Hot Pursuit

Written by

Ken St. Andre

Cover by Claudio Pozas

Interior illustrations by Claudio Pozas

Edited by Scott Holden

Production: Jason Kempton

Published by Fiery Dragon Productions, Inc. www.fierydragon.com

This gm adventure is intended for use with Tunnels and Trolls. Tunnels and
Trolls is trademarked by Flying Buffalo, Inc. Hot Pursuit text is © 2007 by
Ken St. Andre, originally published by Outlaw Press. The use of Tunnels and
Trolls™ by Outlaw Press, Inc. is officially approved by both Flying Buffalo, Inc.
and Ken St. Andre. The use of Tunnels and Trolls™ by Fiery Dragon
Productions, Inc. is officially approved by both Flying Buffalo, Inc. and
Ken St. Andre.

All art © Fiery Dragon Productions.

Visit Outlaw Press’ Tunnels & Trolls™ web site at

http://www.geocities.com/hobbit_lands/
Fiery Dragon First Printing July 2008

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 Writer‘s Introduction
Playing an adventure scenario should be at least as challenging and as much fun for the
Game Master as for the players. The following adventure is for humans, elves, dwarves, and
maybe even uruks of 5th level or lower. It is meant for play with 7th edition rules, but you
could easily adapt it to any other edition of the game. Be warned, it is a difficult adventure, and
the players will have to think and be pretty damned tricky if they want to succeed. It is up to you as
Game Master to convey that challenge.
I have planned and written this adventure to be played in around 3 hours, making it ideally
suited to a single evening‘s play or a tournament event. There are many adventure ideas
that can be built upon if you wish to develop this scenario or to incorporate it into a longer-
running game or campaign, but of course what you do with the adventure now is up to you
and your devious mind. I have given you the bare bones of the adventure; it‘s yours now to
do with it what you will.
As the writer, I can‘t think up every situation that could come up in a face-to-face game. It
just isn‘t possible or practical, and it wouldn‘t be in the spirit of T&T if I tried, so I have laid
out a general track for the adventure to follow; it‘s up to you to keep it on that track. If you
let the players lead you too far astray, you‘re on your own. When that happens I have one
piece of advice for you ― MAKE IT UP! Whatever happens, it shouldn‘t be too hard to get
the players back on track within the scenario. If they really do go off on a wild tangent, I‘m
sure you‘ll know what to do.

Getting Started: wise to give them a hint to help move things

along. However, in my experience they
A few notes for the shouldn‘t need much in the way of
encouragement.
Game Master
I haven‘t named any scorpion men in this
Your players are a bunch of delvers on their adventure, but you may have to role-play
way from Khosht to some destination in the them, so feel free to make something up. It
mountains southeast of the city. Where are could be Irving the scorpion man. It could be
they bound? I don‘t know and it doesn‘t Ik Puk, which has a Mayan sound to it.
matter… because they won‘t get there. If Calling him Ik Puk will add heroic flavor to
they insist on knowing, tell them they‘re on the game; calling him Irving will add humor.
their way to find a lost dwarven gold mine T&T is big on humor. It‘s your call. When in
or something. Make it up. Unless you are doubt, make it up. But more importantly,
slotting this scenario into a larger campaign make it fun.
or long-running adventure, it simply doesn‘t
really matter where they are headed or why. However, I do recommend that if you find
If you are using this as part of a wider plot or that demanding players are causing you to
campaign, then it shouldn‘t be difficult for make up a lot of details on the fly, you
you to fit this adventure in along the way. should write down what you made up so
you can be consistent later. Plot
As events proceed, your speak the Common developments and adventure hooks will
Tongue.) You are under no obligation to probably arise as the adventure unravels, so
suggest they capture one, but it might be jot these ideas down as they arise or as you

3
think of them. You might want to use them am relying on you to tell me…!), you may
later or introduce them if play slows-down see a sequel in the not too distant future!
or goes in a different direction from what
Once your PCs have introduced themselves
you had planned.
to each other and you have set the scene, it‘s
I also suggest that you keep play moving time to get started! The adventure kicks-off
quickly. At the end of the adventure, the with a bang, and should draw your players
players should feel like they have had a into the scenario easily, providing good
roller-coaster ride. There are lots of other strong rationale for their involvement.
ideas and details I could have included in
Progress to Scene One and get the show on
this adventure, but the idea is to keep it
the road!
simple and fast-flowing, ideal for a single
game session. If my tactic is a success (and I

Scene One: All delvers should make L2-SRs on

Intelligence and Speed at this point. If a
Midnight Raid character makes both, he or she may take an
Our adventure begins when the players action at this point.
enter the small farming village of Farthest, Particularly if there are one or more women
on the southern bank of the Khosht River. in the hut, the raiders break in and make
Farthest is so named because it is the farthest every effort to capture her/them. If not, they
east of all the human villages in this area. A toss a torch inside and slam the door shut,
small, nameless stream joins the Khosht at hoping to start a fire inside.
the edge of the village, and the whole is
surrounded by fields of vegetables and The raiders are big men dressed in strange
grain. There are a few fruit trees close to the brownish-red armor. They carry shovel-like
stream. warblades and rope. The armor is decorated
with strange twisting designs. There are
Read the following shaded text aloud to the roughly two hundred raiders with about
players, or paraphrase: twenty wizards among them notable for the
The tiny village doesn‘t even have a jewel-headed staves that they carry.
street. There are maybe twenty huts
made of mud bricks and timber in a
rough circle around a central plaza. The Typical Raider:
village elder (“chief“ is too important a
word for him) has cleared out one hut STR 15, CON 16, DEX 16, SPD 12,
and offered it to you, his honored guests INT 10, LK 14, WIZ 8, CHR 9.
for the evening. Wine and beer have Combat Adds: +9
been brought out, and the whole town
has gathered to hear your tales from the Weapons: Desert sword (3D6+3),
outside world. You carouse late into the dagger (2D6), weighted rope (1D6).
night, and then finally you all go to Armor: Scorpion armor (takes 8 hits
sleep in your hut. from each weapon-wielding foe).
You are awakened a few hours later by
shouts and screams, and then someone
or something rips the door off your hut.

4
 The elder, Heep Pokkt, soon comes to the
Typical Raider Wizard: delvers and asks for help. He explains that
the raiders are known to his people as the
STR 12, CON 13, DEX 14, SPD 10, “scorpion men“; once every few years, they
INT 15, LK 12, WIZ 15, CHR 12 attack without warning and carry off as
Combat Adds: +2 many as they can, and no one ever sees those
people again. They make a point of not
Weapons: Jeweled staff (2D6+2), wiping out the village, although they easily
dagger (2D6). could. The delvers‘ resistance is the first time
anyone has ever stood up to the raiders, and
Spells: TTYF, Sleep, HTP. Others at
now Elder Pokkt wants to ask a great favor...
GM‘s discretion.

He begs the characters to follow the raiders

and bring back the captured villagers. The
Everyone who gets out of the hut is engaged people of Farthest don‘t have much to offer
by one or more raiders. There are so many as a reward, but that doesn‘t keep them from
of them that, even if one is knocked down, all begging for help.
another immediately takes his place. They
rescue their wounded, and they seem to be If this scene wasn‘t sufficient to get the
trying not to kill the farmers in the village. characters‘ blood boiling and to fire them
Any who resist and are knocked down (and into action, then they must be a sorry bunch
stay down) are thereafter ignored. Anyone of heroes indeed! If they refuse, maybe they
who is not fighting or trying to escape is can be shamed into action? Or simply have
quickly bound and dragged away; the one of the village‘s little toddlers waddle up
raiders have ropes with slipknots in them, to them, tug on a trouser leg, and ask,
ready to tighten them down on hands or “Please, will you bring my mommy back,
feet. If a player runs into any of the raider mister?“ with eyes red from tears, clutching
wizards, they try to either slay with TTYF or a worn toy in grubby hands. If they still
put their foe to sleep. refuse, to hell with them.
The only effective resistance in the village is If the delvers decide to follow the raiders,
the player characters. The farmers cannot move on to Scene Two. If not, the adventure
fight very well at all. The raiders seem to be is over.
searching for women, primarily, although
they are interested in able slaves of all kinds;
some also carry off pigs, calves, and goats.
When 10 or more villagers have been
captured, the raiders withdraw into the
night, mount their giant scorpions (each the
size of a small barge and capable of carrying
20 men), and scuttle off into the darkness of
the night. When it is all over, the village is a
chaos of injured and dying, panicked
animals, crying women and children, and
burning huts.

5
 Scene Two: choice may have an impact on their success
later in the adventure. (See Scene 5.)
Desert Pursuit
Leaving the village, the tracks of the raiders
The raiders are gone, leaving only some are fairly clear, but as they go further south,
torn-up earth and many strange tracks, the land grows harder and rockier, and the
larger than hoof prints or bear tracks, giant scorpion tracks get harder and harder
leading off in a southerly direction. to find. This would be a good time for
The delvers still have the mounts they players to use any Talents of their characters
brought with them, one horse for each that would help with following the trail.
member of the party,
plus one pack mule for
every 3 members. But
they will need a plan
for the pursuit. Do
they race as quickly as
they can and hope to
overtake the raiders, or
do they follow more
cautiously and just
hope to track the
raiders to their lair?
What will they take for
provisions in the
desert? A good plan
here could make all the
difference later on.
More importantly, did
they think to take a
captive during the
fight? If so, perhaps
they can “persuade“
him to lead the way to
his desert camp or
stronghold. If not, they
will have to find some
way to track the
raiders.
Finally, players might
come up with the idea
of sending someone
back to Khosht, which
is only about 50 miles
away, to get help from
the city guard. Let
them do so ― this

6
 dismounted, leading their horses, perhaps
clearing a path for them.
Note to the GM
And then the group runs into an ambush —
Make the pursuit into the desert like a
one giant scorpion and 20 men left behind to
challenge, but don‘t let the players lose
be certain that no one follows them.
the trail completely. If they go off track,
have someone spot a gathering of Suddenly, a huge, reddish-brown scorpion
vultures off in another direction: They attacks, accompanied by a barrage of rocks
are hovering over the body of a dead or thrown down from above (from the raiders
dying villager who was left to rot ― on the scorpion‘s back). The scorpion is
perhaps too weak to be worth keeping, about 10 feet wide and 60 feet long, and is
or maybe one of the slaves tried to being controlled by one of the wizards. Its
escape and was killed and left behind. pincers are big enough to cut a horse in half.
(Demonstrate this for a delver who is near
the front.)

By noon, the hot desert sun is relentless: Giant Scorpion (1):

Require L2-SRs on CON for those not
wearing armor, and L3-SRs for those Monster Rating 200
wearing armor. Missing this roll indicates Combat Dice+Adds: 21D6+100
heatstroke, with attendant nausea and
weakness ― treat this as lost CON points Armor (carapace): Absorbs 8 hits per
equal to double the amount by which a turn
character missed the SR. Taking off one‘s WIZ: 20 (Spells cast against it by anyone
armor alleviates the symptoms (i.e., it with a lower WIZ rating fizzle.)
reduces the difficulty of the saving rolls).
Poison sting: Everyone must make a
A Poor Baby spell is an effective cure for L2-SR on Speed each combat turn. Only
heatstroke. one player can be hit per turn, so if more
If a player specifically asks to find a place out than one character misses, the sting
of the sun to lie up during the heat of the strikes the one that missed by the most:
day, have the characters make a L3-SR on That character takes 3D6 poison
Luck to find a desert spring where they damage. (A Too Bad Toxin spell nullifies
might rest during the heat of the day (and this damage.) If the sting doesn‘t kill the
thus avoid the rolls against heatstroke). If victim, he is still in excruciating pain —
they find an oasis, they don‘t reach the reduce combat adds by half for 1d6+4
badlands until early evening. hours.

Otherwise, by mid-afternoon, the party

enters a badlands of twisted stone spires, Raiders (20):
blind box canyons, and rough lava flows —
hot red and black stone in all directions. STR 15, CON 16, DEX 16, SPD 12,
INT 10, LK 14, WIZ 8, CHR 9.
The ground in these badlands is very
treacherous, consisting of millions of hand- Weapons: Desert sword (3D6+3),
sized chunks of lava and broken stone, many dagger (2D6), weighted rope (1D6).
with sharp edges. To fall down in this stuff is
Combat Adds: +9
to get all cut up. Delvers should be

7
 If the wizard rider is somehow slain (most
Armor: Scorpion armor (takes 8 hits likely with ranged attacks), the scorpion
from each weapon-wielding foe). retreats the next time it takes damage,
pulling the raiders on its back along with it.
Thrown Rocks: Divide 20 by the
If it looks like the party is dying, the raiders
number of delvers present to determine
jump down and attempt to capture them; if
how many L1-SRs on Luck each party
the party looks particularly strong, the
member must make to avoid being hit
raiders instead try to run off into the
by rocks each turn. Each missed saving
badlands. (It would be really good if
roll results in damage equal to 3 + the
someone could capture that wizard.)
amount by which that character failed
the roll. (Armor absorbs hits from rocks If the scorpion loses CON points during any
normally, but remember that some will two turns in a row, it attempts to run away.
have removed their armor to avoid If it is slain, its wizard rider can be captured,
heatstroke earlier.) although he will try to fight his way free.
Two possibilities arise from the ambush:
Raider Wizard (1): 1. The scorpion is defeated. If it runs off, it
may lead the delvers back to its hive, which
STR 12, CON 13, DEX 14, SPD 10,
also hosts the scorpion men‘s village. If
INT 15, LK 12, WIZ 15, CHR 12
captured, the wizard rider may be
Combat Adds: +2 persuaded to lead the delvers to the hive.
Go to Scene Three.
Weapons: Jeweled staff (2D6+2),
dagger (2D6). 2. The party is defeated. Anyone not slain
outright (at less than –10 hits) is captured
Spells: TTYF, Sleep, HTP. Others at and taken to the raiders‘ hive. Go to Scene
GM‘s discretion. Four.

Scene Three: Entering Alternately, the delvers could search for

other entrances, each marked as Y on the
the Scorpion Hive GM‘s map. A successful L3-SR on Luck or an
Near the southern end of the badlands is the appropriate Talent locates one of the several
scorpion hive, which houses the scorpion “side doors“ to the hive. These are small,
men‘s village. It is entered via a huge tunnel, camouflaged tunnels from various locations
40 feet wide by 30 feet tall, slanting down around the rock pile above the hive. Roll
into the earth beneath a huge pile of tumbled 1D6x100 — that’s how many feet below the
boulders. (The entrance is labeled E on the surface at which the small tunnel rejoins the
Game Master‘s map.) There are guards in large one.
front, and periodically a giant scorpion goes These side tunnels are barely big enough for
in or comes out, usually ridden by 10 to 20 one or two men to walk in at the same time,
men, always guided by a wizard. and they all lead down to the main tunnel
The only obvious way into the hive is (which is labeled 1 on the GM‘s map). Have
through this tunnel, but how to do so when the delver with the lowest Luck rating try for
it is guarded by 4 men at all times, and in a L1-SR on Luck to see if they meet a guard
heavy use by the dwellers in the hive, could in the tunnel.
be tricky.

8
If the tunnels on the map do not correspond need arises. (Again, if you feel the need to
to where you would like them to enter the extend or further detail the side tunnels,
hive, feel free to add more tunnels to suit make it up, but remember to keep notes of
your requirements. The map is a guide and everything you add to the map or to the
the details are not set in stone; change it as adventure to maintain consistency
you see fit now that this is your adventure. throughout the game, especially if you plan
for the players to return at a later date or if
The cavern and the tunnels are lighted by
you wish to re-use the adventure or the
magical signs that look like twisted, glowing
hive.)
runes carved into the walls. These runes
glow with red light, as if there were fire
behind them, although there is only rock.
The Scorpion Village
There are many of these signs, so during
daytime hours the whole cavern has a fiery, Going another hundred feet down the main
hellish glow to it. tunnel, one arrives at the main
village/fortress of the scorpion men. This
When the sun goes down outside, though,
permanent encampment is located in a huge
the runes dim until only a weak, pale blue
excavated cavern around a small
light comes out of them. At such times, the
underground lake. (This massive cavern
number of people walking about the cavern
could lead to subterranean tunnels if you
also diminishes greatly ― a mere L1-SR on
wish to extend the adventure.)
Luck would suffice to walk around without
being detected. There are perhaps 500 men and women
living here, living in caves in the sides of the
Roughly 500 feet down, there is a gigantic
cavern and in small huts or makeshift rock
scorpion holding pen, as seen on the map.
dwellings. There is a central market place
All the giant scorpions are kept here. This
with a slave ring in the direct center, which
vast cavern features a few small pools of
has been detailed on a separate map that you
natural water. Additional details are left up
may use if you feel it becomes necessary (see
to the individual GM. There should be about
Map B).
50 giant scorpions in this cavern at any given
time. Scorpion men are continually bringing Around the ring are many posts, and
them food, usually in the form of huge chained to the posts are the ten villagers who
insects, mostly ants and beetles, or oversize were taken at the beginning of the
rodents. adventure. They are the only slaves not
currently owned by anyone.
Beyond the holding pen are a number of
smaller tunnels leading away, but one is There are three stone guardposts in this area,
clearly the main tunnel; it is twice as large as but the only one that is usually occupied is
any other and painted with strange red the one nearest to the slave ring: There are
signs. The GM may detail the smaller normally 1D3 gate guards (see stats below)
tunnels as appropriate. there at all times. The other two guardposts
are occupied by one gate guard each only if
Going into the side tunnels may lead to
the GM rolls a 1 or a 6 on 1D6 when the
encounters with scorpion men or into
players first enter the area; otherwise they
storerooms for various items. The side
are empty.
tunnels labeled X on the GM map lead to
deeper areas and storage caverns. The GM is A man and a woman are tending the slaves,
encouraged to elaborate upon these if the feeding them and telling them about their

9
new lives and duties as slaves in the hive. gateways lead to Khazan, Frostgate, Gull,
One thing you notice is that every person in Khosht, Gristlegrim Dungeon, Ss‘lla (a Naga
the place, including the new slaves, wears at city), and Barakarathar, respectively. Of
least some small piece of scorpion armor course, the pads are well guarded. One huge
about his or her body. This armor gives off a scorpion man (a gate guard, see below)
“hive odor,“ marking people so that they stands beside each one, and they don‘t allow
will not be attacked by any scorpions they anyone but wizards carrying rubies to
meet. approach.
Dozens of people are walking around the
cavern at all times, fetching water from the
Gate Guard:
pool, going off into side tunnels or coming
out, talking to each other, working or STR 24, CON 30, DEX 20, SPD 10,
relaxing in small huts, and hurrying from INT 15, LK 25, WIZ 16, CHR 17.
destination to destination. Along with them
are dozens of relatively small (young) giant Combat Adds: +33
scorpions, each no bigger than a wolf. Some Weapons: Double sword (4D6 plus
are even on leashes and seem to function as special – see below), dagger (2D6).
pets.
Armor: Scorpion armor (takes 8 hits
Off to the north of the slave ring, there are 7 from each weapon-wielding foe).
circular red pads in a line upon the floor (as
shown on the map). Above each pad is a Double Sword (enchanted weapon):
coruscating beam of energy that dances Base damage 4D6. Whenever it rolls a 6
between the floor pad and a mirror in the in combat, another blade appears and it
ceiling far above. As the delvers watch, men gets another die that lasts until the end
sometimes step into or out of the beams. of that combat encounter; when it isn’t
They generally look like wizards, often in combat for a turn, it reverts to its
carrying caskets of rare valuables; when they normal size, appearance, and stats. To
depart, they usually carry large red jewels. wield it requires STR 20, DEX 18, and
Each one is met by one of the scorpion WIZ 15.
wizards and escorted into one of the caves at
the side of the cavern. There is a guard hut
nearby, but this is rarely used. Typical Young Giant Scorpion:

Wizards in the party may make a L3-SR on Monster Rating 40

INT. Success indicates the character Combat Dice+Adds: 5D6+20
remembers that his or her old master in the
wizard‘s guild used to hint that there was a Armor (carapace): Absorbs 6 hits per
better way to get around the world than by turn
riding beasts or sailing ships. When they
WIZ: 4 (Spells cast against it by anyone
tried to ask, they were always told that they
with a lower WIZ rating fizzle.)
would learn about it when they were
worthy. Poison sting: All adjacent foes roll L2-
SR on Speed each turn. The sting strikes
Note: If anyone could simply jump into a
the one that missed by the most: That
beam, he would be teleported away from the
character takes 1D6 poison damage.
hive to a wizard‘s guild office somewhere
else in the world. These seven teleport

10
Strategies: The delvers would find it useful Scorpion men always try to capture their
to be able to walk around the caverns enemies.
without being attacked by the many guards.
As long as the players are undetected, there
If they could get scorpion armor and suit up,
are various strategies they could employ to
they wouldn’t have much trouble. Of course,
free the slaves and escape. They might
they’d have to carry the raiders’ desert
simply flee back through the tunnels to
swords instead of their own weapons, as
where they left their horses, perhaps fighting
well, but they might be able to hide or
all the way out; or they might go to the
disguise their own possessions as loot.
scorpion pen, steal a giant scorpion, and ride
If they enter the caverns without wearing at it out; or they could enter one of the teleport
least some piece of scorpion armor, they will beams.
smell wrong be attacked — first by some of
However, it is likely that at some point the
the wolf-sized young scorpions, and then by
players will slip up, be discovered, and be
regular scorpion men. If they are discovered
overwhelmed by scorpion men and then
and attacked, keep piling on scorpions and
captured. If this happens, go to Scene 4.
guards until they either do something
brilliant to escape, or are slain or captured.

MAP A: THE SCORPION VILLAGE

11
 MAP B: MARKET & SLAVE AREA

Scene Four: Captivity Locksmith) opens the manacle. A hard knock

against the slave post along with a L3-SR on
If a player is captured, he spends some time Luck would also spring it open, as would a
unconscious and then wakes to find himself Level 3 Knock, Knock spell.
chained to a slave post near the slave ring in
the raiders’ village. His weapons and purse Being chained by the slave ring close to the
have been removed, but anything well- teleport pads would give the captive the
hidden in boots or clothing may still remain. opportunity to observe arriving and
departing wizards. (Describe a wizard from
The captive finds that he has been fitted with Khazan arriving bearing a jade casket —
a headband of scorpion chitin, along with then departing perhaps 20 minutes later
wrist- and ankle-bands of the same with a ruby the size of his fist.)
substance. The handlers quickly explain that
these items are enchanted to protect their Their only chance to escape is the first night
wearers from the scorpions that roam the of captivity. On the next day, they are to be
caverns. The manacle is a simple lock, and auctioned off to inhabitants of the hive.
the key for it is quite huge; the keys are Awaking in chains, the captives see a man
numbered and kept on a big iron ring on the and a woman walking among them with
other side of the slave auction ring. With any bowls of food and a pitcher of wine. They
kind of a lockpick, a simple L2-SR on DEX or notice a small stone bowl and cup attached
any applicable Talent (Thievery, Roguery,

12
 too far away, to emerge again a few
minutes later in scorpion armor and
armed with desert swords. (If
necessary, have players make a L1-SR
on INT to realize that the cave must
be an armory.) The armory is usually
unguarded, although there is a
custodian inside to keep things neat.
The delvers’ weapons are stored
inside the armory.
At night, even the gate guards relax,
and often sleep at their posts; they
rely on the scorpions to deal with any
trouble. However, these men have
perfected the art of leaning on their
swords and sleeping with their eyes
open. Fortunately, they haven‘t
perfected the art of not snoring, so
that gives away the fact that they‘re
sleeping.
As a captive, the player‘s only viable
option is to escape. Rescuing and
dragging along some of the captured
villagers would be a plus. If the
captives manage to escape their
chains during the night, they really
have only three options: (1) go
to their post, and note that the earlier through a side tunnel to the surface, and
captives seem rather dazed and sleepy: It then try to escape overland; (2) go up the
requires only a L1-SR on INT for someone to main tunnel, take a giant scorpion, and make
realize that they are probably drugged or a break for it on that mighty steed; or (3) go
enchanted. into a teleport beam.
At some point, they notice a group of If any of these escape attempts seems to be
unarmed men enter a large cave mouth not succeeding, see Scene 5.

Scene Five: Better Run scorpions and 40 men (36 raiders and 4
wizards).
for Your Life
To return to the village of Farthest ahead of
Escape Plan 1:
1: Overland Flight pursuit, each delver must make six
The delvers return through a side tunnel, successful SRs on Luck: L1-SRs if the mount
find the mounts they left behind when they has only a single rider, L2-SRs if it is carrying
went down, and gallop off through the two. Each saving roll represents about 2
desert, retracing their path through the hours of riding. If the saving roll is failed, the
desert. They are pursued by two giant horse weakens and falls back, and the

13
pursuers catch up with it. Of course, the Escape Plan 2: Steal a Scorpion
party might elect to stop and fight if this
For this plan to work, the escapees must first
happens.
have a captive scorpion wizard to control the
On a SR result of 3, the horse breaks its leg beast, and they must overpower 4 guards at
and crashes to the dry, hard-packed earth. the scorpion pen (use typical stats from page
The player takes double the difference 7). The captive wizard is a coward,
(between what was needed and what was frequently saying things like, “Please,
rolled) in CON damage. The horse is in please… I‘m cooperating. Don‘t hurt me.“
agony, and the merciful thing to do would Only he knows the mental commands that
be to kill it. keep the giant scorpion docile; a player
wizard cannot manage this task without at
If all saving rolls are made, the scorpion men
least several months of training. The captive
still catch up with the players, but not until
wizard shows no sign of resistance as long
they reach the very outskirts of Farthest. A
as there is a weapon pointed at him, but may
battle ensues, and if the players lose, they are
be secretly working against the party.
(re-)captured, if not slain, and returned to
the hive.
If the players win this final battle,
they have completed their escape.
Anyone who completes the
escape and returns is awarded
5,000 adventure points, plus
another 2,000 for each villager
they managed to rescue.
Note: Remember back in Scene 2,
when the players were urged to
make a plan? If that plan
included the idea of sending
anyone back to Khosht to get help
from the city guard, then the
player who came up with the idea
can attempt a L3-SR on Luck to
see if a troop of the guard, along
with a seasoned combat wizard,
appears fortuitously at this point
and comes to the rescue.
Should this happen, the scorpion
men quickly break off the battle
and flee: They do not want a war
with Khosht.

14
During the ride across the desert, all players no compunction); additionally, one of the
must make six L1-SRs on DEX ― riding on a guards takes out a whistle and blows a
giant scorpion isn‘t as easy as it looks. screeching blast. This soon brings forth a
(Scorpions both scuttle and leap, and often Level 10 scorpion man wizard, who will
unexpectedly.) Any rescued slave women surely make short work of the delvers if he
spend most of the time holding onto one of arrives before they have fled.
their rescuers; rescued male slaves are thus
more likely to fall off than the women. If a
player falls, any slaves holding onto him also Gate Guard:
fall. Anyone falling takes damage equal to STR 24, CON 30, DEX 20, SPD 10,
double the amount by which the SR was INT 15, LK 25, WIZ 16, CHR 17.
missed; on a fumble roll of 3, take 10 points
of damage instead. Combat Adds: +33
The wizard controlling the scorpion is an Weapons: Double sword (4D6 plus
experienced rider and never falls unless he special – see below), dagger (2D6).
is deliberately thrown or knocked off. He
Armor: Scorpion armor (takes 8 hits
also has the best seat, right behind the
from each weapon-wielding foe).
scorpion’s head.
Double Sword (enchanted weapon):
Two scorpions are in pursuit, along with 40
Base damage 4D6. Whenever it rolls a 6
men (18 warriors and 2 wizards per
in combat, another blade appears and it
scorpion). Because the wizard driving the
gets another die that lasts until the end
players’ scorpion has been imperceptibly
of that combat encounter; when it isn’t
slowing their mount down for the last half
in combat for a turn, it reverts to its
of the journey, the pursuers catch up with
normal size, appearance, and stats. To
the escapees at the edge of the Farthest
wield it requires STR 20, DEX 18, and
fields.
WIZ 15.
There should be a final battle as described in
Plan 1 above (including the possibility of a
timely rescue by Khoshti forces). Should the players manage to get into one of
the teleport beams, they find sanctuary in
five of the seven destinations (see page 10 for
Escape Plan 3:
3: Take the Teleport the list of cities). However, arriving in Ss‘lla
or Barakarathar should be disastrous: All
Jumping into a teleport beam is not as easy humans in the Ss’lla, as in any of the cities of
as it looks. Somehow, one must first get past the Naga, are slaves and servants (the player
the gate guard(s). will have exchanged one form of slavery for
These elite guards are very proud; each one another); and Barakarathar is a demon city
thinks himself the equal of two ordinary on a world that might as well be Hell itself.
men, so if only one or two delvers attack The fate of any human arriving there
him, the other guards simply watch and call unannounced is too horrible to be described,
encouragement. If more than two attack, the best left to the twisted imaginations of the
nearest gate guard runs to join the fight. If reader. Imagine the worst thing that could
anyone tries to hang back and use magic, a possibly happen. Multiply that by ten. It‘s
guard attacks him one-on-one (there’s no worse than that.
honor in such an attack, so the guards feel

15
Appendix: for use as a quarterstaff, and is used more like a
Treasures of the Scorpion Men cudgel. Each staff has a large ruby attached to the
head of the staff, each worth at least 2000 gp. The
There is not a lot of treasure to be won in this ruby is the true magical focus of the staff, and can be
scenario, but there are a few choice items that delvers used as a power battery to effectively double the
might enjoy. wizard‘s WIZ rating (but only for the purpose of
storing kremm).
Scorpion hive blood ruby: These luscious red stones
are the primary wealth of the scorpion men, who use When using the staff as a weapon, the wizard holds
them for most of their trading. For example, slaves it by the ruby end and strikes with the base of the
are purchased with rubies, and people carry pouches staff, which is shod in iron. It is a 2D6 weapon, but
of ruby dust to pay for small purchases. Each has, on counts as being an enchanted weapon where such
average, a value of 2D6x100 gp (doubles add and roll things are needed.
over).
Gate guardian’s double sword: Each double sword is a
Of more importance, perhaps, is the ability of these fabulous weapon, and is likely to be sought after by
stones to accept and hold magic energies. The rubies the scorpion men if it is lost to a foe. Every such blade
make excellent receptacles for enchantments: Any has a very long hilt (to allow for the second blade to
spell placed on a scorpion ruby has double the appear ― see below) and has a stunning ruby
normal duration. embedded at both quillion and pommel (each stone
worth at least 1500 gp).
If the delvers search any fallen scorpion man, there is
a chance that he will have either ruby dust or small The double sword deals base 4D6 damage. Whenever
rubies on his person. Let the searcher make a SR on its wielder rolls a 6 in combat, however, it gains
Luck and see what level he attained: If he made L3, another die; as soon as it gains at least one die of
for example, there would be 3 rubies, or the damage, a second blade appears, extending
equivalent amount of ruby dust, in the pouch. downward from the sword’s hilt. There is no limit to
the number of additional dice the sword may gain in
Scorpion man “desert sword“: These fine weapons
this way, though it never gains more than two blades.
all have a scorpion hive blood ruby in the hilt, the
When a double sword isn‘t in combat for a turn, it
stone alone worth 400 gp minimum. The rubies pass
reverts to its normal size, appearance, and stats.
along their magical abilities to the weapons: Any
spell placed on such a blade has double the normal To wield a double sword, one must have at least STR
duration. 20, DEX 18, and WIZ 15. When it isn’t in combat for
a turn, it reverts to its normal size, appearance and
Desert swords deal 3D6+3 damage normally, before
stats. The Double Sword is a fabulous weapon and if
combat adds. The blades are of blackened steel, and
someone can take one from a Gate Guardian, he will
the hilt is wrapped with lizard skin.
have a weapon that gets stronger as any battle
Scorpion man armor: This odd-looking plate armor progresses. In addition, there is a very nice ruby
is made from the cast off chitin of giant scorpions. worth 500 g.p. embedded at the base of each of the
The various pieces are held on with straps and two blades.
usually require a second person‘s help to fully equip.
Rubies from the Scorpion Hive—rubies are the
The armor has the unique property of warding off 8
primary wealth of the Scorpion Men and they use
points of damage from every individual weapon that
them for most of their trading. For example, slaves
strikes it.
are purchased with rubies, and people carry pouches
Thus, a person in scorpion armor fighting against of ruby dust to pay for small purchases. If there is
two foes would ward off the first 16 points of time to search any defeated Scorpion Man, there is a
damage; of course, if one foe did 10 points and the chance that the person will have either ruby dust or
other did only 6, the armor would take 2 points of small gem rubies in their personal pouch. Let the
damage from the first foe and 0 from the second. searcher make a saving roll on Luck and see what
level he attained. If he made L3, for example, there
Scorpion man wizard‘s staff: This weapon is about would be 3 rubies in the pouch, and each would have
4 to 5 feet long and made from ironwood. The wood a value of 2D6 times 100 in g.p. Doubles add and roll
itself is as hard as steel, but the weapon is a bit short over for this.

16