting field. It is divided into lists by t h e e low,
Peasant Huts open fences running its length. In the absence of the duke,
there is no activity in this area.
The peasants who work the land surrounding the castle are
housed in this cluster of squalid, mud-daubed, wattle-and-
thatch huts. Apart from Lemus and the odd porcine house pet, The Reviewing Stand
there is virtually nothing of interest in this area. If the charac-
ters insist on making a detailed examination, treat them to a The reviewing stand is a 5-foot-high open platform of raw,
tour of almost identical, dirt-floored dwellings containing only weathered lumber topped by an open wooden framework that
straw palettes, crude cooking facilities, wall pegs for clothing, supports a canopy during tournaments. Since no tournaments
a roughly built table and stools, and perhaps a plank fixed to are planned in the near future, the canopy over the reviewing
one wall as a pantry Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. stand, the skirts that hide its supports, and the benches for the
only the very old and the very young will be found in this platform have all been stowed under the stand.
area. All able-bodied men and women are at work in the fields
or the market.
The marked cottage is, as noted, the home of Lemus, an an- The Stable
cient, crippled beggar who was once a warrior in the king’s Ths long, low, stone stable housss 30 light horses and all man-
service. Despite the wretchedness of his current condition, ner of riding gear. At the back of each stall iq a gmerously
Lemus remains a loyal king‘s man. Moreover, Lemus has re-
cently spoken with one of the prince’s companions and has rea-
son to be suspicious of strangers inquiring Concerning Edmund.
Unless he is satisfied that the members of the party are Montinelle
friendly to the king, Lemus provides them with no informa-
tion. At first, he questions them closely Once he is certain that
(citadel)
they are no threat to the king’s interests, he becomes willing to
answer questions concerning Edmund, providing that first his
tongue is loosened by a few pieces of silver or a skin of wine.
He then provides the following entertainment in a voice
cracked with age:

”Twas more’n week gone by now. I seen the young prince

an’ his companions. Ha! Dressed as pilgrims, they was. But
pilgrims don’t wear shiny gold on they fingers nor has bright
neck braces winkin’ under they gray pilgrims’ cloaks. Knew
‘em right off, I did. Knew ’em an’ spoke to one. Nay the
prince, but another. We spoke a bit, spoke 0’ the old days, o’
Dunador an’ the king. O)h, ‘twas grand, all right. Grand. He
give me gold afore he left. A proper gentleman, he was.
‘‘I pray they did well. But that be somethin’I ain’t too sure Secret
‘bout. They was nervous like, an’ I heard one a’tellin’ young Underground
Edmund ‘ow they was still bein’ followed an’ ‘ad better get Passage
on io Nevron an’ see to they business. That seemed to set ’em
to movin’. an’ they slipped out the next day, quiet like.
Headin’ for Nevron an’them cursed mountains, I ‘spect.”

Though this is all that Lemus knows of the prince’s party, he

Note: above level II are
does have one more bit of news which he provides if plied open-air parapets.
with more money or wine: 1-1
”Well, aye. There be one more thin g that may be 0’ inter-
est, seein’ as ’ow you be eager t’ leanI. ‘Twas day afore yes-
terday, I guess. A monk come in wealrin’ the habit 0’
Fontenmere. Straight to the tower there ’e rode, an’ ain’t no
one seen ’im since. No, nor heard what happened to bring
. , ~ ~ .. ~ , I ~ ~
~- /. , ~
iin ere. wnicri E rrai srrange,
TI.. f.~.. T ” 1 ~ 1 . 1 I
ya see,
- ~
cause
- ~
ir am r m
/ ~~~

a ~r urren
~~~ ~~ ~~ ~ . ~ I I

that folks ride in on horses all lathered an’ with a arrow

stickin’ outa they monkish backs. Yep. Well, if I were a curi-
ous man, which I ain’t, I’d sure be wonderin’ what ‘appened
t’ that monk and why ain’t nobody can get nothin’ about ’im
outa them guards up t‘ the citadel. I sure would wonder.”
Dungeon (lower level)

8
filled oat bin. A castle guard stands at each entrance, and a sta- gp and 400 sp. The chest to the right of the cabinet contains an
ble boy is busy tending to the livestock. unpainted shield, a jewel-inlaid short sword worth 200 gp, a
broadsword, and two long swords, all extremely well-made.
The tall cabinet contains two dozen shirts and a score of fine
The Barracks tunics befitting a knight of high station. At the rear of the cabi-
The sturdy stone barracks is built directly into the curtain wall net hangs a suit of chain mail of a type commonly used in
surrounding Montinelle. At any time there will be from three jousting. A large footlocker built into the cabinet holds a small
to ten guards whiling away their off-duty hours inside. If saddle inlaid in silver (600 sp).
roused by an alarm (or attacked by surprise), it takes them two Located in the bedpost nearest the desk is a secret compart-
rounds to get their swords; they do not waste time donning ment about 4 feet from the floor. By sliding back a cunningly
their armor. hidden panel in the post, the characters gain access to this re-
The interior of the barracks is a single, low room. Ten rickety cess where they find a 10-inch hollow tube of mithril. This Is a
cots line each of the long walls. Suspended from the foot of chime of opening with 10 charges. If pointed at a lock of any
each cot is an equipment pack. A small fireplace for cooking is kind, including a held portal or wizard-locked door, striking
in the center of the south wall. Flank it are wooden shelves the chime opens the lock or portal. However, each use of the
groaning under the weight of various cooking implements and chime causes it to emit a loud, resonating tone that attracts
provender bins. Bags of spices hang from the nearby rafters. anyone or anything in the vicinity Each striking of the chime
Opposite this fireplace is a long trestle table and a pair of uses one charge and unlocks one lock. Thus, a door, lid, or por-
benches. Beneath this table, obscured by a shaggy rug fash- tal locked by more than one means would require more than
ioned from the skin of some animal, is a trap door leading to a one striking of the chime in order to open it. For example, it
secret underground passage that connects these barracks with would take four charges to open a locked, chained, wizard-
the dungeon below the citadel. locked, and padlocked chest. Striking the chime within 10 feet
In addition to the miscellaneous equipment in the packs of a concealed door automatically opens that door regardless
hanging from the foot of each bed, a complete ransacking of of whether the user knows of the door's presence.
the barracks will turn up 5d20 gp and ld6 x 100 sp in coins.
2. Barracks of the Citadel Guard

The Citadel The north and south walls of this chamber are each lined
with five sturdy oak beds strewn with warm furs. To the left
Dominating Montinelle is Duke Aimar's citadel. Its single, un- of each bed is a tall oak wall cabinet.
hidden entrance in the south wall is guarded by a pair of
rough looking citadel guards in the gray and gold of the Duke All of the cabinets are locked. Inside, each is divided hori-
of Andevar. Any attempt to enter this way, whether by negoti- zontally into a pair of compartments. The left compartment
ation or force, results in Sir Braken's arrival. Any further at- contains one or more shirts of varying quality, a pair of gray
tempt at entry, whether by force or as a result of an invitation, guardsman's tunics, several pairs of matching hose, a guards-
results in Sir Braken casting his net ofentrapment over the man's dress bonnet, and a pair of parade shoes. A shelf at the
group in an attempt to arrest them. If a confrontation occurs top of this compartment contains small items of personal gear:
outside the entrance, Sir Braken casts the net from the shadows toiletries, razors, dice, and the like. Racked against the walls of
just inside the gateway Otherwise, he waits until the group is the right compartment of each cabinet is an assortment of nor-
already inside the citadel to spring his little surprise on them. mal weapons, including a bow with a quiver of arrows, two or
three spears, and two cased shields in the colors of Andevar.
Also hanging loose in this compartment is a collection of
Citadel Main Level leatherwork. Some is dyed a bright yellow and is clearly part
of the guardsman's dress harness. The rest consists of plain
A cruciform hallway divides the main level of the citadel into brown or black belts, bracers, caps, and other (mostly nonregu-
four chambers. When opened, the trap door in the west arm of lation) items. The cabinet directly to the south of the door con-
the hall of this level reveals a flight of spiral stairs leading to tains a speav +I and a small sack stuffed with 300 sp.
the jailer's office below (Dl). The staircase in the north arm of
the hall leads directly to an open landing on the upper level. 3. Kitchen and Pantry
1. Sir Braken's Room What could th i s be hut a kitchen! A combination iron
A mahogany four-poster bed with drawn gray velvet curtains stove and oven t-akeup almost the whole of the north wall.
dominates the entire northwest corner of this chamber. A large
one-drawer ironwood desk is located beside it. Against the ^" ----
The rest of the Mralls are occupied from floor to ceiling with
a massive shelvi,,, a L l a l l b C".."L-AI L Y I L L"-..&":-L.,,
Lv.LLaL.L.LL6
^" -..A?.*,.,
L,Lycl.y
9"..%y,
uLLuy
south wall is a bulky cabinet flanked by a pair of heavy, iron- of pots, pans, bowls, crocks, bags, boxes, and tins. Bunches
bound oaken chests. Every square inch of the available wall of hard sausages and cheeses, drying herhs, and vegetables
space seems to be occupied by weaponry or shields. Some are festoon every rafter. The floor space is occupied by a jumble
in pristine condition. Others, obviously battle trophies, are of tables and carts holding butcher blocks and breadboards.
twisted and dented to the point of uselessness. A few of the An aged, bald, stoop-shouldered little serving man in a
less serviceable items are graced with crusty brown stains. y e asy white smock stands at one of these, mindlessly fuss-
The locked drawer of the desk contains a ring of keys and a with a batch of bread dough.
diary The keys unlock all of the citadel's doors except for
those giving access to the wine cellar and to the duke's rooms. The fellow occupied with making the day's bread is one
The diary is Sir Braken's personal chronicle of the mundane Matlocke. This greasy little man, the duke's cook, is noted
events characterizing garrison life for many months in the among his peers for both his cowwdliness and his aversion to
past. The last entry, several days old, consists only of the name the truth. Formerly a member of the guard, Matlocke is now
"Kirkroy" on a page by itself. far too old to fight; he never had much taste for that profession
Both of the chests against the south wall are securely locked. anyway. Long since retired to kitchen service, he has prospered
That to the left of the cabinet contains 100 gp worth of silks and in a mean way by tyrannizing lesser servants and picking the
fine linens. Beneath these is a small, locked chest containing 300

9
pockets of the guards whenever he thinks he can get away 6 . Study and Meeting Chamber
with it. Suspended from a leather thong around Matlocke's
neck is a small dagger and a pouch containing 10 sp. Other- From the richly veined rose marble of the fireplace in the
wise, he has no possessions of note. northeast comer to the velret smoothness of the dark wal-
If left unattended by the members of the party, Matlocke nut paneling, this room exudes an aura of wealth. The floor
summons the citadel guard at the earliest opportunity If an is covered by what is obviously a costly and rery old carpet
unwary party member approaches too closely, he has a 30% of indeterminate hue. Three wine-colored upholstered a m -
chance of losing something from his pocket to Matlocke's nim- chairs are clustered around the fireplace. Against the north
ble fingers. If the characters bribe or threaten him, Matlocke wall is a small bookcase of snme dark wood enclosed by a
will, in answer to the proper questions, reveal the entire sum pair of leaded glass doors. Against the west wall is a carved
of his knowledge, which is the following: walnut desk with a beautiful matching high-backed chair.
Half a dozen shadowed portraits bearing the accumulated
grime of centuries stare down on the opulence.
"Och. aye! The prince an' them others left Montinelle jus'
this pist ten-day. I guess we weren't supposed to know who
they was, hut i t was plain as the nose on yer face, if ya' take This chamber is Aimar's study
my meaning, The single locked drawer in the desk contains the duke's es-
''iVay, 'is lordship the duke ain't in the castle. What's tate ledger. A quick look is sufficient to indicate that Andevar
more, 'e 'asn't been 'ome for a wwek. Gone north, they say. is far more prosperous than it looks. A closer examination re-
"Kirkroy! .4ye, sure. Everybody knows Kirkroy. Why, 'e's veals much concerning the duke's affairs, including the infor-
the duke's strong right arm! Chief hiresword an' champion- mation that a substantial parcel of land north of Fontenmere
at-arms, that's Kirkroy. But 'e ain't in the castle now. Nan: 'e Abbey and its proceeds were transferred from ducal authority
left right after the prince did. to the control of William Menore, patriarch of Fontenmere.
"Och, well now. Let's see. 'Twas maybe a week ago that This entry notes that the transfer, ordered by King Halfred in
we got news o' the king's dcath. That was when the duke order to "provide for the maintenance of the abbey at Fonten-
rode out, leavin' orders for a patrol to go after the prince mere," has been accomplished entirely "against the will of and
and tell 'im about 'is father's death. Caught up with 'im by under strong protest by Duke Andevar."
now, 1 'spect." Also stored in the desk drawer is a solid gold paperweight
in the shape of a lion worth 200 gp. Finally, in the very back of
the drawer, is an apparently long-forgotten scroll. This is a
Matlocke:AC 10; MV 6; T3; hp 12; #At 0; SA pick pockets 40%; Sr
M; ML 6; Int 8; AL NE; XP 15. cursed mage's scroll any wizard who reads it and fails to save
vs. spell suffers a devastating mental attack. Losing both mind
4. Storage Chamber and personality, the victim is reduced to a vegetable state (a la
feeblemind) with an Intelligence of 1. Speech and rational be-
The door to this chamber is locked havior are no longer possible; only basic motor functions re-
main. A successful alter reality or remove curse spell can restore
Clearly a larder of snme sort, this chamber is paneled in the victim to normal functioning.
some dark, rough, insulating wood. The west wall is lined If the drawer is removed completely, a keen-eyed character
with deep shelves on which aue stacked dozens of bulging notices a slim cord in the back of the drawer cavity. Pulling
gunny sacks. Along the east wall are half a dozen casks. this cord draws forth a small secondary drawer from the back
There are four great barrels standing upright against the of the desk. Within is a wizard's scroll of ESP.
north wall. The bookcase contains four score handwritten books, many
on the history of Dunador. A thorough examination of titles
turns up one on the role of religion and the state in Dunado-
The barrels hold drinking water; the sacks contain grain and rian society written by William Menore, patriarch of Fonten-
flour; the casks hold oil of varying quality mere, and dedicated to "Good King Halfred."
Behind the barrel in the northwest comer of the chamber is a
secret door. If the players push outward on the wall panel be- 7. The Great Hall
hind this barrel, the panel slides back to reveal a concealed
room beyond. Stacked to the ceiling of this room are dozens of The most prominent feature of this large, finely appointed
small oak casks of fine brandy, mead, and ale. On a table chamber is a long, carved oak trestle table lined with sump-
against the north wall is a small leather-bound box. Inside is a tuous high-backed, carved oak chairs upholstered in wine-
vial of clear liquid-a potion of sweet water. red leather. Running the length of the south wall is a carved
limestone fireplace. Above the mantle hangs a gold lion
coat-of-arms. The other walls are clothed in fine antique tap-
Citadel Upper Level estries whose slightly frayed edges only confirm their great
age and enhance their wnrth. Three large, gold candelabra
~~

From the landing on the upper level, an adjacent staircase rest atop the table. An oak cabinet with glass doors stands in
leads to a trap door high in the ceiling. Above this trap door the northeast corner.
are open-air parapets that are constantly patrolled by one to
four of the citadel guards.
The candelabra are worth 200 g p each. The cabinet contains
5. Bathing and Privy Chamber a silver service with a total value of 1,000 gp. The gold lion
coat-of-arms, set into a wooden plaque, is worth 500 gp. It can
A shallow, marble-inlaid pool occupies the eastem portion be pried out of its mounting for easier carriage.
of this bathing chamber. A garderobe, its door now hanging
ajar, is built into the northwest comer.

10
8. Servants’ Quarters
Citadel Dungeon Level
The plainness of this chamber and its furnishings is in The downward spiral stairs on the ground level lead directly
sharp contrast to the elaborately carved door in the south to room D1 of the dungeon.
wall. Against this masterpiece of the woodworker’s art, the
mismatched pair of beds, the two dented dressers and the D1.Jailor’s Office
duo of shabby night stands that make up the room’s con-
tents seem strangely out of place. Only the glossy animal
skin rug in the center of the floor looks like it really belongs
here.

These are the quarters of the duke’s body servants. The door
in the south wall leads to the duke’s bedchamber. It is securely
bolted from room 9, has 50 hp, and can only be opened from The sleeping figure is Ranu, the jailor. Nestled on the bed
room 8 if a knock spell is used, if the door is smashed to pieces, next to him (and obscured by his body) is a heavy club. A set
or the chime of opening is sounded. of keys to all of the dungeon’s cells hangs from his belt.
Each nightstand contains a locked drawer. One drawer con- The chest contains a motley collection of rusty weapons and
tains a sack of 50 ep, the other a sack of 20 gp. The rug is the bits of decaying armor. If any player characters have been cap-
pelt of a giant beaver. A ranger or a character with an appro- tured, their weapons and armor are also inside. Beneath the
priate proficiency or secondary skill recognizes its worth as chest, under a loose flagstone, is Ranu’s treasure trove of 50
1,000 gp. gp, 800 sp, 3,000 cp, and a large amount of cheap jewelry
worth 100 gp.
9. The Duke’s Chamber
The door to the duke’s chamber is locked and wizard-locked. Ranu: AC 7; MV 6; F4; hp 26; THACO 17; #At 1;Damage ld6;
It can be opened by expending two charges from the chime of Sz M; ML 10; Int 9; AL LN; XP 120.
opening. In addition, a mage of 6th level or better can automati-
cally open the door once the normal lock is dealt with. Lesser D2. Wine Cellar
mages must cast a knock spell in order to do so. The door The door to this room is locked. Sir Braken carries the key on a
(wluch has 50 hp) can also be broken down with an axe. chain around his neck.

A large, ornately carved f ‘our-poster occupies the south- Clearly, the duke keeps his wine cellar well stocked. Row
east corner of the chamber. Its bottle-green curtains are tied upon row of dusty bottles glitter in half a dozen ceiling-high
back, showing that it is em1i t y Centered in the north and racks set perpendicular to the north wall. Against the south
west walls are a pair of dooBS. That in the north wall is wall, on either side of the door, are a dozen small casks rest-
flanked on one side by a f i t.e-drawer dresser and.~on the . . ing in multitiered cradles.
. .. .
other bv a tall cabinet whose douhle doors arc inlaid in ‘sold
~~ ~ ~~~~ ~~~

I
~~~

foil with the ducal coat of arms. A small chest sits atop a
~ ~ ~~

All of this wine is the product of local vineyards and is

table in the southwest corner. The walls are decorated with excellent.
fine tapestries.
D3. Torture Chamber
Once inside the room, the characters are attacked by a n in-
visible stalker. The creature is devoted to the purpose of de- If the chains and manacles suspended from the main ceil-
fending Aimar’s chamber. The stalker fights to the death. ing beams didn’t indicate this chamber’s purpose, the great
The cabinet is locked. Within are two score fine tunics, a rack and wheel in its center would do so. Clearly the duke
score of pantaloons, and dozens of shirts and stockings. Hang- takes the business of interrogation seriously. Suspended
ing in a separate compartment from the clothing is a suit of from hooks lining the west wall are a variety of tongs, pin-
chain mail c2 in perfect condition and suitable for a large elf, ccrs, and other grisly tools, none of which could possibly
half elf, or human. Also in this compartment is a battle axe +1 have any wholesome purpose. Next to the door in the west
and a broadsword il.The top drawer of the dresser contains a wall is a large, deep brazier equipped with a bellows. Set
into the north, east, and south walls of the chamber are
jumble of jars and bottles filled with sundry salves and pow-
ders. Most are perfectly mundane, but a large jar marked “K. seven sturdy doors, each of which is equipped with a cov-
S.” contains five applications of Keogktom’s Ointment. ered peephole.
The locked chest holds 1,500 gp and 500 sp, in addition to
the duke’s neck brace of office worth 200 gp. The seven doors lead to individual cells. Each 4 x 4 inch
Below the table containing the chest is a loose flagstone cov- wooden peephole cover is closed with a simple deadbolt. Slid-
ering a hidden recess in the floor. Here lies Aimar‘s spellbook, ing back the bolt allows the cover to swing open so that the
containing the following: magic missile, shocking grasp, charm cell within can be examined without having to actually open
person, jump, read magic, wizard lock, ray of enfeeblement, and the door. The cell doors are locked from the outside both with
fireball. Beside the spellbook is a small leather pouch contain- key locks and heavy deadbolts.
ing a vial of liquid. This is a specially magicked antidote to the In the north wall of the chamber is secret door. Pulling a
cursed mage’s scroll from room 6 . Consuming all of this liquid loose stone in that wall causes a counterweighted segment of
restores the victim’s faculties. It does not remit maladies stem- the wall to slide back, revealing the secret passage that leads to
ming from any cause other than this scroll. the barracks outside the citadel. A similar arrangement on the
other side of the wall can be used to open and close the secret
Invisible Stalker: AC 3; MV 12, fl12 (A); HD 8; hp 50; THACO door from the passageway. Behind the loose stone on the dun-
13; #At 1;Damage 4d4; SA-6 penalty to surprise roll; SD -2 geon side of the wall is a locking ring. If twisted to the right, it
penalty on attack rolls; Sz L; ML 14; Int 13; AL N; XP 3,000. closes a bolt, preventing anyone from opening the secret door
from the passageway

11
D4.Jail Cell
Bleeding and exhausted, with the screams of my brothers
This grimy, mean little room appears to be partly con- still ringing in my ears, I rode into Montinelle and laid my
structed of limestone blocks and partially cut from the lords charge before Sir Braken. But the black-hearted
bedrock below Montinelle. Moisture oozes from thc rock scoundrel would not hear me. Instead of aid, he gave mc
and soaks the decaying straw strewn over its rough flags. In this cell in which to die.
several places the damp straw has been piled high to make a "Aye. You understand too well. I can see it in your faces.
kind of nest for sleeping. The air is thick with the miasma
left by the countless poor wretches who have been forced tn buch treachery must go deeper-to the very seat of Andevar
accept its hospitality in the past. and the person of the duke himself. Only orders from the
lord of this place could have left me caged in this dungeon
while murder was committed at Fontenmere. Long has
If captured, the party is confined together in this large cell. Aimar tended his anger against Fontenmere for the loss of
Under a pile of straw in the northwest corner the characters lands that he deemed his own. Now it seems he has had his
can find a loose flagstone. With much effort, it can be pried revenge.
loose. Underneath, they find a blunted dagger, a rusty file, "Hear me, friends. I die now But first I lay on you this
and a piece of a broken shield. By making use of the dagger charge. If you be true men of Dunador, ride now to Fonten-
and shield fragment as digging tools, a hearty dwarf should mere and see what fate has befallen the king's abbey, The
be able to break through the west wall, where another loose council must know of what happened there. Aimar's treason
stone covers the beginnings of a previous excavation. Five to cannot possibly end at Fontenmere. Unless they are timely
eight hours of diligent digging opens a way into the corridor warned, I fear for our land. Unless ..."
west of the cell.
If the party includes a thief, he might be ably to jimmy the
With this last word, the monk gives a rattling cough and
bolt locking the peephole and reach across to pick the lock se-
dies. Since the monk suffers from blood poisoning, any sort of
curing the cell at shoulder level. Since this task must be per-
cure wounds spell does nothing to prolong his life. A slow poison
formed by touch alone, it will be difficult, but hardly spell will, however, and he passes out instead of dying. Even if
impossible. Once the lock has been picked, a heavy item might he remains alive, he is unable to provide additional informa-
be used to knock back the door bolt (which can't he jimmied). tion or assistance other than guiding the party to Fontenmere.
Be lenient here. If the players come up with a thoughtful and In fact, he is too weak to d o much more than sit a horse.
viable escape plan, they should be rewarded with success. A careful examination of the monk's robe reveals an object
All other cells except D5 are empty. Use the description for D4 sewn into its hem. The item is a gold ring bearing the cross of
as the basic description for all of the other cells in the dungeon. Dunador; it is a ring ojprotection + I .
D5.The Monk's Cell
Like the other cells, D5 is partly constructed of mortared stone
and partly cut from the bedrock under the castle. The descrip-
Leaving Montinelle
tion of cell D4 will serve to convey its general apvearance. In
addition, the cell contains another feature:

If the characters enter the cell and examine the prisoner, they
find that he is still alive, though barely so. If revived and given
drink to moisten his parched lips, he speaks.

''Alas, hrothers, I fear that you are too late. Alre

the coldness that so often presages the coming of
He cannot now he far from me, friends, so listen v
news that must reach the king's counselors. Know
there is much treacherr abroad in this land, and n
hand has touched eren that which all good men hwu w u t . ~ .
Fontenmere Abbey
''I am called Theran, and I am a monk of Fontenmere. For While you are still well east of the abbey, it is obvious that

ourpeacef UI' aooey,

''
.-
long years have we loyally carried out the king's charge in
., . . .
'D u t non, mat is at an ena. tor rea-
all is not well. Awreath of pungent smoke hangs over the site.
As you approach, details become clear. The wisps of
hantied death has fallen on our scented fields and quiet halls smoke that float in the still air emanate from the burned-out
of prayer. rwo days gone by, the abbey was attacked by the ruin of a small wood and stone structure north of what ap-
, ,.
their depreaarions ~ , < .
foulest of krigands. What may have been the outcome of
,
I Know nor, Tor I was oraerea DY my mas-
,> 7~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~ ~
pears to he the main building. The great doors in the south
wall of this latter structure have been knocked off their
ter, the patriarch, to flee hence and beg succor from the hinges. Two dead men in white monks' robes are sprawled
king's liegeman at Montinelle. on the front steps before the doors. Their bodies have been
"Horror and death! Horror and death! Even as T rode out savaged by some animal. All of the visible windows have
on this suicidal errand, one of the swine put an arrow deep been wholly and partially smashed. Your view of the interior
in my hack. 'Twas only the spirit and intelligence of my through the open doorway shows a vista of smashed p e w
faithful mount that allowed me to reach this place at all. and debris.

12
 Office The stairs end at a n open door. This area is a single-room
wine cellar (30 x 30 feet). Standing behind the door is a thief
named Menlow armed with a short sword. Having heard the
party above and having no escape route, he intends to ambush
whomever comes into the room. He attempts one surprise at-
tack from the rear. If outnumbered or overmatched, the prag-
matic Menlow surrenders after making this one attack and
There is nothing of real interest here begs for mercy

Monks' Living Quarters Menlow: AC 7; MV 12; T4; hp 15; #At 1; THACO 19; Damage ld6;
SA x2 backstab damage; Sz M; ML 7; Int 11; AL CN; XP 65.
The four beds in this spartan chamber have been over- Equipment: leather armor, pack holding two bottles of good
turned and their straw ticks slashed open. There is a move- wine, two altar cloths (50 gp each), two gold goblets bearing
ment in the southeast corner. the abbey's insignia (50 g p each), a golden cross of Dunador
(150 gp), and a set of thief's tools. Hidden in a leather pouch
Disturbed by the noise, two huge spiders which have only inside his tunic he carries 10 gp,40 sp, and a parchment let-
recently moved into the chamber crawl out from under some ter addressed to "Hollend at Dunthrane." This handwritten
debris in the comer. Hidden by the debris is a chest containing note reads as follows:
400 gp.
Honored Friend,
Huge Spiders (2):AC 6; MV 18; HD 2+2; hp 17, 15; THACO 19;
#At 1; Damage ld6; SA leap up to 30' (-6 surprise penalty), There is grave news. 1 have learned that Lord Edrin's
type A injected poison (15 points damage/no damage, onset men-at-arms have entered Andevar. Through an arrange-
15 mins, +1saving throw bonus); Sr M; ML 8; Int 1; AL N; ment with the duke, they have made their headquarters at
XP 270. Capel Tower along our northern border. The location is, as
we both well know, an ideal basc for scouting the trails
3. Writing Room through the Veronian Mountains. I fear now for the Prince's
safety Take care and look to yourself.
The door to this chamber is open. Six tall writing desks
lay toppled over on the floor, Many writing materials-quill Your Devoted Friend, William
pens, ink wells. papers, and blotters-lie scattered about the
room. The lifeless body of a monk is slumped against the
south wall. The letter is obviously from William Menore to Hollend. Its
authenticity can be established beyond doubt by comparing
the handwriting to that of any documents in the patriarch's
The monk has been hacked to death with swords. On the chamber (room 8).
floor beside the body is the word "Capel" written in a mixture
of spilled ink and blood, which also coats the corpse's right FontenmereAbbey
hand. This clue indicates that the royal seal and scepter of
Dunador have been spirited away to Capel Tower. Before 1 LT4U.n lofeet
dying, the monk heard one of the "brigands" make a reference
~

to this fortification in the north of Andevar.

4. Monks' Quarters

The remnants of four smashed bedsteads and four splin-

tered footlockers lie scattered about this chamber. A dozen
savagelv tornmonks' habits and the ticking from the beds
are strewn across tlie stone flags.

A careful examination of the room uncovers a flat wooden

case under one of the beds in the southwest corner. The case
holds a magical crossbow +l.
5. West Chapel
This antechamber seems almost intact. The altar in the
center of the room seems undamaged, though it lacks its
normal adornment. Even the prayer benches remain in
place. Their kneeling cushions have, however, been ripped
open and the stuffing scattered about the floor.

There is nothing of interest here.

I ,-wl+,
, , , -I
H

6. East Chapel
7he altar in this chapel is unharmed though, like the oth-
ers at Fontenmere, it lacks its altar cloth and service. A trap
door in the floor has been ripped open to reveal a flight of
stairs leading into the blackness below.
13
 Menlow looted this leather pouch from the body of a monk must be returned. They must be brought back! Without them,
who was preparing to leave for Dnnthrane when the brigands there can be no coronation and no king in Dunador. Without
(Lord Edrin's men in disguise) attacked. Although also a thief our king, there can be no peace, neither for the living of
in his own right, Menlow is currently acting as an agent of Sir Dunador nor for the dead of Fontenmere!
Braken, the commander of the Duke of Andevar's castle at
Montinelle. At Braken's order, he came to Fontenmere to inves- So saying, the patriarch utters a wail of despair and disap-
tigate the report of this attack. Having established the facts in pears. Viewing this spirit does not cause unnatural aging.
the matter, he is to meet Kirkroy the duke's champion, at Bar- A small cloth pouch is tacked to the bottom of the patriarch's
barian's Bridge (north of Capel Tower) and report his findings, writing desk. It holds a clerical ring ofspeli storing with four
From the patriarch's letter and his own observations, Menlow spells: remove curse, cure serious wounds, dispel magic, and spiri-
is rightly convinced that Lord Edrin's men are responsible for tual hammer. The ring can be used by anyone and can be
sacking the abbey recharged.
Menlow's cover is that he is a thief returning to Andevar
from the far west. If bribed or threatened, this is the story that 9. The Royal Chapel
he offers the party If pressed further, he claims to be heading
for the Drake &Castle Inn to stay with a distant cousin. He The ivalls of this chapel are broken by rows of niches, each
even identifies Graf, the innkeeper at the Drake &Castle, by containing a fine alabaster carving of one of the kings of
name. If he is able to lull the party's suspicions, he advises Dunador. Each carving stands 5 feet high, and the name of
them to avoid the open road east of Montinelle since "it be the king it represents is etched in the wall above the effigy in
a'crawl wi' brigands," and advises them to take the covered the common tongue of the kingdom. One of the statues has
route through the Lusian Forest instead. He well knows that been smashed and the nave ahove it partly scratched out.
no one familiar with the area would go through the dreaded On the east wall, an iron grid has been ripped away from a
Darkwood and considers this bit of misdirection quite clever. If recess in the scene. A finely emhroidercd purple cushion
an astute member of the party wonders how someone retum- rests on a hare marble plinth in the center of the otherwise
ing from the west knows so much about the roads to the east, empty cavity
Menlow becomes flustered and shuts up.
Unless challenged concerning h s mformation, Menlow is It should be clear to the players that this is the chamber that
quite affablewith party members, in an effort to lull them into once held the royal seal and scepter of Dunador. The broken
complacency Whether sullen or affable, however, the thief takes statue is that of King Halfred.
the first opportunity to escape. If successful in this endeavor, he
meets Kirkroy at the end of three days and reports on events at 10. Main Altar
the abbey and the presence of the party in Andevar. A long, semicircular, stone altar rests flush against the north
Menlow knows nothing about Griffon Castle or the where- wall. A blue and gold altar cloth covers the fixture. A large sil-
abouts of Duke Aimar. ver cross tops the altar. There is a small marble font next to the
altar.(ENDBOX)
7. Chapter House
This chamber bears all the coats-of-arms of Dunador on its The cross is typical of Dunadorian design, having heavy
walls. All of the shields and banners are undisturbed except balls at the end of each arm. It is worth 500 gp.
for one: the banner of the royal house of Dunthrane, which
lies draped over the body of a dead monk. The royal in- 11. Lady Chapel
signia bears the light blue symbols of the crown, the sword, As you enter this chapel, you are startled by the muffled
and the Dunadorian cross on a field of canary yellow. sound of a grunt from the northwest corner. There is a
strong animal smell in the air, and there are coarse hairs
caught in the splintered frame of the door by which you en-
8. Patriarch's Chamber tered.
This finely appointed chamber appears to be a combina-
tion office and hedroom. A small but comfortable-looking A giant boar has recently entered this chamber in search of
bed occupies the southeast comer. There i s a small writing food. Trapped inside the chamber by the party's presence, it
desk beside it. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases are built into the fights to the death or until it can escape through the doorway
wall on either side of the door. Their contents have been This chamber was in the process of being renovated when
tumbled onto the floor. A large chest lies overturned in the the abbey was sacked. Scaffolding lines the south wall. The var-
center of the chamber. Amongst the debris littering the floor ious statues and carvings have been cleaned with a lime wash
treatment to restore them to their original color. The acid used
in this process is not strong enough for use as a weapon. In the
northwest comer is a pile of rags and miscellaneous small files
The body is that of William Menore, patriarch of Fonten- and other tools. Among the rags is a leather pouch filled with
mere, a supposition which the players can easily verify by 400 gp worth of gold chips used for doing gold inlays.
checking the portrait of William Menore carried by the party's A careful examination of the stone and wood debris in the
leader. Within eight rounds of entering the room, everyone southeast corner uncovers a metal arm brace hearing a small
must save vs. spell or flee the chamber in terror. Those who insignia in the shape of a raven. The brace was dropped by one
stay see a ghostly figure rise from the dead patriarch's body. of Edrin's men. It is a clue to the true identities of the brigands.
., hovers for a moment and then sueaks in
The transparent figure
a quiet but eerie voice. Giant Boar: AC 6; MV 12; HD 7; hD 46; THACO 13; #At 1;
Damage 3d6; Sz M; ML 12; Int f;AL N; XP 420.
''I am the spirit of William Menore, once patriarch of Fonten-
mere and now murdered. Know you, mortals, that I appear be-
fore you because l cannot rest. An outrage has been committed
here, a desecration beyond all enduring. Forces of darkness
have stolen the royal seal and scepter of Dunador. These things
14
 3 Zombies (8):AC 8; MV 6; HD 2; hp 13 each; THACO 19; #At 1;
DamageldB; SD immune to sleep, charm, hold, death, and cold-
based spells, immune to poison and paralyzation; SW holy
water inflicts 2d4 points of damage per vial; Sz M; ML 20; Int 0;
AL N; XP 65.
4 Zombies (6): as above.
5 Wights (4):AC 5; MV 12; HD 4 + 3; hp 13, 16,17, 24; THACO 15;
#At 1; Damage ld4 + energy drain; SA each bit drains 1level;
SD immune to sleep, charm, hold, and cold-based spells, immune
to poison and paralyzation; SW holy water inflicts 2d4 points of
damage per vial, raise dead destroys wight; Sz M; ML 14; Int 9;
AL LE; XP 1,400.
viir VI wvuiiu wirnln eignr rounas, n neutralizes ail UI effects
6 Wights (2): as above.
(except instant death). There are three applications in the bag.
The detoxin may be used externally only A monk of Fonten- The Lusian Forest Wandering Monster Table is used only
mere will know the properties of the resin; any cleric has a when the party is within the Lusian Forest.
base chance of 60% to identify it. Menlow does not willingly accompany the party into the Ln-
Behind the gutted building is a small but dense stand of sian Forest. Only if bound or closely guarded does he stay
trees. Hidden in this tiny wood is a horse, tethered to a tree. with the party when they enter this area. However, once inside
This animal, a medium war horse, belongs to Menlow the the forest, Menlow, realizing that his only hope of survival lies
thief. In the horse's saddlebags are iron rations for a week, nor- with the party, willingly throws in his lot with them. He fights
mal provisions for a week, pots, pans, clothes, and a bedroll. alongside the characters and uses his skills on their behalf
At the bottom of one of the bags is a blue-enameled copper (without ever, however, admitting that he bas any knowledge
broochused to fasten a cloak. The brooch is engraved with the of the forest's wicked reputation). As soon as the party is out
golden lion insignia of the Duke of Andevar. of the forest, Menlow again tries to escape. He does not will-
ingly visit the Drake & Castle Inn because fears that his talka-
Medium Warhorse: AC 7; MV 18; HD 3 + 3; h p 17; THACO 17; tive cousin will accidentally give him away
#At 2; Damage ld6/ld6; Sz L;ML 7; Int I; AL N; XP 65. Upon reaching the midpoint of the journey through the
woods, read the following passage to the players:

Open Road You have been traveling through this dense forest for
If thecharacters have visited Montinelle and been identified as many miles. Your horses seem uneasy and your own spirits
hostile to the duke or otherwise suspicious, there is one patrol droop as you ride deeper and deeper into the dim and
of the duke's men looking for them along the main road from brooding wood. At length, you come to a widening in the
Fontenmere Abbey to the Drake and Castle Inn. If the group roadway In the midst of a clearing grows a huge, ancient
moves northeast on the main road from Fontenmere, they are tree whose arching limbs cast the otherwise npen area into
certain to encounter this patrol which is easily identified by deep shadow. Its twisted, gnarled trunk exhibits numerous
their livery (the blue tunic with gold lion of Duke Aimar of
Andevar). The horsemen fight to the death. They include: skeletons, armor, and rotting garments of a number of hu-
mans or humanoids. Many of the skeletal figures grip rust-
Sergeant: AC 5; MV 12; F4; hp 36; THACO 17; #At 1; Damage ing weapons. The air is deathly still and somehow
ld8 (long sword); Sz M; ML 13; Int 12; AL LN; XP 120. oppressive. Each of you is consumed by an overpowering
Troopers (9): AC 6; MV 12; F3; hp 22 each; THACO 18; #At 1; feeling of dread.
Damage ld6 (lance or short sword); Sr M; ML 12; Int 9; AL
LN; XP 65.
Light Horses (10):AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; hp 13 each; #At 0; The tree trunk is the dark resting-place of a groaning spirit.
Entering the 25-foot by 25-foot clearing causes the groaning
Sz L; AL N.
spirit to emanate from one of the holes in the tree. The sight of

The Darkwood
this entity forces everyone in the party to save vs. spell or flee
in terror back down the road for 10 rounds. If it is night, she
will attack anyone who enters the clearing from this point on
The Darkwood is a dangerous place. If the party chooses to fol- (a banshee can wail only at night). If this encounter occurs dur-
low this path, it should be a memorable experience. Make ing the day, there will be no sign of the spirit if the characters
three wandering monster checks; one for every 15 miles of come back down this road.
progress through the forest. An encounter occurs on a roll of 1 This entity is the undead spirit of a female elf, once known
or 2 on ld6. The exact nature of the encounter is found on the as Lusian. A dabbler in the black arts, she brought ruination on
Lusian Forest Wandering Monster Table. the elven community that dwelt in this wood before the time
of man. So wicked was she that the elven god, Rillifane Ral-
Lusian Forest Wandering Monster Table lathil, bound her to this fate after death. The undead in this
wood are her victims. The skeletons around the tree are the re-
Roll Result mains of passing adventurers. Some aspiring knights and war-
1 Skeletons (IO): AC 7; MV 12; HD 1;hp 8 each THACO 19; #At 1;
Damaeeld6: SD half damaee from S or P weaDons. immune to riors of Dunador, having thought to perform their rite of
passage by riding through the Darkwood, have paid for their
arrogance with their lives. If the groaning spirit is destroyed,
the wood becomes peaceful again.
15; #At 1;Damage ld6 + level drain; SA eachhit drains 1level; SD A careful search of the debris and weaponry surrounding
hit only by magical (full damage) or silver (half damage) weapom, the tree reveals a magical shield + 1. Inside the tree trunk is a
immune to deep, cham, hold, death, and cold-based spells, immune chest containing 4,000 gp,a potion of undead control (wraiths),
to Doison and Daralvzation: SW holv water inflicts 2d4 DOintS of and a mage's scroll, lightning bolt. At the base of the tree trunk
lies a long sword in a scabbard. A detailed inscription on the
blade identifies it as a sword + 1, +2 us. magic-using or enchanted

15
creatures (which includes mages, spell-casting monsters, and
created or summoned creatures).

Banshee: AC 0; MV 15; HD 7; hp 36; THACO 13; #At 1; Damage

The Drake & Castle Inn
ld8 (touch); SA wail kills all within 30’ unless save vs. death 1 square = 10 feet
magic; SD +1 or better weapon to hit, 50% magic resistance,
immune to charm, sleep, and hold spells, immune to cold and
electrical attacks; SW holy water inflicts 2d4 points of dam-
age per vial, dispel evil slays; Sz M; ML 13; Int 16; AL CE; XP
4,000.

The
- Drake & Castle
Inn
The Drake & Castle Inn is the only stopover for travelers along
the main road between Montinelle and the Northlands. It also
does a small but profitable business senring pilgrims bound
for the Shrine of Nevron. As the party approaches the inn they
see three horses and a pack mule tied up outside the front en-
trance. Two horses and the mule stand apart from the third
horse.
If the party investigates the animals, they discover that the
two horses and the mule belong to two merchants. The ani-
mals’ saddlebags and packs literally bulge with linens, silks,
cheap trinkets, and jewelry The third horse carries two saddle-
bags. One bag contains a sleeping roll and ordinary personal

I’ I
items. The other bag holds a set of thief‘s tools, a throwing
Booths and i b l e s
dagger, provisions, and at the bottom of the bag, a small

I
leather pouch. The pouch contains a small silver icon engraved
with the insignia of Fontenmere Abbey Laqe Round Table
There are four people at the inn;a barman behind the cum-
ing bar, two merchants at the round table, and a figure sitting
at the booth in the southeast comer, huddled deep in his dark,
hooded cloak and trying quite unsuccessfully to look incon- Menlow! Hmmm. Uh, yes. I do have a cousin named
spicuous. Menlow. No close relation, you understand. Haven’t seen
In most respects, Graf the barman is a true neutral. His busi- him in some time now. Last I heard, he was in Montinelle in
ness depends on it. However, for 2 g p per question, he will the duke’s service. Actually, we all hoped that would
provide the following answers (or whatever variation seems straighten him out a bit, but I don’t suppose it has. The boy
appropriate) in an oily and ingratiating voice: was always a miserable little sneak.

Pilgrims! why certainly, good sirs. Pilgrims are something If Menlow is present with the party, he tries (by hand mo-
one sees a lot of at the Drake &Castle. Why, just a bit over a tions or facial expressions) to signal Graf to help him, but Graf
week ago I had one rather curious party in here. On their way assumes that his black sheep cousin is in on some secret busi-
to Nevron, of course. Nothing unusual in that, but they ness and is indicating that he would like to have his presence
seemed too fine to be common folk. More like royalty, if you ignored. Thus, he studiously pretends not to recognize Men-
catch my drift. low until openly confronted with his presence. Under no cir-
cumstances does Graf help Menlow escape.
Riders! Why now that you ask, there was one rather large The two merchants, Fenn and Swaine, carry 115 gp between
party of riders that passed by last week. In fact, it was just an them. They are traveling to Montinelle fmm the far north to do
hour or so after that party of pilgrims I told you about. Very business. If questioned, they remember seeing a motley band of
strange business. I remember, because, you see, they didn’t hard-riding horsemen who passed them yesterday, heading north
stop in here. Unusual, this being the only inn between the on the main road just this side of the River Laine. The incident
Three Feathers and the Boar‘s Bride up by Coldwater in the sticks in their minds because the riders looked like brigands.
Northlands. It’s not often that a party just rides on by. Some- If the players do not at first catch the significance of the mer-
thing else unusual, too. Hot weather last week. Very hot. But chants‘ story, make it clear that the group of riders they are de-
they were all bundled up in heavy cloaks, and under the scribing were nothing like those described by Graf. Graf’s
cloaks you could see blue tunics peeking out as they rode. group appeared to be soldiers of some sort, while the mer-
Now, I ask you, who, in that kind of weather, wears a tunic chants‘ group seemed to be brigands.
and a heavy cloak! The soldiers were the Duke of Andevar’s men who seized
the prince. The second group (brigands) were Lord Edrin’s
Yes, well now, Capel Tower. No mystery there. Just stay on men who sacked Fontenmere Abbey and made off with the
the north road here instead of taking the turnoff to Nevron. royal seal and scepter of Dunador. The duke‘s men have rid-
That’ll take you right to the tower with no trouble. Its right on den north of the River Laine while Edrin’s men are at Capel
the River Laine, about 40 miles north of here. Hardly any dis- Tower.
tance at all for gentlemen such as yourselves.

16
 The man in the comer is a thief named Harkin, a member of
As the trail continues winding up the steep sides of the
Edrin’s group of “brigands” that sacked Fontenmere. He wears
bracers ofdefense AC 6, a leather jerkin, and carries 40 g p in a mountains, the footing becomes more and more treacherous
pouch around his waist. As soon as the characters begin ques- and uneven. You approach an out-jutting lip of rock, form-
tioning the others, Harkin makes as if to leave the inn. Finding ing a sort of natural shelter. You can see that the path nar-
the group’s actions suspect, he intends to ride to Capel Tower rows ahead, weaving in and out between towering rock
and inform Edrin’s chief henchman, Mendal Secord, about the formations and ascending ahruptly
PCs’ presence in Andevar. If questioned or confronted, Harkin
attacks without warning, trying to cut a clear path to his horse At this point, mounted progress is no longer possible. Sug-
which is tethered outside. If unable to escape, he fights to the gest to the players that this is a good place to tether their
death. However, an ESP spell reveals that he is one of Edrin’s horses in relative safety, and that others have obviously done
”brigands” and that the royal seal and scepter of Dunador are so before.
at Capel Tower. He does not h o w where the prince is. For the last 10 miles, the characters have to climb about
2,000 feet to reach the shrine at an elevation of 6,000 feet. As
Graf the innkeeper: AC 7; M V 12; F3; hp 22; THACO 18; #At 1; the party passes through the wooded area indicated on the
Damage ld6 (club); Sz M; ML 9; Int 10; AL N; XP 65. Shrine of Nevron map, they are surprised by a marauding cave
Merchants (2): AC 7; MV 9; F2; hp 10, 12; THACO 19; #At 1; bear whose disposition has been unbalanced by the coming of
Damage ld6 (short swords); Sz M; ML 8; Int 10; AL LG; XP 35. spring. Driven into frenzy by its derangement, the bear fights
Harkin: AC 4; MV 12; T4; hp 21; THACO 19; #At 1;Damage to the death.
ld8+1 (long sword +I); Sz M; ML 14; Int 11; AL NE; XP 120. If the characters search the vicinity, they find the bear’s den
60 feet east of this encounter location. Among a pile of bones
near the cave mouth is a rotting leather satchel. Barely con-
Layout of the Inn tained by the rotting material is a cache of gold nuggets worth
Stools stand in front of the curved bar. Behind the bar is a tall 300 gp, the trove of an unfortunate dwarf prospector who fell
shelving unit stocked with all types of wines and spirits. victim to the bear.
Under the bar are casks filled with ale. Graf also provides
bread and cheese to hungry wayfarers. Drake &Castle prices: Cave Bear: AC 6; MV 12; HD 6+6; hp 55; THACO 13; #At 3;
ale 17 cp, beer 8 cp, mead 8 sp, wine 10 sp, other spirits 12 s p a Damage ld8/ld8/ld12; SA attack roll of 18+ allows bear to
glass, and Graf’s ploughman’s lunch of bread and cheese 1 gp. hug and inflict additional 2d8 points of damage; SD bear
Graf‘s room is at the back of the inn through a door behind continues fighting for ld4 rounds after reaching 0 hps, but
the bar. The chamber contains a bed, table, two stools, and a dies immediately at -9 hit points; Sz H; ML 10; Int 2; AL N;
pair of footlockers. One footlocker contains odds and ends of XP 650.
clothing and personal items. The other contains a suit of chain
mail armor, a shield, and a long sword t 1 . Graf‘s life savings
are secreted in an old chest hidden under the bed beneath the The Shrine of Nevron
floorboards. The chest contains 200 gp,400 sp, and 2,000 cp.
At the back of the inn,tethered in a sort of lean-to, is Graf‘s
old mule. A small, free-standing enclosure behind the inn con-
tains about two dozen chickens, and a goat is tethered to a
nearby post.

Leaving the Drake & Castle Inn

Before they leave the inn, Graf repeats his instructions for
reaching Capel Tower. If the characters ask about the Shrine of
Nevron, he informs them that travel on horseback is not possi-
ble in the higher reaches of the Veronian Mountains. Graf sells
the characters any provisions they need at normal prices.

On to the
Shrine of Nevron
If the characters proceed to Nevron, read this passage to them.

When the characters reach a spot about 10 miles southwest

of the shrine, read this passage.

17
 The tower steward and four men-at-arms are
always at the front entrance. They stop and
question anyone seeking entry If the charac-

Capel Tower
ters arrive at Capel Tower unannounced and
state that they have important information for Ground Level
the tower’s commander or devise a similar
story, the steward lets them in. Otherwise, he
sends them on their way Persisting in trying
to get inside after having once been denied
entry results in arrow attacks from the walls.
The men at Capel Tower are in a constant state
of combat readiness.
If Harkin (the thief from the Drake & Castle
Inn) arrives at Capel Tower before the charac-
ters, he informs the guards of the party’s pres-
ence in the area. In this case, when the
characters arrive at the tower, the steward in-
vites them to enter. They are then ambushed in Level II
the courtyard (2.).
The tower’s parapets are 40 feet high and
the four small guard towers at the corners are
54 feet high. At any time there is one guard in
each guard tower and two guards patrolling
the open-air parapets atop the main tower. In
the event of open hostility, mobilize all the
men-at-arms in a way consistent with an intel-
ligent and spirited defense of the tower. Ten of
the guards, for instance, have crossbows or
bows. These men would naturally fire arrows
from the walls or turret tops. Level 111

The Moat
The moat contains six giant leeches. Each char-
acter in the moat has a 20% chance per round
of being attacked by ld4 leeches. Once the
leeches have attacked someone, they stay at-
tached to that character until killed. As long as
characters remain in the water, they have only
a 1%chance of noticing the creatures’ attack
because of the leeches’ anesthetizing saliva.
Once characters leave the water, they notice
the leeches immediately (because of their
weight). Dungeon (lower) Level
Giant Leeches (6):AC 9; MV 3, sw 3; HD 1;hp
4 each; THACO 19; #At 1; Damage ld4 1st
round + l/round after; SA drains 1 hp of
bloodlround, 50% chance of causing disease
that kills in 2-5 weeks unless treated; SW
killed instantly by a pound of salt; Sz S (2’);
ML 7; Int 0; AL N; XI’ 65.

Capel Tower: Level I

1 square = 10fec
1.Entrance and Gatehouse
There are four guards on duty behind the
lowered portcullis. Any attempted intrusion
spiral Stairs
causes them to summon Sigmund, the tower
steward, from his office (5).A pair of winches Trap Door in Floor
inside the gatehouse controls the drawbridge Note: trap doors in ceilings Of 18,
and portcullis. L...-I portcullis 19, and 20 lead to open parapets
above. Staircase leads to parapets
2. Open-Air Courtyard above 17.
Many covered water barrels stand near the
walls around this courtyard. The walls are
pierced here and there with narrow windows.
There are no other features of note.
19
3a. and 3b. Stables The staircase leads to room 13.The footlockers are unlocked.
There are 14 horses at the tower, seven in each stable. Each sta- Each contains articles of clothing. One of them contains ld20
ble contains 10 small, cramped stalls. sp tied up in an old rag. Another contains ld20 sp in a small
leather pouch.
4. Jailer’s Office
7. Barracks
Use the room 6 description. The staircase leads to room 11.The
footlockers contain clothing and other personal items. The foot-
locker nearest the east door contains a gorgeous linen altar cloth
embroidered with the emblem of Fontenmere Abbey (30 gp).

The aged gentleman is Oswald, the turnkey. Around his neck he 8. Armory
wears a pouch containing l d l 0 sp and a large key which un- This room is obviously an armory. Lining its curved walls
locks the door to the dungeon below. Being so old, Oswald are many racks of brightly-polished weapons. Spears, lances,
would rather sound the alarm than fight. If unable to summon javelins, crossbows, and long bows abound. In the gaps be-
help, he surrenders if it looks as if his life might be spared. tween the weapon racks are four iron-bound chests: The spi-
A spiral staircase leads from the trap door to the dungeon ral stairs in the center of the room lead up to a trap door in
below. A deep drawer in the desk holds iron rations and a half- the ceiling which i s closed with a deadholt.
empty flask of mead.
Oswald: AC 8; MV 6; F4; hp 24; THACO 17; #At 1; Damageldh Each of the five racks hold 16 weapons. The easternmost
(short sword); Sz M; ML 5; Int 8; AL LN; XP 120. chest contains 50 heavy iron spikes. Moving clockwise around
the room, the other chests contain 200 crossbow bolts, 300 ar-
D1.Dungeon Level rows, and six grappling hooks (each with 50 feet of rope at-
The spiral staircase leads to a dank limestone corridor, fea- tached). The trap door leads to room 9.
tureless except for a heavy door at its eastern end. The
door’s oak planks are pierced by a single barred window.
Capel Tower: Level I1
Behind the door is a cell holding a pair of simple farmers, in- 9. Storeroom
carcerated for being late to pay their taxes. If questioned by the The doors to this room are locked.
characters, the farmers are unable to provide meaningful infor-
mation. However, they indicate that they know someone who The floor of this room is amply occupied by six upright
can be of more help: Eli the huntsman, who is considered by barrels. Against the walls are racks filled with sealed kegs.
the local peasantry to be the wisest man north of Fontenmere.
According to the farmers, Eli lives on the north shore of the
River Laine, about a mile west of the bridge. Three barrels hold wine, the others hold drinking water.
There are four kegs each of ale, brandy, and mead. There are
5. Steward’s Office no stairs in this room. The trap door in the floor is locked from
below by a dead bolt.
This circular chamber is dominated by a narrow, stone,
spiral staircase in its center. A battered old desk occupies the 10. Cookhouse
south wall. Above it hangs the duke’s golden lion coat-of-
arms. A small rack of lances stands near the west wall. A A large, grimy, brick oven occupies the north wall. It is
rumpled bed and a footlocker against the east wall complete flanked on either side by a stack of burlap sacks. The south
the room’s furnishing. wall is lined with scarred wooden counters. Beneath them
are a number of produce bins stuffed with fresh vegetables.
All manner of cooking utensils litter the counters and hang
The staircase leads to room 15. from heavy iron hooks in the ceiling beams. Standing at one
The desk‘s center drawer contains a mundane assortment of corner is a large man in breeches, shirt, and cloth apron. He
papers detailing the stores currently held in the tower. The is using a cleaver to bone a brace of hares.
locked footlocker contains a battle axe, a shield, two long
swords, and a sack holding 300 sp. The lance rack against the
The sacks contain flour and grain. The man with the cleaver
west wall holds six lances.
is Dewey, the household servant and caretaker assigned to
Sewn inside Sigmund’s mattress is a small leather pouch
Capel Tower by Aimar. Dewey is a simple-minded but good-
containing five pearls and six rubies (each worth 30 gp).
Sigmund wears no livery. Instead, the breastplate of his fine natured soul who neither fights nor raises an alarm. He speaks
with the party happily and at length, but he knows absolutely
plate mail is emblazoned with Duke Aimar’s golden lion in-
nothing of importance, not even the exact number or where-
signia. He carries ld20 g p in a pouch and wears a silver chain
abouts of the guards.
of office around his neck.
Sigmund AC 3; MV 9; F4; hp 28; THACO 17; #At 1; Damage 11. Servants‘ Tower Room
ld8 (long sword); Sz M; ML 15; Int 14; AL LN; XP 120. This is a mean, dirty chamber, barely recognizable as a
human habitation. Its only furnishing is a pair of cots set
6. Barracks against the north wall. Four three-pronged grappling hooks
A spiral staircase winds up through the center of this with their coiled ropes attached hang from an iron bracket
chamher. Placed symmetrically ahout this chamber are eight set into the west wall. In the northeast corner is a stack of
narrow beds. The head of each rests against the wall; the lumber. A spiral staircase leads to an unsecured trap door in
foot points toward the central spiral staircase. At the foot of the ceiling.
each bed is a sturdy-looking footlocker.

!0
 servants' quarters for Oswald and the occupant of room 16 (ifpresent). Only the captain can han-
nan's cot is a bag of clothing and one or dle the hawks, and if released, they attack anyone except him.
possessions. The sack under Oswald's cot The spiral staircase leads up to mom 20 and down to room 5.
2d6 sp. Each of the grappling hooks on
feet of rope attached. The spiral staircase Dogs (2): AC 6; MV 12; HD 2+2; hp 13, 16; THACO 19; #At 1;
nd down to mom 7. Damace 2d4; Sz M; ML 9; lnt 3; AL N; XP 65.
HuntinfHawks (2): AC 6; MV 1,f133 (8); HD 1;hp 6,7;
THACO 19; #At 3; Damage ldZ/ld2/1; SA 25% chance to
strike eye, blinding for 1dlO rounds with 10% chance ofper-
manent loss of eye; Sz S; ML 9; Int 1;AL N; XP 65.
16. Captain's Chamber
The door to this room is locked
(6 to 7 p.m.) and no alert has been
tower guards are seated at the table, A wide, comfortable-lookingbed is set against the west
? savory contents of a couple of stew pots
wall. Beside it, resting on a tiled night table, is a small chest.
ale. If there has been an intruder alert or
e been mobilized for any other reason,
0. Far too old to be much of a threat, Bo
IS,simply watch the action. He is, how- There is a 60% chance that the captain is in his room (day or
ey, and attacks if the simple-minded sew- night) unless the tower is mobilized for battle. He wears plate
- . ~ .I .Iin Bo's presence. Bo also fights in mail armor under a gold-trimmed, gray tunic emblazoned
self-defense. with Edrin's black raven device. He carries ld20 gp in a belt
BO: AC 7; MV 15; HD 1 + 1; hp 3; THACO 19; #At 1; Damage pouch together with a set of keys: one to his own room, one to
ld4; Sz S; ML 8; Int 1;AL N; XP 35. the storeroom (3), and one to the padlock on the ale keg in the
guards' mess (13).The captain investigates any disturbances in
13. Guards' Ale Room any general alarm or melee.
The locked chest holds a sack of 200 pp and a small box that
Four small, square tables, each with two stools, surround contains a gold necklace (100 gp).
the spiral staircase in the center of this chamber. There is a The hack wall of the locked clothes cabinet is fitted out with
a weapons rack containing a heavy crossbow and a quiver of
locked spout is chained to an iron cradle set in the south 10 bolts, a lance, a spear, and a shield decorated with Edrin's
wall. black raven device. Four shirts and tunics also bearing the
black raven hang from a dowel set high in the cabinet. At the
cabinet's base is a small, locked chest holding assorted papers
If no alarm has been sounded and the guards have not been and service orders. One paper empowers the captain to take
mobilized, two guards can be found relaxing in this room. command of the garrison at Capel Tower. This order is signed
Though fully armored, they are not armed. The padlocked keg by Lord Edrin and sealed with the black raven symbol.
holds ale. Only the captain (16)has the key The spiral staircase The decanter on the writing table holds one pint of fine qual-
leads up to room 19 and down to room 6. ity brandy

14. Forge and Repair Shop Captain: AC 3; MV 9; F8; h p 44; THACO 13; #At 3 / 2 ; Damage
ld8; Sz M; ML 13; Int 11;AL LE; XP650.
A large iron forge, now cold, is built into the center of the
south wall. There are several workbenches against the north
wall. Each is covered with dozens of weapons-bows, spears, Capel Tower: Level I11
17.Assassin's Chamber
A large bed rests against the east wall of thisj tower cham-
ber. Against the south wall is a three-foot high , glass-doored
cabinet. Atop the cabinet is a small chest. Against the ..
. . north
wall is a desk and chair. An oven footlocker is vosit1oned be-
East of the forge, at the base of the south wall, is a secret tween the desk and bed.
compartment hidden behind a loose stone. Tucked inside is a
long case containing a very old composite shcrt bow +l.Long
hidden in its moisture-proof case of lacquered wood, the bow The door is bolted from inside: it has 40 hp. Any attempt to
is the private (and forgotten) project of a long-dead craftsman open it alerts the room's occupant, and actually opening the
once employed at the tower. door by any means causes him to trigger two crossbow traps
which fire at the doorway The first two characters crossing the
15. Captain's Tower Room threshold are automatically hit; each takes 1d4+1points of
damage from the bolts and must save vs. poison to avoid the
Two leashed hunting dogs are asleep on mats near the deadly effect of the poison smeared on the bolts (type B, in-
south wall. As you enter, they awaken and growl. On a table iected. onset 2d6 minutes,. 20 Imints of damare/save
" for ld3
near the east wall is a double cage containing a pair of hunt- points of damage).
ing hawks. -\spiral staircase tills the center of the room. The crossbow tram are located under the bed and angled UP
to the doorway Twb threads attached to the triggers leab out
The dogs have been trained not to attack humans, even if un- to the side of the bed so that anyone lying on it can trigger
leashed. However, their growling has a 60% chance of alerting both crossbows by pulling the threads.

21
 The discovery of the threads should he a clue to the charac- 18. Northwest Turret
ters that the crossbows have been manually fired. The occu-
pant of the chamber is currently invisible. He is Mendal Two large traveling trunks sit against the north wall of
Secord, an assassin and Lord Edrin’s chief henchman in Aude- this chamber. A spiral staircase leads to a trapdoor above
var. Secord has become invisible in order to escape from the
chamber. His primary objective, and one which overrides all
other concerns, is the assassination of Prince Edmund. In an in- One chest holds 10 dark hooded capes and 10 studded
stant, he has determined that the party of intruders is too for- leather jerkins similar to those affectedby many of the local
midable to deal with directly. Secord does not interfere with brigands. The other chest contains studded leather arm braces
the party’s search and presumed looting of his chamber. and 10 pairs of heavy boors, also typical brigand garb.
Rather, he remains invisible and retires to the tower halls to The spiral staircase leads down to room 11and up to the
obseme the characters while they remain in the structure. open parapet atop the tower. The trap door is not secured.
When they leave, Secord tries to follow them unobserved until
they reach GriffonCastle. When following the group, Secord 19. Southwest Turret
assumes the guise of an old beggar, a ruse that he tries to keep
up even if accosted and questioned by the party If pressed, he The southwestern arc of this room’s wall contains an iron
uses his ring to escape again. See ”Ending the Adventure” for rack holding a score of long, spiked poles, each with a Y-
more information on Mendal Secord. shaped head. A small fireplace is set into the west wall. Next
The glass-doored cabinet holds assorted chemicals and sub- to it is a small table with a flask and six clay cups resting on
stances used for making poisons. There are two small vials in top. A spiral staircase leads to a trap door above.
the cabinet containing a poisonous resin for
tipping weapons.
The chest on top of the cabinet is locked.
The key to the lock is strung on a cord around
Secord‘s neck. Any attempt to open it without
the key releases a charge of dust ofsneezing and
choking. Anyone within 10 feet of the chest
must save vs. poison or die immediately.
Those who save are disabled by choking for
5d4 rounds.
The interior of the chest is lined with black
velveteen. Pillowed inside it is a large, white
chamois bag, tied at the top with a purple
silken cord. Inside the bag is a solid gold,
ruby-encrusted scepter and a gold and silver
ball, 8 inches in diameter, that bears a crown
image over a ruby-studded cross of Dunador.
These items are the royal seal and scepter of
Dunador. Although they are in one sense
priceless, if sold on the black market each item
brings 6,000 gp. All the characters recognize
the seal and scepter.
Lifting a flap of the chest’s velveteen lining
raises a false bottom, revealing a small space
in which the characters find a sack holding
1,000 gp.
The single drawer in the desk is locked. In-
side, hidden behind a false panel at the rear, is
a small metal box containing two bottles. One
bottle holds a potion of levitation; the other
holds a potion of gaseous form. The writing ma-
terials on top of the desk are ordinary.
The open footlocker holds a cape similar to
those commonly worn by local brigands, a
leather satchel containing six throwing dag-
gers, and a small wooden box containing 10
poison-tipped crossbow bolts.

Mendal Secord: AC 1; MV 12; T6; hp 31;

THACO 18; #At 1; Damage ld6 or by
weapon; SA poisoned weapons; SD invisibil-
ity; Sz M; ML 9; Str 15, Dex 17, Con 13, Int
17, Wis 13, Cha 13; AL LE; XP 1,400.
Equipment: bracers of defense AC 5, cloak of pro-
tection + I , ring of spell storing with five inuis-
ibility spells, poisoned (type B) dagger +2,
and a short sword.

22
 A mounted combatant has a + 2 attack bonus against an op-
ponent on foot.
A mounted opponent has a + 2 attack bonus against a horse
when using a sword, mace, flail, or other small weapon.
On a roll of 1to hit, a combatant’s lance breaks on Impact.
The fighter may grab a companion’s lance, if he is at the right
end of the bridge.
A mounted combatant using a sword, mace, flail, or other small
weapon cannot hit a mounted opponent who is using a lance.
Combat continues, mounted or on foot, until a clear winner
emerges.
The DM can establish statistics for the player character’s
horse, but Kirkroy always attacks the rider if possible.
Ultimately, Kirkroy and his men neither give nor accept
quarter. If captured through some brilliant stratagem, they re-
fuse to give information upon pain of death. An ESP spell,
however, reveals that the prince 1s at GriffonCastle.
Kirkroy: AC 3; MV 9; F6; hp 48; THACO 15; #At 1;Damage
ld8+1 (long sword +Z), ld6+2 (medium lance + I ) ; Sz M; ML 14;
Int 14; AL LE; XP 420.
Kirkroy’s companions (4): AC 4; MV 12; F4; hp 24,26,29,34;
THACO 17; #At 1;Damage ld4 (light crossbow), ld6 (short
sword), ld6+1 (medium lance); Sz M; ML 12; Int 10; AL LE;
XP 120.
Medium warhorses (5):AC 7; MV 18; HD 3+3; hp 17 each;
THACO 17; #At 2; Damage ld6/ld6; Sz L; ML 7; Int 1; AL N;
XP 65.

As the characters begin crossing the bridge, they are surprised

by the emergence from a nearby copse of t r e e of a dark rider on
Eli’s Cottage -
a black horse. Four other riders wearing dark brown cloaks ac- A well-trodden path runs west along the Rwer Lame from
company him. The dark rider is Kirkroy, the Duke of Andevar’s the north side of the bridge Ck!arly risible in the mud of the
champion. He wears a plain, black tunic over splint armor and track are the recent imorints of horse hooves. Two miles from
carries a small jousting sheld. At his belt is a small pouch con- the bridge, the path reaches a t?latch-rooted cottage perched
taining 3d20 g p and a jeweled dagger worth 50 @. Around his along a low bank beside the La ine. The splintered wreck of a
neck he wears a gold medallion engraved with Aimar’s golden small boat is tied up to a pier n,oar the front of the cottage.
lion insignia (50 gp). He rides a medium warhorse. The front door of the dwelling Is closed, but not locked.
Kirkroy‘s companions carry light crossbows and short
swords, and also ride medium warhorses. Beneath their brown The interior of the dwelling is a single 30-foot-by-30-foot
capes they wear blue tunics emblazoned with Aimar’s golden room. Its air is thick with animal smells, and there are dozens
lion device over fine chain mail. of furs and skins nailed to the walls or strewn about the floor
Kirkroy and his men have been placed at the bridge by the as rugs. In places, these have been tom from their hooks or
duke to cover Aimar‘s move to his new base of operations at kicked up from the floor as if in a scuffle. Many of them have
Griffon Castle. been torn or slashed. In one corner of the cottage are the
As soon as the party moves onto the bridge, Kirkroy rides smashed remains of a bed and a chest. Tom clothing and bro-
out of the woods and gallops up to the center of the span, ken tools and cooking utensils are scattered everywhere in a
where he awaits the party. As the characters approach, he way that suggests deliberate vandalism.
hollers to them that it is impossible for them to cross. He does Except for Eli’s hidden treasure trove of 75 g p (in a box in a
not tell them why. If they insist on trying to cross, Kirkroy cubbyhole under one of the rafters in the north wall), nothing
challenges one of the party‘s fighters to single combat with in the cottage, including the many animal pelts, has escaped
horse and lance. He proposes that the winner and his party damage. A careful inspection of the floor reveals a pool of con-
may proceed as they will; the loser must withdraw. gealed blood to the right of the door. Of Eli there is no trace.
Naturally, Kirkroy and his men have no intention of honor- Eli was an eyewitness to the passage of the duke and his
ing any such agreement. His men attack as soon as the joust is prisoner along the path from Barbarian’s Bridge toward Griffon
over, regardless of the result, if the character’s do not with- Castle, Not wishing to leave any embarrassing clues behind,
draw. If the characters do not agree to Kirkroy’s terms or leave, Aimar ordered Kirkroy to take a squad of men to the cottage
he and his men attack immediately and dispense with the old hunter in such a way as to make the
murder look like the work of brigands. After savagely attacking
the aged Eli and ravaging the cottage, Kirkroy and his men left
Running the Joust their victim for dead and rode on to take up their guard at the
Only combatants are allowed on the bridge. bridge. But Kirkroy did not count on Eli’s good standing with
The PC can borrow a lance from one of Kirkroy’s men if the the forest community. Once the attackers left, wood sprites ar-
PCs have none of their own. rived at the cottage, took care of Eli’s wounds, and carried him
Only one attack is allowed for each mounted pass. Make a off to heal in a secret forest glen far north of the river.
normal initiative roll, then attack rolls. One of the sprites, a bold youngster named Toughnut, stayed
On a roll of 20 to hit, the opponent must save vs. breath near the cottage to keep an eye on the place. Currently invisible,
weapon or be knocked off his or her mount. Toughnut is hiding just to the right of the cottage’s front door.

23
 Using his natural ability, Toughnut determines the charac- Seven of the 16 guards on duty are stationed in the towers,
ters’ alignments as soon as they arrive, but as long as he is un- one guard atop each of the seven open-air turrets. Each turret
sure why they are in the cottage, he bides his time. If Eli’s is equipped with a heavy crossbow (1shot/2 rounds, damage
treasure is taken, Toughnut fires a warning arrow dangerously ld4+1) that hangs from a hook.
close to the head of whomever has plundered the trove. The other nine guards are positioned as indicated in the
Toughnut then imitates Eli’s booming voice, saying, “Thieves room descriptions.
and robbers! Have you no shame that you would steal the few
pathetic coins of a poor old man!” Currently the entire garrison is on alert; the discovery of any
If the characters take the hint and give up Eli’s treasure, intrusion causes the mobilization of the captain and all the
Toughnut is better disposed toward them. If they refuse to give guards except those in room 20.
up the treasure, he makes its surrender a condition for giving
the characters any information. After inquiring as to their pur-
pose, the sprite, using his natural voice, explains Eli’s fate and Entry to Griffon Castle
gives the following information: The party can enter the castle in two ways. First, they can find
the traitor’s gate (next to room 13) after a covert search of the
“The one you seek is gone. Only a few days ago, the outside wall. Such a search is not possible in daylight in view
young prince was tak en west by the ”golden lion,” the one of the towers above. Or, they can launch an open (and fool-
-
called Aimar. Eli kne?Y of this. He saw. He told us that they
. . . . . . . . . . ....
could only be going to a place mat ne called ‘me witton: 1.11
hardy) attempt to assault the walls or main gates. In the event
of an assault, mobilize all the occupants of Griffon Castle and
was troubled by this, but the black ones came before he organize an effective defense. The tops of seven of the eight
could do aught but tell us of his worry. We know nothing of towers are equipped with bells for sounding an alarm.
jusr . l l .
the ‘Griffon’;we do not travel much. But this we can tell you
. . as. it. was toin us ~y til.it is in rne
..
west,. t.h i.s .place.
.
Down the river over many of your miles. The waters of this
river flow west. Follow them by the river’s side, if you will.
Griffon Castle: Ground Level
Or, if you be sailors, there is another way Hidden in the 1. Southwest Gatehouse
trees by the river is another boat. Take it and be on your As befits a border stronghold,GriffonCastle is blessed with an
way. This I think that Eli would want.” extremely strong gate, complete with portcullis. The latter is al-
ways down, and no entry is permitted. A winch for raising the
So saying, the sprite retires to the woods. The other boat is portcullis is located in gatehouse 1. The room is bare except for
hidden in the brush, 100 feet west of the cottage. It is a flat bot- a barrel of water and twelve drinking mugs hanging from
tom scow, 18 feet long and 8 feet wide, with a sail and a rudder. hooks driven into the wall beside it. The walls are breached
Even if the player characters are not accomplished sailors, the here and there by narrow arrow slits.
river’s current will carry them to Griffon Castle. They only have
to steer with the rudder and use the oars to slow the vessel. The 2. Southeast Gatehouse
boat is roomy enough for the party and all their gear, but the There is a guard on duty in gatehouse 2. Thanks to the arrow
horses must be tethered and left by the river. If the players de- slits in the gatehouse, he has an excellent view of the exterior
cide to float down the river, the voyage is without incident. of the gate. The guardsman is charged under penalty of death
If the party takes the north riverside track, make the usual with immediately reporting to the captain in room 15 any at-
wandering monster checks. tempt to approach the gate. He is extremely vigilant. Located
in this room is a release mechanism for the castle’s outer door.
Toughnut: AC 6; MV 9, fl18; HD 1;hp 6; THACO 19; #At 1;
Damage ld3 (bow), ld4 (sword); SA drugged arrows cause 3. Tower Chamber
sleep for ld6 hours, save vs. poison for no effect; Sz S (2’); There is one guard on duty in this room. The barrels hold
ML 11; Int 12; AL NG; XP270.
A spiral staircase near the south wall leads to another

Griffon Castle chamber above. There are two large barrels near the east
wall. Beside the door is a weapons rack holding four pears.
Griffon Castle is a secret stronghold set back about 50 yards
from the north bank of the River Laine and surrounded by a fresh water. The spiral stairs lead to room 17
dense wood. Few even know that it still exists. Years ago, the
duke captured the isolated castle from a robber baron who re- 4. Tower Chamber
fused to swear fealty and mend his ways. Though the castle One guard is stationed in the room. The cask contains mead.
was ruined in the fighting, Aimar has over the years (and espe-
A cask rests on a stained plank table near the west wall. A
cially since forming his alliance with Edrin) labored patiently
in secret to put it back into repair. Because so few are aware of spiral staircase near the south wall leads to an upper chamber.
Aimar’s secret project, the site makes an ideal hiding place for
the captured prince. The spiral stairs lead to room 19.
The castle is located 80 miles (16 hexes) west of Barbarian‘s
Bridge. 5. Great Hall
Apart from the retainers, servants, sundry “pets,” and the
duke, the castle is garrisoned by 20 men-at-arms. All these There is an immense fireplace with a limestone mantle set
human fighters wear scale mail armor and black-plumed into the west wall. A large tapestry hangs over the fireplace.
helms. Each is equipped with a light crossbow, a long sword, The hangings depict an odd sort of creature, part bird and
and a shield. When using their crossbows they are AC 6. None part animal. A long, heavy, oak table flanked by two benches
of this equipment bears any insignia. The Griffon Castle Roster occupies the center of the room. Large carved and padded
indicates the guards who are presently in the castle. chairs are placed a t the head and foot of the table. A second,
Position these men as follows: smaller tapestry with a golden lion boldly woven into its
At any time, day or night, there are 16 guards on duty background of blue flowers hangs from the east m!all.
Four others are asleep in barracks room 8.
24
 !-foot 11.Northeast Gatehouse
loor just Gatehouse 11 i s empty except for the winch used to raise the
portcullis.
ey to
~yat- 12. Tower Chamber
gas to be
pon or
plates, 20
,000 gp.
Unless the alarm has been sounded, there is one guard on
duty here. The cabinet is locked. It holds a weapon rack with
brackets for 20 heavy crossbows. Seven of the weapons are
missing. At the bottom of the cabinet are four open wooden
boxes filled with heavy crossbow bolts. The spiral stairs lead to
room 24.
13. Stables and Traitor’s Gate

tion of Nine of the ten narrow stalls against the east wall are oc-
ickled cupied by horses. The fifth stal I from the north is vacant. A
dozen big feed bags are stacket1. by the west wall. A pair of
water buckets hangs from the :atepost by each stall.

Piled hi,qh against the wall of this circular chamber are The nine horses are light warhorses. A careful examination
of the fifth stall reveals a hidden door set into its east wall. Just
hundreds of small burlap bags. A dozen slabs of salted mut-
to the left of the door, one of the vertical boards protrudes
ton hang from hooks in the ceiling. Three barrels occupy the
slightly from the others in the stall’s wall. Pulling the board so
center of t’le room. The room is roofed, floored, and paneled
with tightly joined walnut boards. that it swings out on a spring hinge opens the door. Characters
have the normal chance of locating this door. Dwarves, elves,
half elves, gnomes, and thieves gain an extra +1if they are
The burlap bags contain flour and grain. One barrel contains looking for a secret door.
apples, one contains salted pork, and the other holds iron rations. Behind the hidden door is a narrow passage running east-
ward 4 feet to a stone wall, In the wall is the outline of another
8. Barracks door. This door is 4 feet high and 3 feet wide and has an iron
Twenty narrow bed! ring for a handle. Turning the ring causes the door to open in-
quivers hang on hook ward, giving access to the exterior of the castle.
14. Stables
Unless the alarm ha5 been sounded, there are four guards
asleep in this hut. Sleeping guards have AC 10 and require one Ten narrow stalls on the east wall hold 10 horses. There
round to reach their swords. are two barrels and a stack of 30 to 40 feed bags against the
Under each bed is an oaken footlocker containing personal
items such as spare boots, breeches, flasks of mead, and spare
parts for crossbows (strings, triggers, bolt heads, etc.). Each
quiver on the wall holds 2d20 light quarrels. @nechest contains 20 light horse saddles. The other contains
40 different bridles and reins. All 10 horses are light warhorses.
9. Tower Chamber
A spiral staircase near the north wall of this chamber leads 15. Captain’s Office
to an upper level. Beside the staircase, set apinst the north A wide hut short bed occupies the northeast corner of this
wall, is a tall oaken cabinet. There are two big barrels near chamber. At the foot of the bed is a big, ironbound chest.
the west wall. Flush against the western part of the south wall is a plain
writing desk. There is a trap door with a heavy iron ring vis-
Unless the alarm has been sounded, there is one guard sta- ible in the floor in the southeast corner of the chamber.
tioned in this room. The barrels hold fresh water. The locked
cabinet contains a fine suit of chain mail (suitable for a human If no alarm has been sounded, there is a 70% chance that the
or half elf), a lance, a broadsword, and a shield. The spiral captain and one guard are in the room. If they are not present
stairs lead to room 22. when the characters enter, roll ld6 once every 10 rounds while
the party is in the room. On a roll of 1-3, the captain and one
10. Northwest Gatehouse guard return.
The north gate, like its twin to the south, is quite strong, hav- The captain of the guard is a nasty dwarf named Dram.
ing its own portcullis in addition to the gate itself. The former Dram wears plate armor and wields a two-handed axe. Hang-
is always down, and no entry is permitted here, either. There is ing from his belt are a dagger, an iron ring containing a set of
a guard on duty in gatehouse 10. Thanks to the arrow slits in kevs
~I
to rooms 16 and 17 and the cabinet in room 12, and a
the walls, he has an excellent view of the exterior of the gate. pouch containing 10 gp.
Like the guardsman at the south gate, he is charged under The locked chest holds 300 eo and the caotain’s oersonal
Y l

penalty of death with immediately reporting to the captain in belongings.

room 15 any attempt to approach the gate. He, like his fellow at Among the papers strewn across the desk is a pay roster for
the south gate, is extremely vigilant. Located in this room is a the 20 men-at-arms guarding the castle. A single unlocked
door release mechanism for the castle’s outer door. drawer in the desk contains iron rations, an empty wineskin,
and a flask of brandy At the back of the drawer is a leather
25
sack holding two gold neck braces (30 gp each) and a silver The walls of this well-appointed chamber are decorated
cross of Dunador (20 sp). These items are loot taken from the uyith fine tapestries depicting heroic battle waged by noble
prisoners in the dungeon below. knights against horn-helmed barbarians. The golden lion
The trap door lets onto a flight of steep stairs leading to the coat-of-arms is displayed prominently in all the hangings. In
dungeon. A single door at the foot of the stairs is bolted from the middle of the west wall is an elaborate fireplace and
the outside. Behind the door, a 20-foot by 20-foot cell contains hearth topped by a finely dressed stone mantle. An armchair
the bodies of four dead humans clad in the tattered remnants upholstered in bottle-green cut veivet is placed before the
of pilgrim’s robes. One of the men seems to have died as a re- fire. An ornately carved walnut desk and chair are posi-
sult of one or more wounds. The others have died of thirst. tioned against the north wall. Against the east wall is a
The four were the prince’s companions on his pilgrimage. small, glass-doored walnut bookcase.
Dram: AC 3; MV 6; F7; hp 47; THACO 14; #At 3/2; Damage
1d8+3; SA +1 attack bonus for Str, battle axe +l;Sz S; ML 13; Int Atop the mantle are a pair of black candles in gold candle-
10; AL LE; XP420. sticks (40 gp each). An ornate set of fireplace tools stand in a
small bin north of the hearth. The tool‘s handles are made of
16. Armory finely chased silver filigree (200 sp total).
The door to this room is locked. The desk drawer holds writing parchment and a gold lion
seal for marking letters and documents. Two quill pens and an
ink well are on the desk.
The bookcase holds books on a variety of sorcerous subjects.
Except for one plain book with no markings that is larger than
the others, the books in the two-tiered bookcase are quite mun-
dane. This one unusual book is located at the far right side of
The wall racks hold 40 of each type of weapon. One chest the top shelf. It is a librum of gainf.1 conjurations. Because of his
holds 20 long bows, the other holds 500 arrows. The barrels evil alignment, Aimar has never been able to read it.
hold poor quality flammable oil. Any wizard of neutral alignment who reads the librum gains
enough experience points to put him at the midpoint of the
next higher level. A complete reading of the book requires a
Griffon Castle: Upper Level character’s undivided attention for one full week. Any non-
neutral wizard who reads even one line of the book sustains
Stairway access to this upper level is through the four round 5d4 points of damage and falls unconscious for the same num-
tower chambers. Spiral stairways from ground level chambers ber of turns. Any magic-using victims of the book must seek a
lead to open landings in the upper tower chambers. On the cleric to atone in order to regain the ability to progress in expe-
second level, the spiral stairs in 22,19,and 17 continue up- rience. Without such atonement, the character gains no further
ward, ending in trap doors in the ceilings that lead to parapets experience points. Any nouwizard who peruses the book must
on the turrets above. Staircases in l8,20,23, and 25 also end in save vs. spell to avoid insanity Insane characters must receive
trap doors in the ceiling which give out on the wall parapets. a remove curse spell and either rest for one month or be healed
Undisguised movement along the open-air parapets, day or by a cleric.
night, is certain to attract the attention of the guards atop the
seven turrets. At night, crouching low behind the merlons and The Secret Room
moving as quietly as possible gives the characters a 70%
chance of moving undetected from one tower to another. Located in the southern part of the room, behind a tapestry
(Thieves have a 95% chance of accomplishingthis feat.) If a near the east wall, is a hidden door. Sheathed in painted plas-
guard detects any character’s movements, there is a 50% ter, it can hardly he distinguished from the stonework in the
chance that the guard sounds the alarm bell at his station. A walls. The door is opened by pressing a pressure plate in the
percentage roll of 51 or higher means that the guard assumes floor next to it. Behind the hidden door is a three-sided recess
the sound was insignificant and ignores it. occupied by a large, locked chest containing 2,000 gp, 5,000 sp,
As previously noted, a general alarm mobilizes all castle and 500 pp. Also inside the chest is a small wooden box con:
occupants in an organized search for the intruders. (See taining a necklace set with a single sparkling gem-a luckstone.
encounter 26 for the special role of the griffon.) It gives its wearer +1 bonuses on saving rolls and rolls to avoid
traps and pitfalls. The luck, however, does not apply to attack
17.Tower Chamber (Guardhouse) and damage rolls. The stone does not work for characters of
evil alignment.
A spiral staircase near the south wall leads to a trap door The librum,the luckstone, and the treasure in this secret room
in the ceiling. A table surroundPd by four chairs occupies the were all wrested from the previous lord of GriffonCastle.
center of the room. There is a small cask and four stoneware
mugs on the table. Twenty spiked poles with Y-shaped 19. Tower Chamber
heads are set in racks fixed to the walls. The east wall con-
A spiral staircase near the southern nmll leads to a trap
tains a fireplace of fieldstone.
door in the ceiling. The western part of the chamber is taken
up by a fire pit, over which hangs an iron cauldron. There
This chamber is a way station for the guards mounting wall are four barrels grouped in the northeast corner.
patrols. The cask holds a few quarts of cheap mead. The stair-
case leads down to room 3 and up to the parapet atop the turret.
The cauldron is used to boil the oil that is stored in the bar-
18. Aimar’s Sanctuary rels. The hot oil is then dumped down the castle’s battlements
onto the heads of attackers. The spiral staircase leads down to
The door to this room is locked room 4 and up to the parapet atop the turret.

26
 23. Aimar's Bedroom
The door to this room is locked.
A large four poster bed takes up the entire southeast cor-
ner of the room. Afireplace is sct into the middle of the east
wall. Above the firrydace are shelves containing a lamp, an
hourglass, a set of tongs, and a n inverted funnel. In the
southeast corner stands a tall walnut w a l l cabinet. Fine tap-
estries adorn all of the chamber's walls.

YCLWLLL L L L VU
~ ~b a roonvc~er nuea witn ooois, spurs, leg
braces, and leggings. Somewhere in this tangle of leather
goods is a leather sack containing a pair of bracers ofdefense
AC 6.
The locked wall cabinet holds a dozen pair of silk and velvet
pantaloons with matching doublets and a pair of royal blue tu-
nics. The tunics are embroidered with the golden lion device,
A small chest at the bottom of the cabinet contains 100 gp, 200
sp, and a rolled-up parchment encircled by a black ribbon. The
parchment is a letter from Lord Edrin to the Duke of Andevar
exhorting the latter to "deal with our friend, the pilgrim." This
is, of course, a veiled reference to the kidnapping and killing of
Prince Edmund.
Hidden in the bottom hem of the tapestry on the south wall
is a 14-inch metal tube. Inside the tube is a wand of magic mis-
siles with 12 charges. This item functions up to twice per round
to deliver a 2d4tl point missile. Each missile fired uses one
charge.
24. Tower Chamber

"Who axe you? Why are you here? Were you sent by my
father?"
There are no spiral stairs in this room, just a hole leading
"Where are my loyal comrades? Are they safe? Please tell down to the stairway below, At any time, one to four servants
me, I bid you." are asleep here. Greatly fearing the duke's wrath, the servants
"But why was J kidnapped? And why brought here?" will do nothing to help the party If threatened, they feign ig-
norance about the castle and all its occupants.
"The Royal Council must know of what has happened Beneath the beds, the servants have hidden their few paltry
here. .&mar if a traitor; of that there is no doubt. But the poi- possessions (ld20 cp per servant).
son goes further, I am sure-perhaps all the way to my uncle
Edrin, who has long coveted the throne." Servants: AC 10; MV 0; 0-level humans; hp 4 each; #At 0; Sz
M; ML 4; Int 8; AL N).
"Stand a moment, friends. Let me get my legs under me. It
has been such a strange time, alone here in the dark. And al- 25. East Tower Antechamber
ways that screeching in my ear, like some great bird trying to
speak its hate of men. A dream, perhaps, but even now my A staircase near the eastern wall of this semicircular room
head is filled with that terrible sound." leads to a trap door in the ceiling. The room itself is bare. A
rather large, brutish-looking individual stands before a
canred door in the west wall.
Edmunds single burning desire at the moment is to return
to Dunthrane as soon as possible. But, being young, inexperi- The room's occupant is Aimar's bodyguard, a huge half-orc
enced, and in a weakened state, he places his fate entirely in named Lom. He wears plate armor and a spiked helm. Stuck
the hands of the characters, deferring to their decisions con- in his belt are a dagger and a footman's flail. Around his neck
cerning strategy, ~f his opinion is solicited,~~~~d sides is a cord from which hangs a pouch holding ldlO pp and 2d10
characters who are of good alignment. gp. Lom fights to the death to defend Aimar.
Prince Edmund: AC 10; MV 9; F2; hp 1 (reduced from 13); Any disturbances in this room attracts the attention of
THACO 19; #At 1;Damage by weapon; Sz M; ML 16; Int 14; Aimar, who emerges from room 26 within three rounds of hear-
AL LG. ing the sound of fighting.
Lom: AC3; MV 9; F8; hp 46; THACO 13; #At 3/2; Damage
22. Tower Chamber
ldlO (2-handed sword); Sz M; ML 14; Int 8; AL LE; XP 650.
A spiral staircase near the northern wall of this room leads
to a trap door in the ceiling. The south and cast walls are
lined with weapon racks containing spiked poles. A fireplace
is set into the west wail.

The stairs lead down to room 9 and up to the parapet atop

the turret.

27
 Griffon Castle
(ground level)
1 square = 10 feet

Spiral Stairs

-
-
Portcullis

Trap Door in Floor

Note: all spiral stairs lead upward

to their respective tower rooms
directly above (no trap doors).

Griffon Castle
(upper level)

V
I
1 square = 10 feet

Spiral Stairs

Stairs

Note: each of the six towers and two

gatehouses have open-air parapets
above. All stairs and spiral
stairs lead to trap doors and the
parapets above.

28
 5. Aimar's Quarters Aimar, Duke of Andevar: AC 2 bracers, ring, Dex); MV 12;
Alarge fireplace and mantle dominate the west wall o1 F/M 6/5; hp 40; THACO 15; #At 1:Damage ld8+2 (long
sword +2); SA; SD +l bonus on saving throws (ring); SW ;
... ..In-*.
+io A ."".~
.-".ishln +lanLe,4 u;
L L Y < I h L U
hrr u
~
y""
--.r LSII
~~-.
this chamber There are three small statuettes atop them,in-
-2
CalVC", lIc'xllln
--&L--. upvi-
Sz M; ML 13; Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 14;
AL LE; XP 1,400.
stered chairs, is positioned in front of the fire. A crystal
iecanter filled with an amber liauid and two crvstal eohlrts Equipment: bracers of defense AC 5, ring of protection +1 (saves
at +l).
Spells: lst-chilltouch, magic missile x2, shocking grasp; 2"d-ray of
enfeeblement, strength; 3'd;fireball.
Blood Hawks (2): AC 7; MV 1, f124 (8); HD l+l;hp 6,8;
THACO 19; #At 3; Damage ld4/ld4/ld6; Sz S; ML 11;Int 1;
AL N; XP 120.
If Aimar did not get involved in the melee in room 25, he is
this room. The Duke of Andevar is a fighter/mage. He Riannon: AC 7; MV 12; M/T 3/4; hp 17; THACO 19; #At 1;
Damage ld4+1 (dagger + l ) ;SA backstab x2 damage; Sz M;
1

ears a black tunic embroidered with the golden lion device.

I this situation, Aimar probably will use magic missile twice,
ML 9; Int 15; AL CE; XP 270.
ocking grasp, ray ofenfeeblement, and, in desperation, afireball. Spells: sleep,featker fall, invisibility.
?fore using afireball spell, Aimar will retreat to room 26 or to
,e open parapets and then launch the 5d6 fireball into room
i. Aimar will not use the fireball if it endangers him or his
The Griffon
pmpanion, Riannon. If the griffon does not attack at Riannon's summons, the sound
Aimar has two pet blood hawks who follow him to the at- and smell of the characters' horses attract it as they try to leave
ck. The horizontal bars in room 26 are perches for these birds. the castle, and it attacks at that time. The events inside the cas-
As suggested by the two goblets, another person also occu- tle have disrupted the griffon's regular feeding schedule, so
es Aimar's quarters-his mistress, Riannon. She is a half-elf the beast is now hungry enough to do its own hunting. It at-
age/thief. tacks with determination in an effort to get at the party's
Though quite fond of the duke's wealth and power, heauti- horses, but prefers a riderless mount at all times. If it can iso-
.I Riannon is too much the adventuress to risk her life for late a horse, it breaks off its attack and starts to feast; if inter-
imar. Her main goal is survival, and if Aimar is beaten and rupted in its feast, it fights to the death. If the characters don't
le is cornered, she will quickly surrender and offer to join the use horses to leave the castle and it is not summoned by Rian-
irty. In this situation. Riannon will admit to being a thief, but non, the griffon does not appear.
ill conceal her magical skill. She may even try to persuade
Griffon:AC 3; MV 12, f130 (C);HD 7; hp 44;THACO 13; #At 3;
.e party that Aimar held her against her wishes, though
Damage ld4/ld4/2d8; Sz L; ML 12; Int 2;AL N; XP 650.
:ince Edmund will maintain the opposite. If the characters try
win Riannon's trust, her manner will soften and she will With the defeat of Aimar and the freeing sf Prince Edmund,
art to behave in a friendly manner, even going so far as to the evil designs of the Duke of Andevar ha1.e been thwarted. It
show them Aimar's treasure room (18). remains, however, for the party to make irs way safely back to
Once outside the east tower chamber, however, Riannon will Dunthranc. Thev may retrace the way they came through
use a shrill, birdlike call to summon the griffon from on top of Capel Tower and \lontinelle, or they may ride south from
the northeast tower (24). To remove herself from the action Griffon Castle and then through loren's Wood. In either case.
once the griffon arrives, she uses feather fall from the wall, the) must still reckon with the forces of Lord Edrin.
turns invisible and flees to the nearby woods to watch the fun.
Her hope is, of course, that the griffon will destroy the party so
she can return and make off with all of Aimar's treasure. If the Griffon Castle Garrison
situation becomes life-threatening to Riannon, she abandons There are 20 ' nameless" NPC soldiers in the GriffonCastle
this plan and quits the area entirely garrison. Their attributes are listed below. ;\I1 are equipped
The chest on the table in room 26 holds 1,000 g p worth of with scale mail armor (AC 6 ) . medium shield (.4C 3,long
precious gems and jewelry, a gift from Aimar to Riannon. The sword (damage ld8). dagger (damage ld4L and light crossbow
three statuettes on the mantle are lions: one is gold and worth (damage ld4, rof I , rd). ,\lI together, they are carrying 6 pp, 67
100 gp;one is silver and worth 100 sp; the third is bronze. The gp, 22 ep, 210 sp, 55 cp, hvo rings I 4 sp. 1 gp), and three rubies
bronze lion is hollow and contains a small leather pouch that (10 gp, 1 5 gp, 15 gp). This treasure can be divided among them
holds a ruby worth 200 gp. however the DM desires.
The wall cabinet contains a suit of leather armor, a cloak,
and a bag holding a set of thieves' tools. On the floor of the Level #Apl ..-- -.
D
- __
MV IHACU ML Int AL
- . - _-
XI' Ill7
cabinet, hidden under an old tunic, is Riannon's spell book. F1 1 12 20 11 8 LN 15 i
F2 6 12 19 11 9 LN 35 13each
F3 7 12 18 12 10 LN 65 23each
F4 5 12 17 12 10 LN 120 33each
Fj 1 12 16 13 11 LE 175 42
 Confronting Lord Edrin
Lord Edrin’s remaining forces include two groups of horse- Edrin’s men have cleaned up the damage inflicted on the
men, one group of infantry, and the assassin, Mendal Secord. abbey by the brigands who sacked it. Two guards are now
By this time, Lord Edrin, having had no news of the fate of the posted outside the abbey, one at the north door and one at the
prince, has sent most of his men to Andevar to make sure that south door. The captain and the rest of his troop are inside.
Edmund does not turn up again. The captain has set up a makeshift office in room 3.
Ironically, as regent of Dunador, Edrin has also been forced to The troop’s ostensible purpose is to restore and guard the
send some of his troops to restore and guard Fontenmere abbey. However, the captain has secret orders to kill Prince Ed-
Abbey, which was so recently sacked by a group of kis men dis- mund if he should fall into the soldiers‘ hands. If the prince is
guised as brigands. Edrin‘s forces in Andevar are as follows: recognized, the captain orders his men to attack and fight to
the death. If the melee goes against Edrin’s men, the captain
sends one of the men to ride for reinforcements.If Edmund is
Group 1 captured, the captain kills him.
Horsemen (8):AC 6; MV 12; F3; hp 20 each; THACO 18; #At 1;
Damage ld6 (lance or short sword); Sz M; ML 11; Int 9; AL
LN; XP 65. Mendal Secord, the Assassin
Captain AC 4; MV 12; F4; hp 32; THACO 17; #At 1; Damage Mendal Secord has shadowed the party all the way from Capel
ld8 ilonn sword); Sz M; ML 11: Int 10; AL LE: XP 120. Tower to Griffon Castle, moving along the river track on horse-
Light horses (9): AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; hp 15 each; #At 0; back. Having thus discovered Duke Aimar‘s secret stronghold,
Sz L; AL N; XP 35. Secord has established himself in a wooded hiding place and
waited for wents to unfold. If he sees the party leave the castle
All the horsemen wear gray tunics emblazoned with the without the prince, he contents himself with trailing it south. If
black raven device. The troopers wear scale armor but have no the prince is with the party, however, then Secord prepares to
shields. They carry short swords at their sides. Each also car- move against his royal victim as rapidly as possible, preferably
ries ld20 sp. before the party reaches any of the main roads of Andevar.
The captain wears chain mail armor under a gold-trimmed Secord has already laid a tentative plan for the assassination.
gray tunic. He carries a shield, a long sword, and 2d20 gp. Using his ring ofinvisibility and his skill as an assassin, he tries
The party encounters this group patrolling the road from the to get ahead of the party and ambush the prince in some con-
Three Feathers Inn through Montinelle to Capel Tower. They venient wooded area, dropping onto Edniund from a tree. If
know of the events at Capel Tower and are aware of the this plan can’t be carried off with some hope of escape after-
party’s presence in the region. Their express purpose is to find ward, he tries instead to attack the prince when the party
and kill Edmund. The most likely spot for an encounter with makes camp for the night. Regardless of which plan he uses,
these troops is at the Drake &Castle Inn. Secord makes a surprise attack from the rear. If he leaps at the
prince in ambush, he does not have the benefit of his + 4 to hit.
As soon as he attacks. the assassin becomes visible. If hit, the
Group 2 prince must save vs. poison or die within 10 rounds, unless re-
This group is identical to the first group except that there are medial measures are taken to bind his wounds and deal with
only five horsemen (instead of eight) and their captain. On a roll the poison from Secord‘s dagger blade. Secord will continue at-
of 1or 2 on ld6, tlus group is encountered patrolling the road tacking until the prince is hit once, unless staying around for
from the Three Feathers Inn past Fontenmere Abbey and thence another round of combat is certain to cost Secord his life.
northwest as far as the secret path through Noren’s Wood. It If Secord attacks the prince while the group camps for the
will never be encountered on the secret path or inside Noren’s night, he has a + 4 bonus to hit from the rear. However, he has
Wood. If the party does not encounter this patrol further north, a base chance of only 70% to get silent access to the prince. For
then it does meet the patrol at the Three Feathers Inn. every character on guard duty, Secord‘s chance to move
silently is lessened by 15%. If Secord fails to move silently, tell
the characters on guard that they hear a rustling in the bushes
Group 3 or a snapping twig. As in the first scenario. Secord becomes
visible as soon as he attacks.
Footsoldiers (10):AC 5; MV 12; F3; hp 18 each; THACO 18; After attacking Edmund, Secord becomes invisible again and
#At 1;Damage ld6 (spear); Sz M; ML 11; Int 9; AL LN; flees on foot toward his horse, which is tethered within 200 feet
XP 65. of the attack site. If he is overtaken and his flight cut off, Secord
Captain: AC 4; MV 12; F4; hp 23; THACO 17; #At 1; Damage fights to the death; he knows his life is lost if he is captured.
2d4 (broadsword); Sz M; ML 11; Int 7; AL LE; XP 120. If he escapes, the assassin returns to Dunthrane, believing
The infantrymen making up this party are dressed in gray that he has killed the prince. There is a 60 percent chance that
tunics emblazoned with the black raven device. Beneath their Secord falls prey to the dire wolves if he travels throunh
tunics they wear scale mail armor. Each is armed with a sword Noren’s Wood on his way back to Dunthrane.
and spear and carries a shield. Each has ld20 sp on his person.
There are two horses left at Fontenmere and two of the fighters
pursue the group on horseback if such action is appropriate to The Secret Path
the encounter. A few miles further west from Griffon Castle and clearly visi-
In the improbable event that the characters try to return the ble from the tops of the towers is a narrow bridge over the
royal seal and scepter to Fontenmere, the captain tries to take Laine River. The bridge is part of an old road, now fallen into
them into custody disuse, that cuts through this northwestern part of the
province. Point out to the party that this track seems consider-
ably less traveled than other roads in Andevar.

30
 Ten miles south of the river, the road passes just west of a of course, the party must return the royal seal and scepter of
huge boulder. At this point, the main road turns west, skirting Dunador. Reward the party with an additional 6,000 experi-
the northern edge of Noren‘s Wood. Behind this rock, and ence points (divided equally) if they voluntarily return these
barely distinguishable amid the long grass that grows all treasured symbols without being asked.
around it, is a narrow path weaving slightly southeast. The
path is wide enough for one horse, allowing single-file passage

Conclusion,
only. (If you were to draw this path onto the map of Andevar,
it would extend due south for nine hexes and then emerge
from the woods. In fact, the path winds around quite a lot, but
not enough to cross into a neighboring hex column.) If charac- if Edmund is Dead
ters hesitate about taking this path, be sure to point out that If the group bears Edmund’s body back to Dunthrane, elimi-
not only is it likely to be safer because it’s an old road, but that nate all fanfare and celebration from the previous scenario. In
it in all likelihood leads more or less directly back toward its place, terrible cries of anguish and wails of mourning fill the
Montinelle, which is the seat of authority in this province. air as the dead prince is carried to the castle gates. Hollend
meets the characters. Taking them aside, he asks about their
mission and how it comes that Edmund is dead. When satisfied
Noren’s Wood with the explanation, Hollend makes the followingproposal.
Noren‘s Wood is home to a band of 10 vicious dire wolves.
Currently they are hunting small, cute animals in the southwest -nlis may be the darkest hour in the history of Dunador.
portion of the woods. If Mendal Secord attacks Edmund in this Oh, tliat evil should triumph in spite of all our efforts! A
forest, he does so near the northern entrance. Then, if the assas- king, a patriarch, and now a prince, all dead at the hands of
sin escapes the party, he rides south through the wood. There is this evi1 lord. 1 fear now that we are, indeed, lost.
a 60% chance that he and the dire wolves meet near the south- “A a d yet, there may be one final chance to save the realm
ern end of the secret path, in which case Mendal Secord auto-
matically becomes lunch. The party finds his incomplete mortal
from
, .
this nrinro
r~ nf I _
. . . ....,...
_.o ~ ,i i .lFririn‘c
.. .
y.~i -.--. Snmo -l,.f
fnr,-nE ...L rlo~-la+nrl ~

NS men are less than taithful. I believe that. thanks to you,

~~

remains near the southern edge of the wood. His weapons and he has but a handful of loyal men-at-arms at his side. If I go
all magical items except the ring of spell storing are gone. forth now and publicly charge him with the murder of his
For the last 15 miles of the party’s journey through the noble kinsmen, he must answer. As heir to the throne, he
wood, check twice to see if they, too, are attacked by dire cannot be tried by the laws of man. But he must answer to
wolves. An encounter occurs on a roll of 1 on ld6. our gods.
“The way it is done is this. I can challenge him to cham-
Dire Wolves (10):AC 6; MV 18: HD 4+4: hn 30.26.25.23.21. pion combat, and before the people he would have to accept
20,20,19,17,’16; THACO 15;#At 1 ;Da&age’Zd4; S i L;ML the challenge. I know Edrin-he would not delegate this re-
10; Int 2; AL NE; XP 175. sponsibility to a lesser man, for he is a knight well skilled in
the fighting arts. Alas, for this task 1 am now far too old, and
there are no others here who could unhorse the villain.
Conclusion, None, that is, save one of you, perhaps. I havc already asked
much of you in this quest, but now I appeal to you once
if Edmund.is Alive more. Will one of you take up arms again for truth, justice,
and the people of Dunador? Though the foe be fearsome
Once the party passes south of the Three Feathers Inn, it can and the trial to the death, will one of you be our champion?”
automatically proceed to Dunthrane in safety. As the characters
enter the fortified town, crowds gather around Edmund and
the adventurers. Cries of joy and chants of “hail the king” fill If the characters refuse Hollend’s appeal, he bids them a re-
the air. gretful farewell. The adventure is then over. The characters
When word of this event spreads to the castle grounds, Hol- leave, however, in certain knowledge that Dunador is left to
lend’s few retainers move quickly to disarm Lord Edrin’s de- the mercy of the evil Lord Edrin. In keeping with such an
pleted forces. Throughout the town Edrin’s black raven unchivalrous action, the churlish characters receive no reward
banners are replaced by the yellow banners of the Royal House of any sort (money, honors, or bonus experience points). If, on
of Dunthrane. At the castle gates, Hollend and the council the other hand, the characters accept Hollend’s appeal, the
greet Edmund with a trumpet fanfare. king’s advisor forces the issue with Lord Edrin. The Royal
After a day of rest, Prince Edmund and Hollend hold an au- Council sends criers throughout Dunthrane to issue Hollend’s
dience with the party at which the adventurers learn that Lord challenge and charges. In a matter of hours, both charges and
Edrin is in irons and that Mendal Secord (if he returned to challenge are echoed by hundreds of voices throughout Dun-
D u n h a n e ) has been charged with the murder of King Hal- thrane.
fred. If Secord is dead, the party hears that the late Secord was In the face of overwhelming pressure, Lord Edrin accepts
the king’s assassin. Furthermore, a case is being made against Hollend’s challenge. The contest is set for the following day
Edrin for the murder of William Menore, Patriarch of Fonten- and takes the form of a joust to the death in the combat field
mere. In the face of overwhelming evidence. it appears to Hol- next to Dunthrane Castle.
lend the Edrin is well on his way to being shortened by a head.
At the end of the audience, the party learns that the young
prince will be crowned king as soon as a new patriarch is Choosing a Champion
elected for Fontenmere. A grateful Edmund gives each charac- It may be that there is one character who is the obvious cbam-
ter a reward of 2,000 g p and proclaims a week of celebration in pion. If not, help the players choose a champion by having
their honor. Each surviving adventurer is also made an hon- them draw lots. After listing the appropriate fighter or fighter
orary citizen of Dunador and a new yearly holiday, to be called multi-class characters, have the eligible players draw pencils,
Liberation Day, is decreed in their honor, If any of the party cut straws, or cut toothpicks. The player who draws the short-
died in the quest, Edmund asks the survivors to remain in est stick is the champion.
Dunador to provide the bards with material for use in songs
honoring their memories.
31
 After the champion is chosen, Hollend and the council offer
the character a lance, a suit of plate armor, and a medium
Rules for the Joust
warhorse. The character may accept these things or refuse Use the same jousting rules described for the Barbarian's
them. Hollend asks the character to bear the shield colors of Bridge encounter. Each combatant is allowed only two
Dunador (light blue Dunadorian cross on a field of canary yel- weapons in this contest, a lance and one other. The joust is to
low). Make a note of the character's new armor class. the death.
If the character dies at the hands of Lord Edrin, all other
Medium Warhorse: AC 7; MV 18; HD 3+3; hp 18; THACO 17; characters can leave Dunador in safety, taking the body of their
#At 2; Damage ld6/ld6; Sz L; ML 7; Int 3; AL N. fallen companion with them. But they leave without honors or
reward.
If Lord Edrin is slain, a great cry of joy and exultation rises
Lord Edrin from the crowd. All the fanfare outlined earlier takes place. De-
spite their sorrow over Prince Edmund's death, the people of
Lord Edrin takes the field in black plate armor. His shield Dunthrane rejoice that justice has been done. The adventurers
bears the black raven insignia against a field of light gray A receive their rewards and the champion receives an additional
gold raven encircled by the silver crown of the regent of 1,500 experience points for individual merit.
Dunador is fixed atop his black helmet. After much celebrating, the council announces that Hollend
has been elected regent of Dunador. The new regent then pub-
Lord E d r k AC 2: MV 9:. F6:. hD 44:~THACO
. 15: #At 1:Damaee licly acknowledges the great service the adventurers have done
ld6+1 (lance), id8 (long sword); Sz M; ML 18;Str 15, Dex74, Dunador and announces that he will manage the realm until
Con 16. Int 16. Wis 12. Cha 13: AL LE: XP 270. Edmund's 14-year-old cousin Valeria returns from a convent in
Medium Warhorse: AC 7; MV 18; HD 3;3; hp 18; THACO 17; the west. At that time, Valeria will be crowned the first queen
#At 2; Damage ld6/ld6; Sz L; ML 7; Int 3; AL N. of Dunador.

Pre-Rolled Player Characters -

Bromley Falco
A talented illusionist-thief, this gnome wears leather armor and carries 12 darts, a dagger, thieves' tools, a potion of speed, and a ring
offeather falling. He knows two 1st-level spells (at least one should be color spray) and one 2nd-level spell.

Astrid Fyn
This human cleric wears chain mail and carries a shield. She also has a mace +I and a quarterstaff. She carries a potion of healing and
a potion of invisibility. She knows two 1st-level spells and two 2nd-level spells.

Cameron Gaunt
This human ranger wears chain mail and carries a shield. He also uses a long sword + I , a composite bow with 20 arrows +1,a spear,
and a flail.

Owen Glendower
Gwen is a half-elf fighter-cleric. He wears chain mail +I and carries a shield, a long sword + I , a flail, a short bow, and a dagger. He
also has a potion of extra healing. He knows two 1st-level spells and two 2nd-level spells.

Horsa Hengist
This dwarf fighter wears plate mail and carries a shield. He has a battle axe + I , a short sword, a crossbow, and a flail.

Kersana Ringlo
The elven mage wears bracers ofdefense AC 7 and has a + 2 Dexterity bonus, giving her AC 5 . She carries a 10-foot pole, a dagger + I ,
and a wand of paralyzation with 7 charges. She knows three 1st-level spells and two 2nd-level spells.

Horses
In this outdoor adventure, mounted ttavel is essential. All the characters outlined on this page start the adventure with light
warhorses. Let the players roll hit points for their own horses (and for their own characters!).

Light Warhorses: AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; THACO 17; #Att 2; Damage ld4/ld4; Sz L; ML 7; Int 1;AL N.

Bromley Falco is unusually large for a gnome and so is able to manage a light horse with appropriate saddle modifications. This
character cannot ride a larger mount.
Character Rnro SOY A r MV Teud AT. Stv ney Cnn lot Wis Cha
Bromley Fa
Astrid Fyn
Cameron GaULtL r I L CY I" /"

Owen Glendower -E M 3 12 F3/C3 CG 16 15 14 11 16 13

Horsa Hengist D M 2- 6 F3 LG 15 14 16 11 13 13
Kersana Rinqlo E F 3 12 MA CN 13 11 14 17 11 17

32
 Griffon Castle
(ground level)
1 square = 10 feet

Spiral Stairs

jY-i well

Portcullis

Trap Door in Floor

Note: all spiral stairs lead upward

to their respective tower rooms
directly above (no trap doors).

Griffon Castle
(upper level)
1 square = 10 feet

Spiral Stairs

Stairs

Note: each of the six towers and two

gatehouses have open-air parapets
above. All stairs and spiral
stairs lead to trap doors and the
parapets above.