After the battle, Viloriannis returned to the Manse to check on her master, the ailing Prelate Whitefist, while the Party slept over night in the Great Hall, both to watch over the civilians of the house, and to take the best advantage possible of the divine protection afforded by Viloriannis’ spell. When dawn broke, they found that File had already roused his staff, and they enjoyed a hearty breakfast before returning next door to the Inn. They donned their armour and retrieved their heavier weapons and adventuring gear, then, as the sun peeked over the mountains to the east, made their way to the Manse to collect the cleric.
The first hint that all was not well was the fact that the door to the Pilgrims’ Barracks was unsecured and swinging wide. All seemed well, so they entered the building, calling for Viloriannis as they went. Passing through the kitchen, they were shocked to find the body of one of the volunteer women crumpled, cold and white, near the hearth; her throat had been torn out, and the walls were spattered with blood. Racing through the dining hall, they burst through Whitefist’s chamber doors…
…and into a scene of unimaginable carnage. The ancient priest lay, spreadeagled, on his bed, but he had been gutted like a hog, and not neatly. The floor, walls and even ceiling of the room were splashed with drying blood, and its cloying scent hung heavy in the air. No one needed to check the old man for signs of life. Moving quickly, Breygon led the Party through the remainder of the Manse, finding not a soul, and nothing of note – until they opened the door of the northwestern-most room in the building. A dark robe lay across the bed, and Gwen immediately recognized it as belonging to Vilorannis. Even more disturbing was the fact that the cleric’s ancient breastplate, along with a steel shield and a heavy mace, lay close at hand, as if ready to be donned. Where was she?
The sun was climbing in the sky, consuming the precious daylight hours necessary to confront the enemy. Qaramyn hastily case a detect magic spell, examining both Whitefist’s and Viloriannis’ chambers. The Party found a small silk pouch of enchanted pearls in the Fist’s study, but no one could figure out what they were for. Viloriannis’ mace, however, glowed with a soft white light under the influence of the spell, and Alric took it as a backup to his greatclub, in case an enchanted weapon was required.
With nothing more to hope for, the Party decided that it was time to move against the foe. They left the Manse, and Breygon and Greywind led them through the forest, and into the Great Swamp, towards the low, mud-slicked cavern that he, along with the wolf and Joraz, had discovered only twelve hours before.
* * * * *
The Sea Wyrm
Background
Some hundreds of years ago, when this region was as yet largely unexplored, the Stjerneflode (River) was a brisk, sprightly flood, meandering here and there across the Bjerglands on its thousand-mile journey from the Dragonspine Mountains to the Southern Seas. After centuries of cutting broad loops across the land, years of drought led to some of these being cut off and silting up. One such silted-up loop lay near where the town of Bornhavn would someday be founded. This loop was treacherous, and the Sea Wyrm, a great trading vessel, was caught in a side channel. It might have had a chance to free itself, had its crew not succumbed to some mysterious force. Instead, the river rolled on, and the ship lay undiscovered, sinking into the thick mud, as the loop of the river gradually silted up and was closed off.
Now, more than five hundred years later, the side channel is closed, silted over and forgotten, and marsh trees and junipers are growing in the thick mud of the Great Swamp where the buried vessel lies. Those same centuries saw a vast expansion of the northern lands of Zare, with trade plying the river between the western capital of Vejborg in the south, and the northern cities of Ellohyin and Bitterberg. Commerce spawns colonization, and many new towns sprang up along the North Road. One such is Bornhavn; founded only a little more than a decade ago, the town is a bustling center of the farming industry, trading in chestnuts and apples from its bounteous orchards, serving as a stop on the river, and beginning to export smoked mutton. There is not a blot on the hearts of any – except that no-one ventures into the swamp beyond the orchards, where a dark shadow lingers even in daylight, and nothing seems to grow.
As Bornhavn has expanded, its inhabitants have begun to suspect something. Caravans travelling the Nordvej have lost members; guards, and servants, and even passengers have disappeared without warning, never to be seen again. And the disappearances always seem to occur within a few leagues of the town. Bornhavn’s more prominent citizens have tried to keep the rumours from circulating to avoid damage to the town’s growth and its importance as a river and caravan stop...but rumours have a way of getting out.
* * * * *
THE ENTRANCE
The entrance to the wreck of the Sea Wyrm is in a small copse of pine and juniper in the heart of the Great Swamp. The trees cover a low mound no more than 25’ broad and 8’ high. In the west side of the mound, grass overhangs a low opening, about 6’ wide and 4’ high. It angles fairly steeply downward into the earth (about a 1 in 10 slope). The floor is hard clay, fairly slick due to water infiltration. An overpowering stench of decay exudes from the hole – a smell overlain with some odd fruity odour that seems familiar, but that no one recognizes.
About 20’ in, the tunnel twists and turns, and begins to broaden and grow a little deeper. At 30’, it is 8’ wide and 5’ high; at 40’ it is 10’ wide and 6’ high. At 100’ in we are 20’ below the surface of the swamp, and the tunnel is 10-12’ wide, and 6-8’ high.
THE SEA WYRM - GENERAL
The ship lies embedded in the hardened mud of the swamp. It is tilted sternwards at an angle of about 5 degrees, just enough to throw everyone’s balance off a little (BALANCE CHECKS are all made at -1).
The wood of the ship is still mostly intact, but is badly rotted. The decks will generally hold, and the hull is fairly solid, but with any amount of serious effort, the wood can be broken away to form a man-sized hold in 2d4 rounds. There are cracks and holes everywhere; it is easy to hear fighting, speech and even movement throughout the ship.
There is moss, mold, weed, fungus and the like everywhere one looks, as well as dripping, pooling and even running water.
The air is cold and clammy, heavy with moisture, and the stench of decaying wood, mildew and earth is very oppressive (after first fight, Fortitude DC 10 or throw up; thereafter must check before every fight until check succeeds; throwing up causes -2 on all rolls for 1d4 rounds).
A note on fires: torches will sputter badly and throw only enough light to see 20’. They will fill the air with smoke. If more than 3 torches are used, players will notice that it gets a little oppressive.
Any large fire underground will generate smoke and make it difficult to breathe and even to see; the air will become difficult after 1d4 hours, and visibility will drop to 10’ after 6d10 minutes.
Any large conflagration (e.g. a deliberate one, with oil) will consume the available oxygen quickly. After 5 minutes of combustion, everyone must make Fort Save every minute (DC 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) or fall unconscious due to lack of oxygen. Anyone caught in a conflagration will takes 1d8 damage per round of exposure, no save.
1. Tunnel through the mud
DESCRIPTION
At this point, the tunnel is oblate, 12’ wide and 8’ high. The walls ooze worms and roots, and the floor is littered with mud, the wreckage of branches and dead leaves, and gnawed bones.
SMELT/HEARD
Noses are becoming accustomed to the stench of decay, and new odours are becoming clearer: the stale smell of rotting wood, and the sweet smell of rotting flesh.
* And a rattling noise can be heard, like sticks being shaken.
SPOT
DC 12: Lots of red eyes approaching swiftly from further down the tunnel (range of 40-60’); resolving at 30’ into tall, emaciated humanoid forms
MONSTER
3 x SKELETONS; one with rusty cutlass (1d6), one with rusty shortspear (1d8), one with axe handle (1d4)
OTHER
Beyond the skeletons is a body on the floor; it is Corporal Telvor, the missing commander of the Party’s supply wagon. His throat has been torn out and the body has been heavily gnawed upon.
2. Bosun’s StoresDESCRIPTION
The tunnel suddenly ends in what appears to be a wall of shattered [rotting] wood. Beyond it lies a strange, oddly-shaped room, roughly triangular, 30’ long with a 40’ wide base. The ceiling is about 6’ high, heavily beamed and wooden, with strands of moss and roots hanging through cracks, and a good deal of water dripping down. Part of the “base wall” is shattered, and there is a great deal of wooden debris on the floor.
The room contains a badly-damaged table and four wooden chairs. There are four large, vertical cabinets like wardrobes against the walls (the tunnel entrance is between two of them), and near the apex of the “triangle” are a pair of wooden chests. Two of the cabinets are smashed.
SMELT/HEARD
The stench of rotting is a good deal stronger now. Nothing is heard.
SPOT DC 26: “stealthy movement” through the hole in the shattered wall.
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
- Chest (unlocked) Woodworking tools, nails, brass cleats, bolts, chalk
- Chest (unlocked) large bolts of rotting heavy canvas, a wooden box of rusted needles (very large), heavy twine and thread
- Cabinet (unlocked) 14 rusting/rotting half-pikes
- Cabinet (locked, needle-trapped, CR 2 (600 XP), +8 touch attack, SEARCH 22, DISABLE 20. Giant Wasp poison DC 18, 1d6Dex/1d6Dex) Contains: 2/6 firebombs, 12/24 tindertwigs, 2/6 sunrods, 3/6 smokesticks, 1/6 lanterns, 12 jars of oil, 8 quivers of 20 light crossbow bolts (14 good bolts out of 160.
3. Main deck, forward
DESCRIPTION
Something is definitely odd about this building. This room is similar in construction to the last one, but much larger, about 40’ wide where you are standing, broadening to 50’ wide 50’ away. The walls are slightly curved from floor to ceiling. The ceiling is still about 6’ high, heavily beamed and wooden. 10’ in front of you, an enormous pillar, 7’ thick, stretches from floor to ceiling. Left of the pillar is a staircase leading down, smashed and filled with debris; right, a staircase in poor condition leading up to a trap door. 10’ beyond the pillar is a wooden wall about 20’ wide.
The room contains what appear to be bunk beds along both walls; many of them are smashed and the debris litters the wooden floor.
Immediately in front of you, before the pillar, are a smashed wooden chest, and a small wooden barrel standing on end.
SMELT/HEARD
The smell of decay continues to increase; and now you can smell clearly the stench of rotting flesh. The floor creaks loudly under your feet, and in the distance, you can hear water dripping softly. You can hear a soft shuffling noise from your left, rather like slow footsteps.
LISTEN DC 18
Somewhere off to the right, you can hear a quiet scratching, chittering noise that none of you have heard before
SPOTDC 10
Of more immediate concern are the four pair of glowing red eyes moving slowly towards you out of the darkness to the left of the pillar.
MONSTER
4 x Zombie (UNARMOURED, UNARMED, NO TREASURE)
OTHER
ACTION NOTE: two rounds after joining battle with these zombies, the 7 zombies at area 4 will join the fight
4. Main deck, Starboard
DESCRIPTION
This area is part of the room already described. Much debris, but more intact bunks, some with bedding in place.
SMELT/HEARD
Decaying flesh, rot, etc.
SPOT
A half-dozen more pairs of red eyes moving slowly forward
MONSTER
7 x ZOMBIE (UNARMOURED, UNARMED, NO TREASURE)
OTHER
The bunks contain a smattering of silver (2d12) and copper (4d20) coins.
5. Main deck, Port
DESCRIPTION
More bunks, but in this case most have been shattered into wrecks, and have been pushed together against the wall into an enormous heap from floor to ceiling. The entire expanse of the area is covered with a net of heavy cobwebs. From within the webs, multifaceted eyes reflect back the light.
SMELT/HEARD
Decaying flesh, decaying wood; a louder scratching, chittering noise
SPOT DC 10
You see what looks like dimly glowing, dull red lights moving slowly about in the darkness, bouncing gently up and down
(2 rounds later)
SPOT DC 12
You see (1d4) enormous spiders, with bodies the size of beer kegs and poison dripping from their festering mandibles, crawling from the webs toward you
MONSTER
4 x LARGE MONSTROUS SPIDER
OTHER
SPOT DC 28 / SEARCH DC 20: Deep within the filth and refuse of the webs, you find a wrapped bundle containing a body (DC 19 ELVEN CORPSE). The cadaver is desiccated, is clad in intricately-worked leather armour (MW LEATHER ARMOUR of elven design) and a rotted cloak. A rotted shortbow and rusty shortsword lie on the deck. Inside a fold of the cloak is a leather-wrapped package the size of a small book; it contains a set of finely-made and well-oiled keys, files and lockpicks (MW THIEF’S TOOLS).
6. Galley
NOTE: You hear thumping and banging coming from behind the door
(door is unlocked, not stuck).
DESCRIPTION
This room-within-a-room is about 25’ long and 20’ wide. It contains a huge brick oven and cooking surface, two tall shelves containing pots and cooking pans, a pair of cabinets, a large table and four barrels
SMELT/HEARD
Dominant odour is rotting flesh and wood, with an undertone of old spices
SPOT
OBVIOUS: In the center of the room, a hunched, emaciated but heavily-muscled humanoid is struggling to claw open one of the barrels. As it whirls to confront you, its eyes gleam with savage malice, and froth drips from its fangs.
MONSTER
1 x GHOUL
OTHER
Barrels contain rotted salt pork (3) and dried peas (1). Pots and pans are corroded, in poor condition. Cabinets contain multiple wooden trenchers and piggins, and a wide variety of low-quality cooking and serving utensils. On the table is an empty salt cellar, and a wooden box containing about a pound of dried pepper corns.
7. Purser’s station
DESCRIPTION
This area is similar to the area you’ve already passed through, save that the bunks are largely intact, and everything seems to be in relatively solid condition. There is another pillar here, with a stair down on the left (clear), and a stair up on the right (leading to a trapdoor in the ceiling). Double doors are set into a 20’ wide wall behind the pillar, and the larger room continues on either side of it. There is a large chest and a wooden barrel here as well; both are intact.
SMELT/HEARD
The stench of decaying flesh seems to be growing stronger
SPOT
Nil
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
Chest is locked (DC 22) and SHOCK TRAPPED (CR 3, globe of electricity with 5’ radius from chest, 3d6 damage, Reflex Save (DC 15) avoids. Search 27, disable 25. CONTAINS: 4/6 x 2-gallon ankers of brandy; four heavy wooden piggins marked with the Coat of Arms of Aeryn (and engraved with the words “The King, Gods Bless Him”); and a heavily-engraved, long-handled silver dipper (5 lbs, solid silver)
8. Larder
(door LOCKED, pick DC 18, no key):
DESCRIPTION
Double wooden doors open into this room, which is 20’ wide and 15’ deep. The back wall is piled floor-to-ceiling with racked wooden barrels; between the doors and the barrels are piled dozens of boxes, crates, small and large chests, wooden cases and jute sacks.
SMELT/HEARD
A heavy stench of mould and rotted foodstuffs fills the air.
SPOT 18 / SEARCH 14: Underneath a pile of sacking lie four ornately-carved, dark wooden chests, about 2’ square and ½ a foot high.
SPOT 24 / SEARCH 20: Further back, near the barrels, is a small wooden box, about one cubic foot, with a lock securing its lid.
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
The four small wooden chests contain finely-made tableware in solid silver: Three chests contain knives, forks, spoons, napkin rings and salt cellars (24 of each per chest); the fourth contains 4 large silver carving knives (DAGGERS), 4 large silver forks, 2 large silver cleavers (HAND AXES), and a sharpening steel. Each case weighs 15 pounds and is worth 125 gp. The other small chest is locked (PICK DC 20) and contains fine spices in tightly corked and waxed bottles. There are 30 bottles (2 layers of 3x5); altogether the collection weighs 20 pounds and is worth 225 gp. The barrels contain beer, which went over long ago. The other food cases contain rye flour, dried peas, mustard seed, rotted jerky and long-decayed hardtack biscuit
9. Passenger Staterooms
DESCRIPTION
The small rooms are 10’x10’ and contain only a bunk and a sea chest.
LOWER ROOM: This room contains a large, square, oddly decorated chest unlike the others
HISTORY DC 16, or DWARF: The chest if of Dwarven design)
SMELT/HEARD
Nil
SPOT
Nil
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
The chest in the upper room is entirely empty. The (dwarven) chest in the lower room has a FALSE LOCK on the front; it cannot be picked. If the chest is SEARCHED by a Rogue, a DC check of 26 will find the TRUE LOCK on the left side, hidden in the elaborate carvings. The PICK DC of this lock is 30. The chest has hardness 8 and 18 HP.
The (dwarven) chest contains a +1 Shortsword (HISTORY/LORE DC 18 or Dwarf – dwarven design), the blade and hilt heavily carved and inlaid with silver, with a silver-worked scabbard of some pebbly gray (OGRE) hide. It also contains a small cloth bag holding a rough-stone amythest and crystal necklace (v. 250 gp); and a small, locked (PICK DC 25) oak and iron strongbox containing 250 Dwarven GP in waxed-paper rolls of 50 gp each (1 pound). The small chest weighs 12 pounds.
10. Heads
DESCRIPTION
This is a “head”; it contains a wooden box-seat with an obvious purpose and a cover; a small table with an earthenware basin set in it; and rotting remnants of cloth on the floor.
LOWER HEAD: sprawled in a corner near the pooper is a crumbling skeleton, dressed in the rotted remains of once-rich robes, and bearing an ornate amythest and crystal belt (v. 150 gp). The skull has been crushed in.
SMELT/HEARD
Nil
SPOT
LOWER HEAD: SPOT DC 16 / SEARCH DC 12: around the neck of the skeleton is a corroded fine silver chain holding a small key (this is the key to the strongbox inside the chest in the next room)
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
Nil
11. Arms Locker
DESCRIPTION
The floor here is covered with a large quantity of badly-smashed wooden debris. Another large pillar stretches from floor to ceiling; as your eyes follow it up, you note, above the debris pile, a dark, ragged hole in the wooden ceiling six feet over your heads. On either side of the pillar is a wooden door; and against the wall facing the pillar is a heavy wooden cabinet.
SMELT/HEARD
- stronger smell of decay; overpowering smell of rotting flesh; smell of putrid mud and raw earth
LISTEN DC 18: “shuffling and creaking movements somewhere overhead”
LISTEN DC 24: “tearing and gnawing sounds from somewhere nearby”
SPOT
The cabinet doors are sagging partially open
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
The cabinet contains 4 light crossbows with decayed cables and arms; 10 quivers of 20 light xbow bolts, corroded but whole; 13 cutlasses, rusty, without scabbards (SPOT DC 26, SEARCH DC 16: one only looks rusty, but seems sound and well-balanced; this one is a MW CUTLASS); 9 wood and metal bucklers, rusty and in very poor condition; 16 javelins with barbed heads (rusty but sound)
12. Wardroom
DESCRIPTION
The first thing you see are four ragged, white-skinned, hunched humanoid creatures feasting on a gutted carcass lying on a long trestle table in the center of the room. Disturbed, they whip around to glare at you from red-rimmed, inhuman eyes, gobbets of flesh between their teeth and festooning their jagged claws. An overpowering, foetid stench fills the room, causing everyone to gag.
Three of the gangrel creatures shriek and leap towards you; the fourth, somewhat larger, apparelled in rags of once-fine clothing, and with glowing red eyes, hangs back, eying you hungrily.
(GENERAL) This large room is a good fifty feet wide, and at least forty feet from the doors to the far wall. 6 double bunks line the left and right walls, except where the left wall is smashed out, revealing a bulging wall of mud, roots and oozing centipedes. In the centre of the room are two heavy oak trestle tables. Two large cabinets lie against the far wall, and one against the near wall, between the doors.
SMELT/HEARD
Stench; slavering, shrieking and clattering
SPOT
SPOT DC 16: The body on the table is apparently a human
MONSTER
1 x WIGHT
3 x GHOUL
OTHER
The body on the table is richly attired, but the clothes are bloody and despoiled. It is a human male in his early twenties; his throat was torn out (HEAL DC 14: some time ago; his body is getting ripe) and his guts have been mostly consumed. SPOT DC 10 / SEARCH AUTO: the body has a plated silver belt (v. 45 gp) holding a scabbarded dagger, and a very attractive, elaborate gold and pearl necklace (v. 5000 gp).
The cabinets contain simple clothing in poor condition, along with a number of oiled-leather sea boots and cloaks.
SEARCH DC 22: the left, far-wall cabinet has a false bottom. Under the false bottom are 7 plain earthenware jars, each holding about a pint, with a waxed cork stopper. Each holds (ALCHEMY DC 16 / BREW POTION FEAT) high-potency moonshine (treat as “fine oil” for flammability and molotov purposes).
13. Arms lockerDESCRIPTION
This room is 20’ wide by 30’ long. The pillar rises through the floor and up to the ceiling again, which in this room is actually about 7’ high. The back wall of the room has a pair of double doors, finely carved, flanked by a pair of tall, narrow barrels (LORE DC 14: SPINIELS, usually used for fresh water). The front wall has two widely separated doors. Between these doors is a cabinet similar to the one immediately below it.
The hole in the floor is a noteworthy feature.
There are also two doors on each of the left and right walls
SMELT/HEARD
Stench of decay is strong
LISTEN DC 12: Sounds of banging and rustling can be heard from the left forward room, the door of which stands open about half a foot
LISTEN DC 22: Sounds of stealthy movement; metal clinking on metal coming from beyond the double-doors at the rear of the room
SPOT
Nil
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
The water butts are empty. The lock of the arms locker has been jimmied; it contains only a few dozen scattered, rotted light crossbow bolts
14. Officer’s Cabins
DESCRIPTION
Each of these 10’x10’ rooms contains a bunk with underbunk storage drawers, a wall cabinet, and a large sea chest.
SMELT/HEARD
Nothing unusual
SPOT
Nothing unusual
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
The drawers and chests are all unlocked, and contain a mix of rotted clothing, buttons, a broken dagger, a small sack of copper pieces, decaying parchment, and the like
15. Chirurgen’s Cabin
DESCRIPTION
This 10 x 10’ cabin contains a bed, a wall cabinet, a large sea chest – and a large, bulky, gangrel creature with enormous fangs and claws, clad in the rotting remnants of filthy grey robes and what appear to be bits of leather armour. It is scrabbling at the wall cabinet, apparently in an attempt to open it. It howls unintelligibly and leaps at you!
SMELT/HEARD
An horrific stench of death and decay surrounds the creature, and its snuffling and slavering are awful
SPOT
Nil
MONSTER
1 x full HP WIGHT
OTHER
The Wight was once the ship’s chirurgen, Ronath, and this was once it’s cabin
The wall cabinet is closed but not locked. It contains the rotting remnants of white clerical robes, a large wooden shield (in poor condition), and a Heavy Crossbow with a broken cord. A quiver of 12 bolts lies beside it.
The chest is locked (PICK DC 24; the key is hidden between two loose boards near the door, SEARCH DC 28 to find.) The chest contains twelve large scrolls of healer’s notes wrapped in waxed vellum (worth 50 gp each to a scribe or healer), and a Healer’s Kit, mostly depleted (good for three more heal checks). The name “Ronath” is inscribed on the lid of the box. Underneath the box are two potion vials wrapped in a pair of old hose (Potions of Cure Light Wounds).
SEARCH DC 22: hidden under the mattress is a Light Mace, simple in construction, but with heavy silver studs embedded in the leaden head. v. 25 gp.
16. Head
DESCRIPTION
A 10’x10’ washroom, similar to those seen below
SMELT/HEARD
A bitter, ashy stench
SPOT
Automatic: the wall cupboard contains four bars of powerful lye soap in waxed-parchment wrappers.
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
The chest contains the rotted remnants of heavy cotton towels
17. Great Cabin
DESCRIPTION
This room is 20’ from front to back, and 40’ wide. Its most salient feature is the fact that it is crowded – by six tall, skeletal creatures clad in tattered fragments of chain and leather armour, and wielding rusted swords.
The left half of the back wall contains a large, ornate wooden door; the right half is smashed apart into wooden fragments and opens to a dark cavern beyond, of slick muddy walls, and dripping water and slime
On the right side of the room are an elaborate oaken desk and chair, and two book cabinets; on the left side, two floor-to-ceiling wardrobes. A filthy but once-gorgeous carpet, and a heavy oak dining table, partially smashed, fill the centre of the room. The double doors through which you entered are flanked by a pair of chests, and beyond the chests, a pair of doors facing back the way you came.
** (Once the skeletons are engaged, the wight will await an opportune moment and attack from the cavern beyond the room)
The fell-eyed, foul-clawed creature charging from the cavern is enormous and ogre-like; hunched over but still scraping the ceiling with its head; it brings terror and the stench of the grave with it
SMELT/HEARD
The overpowering stench of death and decay fills this room beyond endurance; all must make a FORTITUDE SAVE (or become nauseous and -1 on all dice rolls for 1d6 minutes)
SPOT
MONSTER
6 x skeletons (some armour, rusty cutlasses)
1 x full HP wight
OTHER
The cabinets contain rotting clothing, including the vestiges of marine uniform coats, dark-blue with gold buttons (40 buttons at 2 gp each). One book-case contains a fancy cutlass with a gold-chased hilt and belt, in good condition (75 gp, decorative only, will snap on the first blow). The other book-case contains wholly rotted scrolls and bound manuscripts. Upper chest contains a rotting jumble of papers, bound with string. Lower chest is locked (PICK DC 22). It contains 6 x 2-pound gold bars, a badly corroded silver holy symbol, an ebony scroll case carrying an enciphered series of 12 letters on fine vellum along with an unrecognizable map, and a 3’ long package wrapped in red silk and bound with gold cord: this contains three +1 ebony arrows with silver heads.
Desk is locked (PICK DC 18), contains quill pens, dried ink, a sander, a tinderbox, six wax candles, a silver-inlaid dagger and silver-highlighted leather sheath (value 45 gp), and a mouldered leather-bound book, with silver fittings and hinges, and a silver lock (pick DC 14). There is no title visible on the book (it is the logbook for the Sea Wyrm, see Annex with final page). If the book is opened, only the last page can be made out.
* * * * *
Log of the Sea Wyrm
...cargo of finished coffins. Not popular with the crew, but good money.
...departed Ishavn without incident. Expect landfall at Whitefields in six days.
12 Harvest Rising: Made Whitefields on schedule. Received consignment of 12 crates of woolens and 24 ankers of brandy. Also took aboard one large chest for delivery to Ergon of Boorn (payment in advance in gold ingots. No key; note strict instructions not to...
...strong following winds. Made turn at the Bight without incident...
16 Harvest Rising: Sailmaker Garvin died in his sleep last night.
17 Harvest Rising: Three other crewmen ill. Chirurgen Ronath gravely ill, confined to quarters.
18 Harvest Rising: Winds still strong; heavy rain. Entered the mouth of Stjerneflode and proceeded upriver. Chirurgen Ronath died. Hands Warret and Feldebarg died. Six other hands ill. Fear plague. Have hoisted the Black Ball, but no settlements expected for four more days.
19 Harvest Rising: Panic aboard. Ronath slew...aground...white hands...
* * * * *
CAPTAIN’S SLEEPING CABIN – contains a swivel-hung sea-bed, rotted bedding, some befouled clothing, various insects. Under the bed is a fine light-coloured wooden case about 5’ long, 12” wide, and 2” deep. The lid is carved with elaborate scrollwork in a pattern of leaves and stag horns; it fits tightly but is not locked. Inside is a padded cavity that looks like it might be designed to hold a sword (case is worth 45 gp for the workmanship)
Sea-chest (locked, PICK DC 18) contains moth-eaten clothing, a cat fur-lined heavy leather sea-cloak in relatively good condition (albeit smelly), a set of rich but rotting priestly vestments (worth 75 gp for worked-in gems), a pair of oddly engraved silver chalices (40 gp each), and a silver censer and chain (12 pounds, worth 175 gp as an art item, can be used as an improvised chain flail, doing 1d6t+1 damage, with a range of 10’).
18. Hold (aft)DESCRIPTION
The stair debouches into what is obviously a large underground storage area. The walls are similar here, but curve inwards and downwards from the ceiling, which is slightly lower; a little less than 6’.
The pillar beside the stair continues down to the floor. The room is about 20’ long and 40’ wide. Against the side walls are large stacks of what appear to be squared timbers (WILDERNESS DC 12: hardwood lumber, covered in mold but fairly sound)
SMELT/HEARD
Stench of rotting wood, foul mud and decaying earth is stronger down here
No sounds heard other than the creaking of your own footsteps on the rotting floorboards
SPOT
Nil
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
Nil
19. Hold (midships starboard)
DESCRIPTION
This part of the basement contains, of all things, stacks of what appear to be finished caskets: finely-crafted wooden boxes 7’ long, three feet wide, and two feet deep. They are stacked three deep from floor to ceiling, with billets of softwood between them. Some have rotted or been smashed apart; others appear intact
SMELT/HEARD
A heavy smell of fresh paint in this area
SPOT
Nil
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
Nil
20. Hold (amidships)
DESCRIPTION
The central part of the basement contains barrels piled between billets of wood and lashed together with heavy rope, some of which has rotted apart. There are 42 barrels in all, which seem to be entirely intact.
SMELT/HEARD
Smell of fresh paint is heaviest in this area
SPOT
SPOT DC 16 / SEARCH DC 12 There appears to be a sticky, clear yellowish substance exuding from between the staves of the barrels. This is the source of the paint smell.
Listen DC 26: “Stealthy movement somewhere ahead of you”
MONSTER
Nil
OTHER
Nil
21. Hold (midships port)
DESCRIPTION
This part of the storage cellar contains numerous wooden crates and bales of jute cloth, many of which have rotted and ruptured. Folds of mildewed cloth, covered with heavy spiderwebs and full of foul growths have spilled out over the floor
SMELT/HEARD
The smell of paint is strong here as well, but the stench of rotting flesh and death seems to be growing stronger
Listen DC 26: “stealthy movement ahead of you”
SPOT
nil
MONSTER
nil; however, if the party lingers here, 3 x ghoul will attack them from area 22
OTHER
the cloth is mostly heavy woolen fabric, all in poor condition
22. Cable tier
DESCRIPTION
Ahead of you lies another of the pillars. The stair to the right of it leads upwards, but is blocked by debris. Three barrels, ruptured and spilling hundreds of small dark objects across the floor, lie beyond the stair near the wall. To the left of the pillar, the doors hang open on an empty cabinet against the wall
Behind the pillar, the walls open to a triangular room, roughly 30’ wide at the base by 25’ long. The room is flanked by two large cabinets, but the floor is a tangled jumble of heavy ropes
Out of the room boils a cascade of hunched, pale, gangrel creatures with a fell light in their eyes; you’ve seen them before
SMELT/HEARD
An incredibly foul stench of death and rotting accompanies these horrid creatures (FORT SAVE DC 15 IMMEDIATELY) as they snuffle and slaver towards you
SPOT
SEARCH DC 19: In the bottom of one of the cabinets is a heavy wooden toolbox, with sets of tools wrapped in oiled leather against the damp
MONSTER
2 x GHASTS
4 x GHOULS
OTHER
Most of the rope coiled on the deck is tangled beyond recovery, and is in any case mouldy and rotting. The cabinets contain a variety of rusty tools. The wrapped tools are a 25 pound set of MW Armourer Tools (v.350 gp)
23. Hold (Aft)
DESCRIPTION
This broad area of the cellar contains dozens of large wooden barrels, some of them leaking, as well as heavy crates and wooden boxes
SMELT/HEARD
The stench of rotting flesh and decay is growing stronger again
But there is also a definite scent of vinegar in the air here
SPOT
(FIGHTER WISDOM CHECK DC 14: The vinegar smell is reminiscent of military ration wine)
MONSTER
nil
OTHER
The barrels contain gone-over “vinum”, military sour wine
The crates contain the remnants of ration biscuits and jerked meat
24. Hold (Midships Aft)
DESCRIPTION
Back here by the rear pillar, two heavy wooden doors are set into the wall. In one corner of this room, 18 heavy wooden casks, smaller than the others, are secured against the wall with stout ropes. In the other, two cabinets (one smashed open) and a stout barrel stand in a relatively open space.
SMELT/HEARD
As you approach the pillar, your sense of unease increases, and the heavy stench of death, decay, and mouldy earth seems to rise again
SPOT
SEARCH DC 16: the cabinets are empty. The lone barrel is packed with oiled hay and seems to hold chainmail (if emptied, 6 chainmails shirts, only slightly rusted)
ALCHEMY DC 12 / WISDOM DC 17: the barrels hold some form of distilled liquor
LISTEN DC 26: You can hear slight movements behind the solid doors
MONSTER
nil
OTHER
One of the mailshirts is a MW CHAINMAIL SHIRT (although due to the condition of the stuff it will take close inspection of all six, for not less than one minute apiece, by a trained fighter or armourer to identify it)
nil
OTHER
The barrels contain gone-over “vinum”, military sour wine
The crates contain the remnants of ration biscuits and jerked meat
24. Hold (Midships Aft)
DESCRIPTION
Back here by the rear pillar, two heavy wooden doors are set into the wall. In one corner of this room, 18 heavy wooden casks, smaller than the others, are secured against the wall with stout ropes. In the other, two cabinets (one smashed open) and a stout barrel stand in a relatively open space.
SMELT/HEARD
As you approach the pillar, your sense of unease increases, and the heavy stench of death, decay, and mouldy earth seems to rise again
SPOT
SEARCH DC 16: the cabinets are empty. The lone barrel is packed with oiled hay and seems to hold chainmail (if emptied, 6 chainmails shirts, only slightly rusted)
ALCHEMY DC 12 / WISDOM DC 17: the barrels hold some form of distilled liquor
LISTEN DC 26: You can hear slight movements behind the solid doors
MONSTER
nil
OTHER
One of the mailshirts is a MW CHAINMAIL SHIRT (although due to the condition of the stuff it will take close inspection of all six, for not less than one minute apiece, by a trained fighter or armourer to identify it)
25. Hold (Aft) - FINAL ENCOUNTER
DESCRIPTION
This room is about 40’ wide and 25’ deep, but the back wall has been largely smashed away, and opens into a large, ragged mud cavern
** You gain only an instant’s appreciation of the contents of this room – barrels, cabinets, an altar – behind the many fell creatures that hear your entrance and lurch, lunge and leap towards you: tall skeletal warriors, armoured and armed; lurching corpses; and yet another of the slavering, gangrel creatures, this time bearing chainmail and a rusty cutlass
Four low cabinets and a half-dozen barrels are stacked here. The wooden ceiling is cluttered with hanging bits of rope and even some chain, and oddly-shaped wooden pieces dangle here and there
Between the doors is a 4’ high, 3’ wide, 8’ long table completely covered by a scarlet altar cloth that reaches to the floor
SMELT/HEARD
The stench of decay, death and the grave has never been stronger; heavy chill in air, seems to steal your breath (FORT SAVE DC 14, or -1 on all saves for 10 minutes)
SPOT DC 30: There seems to be a shadowy creature lurking in the cavern beyond this room
MONSTER
1 x WIGHT (Rusty chainshirt and rusty cutlass)
4 x ZOMBIES (Rusty chainmail, rusty boarding axes)
2 x SKELETONS (Rusty chunks of half-plate, spears)
RANT STRONGALE, Human Fighter 4 / Sorcerer 1 / VAMPIRE (MW Half-Plate of ancient elven design; MW large steel shield;, +1 Bastard Sword); [DM's note - sword and shield were left behind at File's Great Hall; Strongale will fight with his slam attacks and supernatural abilities]
OTHER
- gold vambraces set with mother of pearl plates (750 gp); worn by Rant
- Scroll of 2 spells (blindness, bestow curse); carried by Rant
- under the altar cloth (which is worth 90 gp) is Rant’s coffin, one of those from the forward hols, but in good shape
- under the coffin are two trunks (locked, PICK DC 22) Each contains 48 silver ingots, each of five pounds, wrapped in waxed parchment
- the cabinets contain mostly clothing and some remnants of rotted leather armour. One contains a half-dozen rusty cutlasses and four rusty boarding pikes; another contains 6 rotted longbows, four rotted shortbows, and an unstrong composite shortbow secured in an oiled leather bowcase (Mighty Composite Shortbow 1, excellent condition)
- the 12 barrels each contain 20 gallons good quality brandy, highly flammable
- inside Rant’s coffin, at the foot, is a large, brassbound casket of ebon wood with an elaborate lock (PICK DC 26). The key for this lock is inside the lining of Rant’s coffin near the head (SEARCH DC 28). The casket contains the ORB OF UNDEATH.
TACTICS
-If Rant knows the party is coming, he will hide himself, allowing his minions to absorb the party’s attacks. As they are engaged, he will use the scroll to cast blindness on the most dangerous-looking character.
- If his minions look likely to be defeated, Rant will summon a wave of small vermin (rats and spiders) to assist them; these will arrive in 1d4 rounds.
- If the party appears weakened, he will wait until they seem to believe they have won and then attack, first by attempting to Charm the nearest spellcaster, the using his scroll to bestow curse on the strongest remaining fighter.
- Rant will then use two slam attacks per melee round
- If brought below 10 HP he will assume gaseous form and attempt to escape from the ship (the only way out is via the tunnel entrance).
ESCAPE: If Rant escapes, he will return to File’s mansion, where he has a secondary coffin in the family crypts beneath the Chapel. [DM's note: And where he is keeping something else...bwahahaha]
PARTY TACTICS
- If the party attempts to throw the silver ingots at Rant, they have a range increment of 5’ and cause 1d4 damage (1d6 if used as a bludgeoning instrument).
- recall that all improvised weapons are -4 to hit.
(Background note: Rant was slain, and spontaneously raised as a Vampire Spawn, by the Orb of Undeath, as were all of his crew members. He survives by venturing out and attacking caravans (never the town!). He avoids raising new Vampire Spawn; he prefers to bring back victims to consume, or to be raised by the Orb as new minions.)
* * * * *
MAJOR MAGIC ITEM:
The Orb of Undeath
DESCRIPTION
This room is about 40’ wide and 25’ deep, but the back wall has been largely smashed away, and opens into a large, ragged mud cavern
** You gain only an instant’s appreciation of the contents of this room – barrels, cabinets, an altar – behind the many fell creatures that hear your entrance and lurch, lunge and leap towards you: tall skeletal warriors, armoured and armed; lurching corpses; and yet another of the slavering, gangrel creatures, this time bearing chainmail and a rusty cutlass
Four low cabinets and a half-dozen barrels are stacked here. The wooden ceiling is cluttered with hanging bits of rope and even some chain, and oddly-shaped wooden pieces dangle here and there
Between the doors is a 4’ high, 3’ wide, 8’ long table completely covered by a scarlet altar cloth that reaches to the floor
SMELT/HEARD
The stench of decay, death and the grave has never been stronger; heavy chill in air, seems to steal your breath (FORT SAVE DC 14, or -1 on all saves for 10 minutes)
SPOT DC 30: There seems to be a shadowy creature lurking in the cavern beyond this room
MONSTER
1 x WIGHT (Rusty chainshirt and rusty cutlass)
4 x ZOMBIES (Rusty chainmail, rusty boarding axes)
2 x SKELETONS (Rusty chunks of half-plate, spears)
RANT STRONGALE, Human Fighter 4 / Sorcerer 1 / VAMPIRE (MW Half-Plate of ancient elven design; MW large steel shield;, +1 Bastard Sword); [DM's note - sword and shield were left behind at File's Great Hall; Strongale will fight with his slam attacks and supernatural abilities]
OTHER
- gold vambraces set with mother of pearl plates (750 gp); worn by Rant
- Scroll of 2 spells (blindness, bestow curse); carried by Rant
- under the altar cloth (which is worth 90 gp) is Rant’s coffin, one of those from the forward hols, but in good shape
- under the coffin are two trunks (locked, PICK DC 22) Each contains 48 silver ingots, each of five pounds, wrapped in waxed parchment
- the cabinets contain mostly clothing and some remnants of rotted leather armour. One contains a half-dozen rusty cutlasses and four rusty boarding pikes; another contains 6 rotted longbows, four rotted shortbows, and an unstrong composite shortbow secured in an oiled leather bowcase (Mighty Composite Shortbow 1, excellent condition)
- the 12 barrels each contain 20 gallons good quality brandy, highly flammable
- inside Rant’s coffin, at the foot, is a large, brassbound casket of ebon wood with an elaborate lock (PICK DC 26). The key for this lock is inside the lining of Rant’s coffin near the head (SEARCH DC 28). The casket contains the ORB OF UNDEATH.
TACTICS
-If Rant knows the party is coming, he will hide himself, allowing his minions to absorb the party’s attacks. As they are engaged, he will use the scroll to cast blindness on the most dangerous-looking character.
- If his minions look likely to be defeated, Rant will summon a wave of small vermin (rats and spiders) to assist them; these will arrive in 1d4 rounds.
- If the party appears weakened, he will wait until they seem to believe they have won and then attack, first by attempting to Charm the nearest spellcaster, the using his scroll to bestow curse on the strongest remaining fighter.
- Rant will then use two slam attacks per melee round
- If brought below 10 HP he will assume gaseous form and attempt to escape from the ship (the only way out is via the tunnel entrance).
ESCAPE: If Rant escapes, he will return to File’s mansion, where he has a secondary coffin in the family crypts beneath the Chapel. [DM's note: And where he is keeping something else...bwahahaha]
PARTY TACTICS
- If the party attempts to throw the silver ingots at Rant, they have a range increment of 5’ and cause 1d4 damage (1d6 if used as a bludgeoning instrument).
- recall that all improvised weapons are -4 to hit.
(Background note: Rant was slain, and spontaneously raised as a Vampire Spawn, by the Orb of Undeath, as were all of his crew members. He survives by venturing out and attacking caravans (never the town!). He avoids raising new Vampire Spawn; he prefers to bring back victims to consume, or to be raised by the Orb as new minions.)
* * * * *
MAJOR MAGIC ITEM:
The Orb of Undeath
Orb is 12” in diameter, smoky black/brown glass; weighs 35 lbs. Anyone looking closely can see glints and sparks, and can make out a skull inside (HEAL/WILD LORE DC 12 – elven skull). The Orb stands on a twisted silver/platinum tripod (12 lbs)
ANCIENT HISTORY (DC 30)
The Orb is a powerful artifact created by Golgothantrin, an evil Elven cleric of fearsome reputation who lived eons ago. A master of the art of raising and controlling the Undead, at the height of his powers he took up residence on the Negative Material Plane in a fortress constructed entirely of shadows. The Orb is allegedly his failed attempt at eternal life. Hoping to return as an all-powerful Lich, he devised the Orb as the ultimate phylactery. But something failed in his calculations (or he was betrayed by his apprentice), and instead of returning to rule the world from beyond the grave through his legions of Undead minions, his severed and acid-washed skull ended up as the world’s most hideous snow-globe. This terrifying object was once in the possession of a powerful dark wizard, Ergon of Boorn, but disappeared centuries ago, and was thought lost. Legend has it that Golgothantrin will eventually escape from this crystalline prison to wreak his vengeance upon the descendants of his betrayer. Meanwhile, it is said that Ergon of Boorn succeeded where Golgothantrin failed, and mastered the secrets of Undeath, and endures even unto this day.
Any cadaver within 50’ of the orb will rise as an undead of its former HD within 1d4 hours.
(d%: 01-50 Skeleton, 51-80 Zombie, 81-95 Ghoul, 96-98 Ghast, 99 Wight, 00 Uberwight (full HP))
Any mortal who comes within 50’ of the Orb immediate feels unease, discomfort and a powerful sense of evil; after an hour they begin to feel weak, ill and terrified. Any mortal who comes within 20’ of the orb must make a FORT SAVE once per day, or gain one negative level. Effect is cumulative until individual moves more than 100’ from Orb for more than one day; or until individual becomes immune to Orb by succeeding at 3 consecutive FORT SAVES. DC to remove negative level is 18. Paladins are immune to this effect. Any mortal who reaches 0 levels through exposure to the Orb will immediately die, and will rise as a powerful undead of their level (Level 0-2 = Ghoul, Level 3-6 = Wight, Level 7+ = Vampire, Spellcasters of Level 11+ = Lich).
Any mortal who touches the Orb with bare hands must make the above FORT SAVE immediately at -2. If they fail, they gain two negative levels for the day. Whether they fail or succeed, they must make an immediate WILL SAVE at -2 or be affected as per BESTOW CURSE, with 1d6 damage to both INTELLIGENCE and WISDOM. If the Will save is successful, the individual can use orb to raise Level x d6 HD of Undead per day. The Orb also gives the user ability to control undead as Cleric of his level, with +10 on rolls to do so. The Orb doubles the user’s control undead checks per day. A successful user need only make one Fort save per month to avoid the Bestow Curse effect (although the Fort save is automatic if the user loses a level)
Any Undead raised by the Orb, if the Orb is still in possession of the raiser, will obey the raiser implicitly, and so long as they are within 100’ of the Orb, will have +2 turn resistance (cumulative).
ANCIENT HISTORY (DC 30)
The Orb is a powerful artifact created by Golgothantrin, an evil Elven cleric of fearsome reputation who lived eons ago. A master of the art of raising and controlling the Undead, at the height of his powers he took up residence on the Negative Material Plane in a fortress constructed entirely of shadows. The Orb is allegedly his failed attempt at eternal life. Hoping to return as an all-powerful Lich, he devised the Orb as the ultimate phylactery. But something failed in his calculations (or he was betrayed by his apprentice), and instead of returning to rule the world from beyond the grave through his legions of Undead minions, his severed and acid-washed skull ended up as the world’s most hideous snow-globe. This terrifying object was once in the possession of a powerful dark wizard, Ergon of Boorn, but disappeared centuries ago, and was thought lost. Legend has it that Golgothantrin will eventually escape from this crystalline prison to wreak his vengeance upon the descendants of his betrayer. Meanwhile, it is said that Ergon of Boorn succeeded where Golgothantrin failed, and mastered the secrets of Undeath, and endures even unto this day.
Any cadaver within 50’ of the orb will rise as an undead of its former HD within 1d4 hours.
(d%: 01-50 Skeleton, 51-80 Zombie, 81-95 Ghoul, 96-98 Ghast, 99 Wight, 00 Uberwight (full HP))
Any mortal who comes within 50’ of the Orb immediate feels unease, discomfort and a powerful sense of evil; after an hour they begin to feel weak, ill and terrified. Any mortal who comes within 20’ of the orb must make a FORT SAVE once per day, or gain one negative level. Effect is cumulative until individual moves more than 100’ from Orb for more than one day; or until individual becomes immune to Orb by succeeding at 3 consecutive FORT SAVES. DC to remove negative level is 18. Paladins are immune to this effect. Any mortal who reaches 0 levels through exposure to the Orb will immediately die, and will rise as a powerful undead of their level (Level 0-2 = Ghoul, Level 3-6 = Wight, Level 7+ = Vampire, Spellcasters of Level 11+ = Lich).
Any mortal who touches the Orb with bare hands must make the above FORT SAVE immediately at -2. If they fail, they gain two negative levels for the day. Whether they fail or succeed, they must make an immediate WILL SAVE at -2 or be affected as per BESTOW CURSE, with 1d6 damage to both INTELLIGENCE and WISDOM. If the Will save is successful, the individual can use orb to raise Level x d6 HD of Undead per day. The Orb also gives the user ability to control undead as Cleric of his level, with +10 on rolls to do so. The Orb doubles the user’s control undead checks per day. A successful user need only make one Fort save per month to avoid the Bestow Curse effect (although the Fort save is automatic if the user loses a level)
Any Undead raised by the Orb, if the Orb is still in possession of the raiser, will obey the raiser implicitly, and so long as they are within 100’ of the Orb, will have +2 turn resistance (cumulative).
* * * * *
Post-Script: You'll note that I didn't include a major magic item description for Rant's +1 bastard sword. That's because the Party is still carrying it around and hasn't yet figured out what to do about it. I included the description for the Orb of Undeath because Alric decided that the best way to deal with a superpowerful crystal ball was to smack it with Viloriannis' +1 blessed Mace. You'll find out how that little brainwave turned out in our next instalment.
