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Display a Printer Friendly Version

An Arm for an Egg
[comments:(8), views:(14428), rating:(7.9)]

Author: Keven Simmons
Homepage:
System: AD&D 2nd Edition
Type: Scenario
Category: Fantasy
Requirements: characters level 5-8


This adventure is designed to be a short encounter for the PC which can be dropped into an ongoing campaign. As written, it assumes the PCs are traveling by ship when the events begin to unfold, but it can be easily modified to assume they are traveling overland.

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 1994 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.

Correspondence regarding this material can be sent via U.S. Post to: Keven Simmons, POB 351, Sherburne NY 13460 or via the internet to: simmonsk@norwich.net


This material may contain references to non-TSR monsters, spells and magic items. If you would like information on non-standard spells or items used in this module, write or e-mail me at the above addresses. I will be happy to share whatever information I can.

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
  • 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


For the DM
This adventure is designed to be a short encounter for the PC which can be dropped into an ongoing campaign. As written, it assumes the PCs are traveling by ship when the events begin to unfold, but it can be easily modified to assume they are traveling overland.

Background
For many years a large pack of greater seawolves lead by a huge seawolf named Longtooth has roamed the seas off the coast of Tanaska indiscriminately attacking ships and fishing villages. While the pack has infected many unfortunate victims with the were-curse, the pack itself consists of only true lycanthropes. Several weeks ago, the pack traveled into waters controlled by a tribe of sahaugin. The fish creatures succeeded in driving off the interlopers and in the battle a giant shark bit off one of Longtooth's arms. While his leadership of the pack was not immediately questioned, he realizes that it won't be long before one of the other pack members decides that Longtooth's disability makes him an unsuitable leader and challenges him. Given his current handicap, Longtooth doesn't believe he could defend his position and so decided to find a way to remedy the situation. Thinking that the only way to replace his lost limb was through magical means, Longtooth went ashore in human form and began to search for a wizard who could help him.

After several disappointments, Longtooth made the acquaintance of a disreputable wizard named Anise Thoraprice. During their negotiations, Longtooth revealed his lycanthopic nature believing it may have some bearing on the magic used to restore his arm. Anise, while a wizard of no mean ability, did not have the means to help Longtooth but while speaking with the seawolf, he began thinking about a spell he was currently researching. He thought that perhaps the spell could be improved through the use of dragonturtle eggs as a material component, and that the seawolf might be able to obtain some for him. Being a conniving opportunist, the wizard lied to Longtooth, saying that he could restore the lost limb, and that the price would be a clutch of the rare eggs. Longtooth, being a longtime inhabitant of the coastal waters knew where to find a dragonturtle and so agreed to the price. Because the eggs had to be kept in sea water at all times, Anise and Longtooth arranged to meet on the night of the full moon at a small fishing village called Borodin not too far from the dragonturtle's territory.

A few days before the full moon, the seawolf pack scouted out the dragonturtle's territory and located its nesting ground. The pack attacked the monster and drew it away from it's eggs while one of them sneaked back around and stole them while the creature was distracted. The whole pack then broke combat and swam away at top speed easily outdistancing the dragonturtle. The pack headed straight for the village of Borodin, and their meeting with Anise Thoraprice, unaware that the dragonturtle continued to pursue them using it's keen sense of smell to follow the scent of its eggs.

The pack arrived at the village of Borodin in the afternoon of the day of their pre-arranged meeting with Anise. Longtooth had the net full of eggs secured underwater to a pier post and left two of his packmates in human form nearby to guard them. The rest of the pack then descended upon the waterfront tavern Galen's Port to await the arrival of Anise much to the dismay of Galen, the unfortunate innkeeper. The seawolves immediately appropriated the dwelling for themselves alone, and threw out the few other guests who were staying there. They forced Galen and his help to stay and wait on them, and drove away any other customers who approached, seriously injuring several of them in the process.

Upon hearing word that a band of ruffians was causing trouble at the tavern, the town watch went to eject them from the premises but the watchmen's non-magical weapons were useless against the lycanthropes and all of the guards were killed in the ensuing battle. The bodies of the guardsmen were tossed into the alley behind the tavern, and after hearing of the demise of their men-at-arms, the villagers have wisely decided to steer clear of Galen’s Port. The waterfront therefore is practically deserted when the PCs arrive on the scene.

Enter the Party
Read or paraphrase the following the players:

The past few days aboard the merchant ship of Wheatley's Trust have been pleasant and uneventful. While your quarters are cramped and often uncomfortable, captain Kaleb Cornellian and his crew are friendly enough and the weather has been mild. The ship has put ashore several times to take on or deliver cargo, and the captain has informed you that another stop is planned for tonight at the town of Borodin. The ship will be taking on several wagon-loads of wool and the captain plans on staying docked for the night and setting out again at dawn. While you are anxious to reach your final destination, you welcome the chance to get off the ship for a few hours, and possibly spend the night in a bed instead of a hammock. The sun is still a few hours away from setting when Whalen's Trust sails into a sheltered bay, and docks at the one and only pier large enough to accommodate it. The town is rather small, consisting of only a few hundred building, and from the number of small boats docked along the waterfront, you would guess that fishing is one of it's primary industries.

The captain gives orders to the crew that the cargo must be loaded immediately, and that only after all the work has been done will any of them be allowed ashore for R&R. Her then turns to you and says: "'Corse that don't apply to you folks. Feel free to go ashore whenever you want. There's a tavern down the road a bit if'n you're in the mood for a bite and a swig. It ain't fancy, but the food's passably fair and the keeper don't water the beer. Mind you, we'll be leaving again at first light, so be sure you're back 'afore then"

The rest of the adventure is written assuming that the PCs go straight to the tavern. However, in the event that the PCs decide to wander around town, either to buy extra supplies or to visit a different tavern, then they may learn of the band of cutthroats who have taken over Galen's Port and will hear of the demise of the town guard. A messenger has been dispatched to the nearest military garrison, but help is not expected back until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Until then, the villagers are keeping to themselves, and staying behind locked doors for the most part. If the party is forewarned of the danger, then when they eventually do arrive at the tavern, the wizard Anise will already be there negotiating with Longtooth. Neither the seawolf, nor the wizard will take kindly to being interrupted, but Anise is smart enough to stay out of a fight if it can be avoided. Longtooth, on the other hand is rash and quick to anger, and will resort to violence at the first sign of trouble. The DM is advised to review the character descriptions at the end of the module so that if the PC's stray from the storyline as written, he will be able to improvise the NPC's actions in a manner consistent with their character.

Galen's Port
The tavern called Galen's Port is typically the busiest one in town. It is situated along the waterfront a few hundred yards away from the main pier and is a favorite among the local fishermen and the merchant marines who frequent the port of Borodin. It is a two-story building, with common room, kitchen and storage on the ground floor. The owner and his family live on the second floor, and there are 6 small rooms available for renting. Galen, the owner, is an elderly man who runs the tavern with his grown son and daughter-in-law (Galen Jr. and Sharine). During the evening hours he also employs two serving girls, but since the wolf pack arrived before the start of their shift, the girls were not at the tavern, and upon hearing of the demise of the town guard, have wisely decided to stay away.

When the PCs arrive at the inn Galen is resting in the kitchen while his son and Sharine serve the seawolves in the common room. All three have been injured at the hands of the monsters, but none critically. When the PCs enter, several of the lycanthropes will advance on them with the intention of roughing them up and tossing them back into the street, but Longtooth senses that these newcomers could be dangerous. Perhaps it is the quality of their equipment or clothing, or their confident demeanor, but something about the PCs causes Longtooth to correctly determine that these are no ordinary militiamen and that he would be best served by avoiding a confrontation at this point. He quickly signals his pack-mates to stand down, at least for the moment. The following can be read or paraphrased to the players as they approach, and then enter the tavern:

As you step off the pier and onto the dirt street that follows the stony shoreline, you are struck by how little activity there is along the waterfront. Other than a couple of sailors loitering near the end of the big pier your ship has docked on, the street is deserted although you do catch sight of a few people in the streets farther up the hill hurrying into and out of shops. Your sense of unease is abated somewhat by the sounds of activity coming from the tavern captain Kaleb recommended. The tavern patrons seem to be in good spirits, for there is an abundance of laughing, hooting and yelling coming from inside. Apparently, the waterfront is not quite so deserted after all. When you open the heavy tavern door however, the raucous conversations immediately cease. The patrons appear to all be sailors, about a dozen men and three or four women. They are all heavily tanned, and are dressed in rough work pants, loose fitting shirts or vests and most are not wearing boots or shoes. Several have large, hooped earrings, and a few sport nose-rings as well. At first glance, none of them appear to be armed with anything other than a long knife or dagger tucked in a belt. Three of the sailors close to you stand and move your way but at a signal from another in the back of the room, they stop and resume their seats. There are another few beats of silence which seem to drag on forever, and then the conversations begin again, although considerably more subdued.

When the PCs get closer to either Galen Jr. or his wife, it will be obvious that the two have been beaten recently. Galen has several long scratches on his face and his shirt is torn and bloodied. Sharine walks with a noticeable limp and has a black eye that has almost swelled shut. If the PCs attempt to engage them in conversation and ask about their injuries, or about the sailors, they will begin to stammer an answer, all the while looking nervously at the ruffians, but before they can say anything useful, one of the sailors will intervene and claim that there was a fight in here earlier in the day, but that he and his companions were able to break it up. This will shut Galen and Sharine up immediately and they will just nod in agreement. Both Galen, Galen Jr. and Sharine witnessed the fight with the town guard, and saw the sailors change shape. The are obviously very frightened of the monsters and do not want to provoke their anger.

If the PC attempt to speak with any of the sailors, they will respond with a veneer of amicability, and claim to be the crew of a ship that was attacked by pirates. They escaped in life boats and made it to shore earlier today. They don't have any immediate plans other than to try and get work on another ship. Attempting to speak with Longtooth will meet with the same results.

After spending a few minutes in the common room, the PCs will begin to see indications that the fight might have been a little more serious than the sailors let on. There are numerous sign of blood on the tables and floor, far more than would result from a typical tavern brawl. A PC with tracking ability will also notice the marks left on the floor when the bodies of the guardsmen were dragged through the kitchen and dumped in the alley behind the tavern. Oddly enough, none of the sailors show any signs of having been in a fight recently. None of them have any scratches, black-eyes or bruises anywhere to be seen.

Anise Thorprice Arrives
Shortly after the PCs arrive at the tavern Anise Thoraprice will enter, having teleported to a clearing just outside the village a short while earlier. He will get the same reaction as the PCs did initially, but when he sees Longtooth, he will stride purposefully across the room to meet the seawolf leader. The negotiations between the two will degenerate quickly. Anise demands payment before he casts the (non-existent) spell to restore Longtooth's arm and seawolf demands that the spell be cast before he turns over the eggs. Eventually their arguing will become loud enough that the PCs will be able to hear what is going on. At that point they may attempt to intervene in the argument, in which case both Longtooth and Anise will tell them bluntly to mind their own business.

In the event that the situation worsens and the PCs engage the seawolves in combat, Anise will side with the seawolves unless it is obvious that they will lose. If things begin to go badly, Anise will either switch sides (if he thinks it is safe to do so), or leave the fight completely. He won't leave town immediately though because he still wants to recover the dragonturtle eggs if possible.

When he arrives on the scene, Anise will have already cast 2 spells today. The first was a stoneskin to protect him from the seawolves in the event things don't go as planned, and the second was a teleport which he used to get to Borodin.

The Dragonturtle Arrives
When the argument has reached it's dramatic zenith, (or in the early stages of combat if a fight has broken out) the two seawolves who were left to keep an eye on the eggs burst through the door yelling the dragonturtle has followed them, and that it is attacking the ship docked at the pier. As soon as they saw the creature one of the seawolves dove in the water and retrieved the eggs, which he now carries in a soggy net. At this point, chaos erupts in full measure. Anise will see the bag, and guessing its contents, will focus all his efforts on getting his hands on it. Longtooth will sense the Anise's shift in focus, and will order his pack to capture the wizard. The PCs will probably be most concerned with saving the ship and crew from the dragonturtle, but when they see the sailors begin to transform, they may decide to stay and fight the seawolves.

If they do not go to the aid of the ship, it will be totally destroyed by the dragon turtle in 10 rounds. About 1/3 of the ship's crew will die trying to escape the turtle's wrath although captain Kaleb will survive. After 10 rounds, the dragon turtle will come ashore and make its way towards it's eggs (which it can still smell), destroying anything and anyone who gets in it's way. The creature is enraged and will continue to ravage the waterfront until it recovers its eggs, or until it is killed.

Concluding the Encounter
There are many possible endings to this module depending on the actions of the PCs and their ability to handle themselves in a chaotic situation but some key events and the results are listed here.

As long as Longtooth lives, the wolf pack will continue to follow his orders, and will stay and fight if he commands it. Should their leader fall however, it is unlikely that they will continue to risk their lives in direct combat with as formidable an opponent as the PCs are likely to be. If the PCs are strongly good-aligned, they will probably want to see the seawolves brought to justice for their murderous crimes although catching the lycanthropes after they take to the sea is likely beyond the ability of the typically equipped adventuring party.

If Anise is killed, or if he retreats from the situation entirely, Longtooth will order the pack to abandon the town. Without the wizard, there is no good reason to stay, and a group of hardened adventurers is a very strong deterrent to sticking around. If the eggs are still in their possession, Longtooth doesn't want to keep them and have the dragonturtle continue pursuing the pack; on the other hand he doesn't want to leave them behind for Anise to recover later and so he will order them crushed and left behind.

If the dragonturtle is killed and Anise is still alive, he will lay claim to the carcass with the intent of harvesting material components from it whether or not he actually had a hand in defeating the creature. PC wizards might take exception to this, in which case Anise levels threats of future attacks on the PCs unless they give in to his demands. This is one particular threat that he will follow through on if thwarted, much to the dismay of the PCs later on.


The Cast of Characters

Longtooth, seawolf pack leader
Longtooth is both intelligent and cunning. He has led his pack for many years and is feared and respected by his packmates. He generally hold humans is disdain, and the fact that he has been forced to turn to one for help galls him to no end. As such, during his dealings with Anise he will be high strung and belligerent. He knows he can't take his frustrations out on Anise until the wizard restores his arm however, and so is more likely to vent his frustration by striking out at anyone else who crosses his path. He doesn't trust the wizard at all, and even in the short time that they have been aquatinted has come to hate the man immensely. After having his limb restored, he is hoping to get the opportunity to tear the conniving little weasel apart.

hd: 9+2 ac: 5 hp: 60 th: 11 d: 3-12 (wolf bite) or bw

Other seawolves
hd: 9+2 ac: 5 hp: 45 th: 11 d: 3-12 (wolf bite) or bw

Dragonturtle
This particular dragonturtle is one of the larger of its kind being nearly 40' in diameter. It's primary goal is the recovery of its eggs, but it is not adverse to causing a lot of damage in the process. While it knows that the seawolves are responsible for stealing the eggs, the fact that they brought them to a human settlement means that the village shares as much blame as the lycanthropes in the dragonturtle's mind.

hd: 14 ac: 0 hp: 95 th: 6 d: 2d6 / 2d6 / 4d8
breath (per dragon): 20d6 steam 60' long x 40' wide x 40' high

Anise Thoraprice, 11th level human wizard - CE

str:	8	int:	17	thac0: 17	
con:	12 	wis:	11	ac: 5	
dex:	14	chr:	13	hp: 22	

Description:
Anise is a conniving, deceitful, power-hungry wizard who will stoop to anything to advance his own position. Intimidation is a favorite tact of Anise's and he uses the threat of his magical powers to bully others into doing what he wants. For the most part, he is more than willing to follow through on his threats if the situation warrants it although he does not use his magic recklessly or without cause.

His primary goal in this encounter is the acquisition of the clutch of dragonturtle eggs. If at any point, the eggs come into his possession, he will abandon the situation with all possible haste. As much as he desires the eggs however, he will not risk his life to get them. He has no sense of loyalty and will switch sides in the encounter at anytime that it seems in his best interest to do so.

Equipment:
Anise has quite a store of magical items, and a large amount of gold/gems at home, but for this particular encounter he is only carrying the following: bracers AC:5, 5 beads of force [D160]-dmg:5d4 + 10'r globe dr: 3d4r s=not trapped gem of retaliation [T137] +4 save vs. evoc., s=spell converted to magic missiles 1/2 spell level (­) staff of spell focusing [K24] (20) saves @ -4 or dur+50%
Weapons: thac0 (w/ bonuses) ws damage
dagger 12 2 1 1-8 / 1-8
sling w/ bullet 12 6 1 1-4 +1 / 1-6 + 1

Spells:
level: 1
number per day: 4
armor [P 131] find familiar [P 134] phantasmal force [P 137] charm person [P 132] fist of stone [T 17] shield [P 147] color spray [P 132] gaze reflection [P 135] spider climb [P 138] dancing lights [P 133] icy fingers [K 21] unseen servant [P 138] feather fall [P 134] magic missile [P 136] ventriloquism [P 139]

level: 2
number per day: 4
Agannazar's scorcher [K 2] forget [P 142] ride the wind [T 23] continual darkness [P 96] hypnotic pattern [P 142] shatter [P 145] continual light [P 140] improved phantasmal force [P 95] stinking cloud [P 145] deeppockets [P 140] invisibility [P 142] whispering wind [P 147] electric arc [K 52] mirror image [P 144] zephyr [A 55]

level: 3
number per day: 4
blink [P 147] minor malison [T 26] secret page [P 152] feign death [P 149] monster summoning I [P 151] spirit armor [T 26] hold undead [P 150] non-detection [P 152] ultravision [A 68] ice lance [K 4] phantom steed [P 152] wizard sight [T 28] lightning bolt [P 151] protection from evil 10' (r) [P 152]

level: 4
number per day: 3
charm monster [P 154] ice storm [P 159] Rary's mnemonic enhancer [P 162] delivering bolt [K 73] locate creature [T 29] solid fog [P 163] emotion [P 155] minor globe of invulnerability [P 160] stoneskin [P 163] Evard's black tentacles [P 157] Otiluke's resilient sphere [P 160] wall of ice [P 164] fire trap [P 158] polymorph self [P 161]

level: 5
number per day: 3
advanced illusion [P 164] fellblade [K 32] stone shape [P 171] chaos [P 166] flame shroud [K 14] Von Gasik's refusal [T 36] cone of cold [P 166] major creation [P 170] wall of iron [P 172] dolor [A 58] mind fog [T 35] wall of stone [P 173] fabricate [P 168] passwall [P 171] teleport [P172]



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