MNGK@Nffi

@Nffi
 ntr{
ffi
*
*

HoptMLET***
#
*
w*
## w :

b**-*
=

:#
"."*

i g. ** *gr * *if **
i* .&#e
,iG E
w
rt3

G'

ffi.
##

,jE
nr$ff
,\\Hr "**- ***
g
t
J
***
***
*
t
*

#d
*€,
 THr HrsroRY oF Hounnlrr
In1979, TSR, Inc. published a slim adventure entitled T1:
TheVillageof Hommlet.This adventure,like the one in your
hands, detailed a small farming village, its inhabitants,
InThe VillageoJHonrmlet,theplayer charactersare intro- and a nearby moathousepopulated by evil creatures.
duced to the denizensofa farm village at the edgeofthe Set in the venerable Greyhawk@campaign world, this
wilderness.There, they learn ofbandits troubling the locals adventure was originally intended as the lirst part of a
and head to a nearby ruined moathouseto investigate. larger seriesof adventuresthat culminated in the explora-
At the moathouse,the adventurersdiscoverthat a band tion of the newly repopulated Temple of Elemental Evil.
of brigands is the least of the village'sworries. An evil priest However,the temple didn't seeprint for six long years,
is assemblinga small army of monstersto help restore the when it was linally published as part of a 128-page"super-
foul glory of the infamous Temple of Elemental Evil! adventure" named T7-4: The TempleoJElementalhtil. This
TheYillageof Hommletis designedto take 4th-level adventure included a chapter that updated and revised
charactersto 5th level. It includes details on the village TheVillageoJHommlet(the original adventure),gathering
itself (an excellenthome basefor the charactersin your the entire storyline between two covers.
campaign),as well as a nearby ruined castle and dungeon. Over the years,Hommlet and the Temple have reap-
Basedon the classicadventureofthe samename pub- peared in a novel, computer game,and even another
lished nearly 30 yearsago,this versionupdatesthe material super-adventure: Returnto the Templeof ElementalEvil (pub -
for the 4th Edition Dur.lcnous& DnacoNs@rules while Iished in 2001 and setyears after the original adventure).
retaining key charactersand plot elementsofthe original. This adventure returns to the roots ofthe original
24-pageadventure while also incorporating a few ele-
BncrccRouND ments from the 1985 expansion ofthe village and
Hommlet is a sleepyvillage, its farmhousesand arti- updating the whole thing to the 4th Edition of the Duw-
sansclustered around a crossroadsat the edge ofthe ctous & Dn.A.coNs game.Here you'll lind Rufus and
wilderness. Worshipers ofPelor and other godsmingle Burne, Elmo and Lareth, and yes,eventhe giant frogs.
peacefully over ale at the local inn while merchatrtshawk
their wares in nearby shops. Cnrolrs
Of course,the village was not always so quiet. Less Original Design: Gary Gygax
than a generation ago,powerful evil forcesmoved into the 4th Edition Design: Andy Collins
region and took control. Ruling from their mighty Temple Editor: Christopher Perkins
of Elemental Evil, these wicked folk seemedinvincible . . . Art Director: Matthew Stevens
until great heroesrose up and shatteredthe Temple'ssinis- Cover Illustrator: Rob Alexander
ter hold over the land. Interior Illustrators: Dave Trampier, William O'Connor,
Peacereturned. Yearspassed,and memories faded.Vet- Jim Nelson, StevePrescott,ZoltanBoros & Gabor Szikszai
erans of the strugglewent back to their lives, and two of the Cartographer: JasonEngle,Todd Gamble
heroessettled down to make Hommlet their new home. Production Manager: Joe Yochum
But evil has returned to Hommlet, and now the village
standsunwittingly at the forefront of a great wave poised DuNcrors a DnecoNs, Anvawcro Duncnons c Dnacons, D&D, AD&D,
to sweepacrossthe land. An evil priest named Lareth the 20, d20 System, Wizards of the Coast, Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's

Beautiful has settled in a nearby ruined keep, charged by Guide,Monster Mcnual, and all other Wizards of the Coast product names
and their respective logos are trademarks ofWizards ofthe Coast LLC in
his depravedmasterswith the responsibility of gathering
the U.S.A. and other countries. All Wizards characters, character names,
minions and treasure to help rebuild the fallen Temple.
and the distinctive likenesses thereofare property ofWizards ofthe Coast
As the adventure begins, the PCs havejust arrived in LLC. This material is protected under the copyright laws ofthe United States
Hommlet. Spend as much time as you and your players ofAmerica. Any reproduction or unauthorized use ofthe material or art-
like getting to know the locals before sending them on the work contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission
trail ofbandits to the moathouse. ofWizards of the Coast LIC. Any similarity to actual people, organizations,
a
Of course,spiesin Hommlet keep Lareth informed places, or events.included herein is purely coincidental. Printed in the
U.S.A. 02009 Wizards of the Coast LLC.
of all suspiciousactivities in the village, including the
o appearanceofwould-be heroes.. . .

r-

\ i"-
\:-,
*tf'
 Krv ro LocATloNS
The map on the inside cover of this adventure shows
the village of Hommlet. The letters and numbers on the
map correspond to the location ke1'belos-.Locations
The village of Hommlet sits at a crossroads,nestled at the
in bold text are detailed on the next page.The remain-
edgeof the wilderness.The northern road winds through
ing locations are left to the DM to flesh out in *'hatever
the Kron Hills some 30 leaguesto the town of Verbob-
detail is required by the campaign.
onc, while the south road leads eventually to the elven
forest ofCelene.
B: Barn
The easternroad is lesstraveled,for it travelsthrough
F: Farmhouse
a broad expanseof lonely hills and woodlandsbefore
H: Herder
finally reaching the great walled city of Dyvers,which
1. Inn of the Welcome Wench
sits on the shoresof the Nyr Dyv (known also as the Lake
2. Woodcutter
of Unknown Depths). Worse still, the route is famed for
3. Leatherworker
the evil forces that once used it as a thoroughfare, and
4, Druid's Grove
stories persist ofundead spirits that still haunt the aban-
5. Blacksmith
doned inns along the way.
6. Village Hall
Originally a simple collection of farms with a rest house
7, Weaver
for weary travelers,Hommlet soonbecame a thriving
8. Tailor
waypoint. The village prospered and grew, drawing many
9. Jeweler & Moneychanger
more to settle around the crossroads.But this prosperity
10. CabinetMaker
also attracted those with sinister intent.
11. Potter
Bandits raiding travelersbecame bolder and more
12. Brewer
numerous, eventually forming a ramshackle community
13. Temple of Pelor
of their own, called Nulb. This sinister gathering became
14. Trading Post
the nucleus of a festering pustule of villainy kiown as
15. Teamster
the Temple of Elemental Evil.
16. Dairy
Soonmighty hordes of evil humanoids and monsters
17.Miller
roamed the land, pillaging farms and enslavingtownsfolk
18. Village Elder
in the name of Elemental Evil. Eventually,however,a
19.Wheel &Wainwright
band ofadventurers and a host ofbrave souls from nearby
20. Carpenter
territories threw down the cult, scattering its surviving
21. Stonemason
constituents.Peacereturned to Hommlet, swords and
22.Tower of Rufus and Burne
armor were set aside for plows and anvils, and stories of
23. Shrine ofAvandra
goblins and demons became Iireside tales to scareyoung
children. While no villager has entirely forgotten the evil
times, only a few still remain vigilant today. Nornslr LocnrloNs
But evil has a longer memory than good. The following locations in Hommlet are of particular sig-
Over time, malevolent forceshave crept back into the ni{icance to the player characters.Someof the locations
region, bent on recreating the glory daysofthe Temple. include minor queststhat the PCs can acquire. Use these
Today,sinister spieslurk in Hommlet while a vile priest as extra adventure hooks, rewards for befriending villag-
assemblesa small army in the ruins of a nearby moathouse. ers, or ways to expand the story of your campaign.
Severalimportant villagers are mentioned by name. For
more information on these NPCs, see"Notable Denizens"
on pages4-5.
 F
Irrlruor rHr WrLcoME Wrrucu Tnnuruc Posr tAnrn 14) u
(Anrn 1) This shop sells armor, weapons,and adventuring gear, =
This large structure is the center ofvillage life, bustling including the occasionalpotion or alchemical item. Prices E
with visitors from morning to night. A human named are high (IO-25y' abovenormal), which the shopkeepers
Gundigoot owns and runs the inn, with the help of his Rannos and Gremag chalk up to high shipping costsand
wife, their two daughters,and an array of servants.The lossesto local bandits.
food is good, with specialssuch as poached salmon and SeeEncounter H-1 (page 6) for a map ofthe shop.
IJJ
stuffed pheasant. u
Most locals can be found here at various times, par- Mr-r-RcrElorn tAnrn 18)
ticularly Elmo, Calmert, Rufus, Burne, Mytch, Fernok. This manor housesHesta the village elder, her husband,
Spugnois,andZert (the last three keep private rooms). and their four grown sonsand their families.
Minor Quest (175 XP): Hestahasbegun to hear II
The inn's spaciouscellar includes a secretmeeting
room with a stashofweapons and armor (dating back to rumors of bandit activity in the area, and she'sconcerned F
when evil held swayin the region). for locals and travelers.However, she can't convince the
Minor Quest (175 XP): Gundigoot'slatest shipment of council-particularly Rufus and Burne-that these are
brandy is severaldaysoverdue.It should have arrived from anything more than tall tales. Ifthe PCs can bring back
the east,but no sign ofthe wagon has been reported. Ban- evidenceof outlaw activity, she can formally request assis-
dits living in the moathousecaptured the shipment, and tance from Burne's mercenary troops in rooting them out,
the last few barrels are kept in a dungeon storeroom under In addition to the XP reward, PCs who complete this
the moathouse.If the PCs recover the shipment or at least quest gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checkswith Hesta for
report what happened to it, Gundigoot rewards them with the rest of their stay in Hommlet but also suffer a -2 pen-
50 gp and free room and board for a month. alty with Burne becauseof his loss of standing resulting
from their success.
DRurn'sGnovr (Anrn 4)
This bastionof"the Old Faith" is alsothe home of ahalfelf Towrn oF RuFus AND Bunu
druid namedJarooAshstaffand his companion,atcavebeat (Anrn 22)
At your discretion, characterswho leaveo{ferings This 60-foot-tall tower is just the lirst part of an entire
worth 10 gp or more at the grove gain a+2 bonus on castle planned for the site,funded by generousroyalty
checks made to interact with the villagers for a week. who owe its inhabitants-the fighter Rufus and the wizard
Minor Quest (175 XP): Jaroo needs some herbs for Burne-more than a few favors.
a healing poultice. Theseplants can only be found in the Sixteenloyal human guards. known as Burne's Badgers,
marshesa couple miles eastof town.Jaroo advisesthat the reside in the tower. Though not part of the militia, they
PCs look for an overgrown track leading off the road just readily come to the aid of any villagers if so ordered by
past the new guard tower. either ofthe tower's owners.
The requisite herbs can be found with aDC 17 Nature Minor Quest (175 XP): Hommlet has more than its
check and a few hours ofsearching. Ofcourse, during that share of evil spies.Ifthe PCs manageto gain the trust of
searchthe PCs will also find the ruined moathouse. Rufus or Burne, they are asked to keep an eye out for spies
in the village. Both men correctly believethat evil forcesare
TEnrplr oF PELon (Anrn 13) at work in the region, and they need all the keen lookouts
Ostensiblydedicated to Pelor,this temple welcomeswor- they can get. The PCs receive the quest reward for each spy
shipers of any good or lawful good deity. A human priest they expose;RannosDavl, Gremag, andZert all lit the bill.
named Terjon runs the temple with the assistanceof a
younger human acolyte named Calmert. SHRlrur oF AvANDRA (Anrn 23)
At your discretion, characterswho leave offerings This small roadside shrine is frequented by travelers
worth 10 gp or more at the temple gain a +2 bonus on coming in and out of the village. No priest ofAvandra lives
checks made to interact with the villagers for a week. in Hommlet; Gundigoot, the local innkeeper, chargeshis
Minor Quest (175 XP): The acolyte Calmert is madly servants with keeping the shrine tidy.
in love with Larissa,a serving maid at the Inn of the Wel- At your discretion, characterswho leave offerings
come Wench. Ifthe PCs could convince her ofhis valor worth 10 gp or more at the shrine gain a +1 bonus on
and kind heart, he'd be grateful. You can run this purely checksmade to interact with the villagers for a week.
as a roleplaying exercise,or you can craft a complexity 1 The evil traders Rannos Davl and Gremag use this
skill challenge featuring Bluff and Diplomacy and allow location as a drop point for messagesthey need delivered
charactersto utilize their skills to win the day.(For more to Lareth. Every few days,a bandit from the moathouse
information on crafting skill challenges,seeChapter 5 of
d

sneaksup just after nightfall to check for notes.The mes-

the D ungeon Master'sGude ) sagesuse only initials; no full names ever appear.
o
While most folk residing in the village are simple farmers RnruruosDevl AND GREMAG.
or artisans,Hommlet has many unusual inhabitants,some
with allegiancesthat stretch beyond the town's borders.
Culr Sprrs
These two male humans run the local trading post.
The heavy-set Rannos is friendlv to all. n.hile the gaunt
Euno rHE SEcRETAcENT Gremag tends to fuss. particularlv u'hen customers poke
As far as anyone in Hommlet knows, this jovial man is at his merchandise. They are relative ne\\-comers to to\\'n.
just a strong, slow-witted bumpkin who enjoys his ale a having been here barely two years.
bit too much. His family still works their farm southwest Both men are actually evil servants ofthe same cult
of town, and his brother went off in search of fame and that employs Lareth the Beautiful (see the Moathouse,
fortune some years back. page 8). They don't know Lareth (or even his name), but
In reality, Elmo is an agent of a local viscount, who has they feed information to the priest via bandit couriers
charged him with keeping an eye on all newcomers to the from time to time. Neither one carries any clue to their
area. Experience has taught Elmo to be suspicious, so he real allegiance, though hidden in their quarters (Percep-
works to insinuate himselfinto any expeditions launched tion DC 22 Io f:rnd) is a small black scarab inscribed with
by the PCs. Assuming their actions mark them as friends the letters TZGY. The significance of this item is left to
of good, Elmo remains a loyal ally (though he keeps his the DM-is it a badge, a passkey, a dormant magic item, or
allegiance secret as long as possible). Ifwronged, Elmo and something more sinister?
his not-too-distant friends become the PCs'enemies. When the traders meet the PCs, they offer the service
Elmo makes a great supporting character for a party of one of their guards (use the human guard statistics on
missing a defender. SeeDungeonMaster's Guide 2 for rules page 6) for a mere 12 sp per day. Of course, this guard's
on supporting characters. job is to report back on the PCs' activities.
Despite these two men's foul allegiance, the locals con-
sider them upstanding members of the village and won't
stand for anyone attacking them unless the PCs can some-
lnitiative +3 Senses Perception +8
how produce hard evidence oftheir treachery.
HP 47; Bloodied 23 Healing Surges 'l2
See Encounter H-1: Trading Post for more information.
A C 2 1 ; F o r t i t u d e 2 0 , Re fle x 1 8 , Will 1 6
Speed 6
=--=.=€eryF--"]f 1::"4ffi1'+..-,_!fr
l*.lr]P.ti=
@ Buttluuxu (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+10 vs. AC; 1d1 0 + 6 damage, and the target is marked until the
end of Elmo'snext turn. Hontir,tr-ET
AND EwvtRows
{ Sell Rlnger (:tandardr encoqnteri.* Weapon
+10 vs. Fortitude; Elmo gains 5 temporary hit points, and the
0 3 6 9natrrs
target is dazed until the end of Elmo's next turn.
Guard"Ally iminor; encounted ---
One ally adjacent to EImo gains a +5 bonus to AC until the end
of Elmo's next turn or until the two charactersare no longer
vfiisosoNrc A'\
adiacent. Nur-s -;i
Alignment Cood Languages Common /
/ :\>-\
-\\u
Skills Endurance+9, Insight +8 .\^'/-KA>'-V
Str 18 (+5)
Con 14 (+4)
Dex 12 (+3)
lnt 11 (+2)
Wis 13 (+3)
Cha 10 (+2)
t ry
^
.\\<v .\\
-/.N^-€;eei
Equipment chainmail, heavy shield, battleaxe

Gutlotcoor .",\^-
As the owner and proprietor ofthe Inn ofthe Welcome
Wench (seepage 3), Gundigoot is likely the first notable
NPC encounteredby the charactersupon their arrival. He
spendsmost of his waking hours inside the inn, performing
various chores.He talks freely but sayslittle. Surprisingly,
his wagging tongue belies a keenjudge ofcharacter.
Gundigoot servesas the sergeantofthe Hommlet
militia and also maintains the shrine ofAvandra eastof
town. If statisticsare needed for Gundigoot, treat him as a
human guard (seepage 6 for statistics).
".:r..: *f.9
 F*
Rurus RruDBuRrur, Furnok of Ferd (male dwarf): This gambler and IM
seliproclaimed treasure hunter lives at the inn, making a
Rrnnro AnvrruruRERS modest living by cheating passingmerchants. He's willing
d
e
These two humans came to Hommlet a few years ago €
to accompanyPCs for an equal share oftreasure (usethe
after successful adventuring careers (including the
statisticsfor the dwarf bolter on page 97 of the Monster
slaying of a green dragon some leagues away). Thev are
Manual),but he'snot particularly brave.
quite popular in town and can frequently be seen at the
Jaroo Ashstaff (male half-elf): This aging champion
Inn of the Welcome Wench.
of the Old Faith lives in a secludedgrove at the south edge
Though Rufus and Burne are quite capable ofdefend-
of town. He works as an agent of a powerful druidic order, 4
ing themselves (Burne is a talented wizard,while Rufus is
sent here long agoto keep watch for signs ofevil returning
an experienced fighter), these men rely on their retinue of
to the land. He has accessto a few useful rituals but won't
loyal guards unless their talents are sorely needed.
accompanythe party on an adventure. N
They resist any invitations to join the PCs on an adlen-
Mytch the Miller (male human): One of the pillars of
ture, though Burne knows many useful rituals that he's F=
the community, Mytch is a member of the Hommlet mili-
willing to cast for the right price, and could be cajoled into
tia (usethe human guard statisticson page 6). He doesn't
brewing a potion or other alchemical item.
trust newcomers as a general rule.
Spugnois (male tiefling): This talented warlock hopes
Irntoru rHE PRIEST to searchthe moathousefor arcane secrets.He keepsa low
This stern, unfriendly human overseesthe local temple of prolile, wearing nondescript garb and avoiding displaysof
Pelor.Terjon doesn't enjoy his position. He was dispatched power. He offers to accompanythe PCs if he learns they
here not long agowhen the previous leader of the temple, are headed to the moathouse,as long as he's promised at
Y'dey, left unexpectedly.As a former adventurer,he'd least one magic item in his share of treasure.Use the tiefl
rather be {ighting evil directly; if he learns that the PCs ling heretic statisticson page 250 of the MonsterManual.
are settingoffon an expedition,he offershis services. Hesta the Village Elder (female human): This wise
Terjon makes a great supporting characterfor a party and respectedwoman leadsthe town council (whoseother
missing a leader (or needing an extra healer).Seethe members include Jaroo,Terjon, Elmo's father Lar, Mytch,
DungeonMaster's Guide2 for rules on supporting characters. Burne, and Rufus, in descendingorder ofseniority) and
also servesas Hommlet's Justice of the Peace.
Zert (male human): This burly fighter is another spy
for the same organization that employsLareth and the
lnitiative +3 Senses Perception +5
traders.He's willing to join the PCs for an equal share of
HP 41; Bloodied 20 Healing Surges 9
treasure.Use the human berserkerstatisticson page 163
AC 19: Fortitude 18. Reflex 16. Will 20
Speed 6
of the MonsterMonual.
:
C U"." (standard;at-witl) tWeapon
+10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 2 damage, and Terjon and one ally adjacent to TREASURE
him gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end ofTerjonl next
Thisadventureusesthe "parcel"techniqueof treasuredistri-
turn.
bution describedin the DungeonMoster'sGuide. You'll need
] Command.{sqndardi encsunter!* Charm, hnplement
Ranged 10; +8 vs. Will; the target is dazed until the end of Ter- eight parcelsin additionto the non-parceltreasuresalready
jon's next turn. In addition, Terjon can choose to knock the target listed in the adventure.You can usethe list of parcelsbelow
o r o n e o r s l i d e i t 2 so u a r e s. or you can createyour own usingthe rules in Chapter 7 of
HeallngWord {minor; twice'per enecunt*r} * Hgaling the Dungeon Master'sGuide.
Close burst 5; Terjon or one ally in the burst spends a healing lf you're usingthe "wish list" suggestionin the Dungeon
surge.
Master'sGuide,youcan assignmagic items basedon those
Alignment Cood Languages Common
lists.Otherwise,selectmagicitems from the Ployer'sHond-
w*18
;iit ?;;Jll,i",'l*j;".' (+6) book@core rulebook or the Adventurer'sVoultr[supplement
Con 14 (+4) lnt 14 (+4) Cha8 (+1) appropriatefor your charactersand the adventure.
Equipment chainmail, mace, holy symbol Parcel 1: Magicitem, level 8
Parcel2: Magicitem, level 7
Orurn CunnncrERs Parcel3: Magic item, level 6
Here are some other NPCs that the adventurers might Parcel4: Magic item, level 5
encounter while in Hommlet. Parcel5: One 100-gp gem,2 potionsof heoling,and 80 gp
Calmert (male human): This zealous acolyte serves Parcel5: One 250-gp art objectand 300 sp
in the temple of Pelor under Terjon and handles services Parcel 7: Oneaugmentingwhetstone*and 65 gp
in Terjon's absence. He's also madly in love with one of the Parcel8: One potionof heolingand 40 gp
serving maids at the inn (see "Temple of Pelor," page 3).
*This item appearsin
the Adventurer'sVault supplement;
replacewith 75 gp if that book is not available.
 .;ry #"rr

Encounter L e ve l 6 (I,2 5 0 X P) TAC} ICS

Once a fight begins. neither Rannos nor Gremag pull
SffUp any punches. Thev u-ork together ro neutralize the PCs
Use this encounter only if the PCs start a fight with the as quickly as possible. kno'rling that if tl.reir secret gets
traders Rannos Davl and Gremag, or if the traders believe out they're as good as dead (either at the hands of angrr'
that their cover is blown and they have no choice but to townsfolk or their o'rr-r.r
dark masters).
defeat the PCs before the secret gets out. Rannos'w'orks u-ith the guards to gain combat adlar.rtage
Despite their evil natures, both traders would prefer against one or more foes. the better to maximize the effec-
that their identities remain secret, even if the PCs seem tiveness of his blade flurn'. He uses surprise lunse to mor-e
tough enough to give Lareth a good fight. Rather than past the front line and strike at vuinerable or injured PCs.
taking on the PCs themselves, they'll give one of their Gremag begins bv poisoning a dagger. then throu's it
guards a message to deliver to one of the bandits at the at the same target that Rannos faces. He prefers to sta\-
designated drop point (the shrine of Avandra). Other than out of the frar'. moving into melee only u,hen he can pin
this occasional communication, both traders engage in no down a lone enemr'.
activities that might appear suspicious. The guards are n'ell paid to protect the traders, and
This encounter includes the follor.r.ing enemies: they lay don'n their liyes to do so. Even though they enjoy
Rannos Davl, human trader (R) reach with their halberds, they stay adjacent to PCs when-
Gremag, human trader (G) ever possible to keep their foes {iom slipping away.
3 human guards (H)
NorucoMBATlrurrnncrroNs
rf the PCs approach the trading post during the
It's entireryliker' that mostencountersbetweenthe pcs and
day, read:
u'ill be friendl-r'exchangesrather than combat'
A shield.hanging
outsidethiswoodenstructureis painted,witha l[lt::*t notes'along*-ith rele'ant detailsfrom the stat
swordandwedgeof cheese.Throughthe windows yo;';;';;'"-
- brocks'::3?l:li::;:l:;,:::':ff:,:i|il1il::;[T,H.",
:t^"^,::"t"
shinny
shopkeiper
tendinsto
shetyes
oftrade
soods.
Ar night, the trading post is closed and its windows shut- Post'This chattvnature
::,tt:1t^::o^:]t^"ji:T,1',ins
tered.
ADC22rhievery
check
isrequired
,. pi.l,i"i..r ffff.irT:li::::l$'Ij::T$":::'J$:,'Jil;llm;:::,
on a door or window'
R";;;; doesn't r-isit the local u'atering hole, concerned about

FrnrunEsoFrHEAnrn "";f;'":'ifJ,'jill;,?],-Tf.[:;".::n?'ifi:";*
Barnyard: This {ilthyyard has severaldogsrunning not asglib as Rannos,and he prefersto let his partner do the
loose.Theseanimals avoidcombat,but they havefouled the fast-talkingfor both ofthem. He chafesat
groundsto suchan extentthat any characterstanding
! from prone must succeedon a savingthrow or fall them to, often itching to put his dagger
"ni, t * iu,
prone againimmediately. l'_t.#,' ; betn'eenthe ribs olof an ann,
annoyingcus-
.;
Shelves:Theseracksstand 5 feethigh. . .*.€"''" r i tomer. Like his partner, he
i ";! The shelvesare too flimsy to climb or stand .-. -'".t , "'-,' ,.. " steersclear of the inn.
u pon, but t hey c a n b e ti p p e d o v e rw i th u " ' ' .' -r :' -' ' i - ' Theguardsare
,' ,i
*. ''
',,i' DC 7 Strengthcheckasa standardaction.
Tipping overa shelfcreatesa closeburst 1 i.;'-- r -.'i.
'.1,
.
,,
il -' .:
unalignedbut mean-
spirited.Ther-keepto
--
attack(+6vs.Reflex; thetargetisknocked 'J'"n- * , ,L. i'-'' themseh.esanddon'ttalk
proneonahit)and{illstheareaofthe , .' , l:*.'i* ". much.er-entolocals.They
burstwithdi{Iicultterrain. 'i =
: knou-thattheiremployershave
Stables:Eachspacemarkedwith an alliesoutsidetown,but they /';\
ery\ .' ] ! t . ' ho|ds as urIy m u l e th a tl a s h e s o u ta td o n . tsuspecttheextenro| i hei ,r-' ' \y' .
anyone moving adjacent to it (other than ' i.
Hg

the traders or guards, who have cowed : ,' j did, they'd remain loyal-none
the mules into submission). Treat this I. are locals, and they have no
asan immediate reactionmeleeattack particular affection for this
(+5 vs.AC; 1d6 + 2 damage,and the backwater village.
targetis pushed1 square).

J*-"'
Arrrr<MATH t+i
,r*
The traders keep verv little money on the premises. seticl
qtr
ing most of their incorne back to their masters.ThLts,PCs €z
l ni ti ati ve +6 Senses Perceotion +8 i41
looking for a big score here r,vill likely be disappointed H P 126: B l oodi ed 63
to find only 152 cp and 77 sp (plus whatever mundant- AC 22; Fortitude 17, Reflex 20, Will 17
i,t-
equipment survives the fight). Saving Throws +2
In the event that the traders are killed or run otlt Lrf S peed 6
Ei
Action Points 1 ii
the village , the trading post and all its merchandisc arc
(standard;at-w i l l ) + Weapon
declarcd village property until the council decidts n hrt tc' O S no.. S w ord
+10 vs. A C ; 1d6 + 4 damage.
do rvith them.
* gl"de Flurry (standard;at-will) * Weapon
What's morc, rtnless the PCs provide evidence of th.- R annosD avl makestw o short sw ord attacksand shi fts 1 s quare
:.!j
traders'n'risdeeds, thel"ll have to do some fast-talking before either or both attacks.
to avoid being charged as murderers. You can treat this Surprise Lunge (move; rechargeswhen bloodied)
as a roleplafing exercise or a skill challcnge (coniplt ritr R annosD avl shi fts 4 squares.When he ends thi s move, h e gai ns
combat advantageagai nsteach enemy adj acentto hi m unti l the
3 using Diplomacy, Bluff, and other appropriate skillsr,
end of hi s turn.
Charactcrs rvho har''ealready pcrformed good deeds for
Marked A dvantage
the tor,vnshould have a much easier time; grant thenr a -l R annosD avl gai nscombat advantageagai nstany target mark ed
to +5 bonus on checks made as part of the challer.rge, by one of D avl 'sal l i es.
Combat Advantage
R annosD avl deal s2d6 extra damageagai nstany target g ranti ng
combat advantageto hi m.
I nit i a t i v e + 5 S e n se sPe r ce p tio n+ 6 Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common
HP 4 7 ; B l o o d i e d 2 3 S ki l l s B l uff+9. Insi ght'8. S teal th-11
AC 1 8 ; F o r t i t u d e 1 6 , R e fle x 1 5 ,Will 1 4 S tr 8 (+1) D ex 18 (+6) Wi s 12 (+3)
Con 15 (+4) lnt 14 (+4) Cha 15 (+4)
)g:ed s E qui pment l eatherarmor,short sw ord
ff Halberd (standarda : twill) + We a p o n
R e a c h2 ; + 10 v s . A C; 1d 10 + 3 d a m a g e ,a n d th e ta r g e t is marked
u n t i l t h e e n d o f t h e h u m a n g u a r d ' sn e xt tu r n .
.| Powerful Strike (standard; rechargel! S) * Weapon
Req u i r e sh a l b e r d ;r e a c h 2 ; + 1 0 vs. AC; 1 d 1 0 + 7 d a m a g e ,a n d the Ini ti ati ve +8 Senses Perceotion -f1
ta r g e t i s k n o c k e d p r o n e . H P 96:B l oodi ed 48
{ Crossbow (standard;at-will) } Weapon A C 22: Forti tude 20, R efl ex )),Wi l l 17; see al socow ordl yst anc e
Ran g e d15 / 3 0 ; + 9 v s . A C; 1d 8 + 2 d a m a g e . S avi ngThrow s +2
Alig n m e n t U n a l i g n e d Languages Common S peed 6
Skills Streetwise +7 A cti on P oi nts 1
Str 16 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 11 (+1)
.?. D agger l standard:at-w i l l ) + Weapon
Con15 (+3) Int 10 (+1) cha 12 (+2) -1 0 vs. A C ; 1d4 + 4 damage.
E qu i p m e n t c h a i n m a i l ,h a lb e r d ,cr o ssb o wwith 2 0 b o lts ) Thrown Dagger (standard;at-will) * Weapon
R anged5/10; +10 vs. A C ; 1d4 + 4 damage.
{ Sudden Riposte (immediate reaction, when hit by a melee attack:
recharge:: i : :i ) i Weapon
Cremag makes a dagger attack against the triggering attacker.
Thi s attack gai nsa +2 bonus to the attack rol l and deal s5 ex tra
damage.
P oi soned B l ade (standard;at-w i l l )
The next ti me Gremag hi ts w i th a daggeror throw n dag gerattac k
duri ng thi s encounter,the target al sotakes ongoi ng 10 p oi s on
damage(saveends).
C ow ardl y S tance
If tw o or more enemi esare adj acentto Gremag,he take s a -4
penal tyto al l defenses.
Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common
S ki l l s B l uff -7. S teal th 1. Thi every-11
-1
S t r 1 7( +5 ) Dex 1B(+6) Wis 8 (+1)
C on l 2 (-l ) Int 10 (-2) Cha 11 (+2)
fl-*- +
E qui pment 3 daggers "lk

':.''"
*$il -

'=:'1."
 lruuerrrANTs oF THE
MonruousE
While most ofthe creatures living within or beneath the
Years ago,this small keep served as an outpost for the moathouseowe at least a modicum of loyalty to the New
Temple ofElemental Evil. From here, the cultists orga- Master,there remain severaldistinct factions.
nized raids on outlying areas,particularly Hommlet, Bandits: Lareth's first act rvasto buy the allegianceof
gathering loot and slavesto servetheir vile masters. the bandits who had setdedin the moathouse.With his
In the aftermath ofthe battle that destroyedthe Temple, backing, the bandits havebecome more successfuland cau-
the forcesofgood razed much ofthe moathouseand sent tious in their raids. They don't trust the bugbearsor gnolls
its inhabitants fleeing into the surrounding marsh. living in the dungeonlerel, but they remain loyal to Lareth.
Today,a new evil has arisen in the moathouse. Bugbears: Thesegoblinoids symbolize Lareth's lirst
Lareth the Beautiful is the dark hope of chaotic evil- major successin building the new army of the Temple of
young, handsome,well endowed in abilities and aptitudes, Elemental Evil. They representa large tribe ofgoblins,
thoroughly wicked and depraved. hobgoblins, and bugbearsbasedto the south.
Lareth has been sent to this area to forge an alliance Gnolls: Lareth has recently begun discussingan
with local forcesof evil, aiming to build a formidable alliance with a local tribe of gnolls, and those here
Iighting force with which to sweepacrossthe land. Those are his current guests.The gnolls don't get along with
within the moathouserefer to him only as "the New anyone else in the moathouse and rvon't lift a finger to
Master" and know nothing of his true allegiances,which help anyone but themselves.
are up to you as the Dungeon Master (seethe "Whom Lareth's Guards: Thesehumans were recruited by a
Does Lareth Serve?"sidebar). dragonborn soldier named Drex (now their leader) in the
Though his number ofrecruits is still relatively small, ifleft nearbyvillage ofNulb, awretched hive of scum and vil-
to his olr.n devicesLareth will soonbecome a major threat to lainy. They serveLareth to the death.
the entire region. The PCs must strike now, before it is too late! Lubash the Ogre: The dimwitted ogre sen'esLareth as
Despite the devastatingsiegeofthis keep, the moat- long as the priest keepshim fed and huppy.
house is remarkably intact. Though the upper story has Undead: Most ofthese creaturespredate Lareth's arrival,
fallen to ruin, the walls are mostly solid to this day,with though he has addedto the number ofzombies sinceresum-
only a few notable gaps.The bandits living within have ing the vile tortures that once made this moathouseirrfamous.
filled these gapswith rubble to avoid easyentrance' Lareth has built an uneasy al.li-
The dungeon level of the moathousebustles with activ- ance with the ghouls, though he
ity, having more inhabitants than at any time in recent worries that their presence might
memory. Even so,some shadowycorners beneath the soon become troublesome.
moathouseremain offllimits to most who live here, as even
foul cultists fear the hungry darkness. DrvrloPMENTs
Thanks to the proximity ofNulb
\A/IIO},IDOES LARETT{ SERVE? and the Temple,Lareth can
The Villogeof Hommletadventure published in 1979 recruit reinforcements from the
describedLarethas serving Lolth, the Spider Queen,who surrounding regions to replace
soughtto usethe Temple'spowerfor her own. However,the someor all ofthe lost bandits,
3 rd Edition adventure Returnto theTempleof ElementalEvil guards,bugbears,and zombies.
suggestedthat Lareth in truth belongedto the cult ofthe Oncethe PCs'assaulton the
Elder ElementalEye(a front for the dark god Tharizdun). moathousebegins,ifthey pause
ln your campaign,Larethcan stand at the forefront of a for more than one fi.rll day,re{ill
variety of evil plots. lf Lolth and Tharizdundon't feature in one or two encountersto ensure
your story, perhaps one ofthese options work better: that the PCshaveagood chal
* Lareth worships Torog, taking great delight in the lenge when they return. Dont
imprisonmentand torture of innocentvillagersbeneaththe worry about restocking every
moathouse.Lareth believesthat a hidden entranceto the room (unlessthe PCstake a
Underdarkexistssomewherenearby. particularly long break), but any
* LarethworshipsVecnaand hascome to the moathouse partially defeatedencounterscan
to uncoverthe secreGhidden far beneathits walls-secreG be replenished to full. The players
which, if unearthed,couldspelldoom for the nearbyvillage. shouldnt feel that their earlier
* Lareth worships Zehir and works for a coven of efforts were wasted;instead,they
yuan-ti.He has come to set up a snaketonguecult in the shouldrealizethatthe denizens
vicinity of Hommlet. ofthe moathousehave friends-
and those friends arerit too far oII
 F-
Krv ro rHE MonruousE 5. The Black Chamber: This room is floored in black flag-
stone,and tattered ebon-coloredtapestriesstill hang from
tu

There are two moathouse maps-one depicting the sur- E

*
the walls. Once the home ofthe lord ofthe moathouse,this a,
face ruins and another depicting the dungeon beneath
chamber now sheltersEnzer,the bandit leader.The door U
the ruins. Areas of interestare marked with numbers can be barred from the inside (StrengthDC 20 to burst).
keyed to the text below. Buried beneaththe rubble in the southeastcorner is a lr

locked chest(ThieveryDC22 to open;Enzer carries the U

1. The Pond: Fivegiant frogscall this pond-and the nearbr- key).The chestholds two treasure parcels.
moat-home. The moathousebandits give them awide berth. A secretdoor (PerceptionDC 20 to notice)hides a stair-
u
SeeEncounterM-1: Entrance(page11). caseleading down to areal4.

2. Empty Tower: This cobweb-filled tower holds nothing

6. Stairs Up: This staircaseoriginally led to the second
of interest exceptfor a small ivory box buried under the floor ofthe moathouse(now destroyed).Today,a brave soul
rubble (PerceptionDC22 to find). The box is worth 50 gp could use them to ascendto the unstable remains of that !".-
and holds 71 cp and 38 sp. floor, which completelycoversareas 5-10. The entire area
is diflicult terrain, and any time a character starts his turn
3. Ruined Courtyard: This empty yard is open to the in the area,he must succeedon aDC 12 Acrobatics check
sky. Two bandit archers watch the courtyard from area or fall prone as the floor crumbles slightly beneath his feet.
4 at all times.
SeeEncounter M-2: The Bandits (page 12).
7. Stairs Down: Theseworn stone stepslead down to
area 11.
4. Great Hall: Once a great audiencechamber,this
room now housesnine bandit archersunder the com-
8. Empty Room: Each of these rooms contains rotted fur-
mand of Enzer, the bandit leader. Bedrolls and supplies
nishings and rubble from the upper story.
lie scattered around the room; the various packs and
bagshold atotal of175 sp and 15 gp.
9. Drake's Nest: The bandits keep a barely trained rage
! drake here. None are yet brave enough to try riding it.
Droppings litter the floor.

o
L0. Barracks: The two normal bandits sharethis room. Oncedown, the lrooden portcu,llislocksin placeand can
They like it becauseof the sightlines it allows to the north only be lifted with a DC 23 Strengthcheck.Behind the secret
and west, and also for its proximity to an escaperoute. door is a shorttunnel that leadsto a winch usedto haul the
portcullis backup (standardaction,DC 12 Strengthcheck).
11. Cell Block: This ancient prison hasn'thad a living
occupantsincethe original owners of the moathouse 17. Bugbear Recruits: A small group ofbugbears,rep-
long ago.Today,someof those long-deadprisonersstill resentativesof a larger tribe allied with Lareth and his
exist as horrid zombies. masters,occupiesthis area.
SeeEncounterM-3: Cell Block (page14). SeeEncounterlI-{: BugbearRecruits(page16).

12. Storeroom: The two rooms bearing this number are 18. Gnoll Den: Gnolls from a pack that Lareth bribed
locked (ThieveryDC 22 to open).Drex, the dragonborn into allegiancelive in this room. Recentlossesand poor
soldier.carriesthe keys. treatmenthaveleft them sullen and resentful.
The southernroom holds 12 suitsofleather armor, 6 suits SeeEncounter\I-5: Gnoll Den (page17).
ofchainmail, and severalbarrels (someholding saltedmeat,
the others fine brandy). The brandy is all that's left of Gundi- 19. Mysterious Pool: -\n enormouscravfishlurks in this
goot'smissingshipment(confirmedbythe distiller'smark). freshwaterpool. The pool also containsa treasureparcel.
The northern room holds 20 spears,20 maces,10 SeeEncounter-\I-6: llr-steriousPool (page18).
halberds,10 crossbows,and 200 crossbowbolts.A crate
in the corner contains 50 black cloaks,each bearing the 20. Burial Crypts: The rvallsof this room are lined with
symbol of a golden eye on fire. deepalcoves.Though most of the nichesare empty,frag-
mentsof coffins and splinteredboneslitter a few of them.
13. Torture Chamber: After long years of silent waiting, Many yearsago.a small pack of ghoulstunneled in
this horrific room has recently come alive once more at from the swamp.Todar'.ther-dine on victims providedby
the hands of the New Master of the Moathouse,Lareth the the New Master of the moathouse.
Beautiful. Lareth takes care to capture individuals easily SeeEncounter]I-7: The Crr-ptKeepers(page19).
missed by the local villagers, to avoid suspicion.
SeeEncounterM-3: Cell Block (page14). 21. Escape Passage:At this point. the passageu.aybegins to
slopeupward.After about 150 feet,the PCscan feel a slight
14. Ogre's Den: The result of one of Lareth's more signifi- breezefrom up ahead.
cant alliances,Lubash has been lured to serviceby baubles Eventually,the tunnel
and the promise of fresh humanoid meat. Scattered comesout at the surface
around the room is a treasure parcel. amid a clutter ofrock and
Lubashjoinsany {ight occurring in area 13. See bramblesnearly 500 feet
Encounter M-3: Cell Block (page 14). eastofthe moathouse.

15. Pantry: The door to this room is barred from the outside, 22. Gaard, Post: Lareth
for within are three prisoners meant for Lubash'sstewpot. has stationeda number of
Two ofthe prisoners are human merchants from the city of guards here.
Dyvers who were captured after leaving Hommlet a few days SeeEncounterN1-8:The
ago.They promise rewards iffreed, and sure enough one trea- NewMaster (page20).
sure parcel arrives for the PCs a month after their escape.
The third captive,a badly beatengnome named Hadrus 23. Barracks: Lareth'sreti-
Winterwell, was caughtby a local goblin tribe. Ifreleased,he nue of soldierslil.es here.
grantsone ofthe PCs a plain iron ring as a gift. The bearer of amid pilesofsupplies.
this ring gains a +5 bonusto Diplomacy checksmade with SeeEncounterM-8: The
unaligned,good,or lawful good fey creatureswithin 100 NewMaster (page20).
miles ofHommlet, asit marks him a friend of feykind.
24. Chamber ofthe New
16. Portcullis Trap: Hidden in the ceiling at this point is Master: Lareth the Beau-
an iron portcullis (PerceptionDC 22 to spot).It remains tiful lives in this lavishly
locked and hidden until triggered. furnishedroom. Among
The triggers for the portcullis trap are located at the two the various luxuries are twt-r
doorsin nearby rooms marked "T." Eachofthese doors, treasureparcels.
when opened,revealsonly a blank stonewall and causesthe SeeEncounterM-8: The
portcullis to drop alongthe dotted line marked on the map. New Master(page20).
 ='.1

En co u n ter Level 3 (800 XP) FrRrunrs oF THEAnrn

Drawbridge: Though sturdy enough for up to two
Srrup Medium creatures,the rotting wood givesway if three or
This encounter takes place in area 1. A rotting drau'bridge more Medium creaturesor a singleLargecreaturesteps
provides accessto the main level of the moathouse. The upon it, dropping anyone on the bridge into the moat.
bandits don't use this entrance because of the pack of .giant Moat: The moat is 8 to 10 feet deep,requiring charac-
frogs that lives here, instead wading through the \\'ater and ters to swim across(AthleticsDC 10).
entering area 5 through the ruined wall. Pond: This shallowpool is difficult terrain. Half buried
This encounter includes the following creatures: in the muck is a treasureparcel.
5 giant frogs (F) Wall: The l0-foot-tall crumbling masonrywalls have
plenty of handholds,but a coating of moss and slime ren-
Two frogs begin in the marked spaces (don't place then.r ders them surprisingly difficult to climb (Athletics DC 20).
until the PCs spot them); the rest arrive after cornbat
begins, one per round until all five are present. TAcrrcs
The giant frogs wait until a character enters the water or
As the PCs arrive at the moathouse, read: crosses the drawbridge before lsing grasping tongue to pull
A sm all r uine d beep sur r oun d ed by a d ank, alg ae-f ill ed m oat the unwary target in for a bite. They haven't eaten well
standsin the middle of thebog. An ancient drawbridge lies open. 1atel1.,so they fight to the death.
allowing entrance into the main courtyard.

Perception Check
c
DC 19 Two pairs ofbulbous eyesstare atyoufromthe shallow lnitiative +5 Senses Perception +6
t pondnearby. H P 44: B l oodi ed 22
= DC 22 You seethe glint of metalfrom the shallow pond. A C 18; Forti tude 15, R efl ex 16, Wi l l 13
S peed 4, sw i m 6
@ eitu lrtandard; at-will)
+8 vs. A C ; 1d6 + 3 damage,and a Medi um or smal l ertar get
is swallowed. A swallowed target is stunned, takes ongoing 5
damage, and cant be targeted by any effect (saveends all effects).
A giant frog can have only one target swallowed at a time and
cannot make bi te attacksas l ong as the sw al l ow ed targe t i s al i v e.
) Graspi ng Tongue (mi nor;at-w i l l i
R aneed3: +7 vs. R efl ex:the tarset i s pul l ed 2 squares.
Prodigi-ousLeap (move; at-will)
The giant frog shifts 4 squares.lt can shift through enemy squares
as l onq as i t ends i ts movement i n an unoccupi edspace .
Alignment Unaligned Languages -
Skills Athletics +8, Stealth +9
Str 14 (+3)
Con 12 (+2)
Dex 17 (+4)
Int2(-3)Cha6(-1)
Wls 11 (+1)
=1
En co u n ter Level 4 (879 XP) FrnrunEs oF THEAnrn
Wall: The 10-foot-tall crumbling masonryrvalls have
plenty ofhandholds. but a coatir.rgof moss and slime ren-
Srrup ders them surprisinglr.difficult to climb (Athletics DC
This encounterbeginsin area 3. Two bandit archersstand 20). The areas u-here the n-all has been reduced to rubble
guard at the arrow slits between areas 3 and 4, while the require only a DC 10 -\thletics check.
rest relax.Ifthey spotthe PCs,one sneaksback to area Arrow Slits: These narro\\'gaps don't allorv characters
5 to warn their leader while the other movesto area 9 to outside them a r-erv good vieu'ofu'hat's inside. Unless a
releasethe ragedrake. character is adjacent to an arro\\' slit, apply a -10 penalty
This encounter includes the following creatures: to Perception checks made from outside to detect anyone
Brrzer, bandit leader (L) inside. Creatures on the inside enjoy superior cover
t human bandit archers (A) against attacks from the outside.
2 human bandits (B)
Rage drake (R) Tncncs
The ragedrake chargesdou-nthe stairsand into the fray,
As the adventurers enter the courtyard, read:
going after the toughestPC it can see.
Weedsand mudJill the cracksbetweentheJTagstones of this
The banditsfollon'
ruinedcourtyard.Empty windowJrameslookdownontheyard
the ragedrake in. using
from two walls,and a pair of brohendoorsTiesin shamblesat the the drake or eachother
top of a shortJlightof steps.
to setup flanks. The ban-
dits retreatto the great
Perception Check
hall (area4) ifbloodied
morelike orrow slitstoyou.
DC 12 Thosewindowsloolc.
or ifthe drake falls.
DC 24 Younoticemovementbehind thetwo arrow slitsat the
Enzer, the bandit
top ofthe stairs.
leader,commandsthe
others from the safety
of the great hall. He
takesposition behind
an arrow slit ifeither
ofthe archersin that
room is taken out.
The outlaw archers
move to the nearest
arrow slits and rain
down attacks on PCs
in the courtyard.Ifthe
rage drake is dropped
or the PCs push into
the great hall, the
archers fall back to
provide artillery sup-
port for their allies.
The bandits don't
chaseretreatingchar-
acters.Ifboth Enzer
and the rage drake are
a defeated,the remain-
ing bandits flee into
o
the swamp,barring the
door to area 5 ifpos-
o
sible to slow pursuit.
o

o
 ui
lnit ia t i v e + J S e n se sPe r ce o tio n*3 Ini ti ati ve +5 S ensespercepti on+6
HP 77; Bloodied 38; see alsobloodiedrage G::

H P 47; B l oodi ed 23 1:;

ga,
A C 1 7 ; F o r t i t u d e 1 7 ,R e fle x 1 5 , Will 1 5
A C 18; Forti tude 16, R efl ex 15, Wi l l 14
lm mu n e f e a r ( w h i l e b l o o d ie d o n ly)
S peed 5
8
)q:ed Longrp"", (standard;at-will) * Weapon s,
B i t e (standarda : t - w ill) @
k L) R each2; +10 vs. A C ; 1d10 + 3 damage,and the target i s
+9 vs. AC; 1d10 + 4 damage; see also bloodiedroge. mark ed
unti l the end ofthe l eader'snext turn. i!,!j
{ Ctaw (standard;at-will) i'
=l
+8 v s . A C ; 1 d 6 , 4 d a m a g e : se e a lsob lo o d ie dr o g e . @ Crossbow(standard; at-will) i Weapon
R anged15/30; +9 vs. A C ; 1dg + 2 damage.
{ Rak i n g C h a r g e ( s r a n da r d :
"t- *ill; { Sweeping Strike (standard;rechargeElg) } Weapon
W h e n t h e r a g e d r a k e ch a r g e s,it m a ke stwo cla w a tta cks a gai nsta
single target. R equi resl ongspear;reach 2; +10 vs. A C ; 1d1O+ I damag e,
and
Bloodied Rage (while bloodied) the target is knocked prone. i+r
Th e r a g e d r a k e g a i n sa + 2 b o n u s to a tta ck r o lls a n d d e a tsa n exrra Alignment Evil Languages Common
5 damage per attack. Skills Streetwisg +7, Thievery +g
Ragin g M o u n t ( w h i l e b l oo d ie d a n d m o u n te d b y a fr ie n d ly r id er of Str 16 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 11 (+1)
5i h
lev e l o r h i g h e r :a t - w i l l ) A M o u n t Con 15 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 12 (+2)
T h e r a g e d r a k e g r a n ts its r id e r a + 2 b o n u s to a tta ck r o lls a nd E qui pment chai nmai l ,l ongspear,crossboww i th 20
bol ts, kev to the
damage rolls with melee attacks. l ocked chest i n area 5
A lignm e n t U n a l i g n e d L a n g u a g e s-
s t r 19 ( - 6 ) D e x 13 ( - 3 ) wis 13 ( , 3 )
Con 1 7 ( + 5 ) Int 3 (-2) Ch a 1 2 ( - 3 )
Inrti
Ini ti ati
ative
ve +4 S ensesperceoti on+6
H P 1: a mi ssedat tack never damagesa mi ni on.
A C 16; Forti tude 13, R efl ex 14, Wi l l 11; see al so mob
rul e
S peed 6

1! C rossbow(standard:ar-w i l l )+ Weapon
R anged15/3O +9 vs. A C ;3 damage.
^
@ S pear {standard:arw i l l ) + Weap"on
-7 vs. A C ; 2 damage.
Mob R ul e
A human bandi t archergai ns a *2 pow er bonus to al l
defen s es
w hi l e at l easttw o other human bandi t archersare
w i thi n 5
squaresof i t.
Alignment Evil Languages Common
str 14 (+3) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 10 (+1)
Con12(+2) lnt 10 (+1) Cha10 (+1)
E qui pment l eatherarmor,spear,crossboww i th 20
bol ts

Ini ti ati ve +6 S ensespercepti on+1

H P 37; B l oodi ed.l 8
A C 16; Forti tude 12, R efl ex 14,Wi l l 17
Sp-eed6
(f Mace (standard;at-will) * Weapon
vs. A C ; 1d8 + I 63p2ge, and the human bandi t shi fts
-4 1
souare.
(! D agger (standard;at-w i l l ) i Weapon
R anged5/1O;+6 vs. A C ; 1d4 + 3 damage.
,
{ Dazing Strike (standard;encounter) } #u"pon
R equi resmace;+4 vs.A C ; 1d8 + 1 damage,the target
i s daz ed
unti l the end ofthe human bandi t,snext turn, th" nrm"n
bandi t shi fts 1 square. "nd
Combat Advantage
The human bandi t deal s 1d6 extra damageon mel ee ff,
and ran ged .
attacksagai nstany target i t has combat advantageagai nst.
- .. .,tw,
Alignment Any Languages Common
Skills Stealth +9, Streetwise +7, Thievery +9
str.t2(+2)Dex
17(+4) Wist1 (+i)
Con13(+2) tnt 10(+1) Chat 2 (+2)
E qui pment l eatherarmor. mace,4 daggers

,d
 1
En co u n ter Level 5 (1,105 XP) TAcncs
The zombies engage the nearest targets they can see,
Srrup lrsingzombie grdh to keep them from escaping. The rot-
This encounter unfolds in areas 77-14. Don't place any ters swarm anv PC grabbed by a zombie, or the nearest
monsters on the battlefield at the start. The zombies character otheru'ise.
and zombie rotters begin out of sight in the cells, while
Lubash the ogre starts in area 7.4.
If the charactersmake a lot of noise (perhapsin the
act of breaking into one of the storerooms),the three
nearest zombie rotters move into the room, drawn by
the commotion. Once battle begins, another cell of zom"
bies shuffles out each round tojoin the fray.
If the charactersremain quiet, the zombiesenter
combat only if the charactersmove into their line of sight.
Once the fight starts,roll initiative for Lubash.Each
round on his turn, roll a DC 12 Perceptioncheckto see
if he hears the fight and joins in (after first lighting a
torch so he can see).
This encounter includes the following creatures:
Lubash the ogre (O)
3 zombies (Z)
10 zombie rotters (R)

As the adventurers come down the stairs, read:

Lightfrom abovefaintly illuminatesthe slimecrusted.arch-
way marhingthebottomof the stoirs.ThesmelloJdeathand
rot waftsupfrombelow.

If the PCs have light, read:

The stairwayleadsdownto a pillared,L-shapedchamber.
Rubbleis pileddBainsttwo doorcalongonewall.

FrnrunEs oF THEAnrn
Locked Doors: The two doorsleadingto the storerooms
(area12) bear new,well-oiledlocks(ThieveryDC 22 to open).
Torture Equipment: Though many of the imple-
ments in the torture chamber (area 13) are corroded
and rusty, aDC 72 Perception check revealsthat some
bear signsofrecent use.
,." Blood Trail: A DC 17 Perceptioncheckmade within
the torture chamber (area 13) revealsa faint trail of
dried blood leading to the southernmostpillar. The trail
is no more than a few days old.
Hollow Pillar: The southernmostpillar in the torture
chamber (area13) is hollow and concealsa shaftthat
drops 20 feetto a narrow tunnel leadingto area 20. Iron
rungs set into the stonework allow easydescent.Discover-
ing the secretshaft requires aDC 22 Perceptioncheck.

h
 ''
Lubash gives the zombies a rvide berth, instcad going lJ*
after a PC outside the fral'. Ifhe drops a PC to 0 hit |sjn15. a-g
Ini ti ati ve +8 S ensesP erceoti on*4 t!:
he drags that character to his pantry (area 15). lear'lnq thc q
H P 91; B l oodi ed 45 4"
rest to the mercy of the zornbies.
A C 22; Forti tude 22, R efl ex 20, Wi l l 18 $
The zombies aren't allies of Lubash, but thev don t Sgred 8
attack the big ogre unless he's the only {be in sight. (f Club (standard:at-will) * Weapon LL
Similarly, the ogre doesn't bother to attack the zonbie s, Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage; see also skirmish. il
retreating to his chamber if the PCs flce or arc defeateC. )Javel i n (standard:at-w i l l ) i Weapon il;

If any PCs r,r'earthe garb of Lareth's men (a black cl,rak Ranged 10/20; +13 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage;see also skirmish. i*i
{i
adorned with a yellow eye offire), the ogre doesn t attack V} Hurllng Charge (standard;encounter)
Lubash makes a javelin attack followed by a charge attack. *
them, instead offering them sanctuary in his chanrbr:r,
S ki rmi sh F
l i on hi s turn, Lubashends hi s move at l east4 squaresaw ay ij.i
from hi s starti ng poi nt, he deal s 1dB extra damage on hi s mel ee :{
attacks unti l the start of hi s next turn. ,F.-

A l i gnment C haoti cevi l LanguagesC ommon, Gi ant

Str 18 (+8) Dex 14 (+6) Wls 11 (+4)
Con19 (+8) lnt 4 (+1) Cha6 (+2)
E qui pment hi de armor, cl ub, 6 i avel i ns

Ini ti ati ve -1 S ensesP ercepti on+0; darkvi si on

H P 40; B foodi ed 20; see al sozombi ew eokness
A C 13; Forti tude 13, R efl ex 9, Wi l l '10
l mmune di sease,poi son;R esi st-10necroti c;V ul nerabl e 5 r adi ant
S peed 4
@ St". (standard;at-will)
vs. A C ; 2d6 + 2 damaqe.
-6
{ Zombie Grab (standard,
"tlritt)
vs. R efl ex;the target i s grabbed.C hecksmade to escapethe
-4
zombi e'sgrab take a -5 penal ty.
Zombie Weakness
A ny cri ti cal hi t to the zombi e reducesi t to 0 hi t poi nts i ns tantl y .
A l i gnment U nal i gned Languages-
S t r 1 4 ( +3 ) D e x6 ( - 1 ) Wis 8 (+0)
C on 10 (+1) Int 1 (-4) Cha 3 (-3)

Ini ti ati ve -1 S ensesP ercenti on-0: darkvi si on

.1;
HP a mi ssedattack neverdamagesa mi ni on.
A C 13; Forti tude 13, R efl ex 9, Wi l l 10
Immune di sease,poi son
S peed 4
@ St"- (standard;at-will)
+6 vs. A C ; 5 damage.
Alignment Unaligned Languages -
S tr 14 (+3) D ex 6 (-l ) Wi s 8 (+0)
Con10 (+1) lnt 1 (-4) Cha3 (-3)

= *u

1f"r
 En co u n ter Level 5 (1,05 0 X P )
l ni ti ati ve +-l 1 S ensesP ercepti on l ow -l i ghtvi s i on
Srrup H P 82; B l oodi ed 41
-5;

'l'his encountertakesplacein areas16-17.'Ihe five bug- A C 21;Forti tude 18, R efl ex 18. Wi l l 16; see al so bodyshi el d
Sg:ed 7
bearsin area17 representa large tribe ofgoblinoidsthat
(standard:ar.rr .} Weapon
has thrown its lot in with Lareth'smasters.l'hey respect Qf Morni ngstar 'l l '
+10 vs. A C ; 1d1) - 4 damage.
the New Master'spower,and as a result they enjol'a high { S trangl e (standard: sustai nsrandard:at-w i l l t
standingamonghis follor'vers. R equi rescombat advantage:-9 rs. R efl ex;l d10 + 4 damage,and
This encounterincludesthe following crcatures: the target i s grabbed.A target tr,,-i ngto escapethe gr ab tak es a
Bugbear strangler (S) -4 penal ty to the check.The bugbearstrangl ercan sus tai nthe
4 bugbear warriors (W) pow eras a standardacti on.deal i ng 1d10'4 damag eand mai n-
tai ni ng l he grab,
B ody S hi el d (i mmedi atei nterrupt,w hen targeted by a m el ee or a
When the PCs enter the southern chamber, read:
ranged attack against AC or Reflex; recharge : a :.: i i )
Thisroom smellsof refuse.You
seeapile of troshanddimlight The bugbearstrangl ermakes i ts grabbedvi cti m the t arget
to thenorth. i nstead.The bugbearstrangl ercan't use thi s pow er to redi rec t
attacks made by a creaturei t i s currentl ygrabbi ng.

FrnrunEs oF THEAnrn Predatory Eye (minor; encounter)

The bugbearstrangl erdeal s 1d6 extra damageon the nex t attac k
Candles dimly illuminate the northern chamber, but the i t makesw i th combat advantage.l t must appl y thi s b onus before
southern room is empty and dark. (The bugbears have a pile the end of i ts next turn.
of torches to light when they need to leal.e their chamber) Alignment Evil Languages Common, Goblin
Trash Pile: The bugbears durnp their garbage here, S ki l l s Inti mi date +10, S teal th+14

specifically gnavved bones, scraps ofcloth, and a few

Str 18 (+7) Dex 18 (+7) Wis 14 ('5;
Con16 (+6) I n t 1 0 ( +3 ) Cha10 (+3)
tg broken weapons.
Trigger Door: Opening the door marked "T" in the south-
E qui pment l eather armor, morni ngstal rope garrote

ern rooll reveals a bare stone wall and causesthe portcullis in

area 16 to drop. A DC 10 Perception check allows the charac-
ters to hear the heal'y clang ofthe portcullis falling closed. Initiative +5 S ensesP ercepti on+4; l ow -l i ghtvi s i on
H P 76; B l oodi ed 38
TAcncs A C 18; Forti tude 17,R efl ex 15, Wi l l 14
Sg:ed 6
If the bugbears notice any bright light or hear PCs moving
Qf Morni ngstar (standard;at-w i l l )+ Weapon
about in the southern room, they use Stealth to remain +7 vs. A C ; 1d17 + 6 damase.
hidden while approaching the intruders. { Skullthu-p"r (standard;errcounter)} Weapon
Once battle begins, the bugbear r,varriors pair up R equi resmorni ngstarand combat advantage;+5 vs. Forti tude;
'l d1) + 6 damage,and the target i s knocked prone an d daz ed
against tough-looking PCs, one using slerrllthumper to grant
(saveends).
combat advantage to its partner, allou,ing that bugbear to
Predatory Eye (minor; encounter)
trse predatory eye to increase its damage.
The bugbearw arri or deal s 1d6 extra damageon the nex t attac k
Meanwhile, the bugbear strangler tries to strangle a less i t makesw i th combat advantage.l t must appl y thi s b onus before
agile{ooking PC so that it can use that character as a shield. E the end of i ts next turn.
The bugbears know that they can't count on either the tl Alignment Evil Languages Common, Coblin
ogre in area 14 or the gnolls in area 18 for assistance,so S ki l l s Inti mi date -9, S teal th-11
i
they fight to the death. : Str 20 (+7) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 14 (+4)
Con'16(+5) Int 10 (+2) cha 10 (+2)
E qui pment hi de armor, morni ngstar
 En co u n ter Level 5 (1,100 X P)
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +7; low-light vision
Srrup Leader ofthe P ackaura 5; al l i esi n the aura gai n a +1 bon us to attac k
This encounter takes place in areas 16 and 18. Four gnolls rol l s.Whi l e thi s creaturei s bl oodi ed,the bonus i ncreas esto + 2.
H P 106; B l oodi ed 53
are holed up in area 18. Their pack has lost several mern-
AC 20; Fortitude 21 , Reflex 18, Will 18
bers on recent raids. They grow impatient with Lareth.
S peed 5
and they are frustrated by the greater status he grants the H"urry Flail (standard;at-will) * Weapon
@
bugbears in area 17. +13 vs. A C ; 2d6 + 5 damage,or 2d6 + 7 w hi l e bl oodi e d;agai ns ta
This encounter includes the following creatures: bloodied enemy, this attack also knocks the target prone; see also
Gnoll demonic scourge (D) pock ottack.

3 gnoll claw fighters (C) Bloodthlrst

l f the gnol l demoni c scourgebl oodi esan enemy w i th a mel ee
attack,an al l y adj acentto the enemy can make a mel e e attac k
When the PCs enter the eastern chamber, read:
agai nstthat enemy as an i mmedi ate reacti on.
This darkroom stinhsof wetfur.Dimlight canbe seentorhe u'esr. Overwhelming Attack (free; encounter)
The gnoll demonic scourge applies its bloodthirst power to two
FrnrunEs oF THEAnrn al l i esi nsteadofone.
Pack Attack
A single sputtering torch lights the western room n'here The gnol l demoni c scourgedeal s5 extra damageon mel ee
the gnolls live. The eastern room is dark. attacks against an enemy that has two or more of the demonic
Beds: The western chamber (area 18) contains rudimen scourge'sal l i esadi acentto i t.
tary beds made from furs, torn blankets, and branches. There Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Abyssal,Common
are many more beds than gnolls (due to their recent losses). S ki l l s l nsi ght +10, Inti mi date +13. R el i gi on+10
str 20(+9) Dex 14(+6) Wis 12 (+5)
Trigger Door: Opening the door marked "T" in the
Con16(+7) Int 13 (+5) Cha15 (+6.1
eastern room reveals a bare stone wall and causes the
Equipment hide armor, heavy flail
portcullis in area 16 to drop. A DC 12 Perception check
allows the characters to hear the heavy clang ofthe port-
cullis falling closed.
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision
TAcncs H P 70; B l oodi ed 35
A C 20; Forti tude 18, R efl ex 16, Wi l l 15
The gnolls gang up on a single PC to benelit frornpach attack.
Sp-eed8; see afso mobile melee ottack
If only a single claw {ighter is left, he o{fers to share informa- (L) Claw (standard:at-will)
tion in exchange for his life. Should the PCs accept, he tells +11 vs. A C ; 1dG + 4 damage,or 1d6 + 6 w hi l e bl oodi e d;s ee al s o
them how to find "the New Master" and identifies the loca- pock attack.
tions and numbers ofguards in the dungeon before leaving { Clawing Charge (standard; at-wil[)
through the secret exit passage (area 21). This gnoll survir.or The gnoll claw fighter chargesand makes two claw attacks
against a single target instead of one melee basic attack.
returns to his tribe, bringing tales of the vulnerability of
{ Mobile Melee Attack (standard;at-will)
theirwould-be
allies in the Ele-
The gnoll claw fighter can move up to 4 squares and make one ,i
melee basic attack at any point during that movement. The gnoll
mental Evil cult. doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the
(Future encoun- target of its attack.
ters with gnolls Pack Attack
allied with the The gnoll claw fighter deals 5 extra damage on melee attacks
against an enemy that has two or more of the gnoll claw fightert
Temple should
al l i esadi acentto i t.
be reducedin Alignment Chaotic evil l-anguagesAbyssal,Common
difliculty to S ki l l s Inti mi date +8
reflect their dis- Str 19 {+7) Dex 15 (+5) wis 12 (+4)
satisfactionwith Con 14 (+5) lnt 9 (+2) Cha 7 (+1)
the cult) Equipment leather armor

',1
,.:'.W*.pr**-"
;*1
 E n co u n ter Level 4 (S T 5 X P ) TAcrtcs
itslaturalcamouflage
The craylish lurks in the pool using
it' bli'-tdsight to detect approaching
to remin hidden and
SrruP characters. When a PC t''ithin 2 squares of the pool'
"-'ot'es It has grown far too big
Thisencountertakesplaceinarealg.Whentheoriginal the cray{ish crau'ls out and attacks'
this dungeon' they dis-
Urtia"r, of the moathousedug out to leave the ll'ar- it came in so it fights
intruders to the death'
Sincethat time'
covered a natural sourceof fresh water'
its way into the pool
a large subterraneancrayfish found
the years' strange
frorriun und"rground stream' Over
from an unknown sourcecausedthis e"r."p,i on -3: bl i ndsi ght4
lnitiative +4
-tgt.A "rr"rgf,, until it was too large to leavethe pool'
;;;i";; to giow H P 224;B l oodi ed 112
stray creatures
Todayitjealously guards its lair' devouring R efl ex 16 Wi l l 15
A C 22; Forti tude 21,-*r"-,
left it alone so far' but every now +5
that wander in. Lareih has Saving Throws
and becomesa snack'
and then, one ofhis troopsgetstoo close Speed 2, swim 4
creature: Action Points 2
This encounter featuresthe following (standard;at-w.ill)
@ Claw
Giant craYfish (C) +11 vs. A C ; 3d8 + 4 damage'
(standard;at-will)
read: { Double Attack
If both attacks hit a single
If the PCs bring light into the room' The crayfish makes two claw attacks'
as youloohout otteralatge' datk long as a target is grabbed' the
Cool,danp air clngs b you iurg*, ift. *,g"t is grabbed' As
water' (but see pincer crush)'
pool.Faintripplesmove across the .ruufirh can't make claw attacks
at-will)
{ Pince, Crurh (standard;
giant crayfish has grabbed;
+9 vs. Fortitude; targets a creature the
PercePtion Check
at thebottomoJthepool'' 4d10 + 4 damage.
DC 1i Youseethe glitteroJtreaswe Bloodied Rage

q DClgYoucan,tbe*re,butyouthinkthosertpplesarecaused
by sometlwq large lnhng in the water'

Frnrunrs oF THEAnrn
Whi l ethecrayfi shi sb|oodi ed,i ttakesa-2pena|ty toattac k s and
defensesbut gai nsa *5 bonus on
Natural Camouflage
damage rol l s'

If the crayfish begins its turn underwater'

it becomes invisible

unti l i t movesor attacks'

This room is dark' A l i gnment U nal i gned Languages-
^
with cool fresh water
Pool: This steep-sidedpool is filled S ki l l s S teal th+9
edgesare shallow (diffi Dex15(+4) t'' 12(+3)
fro- un rrnd"rgrot"td stream' The ;;;; i;-
quickly drops awayto a Con16(-5) lnt 1 (-3)Cha
5 C1)
cult terrain), bit the central portion
crayfish to lurk unseen)'
depth of 10 feet (allowing the giant
-'"S".uit"i;ilong'tt" utltto- orth" pool is atreasureparcel'

:#,
 '"i:".ii

Enco u n ter Level 3 (800 X P ) FrnrunEs oF THEAnEn

Tunnel Network: The warren ofnarrow tunnels leading
Srrup out from the crypt quickly becomesmazelike.Characters
This encountertakes placein area 20. Four ghouls inhabit vvhodon't take care to mark their trail become lost after a
this crypt, fed by the regular arrival ofvictims thanks to tl're few hundred feet, finding their way back only with a DC
New Master.Two ghouls crouch in the northern portion of 24 Dungeoneeringor Perceptioncheck(onecheckper
the crypt, suckingthe marrow from the bonesof their last hour; any number of PCs can assistwith either skill).
meal. The other two rest in the dug-outden to the south.
This encounterincludesthe following creatures: TAcrlcs
4 ghouls (G) The ghouls to the north drop their meal as soon as they
noticethe PCs;on the next round, the ghoulsin the south-
When the adventurers enter the crypt from the main ern den sneakup behind the distractedcharacters.
hallway, read:
If any PC becomesstunned or unconscious,the ghouls
A dus4rcryptltesbeforeyou. Mostof theburial nichesare enpn anJ attempt to grab that character and drag him toward the
appewwtused,wlnleaJewholdcnmbling bitsofwoodandbone. den to be devoured(seethe Grab rules on page290 ofthe
Player'sHandbook).
Ifthe adventures enter through the secret tunnel.
instead read:
Thenarrow tunnelopensinto aburial alcove,withfragmentso-f
cffin andbonestrewnacrosstheJToor. Initiative +8 Senses Perception +2; darkvision
H P 63; B l oodi ed 31
Perception Check A C 21;Forti tude 18, R efl ex 20, Wi l l 17
DC 17 SomeoJthe bonefragmentshayebeengnawedand l mmune di sease,poi son;R esi st 10 necroti c;V ul nerabl e 5 radi ant
split open. S peed 8, cl i mb 4

DC 2L Youhearthe soundof bonescrackingfrom around O C l "*, (standard;at-w i l l )

+12 vs. A C ; 1dG + 4 damage,and the target i s i mmobi li z ed(s av e
the corner.
ends).
* Ghoulish Blte (standard; at-will)
Targetmust be i mmobi l i zed,stunned,or unconsci ous+; 10 v s . A C ;
3d6 + 4 damage,and the target i s stunned (saveends).
Alignment Chaotic evil Langu"ges Common
SkillsStealth+11
Str 14 (+4) Dex 19 (-6) Wls 11 (+2)
Con 15 (+4; lnt 10 (+2) Cha12 (+3)

I
I
I
J
:
I
i
I

f
En co u n ter Level 6 (I,260 XP ) FrnrunEs oF THEAnrn
Supplies: The southn'estern room holds salted meat,
Srrup barrels of waterv n-ine. and biscuits-enough to keep the
This encounterunfolds in areas22-24. Lareth the Beauti- troops here fed fonveeks.
ful, a chaotic evil priest known to his servantsas "the New Writing Desk: This table in Lareth's chamber contains
Master,"resideshere with his personalretinue of guardians. papers, ink, and seleral notes \r'ritten to "L'from "RD"
Each creature here wears a black tunic and a black detailing recent e\-ents in Hommlet. These messagescome
cloak bearing an embroidered eye ofgolden fire. from the evil trader Rannos Darl and might lead the PCs
This encounter includes the following creatures: back to him. Hidden in a secret dran'er (Perception DC22
Lareth the Beautiful (L) to find) is a half-n'ritten letter from "L'to "H" describing
Drex, dragonborn soldier (D) the current troop numbers in the moathouse and asking
3 human guards (Q for orders. Let the PCs s'onder as to the identity of the
10 human rabble (R) mysterious H; it's up to \-ou to decide u'ho Lareth's ulti-
mate master in the cu]t is.
When the PCs open the door into area22, read.t
Behindthe doorliesa surprisinglycleanand well-litpassageway.
A Jewhumansdressed in ratty black cloaksandbearingthe
TAcncs
The human rabble engages immediately, shouting for
emblemof a goldeneyeoffire stand.guard.
reinforcements. The guards use the reach of their halberds
to attack from the second rank (or fire their crossbows
When the PCs reach area 24,read:
ifmelee combat isn't possible). Together, these humans
ThickrugscovertheJ7oor,and softchairsand a couchseemout
slowly give ground to the PCs, trying to draw them into
of placeinthe dungeonsetting.
Aburningbrazierfilledwith
area23 to surround them.
incensef illsthechamberwithawarmfragrance.
 The dragonborn soldier, Drex, waits for the rabble to
rl'ear dou'n the PCs a bit before entering combat: he knon's €
Ini ti ati ve +6 Senses Perception +3 4
hou'easilr-thev can be replaced.
H P 63; Bloodied 3 1; see alsodrogonbornfury
*:
Lareth stal's behind his troops, using ward of t'itcilitt' .15
A C 20; Forti tude 18, R efl ex 16, Wi l l
to keep tlrem fighting and commandingwice and crrrsc..i S peed 5
L.lindness to hamper enemies. He enters melee if necessan. Longr*ord (standard:at-will) * Weapon
@
using his scepterof striking ability to daze the PCs for his 'I 10 vs. A C ( t1 1 w hi l e bl oodi ed);1d8 i 3 damage.
allies'attacks. When bloodied, he lashes out angrih'at rhe .(* Dragon Breath (minor; encounter) * Acid
{"1
adventurer who dared to mar his handsome visage. C l osebl ast 3; +6 vs. R efl ex(+7 w hi l e bl oodi ed);1d6 + 2 ac i d
damage.
€
Iflareth is bloodied and his forces are on the verge of
Dragonborn Fury (only while bloodied)
defeat, the evil priest offers to trade vital information in
D rex gai nsa +'l raci albonus to attack rol l s.
exchange for his safe release. It's up to the DM to deter- l mpetuous S pi ri t (i mmedi atereacti on,w hen an enemy l e av esan liJ
mine exactly what this information is-and hou'tmt].rful or adj acentsquare;at-w i l l ) I Weapon
useful it is-but keep in mind Lareth's cunning and thirst Drex makes a melee basic attack against the enemy, even if the
for survival. He's not above ratting out his newfound ailies enemy i s shi fti ng.
(such as giving up the location of the tribe of gnolls frorn Martial Recovery (free, when Drex misseswith a melee attack;
rechargeswhen Drex uses impetuousspirit) + Weapon
which the pack in area 18 comes) to save his own skin. Of
D rex makesanother mel ee basi cattack aqai nstthe same tarqet.
course, he also bears a wicked grudge. . . .
A l i gnment E vi l LanguagesC ommon, D raconi c
S ki l l s E ndurance+9. H i story +8
-4. Inti mi date
Str 16 (+5) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 12 (+3)
Con15 (+4) Int 11 (+2) Cha9 (+1)
lnitiative +2 Senses Perception +4 E qui pment scal earmor, l i ght shi el d,l ongsw ord,bl ack cl oak ,bl ac k
W a r d o f V i t a l i t y a u r a 5 ; a llie swh o b e g in th e ir tu r n with in the aura tuni c, key (opensthe doors to area 12)
g a i n 3 t e m p o r a r y h it p o in ts a s lo n g a s L a r e this n o t b lo odi ed.
HP 104; Bloodied 52; see terriblevisoge
AC 20; Fortitude 17, Reflex 16, Will 20
Saving Throws +2; see also the phylacteryofaction magic item description
Initiative +5 Senses Perception *6
Speed 5
H P 47; B l oodi ed 23
Action Points 1
A C 18; Forti tude 16, R efl ex 15, Wi l l 14
@ Scepter of Striking (standard; at-will) * Weapon
S peed 5
+ 9 v s . A C ; 2 d 6 + 6 d a m a g e ,a n d th e ta r g e t is d a ze d u n til the end
of Lareth'snext turn. @ U.tb"rd (standard;at-will) * Weapon
Reach 2; +10 vs. AC; 1d1 0 + 3 damage,and the target is marked
€ Commanding Voice (standard; encounter) * Psychic unti l the end of the human guard'snext turn.
C l o s eb u r s t 5 ; t a r ge ts e n e m ie sin b u r st; + 8 vs. Will; 1 d 5 + 4 psy-
{ Powerful Strike (standard; ,".h"rg" l! $) + Weapon
c h i c d a m a q e ,a n d L a r e thslid e sth e ta r q e t 2 sq u a r e s.
R equi reshal berd;reach 2; +10 vs. A C ; 1d'|0 + 7 damage,and the
.(* Curse of Blindness (standard;encounter) + Necrotic
target is knocked prone.
C f o s eb u r s t 3 ; t a r ge ts e n e m ie sin b u r st;+ 8 vs. F o r titu d e;1d6 + 4
) Crossbow (standard; at-will) * Weapon
n e c r o t i cd a m a g e ,a n d th e ta r g e t is b lin d e d ( sa vee n d s) .
R aneed15/30; 19 vs. A C ; 1d8 + 2 damaee.
Terrible Visage
A l i gnment A ny LanguagesC ommon
After Lareth first becomes bloodied, until the end ofthe encoun-
SkillsStreetwise+7
t e r , h e g a i n sa + 2 bo n u s o n m e le e a tta cks a n d m e le e d a magerol l s
Srr 16 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 11 (-1)
a g a i n s tt h e c h a r a cte rwh o b lo o d ie d h im .
Con15(+3) lnt 10 (+1) Cha12 (+2)
Ali g n m e n t C h a o t i ce vil L a n g u a g e sAb yssa l,Co m m o n
E qui pment chai nmai l ,hal berd,crossboww i th 20 bol ts, bl ac k c l oak ,
Ski l l s B l u f f 1 11. D i p l o m a cy + 1 1 , Re lig io n
-9 bl ack tuni c
str 16 (+5) Dex 11 (+2) Wis 14 (+4)
Con12 (+3; Int 15 (+4) Cha18 ( + 6)
Equipment plate armor, light shield, scepter,phylocteryof oction,
b l a c k c l o a k ,b l a c k tu n ic
Initiative +1 Senses Perception +1 i
H P 1; a mi ssedattack never damagesa mi ni on.
A C 15; Forti tude 13, R efl ex 11, Wi l l 11; see al so mob rul e
When tied aroundyour orm, this black leatherbox letsyour mind S peed 6
or body escaperestaint.
@ CfuU (standard;at.will) * Weapon
Item Slot: Arms 680 gp +6 vs. A C ; 4 damage.
Power (Encounter):No action.Rerolla savingthrow against Mob R ul e
any effecton you that appliesone or more ofthese The human rabble gains a +2 power bonus to all defenseswhile at
conditions:dazed,immobilized,petrifled,restrained,or l easttw o other human rabbl e are w i thi n 5 souaresof i t.
stunned.You must use the new result,even if it is lower. Alignment Any Languages Common
Str 14 (+3) Dex 10 (+1) Wis 10 (+1)
Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+Q) Cha11 (+1)
E qui pment cl ub, bl ack cl oak,bl ack tuni c
 Nulb: This ramshackle gathering of outlaws, bandits,
river pirates, and thiele s lies about 30 miles down the
eastern road from Hontnrlet. Despite its dilapidated state,
DefeatingLareth endsthe threat of the moathouse.While the turf and mud brick lillage holds roughly 100 das"
the PCs might still have a few loose ends to tie up (such as tardly souls loval to the i.ri.qhestbidder. Any investigation
the treacheroustraders in Hommlet), the downfall of the of the return of the 1'ernple of Elemental Evil must begin
evil priest concludesthe action ofthis adventure. here, among the cutpurses and cr,rtthroatsof Nulb.
Temple of Elemental Evil: The magnificent ruins
Wurnr Do Wr Go of the temple stand a fen miles south of Nulb, choked by
weeds and brambles. Bandirs loval to the cult occupy these
FROM HTNT? ruins, guarding against casual intruders rvhile maintain-
Ofcourse, suspicious characters have plenty ofreasons to ing the facade ofdisuse.
believe that the evil rising around Hommlet is far from Beneath the surface. ho'rrer er. a vast dungeon com-
over. Ifyou'l'vant to expand this adventure into a campaign plex teems vrith cultists and horrible rnonsters.Four rival
arc, consider the following options: temples, each dedicated to one of the principle elements
Cult Agents: The PCs'actions in Hommlet and the of Earth, Air. Fire. and \\'ater. r ie for conrrol of the or.erall
moathouse do not go unnoticed by Lareth's masters. A temple. Mearrn'hile. the high lords of tl.recult plot to unleash
few weeks after the overthrow of the New Master. the PCs a powerful demon in.rprisoned in the dungeon's depths.
and their friends are targeted by spies, thieves, or assas- Overthrou'ing the entire temple should be a mas-
sins seeking to learn more about*or end the lives of--the sive undertaking. re quiring manl sessions and several
adventurers responsible for Lareth's defeat. These attacks levels ofplay..
continue over the course of the next few months, until the
PCs realize they must take action. The foes could take a
number of forms, depending on your campaign:
+ A doppelganger sneak (Monster Manual, page
71) poses as a sageinterested in learning what- AUTHOR'S NOTE
ever the PCs discovered in the moathouse, Fi rst, I have to confess,I never ow ned the or iginal
particularly any clues that would lead them to Villageof Hommlet.
meddle in the affairs oflareth's masters. By the time I got into D&D in 1981,therewere (at least
* A squad ofhobgoblin soldiers led by a it seemed)plenty of other adventuresto choosefrom. Since
hobgoblin commander (Monster Manual, my youthfulDM exuberanceran to dungeons,not villages,
pages139-140)beginsattackingmer- I neverbotheredto pick it up (thoughthe Jeff Dee ghouls
,. chantsnear Hommlet, hoping to on the coveralwaysintrigued me).
draw the PCs into an ambush. But when TheTemple of Elemental
Evilcame out in 1 985,
'
+ Agang of I grabbedit immediatelyas the foundationof my next D&D
zombiesand campaign.I carriedit to ChinookMiddle Schooleverydayfor
zombierot- week to studyits pagesbetweenassignments. I wrote up elab-
ters(seepagel4 orateversionsof the Nodes(whichI stillhavein a plasticbinder
for statistics) that proudlyproclaims"By Andy Collinswith GaryGygaxand
I,. { wan-
d e rs i n to th e FrankMentzer").And yes,I namedeverysinglepersonin the
f vi l l age,
attacking village,just like Garysuggestedin the Introduction.
d -k ' everyone
q& th e ys e e Whi. le My game group sti l l tal ks about that campaign.We
P the PCslight off the rememberwhen Ratheofthe halflingthief got his hands
', a tta c k u. p J i I-of rl " fl i ng choppedoff by a trap while he was exploringthe dungeon
darkblades(Monster by himself (my brother Greg wanted to find "Christmas
Manual,page250) presents"for the other characters). We rememberBreygon
rifle through their the cavalier wadingthroughenemieswith Scathen the sword
quarters. of answering. But mostof all,we remembercountlesshours
of action,dice-rolling, roleplaying,
and laughter.
* A cadre of
So whether you're returningto the villageafter a long
snaketongue
absenceor visitingfor the first time, welcometo Hommlet
cultists (Monster
. . . and bewarethe giant frogsl
Manual,page
-A n dv Collins
272) sneaksinto
Hommlet at night
to attackthe PCs.
 !ri
: i' rl l a :
i,,:....,
,,f,
L .,. i r,'
:i

.wi:'
,:h
 '.::

-iiil": '.. '

"
,...
.. '- l ' '

*,
t''

:..

jr "l'
h
 :

.j
.:

",::j

",..:.
,

t:
;
i'
j ,;
1i
L
l-'
.':

j
 =r.'
'l

'l
;1

:,

:
?.],-
i;

:;;1, . .:.
.,,.,1;.
. :i::ar. r-

:'i.' . ',: .
-, . . * , .. . .-.t -

:
 a

$\
Ita 1-

g.tf,

'€

i;

:e'

-'t.J
a, -u

ti
a:

#
!&r.-.
 ,J

i;.
'.'r
'":
.. I

-il ,il.

"r.;'t'

#
.#
.9.

i #
,&,

]
.ai t'i

:
--a-::-
a-: :

F=:
 ET
ffiffiw
-.:f--tr:H:
.
.:..-..
#ff*
h%
'r #l I

71
I I
71

Io
lt

=+ - =*B
Ffu I
ll
r- )t q' E-tt I

I
F. -{
;-rYn
tL it F", ;d- |
;i1:3j
s
I

?4
-@F-

3 ;&; w I7//
I
)

IF_ffi
iffiI

ES F. tu 4
M# ffi***g
 :'.
.r:=:: l
f5,
.:..:.::.
.:::a-.

EvtL
Nffr Etcr
Hommlet has grou'n np aror.rntla crossroads.Once far lrom
any important acti\ irr. iire lillaqe became embroiled in the
struggle betl-een gods .urd Frinrordlals u-hen the Temple
of Elemental Evil arose br.rta til Ieaguesau'av Luckily for
the lemple and its evii hordeswere
the r.illage'sinhabitar.rts.
destroyed a decade aqo. but Ilonrrnlet still suffers from in-
cursionsof'banditsand strangerronsters.. . .

TheVillageof Hornrrrlctis clesignedfor fir'e characters of 4th

level and is inspired br Gan Gr-gar'sclassic adventure of
the same name. This Drrcrors * DRecoNs@ adventure
includes a full-color battle map. readr'-to-playencounters,
and informatiorr or.rthe \-illage of Hommlet-an excellent
baseof operationsfbr heroic-tiercharacters.

,,'
.,

ffi
'=iln?,'13,"t,5; @