Unnatural Selection
[comments:(4), views:(6523), rating:(9.0)]

Author: Keven Simmons
Homepage:
System: AD&D 2nd Edition
Type: Scenario
Category: Fantasy
Requirements: characters level 6-10

Graphic: Overview
Graphic: Radcliff
Graphic: Temple
Graphic: Tower

*******************************************************************************
Unnatural Selection , an AD&D adventure for characters level 6-10
*******************************************************************************

This module is designed for use with the AD&D(tm) game from TSR, Inc. and contains references to trademarks and/or copyrighted material owned by that company. The original portions of this works are (c) copyright 1998 by Keven Simmons and is being offered free of charge under the following conditions:

1) You may not sell this material for your own profit
2) If this material is redistributed, either electronically or in printed form, it must include this copyright notice.
3) You may modify details of this material for your own purposes, but only the original can be redistributed.

or via the internet to: KevenSimmons@HisEmail.com
*******************************************************************************

This material may contain references to non-standard TSR monsters, spells and magic items. If you would like information on some specific spell, item or monster used in this module, write or e-mail me at the above addresses. Much of this info I have only in hardcopy form but I will do my best to accommodate you.

Feel free to make modifications as you deem necessary in order to make the module playable in your campaign. If the GIF-format maps for this adventure were not included, or you are unable to read them, I will provide paper copies free of charge to anyone who sends a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the address above. Please mention the module name (and version number if applicable) when requesting maps.

abbreviations and other notations used:

• th or thaco = to hit armor class 0
• hd = hit dice
• hp = hit points
• ac = armor class
• d = damage
• mr = magic resistance
• loe = level of effect (for magic spells)
• str = strength
• con = constitution
• dex = dexterity
• int = intelligence
• wis = wisdom
• chr = charisma
• pp = pick pockets
• ol = open locks
• frt = find / remove traps
• hs = hide in shadows
• ms = move silently
• hn = hear noise
• cw = climb walls
• rl = read languages

Some spells, magic items or monsters may have a notation following them similar to this: find familiar [P 134]. The information in the brackets is a book and page number reference for locating the item's description. The following are the book abbreviations used in these references:

• P = Player's Handbook (2nd edition, first printing)
• T = Tome of Magic
• D = Dungeon Master's Guide
• A = Unearthed Arcana
• M = Monster Manual
• F = Fiend Folio
• S = Monster Manual II (first edition)
• C = Creature Catalog Supplements
• K = my own compiled reference manuals

If you eventually use this module, I would like to hear how it turned out.

enjoy!
---keven

*******************************************************************************

Background
The newly revived priesthood of Pestula has been gaining followers in record numbers since the sudden reappearance of the ancient High Priest Melengar. His efforts to expand the influence of the dark goddess upon the face of Haret have met with much success and he has formed several loose alliances with other powerful beings and organizations. Once of his more fruitful collaborations has been with the necromancer Mephista and the transmuter Andamacles.

Mephista was one of Melengar's earliest recruits. When Melengar approached her about joining his legion of death, she had just recently lost her brother and their school of necromancy to a force of heroes and she was more than willing to take him up on his offer. For several months she worked in the service of Pestula's priesthood at their hidden headquarters beneath the ruins of the ancient fortress of Deathshead. Travel to and from the remote mountain location was, by design, arduous and it was Mephista who suggested to the High Priest that they attempt to enlist the services of Andamacles in creating a flying mount that they could use to make their travel quicker and easier.

Andamacles' is a wizard of some renown whose expertise is in the field of Combinatory Bio-Transmogrification; the creation of new life forms through the melding of two previously distinct creatures. Historically, attempts at this sort of magic produced less than remarkable results. The creatures created usually died within hours, and those that survived were invariably sterile. The inability to breed the new creatures meant that the expensive process of their creation remained little more than an academic exercise. Andamacles' obsession was to overcome the sterility factor, and he devoted most of his life's work toward unlocking the secret but even after years of study and research he remained unable to overcome that obstacle.

When Mephista first approached Andamacles, he expressed little interest in taking on the commission. While he was not morally opposed to working for Melengar or the priesthood of Pestula, he simply did not want to waste his time on what he considered to be a trivial undertaking. He also explained to Mephista that even if he were to create such a beast, she would not be able to breed them in the numbers that she desired because of the inherent limitations in the alteration process. Realizing that the obsessive wizard could not be bought with promises of fortune or fame, Mephista struck upon an idea. In return for his services, she offered to collaborate with him on solving the sterility problem. At first, Andamacles was reluctant to include an outsider in his life's work, but Mephista made a convincing argument. Part of the problem, she proposed, could lie in the fact that as a transmuter, he lacked an understanding of necromantic magics. While most often associated with spells of death, a necromancer also has an intimate knowledge of the life functions of living organisms. Perhaps by combining their skills, she reasoned, they could overcome the impediment that plagued his work. Faced with the possibility of success after so many years of failure, Andamacles agreed and their collaboration began.

The Collaboration Bears Fruit
Several attempts were made before a viable creature was produced, but after nearly a year of working together at Andamacles' remote research tower, the pair of wizards succeeded in creating a non-sterile crossbreed of two completely separate species (a rabbit and a duck). In the months that followed their initial success, they conducted many more experiments, combining a multitude of creatures, all of which were turned loose in the surrounding forest after they were no longer needed.

Having developed and proven the bio-combinatory techniques necessary to create new, viable species, Mephista and Andamacles turned their attention to creating a new flying mount. The first order of business was to decide what attributes were desired in the new creature, and to select the appropriate combinatory stock. The creature needed to be strong enough to carry a fully armored warrior and be able to fly at night without difficulty. Ideally it should have limited intelligence so as to prevent it from rebelling against its masters, should have some offensive abilities of its own and given the nature of its intended owners, be somewhat resistant to poisons and disease. Given these requirements, they chose a horse and a bat for their initial genetic stock and after some initial failures, they succeeded in creating a pair of creatures that came very close to the desired design. Overjoyed at the success, Mephista named the creatures deathsteeds and returned with them in triumph to Melengar.

The high priest was equally pleased with the results and began to breed the deathsteeds in large numbers. He believed however that there were aspects of the creature that could be improved, for example it proved no more resistant to poison or disease than a normal horse, and so he sent Mephista back to continue her work with Andamacles hoping that a "greater" deathsteed could be produced to add to his growing army. Spurred by his success, Andamacles had no reservations about continuing his experiments using the new magical process irregardless of the nature of his sponsor, or the uses to which the results would be put.

Melengar Strikes
While Melengar was greatly pleased with the successes Mephista and Andamacles were having, he was also concerned that their activity might draw unwanted attention. The appearance of strange, new monsters had already started to create rumors that were sure to draw unwanted adventurers and monster hunters to the area. What was needed was a diversion that would not only draw attention away from Andamacles' and Mephista's work, but would also further his own agenda. Toward that end, he introduced a virulent plague in several villages near where the strange monsters had been sighted. This disease spread rapidly, killing many of the eye-witnesses and serve to deter the casually curious from visiting the area.

Simply introducing the disease however was not going to be enough, for Melengar knew that a large temple to Dionus lay in the town of Rhadcliff, only a few days journey away from Andamacles' tower. Not only would the priests there be certain to send some of their members out to combat the plague, but the altar at their temple had been enchanted as a focus (per Tome of Magic ™) for a cure disease spell so that anyone visiting the temple would immediately be cured of any illness. Thus those contracting the disease would simply need to make a pilgrimage to the temple to be made well again. Melengar therefore needed to neutralize the threat the temple posed to his plan. He anticipated the temple's initial response of sending priests to visit the afflicted villages and laid several ambushes for them. These attacks were completely unexpected and in this manner several groups of priests were waylaid and killed before anyone at the temple began to consider the possibility of a greater threat or conspiracy.

With the temple at Rhadcliff thus understaffed and underprotected, Melengar sent a force of his unholy warriors, the Defilers to lay siege to the temple, and destroy it if possible. Along with the Defiler's he sent one of his most powerful minions, a glabrezu tanar'ri that recently arrived through a newly opened planar portal at Deathshead, Melengar's stronghold . The glabrezu was given orders to conceal his true form whenever possible, and so it accompanied the Defilers polymorphed into the form of a wyvern. Even though they were taken by surprise, the priests at the temple were able to hold off their attackers long enough to barricade themselves in a portion of the temple and enchanted the entrances with magical wards. After several unsuccessful attempts to break through the wards, the Defilers instead laid siege to the building.

Enter the Party
There are several ways to introduce this adventure into an ongoing campaign. If this is being played as a sequel to the Vault of Evil Opened, then rumors could reach them that a man bearing a skull-topped rod was travelling through the countryside spreading sickness and disease. If one of the PCs is allied with the priesthood of Dionus, they may have heard of the attack on the temple at Rhadcliff and want to ride to the rescue of the besieged priests; or they may be hired by priests of Dionus at another temple to do the same. They may have been sent by a sage to gather information concerning the strange new monsters that have appeared in the area, or they may just be passing through the area unaware of the turmoil they are about to encounter. The boxed text and encounter descriptions that follow will assume that the following adventure hook is used…

Rumors have been filtering in concerning a particularly virulent plague that has devastated many villages in the Duchy of Montbank to the north. Many traders and peddlers have brought back stories of entire villages wiped out, although you have not yet heard any eye-witness accounts. Even so, if things are only half as bad as the stories then the epidemic could pose a serious threat to the entire kingdom if it spreads. To make matters worse, the chaos caused by the plague has spawned roving bands of bandits and looters who have begun to prey on the unfortunate survivors. Duke Mallory Montbank has attempted to put down these bandits with his own military forces, but his army was small to begin with, and has itself been severely depleted by the disease. The local temple of Dionus, goddess of health and fertility, has organized several shipments of medical supplies and medicines over the past few weeks, but one or more of the bandit groups have been ambushing the caravans and apparently selling the stolen medicine at exorbitant prices. Local rumormongers also claim that the priests have lost contact with their temple at Rhadcliff and so it comes as little surprise when your group receives a letter from Persephone, the local high priestess of Dionus humbly requesting your presence. Upon arriving at the temple, you are shown almost immediately to Persephone's chambers where she appears to be hard at work at her writing desk. After sending her attendant to fetch some wine, bread and cheese she leads you to at a large conference table in an adjoining room where she makes her plea for help.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to see me. I am sure you have heard the rumors of the plague to the north, and perhaps are aware of our recent efforts to sent supplies and medicine to help contain the disease. So far, I fear our endeavors have met with very little success and without your assistance, I suspect the situation will continue to worsen with every passing day. I believe that our caravans are being ambushed and the supplies stolen by some group of highwaymen grown overly bold, but we cannot confirm our suspicions. We have recently sent messengers to our temple at Rhadcliff to ascertain if the supplies reached them, but the messengers themselves have not returned. While bandits might profit from raiding a supply shipment, it seems unlikely that they would waste their time waylaying individual travelers with no discernable valuables. Whatever the reason, we are currently out of contact with our temple there, and cannot coordinate our activities in combating the plague. I am asking you now for your help in resolving this matter by accompanying our next shipment of supplies to our sisters and brothers at Rhadcliff. If our difficulties are simply caused by a disorganized band of outlaws, it should be an easy assignment for a group of your abilities; I have an uneasy fear however that something more sinister is at work and if this is the case it may prove to be a far more dangerous mission. I pray that you will agree to help, not only for our sake but perhaps for the sake of the entire kingdom."

If the PCs are not cast from the "altruistic hero" mold, then Persephone will offer them future spellcasting services in exchange for their assistance. A high level group of adventurers are often in need of resurrections or restorations and should hopefully agree to these terms.

The Caravan
The supply caravan consists of two small covered wagons full of clean linens, soap and many boxes of healing herbs, salves, jars of ointments and non-magical medicine. There is also one large, locked chest containing 30 magical potions of cure disease packed in fleece. The wagons are each pulled by a team of two horses, and another two teams are tethered along behind. The horses are rotated in and out of draft duty several times during the day to prevent them from becoming too tired. In addition to the PCs, there are 6 others along. One is a 5th level priest called Lenore and the other are common (0?level) laborers hired to drive the wagons and tend the horses. They have been instructed to avoid contact with anyone outside of the caravan crew so as to reduce the chance of becoming infected by the plague. Because the source of the sickness has not yet been identified, all of the workers and the horses eat only food either magically created or purified by Lenore. The PCs are not bound by these restrictions, but they may decide such a course of action is prudent and follow the same strictures. Because of the dangerous nature of the journey, the workers have been supplied with studded leather armor and small daggers although none of them are trained fighters and are not expected to defend the caravan should it fall under attack.

The Trip
Encounter #1 - The Quarantine
The following can be read or paraphrased to the players…

Travel so far has been uneventful, although the plague is the key topic of conversation at almost every inn you have stayed. There are plenty of rumors concerning the disease and what is going on in the stricken territories, but so far you have not met anyone with any first hand knowledge. Lenore has asked you to keep quiet about the mission and the contents of the wagons in case the brigands have informants watching the roads for travelers. Considering similar precautions were taken on previous shipments it seems unlikely that such measures will somehow prove useful this time, but you have agreed to attempt to keep a low profile. The last village you passed through is several miles distant when the road you are traveling is intersected by another. A weathered signpost standing off to the side indicates that the town of Rhadcliff lies 21 leagues ahead. About 20 yards down that road however, is a split-rail fence running across the full width of the roadway. To the side, and slightly in front of this roadblock are several makeshift lean-to's arranged around a large cook fire outfitted with an iron spit and cauldron. Behind the lean-tos you can see a picket line of about a dozen horses and several low wagons covered with oiled tarpaulins. There are 8 men relaxing around the bivouac, all wearing the same dark green tabard over their chain-mail armor. Long swords are strapped at their side, or hang from nearby pegs on the lean-tos' walls as do short bows and quivers full of arrows. One of the men approaching you in a purposeful manner and calls out: "Good-day neighbors, where might your business be taking you today?"

The men are soldiers in Duke Mallory Montbank's standing army. They have been posted here to dissuade travelers from entering into the plague-ridden land. They also have a less pleasant mandate, which is to forcibly prevent anyone from leaving the area. While the Duke is generally considered to be a just and sympathetic ruler, the virulence of the plague has forced him to take drastic measures in an attempt to contain its spread. He has posted guards like this at every roadway leading into the infected area and have given them the unpleasant orders to kill anyone attempting to break the quarantine. Given the size of the containment area, it is next to impossible to prevent someone from sneaking out if they avoid taking the roads, but the mere fact that the order has been given has helped prevent a mass exodus.

The captain of the post, John Windham, will do his best to talk the PCs out of entering the area, but he will not attempt to physically prevent them from doing so if they insist. He will warn them however that once inside the quarantine, he is under orders to keep them from leaving even if it means killing them. While the PCs and the captain are conversing, one of the other soldiers shouts a warning.

Read or paraphrase the following to the players; their actions may alter the way the scene plays out, but if they take no action then the events will occur as written…

The post-captain has been doing his best to talk you out of proceeding into the quarantined area when suddenly one of his men calls out "Cap'n, we got breakers coming!". Excusing himself in mid sentence, the captain turns and hurries toward the roadblock. The other soldiers too are suddenly on alert, most of them grabbing bows and quivers from where they hang. About 50 yards down the road from the roadblock you can see man in peasant's garb leading a small gray donkey. There appears to be another person, a woman from her dress, draped over the donkey's back who is either dead or unconscious. The captain calls out to the traveler: "You there, with the donkey. I order you to return to your home immediately under the authority of Duke Mallory Montbank. If you do not obey I am ordered to prevent you from passing this roadblock by any means necessary up to, and including your death." The man either does not hear the captain's warning or has chosen to ignore it for he continues forward without slowing. Once, again the captain calls out to the approaching man, and as he does the other soldiers begin nocking their bows and taking aim. The man, is now barely 20 yards away and you can see that he is not well. His face is sallow, his eyes rheumy and sunken and his clothes hang on his emaciated body like castoffs on a scarecrow. After a third warning, which again goes unheeded, the captain gives the signal to fire, and the soldiers let fly their arrows. As they do, Lenore lets out a cry of dismay and begin to run forward yelling for them to stop. All the arrows hit their mark and the man crumples to the ground, his hand still wound around the donkey's rope lead. The captain grabs Lenore, preventing her from climbing over the barricade while the soldiers nock their bows a second time and proceed to shoot the donkey who likewise falls dead in the road. As the soldiers slowly lower their bows and turn around, they have a look of both dismay and resignation. They are obviously not happy with the events that transpired, and from their manner you can tell it is not the first time they have had to perform this sad duty. Lenore has shaken off the captain's grip, and is berating him for his actions. "You idiot," she cries, "I am a priestess, I could have saved them if you had given me the chance. You're no better than a common murderer; an assassin for hire." "I know, " he says quietly, "but it's what I have to do. If more lives are saved because of my actions, then the cost, however high, must be paid"

If the PCs do not interfere, the soldiers will carry several skins of oil over to where the bodies lie, soak them down and set them ablaze. Eventually, when the fire burns down, they will shovel the remains into a nearby pit.

These events could unfold in many different ways depending on the actions (or inaction) of the PCs. If they prevent the man (Gil Farnam) from being shot down by the soldiers and interrogated him, he will be found to be delirious and in the final stages of the disease. The person draped across the donkey is his wife (Clara), and has been dead for at least a day, perhaps two, although Gil doesn't seem to be aware of this fact. If magically cured of the disease, the man will still require 24 hour attention for at least 3 days before he gains back enough strength to survive. He is seriously malnourished and dehydrated and even after 3 days, will not be strong enough to travel unaided. The captain will refuse to keep him at the guard post, insisting that since the PCs saved his life, they are responsible for his continued care and well being. The man came from Barleyton, a small village about 3 miles down the road.

Even if Gil is apparently cured of the disease, Captain John will not let him leave the quarantine (nor the PCs either if they tended the sick man). Even attempting to argue that the magical curing would ensure he no longer carried the disease will not sway the soldier. While he believes in the power of the gods, he knows that there is a sizable temple to Dionus deep within the quarantined area, and if the priests there could not prevent the spread of the disease, what guarantees could the PCs make that their magic is any better.

Encounter #2 - The Plague
The following can be read or paraphrased to the players…

The first few miles of travel into the quarantined lands don't reveal anything out of the ordinary and you see nothing to distinguish it from the road leading up to the roadblock. The land is lightly wooded with the occasional section of open field. You often catch sight of a cottage or farmhouse in the distance, and see livestock apparently grazing contentedly in their pastures. You even see the occasional farmer working around his homestead. It isn't until you approach the village of Barlyton that you begin to see the first indications that things are not right. At least a dozen buildings have burned to the ground, although obviously not from the same fire as they are scattered throughout the town with undamaged buildings in between.. There is no sign of an inn or tavern, although the large pile of charred debris near the center of town could very well have been such an establishment at one time. The street is deserted and you begin to think that it has been abandoned when you see a man in peasant garb hurry across the road about 40 yards ahead of you carrying a large bundle. When he sees you, his step quickens and he practically runs to a nearby cottage. He quickly slips inside and shuts the door behind him. As you get closer, you see that all the windows have been boarded up.

The man is Asa the Cobbler. The cottage he has hurried into is his shop and home where he lives with his wife (Anna) and two young daughters (Abby and Arial). They, like most people living within the plague territory have isolated themselves from almost all contact with others, hoping to avoid contracting the dreaded disease. He leaves the house occasionally to get fresh water from a nearby stream, and to gather whatever food he can find that seems safe. Just now he has returned from his brother-in-law's farm with some dried ham and cheese. He barred the door to his cottage behind him, so any conversation the PCs wish to have will have to be conducted through the door. Asa will not open the door, even to someone claiming to be a priest or healer. So far, none of his family has become sick and he will not risk their lives on the word of a stranger. If he is not threatened, he will relate two or three of the rumors listed below.

As the PCs continue their journey through the plague-ridden lands, they will pass through other villages like Barleyton and will encounter others like Asa and his family. Isolation is the preferred method for avoiding the sickness and the PCs may have a difficult time getting people to talk to them except at a distance. All the inns and taverns are closed, and in most cases boarded up to deter looting. When a family does contract the disease, their home is almost always burned to the ground after their death, although fear has sometimes driven their neighbors to this action prematurely (see encounter #3).

Rumors
There are bandits roaming the countryside looting and pillaging villages hardest hit by the plague. (true)

The bandits are immune to the disease and/or are helping to spread it. (false)

More than half the population of the area has been killed by the plague (false, it is closer to 25%, although because many people have locked themselves in their homes, or have abandoned the area, it seems like more)

The disease is being caused by bizarre monsters which have come out of the Dark Forest. (false, there are bizarre creatures coming out of the forest, but they do not carry the disease)

Winged demons prowl the skies at night bringing the plague. (partly true, some of the Defilers on their deathsteeds have been sighted, but they are not directly responsible for spreading the disease).

The sickness is an unnatural affliction, magical in nature. (false-although initially introduced through Pestula's divine intervention, the sickness itself is not magical).

A vampire woman has been stalking the night, claiming the unwary as prey (partly true-Mephista has been abroad on occasion and has killed or abducted people for use in her necromantic studies.)

The sickness is always fatal (false-about 20% of those who contract the disease survive, although their symptoms may linger for weeks, making it seem like they are still infected)

The sickness cannot be cured even by magic (false. a cure disease spell, or similar magic, will cure someone with the disease but it does not protect them from contracting it again which is likely to happen given its highly infectious nature.)

Encounter #3 - The Pyre
The following can be read or paraphrased to the players…

You are nearing the end of your first day of travel through the plague-ridden lands; a journey which has been disheartening, particularly for Lenore who has spoken little since crossing the quarantine. So far, she has put up a brave front but you tell from the sadness in her eyes that the journey has taken a substantial emotional toll upon the young priestess. You are just passing through a small village whose name you do not know, when you spy a plume of dark smoke rising from a point about 300 yards to the right. As the size of the billowing cloud of smoke increases, the smell of burning wood and hay reaches you and you begin to hear the shouting of several voices coming from the same general direction. As you ride around a corner, you see a group of a dozen men gathered in the street next to a cottage whose thatched roof is burning . Many of the men carry buckets full of water, but none of them appear to be making any attempt to quell the flames. As you ride closer, they notice your approach and slowly back away, keeping an eye on both your party and the burning house. Suddenly you realize that there is muffled screaming coming from inside the cottage; cries for help from at least two different people can be heard. You also notice that heavy planking has been nailed across the cottage door, effectively sealing it closed.

The cottage belongs to the Hobarson's; Yancy, his wife Jullianne and their young son Henry (8 yrs old). Yancy contracted the disease several days ago, and lies near death. The other villages, fearing that the sickness will spread further, barricaded the Hobarsons in their home and set it aflame. The villagers are not, by nature evil men, but are simply driven to extreme measures by their own fear. They will half-heartedly protest any attempts to extinguish the fire or rescue those trapped inside arguing that it is better that a few die now if it can prevent the rest of the town from becoming infected. They will flee from any direct confrontation. The PCs have about 5 minutes to rescue the Hobarsons before they die within their premature funeral pyre.

Encounter #4 - Bandits
The following can be read or paraphrased to the players…

You are travelling through some hilly terrain that is mostly uninhabited. There are wooded areas, interspersed with fields of bramble and heavy brush. While the land around it looks rough and difficult to traverse, the road you are on has been well maintained and is easy to travel.

The road at this point skirts a hillock atop which lies a hidden watch-post. Stationed there are two bandits, members of a newly formed band of outlaws that has been looting villages and waylaying travelers. When the party is spotted, one of the lookouts will descend the hill on the side away from the party and warn the rest of the band that new victims are approaching. The group will then take up positions at a strategic ambush site and wait for the party to pass by. Because the bandits are forewarned of the party's approach, and are already in position, they cannot be surprised. They PCs however will be surprised on a roll of 1-8 in 10.

In more typical times, a band of highwaymen would likely attempt to force the travelers to turn over their valuables without resorting to violence, partly to avoid being injured themselves, but also because murderers tend to be tracked down more persistently than are simple thieves. In the chaos of the current situation however, this group has nothing to lose by killing those they rob since the disappearance of their victims is as likely to be attributed to the plague as to an act of violence. Their tactics are therefore to wait until the travelers reach a point where the road runs down the center of a narrow gully, and then attack with arrows from a safe distance.

The bandits were gathered together by Instanti, a priest of Igoft who saw the plague as a great opportunity to increase his own wealth and power. His ability to cure disease has allowed him to keep his band of cutthroats free from the sickness, and they have been able to profit greatly from their activities. While they did attack and rob one of the supply shipments from Persephone's temple (which was the source of their stockpile of cure disease potions) they did not waylay the other shipments, nor have they ambushed the missing messengers. These met their unfortunate fate at the hands of the Defilers at Rhadcliff.

After being ambushed, the PCs may be tempted to kill all of the bandits but if they do so they may lose the opportunity to gather some important pieces of information. Because the bandits have been able to move about the plague-ridden lands in relative safety, they know more about the current state of affairs in the area than almost anyone. A brief synopsis of what can be learned from Instanti and his highwaymen follows; this information is best revealed through a roleplayed interrogation, but the DM may present it verbatim if desired.

Contrary to many of the rumors, they did not cause the disease, nor have they actively attempted to spread it. They know that the temple to Dionus at Rhadcliff was attacked several weeks ago by a military force of unknown origin and that this same group is now living at the temple. Instanti had at one point thought that he might be forced into a confrontation with this other group, but so far they have not infringed at all upon the bandits' activities, and so Instanti has left them alone. They have also heard that the group was accompanied by a dragon, but they do not believe this rumor to be true. Shortly before the plague first broke out, there were stories of strange creatures attacking farms bordering on the Dark Forest but none of them have any specific information beyond that. They did attack one shipment of supplies destined for Rhadcliff, but only one. They do not know what happened to the other shipments.

The bandits' camp is about a mile away from the ambush site and consists of a collection of shacks and lean-to's. The group's treasury is stored in two metal chests which are kept in Instanti's shack. They are locked, and trapped with glyphs of warding that blind anyone attempting to open them.

chest #1:
25 bags of silver coins (100 each),
12 bags of gold (100 each),
2 bags of platinum (100 each)

chest #2:
5 bags of gems sorted in size and value totaling 1,300gp,
3 bags of jewelry with a total value of 2,200gp,
15 potions of cure disease

Bandits (18)
The bandits are all normal 4th level mercenary fighters. They have above average hit points, are armored in plate mail and shield and are assumed to be specialized in their primary melee weapon (typically long sword). Most of them are also proficient with dagger and short bow. Each bandit carries 100-600gp in miscellaneous coins and gems.

Encounter #5 - Boarcupine

You are traveling through a region of farms and fields separated by thick hedgerows and tall stone walls. The nearer you get to Rhadcliff, which you now believe to be only a day's journey ahead of you, the more deserted the land becomes. There are far more abandoned farmhouses than there are inhabited ones and the silence of these empty dwellings weighs heavily on you. Thus you are quite startled by a sudden grunting and snuffling noise coming from the other side of the tall hedgerow running alongside the road. The creature sounds like a little like a large pig or boar but much deeper and louder than you have ever heard before. Before you have time to think much more about it, a huge animal crashes through the hedge and barrels into the side of your party. It is immediately apparent that this is some monstrous creature, for it stands nearly 6 feet tall. While it is vaguely shaped like a wild boar, sporting a pig-like snout and two yellowed tusks, it's body is completely covered with long, sharp quills.

The boarcupine is one of Andamacles' earlier creations. It combines the physical aspects of a giant boar and a porcupine. The creature is highly territorial, and immediately attacks anyone that infringes upon its turf. It can attack with it's sharp tusks as well as by slapping with its quill covered tail although the latter attack can only be directed against targets to its rear and flanks. The quills that cover its body also afford it a high level of protection from most weapons, and can cause serious damage to anyone who gets too close. Anyone attacking the creature with short weapons (e.g. dagger, short sword, hand axe) is subject to another attack roll by the boarcupine which inflicts 1-6 hp damage if successful.

After two rounds of combat with the boarcupine, a second one (the mate of the first) will come charging down the road ahead of the party and join the melee. The creatures are not very intelligent, and will fight to the death.

Encounter #6 - Wings in the Night
The following encounter occurs near midnight on evening after the encounter with the boarcupines. The DM may select one or two of the PCs at random to be outside when the deathsteeds fly over. This is not intended to be a real encounter, and PCs wishing to pursue or otherwise intercept the flying creatures should be dissuaded from attempting it if possible. The following may be read or paraphrased to the player(s)…

You have settled in for the night in an abandoned farmhouse. While you feel a little like trespassers, it is obvious the former inhabitants are long gone, and you feel safer bedding down within four walls than you do making camp in open ground. While you have not encountered any more of the bizarre giant quilled pigs, it seems prudent to take whatever precautions you can to avoid being ambushed again. It is now well past sundown, and the clear night sky is full of stars. You are outside in the farmyard getting a breath of air before turning in when you hear the sound flapping wings approaching. It is hard to tell for sure, but it sounds like a small group of large creatures flying overhead as you scan the skies you catch a glimpse of a handful of dark shapes blotting out the stars. They appear to be larger than a horse but in the darkness it is impossible to see any details. As quickly as they appeared, the creatures flap off into the darkness again leaving you to stand alone in the silence of the night once again.

Encounter #7 - Gretchen
The following encounter takes place at the small village of Redgrove. This small collection of cottages is only an hour's journey away from the larger town of Rhadcliff, but it is nearly sundown when the PCs arrive and they are unsure of the distance left ahead of them. The following can be read or paraphrased to the players…

You had fully expected to reach the town of Rhadcliff by now, but the small village you have just entered cannot possibly be it. The day has been particularly draining, both physically and emotionally. You traveled the entire day without seeing one other living soul. Every cottage and farmhouse you passed was abandoned; some left behind by the living as they fled the plague ravaged land, and others left by the dead whose corpses can often be found lying in their sickbeds. Lenore has suggested that perhaps those who have avoided the sickness might have congregated at the temple for mutual support and protection, but her voice lacks conviction. Since the sun is just starting to slip below the hilltops, you decide to find an empty cottage here and travel the rest of the way to Rhadcliff at first light. You are just about to try to door of one of the larger homes when a woman's voice from behind you nearly startles you out of your skin…

"Here you!", the voice says. "If you be looter's you'd best be clearing out of here right quick or you'll soon be feeling the business end of this here magic wand." Turning around you see an older woman with graying hair standing defiantly in the doorway of a small cottage across the street. In her hand she hold a thin wand which is currently pointed directly at you.

The woman is Gretchen, the last inhabitant of Redgrove. Once she has been convinced of the PCs good intentions, she will quickly usher them into her cottage. She appears in both manner and dress to be a normal peasant woman, but she is in fact an accomplished witch. She has lived in Redgrove nearly all her life serving the village as healer, midwife and occasional fortune teller. Her small cottage is full of dried herbs, pots, jars, vials, cookware and assorted knickknacks; characters knowledgeable in alchemy will correctly determine that many of the ingredients that fill her shelves are components in brewing magical potions.

Gretchen is the party's first real source of good information about the plague and the events leading up to it and she is more than willing to share her knowledge. What follows is a summary of the facts as she knows them, as well as her suspicions. This information is best revealed through a role-played conversation between her and the PC's…

About 4 months ago, several strange creatures were seen around the edges of the Dark Forest. She did not speak to anyone who saw them firsthand, but the rumors claimed that they were bizarre mutations of normal animals; deer with wings, sheep with claws like a badger, giant ravens with goat-like horns, etc. There were even reports of some livestock being attacked and killed by these unnatural beasts but the plague broke out before any sort of coordinated effort could be made to ascertain the truth behind their appearance. Gretchen suspects that the strange creatures were created by the wizard Andamacles who she knows lives several miles into the forest and has long been experimenting (unsuccessfully) with transmutational biology. She has no evidence that links the plague to the creatures, but the coincidence of their appearance seems suspicious to her. The plague first broke out in several small, outlying villages almost simultaneously. The priests at the temple of Dionus in Rhadcliff sent out several teams of healers to combat the plague, but most of them apparently failed to return for unknown reasons. By the time the priests realized that their missionaries had gone missing, the plague had spread to most of the populated areas in the region. Rhadcliff was particularly hard hit because of the large number of sick that traveled to the temple there in search of healing. Several weeks ago, Gretchen was out gathering night-blooms when she heard a flock of very large, winged creatures fly over headed towards Rhadcliff. It was overcast, so she could not see clearly what the creatures were, but they were definitely as big a horse and she thought she could hear the creak of leather. Later the next day, refugees started passing through her village headed away from Rhadcliff carrying stories of how the temple had been attacked in the night by a huge black dragon and a dozen or more baby dragons. When dawn came, they had clearly seen the beast perched atop the temple and seen scores of dead littered about the building. Within days, the town of Rhadcliff had been completed abandoned. Gretchen has not ventured into Rhadcliff to ascertain the truth of the situation fearing that if it were true, she would be an easy target. Instead she has chosen to remain in her village and do what she can to keep it safe from looters until the crisis has passed.

The PC's are welcome to stay in Redgrove for as long as they like. Gretchen can provide them with a general description of the layout of the town of Rhadcliff and where the temple can be found but she will not accompany them. Until the plague has been contained or eliminated, she sees no value in ridding the temple of its uninvited occupants, "if we're lucky," she says, "they'll all get sick and die on their own with no help from me".

Lenore will instruct the laborers who are accompanying the caravan to remain in Redgrove while she and the PCs proceed to the temple. Once she deems the area to safe, she will return to get them.

The Siege at Rhadcliff:
Rhadcliff
Rhadcliff was once a prosperous town of about 600 inhabitants built at the foot of a rocky outcropping a that extends for over a mile and rises to a height of nearly 75 feet above the town. The cliff face is composed of a pink colored granite that is used throughout the duchy as decorative construction material. Quarry camps can be found at many points along the cliff, some of which have their own tavern or other small businesses, but Rhadcliff is the only town in the area. The land at the top of the cliff is uninhabited and forms the southeastern edge of the Dark Forest.

While once bustling with activity, the town is now empty of life. Most of the structures in the town are still standing, although almost all have been emptied of valuables, either by departing residents or by looters. There are far fewer dead bodies to be found than has been seen in smaller villages, probably because before they became besieged, the priests at the temple ensured that the dead were properly disposed of in funeral pyres. The Defilers that occupy the temple rarely, if ever venture into town, having taken what they needed from it upon arriving. PC's wishing to establish a secure base of operations within the town should have no difficulty in finding an appropriate building in which they can stay.

The Siege
For the most part, those Defilers currently present at the temple remain indoors and out of sight. Almost every night, a patrol of Defilers will fly out from the temple and search the countryside for any signs of life. If they see an organized group of people (such as a group of refugees, or a caravan) they attack and kill everyone they can. In this way they hope to prolong the chaos caused by the plague and prevent any coordinated effort to combat it from getting started.

The glabrezu that accompanied the Defilers has remained polymorphed in the form of a wyvern and spends most it's time perched on top of the temple. It's primary task is to watch for any unexpected visitors to Rhadcliff and thus will not join the others on their nightly forays. If it sees anyone in the village, it will let out a warning cry to alert the Defilers and fly off to attack immediately. It will remain in its wyvern form unless it is wounded for more than 20% of its total hit points. At that point it will be enraged enough to abandon its disguise and attack with it's full range of abilities. If the glabrezu believes that it might lose the battle, it will attempt to gate in other tanar'ri to assist it.

The remaining priests of Dionus are most apt to be found in area (17) during the daytime. During the nighttime hours each of the priests take a turn at watch while the others sleep. It is unlikely that they will hear any sounds of combat taking place in the main temple hall and thus will not be active participants in breaking the siege.

After the Siege
After the siege at Rhadcliff has been broken and the Defilers and tanar'ri have been killed or driven off, the priests will give the PCs 4 uses of dust of appearance and a rope of climbing as a reward for their valiant efforts. They will then turn their attention to restoring the power of their altar and within a week their temple will once more be capable of curing disease. With the Defilers defeated, supplies and priests from other temples will be able to reach the quarantined area safely and they will slowly be able to rid the duchy of its affliction. While they are obviously concerned about the apparent collaboration between the priesthood of Pestula and the wizard Andamacles hinted at in Mephista's letter, their immediate concern is in eliminating the plague. Given the amount of the work necessary to accomplish this, they simply cannot spare any of their members for an intelligence-gathering mission to the Andamacles' tower and so will instead appeal to the PCs to undertake the task. If the PCs agree to investigate the wizards' activities and return with useful information, the priests will give them a ring of chameleon power and a ring of shocking grasp. If the PCs decide to accept the offer, Lenore will not be accompanying them; for now, her skills are more needed at the temple.

The Temple
The temple of Dionus is composed almost entirely of the rosy granite that is quarried from the nearby cliff. The central building is surrounded on three sides by a wide walkway lined with fluted columns which support a wooden, vine covered trellis which forming a sort of ceiling over the walkway.

(1) Front Doors
The front doors to the temple are constructed of thick wood and are carved with images of tangled, twisting vines and roses. They are kept closed, but cannot be locked.

(2) Side Doors
There are two short hallways on either side of the temple with a pair of doors at the end. One opens into the main worship area while the other leads to the head priests' living quarters. It is this latter set of doors that the priests have enchanted with a sympathetic ward (see end of module for spell description), preventing the Defilers and their tanar'ri companion from gaining complete control of the temple; unfortunately, it has effectively trapped the priests inside as well.

(3) Offertory
This large entry chamber was where pilgrims and supplicants left their offerings before entering the main temple. These gifts would typically have consisted of food, wine, linens, etc. but would sometimes include coins, gems or other more valuable offerings depending on the wealth, devotion or desperation of the petitioner. Several large tables stand against the walls above which once hung beautiful tapestries. The wall hangings have been burned away, and what offerings were here when the Defilers attacked have been looted.

(4) Main Hall
The large, central hall of the temple was very beautiful before the Defilers arrived. Colorful tapestries hung on the walls and pennants were strung between the columns. These decorations now lie in dirty heaps on the floor, with is also littered with other refuse and piles of deathsteed dung. Rope lines are now strung between the columns at shoulder height to which are tethered the Defiler's deathsteeds when they are not in use. The creatures are not particularly intelligent, but they do become nervous when they detect the presence of strangers and may begin screeching if alarmed.

(5) Altar
This altar once emanated an aura of magic that cured anyone entering the temple of any illness or disease. A large oval-shaped stone pedestal stands at the forefront of the raised platform and on it rests a life-sized statue of pure white marble. The image is that of a young girl with short hair dressed in a plain flowing robe. She faces out across the main hall in a pose of supplication, bent down on one knee with her head thrown back and her arms outstretched in front of her. The roof over the statue is open to the sky so that during the mid-day hours the statue is bathed in sunlight. When illuminated in this way, the contrast of the white marble against the darker rose-colored granite makes the statue seem to glow with it's own inner light.

Now, the altar has been desecrated by the Defilers and no longer holds any magic powers. The bodies of the eight priests that were killed during attack on the temple have been tossed haphazardly about the altar and left to rot. The statue has been covered with dung, blood and other unidentifiable substances but amazingly remains physically intact. The skylight above the statue is big enough to allow the glabrezu and the deathsteeds to fly in and out of the main hall, but the opening is not large enough, or positioned correctly to allow the Defilers to ride through on their mounts. They must

(6) Recovery Room
Visitors to the temple who were unable to leave immediately due to their condition were housed in this room. It contains simple beds with straw ticks and woolen linens. The underling Defilers have made this their bunkhouse and most can be found here during the daylight hours.

(7) Surgery
This room is where the priests of Dionus would tend to injured or afflicted pilgrims whose condition was not subject to the curative effects of their altar. The room has several beds with clean straw ticks covered with plain woolen linens. Chests placed about the room hold bandages, non-magical ointments, liniments, herbs, splints and other assorted medical supplies. The Defilers have left this room relatively intact in the event that they might need to take advantage of it.

(8) Library
Because the priesthood of Dionus does not emphasize scholarly pursuits, the temple did not maintain a very large library. Those few tomes and scrolls they did maintain were housed in this room on wooden shelves. The content of most of their texts pertain primarily to healing, herbalism and anatomy. The Defilers have thoroughly search the room for anything of value and left it in a state of disarray. Two small desks with drawers that once housed parchment, quills and ink have also been ransacked; their contents are spilled across the floor.

(9) Classroom
The priests used this room as both a chapel and a classroom of sorts. Three long benches are arranged in front of a low table covered with a cream-colored, gold embroidered linen. A silver chalice that once held holy water has been knocked to the floor but other than that the room is relatively untouched.

(10) Captains' Quarters
This room was used as living quarters by the priests before the temple was attacked. They now serve the same purpose for the three patrol captains of the Defiles stationed here.

(11) Leader's Quarters
Tuthor, the leader of the Defilers stationed at the temple has made this room his own. It was once used as living quarters by the temple priests and other than having the former occupants' belongings removed and burned, the room has been left if the same state as it was before Tuthor moved in.

(12) Mephista's Quarters
This room once served as living quarters for two of the temple priests. It is now used by Mephista when she makes one of her regular visits. She will not be present at the temple when the PCs arrive, but she has left behind enough of her personal affects that they will be able to determine that a female wizard has been staying here. There are two wooden chests containing clothing, some inexpensive spell components, and other non-valuable items. A plain wooden box resting on a small writing table however, contains the most important piece of information to be found at the temple. The box holds writing material and a sealed letter from Mephista to Melengar, the full text of which is included at the end of the module. Mephista had intended to leave the letter with one of the Defiler couriers that would then deliver it to her master, but she forgot to do so before returning to Andamacles' tower

(13) Priest's Quarters
Gruglach, the priest of Pestula assigned to this garrison has made this room his own. Given his level of experience, under other circumstances he would have been in charge of the mission but Mephista has usurped his usual role in this case. He hates her intensely for this, but he also knows how much of Melengar's favor she currently holds and so fears to act against her.

(14) Interior Hall
This curved interior hallway leads to the temple's offices and the living quarters used by the head priests. The doorways that open into the hallway from area (2) have been enchanted with a sympathetic ward (described at the end of the module) that will prevent anyone of other than chaotic good alignment from passing through. It is usually illuminated by oil lamps mounted on the wall, but the during the siege, the priests have opted to leave them unlit. The hallway is therefore quite dark, particularly when contrasted to the well lit exterior. The priests, who are likely to be found in area (17) are relatively alert, and will hear any loud noises in the hallway and come to investigate.

(15) Under-priest Quarters
This room is the living quarters for Youlan, one of the three surviving priests at the temple. Her room contains bed, chest of drawers with clothing and other normal items. A 2' high silver statue of a woman carrying an infant child sits on a small table in a corner of the room. The statue and table are sanctified holy items (similar to a holy symbol) and serves as Youlan's private alter. The room shows signs of having been used recently, but is empty when the PC's arrive at the temple.

(16) Meeting Room
The temple priests use this as a meeting room and audience chamber. There are nearly a dozen finely upholstered chairs arranged around a heavy oaken table.

(17) Head Priests Office / Quarters
Quenten, the head priest at the temple, uses these two rooms as office and living quarters. The inner room is separated from the outer office area by a heavy curtain and contains a bed and two wardrobes full of clothing.

The outer room holds a large wooden desk, several chairs, a table and 3 large chests. The chests, which contain the temple's treasury and other valuables, are locked and trapped with glyphs of warding that will strike unconscious for 1-4 turns anyone attempting to open them without speaking the proper words. The contents of the chests are:

1. small pouches filled with gold, silver and copper totaling about 23,000gp
2. small pouches with gems, jewelry cases with non-magical rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc worth a total of about 17,000 gp
3. wand of magic detection(23), 3 oil of elemental invulnerability-water, ring of chameleon power, ring of shocking grasp, wand of wonder (12), 4 dust of appearance, pipes of haunting, rope of climbing, wings of flying, dagger of venom, long sword [+1/+4 vs. reptiles], short sword of wounding.

Most of the temple's treasury was received in return for spellcasting services, and many of the magical items are of no particular use to the priests. They will give the PCs the dust of appearance, and rope of climbing as a reward for breaking the siege and will offer them the ring of chameleon power and ring of shocking grasp if they undertake the mission to Andamacle's tower (see "After the Siege" below).

(18) Kitchen
The priests have little need for a large kitchen and larder because of the amount of food they receive as offerings, and because they typically use their create food and water spells for most meals. This room holds a small stove with an oven, a small supply of firewood, a cabinet with plates, cups and eating utensils, sacks of grain, casks of wine and ale, and shelves filled with a multitude of herbs, dried fruit and vegetables.

(19) Living Quarters
The priest who lived here before the attack on the temple died in its defense and so now it is being used Pasha, one of the three surviving priests.

The Besiegers
All defilers are specialized in bastard sword and due to their unique training, can fight two-handed with sword and dagger with no attack penalties. All are proficient riders of their deathsteed mounts and can fight with sword or bow while aloft. To simplify the game mechanics during combat, it is assumed that all have the same basic statistics as given below.

A Visit to the Tower of Andamacles
The Trip to the Tower
While Andamacles' tower sits in remote part of the Dark Forest, its location is not a secret. The priests at the temple of Dionus in Rhadcliff can give the PCs adequate directions on how to get there, even though none of them have ever visited the place in person. The settled lands between Rhadcliff and the tower have all been hard hit by the plague, and so the priests will make sure that the PCs are equipped with enough food and other supplies to complete the journey.

Encounter #8 - Wraiths at Willsbrook

The priests at the temple have given you directions to the wizard's tower, and have guessed that it will take you from 2-3 days to reach it, assuming the road through the Dark Forest has remained navigable. The first day's journey has proven to be quite easy and just as the sun begins to set behind you, the first signs of what you have been told would be the village of Willsbrook can be seen ahead of you. Like most villages in the plague zone, Willsbrook appears to be completely deserted. More than half of the several dozen buildings that make up the town have burned to the ground leaving behind blackened timbers and piles of cracked stone. A quick search confirms your suspicion that no one is left inhabiting the village, and so you have selected one of the remaining cottages in which to spend the night. The building is only made up of three rooms; two small bedrooms not much bigger than the bed they hold and a larger room that once served as a living area. Apparently the former inhabitants had the time to depart before falling victim to the plague, for the house lacks the stale smell of sickness and death that many other dwellings exude.

The village, while empty of living beings, is unfortunately the dwelling place of a group of wraiths. Once an avaricious merchant family, they were all killed by the fire that destroyed their home and became undead spirits as a result. During the day, they remain hidden beneath the charred rubble, but once darkness descends, they emerge and wander about the town. They will become immediately aware of the presence of living beings when the come out at night, and later in the evening, when the PCs hearth-fire has burned low, they will descend upon the cottage. If the PCs have placed a guard outside, there is a chance they will notice the shadowy figures approaching.

Encounter #9 - Spider Monkeys

The road through the Dark Forest has proven to be easily traversable. The priests told you it's original purpose was to transport the stones used to build Andamacles' tower, but in the 20-odd years since the tower was completed it has remained clear. Obviously the thick canopy formed by the huge, gnarled darkwood trees permit very little sunlight to reach the forest floor which stunts the undergrowth. Thus you are making good time when shortly after midday you hear an unexpected chattering sound in the forest ahead of you. You have heard similar sounds before in more tropical climates, but never in this part of the world; the distinctive sound of a tribe of tree-dwelling monkeys seems completely out of place. You are even more shocked when you catch sight of one of the creatures traversing the limbs overhead for it appears to have far too many arms! As you draw near to the area where the group has apparently settled, you see more of the bizarre creatures. They resemble small brown monkeys perhaps 2 feet long, but they have eight furred limbs instead of the usual four. You also see in the branches above you a multitude of cocoon-like creations of silk and twigs with small openings from which emerge even more of the monkeys. The entire tribe seems upset at your presence, but they don't appear to be aggressive; preferring instead to chatter and hiss at you from the safety of the tree-tops.

The spider monkeys are not dangerous, although they will bite if captured or cornered. Andamacles created them more as an experiment than as an attempt to produce a useful crossbreed, and after studying the results, he released them into the forest. While this tribe is all that exist in the world, they have so far flourished and will likely spread throughout the region in relatively little time.

The Clearing
If the PCs are not delayed on their journey through the Dark Forest, they will arrive at Andamacles' tower in the late afternoon and how events unfold from then on depends on their actions. Unless the PCs are able to employ sufficient stealth to enter the tower without alert the wizards to their presence, they will quickly find themselves on the defensive. Andamacles and Mephista will be on the upper level of the tower, and will hear any altercation taking place below. Once Mephista realizes that they have unwelcome visitors, it will be an easy task for her to convince Andamacles that they are here to steal his newly discovered secrets. Given his obsessive nature with his work and his underlying paranoia, he will move quickly to eliminate any threat to his work and will defend it with his very life if necessary. Mephista, on the other hand, is a cool and rational opponent. Her agenda is larger than the current collaboration with the transmuter and will retreat if the situation starts to look bad for her.

The following description can be read to the players when they first approach the clearing:

The sun has begun its descent to the horizon, but you estimate that there are still a few hours of light left when you first see the top of a stone tower sticking up above the trees. The presence of numerous stumps tells you that the forest has been thinned out somewhat around the tower, but there doesn't appear to have been any effort made to prevent it from growing back. Through the trees ahead, you can see sunlight shining on several low wooden buildings and the plaintive bleats of sheep can be heard. The occasional sound of an axe on wood tells you that someone is at work splitting logs in the clearing. When you finally reach the edge of the clearing, you can see that there are three or four wooden barns and a pen holding a dozen or more sheep. To your right, behind one of the barns you see where the sound of the axe is coming from. A ogre-like creature standing nearly 8 feet tall, wielding a huge double-bladed axe stands amid a growing pile of fire wood. Its skin is gray and scaly; two slightly curved horns protrude from its head which is covered with thin, scraggly black hair.

The creature is an orgoyle (a cross between an ogre and a gargoyle). When the PCs first see it, the orgoyle's wings are folded behind it, and so it won't be immediately obvious that the creature can fly. There are 5 other orgoyles in the vicinity of the tower, and it will take only a round or two for them to respond to the sound of combat. When they first appear in the clearing however, the PC's will have the element of surprise on their side because the orgoyle chopping wood is too preoccupied, and making too much noise to immediately notice the presence of strangers. His orders are to kill anyone approaching the tower unless they are accompanied by Andamacles or Mephista, so once he does see them, he will move quickly to attack.

(1) Sheep pen
The dozen-and-a-half sheep kept here are used as food. Andamacles does not actually raise sheep, instead he has them delivered on a regular basis from nearby farms. The plague has cut short his supply, but he has been so involved in his work that he has not thought about what to do when this supply is exhausted.

(2) Orgoyle Barracks
This barn was once used to store firewood, but has been emptied to provide living quarters for the orgoyles. The interior stinks of their sweat and excrement and contains nothing of interest or value. When the PCs first arrive there will be 3 of the creatures dozing in here.

(3) Well House
This smaller structure shelters the well and contains an ample supply of casks for carrying the water.

(4) Livestock Barn
This barn provides a place for the livestock to bed down when the weather turns poor. It also holds a much depleted supply of grain and hay as well as some pitchforks, wheelbarrows, axes and other farm tools. When the PCs arrive, there will be 2 orgoyles in here shoveling out the stalls.

The Tower
The stone tower rises for three stories to a height of about 40 feet, with a steep conical roof made of wood and shingles adding another 20 feet. The bottom floor is windowless but the other two floors have narrow window covered with thick, leaded glass which can be opened from within. The eastern side of the pointed roof has a large arched opening in it which allows access to the newly created aerial stable. Prior to the creation of the deathsteed, the upper floor was a fully enclosed attic.

(1) The Front Door
The front door to Andamacles' tower is constructed of heavy, iron bound wood with a simple latch and no visible lock. The entrance is always wizard locked however at 17th level of effect. Only he and Mephista know the keyword which allows passage.

(2) Central Hall
An unlit hallway leads from the front door to an octagonal room with a large central pillar in the center. At first it appears completely dark, but as eyes adjust to the darkness, flickering oil lamps mounted along the outside wall will provide enough light to see by. The room smells like an animal's den, reeking of urine, musk and feces. There are seven doors and all but one of them are bolted closed on the outside with heavy iron bars. Each of these doors has a small, 4-inch square hole with a hinged shutter set at eye level which is also barred closed.

(3) Cell
This cell currently houses 4 normal horses. They have only recently been moved into the tower and are still in relatively good condition.

(4) Cell
This cell is home to 5 giant bats (mobats) which will be used as combinatory stock when creating the greater deathsteeds. The creatures have a wingspan of over 12 feet, and so are unable to fly while within the tower. They may screech if disturbed however.

(5) Cell
This cell houses four deathsteeds. They have only recently been created, and have not yet been trained.

(6) Cell
This cell houses a dangerous monster that Andamacles captured in order to study. It is black, scaly and approximately 30 feet long. It is vaguely draconic in appearance although it has no wings. Its long whip-like tail ends in a barbed, venomous stinger and two long horns protrude from the sides of its head. Because of its abilities, Andamacles believes it to be a crossbreed of a wyvern and a gorgon, although he has not yet been able to confirm its origin. The beast is not particularly intelligent, and will strike out at anyone approaching it. Mephista might turn the creature loose to harry the PCs if the opportunity presents itself.

(7) Cell
This cell houses a unicorn the most valuable of all Andamacles' combinatory stock, and the most difficult to capture. He plans on attempting to combine the unicorn with a deathsteed to create a "greater deathsteed". This new creature would incorporate the unicorn's innate resistance to poison and teleportation ability into the existing deathsteed stock. The cell in which the unicorn is being kept has been enchanted with a dimension lock spell which prevents transportation magic (e.g. teleport, dimension door, blink, etc.) from being used to enter or leave the area.

(8) Cell
There are 5 trolls currently being held in this room. Andamacles hopes to combine their regenerative abilities with another creature, but so far he has not decided what to match them with. Like the wyvergon, Mephista might release the trolls if she thinks that they would hinder the party.

(9) Storage
The door to this room is the only one that is not barred closed but it is wizard-locked at 17th level of effect. The room beyond is full of crates, bags and barrels full of food and supplies such as flour, cheese wheels, dried fruit and vegetables, tuns of wine, etc. Most of the food has been enchanted with minor preservation spells to keep them from spoiling. A narrow stairway leads up to the second floor. The room has oil lamps mounted on the walls, but they are left unlit unless someone is working there.

In the north-east corner of the room is an elevator device used to carry supplies to the upper levels of the tower. When the PCs arrive, the platform will be on the second floor so that it blocks the opening in the ceiling. The thick ropes which are used to raise and lower it can be seen running from the bottom of the platform down through pulleys affixed to the floor, and then back up through ceiling.

(10) Second Floor Hallway
The stairs from room 9 on the first level lead to a narrow, 5' wide hallway which circles around the center of the tower. Oil lamps mounted along the walls are usually kept lit, although they are turned down so that they give off very little light.

(11) Pantry
This small room contains a small sampling of the food goods stored in room 9 below. The freight elevator has been contained in a small wooden closet so as to prevent someone from accidentally falling through the hole in the floor when the platform is not at this level. When the PCs arrive, the platform will be here and will have 3 large bags of flour loaded on it.

(12) Kitchen
The small kitchen contains a full assortment of items typically found in such a place. There will also be one or two servants here depending on the time of day. See room (13) below for a full description of the servants.

(13) Servant's Quarters
This room houses the tower's household staff and is filled with plain beds, a few tables, chairs and clothes chests. Andamacles' staff consists of a dozen or so halflings from various villages throughout this part of the Dark Forest. Each of them originally came to work for him voluntarily, but the wizard's paranoia has made them into prisoners. Andamacles forbids them to leave the vicinity of the tower, and hunts down any that attempt to escape for fear that they will reveal his secrets. As long as they remain at the tower however, they are generally not mistreated. They will share everything they know about Andamacles and the tower but they will not risk their lives by openly assisting in an attack on their master.

(14) Staff Mistress's Quarters
The day-to-day routine of maintaining the tower and managing the halfling staff is done by an elderly half-orc crone named Agatha. Her limping gait and poor eyesight might lead an observer to believe that she is sickly and decrepit when in fact she is quite healthy and strong. Her quarters are quite spacious and are decorated with faded tapestries. Also in the room is a large bed, a dressing screen and two wardrobes containing plain, threadbare garments. She is loyal to Andamacles and will do what she can to help defend the tower from invaders short of actually entering combat.

(14) Dining Room
This room contains a large table surrounded by chairs. A large cabinet in one corner contains silver table settings, brass and silver pitchers and serving trays, crystal decanters, gilded candelabra and fine wax candles. The room has not been used in some time and is infrequently cleaned so a thin layer of dust covers everything. Andamacles and Mephista most often take their meals in their own rooms and the staff eat in the kitchen, or in their quarters.

(15) Study
This room is furnished as a study, and was intended to be used by Andamacles' guests. Like the dining room, it has seen very little use in recent years.

(16) Guest Room
An plainly furnished guest room - currently unoccupied.

(17) Linens
This room is an oversized closet and contains spare linens, blankets, washbasins, etc.

(18) Guest Room
An plainly furnished guest room - currently unoccupied.

(19) Anteroom
This small waiting room contains a table, several chairs and a writing desk. The writing desk shows signs of having been used in the recent past, although there are no letters or documents to be found.

(20) Guest Room - Mephista
An well furnished guest room currently occupied by Mephista when she is visiting. A four-poster bed with heavy curtains takes up a large portion of the room, along with a tall wardrobe. At one time Mephista had wizard-locked the door to the room, but when Andamacles discovered she had done so he almost threw her out thinking she was hiding something from him. Now she simply keeps it locked in the normal, non-magical way. Her spellbooks (or at least a copy of them) are kept in three small, sturdy chests each of which is wizard locked.

(21) 2nd Floor Landing
This room is unfurnished and bare of any decoration. A door opens onto the bottom of a circular staircase.

(22) 3rd Floor Landing / Hallway
The circular stair rises up to this room from the floor below, and continues on to the attic above. The landing is empty of furnishings and has no decorations. Like the central hallway on the second floor, there are oil lamps mounted on the walls which are kept burning at low levels.

(23) Laboratory
This large room is one of Andamacles' laboratories and is where he and Mephista will be working when the PCs arrive at the tower. If the PCs are able to gain entrance to the tower without arousing the notice of the two wizards, they will continue working here for several hours. They are currently discussing their plans for combining the unicorn being held on the first level with a deathsteed so as to create a "greater deathsteed". There are several large cages in the room, but at the moment they are all empty. Long tables hold alchemical equipment and spell components, as well as several bound notebooks containing the wizards' research notes. Andamacles and Mephista are currently at odds as to how to proceed with the creation of the greater deathsteed. The former wishes to attempt a three-way combination, while Mephista favors attempting to combine the unicorn with an existing deathsteed. Because capturing the unicorn was a monumental task, neither one wishes to waste the creature on a failed experiment.

(24) Laboratory
This laboratory contains one of Andamacles' active experiments: the combination of a troll and a gargoyle. He was almost at the point of proceeding with the attempt when Mephista returned and convinced him to begin work on the greater deathsteed. Two large, iron cages contain a troll and a gargoyle respectively. If let loose, the troll will likely attack anyone nearby, while the gargoyle will try to flee through the window.

(25) Andamacles Bedroom and Library
This room contains Andamacles' bed and wardrobe, as well as a writing desk, and shelves full of books and scrolls. A large assortment of these writings are treaties dealing with alteration magics and a sizable portion of those are devoted to the effects of alteration magic on living creatures. The truly valuable tomes however, are stored in a magical chest similar in function to the spell "Leomund's secret chest". This chest contains Andamacles' own spellbooks, as well as his logbooks detailing his experiments in combinatory bio-transmogrification. The magical chest can be recalled from the ethereal plane by speaking a command word while opening a miniature version of the chest which is currently sitting on the wizard's wardrobe. If the command word is not spoken, the smaller chest opens normally and appears to be nothing more than an ornate jewelry box.

The other object of interest in the room is a magical crystal ball resting in an intricately wrought lead stand on one of the bookshelves. The ball appears to be one of the standard scrying devices and was a gift given to Andamacles by Mephista on behalf of her employer as payment for his success in creating the deathsteed. What the wizard does not know is that the object is actually a "Crystal Hypnosis Ball" which is intended to bring him slowly under Melengar's control. Andamacles has not yet used the crystal ball and so has not yet been influenced by its power.

(26) Laboratory
Andamacles has allowed Mephista to use this laboratory for her own experiments while she is staying at the tower. The room reeks of rotting flesh due to the corpse of an orgoyle lying on a large table. Mephista plans to create a zombie from the dead body, but has not had the opportunity to do so yet. She is curious to discover if there are any unusual affects from creating an undead creature from the remains of a combinatory creature.

(27) Storage / Library
This room is full of shelves containing a wide variety of magical supplies. There is a wide assortment of jars, beakers, flasks, retorts, braziers and other hardware as well as numerous jars and vials filled with components. In addition to these items, there are also the following completed potions: flying(2), healing(4), invisibility(2), polymorph self(1). One shelf holds a series of two dozen small coffers containing gemstones sorted by type (e.g. on coffer contains agates, another contains rubies, another emeralds, etc.) Each coffer has from 10-100 gems of varying size and value - the total value of all the gems is about 33,000gp. Andamacles' primary use for the gems is as spell components, but he also uses them to pay for goods and services. Andamacles is not terribly concerned about money and doesn't believe any thief would be foolish enough to attempt to burgle his tower so there are no traps or other safeguards placed on his wealth.

(28) Attic
The central stair ends at the topmost room of the tower which was until several months ago, used only for storage. When Andamacles succeeded in creating a deathsteed however, he turned the room into a aerial stable for his new mount. One section of the roof was removed so as to allow access from the outside and a small overhang was built to keep the opening sheltered from falling rain. There are four trained deathsteeds here, one of which is Mephista's personal mount. Also housed in the attic is the pulley mechanism which is used to raise and lower the tower's service elevator.

Andamacles Spellbook:

level: 1     number per day: 6
affect normal fires [P 131]	enhance trait [K 123]	melt [A 52]
amplify [K 3]	enlarge (r) [P 133]	mending [P 136]
arctic spray [K 106]	fist of stone [T 17]	mount [P 136]
armor [P 131]	hold portal [P 135]	shocking grasp [P 137]
change self [P 132]	lasting breath [T 19]	spider climb [P 138]
coinsharp [K 119]	light [P 136]	dancing lights [P 133]
magic missile [P 136]
level: 2     number per day: 6
alter self [P 139]	knock (r) [P 143]	secret message [K 60]
darkness, 15' radius [P 140]	levitate [P 143]	shatter [P 145]
deafness [P 140]	magic mouth [P 143]	strength [P 146]
feet of the cat [K 114]	Maximillian's earthen grasp [T 22]	wizard lock [P 147]
fisheye [K 109]	pyrotechnics [P 144]	zephyr [A 55]
fog cloud [P 141]	ray of enfeeblement [P 145]	irritation [P 142]
rope trick [P 145]
level: 3     number per day: 6
alacrity [T 24]	phantom steed [P 152]	ultravision [A 68]
blink [P 147]	phantom wind [A 68]	water breathing (r) [P 153]
dispel magic [P 148]	slow [P 153]	wind wall [P 154]
far reaching I [T 25]	squaring the circle [T 27]	wizard sight [T 28]
fly [P 149]	teleport object [K 95]	wraithform [P 154]
Leomund's tiny hut [P 151]	teratism I [K 123]	tongues (r) [P 153]
Melf's minute meteor [P 151]
level: 4     number per day: 6
assume gasseous form [K 103]	extension I [P 157]	polymorph other [P 161]
degenerate breed [K 123]	fire shield [P 158]	polymorph self [P 161]
dig [P 155]	hallucinatory terrain [P 158]	shadow monsters [P 162]
dilation I [T 28]	Leomund's secure shelter [P 159]	solid fog [P 163]
dimension door [P 155]	Mordenkainen's celerity [T 30]	thunder staff [T 32]
disrupt magic [K 100]	Otiluke's resilient sphere [P 160]	turn pebble to boulder (r) [T 33]
level: 5     number per day: 6
airy water [P 165]	dolor [A 58]	telekinesis [P 171]
animal growth (r) [P 165]	far reaching III [T 34]	teleport [P 172]
cloudkill [P 166]	farscry [K 101]	teratism II [K 123]
contact other plane [P 167]	feeblemind [P 168]	transmute rock to mud (r) [P 172]
copy III [K 20]	Leomund's secret chest [P 169]	valiancy [K 66]
creature item [K 73]	spell concentrator [K 76]	tattoo item [K 77]
distance distortion [P 167]
level: 6     number per day: 4
anthropomorphization [K 78]	dilation II [T 38]	move earth [P 179]
barrier reaver [K 66]	glassee [P 177]	Otiluke's freezing sphere [P 180]
Brisbane's polyhedral enhancer [K 50]	lower water (r) [P 178]	part water [P 180]
claws of the umber hulk [T 38]	lusus naturae [K 123]	projected image [P 180]
control weather [P 174]	mirage arcane [P 179]	Tenser's transformation [P 181]
death fog [P 175]	Mordenkainen's lucubration [P 179]
level: 7     number per day: 4
bone javelin [K 32]	mass teleport [K 95]	steal enchantment [T 42]
chromatic blade [K 41]	Mekkari's spell teacher [K 18]	teleport without error [P 187]
delayed blast fireball [P 183]	Mordenkainen's mansion [P 185]	teratism III [K 123]
duo-dimension [P 184]	phase door [P 185]	truename [A 63]
hatch the stone from the egg [T 40]	reverse gravity [P 186]	vanish [P 187]
Manor's mind vision [K 34]	statue [P 187]
level: 8     number per day: 3
blackstaff [K 41]	miss [K 65]	screen [P 192]
clone [P 189]	Otiluke's telekinetic sphere [P 190]	sink [P 192]
glassteel [P 189]	Otto's irresistable dance [P 190]	teleport warp [K 90]
incendiary cloud [P 189]	permanency [P 190]	temporal freedom [K 102]
mass teleport w/o error [K 95]	polymorph any object [P 191]

Mephista's Spellbook:

level: 1 number per day: 6
affect normal fires [P 131]	enlarge (r) [P 133]	magic missile [P 136]
alarm [P 131]	feather fall [P 134]	mending [P 136]
armor [P 131]	find familiar [P 134]	message [P 136]
burning hands [P 131]	grease [P 135]	metamorphose liquids [T 19]
chill touch [P 132]	hold portal [P 135]	mount [P 136]
detect magic [P 133]	identify [P 135]	unseen servant [P 138]
detect undead [P 133]	lasting breath [T 19]
level: 2 number per day: 6
darkness, 15' radius [P 140]	knock (r) [P 143]	sense shifting [T 23]
detect enemies [K 85]	know alignment (r) [P 143]	spectral hand [P 145]
detect invisibility [P 141]	locate object (r) [P 143]	stinking cloud [P 145]
flaming sphere [P 141]	magic mouth [P 143]	summon swarm [P 146]
fog cloud [P 141]	Melf's acid arrow [P 144]	web [P 146]
glitterdust [P 142]	pyrotechnics [P 144]	wizard lock [P 147]
irritation [P 142]	rope trick [P 145]
level: 3 number per day: 6
alacrity [T 24]	hold undead [P 150]	sepia snake sigil [P 152]
blink [P 147]	infravision [P 150]	slow [P 153]
dispel magic [P 148]	lightning bolt [P 151]	spirit armor [T 26]
feign death [P 149]	Melf's minute meteor [P 151]	tongues (r) [P 153]
fireball [P 149]	protection from evil 10' (r) [P 152]	vampiric touch [P 153]
flame arrow [P 149]	protection from normal missiles [P 152]	wind wall [P 154]
fly [P 149]	secret page [P 152]
level: 4 number per day: 6
brainkill [K 99]	locate creature [T 29]	remove curse (r) [P 162]
contagion [P 155]	mask of death [T 29]	stoneskin [P 163]
dig [P 155]	massmorph [P 160]	thunder staff [T 32]
dimension door [P 155]	minor globe of invulnerability [P 160]	wall of fire [P 163]
divination enhancement [T 28]	minor spell turning [T 29]	wizard eye [P 164]
enervation [P 157]	polymorph other [P 161]	polymorph self [P 161]
flesh to air (r) [K 99]
level: 5 number per day: 6
airy water [P 165]	dismissal [P 167]	summon shadow [P 171]
animal growth (r) [P 165]	Khazid's procurement [T 34]	telekinesis [P 171]
animate dead [P 165]	magic jar [P 169]	transmute rock to mud (r) [P 172]
Bigby's interposing hand [P 165]	monster summoning III [P 170]	wall of force [P 172]
cloudkill [P 166]	seeming [P 171]	wall of stone [P 173]
conjure elemental [P 166]	sending [P 171]	stone shape [P 171]
creature item [K 73]
level: 6 number per day: 4
augmentation II [T 37]	disintegrate [P 175]	reincarnation [P 181]
Bigby's forceful hand [P 173]	invisible stalker [P 178]	spiritwrack [O 86]
Bloodstone's spectral steed [T 37]	legend lore [P 178]	stone to flesh (r) [P 181]
contingency [P 174]	lightning web [K 79]	transmute water to dust (r) [P 182]
death fog [P 175]	lusus naturae [K 123]	true seeing [P 182]
death spell [P 175]	move earth [P 179]	part water [P 180]
dimension lock [K 17]
level: 7 number per day: 3
acid storm [T 40]	Drawmij's instant summons [P 183]	power word stun [P 185]
Bigby's grasping hand [P 183]	finger of death [P 184]	prismatic spray [P 186]
Bloodstone's frightful journey [T 40]	intensify summoning [T 41]	suffocate [T 43]
bone javelin [K 32]	limited wish [P 184]	transmute bone to steel (r) [K 38]
control undead [P 183]	Malec-Keth's flame fist [T 41]	vanish [P 187]
delayed blast fireball [P 183]	monster summoning V [P 185]	vision [P 187]
level: 8 number per day: 2
Abi-Daizim's horrid withering [T 43]	deathshroud [K 69]	permanency [P 190]
bone blade [K 32]	Gunther's kaleidoscopic strike [T 43]	teleport warp [K 90]
clone [P 189]	homunculus shield [T 44]	temporal freedom [K 102]

Mephista's Letter
My Lord and Master,
I am most grateful to report that my work progresses apace. Andamacles has not yet been successful in enhancing the deathsteed's tolerance to disease, but I am sure that with my help we will succeed just as we did in their original creation. His temper has been running high of late, and so I have left him alone at his tower for a time. He remains a very egocentric collaborator and my presence often hinders his ability to focus on the task at hand. I believe he still harbors some unfounded fears that I shall somehow steal credit for our accomplishments to date. To his mind, it is the process that is the most important thing and he has some difficulty in understanding that for us, the process is irrelevant as long as the outcome is as we desire.

The Defilers continue to hold the temple at Rhadcliff, and have defeated several groups of priests sent there with supplies. They fly about the countryside nearly every night and have not yet reported any organized efforts to reclaim the land from Her gift. Given this, I believe we have several more months before we must worry once more about drawing eyes to Andamacles' tower and our work there. Perhaps after we have completed our work on the deathsteeds, he could be convinced to relocate his research to our base at Deathshead. There is still so much more we can do with his talent. In any event, I shall write again upon my return to his tower and apprise you of his progress.

Yours in death and beyond,
Mephista

New Items

sling stones of blinding:
These magical stones are created by priests and are typically found in quantities of 3-18. They have a [+4] bonus to hit but do no more damage than a normal sling stone (i.e. 1-4). Any creature hit by one of these stones must save vs. wands or be struck blind for 4d6 hours. This blindness can be cured through the use of the cure blindness/deafness spell or by a successful dispel magic vs. 9th level.

ring of Nekros:
These rings where originally created by the evil wizards Morphias and Mephista and were given to students entering their school for necromantic studies. In addition to protecting the fledgling necromancers from some of the inherent dangers in their studies, the rings also served as school identification. The rings are silver plated bone with a skull's head set with diamond chip eyes. Inscribed on the inside of the band is the phrase "Death above all." When worn, the rings grant a +5 bonus to saving throws vs. poison, and also grant the wearer the ability to control undead (as per the wizard spell at 7th level of ability). Wearing one of these silver skull rings, however, is mildly painful. On the inside of the ring are tiny barbs that draw a drop of blood as the ring is pushed onto the finger. This direct contact with the wearers blood is necessary for the protection from poison to be effective. Students of the School of Nekros always wear their rings on the pinky of their left hand, although this is not a requirement for the ring to function.

New Spells

Sympathetic Ward (abjuration)
Level: 5
Sphere: Wards
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: permanent
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: one portal
Saving Throw: None

This spell prevents all intelligent creatures whose alignment differs from that of the caster from passing through the warded portal. Those whose alignment matches that of the caster can pass freely and will not even realize that the area has been warded. Only a constructed portal can be effected (e.g. doorway, window, skylight, sewer drain, etc.); natural openings, such as a cave entrance, cannot be warded. Creatures barred from passing through the warded portal may use missile weapons and cast spells through the opening normally. Transportational magic such as dimension door, teleport, blink, etc. will effectively by-pass the warded portal and a successful dispel magic will eliminate it completely.

New Creatures

DeathSteed
Climate/Terrain: domesticated Hit Dice: 5
Frequency: very rare THACO: 15
Organization: herd No. of Attacks: 3
Activity Cycle: any Damage/Attack: 1-4 / 1-4 / 1-4
Diet: omnivore Special Attacks: grab & drop
Intelligence: animal Special Defenses: none
Treasure: none Magic Resistance: none
Alignment: N Size: L
No. Appearing: n/a Morale: 8-12
Armor Class: 7 XP Value:
Movement: 9 / 36 (class B)

The deathsteed is a magically created creature first produced by the transmuter Andamacles. The creature combines the aspects of a horse with those of a bat and was specifically designed to be used as a flying mount. The main body of a deathsteed is that of a horse, typically of black or dark brown color, with legs ending in small clawed feet instead of hooves. Two leathery wings sprout from animal's shoulders each of which has a span of 8 feet when fully extended. The creature's head resembles that of a huge bat with large leather ears, a long fox-like snout and a mouth lined with small, sharp teeth.

It's primary locative sense is a form of echo-location which is effective at a range of 120 feet. It also has a very highly effective sense of smell, although it cannot use this ability for tracking purposes the way a dog or wolf might. It's visual acuity is relatively low, being able to distinguish details at a range of only 60 feet, but it does possess a homing instinct which allows it to always find it's way back to it's lair with ease.

On the ground, a deathsteed is somewhat awkward but in the air it is fast and highly maneuverable. While it cannot hover, it can change direction rapidly and can reach maximum flying speed in a single round. Deathsteed riders use a saddle specially designed to hold them firmly in place while their mount performs these aerial maneuvers. The creatures are strong enough to carry a heavily armored rider, but will tire more quickly when doing so. For this reason it is more common for a deathsteed rider to wear leather.CombatA deathsteed is not particularly well suited for combat. It can strike with two of it's clawed feet for 1-4 points of damage each and it can bite for a similar amount. It's most effective attack, which it only does under the direction of its rider, is to swoop down on it's victim and attempt to grab it with its claws. It then will carry it's victim aloft and drop it from a great height. In order for it to accomplish this, the deathsteed must make two successful attacks, which indicate that the target has been grabbed with two of its claws (typically the rear legs). These successful attacks do not have to be made in the same combat round, but they must be made within a span of 3 rounds. For example, in the first round of combat a deathsteed makes two attack rolls against a single target on the ground and scores one hit. The target has now been grabbed by one claw, but the deathsteed does not have a sufficient grip to carry them aloft. The next round, the deathsteed makes a single attack roll and fails; it still cannot lift the victim off the ground. The third round, the deathsteed makes another attack roll and succeeds; the victim is pulled off the ground. If the attack in the third round had failed, the deathsteed would have had to relinquish its hold on the target and begin over in the next round. Magical armor bonuses do not apply to the defender's AC value for purposes of this grabbing attack, although other magical defensive bonuses (from rings or cloaks for example) apply normally.

Ecology
Deathsteeds are carnivorous , eating small game such as rabbits, woodchucks and birds. To date, there are no known deathsteeds living in the wild; all are domesticated. It is therefore only conjecture as to how these creatures might exist within the natural ecology.

Spider-Monkey
Climate/Terrain: forest Hit Dice: 2
Frequency: very rare THACO: 18
Organization: tribal No. of Attacks: 1 bite
Activity Cycle: daylight Damage/Attack: 1-2
Diet: omnivore Special Attacks: poison (+4 save or die)
Intelligence: animal Special Defenses: none
Treasure: none Magic Resistance: none
Alignment: N Size: S
No. Appearing: 10-40 Morale: 8-12
Armor Class: 6 XP Value:
Movement: 9 // 18

The spider-monkey is a magically created creature first produced by the transmuter Andamacles. The creature combines the aspects of a tree-dwelling monkey and a giant spider. Their fur is typically dark brown in color, sometimes with white or cream colored highlights. They have eight, long limbs each of which ends in a dexterous hand. They are about as intelligent as their original simian stock, and can be trained if caught early enough.

Combat
They are generally non-combative and pose very little threat unless provoked, although they tend to make a good deal of noise - particularly in the early morning hours. For this reason they are often driven away from inhabited areas. If captured or cornered, the spider-monkey will attack in defense; biting its opponent for 1-2 points of damage and injecting a weak, but often deadly poison. Victims must save vs. poison at +4 or die within 1-4 turns.

Ecology
The spider monkey is omnivorous, eating primarily fruit, nuts and the occasional small bird or squirrel. They can create silken strands of webbing like a spider, but they do not build webs for the purpose of trapping prey. It is instead used to build the cocoon-like nests in which they live. They also run thick strands of the stuff throughout the treetops which they use to more easily traverse their territory.

Orgoyle
Climate/Terrain: any Hit Dice: 5+1
Frequency: very rare THACO: 15
Organization: tribal No. of Attacks: 3 or 1
Activity Cycle: daylight Damage/Attack: 1-8 / 1-4 / 1-4 or bw
Diet: carnivore Special Attacks: +1 damage w/ weapons
Intelligence: low (8) Special Defenses: [+1] or better to hit
Treasure: M (Q,B,S) Magic Resistance: none
Alignment: CE Size: L (7-8')
No. Appearing: 2-20 Morale: 8-12
Armor Class: 5 XP Value:
Movement: 9 / 15 (C)

The orgoyle is a magically created creature first produced by the transmuter Andamacles. The evil natured creature combines the worst aspects of an ogre and a gargoyle. Their skin is scaly and dull gray in color and they long, greasy black hair. Their odor, like that of an ogre is repellent, reminiscent of curdled milk. Leathery wings sprout from its back allowing it to fly, albeit clumsily.

Combat
Orgoyles prefer to wield weapons in combat and when they do, they gain a +1 bonus to their damage. If fighting without weapons, they attack with their meaty fist and gore with their horns (all such attacks must be against a single opponent). Like a gargoyle, orgoyles are immune to weapons unless they possess at least a [+1] enchantment.

Habitat/Society
Orgoyles follow the habits of their ogre kin and form tribes of 16-20 males, 2-12 females, and 2-8 young. Unlike ogres however, they worship no deity and have no shamans. Individual orgoyles can sometimes be found living with normal ogres, and usually hold a position of some power within the tribe.

Ecology
Orgoyles live by raiding and scavenging and will eat anything.