Issue #2 ©2019 Planet X Games.

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2
 WELCOME BACK!
This here lil’ judy you’re holding in your hands is The Phylactery 2, a Kickstarted
zine funded once again by the OSR community. Just like the first issue, this one is
full of all sorts of weird ideas, plot threads and things you can plug directly into
your home table. We’re big fans of the old school but its not our sacred cow – the
rule of cool always wins over the rules as written ‘round these parts. This is your
game of course, so we want you take what works for you and ditch the rest!

This issue of The Phylactery is dedicated to my favorite Game Master of all time,
who sadly is no longer with us – my old friend Rob Hosier of Kansas City, MO. Rob
moved to our little town in Arkansas when I was just discovering 1E AD&D and
was the catalyst for so much of what I love about gaming today. His adventures
were grand and truly insane, really setting my imagination along down a path
the literally leads to the zine you’re holding in your hands right now. Whether
it was were-panther assassin-wizards riding on the backs of summoned wind
walkers or crusty kobold mercenaries armed with modern weapons and guerilla
tactics or teetering lattice dungeons built onto the side of a windswept cliff, his
games were always guaranteed to be a wild ride and (most importantly) just
pure, plain fun.

His imagination was brought to life week after week and you’d do almost
anything not to skip a game. There truly was no telling what you’d miss if you did.
There was a tangible excitement in the air when we played in those campaigns
because nothing was seemingly off limits! While one game might bring a near
total party kill at the hands of an astral-plane dwelling god-mouth, another
might reveal undreamed of riches from the subterranean depths of a fungus-lich.
Those games were over the top – a real wild ride for the players who gathered
in the living room week after week to sling dice, drink ridiculous amounts of Mt
Dew and brave the lunacy of his campaign.

Sadly, Rob left us in 2012, gone to that great mead-hall in the sky. What he left
behind for all of us that bellied up to his table week after week are countless
good times, lots of laughs and unforgettable memories… what more can a
Game Master ask for?

- Levi

3
 The Skullstaff of Stelos
“There are horrors beyond life’s edge that we do not suspect,
and once in a while man’s evil prying calls them just within our range…”
– H.P. Lovecraft, The Thing on the Doorstep

Originally crafted by the dread

necromancer Stelos “the
Breathstealer”, this long, gnarled
staff of twisted wood is topped
with a charred, horned skull the
size of a clenched, gauntleted
fist. The shaft is smooth and
worn, feeling slightly cool to the
touch.

The skullstaff of stelos was lost

for many hundreds of winters,
after Stelos’ power-hungry
apprentices fell to bickering
over it following his untimely
(and quite grisly) demise. Finally
it was his fawning daughter – a
wicked priestess of the leper-
god – who wrested the evil
relic from their machinations,
murdering them to the last and
seizing it for herself. She herself
was slain by adventurers in the
ruins of an ancient temple in
the southern marshes, and from
there the skullstaff of stelos vanished. Only recently has it resurfaced, in the hands
of a powerful undead lizardman witch-doctor who has his eyes set on the merciless
slaughter and conquest of the nearby borderland settlements.

The skullstaff of stelos has many terrible powers, the foremost of which is allowing
the wielder to command undead as if they were a 10th level evil cleric. If the wielder
is already an evil cleric, they command undead as if they were 4 levels higher. The
user may also utilize the following powers, one at a time – animate dead 3/day;
cause disease 2/day; fear 2/day; and finger of death 1/day. In addition, the wielder
may speak with dead at will, asking up to 10 questions a day.

Predictably, the skullstaff of stelos has an unfortunate side effect on those who wield
it, slowly transforming them into an undead creature over time. While those who
are powerful can stave off this effect for awhile, the artifact subtly wears away at
its user, draining them of vitality and life until all that remains is an undead husk
with a burning hatred for all living things. In addition, the wielder labors under a
potent delusion, unable to recognize the changes happening to them. Creatures
of lower hit dice are eventually transformed into wights, though more powerful
beings often become wraiths or even liches, if their spellcasting prowess so allows.

4
 Twelve Things
a Magic Mouth Would Say
“So, uhhhh…. kinda chatty for dungeon dressin’ aint ya?”
Magic mouths are… well… mouthy. Oftentimes, there’s no telling what they’re go-
ing to say, who put them there or what their original purpose was. The magic can
linger on for centuries until some poor fool adventurer trips it up. Whispering in
the dark? Could be a magic mouth. Curses from beyond ye olde ancient portal? Yep,
might be a magic mouth. Proclamations to go no further or face the wrath of the
dead? Oh yeah – definitely a magic mouth.
Roll 1d12 or simply choose:
1. Go back. There is nothing for you 7. Numerous magic mouths activate
here. Only cold, lingering death and in the room, unseen unless a detect
certain doom. Go back, lest your magic or similar effect is being
bones litter these halls like the ones used. They speak in a susurrus
who came before. Go back…. go of whispered murmurs and half-
back. spoken phrases that are completely
incomprehensible to the characters.
2. Stand fast ye sons of iron and mithral! After a few minutes, the voices trail
Your axes will feast on orcish blood off into nothingness.
until they thirst no more!
8. You have chosen poorly, mortal…
3. Who is it that dares come before me, now you will learn that there are
not on his knees in supplication but things far more dreadful than death!
boldly on his feet? Who is it that begs
to join the worms and corpses that 9. Hail the rise of the bloodstained
feed the blood of the earth? Kneel moon! The time for sacrificial death
infidel, or be struck down before my has come! Within these halls the
might! way of the Faceless One shall reign
unchecked!
4. The way ahead is broken… take the
south passage to the glittering halls. 10. The time has come for your faithless
Heed not the… blood to stain the altar of the Worm-
King! The Faceless Prophet awaits…
5. Before your heart explodes and your come to the Great Maw!
bones are jerked from your skin to
dance before me, your mouth shall 11. Turn the frog’s head to the north until
fill with plague flies and the terrible the water in the fountain comes to
beating of great wings in your ears a stop. Only then will you be able to
will drown out your screams! reach the stairs leading down to…

6. You miserable creatures of soft flesh 12. Why have you come? To let your
and brittle bone never cease to blood run hot onto the altar of the
amuse me. great beast? Come then, mortals…
and SEE!

5
 Strange Things That Live
Underground and Other Weird Critters
“Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places.” – H.P. Lovecraft

Perils of all kind await those who dare the sunless lands beneath our feet. What
squamous, gelatinous horrors lurk deep underneath the lands of men? What
eldritch mysteries lay undisturbed and forgotten in places that have never seen
the sun? Adventurers both brave and foolish have always delved into the deepest
recesses of the earth to seek their fortune and glory… but for every hero who
returns with gold and magic, there are twenty others who find death at the hands
of the deepearth’s sinister and utterly alien dangers.
Here are eight of them!
1. 1d3 Faceless Prophets – Unlike by to sate their thirst. When they
most inhabitants of the deepearth, do… it attacks!
these nameless, mold-eating
whisperers in the dark roam about Froglodyte – Chaotic Neutral, AC
the depths of the earth in search of 3, MV 15”, ATKS 3, DMG 1-6/1-6/2-
the deeper mysteries of existence. If 8, HD 6; SA/SD amphibious, leap up
the characters are not immediately to 30’, rend (if both claw attacks hit,
hostile, one or more faceless the creature can do an additional
prophets may approach them 2-8 dmg), MR 25% (in the water)
(50% chance or up to the Game 3. 2d4 Shroud Spiders – Another
Master’s discretion) and murmur subterranean horror that no one
a rumor of the Game Master’s knows quite where they came
choice. If attacked, they will defend from, these creatures love to lurk on
themselves and attempt to flee at ledges and steep caves, attacking
the earliest opportunity. from the darkness by complete
Faceless Prophets – Neutral,
AC 7, MV 12”, ATKS 1, DMG 1-6
(shortsword) or 1-8 (crossbow), HD
3; SA/SD immune to sight-based
and gaze attacks, spell-like abilities
– darkness 15’ radius, invisibility,
locate person at will
2. The deadly Froglodyte lurks in
the cavern beyond! A subhuman
beast that combines all of the worst
qualities of a giant venomous frog
with that of an ogre, this knuckle-
dragging, flabby-mouthed, sub-
human monster greedily gobbles
up anything its size or smaller that
it comes across. It often lurks near
pools of cave water hoping that
subterranean creatures will stop
6
 surprise. Shroud spiders mix all of
the worst characteristics of giant
spiders and undead shadows.
They have learned to set upon
only a few victims at a time,
using pack tactics and their
strength-draining bite to
overcome larger or more
powerful foes.

Shroud Spiders – Chaotic

Evil, AC 4, MV 3”/12”, ATKS 1,
DMG 1-8 + strength drain
(1 point with each hit), HD
4+4; SA/SD strength drain
(as a shadow), +1 or better
weapon to hit, immune
to cold attacks, undead
immunities

4. 2d3 Ooze Cultists of the

Slime-Lord – Garbed in
filthy yellow robes and
bearing melted features,
these faceless heretics
roam the tunnels of the
upper underdark looking
for captives. Those
unfortunate souls captured by hateful creature that should not be
them do not live long as they are leeches away their life force. If this
either transformed into mindless eldritch catastrophe should touch
gelatinous horrors or fed to one of the characters, it drains 3d4
quivering carnivorous jellies in points of damage away, adding it
great-slime farms deep within the to its own hit point total. Healing
earth. There is a 50% chance they spells damage it and a chant spell
will have a mobile ooze or pudding intoned by a good-aligned cleric
of some sort with them, fully under drives it away.
their control. Necromantic Fallout - Neutral, AC
Ooze Cultists of the Slime-Lord – 7, MV 9”, ATKS 1, DMG 3-12, HD 5; SA/
Chaotic Evil, AC 5, MV 12”, ATKS 1, SD zone of life drain (1-2 hit points/
DMG 1-6 (mace), HD 5; SA/SD spells round), half damage from slashing
(as a 5th level evil cleric), summon weapons, immune to bludgeoning
ochre jelly 1/day weapons, cold, lightning and cause
wounds spells
5. Necromantic Fallout – A horrible
magical experiment that was cast 6. 1d4 Albino Worm Priests – Pale
aside and forgotten, composed of and hateful, these evil beings
oozing black flesh that warps and congregate in dank, dark voids
churns before the characters’ eyes! worshiping the great, wriggling
Any living creature within 20’ of it worms deep within the earth.
loses 1d2 hit points a round as this They try to interpret the will
7
 of these massive beings (quite fruiting bodies. When a living
unsuccessfully) and will try and creature of medium size or larger
capture sentient beings rather draws near (within 5’ or less), the
than slay them outright. Anyone swollen polyp explodes, showering
enslaved by the horrid worm priests everyone within 20’ with hundreds
is stripped of all possessions and of carnivorous green worms. These
tossed headlong into a pit… food tiny creatures are treated like the
for the white worms of the deep! character had been struck by a son
of kyuss 3 times, forcing multiple
Albino Worm Priests – Chaotic
saving throws. Anyone slain by this
Evil, AC 6, MV 12”, ATKS 1, DMG 1-6
effect is transformed into a son of
(mace) or capture (net), HD 4; SA/
kyuss!
SD spells (as a 4th level evil cleric),
summon purple worm (only works Worm Polyps from the Void
20% of the time) Beyond - Neutral, AC 9, MV 0”, ATKS
7. An Undead Gut-Pile! - A pale, 1, DMG shower of worms, HD 1;
worm-like creature of monstrous SA/SD shower of worms (causes
size was slain, gutted and
devoured here long
ago, but through some
horrible arcane accident
or magical calamity, the
creature’s steaming gut-
pile gained a limited
undead sentience
and slithered off into
the depths. It now
haunts the tunnels
and lightless vaults
beneath the earth,
having grown both
bold and strong
on a steady diet of
grimlocks, troglodytes
and the occasional
lost traveler. It attacks
immediately and does
so until it is destroyed.
Undead Gut-Pile
– Neutral Evil, AC
6, MV 9”, ATKS 1,
DMG 3-12, HD 6;
SA/SD half damage
from bludgeoning
weapons, undead immunities everyone within a 20’ radius to make
a save vs poison for 3 consecutive
8. Worm Polyps from the Void
rounds; failure indicates that one of
Beyond – These large, pale green
the worms burrows into the victim’s
sacs hang heavy and groaning, like
brain in 1d4 rounds; if not stopped,
moldy parasites from the towering the victim dies and then rises as a
mushrooms of a fungal forest - an son of kyuss); see the son of kyuss
obvious fungal incursion of strange for more information.
8
 Of Longstriders and Giant Killers –
Renowned Rangers of the Untamed North
“Lonely men are we, rangers of the wild, hunters – but hunters ever of the servants of
the enemy…” – J.R.R. Tolkien

Helka “Red-Spear”
Orphaned by a giant raid at a young age, Helka survived on her own in the wilds of
the north for more than two months before she was discovered by the legendary
warrior Skode Gold-Eye. The old warrior took her in and raised her through his
twilight years, where she became a skilled tracker and veteran of dozens of battles
by the time she came of age. Helka ranged all over the hinterlands of the north
for more than 25 winters, doing all she could to stop the steady onslaught of orcs,
ogres and giants before disappearing into the uncharted wilds.
Dragon-bone Spear – While Helka may have disappeared long ago in her quest
to quell the frost giants of the far north, her fabled dragon-bone spearhead was
recovered by adventurers at the Rift of Howling Ice, the site of her probable demise.
This expertly-carved bone spearhead can be modified by a skilled craftsman and
will act as a spear +2.

Langlar “Greenshadow”
An expert woodsman,
tracker and strategist of no
small skill, this famed half elf
ranger is known as perhaps
the best marksman with a
longbow in the entire north.
He gained his epithet for his
ability to stealthily appear
and disappear into the
wilderness without trace.
He has a great knowledge of
the hidden paths and secret
ways around the north like
no other. In conjunction
with a handful of other
likeminded rangers, druids
and frontiersmen, Langlar
watches the deep passes
and gateways to the wild
hinterlands for any sort of
activity that could threaten
the civilized lands to the
south.
The Greenbow – Langlar
is in possession of no
fewer than a dozen special
9
 bowstrings, gifted to him by the elves of his mother’s homeland many winters ago.
While these are very precious to him, he has been known to give them to other
servants of the north on rare occasions. If a longbow is strung with one of these,
it immediately adds a +1 bonus to hit to the bow. This bonus cannot exceed +3,
but the bow strings are extremely resilient, lasting three times as long as normal
varieties of their kind.

Belken “Stormbreaker”
A skilled tracker known to range
far and wide throughout the
wilderlands of the frozen north,
Belken’s deeds are legendary,
even amongst other rangers
and adventurers. He was
known to wield a hammer of
thunderbolts to disastrous effect
in his battles with the many
evils prevalent in the north and
to have a strange affinity to
crows and ravens of all sorts. It
was not uncommon for a tribe
of orcs on the move to see a
flock of crows fly overhead,
only to be strafed with bolts
of lightning moments later as
Belken moved in to finish his
grim work.
The Counsel of Crows – In life,
Belken possessed a light silver
torc that he always wore around
his neck and after his death
it was passed down to other
rangers of the north. The torc is simply made and sturdy, otherwise unadorned aside
from an etching of ravens taking flight. This was a gift from the witch-women of the
Gwirach, who were indebted to Belken after he rescued several of their number
from an attack by a remorhaz. When worn and pressed slightly to the throat, it
allows the wearer to speak with animals, but only to crows, ravens and carrion birds.

Longbeard
No one is quite sure from whence Longbeard originally came, only that he has
been somehow gifted with extraordinarily long life and has been in the trackless
wilderness of the north for more than 150 winters. As his name implies, he has an
unusually long, thick and bushy beard (some 8 feet long by one fellow ranger’s
estimation), which frames a dour and almost wooden face that has seen season
after season pass before its eyes. Longbeard has been known to come seemingly
out of nowhere to rescue good folk in need, only to disappear without need of
thanks or a single word of comment. He is highly skilled with both bow and axe,
using woodland sniper tactics to take his foes by surprise before moving in to make
short work of those left.

10
Blessing of the Korred King – Longbeard has a close relationship with the wild folk
known as the korred, having aided them many times in the past in their battles with
those trespassing into their sacred territory. The king of the korred laid a special
blessing on Longbeard that always keeps his beard long and full, providing warmth
to him in the winter. An unexpected benefit of this magical charm was that, once a
year, Longbeard can harvest a handful of the long locks from his voluminous beard
that will then magically lengthen and weave together to form a rope of climbing.
The rope lasts for a full year before falling apart. From time to time, Longbeard will
gift a true servant of the north with one of these strange but special gifts.

Ole One Eye

An anomaly amongst his fellow longstriders and rangers, Ole One-Eye is said to
have a bit of giant blood in him, which
would certainly account for his great size.
Standing just over 7’ tall, he is a brooding,
wiry-bearded man with a thick frame
that is still muscular for his age. As his
name implies, he has but one eye – the
unfortunate result from a battle with a
yeti of unusually large size.
Inwardly, Ole One Eye is a gentle
soul and hates to see any intelligent
creature hunted or afraid. He will go to
great lengths to protect those who
become lost or find themselves
being stalked by savage
monsters in the wilderlands.
While his size is usually
enough to give
those who would
do him harm
pause, he is more
than capable of
bringing violence
to bear if need be.
The long-handled
heavy axe that
he wields inflicts
twice the damage
that a normal-
sized one does, allowing him to make short work of the many orcs, hobgoblins and
ogres that plague the north.
True North – Ole One Eye wears a simple-looking eye patch made of winter wolf
hide to cover the ragged hole where his left eye used to be. This eye patch carries
with a simple magical blessing which allows the wearer to be able to always locate
true north, no matter where they may be standing.

11
 Magic Armors and Weapons of Legend
“Treasures are not won by care and forethought
but by swift slaying and reckless attack.” – Michael Moorcock

The Alabaster Armor of

St Saldric the Blessed
Sacred to the followers of the
god of justice, this elaborate
set of platemail is engraved
with angelic faces and religious
symbols holy to that faith. The
armor gets its name from its
unusual, stark white color
and is not actually made from
alabaster. The left gauntlet of
the armor does not share this
hue, being both plain and
unadorned to symbolize the
one-handed nature of the god
of justice.

The alabaster armor of st saldric

the blessed has a storied history,
having not only been worn by
the famous paladin for who it
is named, but by many other
well known knights during its
long history. Before achieving
sainthood, Sir Saldric roamed
the lands between the great
seas – both civilized and wild
– dispensing even-handed justice wherever the whims of fate took him. He finally
met his demise at the hands of summoned demons as he singlehandedly razed a
secret underground temple dedicated to the god of murder. His steadfast devotion
to his cause earned him sainthood after his death and mobilized a crusade against
evil in the region that lasted for more than twenty winters.

This platemail +2 is significantly lighter and easier to move about in than other
armors of its kind. In addition to this most welcome property, it has the ability to
function as a ring of spell turning 3/day.

Local Lore – The temple of the god of justice has been desecrated, its attendant
clerics slain and the alabaster armor of st saldric the blessed has been stolen! A
taunting message left behind by the bloody priests of the murder-god clearly
spells out who is responsible. Several knights and crusaders of renown have gone
to the old ruined black keep in the hills to bring justice to the murderers, but only
the young cleric Olothir has returned, bearing tales of butchery from the shadows,
pitfalls filled with captive beasts and waiting death traps for any who dare come.
12
Gateseeker
An old blade dating back to the days when witch-kings ruled the
northern lands and elvenkind still held mighty arboreal courts across
a world unsettled by men, Gateseeker is highly sought after for its
potent magical properties. The location of the sword is unknown, but
speculations run rampant to where it might actually lay.

This magnificently crafted longsword +2 also acts as a sword of the

planes. It is capable of detecting magical gates within 60’ of the
wielder and if such an eldritch portal is detected, the sword allows
them to see it even if it is invisible or otherwise naked to the human
eye. Gateseeker is also capable of permanently closing an open,
active gate by touching the blade to the portal 50% of the time.
Each time this ability is used, there is a 5% cumulative chance that
the sword will shatter and become non-magical after closing the
gate. This detrimental effect is unknown to the wielder and rolled
secretly by the Game Master.

Local Lore – For more than a hundred winters the final resting place
of Gateseeker has eluded plundering adventurers, treasure seekers
and curious sages across the civilized lands of men. Some have
postulated that it lies beneath the ruins of shattered Nethra,
gripped in death by some long dead sorcerer-king. Others say
that it is hidden away deep in Nuorn, the land of the hags. One
adventurer claims he saw it at the heart of Nettlewood, in a grisly nest
of hundreds of giant spiders. Another claims that it was on the good
ship Luck of the Draw when it sunk off of Peli’s Point. The truth to any
of these speculations is up for debate, with each claim being grander
than the last.

The Screaming Scepter of Dun-Tharos

Once seen as the staff of office in the Chernobogian-ruled city of old Dun-Tharos
(before that city’s utter destruction at the hands of mammoth-mounted northern
invaders led by the mysterious witches known as the Gwirach), this powerful
weapon is a rod of lordly might that is both chaotic evil in alignment and intent.
Sacred to the dread faith of Chernobog, they will do anything in their power to find
and reclaim this powerful weapon.

In addition to the alignment properties of the screaming scepter of dun-tharos, the

weapon is rechargeable, which makes it different from most varieties of the rod of
lordly might. If a sentient living being of 5 or more hit dice is slain by the weapon,
the visage on the head of the rod will scream aloud in a bloodcurdling shriek,
bestowing the scepter with a single charge. The rod has a maximum of 20 charges

Local Lore – While many chroniclers of the such things believe that the scepter lies
somewhere in the old ruins of Dun-Tharos (which, to this day, have been reduced
to a sparsely-settled hinterland of small hovels, sheep-tending farms and scattered
blocks of old, carved stone), the truth is unknown. An apostate priest of the dread
god Chernobog insists that it resides in the hands of a great, stag-antlered huntsman
who commands a hell-born pack of the dread hounds of chernobog (detailed on
page 44), but his ravings have been dismissed as madness by the core faith.
13
 She Rides on the Wind -
Baba Yaga, Hag Queen of the North!
“I knew a man once – he lived in a house near the woods and each night the Baba
Yaga would fly into his kitchen to count his spoons… and the man would hide in a
closet and bite a rag to keep from screaming.” – Mike Mignola, The Baba Yaga

The Grandmother of Witches. The Old Crone in the Hut. The Mother of Monsters.
Many are the names and titles given to the venerable hag Baba Yaga over the
centuries. That she has birthed countless horrors and perpetuated the spread of
evil in the north is undeniable, though she seems to have a broader plan that only
she can foresee. There are times when she could easily crush the folk of the north
but chooses to stay her hand. Other times she secretly works against those in her
service, laying traps and obstacles that cause them to fail. Her goals and ambitions
are unknowable and she seems to like it this way. She remains detached and aloof,
sometimes spending years away from the mortal plane in unknown pursuits.

Baba Yaga Tall but hunched over with age, Baba

Yaga has long, spindly arms that are
(The Old Crone) tattooed with fading eldtrich runes that
do nothing to betray the great strength
Frequency: Unique she possesses. Her gnarled hands end in
No. Appearing: 1 long, iron-hard claws that are capable of
tearing even the most veteran warrior
Armor Class: -3 to shreds. Cold black eyes ringed with a
Move: 15” cruel red glare glow above a long, warty
nose and a hideous face framed in long,
Hit Points: 145 filthy hair. She wears a long, tattered
% In Lair: 0% shawl and a necklace hung with many
bones and odd trinkets.
Treasure Type: Carried
No. of Attacks: 2 Baba Yaga has all of the spells and abilities
of 20th level magic-user, with the added
Damage/Attacks: 3-18 ability of being able to draw spells from
Special Attacks: See below the druid spell list, conforming to the
same levels. In addition, she can add
Special Defenses: See below
any cleric spells that she finds on scrolls
Magic Resistance: 85% or other sources to her permanent spell
Intelligence: Supra-Genius list, thus being able to prepare and add
them to her daily roster of spells if she
Alignment: Chaotic Evil so chooses. Which cleric spells she has is
Size: L (8’ tall) left completely up to the Game Master.
The Hag Queen has a number of other
Possessions: Broom of flying, baba potent abilities at her command. She
yaga’s mortar and pestle, crone’s brew regenerates like a troll and can only
(many doses), girdle of wailing children, be hit by silver or magical weapons. If
hag-mother’s mantle, iron flask, urn of both of her physical attacks hit, she may
holding. also rend and tear her victim for 4-24
14
points of damage, literally ripping them into pieces. Baba Yaga radiates fear in a 30’
radius and any creature laying eyes on her must save vs magic or be stricken with
weakness, losing half of their strength points for 1-6 turns. She can suppress this
fear effect if she so chooses. She can polymorph into any woodland creature ranging
from small to large size and has permanent tongues and speak with monsters effects
in place. She may detect lie, detect magic, know alignment and read magic at will.
Finally, when a creature is slain by Baba Yaga and she has the opportunity to
consume a portion of its body, she can prevent that creature from being raised,
resurrected or restored to life. Only a full wish or intervention by a deity can counter
this effect. When this occurs, Baba Yaga heals up to 10 hit points per hit die of the
creature consumed.

15
 In addition to her infamous baba yaga’s dancing hut, she also typically carries the
following magical items with her:

Baba Yaga’s Mortar and Pestle – These over-sized but simple looking items are
often used by the grandmother of witches when she travels away from her hut on
the mortal plane. The mortar can fit up to 3 medium creatures or 1 large creature
comfortably, flying at high speeds for an unlimited amount of times a day. The
pestle can be used as a +3 club that does double damage against creatures from
the prime material plane if the need should arise.

Crone’s Brew – A horrific mixture with the

consistency of mucus, the color of pus and
the odor of rotting flesh, this magical brew
curses its imbiber so that their alignment
is permanently changed to chaotic evil. A
save vs spell is allowed to resist its effects,
but if failed the alignment change takes
place. Like a helm of opposite alignment, the
change is both mental and moral, and the
individual thoroughly enjoys his new
outlook.

The Girdle of Wailing Children

– This simple-looking belt is a
magical garment of the most
grisly sort, being fashioned from
the very thing it takes its name from.
If one takes a closer look at it, tiny scalps
and hands can be seen hanging from it like
trophies. If the wearer is evil-aligned, it grants a +2 bonus to armor class and saving
throws. Furthermore, all spells cast by the wearer are saved at with a -2 penalty, but
only if the victim is good-aligned. Any character of good alignment that wears the
belt is affected as if they had worn a robe of powerlessness.

Hag-Mother’s Mantle – This old, tattered-looking shawl is fashioned in an older style,

its fringes sweeping the ground and fit with a deep, concealing hood. Despite its
ragged appearance, it is a potent item of arcane power. The hag-mother’s mantle
provides a +5 bonus to armor class and allows the wearer to utilize path without
trace at will. If anyone other than Baba Yaga should attempt to wear it, it acts as a
rug of smothering.

Urn of Holding – This item appears as a large, earthenware jar, crudely painted,
which flies and gnats always seem to buzz about and light upon. It acts as both a
bag of holding of the largest size and a heward’s handy haversack.

16
 10 Wayward Oddfellows You Might Meet on
Any Given Night at Old Man Rumple’s
“I mean, what is prison, really, except a good bar without the booze?”
– John Waters
The taverns and roadside stops of the north are notorious for the brand of
adventurous folk that they attract. Old Man Rumple’s is no different. A popular stop
along the oft-dangerous road that dead-ends into the unchecked wilderness of the
hinterlands, its well known as a place where allegiances are forged, wanted men
can hide out and whispers of lost treasure and great adventure get told endlessly
around the roaring hearth. Who knows what daring or unscrupulous folk might be
there on any given night?
Roll 1d10 or just choose one you like
1. Durnor “the Old Hawk” 3. Nick Dandy, Conjurer at Large
A retired soldier, ex-gladiator and Loud of mouth and boisterous of
one-time adventurer of minor deed, this brightly-robed, charismatic
local fame, he loves to roam the wizard from the south loves a good tall
taverns and alehouses of the north tale or recounting of heroic deeds…
recounting his days as a monster especially if he is at the center of it! He
hunter and sharing stories about can often be found tossing dice at a
his days abroad. He is a shameless back table or drinking himself into a
drunk but if sobered up (no easy stupor with other local adventurers.
feat!) this weathered, hawk-nosed From time to time he is known to
veteran knows much about exotic hire out his services to enterprising
creatures, tribes of humanoids and expeditions into the hinterlands, but
the infamous dungeons of the north. only if the cut of seized treasure and
probable chances of success are both
2. Wagonmaster Horthal in his favor.
Experienced, trusted and not one
4. Duhn Hillgauntlet
to give his trust easily, this wizened
The youngest son of a minor noble
caravan master only has a few more
family known for its adventurous
runs along the open routes before
scions, this swarthy, handsome
he can retire and kick his feet up for
aristocrat-turned-crafty-tomb-
good. He is very aware of this too,
plunderer loves being on the open
sizing up anyone or any situation
road and never knowing what the
in advance, fearful that they might
next day may bring. He is always
deprive him of the life he’s worked
up for a foray into whatever old
so long to attain. He’s willing to hire
crypt or forgotten tomb is making
enterprising adventurers for work
the local rounds. He is known to
as they skirt the wilder parts of the
possess a horn of valhalla, which
north, but he keeps a close eye on
has saved him certain doom more
everyone.
than once.

17
 5. Dulgeth those of questionable character.
Formerly a minor mageling of He is an eccentric fop of sorts
little consequence, he became so (complete with many-ringed
enamored with death and evil that hands and perfumed beard!),
he elected to become a priest of the willing to thoughtlessly throw coin
rotting god. Friendly and sociable at whatever amuses him, as the
to those in power, he keeps a close wild stories and exotic harems he
eye on the wealthy class, members frequents also attest to. He thinks
of rival faiths and other enterprising of himself as untouchable, but
folk of the north. He thinks nothing of nevertheless loves to tempt fate.
betrayal and murder should it benefit Hlundor is always accompanied
him or if someone has become by 1d3+2 armed bodyguards (2nd
no longer useful in his schemes. level human fighters).
Outwardly, he is known as a minor
aristocrat and wizard, keeping his 9. Durp
A failed clone spell that end up
true faith and goals a secret.
living despite all odds, Durp is a
6. Ham “Greatbelly” small, hunchbacked fellow with
A ridiculously fat halfling given large eyes and hairy, ape-like hands
more to throwing back endless who stays hidden under tattered
tankards of ale and sharp-tongued clothes and a wind-shredded cloak.
puns than his true calling as a He is cunning and shrewd, but looks
broker of underground goods, up to those who show him genuine
exotic treasures and rare magics. kindness. He is well known amongst
He is a shrewd negotiator and the tavern-keepers and ale-pourers
there’s not a tavern in the north that of the north’s taverns as harmless
doesn’t hold at least a half dozen and somewhat pathetic, but is
men who either owe Ham a favor or quite capable at getting into places
have been bought so many drinks others want to stay locked up.
by him over the years as to make
10. Kelhara
them unshakably loyal. A great ally
Red of hair and sullen of temper,
to have… but a cunning enemy
this lithe warrior-woman from
should you cross him.
the western isles is only recently
7. Farngoth “the Fearless” arrived, waiting patiently night
A boisterous former showman and after night at Old Man Rumple’s.
circus strongman who turned to a Her only companions are a rapier
brief life of adventuring, he retired and dirk, worn at her belt and ready
after an unfortunate owlbear to silence the mouth of the next
wrestling accident left him with a drunken braggart to try and lay a
gruesome limp. He spends his days hand on her. She was seen speaking
gambling, dueling blindfolded, in hushed tones to a hooded, one-
arm-wrestling his “civilized” eyed dwarf several nights ago and
lizardman companion and pursuing in no language known to the men
any drinking game of chance that of the north. Her business – and
crosses his path. what she awaits – is a mystery.
8. Hlundor
A wealthy moneylender who
prefers to “slum it” amongst the
seedier bars and taverns of the
city, spending his off days among
18
 Secrets from the Lich’s Crypt -
A Whole Buncha Weird Ole Crap
in a Dead Wizard’s Lab
“Casting his shadow, weaving his spell. Funny clothes, tinkling bell.”
– Black Sabbath, The Wizard

Elixir of Curdled Swarms

Known by users of magic to
be brewed only in the foulest
temples of the slime god by its
horrible, faceless worshipers, these
disgusting draughts are an utter
abomination in the civilized lands
of men.

The drinker of an elixir of curdled

swarms is immediately wracked by
convulsing tremors and pain that
courses through their entire body,
dealing 1d4 points of damage and
giving them a -2 penalty to their
armor class for 1d3 rounds. At
the end of the round, the imbiber
forcibly vomits forth 1d3 ochre
jellies that are under its complete
control. The ochre jellies may take
action on the following round and
persist for 10 turns before melting
away into nothingness.

Lich’s Lore – A secret temple to the demon god of oozes was recently uncovered
beneath a finely-appointed villa in the city’s southern district. The dwelling’s original
inhabitants had all disappeared and a trail of gelatinous sludge led to many cellars
and sub-levels below, finally revealing the forbidden shrine. Though many curious
and terrible red stains marked the altar, the only thing that was left behind by those
who once worshipped here was a very old and ornate bottle, sealed with a wax
stamp of unknown origin… and a message scrawled in blood upon the wall that
read “Come…. and SEE!”. A natural tunnel that led further into the depths has (as of
yet) remained unexplored.

Gloom Dust
Much has been written of the legendary Ul-Dis (the infamous “city of witches”) and
the dreaded necromancers who once dwelled there, but its legacy lives on in the
many magical relics and formulas that depraved folk left behind. One such magical
item is gloom dust.
19
 This black powder is chalky to the touch and smells vaguely of the open grave. It
has two effects, both of which occur simultaneously. If thrown into the air, it fills an
area equal to 15’ and creates a magical darkness equal to that of the spell darkness
15’. Anyone caught inside this darkness must also make a save vs poison or become
weakened, incurring a -2 penalty to their strength.

Any creature slain while under the effects of gloom dust will rise as a shadow within
1d2 days unless the body is blessed by a good-aligned cleric of at least 5th level.

Lich’s Lore – The ruins of an old burned church in the hills is said by locals to be
haunted, some of who have reported the odor of burning timber and ash before
being confronted by the unquiet spirits of the restless dead. A wizard known to the
characters has recently uncovered the ancient formula for creating gloom dust and
asks (hires) them to go the ruined church to collect ash from the charred stones
there. Unfortunately, in order for the ash to retain any hope of magical potency, it
must be collected at night…

The Ossuary of Varaak-dos

Many are the dark secrets and fell sorceries that fill the
hidden tombs of witch kings of the uncharted north. Few of
these were more wicked or had a burning hatred of those
that walked the sunlit world more than the hell-pledged
warlock Varaak-dos. When he was murdered by a rival
sorcerer, his still-smoking remains were placed into an
enchanted magical urn and his spirit was forced to serve
the one who held it – a final insult to one who had spent
his long, unnatural life despising all of those around him.

The ossuary of varaak-dos is a chipped ceramic urn

roughly 2’ high and painted with faded images
detailing the wicked life of the evil being inside.
Whoever holds the urn can command the rage-filled
spirit inside to come forth and attack a living creature
once per day. When this is done, the air is filled with
unearthly screams and a sickly purplish light emanates
from the urn. The spirit of Varaak-dos attempts to
consume its victim, acting as an inflict critical wounds
spell. The victim can attempt to save vs spell to take only
half damage.

Every time the ossuary of varaak-dos is used, there is a

1% cumulative chance that the spirit instead turns on
the one commanding it.

Lich’s Lore – The ossuary of varaak-dos has been out of the hands of evil for many
decades, locked deep within the vaults of a temple dedicated to the god of
justice… until recently. After a daring dead-of-night raid on the temple by a group
of evil wizards and their summoned mezzodaemon allies, the treasury was torn
asunder and the ossuary stolen. The surviving priests of the temple are offering
great rewards for the return of the ossuary of varaak-dos, along with seeing an even-
handed justice levied against those who murdered their brothers in cold blood.
20
Shroud of the Black Hour
Originally worn by a powerful dusanu (also known as “rot fiends”) and subsequently
gifted to the high priest of the leper-god, this tattered, moth-eaten black cloak is
shot through with dozens of holes and reeks of a freshly-opened tomb. Candles,
torches and other small sources of light visibly flicker and dim when the one
wearing the cloak draws near.

When donned by a creature of evil alignment, the cloak offers up a +1 to armor

class and saving throws for the one wearing it. If worn by an evil creature who
also worships the leper-god, this bonus increases to +2. In addition, the shroud of
the black hour acts as a periapt of proof against disease with the added effect that
while the wearer is completely unaffected from the harmful, in-game effects of a
disease, if the affliction has any sort of physical aspect it will still affect the wearer.
For instance, if the wearer is affected by leprosy, his body will still slowly rot away
but he will be unaffected in any sort of in-game manner.

Any good aligned creature who dons this accursed shroud suffers a -2 penalty to all
saving throws and must save vs spell or be affected by cause disease.
Lich’s Lore – Rumors have come out of the frozen north, carried by a haggard ranger
named Durlan, that a horde of undead have erupted from deep in earth, led by
a masked prophet of the leper-god who calls himself “The Shambling King”. He is
said to be carried on a litter of human bones and to cause famine with a wave of
his boned claw. He wears the shroud of the black hour in service to his dreaded god.

Rod of Keening Death

Said to have been plucked from the limbs of the World-Tree and used to stir the
cauldron of the grandmother of witches, the rod of keening death was fashioned
by Baba Yaga herself and given over to one of her favored daughters, the frost-
witch Agnatha. The rod has changed hands dozens of times since, always seeming
to return to the possession of the monstrous witches of the north.
This long wooden rod is banded in cold iron and topped with the intricately carved
visage of a snarling, monstrous head akin to that of a harpy. It is fashioned so that
the wielder may blow through a cleverly disguised chamber in the back of the head
to create a shrill whistling sound. When blown through, the eyes of the terrible
visage glow green with a spectral light. This dread keening is unearthly and terrible,
producing one of three possible effects, each usable once a day. The effects are as
follows:
• Fear
• Acts as a horn of blasting
• Cause serious wounds
The rod of keening death has one drawback – there is a 1% cumulative chance that
every time it is used it will attract the attention of 1d2+1 hags (the exact type is
determined by the Game Master and should conform to the varieties that might
be found nearby). The hags will seek to slay the possessor of the rod and take the
dreaded item back with them to their lairs.
Lich’s Lore – A coven of powerful hags in the northern hinterlands was recently
slain by adventurers who brought the dreaded rod of keening death back with them
as part of the seized treasure from the lair of those terrible witches. The item was
21
 traded to a one-eyed, battle-scarred wizard known as Grimwand, who recognized
it as a device of fell powers and eldritch evil. Grimwand seeks to hire armed
adventurers to help him take it to a special place in the deep boreal wilds so that it
can be destroyed… lest it fall back into the clutches of evil.

Ring of Eldritch Might

This magical ring was worn for many
winters by the famed battle-wizard Ulorn
“of the Tempest-Blood” (who, as his name
would imply, was said to have the blood of
storm giants coursing through his veins),
known just as much for his imposing
physical size (a full seven feet tall!) as he
was for his mastery of magic. Ulorn was
famed for hurling lightning bolts and calling
down sheets of lightning to obliterate his
many foes, but met an untimely end in
an attempt to win the hoard of the great
white dragon Wfrlegsamin. The ring of
eldritch might is one of many treasures that
still lies in the lair of the ancient frost wyrm.

The ring is an extremely potent tool for wizards of all varieties. First, it acts as a
ring of wizardry, doubling the base spell capacity of all 1st – 2nd level spells. It also
allows the user to recall one spell of 3rd level each day, as a pearl of power. Finally,
the ring of eldritch might imposes a -1 saving throw penalty against any spell cast
by the wearer.

Lich’s Lore – The glacial cave-lair of Wfrlegsamin still remains un-plundered, with
tales swirling in every frontier tavern and border-town inn of the riches to be had
should one be able to defeat the great beast who dwells within. The free-wheeling
adventurer Wyvernjack claims to know the way to the great beast’s lair but has
sworn it off as certain death awaiting anyone who dares approach.

22
 More Forbidden Demon Cults
of the Outer Void
“What is light… without… DARKNESS!?” – Legend

Thogga-Shuld, of the Six and Nine Despairs

A being of nightmares and utter hopelessness, Thogga-Shuld is a tall, gaunt
humanoid-looking creature with a bent, spined back and a vaguely human face,
though it lacks ears or a nose. It has bony, kangaroo-like legs that end in over-sized
hooves and long, gangly arms that end in wicked-looking claws. Its eyes are empty
pits of darkness with no iris or pupil.
A demon that thrives on anguish and despair, Thogga-Shuld is worshipped primarily
by decadent cults existing on the fringes of society and monstrous beings from the
Plane of Shadow. From time to time, it sends its human worshipers one of these
shadowy, nightmarish creatures as a boon, but just as often the monster will devour
those cultists who seek to bend it to their will. As a being that feeds on distress and
fear, Thogga-Shuld’s motives are impenetrable beyond its need to spread dejection
and sow discord.
Fun Demon Cult Fact!
The Waking Death of Thogga-Shuld is a potent curse inflicted by the cult’s insane
priests that locks its victim into a perpetual, waking nightmare. The afflicted can
neither sleep peacefully or find solace in its waking hours, stumbling about until
they are eventually reduced to a gibbering shell of their former selves, hopelessly
mad. Such unfortunate beings eventually die from sleep depravation after a few
weeks of extended agony, their souls harvested by Thogga-Shuld and its minions.

Mluug, the Bloated One

Towering over 15’ tall and swaddled
in layer upon layer of putrescent,
yellowing fat that discolors into
grayish-black flesh in its greasy
creases, this disgusting being is a
stumbling mountain of meat and
bone that somehow walks upright. It
is accompanied by a foul, unwashed
stench that reeks from a distance,
often heralding its approach. Its
eyes are rolled back into its head
and its jaw hangs slack and loose.
An insatiable demon that revels
in gluttony, decadence and – to a
lesser extent – greed, this stinking,
corpulent being is capable of
feasting on nearly anything… and
will do so if given the slightest
opportunity! Anything its size or
smaller exists only to be eaten.
23
 Fun Demon Cult Fact!
Some sages that study such horrible things believe that Mluug was once a minor
demon of no importance known as a nupperibo. The creature is said to have fell afoul
of a gate or magical anomaly that led it deep into the astral plane where it floated
along harmlessly before beaching onto the body of a dead god. Over centuries,
this creature’s endless hunger allowed it to gnaw away at the fallen deity’s physical
form, until finally it emerged from its cannibalistic chrysalis as a greater demon.

Varkolaak, Lord of the Sightless Void

Astride a giant,
leprous vulture he
comes, swathed
in white linens
speckled with the
dung of those
who have soiled
themselves on the
field of battle. He
wears a crown of
gold and a pale
ivory mask set with
a perpetual frown.
A spark of flame
sputters above his
head – a grim, tell-
tale reminder of
the exalted halo
of heavenly light
he once wore. In
battle, he wields
a simple-looking
golden rod that
causes a rictus
paralyzation in any
living creature it
strikes.

Varkolaak delights in tormenting mortals and perpetuating their fall from grace
– mirroring his own timeless failures. He is a heartless, pitiless being who hates
paladins, angels and other servants of the purest good more than anything else.
Orchestrating the seduction and fall of these sorts of beings brings him immense
pleasure and he will often send one (or more) of his 99 succubi to do so if he sees a
promising opening.

Fun Demon Cult Fact!

Varkolaak was once a monavic deva who belonged to the divine host of the Seven
Heavens but was cast down for betrayal and treachery that led to the death of seven
of his kin. Cast into the Abyss, he would arise eons later as the lord of the Sightless
Void – a dizzying, windswept abyss that is said to have no bottom.

24
 Hali Oakenspear, Wandering Cleric
of the Luck Goddess
“Even the best of luck has its storms.”
Exceptionally beautiful, with dark brown hair, a kind
expression and an easy smile, this middle-aged
woman has a calm demeanor in the face of battle
that reveal her to be an experienced veteran
of many conflicts. Out on the open road,
she wears a fine set of chainmail armor
and carries both a mace and shield
emblazoned with her coat of arms – a
hand flipping a coin.
Born to simple farmer folk, Hali fell into
the service of the luck goddess more
or less by accident, being rescued from
local bandits by a wandering priest
who used her spells to drive off Hali’s
attackers. From that moment forward,
Hali devoted herself entirely to the
faith of the luck goddess and vowed
to be a force for good, protecting
others as she herself had been
sheltered and kept safe by her patron’s
grace. She has traveled from one end of
the known lands to the other, righting
wrongs, spreading good fortune
and living the life of a free-
willed adventurer. Occasionally
she joins others who are like-
minded in her pursuits but
she is just as comfortable
making her own way in the world.

Hali Oakenspear crafted by elves to oppose the evil

Human Female gods gaining influence in human lands,
8th level Cleric of the Luck Goddess this +1 footman’s mace, +3 vs evil clerics
Chaotic Good found its way into the lands of men and
AC 2, HD 8, HP 39 is now carried by Hali. Its added bonus
is effective against evil-aligned clerics of
STR INT WIS DEX CON CHA all types.
11 14 17 14 13 16
Coin of the Luck Goddess – Fashioned
+2 chainmail, +1 shield, zealotbane, coin from gold and always shiny no matter
of the luck goddess what the conditions around it may be,
this coin acts as a stone of good luck in
Zealotbane – Thought to have been the hands of a cleric of the luck goddess.
25
 Brood-Hive of the Slime God
A ruined underwater temple lost to man! A cruel alien sovereign of eldritch might and
emotionless evil! Haunting dreams that plague men and drive them to madness! Can
your characters uncover a catastrophic conspiracy by a star-stranded alien slime god
from a long-dead planet or will they be forever doomed to languish as slaves in an
ooze-covered watery hell?
This scenario takes characters deep its kind from the surface. Now the
within a shunned sea-side cave to time has come for this horrific beast to
confront an ages-old terror from take its revenge, as it plans to enslave
beyond the stars, pitting them against everyone in the town of Parley Point on
a lone aboleth that has made its way its way towards a repulsive plan of long-
here through some thinning in the overdue vengeance!
veil between our world… and the
other. Like all creatures of its kind, the The adventure begins in or near the
memories of this hateful being are small fishing village of Urtag’s Horn, a
timeless, as each aboleth passes its seaside hamlet residing on a coastal spit
genetic memory down to the next in of land that juts out into the nearby sea.
an unending procession of perfect, The folk of Urtag’s Horn are almost all
inherited recollection. This eidetic echo fishermen and know little of the world
never allows them to forget the insults except the roll of the tide, the smell of
or slights made against them. This fish and (most importantly) keeping
particular aboleth – a monstrous being to themselves. It is a simple place with
known as Ulgglogathaa – remembers few surprises or changes from the daily
well the days when man and elf drove routine.

26
 6

3
4

27
 Recently, some sort of madness has has been affected by this madness or
swept through Urtag’s Horn, and the may lose a henchman or follower to the
modest clergy at the seaside temple bizarre affliction as they pass through. If
have found themselves completely all else fails, rumors of unclaimed pirate
unprepared for it. Local men have treasure in a seaside cave at Parley Point
complained of horrible dreams and have persisted for more than a century,
restless sleep, which comes to almost though those who investigate it tend to
always be followed by complete lunacy never return.
after a few days. Some have even gone
missing in the night, presumed to have The clergy offers up what meager
wandered off into the nearby wilderness assistance they can muster – a potion of
or walked into the sea. Hushed whispers water breathing (with a duration of 2d4
of witchcraft and old pirate curses are hours) for each character and an offer
making the rounds through market to cure any current wounds, curses or
stall and tavern table, while every day diseases. They have no one to send with
the notoriously insular inhabitants of the party, as they are overburdened
Urtag’s Horn become a little bit more already with taking care of the steadily
unhinged and suspicious of outsiders. declining townsfolk as they succumb
to lunacy. If pressed, they will offer up a
This morning, a local man thought to reward of no more than 750 gp – all they
have drowned when his boat capsized have – if the characters will put a stop to
off of Parley Point wandered into town the plague of madness emanating from
after being gone for more than three Parley Point.
weeks, soaked to the bone and covered
in a curious, disgusting slime. Mad and Getting to Parley Point and the coastal
babbling incoherently, he was taken to cave that has come to be persistently
the local temple and given a sedative avoided by local folks is easy enough.
by the priests. When he awoke, he As the trade road veers north, a smaller,
recounted a story of “a terrible thing overgrown trail heads south towards
that ‘aint of this world… a livin’ and a the sea, straight for Parley Point. It is a
breathin’ and a plottin’ down in that old fairly abandoned stretch of land and
cave off of Parley Point… and it means to the characters should have little trouble
do us all the worst kind of harm”. Shortly navigating it.
after telling his tale, the man resumed
his incoherent ranting and passed out.
1. The Shunned Cave at
Hours later he was found dead, having Parley Point
thrown himself head-first from the The tide goes in. The tide goes out. Time to
third story window of the chapel. Local find out what fear is all about.
folk know Parley Point to be a place This sea-side cave is situated on a
best avoided, and neither this man’s seemingly-abandoned swathe of rocky
sudden death or the disappearance of beach, several miles from Urtag’s Horn.
local fisherman as of late has helped its It is a fell place that has a long reputation
reputation. of being shunned by locals and avoided
The temple’s leaders either directly by caravan masters with any common
hire the characters to investigate sense. As mentioned earlier, those who
(and hopefully put a stop to) this come here with dreams of lost pirate
unspeakable danger or offer to trade treasure are often never heard from
them healing and magical favors for again.
their assistance. The characters might The rocks directly outside the cave
also know someone in Urtag’s Horn who entrance are caked with a thick,
28
mucous-like sludge and nearby pools of to completely clear this bizarre, frothy
tidal water are fouled and dank. A musty ooze away. At the very back of the
smell pervades the entire area, giving it chamber lies a large, roughly circular
an overall unwholesome and corrupted tidal pool that leads downwards into
feel. The ooze and slime are an indicator darkness, similarly caked with slime.
of the aboleth’s presence, but unless the
characters have previous experience 3d4 haggard-looking, slime-covered
with these particular horrors, there’s no fisherman – locals who have all fallen
way for them to ascertain the slime’s under the magical sway of Ulgglogathaa
origin without the use of magic. - are huddled together in this room.
Their eyes are distant and their
The entrance to the cave yawns wide, expressions are blank as they clutch
disappearing into darkness. A ranger rusted weapons and wear filthy, soaked
or skilled tracker can deduce that a waistcoats. When they lay eyes on the
scattering of fresh tracks lead in and characters, one of them will make a dash
out of the opening, belonging to both to the back of the room to jump into the
humanoids and some sort of three-toed Entry Pool while the others rise from
man-sized creature with webbed feet. their crouched positions as one, moving
forward in perfect unison to attack.
2. Outer Chambers The fisherman look starved and vacant-
Even almost dead men tell no tales. eyed. If observed closely, they can be
At high tide, these caverns fill with water seen to murmur “help me” and “save us”
(making them impassable without the in gurgling, watery tones. Despite these
means to breathe and move underwater, pleas for help, they savagely attack the
such as a potion of water breathing), but characters, doing so until destroyed or
at low-tide they are navigable by foot. rendered incapable of doing so.
Just as the entryway was coated with an If the lone fisherman who dashed to
unidentifiable slimy muck, so too is the the back of the chamber is successful in
interior of these caves. It appears that his escape, he dives into the entry pool,
even the swell of the tides isn’t enough swimming down to alert his master in
29
 the Brood Chamber of the Slime God. go back into the giant evil underwater
trench.
If the bodies of the fisherman are
searched, each one of them is revealed The unfinished tunnels open up into a
to have strange, pinkish-colored gills well-lit subterranean cavern that cradles
on their necks. This is a direct effect of the crumbling ruins of what must have
exposure to the aboleth’s slime, which once been a grand temple to some
has transformed these simple folk into sort of magnificent underwater deity.
amphibious creatures. Drifting globes of pale, gibbous light
float about in the water around the
Aboleth Slaves (Former Humans) characters, illuminating the entire area.
Neutral, AC 10, MV 12”, ATKS 1, DMG These are simple continual light spells,
1-6, HD 1-4 hit points; armed with gaff having persisted since the days when
hooks, clubs and simple weapons. this temple was inhabited by its original
worshipers. Majestic arches and finely-
3. Entry Pool worked pillars fill the room, resplendent
In the very back of the Outer Chambers, with images of sea-life from across the
a water-filled tunnel leads straight down ocean. Numerous statues lie toppled,
into darkness. The tunnel is at sea level, broken into near-unidentifiable pieces
but the rest of the cavern fills up during scattered across the floor of the cavern.
high tide. A massive, barnacle-covered altar
4. Lair of the Giant Moray Eels dominates one corner, resplendent with
sculpted images of fearsome-looking
The sea… has an appetite!
sea creatures such as octopi, sharks and
A series of wide tunnels and broad some sort of man-fish hybrid creature. A
caverns are chained together, forming large archway gapes wide on the west
what would be a rather serene wall, disappearing into darkness. A fine
underwater ecosystem if it weren’t layer of silt lies over everything.
for the gelatinous mucous that floats
about in the water and clings to the The drifting continual light globes can
rocks. A quick look around reveals that be collected and carried elsewhere in
numerous locations in this underwater the caves, though they will slowly lose
area show signs of development, their magic if taken from the sea-side
obviously having been worked on cave or its deeper caverns.
with hand-held tools of some sort. The
construction appears largely unfinished The altar appears to have been left
and to have been abandoned long ago. undisturbed for some time, as barnacles
In the central chamber, 1d3 giant moray and all sorts of sea-life cling to it. In truth,
eels lair inside of tube-like crevices on this is a very old lingering enchantment
the cave’s rocky floor. Like everything that draws sea life to the altar, which
else at Parley Point, they are under has resulted in it being covered with
the influence of Ulgglogathaa and will barnacles, starfish and other small
attack those who trespass while leaving creatures now that the temple has been
the aboleth’s slaves alone. They will fight forgotten. In days of old, the sea-priests
to the death. who resided here would summon
schools of fish and mighty sea creatures
Giant Moray Eels from the deeper caverns, but as time
Neutral, AC 6, MV 9”, ATKS 1, DMG 3-18, has passed and the enchantment has
HD 5. waned, there is little but this curious
side effect left to indicate that it was
5 - The Ruined Temple once used in this fashion. A detect magic
Just when you thought it was safe to or similar spell reveals a slight aura of
30
both enchantment and summoning. Ulgglogathaa will attempt to parley
If one of the fisherman escaped from with the characters, telling them to take
the pirate treasure and any enslaved
the Outer Caverns and fled through
fishermen that still remain behind. It
this area to alert Ulgglogathaa in the will further make a promise to leave
Brood-Hive of the Slime God, then the inhabitants of Parley Point alone.
they will notice that the silt has been Obviously, the creature is corrupt,
slightly disturbed, indicating that thoroughly evil and will absolutely not
something recently passed through this keep its word, but it will attempt to
area in a hurry. appeal to characters, especially if they
are also heavily wounded.
6. Brood-Hive of the Slime God The floor of the cavern is littered with
There’s a million fish in the sea… and one bits of cast off armor and bones of all
ancient slime-monster. varieties. In a far corner, 3d6 bulbous,
This cavern serves as the lair of the pale, unfertilized eggs are festooned to
abominable aboleth Ulgglogathaa, who the side of the underwater cavern. This is
recently came here through a natural the literal “brood hive” of this monstrous
“thinning between the boundaries of beast and the eggs only need the
worlds” with a small group of blind skum attention of another aboleth to fertilize
slaves. This repellent beast seethes with and grow. Ulgglogathaa hopes to grow
hatred from minute-to-minute, never powerful enough to summon others
letting go of its utter contempt for those of his kind here to serve it and fertilize
who drove its kin from dominance these eggs.
millennia ago. It is determined to The aboleth has brought the treasure
subjugate this upstart race of humans from the ancient temple here, along
that have laid claim to a world once with the rumored pirate treasure of
ruled by aboleth-kind. Parley Point brought to it by its slaves
The entrance tunnel to the cavern and skum attendants. This treasure is
gently slopes down some 20’, lit by the kept inside a shallow depression near
same drifting globes of light from The the southern end of the cave, covered
Ruined Temple, before plunging into in a layer of disgusting slime. The
sudden darkness. The tunnel opens up treasure consists of 404 cp, 7037 sp,
into a large subterranean cavern where 3371 gp, 5 finely-cut amethysts (125
Ulgglogathaa resides. gp each), 2 polished chunks of exotic
The first thing Ulgglogathaa will do is coral (100 gp each), 4 large pearls (100
dispatch his skum servitors to attack any gp each), a expertly-carved seahorse
intruders before slapping its huge tail with tourmaline eyes (245 gp), a shield
on the floor of the cavern. This causes +2, a scroll inscribed on the back of a
all of the silt – which seemingly covers large turtle shell (beacon of hope, locate
everything - to fill the chamber in an creature) and a clear blue gem of seeing
instant, acting as a darkness spell. Once that the aboleth mistook for common
the intruders are blinded and engaged treasure.
by the skum, the aboleth attacks using
it tentacles and mighty tail. Any obvious Ulgglogathaa the Aboleth
warrior-type of character will be the Lawful Evil, AC 4, MV 3”/18”, ATKS 4, DMG
first to be targeted by Ulgglogathaa’s 1-6 (X4), HD 8, SA/SD enslave, illusions,
enslave ability and ordered to protect slime.
the aboleth. Ulgglogathaa will make
generous use of its magical abilities, Blind Skum Servants
showing no quarter. Chaotic Evil (enslaved), AC 6, MV 9”/18”,
ATKS 1, DMG 2-7, HD 2+2, SA/SD
If reduced to less than 25 hit points,
amphibious.
31
 Grindhouse Deep Crawl #1
“There are older and fouler things than orcs, in the deep places of the world.”
- J.R.R. Tolkien, Fellowship of the Ring

Not all dungeons are created equal and not all of them need to be a mega-complex
full of wizard towers and intricate microcosms with a long and storied history. Some
places are just mysterious, self-contained deepcrawls! Echoes from a time long
past? The overambitious project of a weird wizard? Abandoned temple? It doesn’t
really matter where it came from – the ole place is under new management now. So
here you have it, the first of many subterranean delves suitable for just about any
out of the way locale. These descriptions are quick and dirty, with many details left
for the Game Master to fill in.

8 1

3
6

32
1. Entrance
The entranceway appears to have once sported a door but it seems to have been
wrenched free by some great force, leaving behind twisted, rusting hinges and
a yawning portal into darkness. On either side of the vacant doorway, large claw
marks gouge the stone walls in long grooves.
Inside, a short hallway terminates into stairs which lead down into the darkness.
There is a stout-looking wooden door on the right wall. The door is locked, barred
from the opposite side by a log (see The Chill Lair of the Skunk Ape.)

A low, howling moan erupts intermittently from the bottom of the stairs – a side
effect from the Howling Shrine.

2. Behold the Howling Shrine!

A massive, square-cut stone pillar dominates this chamber. On each side of the pillar,
an aristocratic, aquiline-nosed face has been carved, mouth agape as if caught in
mid-scream. Each face measures roughly seven feet in length from top to bottom.
A low but steady moan escapes from cleverly cut flues inside the mouths of each
face - the result of winds from the surface being guided here by concealed pipes
inside the pillar.
A hidden trigger inside one of the mouths causes the pillar to turn counter clockwise
and can be detected in the usual manner. As the pillar locks into position, the
moaning stops but 3’ diameter holes are revealed and slide open inside the mouth
of each face. After only a single round, an undead demon-hornet swarm will erupt
from each mouth, filling the room. Vision is obscured in the area, limiting it to 5 feet.
Those caught in the swarm take 2d4 damage each round they remain inside the
room as the demonic insect plague bites and stings them. The swarm is impervious
to physical attacks, but can be driven off with heavy smoke or destroyed by magical
fire, lightning or cold. They can also be turned by a good aligned cleric as if they
were a wight.
If the swarm is driven away or destroyed, coins and gems can be seen to glitter inside
the carved mouths of the pillar. In all, 335 gp, 212 sp, 140 cp, 3 small tourmalines (50
gp each), an oval-cut sapphire (350 gp) and a polished amethyst (200 gp) is there
for the taking.
There is a door to the immediate left as well as on the far wall, both of which are
unlocked.
Undead Demon-Hornet Swarm - Neutral, AC 5, MV 18”, ATKS 1, DMG 2-8, HD 3, SA/
SD immune to physical attacks, treat as undead

3. A Descent Into Darkness

A square-cut hole in the floor (5’ on each side) is set with a ramp that drops
downward into darkness.
The ramp is actually a chute leading down to an entirely new level or to a
subterranean cavern in the deepearth (Game Master’s choice). Anyone traversing it
must make a save vs poison or tumble head over heels down the chute, taking 2d6
damage when they reach the bottom.

33
 Predictably, danger lurks at the bottom of the chute:
1. 1d2 carrion crawlers, finishing up Ghouls - Chaotic Evil, AC 6, MV 9”,
what’s left of a nest of grimlocks ATKS 3, DMG 1-3/1-3/1-6, HD 2; SA/
who became too bold in their SD paralysis, undead immunities
exploration. These monsters are
greedy and attempt to swarm over 5. A hazy greenish-gray mist hangs
the characters rather than being over a fungus-filled corpse garden
content with their current meal. inhabited by 2d6 murdershrooms
(see page 42). The entire chamber
Carrion Crawler - Neutral, AC 3/7, is filled with towering mushrooms,
MV 12”, ATKS 8, DMG paralysis, HD quivering molds and fruiting
3+1; SA/SD paralysis bodies of all shapes and sizes. The
chute acts as a feeding tube that
2. Gelatinous Blend-o-Rama! The chute deposits fresh victims into the rot-
dumps the characters into a massive pit – fertilizer for the evil mushroom
gelatinous cube. Unfortunately, men who inhabit it.
this monster has been purposefully
filled with magically animated Murdershrooms - Chaotic Evil, AC
swords that have been enchanted 6, MV 9”, ATKS 1, DMG 1-8, HD 5;
to attack should a creature of SA/SD hallucinatory spores, poison
medium size or larger be absorbed skin; MR 30%
by their host. If this occurs, the
swords attack the creature caught 6. The chute empties the characters
inside the gelatinous cube for into a small cavern where a unique
1d4+1 rounds before the magic magical singularity has given birth
dissipates. to an interdimensional tapeworm
that eats spells. At the far end of
Gelatinous Cube Full of Animated the cavern, the floor becomes
Swords - Neutral, AC 8, MV 6”, ATKS soft and changes in color, banded
6 (animated swords), DMG 1-8, with splotches of purple, pink and
HD 4; SA/SD paralysis if touched, mauve. If the ground is probed,
surprise on 1-3, animated swords poked or tread heavily upon, it
summons the attention of the
3. The bottom of the chute is filled giant monster, who bursts forth
with shallow, murky water on top in a shower of blood and chunks
of which a disgusting green scum of flesh to devour anything and
clings. The muck is nonmagical and everything in the room. The giant
offers no danger in a traditional interdimensional tapeworm has
sense, but the whole mess causes all the stats of a purple worm that
anyone who has landed in it to has 100% magic resistance and can
stink horribly. Even if the sludge is plane shift at will.
scraped off, the characters continue
to stink for the next 2d6 hours, Giant Interdimensional Tapeworm
resulting in all wandering monster - Neutral, AC 6, MV 9”, ATKS 1 and 1,
checks being doubled. DMG 2-24 and 2-8, HD 15; SA/SD
plane shift at will, swallow whole,
4. The chute empties into a staging poison stinger (save or die); MR
ground for 2d6 ghouls who lair 100%
deep underneath the surface
but scramble up the chute after
nightfall to roam the countryside in
search of fresh victims. They were
just about to go upstairs for a bite
to eat…

34
4. What Lurks Down the Shaft?
This chamber is dominated by a large, square-cut shaft that descends down into
darkness. The hole drops roughly 30’ before opening up into a room of the same
size and dimensions below. The floor of the chamber is filled with scattered debris
and junk, most of which is just rusted iron bits and cast off garbage. The refuse is
inhabited by (roll 1d6):

1. The scattered detritus here is all that immediately hostile and can even
is left of a large treasure hoard that be befriended if one has the food
was eaten away by magical, sub- enough to nourish them. If taken
dimensional mites that transform away from the room, they not only
precious metals into globs of useless burden their new caretakers with
iron as it passes through their tiny an ungodly odor and an insatiable
bodies. Anyone crawling down hunger but will also quickly grow
to investigate disturbs the colony to maturity in 2d4 weeks. If not fed
and quickly becomes infested. The regularly they will eventually either
mites are naked to the human eye wander off for better fare or attempt
(although true seeing will reveal to devour their liberators.
them for what they truly are) and
cause no outward bodily harm. Baby Otyugh - Neutral, AC 5, MV 6”,
Unfortunately, anyone infected has ATKS 3, DMG 1-4/1-4/2-5, HD 3, SA/
all of their precious metals rendered SD disease, never surprised
completely worthless within 1d4
days. 4. While the junk tossed about the
2. The debris is caked in a greenish- chamber holds nothing of real
black mold that thrives on metal interest, the air in this dank room
but is harmless to almost all living is rife with airborne spores from
creatures. If the mold is inhaled by a hardy strain of dungeon mold.
a magic user however (or anyone The spores will give any cleric (or
who prepares their spells in the paladin capable of using cure spells)
same manner as a magic user), it a temporary immunity to level
will eat up their memorized spells drain and fear effects from undead.
in the similar fashion to an obliviax Unfortunately, the spores have a
(memory moss). debilitating side effect that will
cause any healing spell cast by the
Obliviax Mold – Save vs spells infected to function at the nadir of
or the mold will steal all of the its effect. The effects (good and bad)
creature’s memories from the last 24 last 1d6 days.
hours (including memorized spells).
It can try to steal from one creature 5. Scattered among the filth and junk
per round and will continue to do so of this room are several long, thin
until it is successful. bones pitted with age and decay.
Occasional strips of moldy white
3. The garbage covering the floor hides fur cling to them here and there.
1d3 otyugh polyps – ripe, disgusting Whatever this creature was has
sacs of fleshy goo that each house long been forgotten, but a horrible
a wriggling, veiny baby otyugh. infestation of proto-ethereal fleas
If disturbed, the sac will split open still lingers here. Anyone touching
and disgorge its slimy contents or even nudging the bones with a
on the floor. The otyughs are not sword disturbs their rest and will

35
 become infested. The fleas bite and threatened, they simply disappear
crawl, imposing a -1 on all attack into the ether.
rolls to hit for as long as they infest
the character. Only a remove disease Giant Brain Rats - Neutral, AC 7,
or its equal will rid the infected MV 12”, ATKS 1, DMG 1-3, HD 1-4 hit
character. points, SA/SD etherealness, telepathy,
hive-mind
6. A sub-planar consortium of super-
intelligent, dimensional-shifting 5. The Bizarre Fate of Prefect Thrim
giant rats use this room as a Both doors to this chamber are unlocked
connective junction between two and operated by an unseen internal
planes, where they barter tiny bits mechanism of stone cogs and chains
of seemingly worthless junk from that allow the heavy stone doors to
across a thousand worlds to those open almost effortlessly. The doors are
willing to pay for it. The rats prefer to engraved with the image of a floating
go about their business unhindered chalice above a radiant sun – the symbol
but if approached or attacked they of the Prefect Thrim, the goodly but
attempt to reach out to characters long-dead cleric who was interred here
telepathically. They may even offer long ago.
up some sort of trade with the
characters or attempt to convince Inside the chamber, what appears to
them to perform a mission! If truly have once been a stately crypt now lies

36
cracked open, shattered from the inside out. The lid of the sarcophagus is buckled,
strewn in chunks across the floor. A twisted mass of vegetation grows outward from
the crypt, its vines snaking up the wall and across the ceiling. The vines are covered
in bizarre, yam-like vegetables of an orange hue that dangle freely, easily plucked.
Whatever it was that once reposed inside the crypt was overtaken long ago by this
rampant surge of foliage.

The remains of Prefect Thrim were consumed long ago by an isolated strain of
carnivorous subterranean creeper. All that remains now is an immobile, semi-
intelligent plant that has gained a limited sentience and still thinks it’s human!
While it cannot move or interact with the characters in any physical way, it can be
communicated with telepathically. The plant still retains some of Prefect Thrim’s
memories and may be able to answer questions if the characters are capable of
speaking with it.

The orange vegetables that hang from the creeping plant are edible and quite
nourishing. There are 8 vegetables in all and eating one mimics one of the spells that
the plant knew in life. If a character eats one of the weird yams, they gain the ability to
cast a corresponding spell once, but it must be within the next 24 hours. If a character
eats more than one of these strange vegetables, they will become extremely ill, take
1d8 damage and lose any benefit from having eaten the yam. If this damage slays the
character, their remains will slowly transform into a dungeon creeper just like this one
in 2d4 days.

Roll 1d8 to determine what effect a particular yam has:

1 – Cure Light Wounds 5 – Cure Disease

2 - Detect Magic 6 – Speak with Plants

3 – Find Traps 7 – Neutralize Poison

4 – Speak with Dead 8 – Divination

6. Alas, the Skunk-Ape Done Been Skewered!

This room is dominated by a square-cut stone altar, upon which a large, hairy humanoid
beast has been trussed and lanced through the chest in a most gruesome fashion.
The creature would probably have stood over seven feet tall had it stood upright,
a bizarre mixture of primate, wolf and rodent with mangy black fur. If examined, a
long white stripe of fur runs from the crest of its head all the way to the back of the
creature’s tail, like that of a skunk. Its hands and feet were bound with chains before its
demise. An old but slightly pungent odor still permeates the chamber and old stains
(presumedly blood and skunk-ape ichor) mar both the altar and floor.

This is the remains of a wandering skunk-ape that had taken up residence in this old
ruin for a time, slowly feasting upon the giant wasp larvae in area 9, along with the
occasional adventurer or wayward traveler that stumbled into the ruin. It became a
bit lazy (and fat from its many easy meals) in its day to day existence, eventually falling
prey to a small group of alchemists who killed it so that it’s scent glands could be
harvested for some diabolical concoction. The unscrupulous alchemists took what
they needed from the skunk ape’s mangy corpse and then left it here to rot. Over time,
the conditions within the dungeon led to the partial mummification of its corpse.
37
 While there is nothing of value to be had in this room, an old danger still lurks – a
small nest of 5d4 stubborn rot grubs have remained behind to chow down on the
last bits of the skunk ape’s dried flesh. Unless characters go poking around inside or
underneath the skunk ape’s remains, they have nothing to fear. If they do, then the
rot grubs scurry forth to attack. These small creatures viciously burrow into any living
flesh nearby.
Rot Grubs - Neutral, AC 9, MV 1”, ATKS 0, DMG Nil, HD 1 hit point, SA/SD burrow into
living flesh; victim must apply open flame to the wound (1d6 dmg) or have a cure
disease spell cast upon them – otherwise the rot grubs burrow into the host’s heart
and kill them within 1d3 turns.

7. The Demon-Frog’s Fane

Wide stairs descend down into this chamber. The walls here are slick with condensation
and slimy, subterranean lichen. A fearsome-looking idol dominates the room, half-
submerged in a pool of murky, dank water. The idol represents a squat, bloated frog-
like monster with a wide head, a flabby mouth and deep, sunken eyes. It is carved
to appear as if it is squatting, with its long, webbed claws draped over its knees. Its
mouth sports jagged teeth. A cursosry examination also reveals a deep, circular bowl
in the top of its head. This opening is carefully cut and smooth to the touch.
In times long past, the idol was a profane altar to a horrible frog-demon worshiped
by a subhuman cult of fanatics. They delighted in bringing sacrifices to the altar in the
name of their terrible god. While the cultists are long dead and the worship of this
foul entity has faded into memory, the magical enchantments of the altar still linger.
If a character bears no wounds (which means to say, is at full hit points, having taken
no damage) they may approach the altar and enter the dank pool around it with no ill
effect. The idol seemingly does nothing. However, if a character is wounded (having
taken any damage or at less than full hit points) and they approach within 5’ of the
idol, the ancient magic of the altar activates. The idol’s enchantment halts characters
dead in their tracks for 3 rounds (under all of the criteria for a hold monster spell) and
begins draining them of blood! Each round they are immobilized, the idol does 2d6
points of damage to the affected character. After 3 rounds, the idol abruptly stops its
vampiric feast and releases all who are affected by the paralysis. A hideous gurgling
sound emanates from the altar as the circular bowl in the top of the idol’s head fills
with blood. The idol’s eyes flash red, bestowing a boon onto those who were affected.
Roll 1d6 to determine this dark gift:
1. The Devil-Frog’s Boon. Bless, but it any one question, as they have
only for evil-aligned characters. paid for knowledge with blood.
Those of good alignment are instead It will answer one question as if a
inflicted with a curse! Both effects divination spell had been cast.
persist for the next 2d6 hours and
the affected characters are outlined 3. For Whom the Bell Tolls. A bell
with a faint dark nimbus that gives tolls somewhere in the deep. A
off a weird, spectral illumination like remove curse effect washes over
a blacklight. the characters but the Game
Master must also roll for wandering
2. Ask and You Shall Receive. The monsters drawn by the sound of the
idol croaks out a terrible laugh, bell.
beseeching the characters to ask
38
4. They Buzz… They Kill! The idol is 6. A Blessing in Blood. The idol erupts
displeased by this meager offering, with hideous, croaking laughter. Any
croaking loudly with rage. An insect character previously affected by the
plague erupts from its mouth. If the idol’s magic receives a permanent
characters are all good-aligned, +1 to all saving throws. However, if
there is a 25% chance that this is the affected characters should ever
instead a creeping doom spell! slay a frog of any sort (including
giant frogs, bullywugs and other
5. Strength of the Swamp. All praise amphibian, frog-like monsters), this
the great demon frog! For the next boon immediately disappears to be
6 hours, any character previously replaced by a -1 penalty to saving
affected by the idol’s magic acts as if throws forever after.
they are under the effects of a potion
of heroism.

8. Chill Lair of the Skunk Ape

This area contains little more than an odd-looking shanty of sorts, composed of
bundled limbs and a peeling, leather-like canvas that has been stretched between
them. Nestled inside are a half-dozen dried and cracked giant wasp larvae (taken
from area 9), the gooey contents long ago feasted upon. Bits of old fur and a few
gnawed bones litter the floor of this chamber. An opening on one wall reveals a short
hallway that leads to a ladder leading down. A wooden door leading to the Entrance
rests on the opposite wall.

This is where the ravenous skunk ape (whose remains lie in area 6) once made its lair.
The strange hide stretched between the logs is actually an old, dried up otyugh polyp
from area 4 that the skunk ape used for a hammock.

9. They Nest!
This chamber is the lair of 1d4+2 giant wasps who have made their nest here, away
from the dangers of the surface. The room has two old but stout wooden doors,
both of which are locked and can be picked by those with the skill to do so. The
southwestern corner of the room is semi-collapsed to reveal a huge tunnel burrowed
from outside. The tunnel is roughly 8’ wide and 10’ high. If followed, the tunnel leads
steadily upwards for more than a hundred feet before opening up into the bottom
of an old sinkhole clogged with fallen timber and dead leaves. The opening is just
big enough for a giant wasp to fly in and out of. Any dwarf or gnome character can
determine that the tunnel is fairly stable just by glancing at it.

The chamber is dominated by the wasp’s disgusting nest, which is constructed from
loose debris and bits of wood sealed together from their disgusting enzymes. The
floor of the room is scattered with the remains of past meals, picked clean by the
wasps. The nest also contains 2d4+1 wasp larvae who are too small and helpless
to put up any sort of fight. They each have an armor class of 9 and 1 hit point, but
attacking them will drive the giant wasps into a frenzy that gives the wasps a +1 to
hit and damage. The Skunk Ape that once laired area 8 considered that giant wasp
larvae a delicacy and would often sneak into the nest to steal them when the wasps
were gone.

39
 Scattered about the floor and the nest is some small amount of treasure amounting
to 88 gp, 76 sp, 51 cp (spilling forth haphazardly from a rotting cloth sack), a drinking
horn fashioned from polished bone and gilded with silver (25 gp), a cracked scroll
tube containing a single magical scroll (minor globe of invulnerability), 2 shortswords
of common make and a torn and badly stained leather saddlebag containing two
terribly water damaged ledgers, 4 quills and a satin bag containing 8 identical-looking
pearls (50 gp each), one of which is a pearl of wisdom.

Giant Wasps - Neutral, AC 4, MV 6”/21”, ATKS 2, DMG 2-8/1-4, HD 4; SA/SD poison

(save or paralysis, followed by death)

40
 It Came from Spawn Vat X!
A seaside wizard’s tower has exploded in a thunderous shower of half-melted stone and
roaring flame, leaving a rain of curious pale ashes over the entire village of Cull’s Cove!
All that remains behind is a smoldering ruin lit up against the night sky. Something
moves about in the rubble and an unearthly shriek echoes across the wharf. What lurks
within the wreck of the old conjurer’s abode?
The wizard Tulorn, a local conjurer of oceanside tower.
spells and societal recluse has lived Unfortunately, something has gone
out on a rocky spit on the west point of horribly awry and the spawn vats have
Cull’s Cove for many winters. Beloved by exploded, killing not only Tulorn but
the locals for the many good-natured completely obliterating his tower in the
miracles he has performed for the magical catastrophe that followed. Only
town over the years (including slaying one of the wizard’s patchwork monsters
a murderous scrag that snatched away remains behind – a dreaded lobsterilla!
a young child three winters ago), Tulorn Howling in pain and confusion, this
nevertheless has preferred solitude newly-born creature knows nothing of
and immersing himself deeply into the outer world and defies the very laws
his studies of all things sorcerous and of nature by its existence. It cannot be
arcane. Recently, the wizard has been stopped! It can’t be reasoned with!
experimenting with creating life by
magically melding the traits and bodies If the characters investigate the ruins
of disparate creatures together. To of the tower quickly, they will find
achieve this end, he fashioned several the lobsterilla still on the grounds,
spawn vats, growing his amalgamated wandering about in confusion. If some
monsters in the seclusion of his crooked, time passes before the wreckage is
searched, the lobsterilla will have
either gone directly into Cull’s Cove
on a rampage or escaped into the sea
to nurse any wounds it incurred
in the explosion. From here,
the Game Master can either
have the characters
confront the beast in the
cobblestoned streets of
the town or have them
search for the creature
before it emerges from
the sea to feed on the
local populace.
Can the characters end
the insatiable, chest-
beating, lobster-clawed
menace that CAME FROM
SPAWN VAT X!!??
Lobsterilla - Neutral,
AC4, MV 12”, ATKS 2, DMG
2-8 (claws), HD 5+5; SA/
SD amphibious, rending
(if both claws hit, the
lobsterilla rends its foe for
an additional 2-8 dmg
41
 HERE THERE BE MONSTERS!
“To all the monsters in my nursery – may you never leave me alone”
– Guillermo del Toro

Sodden Bastards those that lay eyes on one must save or

flee in panic.
Frequency: Rare
These wicked creatures are unaffected
No. Appearing: 2-24 by sleep and charm spells, but they
Armor Class: 6 can be turned by clerics. A magic circle
of protection from evil will keep them
Move: 9”
at bay, though they may gurgle and
Hit Dice: 2 sputter maliciously from the circle’s
% In Lair: 50% perimeter.
Treasure Type: B, T Description: Foul, pale and bloated, a
sodden bastard only barely resembles
No. Of Attacks: 3 the person they were in life. Their bodies
Damage/Attacks: 1-3/1-3/1-6 are waterlogged and swollen, carrying
Special Attacks: Fear with them both the musty stench of
the dead and the sea. Their clothing has
Special Defenses: See below been reduced to tatters, festooned with
Magic Resistance: Standard seaweed, barnacles and briny flotsam
of the deep. Their eyes burn with a
Intelligence: Low
burning, supernatural hunger.
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Size: Medium
Sodden bastards are unfortunate souls
who were lost at sea or drowned directly
by the hand of the goddess of ill-fortune
and bad luck (or her worshipers). They
are usually found aboard shipwrecks,
but sometimes come stumbling out of
the tide or clamber aboard ships, ready
to feed on any flesh they can find… be
it live or dead!

The transformation into such a hideous

and depraved creature utterly destroys
the mind, but leaves a sodden bastard
with a vicious cunning. They attack
using pack tactics when they can and
love to swarm over their foes if they
outnumber them. Sodden bastards
attack by clawing and biting opponents,
tearing them to shreds and then
devouring the remains. The mere sight
of a sodden bastard is enough to instill
fear into creatures of 5 HD or less and
42
Murdershroom bodies of their slain foes for both
environmental comfort and to attract
weaker predators that they can in
Frequency: Very Rare
turn feed on.
No. Appearing: 1-12
Murdershrooms engage foes by
Armor Class: 6 clubbing them with their large
Move: 9” fists or raking them with long,
wicked-looking claws. Either
Hit Dice: 5
method of attack does 1-8 points
% In Lair: 70% of damage. In addition, they can
Treasure Type: S (X2) spew forth a cloud of
toxic spores which are
No. Of Attacks: 1 capable of giving
Damage/Attacks: rise to terrible
1-8 hallucinations
Special Attacks: in their victims.
Hallucinatory When this cloud
spores billows forth it
affects all living
Special Defenses: creatures in a 10’
Poison skin radius, causing
Magic Resistance: 30% them to be
Intelligence: Low wracked with
visions of
Alignment: horror and
Chaotic Evil madness
Size: Medium unless they make a save vs poison.
Hallucinating creatures react as follows:
On very rare occasions, energies from
a magical gate to the lower planes or 01-10 Fall to their knees, crying and
residual magical fallout from a demon screaming.
summoning gone wrong will seep into
the earth, wreaking all sorts of mayhem 11-15 Gibber madly, staring at things
that aren’t there.
on the natural surroundings. When this
happens near an underground colony 16-18 Flee madly into a random
of fungus, it can sometimes result in direction, tormented by unseen horrors.
murdershrooms. Some wise old sages
have also posited that murdershrooms 19-20 Attack the nearest creature.
are the result of forced magical
In addition, murdershrooms have
crossbreeding with demons, but the poisonous skin. Merely touching one
truth to this matter (if any) is unknown. with bare skin deals 1-2 points of
damage.
These fungal horrors are only found
underground, as they abhor the light Description: Vaguely humanoid in form,
of the surface world. They almost never a murdershroom resembles an upright,
venture out onto the surface and when walking toadstool. Its flesh is bloated,
they do it is only under the cover of ranging in color from a light purple to a
deep crimson red. Their skin is covered
complete darkness. They prefer moist in knobby bumps and protrusions and
subterranean environments over dry their eyes glow menacingly with a
caves and lifeless tunnels, sometimes flickering hatred.
tending a “corpse garden” with the
43
 Flensing Hog
(Death Swine)
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Appearing: 2-8
Armor Class: 6
Move: 12”
Hit Dice: 7
% In Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. Of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attacks: 3-18
Special Attacks: Flensing out of the beast’s head to literally
Special Defenses: See Below strip the flesh from its opponent. Each
Magic Resistance: Standard time the flensing hog lands a blow, its
tongue deals 3-18 points of damage
Intelligence: Animal and reduces the creature’s charisma by
Alignment: Neutral Evil -1. If a creature is reduced to 0 charisma
Size: Large (5’ at the shoulder) or loses all of its hit points, it is skinned
alive and killed instantly. The flensing
No one is quite sure who or what created hog gobbles up its tasty delicacy and
these vile creatures, but they have then takes its time devouring the
spread to a handful of primitive forests, remainder of its foe.
wild hinterlands and desolate places
where men have not yet conquered These diabolical creatures fight until
nature. Some believe that they slipped the death and will continue to fight for
between the metaphysical boundaries 1-4 melee rounds after being reduced
between worlds where the barriers to 0 to -10 hit points. If reduced to
are the thinnest. Others say they were -11 hit points or below, they perish
purposefully brought here by deranged immediately.
summoners and priests worshiping
great, ancient beings gibbering in the Description: Large and brutish, these
dark. Whatever the truth may be, they vile beasts have the body and upper
have become a horrible blight on the torso of a giant warthog, but that is
few regions they inhabit. where any correlation to a creature of the
natural world ends. Between its shoulder
A flensing hog (also known as death blades is a massive, circular mouth
swine amongst the common folk), is a filled with gnashing teeth surrounded
very aggressive predator that usually by yellowed tusks. When it prepares
attacks anything of its size or smaller to attack, a long, muscular appendage
immediately upon sight. If it thinks ending in several razor-sharp, bony
a creature can be eaten, it will set its points unfurls, literally flaying the skin
sights upon it. Its main method of from its foe. This appendage is pulpy,
attack is with its flensing tongue, a veiny and altogether disgusting in every
disgusting appendage which unfurls sense of the word.
44
Dread Hound of Seen only in the service to powerful
clerics of the dark god Chernobog or in

Chernobog
the company of a evil huntsman, these
enormous black hounds are far more
intelligent than any normal canine and
Frequency: Very Rare have an almost supernatural ability to
pursue even the most evasive quarry.
No. Appearing: 1-4 (or 4-16, if led by a Their senses are keen and they are
huntsman) not easily fooled, leading most mortal
Armor Class: 4 folk to believe that once they have
someone’s scent, they will never give up
Move: 15” pursuit. They gladly devour any warm-
Hit Dice: 4-7 blooded prey but reserve a special love
for halfling and gnome flesh.
% In Lair: 0%
The dread hound of chernobog can
Treasure Type: Incidental unleash a soul-splitting howl heard for
No. Of Attacks: 1 miles. Any creature within 60’ of the
hound must save vs spells or be stricken
Damage/Attacks: 2-8 with weakness, taking a -2 penalty to all
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, howl attack and damage rolls. Furthermore,
of weakness these creatures can only be struck by
silver and magical weapons. In addition
Special Defenses: Silver or magic to these fell boons, the dread hound of
weapon to hit, dimension door chernobog can see invisible creatures
Magic Resistance: 20% and may utilize dimension door 1/day.
They usually reserve this latter ability
Intelligence: Low to circle around behind opponents or
Alignment: Chaotic Evil to flank a spellcaster who believes he is
sufficiently protected. Finally, they may
Size: Large (5’ at the shoulder) breath fire on an opponent who is no
further than 10’ distance, causing 1 hit
point of damage for each hit die they
possess (save for half ).
Occasionally, these monsters are found
in the service of a powerful evil creature
such as an anti-paladin, night hag or
lich. Under these circumstances, they
enjoy cooperating with such beings
in order to wreak havoc or perpetuate
wickedness across the land. It should go
without saying that the kind of beings
who would hunt with a dread hound
of chernobog are not subject to the
weakness caused by their awful howl.
Description: Dread hounds of
chernobog appear as huge, shaggy
canines of jet black coloration. Their
eyes glow like red hot coals behind
a furrowed, snarling brow. Their legs
and feet appear to bear armor that is
slicked with blood, but this is only the
disgusting hide of the creature beneath
its fur. From time to time, smoke curls
from between their fangs or snout.
45
 OPEN GAME LICENSE VERSION 1.0A T
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47
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