Down and Out in Wren's Crossing

A generic, serial fantasy adventure

Copyright © 2001 by Michael L. Straus
Chapter One: Sex, Drugs & Rock and Roll
The Set Up
The rains have come early this season and they have hit hard and show no signs of slowing. The roads
are flooded, rivers are overrun and the mud is everywhere.
To make matters worse the plague flags are up and the city's are shut tight.
The party finds themselves trapped in the border town of Wrens Crossing till the plague flags are
dropped.
Running low on funds, supplies and trapped in a wet, cold, overcrowded town they find them selves in
the unenviable position of having to look for a ... gasp ... job!
The Back Story
Raif, the local herbalist finds himself in a bit of a bind. Not only does he have to deal with an
overcrowded town in the midst of a plague scare, but he is also faced with a more personal and
pressing problem.
Lord Drin , the lord of Wrens Crossing and the surrounding rounds must produce a son by Midwinter
or he will lose his claim to the lordship of the area and his brother, The Snake, will be named lord.
So far Drin and his many short lived wives have failed to produce a Son and Lord Drin has come to
Raif for a solution.
A solution Raif better produce for Drin or Drin will have him hung.
Raif knows of a possible solution to Drin's 'problem,' but he is so overworked dealing with all the
populace getting sick that he can not take the time to work on Drin's cure.
The Hook
Either as a group or individually the Players have herd of Raif's problem and that he is offering good
money for help.
The players have been employed by Raif to get the one thing he needs to finish Drin's cure. Raif needs
a complete flower from the Midnight Rose plant. A rare rose that only blooms at night.
In order to get Raif a Midnight Rose, the players will need to exit the town, go into the nearby woods
(rumored to be haunted), find a healthy sample of the Midnight Rose and return it to Raif by the end of
the week.
In return not only will Raif pay the party members a handsome reward, but they will find themselves
with a high level (and high ranking) master herbalist in their debt.
Complications
1: The first major complication is getting out of the city. All the known exits out of Wrens Crossing are
closed and guarded 24/7 for as long as the plague flags fly. No one gets in or out.
A.) The party could go over the walls but they are patrolled by a guard shift every fifteen
minutes.

B.) The party could try contacting the local underworld and see if there is a 'secret way out.'
The local thieves _might be willing to smuggle the party in and out of Wrens Crossing but at a
high cost.

C.) Or a clever PC might come up with a complete new way to get out of the city.
2: The second major complication facing the party is of course the weather. It is cold and wet, the roads
are water logged and muddy and the trip to the woods is just miserable. All die rolls will be made at -2
due to the weather and each PC must make a disease check every hour or catch a cold.
Should anyone fumble this disease check, he or she has caught the plague. At first it will seem as if
they just have a bad case of a cold but as the day progresses they will get sicker and sicker till they are
so ill that they can not move. (More on this plague later).
Travel in the mud and rain is difficult and tedious. It is impossible to ride and walking is just plain
yucky. It will take the party a day and a half to reach the Haunted woods.
Into The Woods
The woods are dark, wet and muddy. The ground is ankle deep in mud and dead leaves and scattered
about the area are dead squirrels, victims of the plague.
Giant cobwebs cover many of the tress which are choked and dyeing from the water log. Wolves can
be heard howling and occasionally the PCs catch glimpses of them stalking the party.
The forest has a damp, musty smell to it. Fires will not light and the rain and mud seems to just seep
into clothing as if alive.
There are two major encounters in the woods, one that happens during the day and the second at night.
A: Wolves
Due to the rain, hunting has grown scarce in the woods and the local wolf population has suffered
greatly. Now they must eat whatever they can, whether it be plague-infested squirrels or a band of
adventurers.
The wolves will catch scent of the party almost the second they enter the forest and will begin to stalk
them. Lacking the strength to attack the party directly, they will wait till they can ambush lone
members. Just think of all those nature documentaries where the Jackals single out one gazelle and get
it and use the same tactics with the wolves.
There are twelve (12) wolves in the pack. Each one has fifteen (15) hit points (or whatever) and attacks
for 1d8+1 damage.
B: Orcs
Something wicked is moving in the land, an evil presence is behind the weather and the plague and it
has sent its agents in to the forest to perform evil deeds.
The party will find the Midnight Rose shortly after nightfall and will be able to pluck it and store it
with little trouble. Now they need to get it back to Raif before dawn, which means a mad dash back
through the forest and into town.
As the party begins their trip back to the city, they will get the feeling they are being followed. They
will catch glimpses of red eyes in the dark and hear the guttural sound of the Black Speech echo in the
rain.
The Orcs will stalk the part for about ten (10) minutes to determine their strength, then they will do
what Orcs do best.
Attack
First the Orc Archers will fire a volley of Black Arrows (1d10+4) then the Orc Footmen will charge the
party from the woods.
While the party will be at -2 to all rolls because of the rain and mud and an additional -1 because of the
darkness (Unless they have night vision or blind fighting), the Orcs will suffer no such penalty and in
fact are +3 to all rolls to hit (Orcs are just that tough)
To make matters worse the Orcs have been told to capture anyone they find as slaves for their Master.
Orc Footmen (15) Scimitars (1d8+3). Chain mail. Shields. 20 Hit Points each.
Orc Archers (8) Black Long Bows (1d10+4). Chain mail. Daggers.
Black Orc Commander (1). Long Sword (2d6+5). Chain mail. Shield. Spear (1d8+5)
The Orcs will attempt to capture the party and take them back to their Master; the party should do the
smart thing and split up and run. Or they could fight the Orcs, though chances are the Orcs will win.
If the party chooses to fight the Orcs, rock their worlds. Run the Orcs like the killing machines they
are, take a few party members down then at the last second have the cavalry show up (see below).
If the party chooses to run , have the Orcs give chase. Make it hairy. Run them ragged, then again have
the cavalry show up.
Cliffhanger ending
When all looks bleak and the Orcs look like they are going to win, the party hears the sound of hunting
horns and a group of men in armor come riding in on horses armed with spears and long swords.
They will aid the party in routing the Orcs, though a few of the Orcs will escape in the rain.
Then the men in armor will come over and see to the party's wounded and ask about their health and
what they are doing in the woods. The men have the look of Knights about them though they carry no
banner or wear any heraldry to give a clue to their allegiance.
After the party has been bandaged and fed and small talk has been traded, the leader of the Knights will
invite the party to come back with them to their home.
Of course the party will refuse as they still have to deliver the flower to Raif by dawn.
At which point the leader will take off his helm and smile an ugly smile as all fifteen knights draw their
swords and point them at you.
"I am sorry, I don't remember giving you a choice. You are coming with us back to our holdfest to be
our guest for the night. Don't try to run, my men are on horseback and can easily outrun you. Don't try
to fight as I have fifteen swords at my command."
The party will have no choice but to be the unwilling guests of this ugly man until they figure out a
way to escape, and dawn is only a few hours away.
It's going to be a long night.
Chapter Two: Action, Sports ... Snakes
The story so far:
In Chapter One, our heroes have entered the 'Haunted Forest' in search of the elusive 'Midnight Rose'.
There they encountered a mysterious band of mounted and armored soldiers who took them captive.
Dawn is quickly approaching and with it the last hope that they will get the 'Rose' back to Raif on time.
1: Intro
'Move along, the boss wants you tucked in before dawn !'
With these gruff, unfriendly words the party is forced to march across the water-logged 'Haunted
Forest' at sword point. Who these men are and what they want is still a mystery but it seems pretty
obvious they know who you are.
The ugly one stays apart from the rest and eyes you with a very appraising look. You feel his snakelike
eyes burn into you and seem to rip away your deepest secrets. The others treat him with something
resembling respect yet there is nothing to mark him as anything other then a mercenary, yet ?
The trip is long and wet and while you must walk, the men are mounted. Their horses slosh through the
mud and seem to drag the party down. With a smirk you realize the foolishness of bringing horses in to
the Forest.
As the journey continues the men begin to grumble about the rain and the mud and the state of the
horses. When one man falls off his horse into a sinkhole and almost drowns, the others just laugh and
complain which results in a small fight and the death of one of the Mercenaries at the hands of the
other.
Then it happens. One of the horses falls in the mud and breaks its leg. There is confusion and chaos as
the other horses bulk at this and react to the injury of their 'friend.'
A window of opportunity presents itself and you see your chance to escape.
1: If the party chooses to bolt. go to 2.
2: If the party stays with the Mercenaries, read on.
The wounded horse is quickly brought to heel and put out of its misery. As the horse's blood sprays the
air, the howls of wolves can be heard and something else. A deep, guttural yowl that can only be an orc
hunting call.
The mercenaries look around nervously and remount. After some further argument, they get you to
climb aboard the horses with them as they take off as fast as they can in the rain.
Water beats on you and mud flies in your face. The horse can barley manage a trot in this weather and
once again the Mercenaries begin to complain amongst themselves about this mission.
Dawn is only an hour off. You can begin to see the first hints of pre-dawn. Up ahead on the horizon,
you catch a glimpse of the end of the woods and an unfamiliar landscape.
Then...
The air is broken by the scream of arrows. Two mercenaries go down almost instantly with black
arrows in their throats.
With that the orcs are on you again. Go to part 3
2: Run in the woods.
Read this ONLY if the party bolted. Otherwise, finish Part 1 then go to Part 3.
Freedom comes quickly. A parting of the trees and you are gone. Blindly running in the rain and mud,
avoiding the stinging lash of the branches. Around every corner the sickly red eyes of the Wolves or
something worse.
Yet you have escaped from these mysterious mounted men and hopefully you can maintain your lead
on them.
'Who are these guys? What do they want with you?'
The sound of pursuit is thankfully a stranger, yet in this pounding rain and muck your senses could be
lying to you. The truth is they could be just around the bend and you would not know it. Even the non-
humans in the party (if there are any) are hard put. It is as if the very Forest conspires against you.
'Moooan!'
A strange sound cuts the air, like the moan of something that should not be. Perhaps the Forest truly is
haunted after all ?
Yet you run in the direction you think is safe. You have no other choice, the men could be upon you
any second and the wolves and orcs are around the corner and perhaps something worse....
'That's far enough, pups!'
Suddenly the ugly man is in front of you with a bow nocked and aimed at you. He sits astride his horse
like the rain is nothing to him. How the hell did he get in front of you so fast ?
'You pups gave me quite a chase, but it was inevitable that I find you. No one escapes me once I have
their scent. You are brave, I will give you that. Now prove to me you are smart also and come along
with me before the orcs find us.'
You have him outnumbered. He has but a long bow and a long sword. He is mounted which in this
weather could be to his disadvantage. Yet ...yet there is something about those steely snakelike eyes
that tells you to attack him is to invite death.
Do you do it anyway ?
'Moannn'
'Oh bloody hell!'
Before you have a chance to decide, fate takes a hand. The Forest is suddenly alive with the shambling
forms of the walking dead!
(Don't forgot the party is -2 to all rolls due to the rain)
Ghouls (6) +1 to hit. Claws 1d8+1. Bite 1d6+1. Natural armor= Chain Mail. -1 to be hit due to foul
stench. All struck will receive Black Wound! Very fast, very tough.
Should the party survive the encounter with the Ghouls (the knight will) it will be just in time for the
remaining Mercenaries to arrive.
You notice there are less of them then there were before.
'Orcs ambushed us while you were off chasing these ones, Snake.'
'I say we kill them now and forget the plan.'
Snake (yes that's who he is) smiles and licks his bloody lips.
'Orcs, Undead. I don't care. We take them back as planned and the next person who opens his mouth, I
will personally hand him his heart for lunch.'
Then he turns his gaze your way.
'You fight well. My wise woman will tend to your wounds when we arrive back at my Hold Fast. And
now that my cover is blown, let me introduce my self. I am Drew, Brother to Lord Drin of Wrens
Crossing. Better known as the Snake!'
Go to part 4
3: The Action.
The night air is cut with the sound of arrows. Screams fill the air as the orcs are upon you.
There is no time to think. Just fight.
Orc Footman (12) +2 to all rolls. Scimitar (1d8+2). Chain Mail. Shield.
Orc Archers (6) +2 to all rolls.Black Bows (1d10+2). Long Knives (1d6+2) Chain Mail.
Black Orc Commander (1) +3 to all rolls. Long Sword (2d6+3). Chain Mail. Shield. Tough.
The orcs fight with renewed vigor and they fight DIRTY. It is obvious while last time they were trying
to capture you, this time they are trying to kill you and with dawn only a few moments away they need
to end this fight _now.
' Fight, fight to the man. Fight for the Snake!' cries the ugly man with the snakelike eyes as he leads the
defense. He rallies his remaining men as best he can and they fight. Your weapons are tossed to you
and he screams
' Fight, dogs, and live to see the dawn!'
Whether you like it or not, you must now fight for your life alongside these men, against the greater
foes of the orcs.
4: What the Snake Wants.
The fight ends. The dead are left for the wolves and the wounded are bound to the horses of those that
still stand. Numb and in pain, you fall in line with the mercenary force. If not for the man who you now
realize is the Snake, this fight may have gone badly.
For reason you can't explain, you fall in line as the party continues its march.
'I guess you have figured out who I am, pups. Should there be any doubt in your mind, yes I am Lord
Drin's brother, Drew. Better known as the Snake. You fight well, pups. I could use swords like you in
my camp. I will see your wounds tended to when we reach my Hold-Fast. Now walk. Don't forget, you
are still my prisoners'
And so you walk. You walk for another hour as the dawn comes up. Though it is not much to look at.
The sky is still black with rain clouds and the weather is still as foul as your moods. You almost
welcome the sight of the small Hold-Fast sitting in the small hidden valley at the end of the Forest.
' Damn weather !'
' They say it's the work of the Necromancer.'
' You watch your mouth, Bill.'
You are escorted into the Hold fast and watch with depression as the Gate is lowered and you are
locked in. You can almost feel the Midnight Rose dry up in your pack and you worry for Raif back in
town. The men-at-arms go their ways, and the Snake leads you into a small but comfortable conference
room.
A Wise Woman tends your wounds and you are fed and treated well while the Snake is busy elsewhere.
Time passes, and other than the dying of the fire in the hearth, you have no way to tell how long you
have been here. The room grows dark before the Snake rejoins you.
Even in his finest clothing he is still an ugly man. He stokes the fire and then offers you wine
' Don't worry. It's not poison.'
He drinks, then waits for you to. He sits down at a table and offers you a seat.
'I suppose you are wondering what this is all about. I am sure you know that if my brother fails to
produce a whelp by Midwinter court, he loses his claim to the Seat of Wrens Crossing. Should that
happen, his brother - that is to say me - gains control of Wrens Crossing and its lands as per the laws of
the First Kings.'
He pauses and sips.
' Obviously, I want that to happen.'
' Now, despite my appearance I am not a bad person, but I was never the favorite. I was an ugly
unwanted whelp left to survive on my own while my Father cuddled Drin for leadership. I learned to be
strong while Drin grew fat, spoiled and weak.'
' I am sure you have seen my brother's ideas on population control. Threatening Raif, locking the town
up during plague instead of investing energy in finding cure, and using you as slaves to find his
precious Midnight Rose.'
'Well I know I am not alone. Other think as I do and would be very happy to see Drin fail at Midwinter.
Then I, the rightful heir, the most deserving one, would be Lord of Wrens Crossing!'
He laughs and takes another sip. You begin to fear that he is as insane as his brother and neither should
be ruler of Wrens Crossing.
' Only two things stand in my way. One -- I can not lay claim till Midwinters Court, during which that
time my brother may well find a way to produce a child. This is why I stopped you. Without that
flower, my brother only has one option left to him to produce a child.'
' Now obviously, the other way to take over the land is a military option. My army simply takes the
land from Drin the old fashioned way. Which brings us to the second thing standing in my way.'
' The orcs and their master!'
He pauses to let that sit in. The room seems to grow dark and a wind kicks up outside.
'While Drin chooses to ignore what's going on in the Haunted Forest, I do not. I have studied the orc
numbers and they are growing. In addition, it is obvious that there is a intelligence behind their actions.'
' Up till a few weeks ago the Undead in the Haunted Forest consisted of a few pathetic zombies. Now
ghouls and wraiths haunt the woods at night, ever since this plague started!'
'There is a connection. I am sure of it!'
He pauses again. He snaps his fingers and armed men enter the room.
'Enough of my ranting. Obviously I can not allow you to bring that flower back to my brother, nor can I
allow you to inform him of my actions till my time is right. I therefore invite you to be my guests in my
castle for the next few months.'
' I have seen how you fight. Why not join me? I can make your loyalty worthwhile and your stay hear
that much more pleasant.'
'What do you say ?'
If yes read A
if no read B
A:
'A wise choice. Tomorrow after you are rested we will discuss how you can serve me.'
With that he dismiss you. Silent maids escort you to your room and ask if you have any needs that they
can fulfill.
You climb into bed and ponder your predicament. Sleep crawls over you and...
Something wakes you up hours later. It is dark and cold and rain pelts the Hold-Fast. The wind howls
and you swear you heard a scream. The Hold-Fast is cold and quiet and dark and there is a strange
musty smell in the air that was not there earlier.
Something tells you to get up. You are and armor yourself and open the door. Just in time to hear the
guttural sound of someone having their throat ripped out and then the thud of a fleshy body being
slammed into the wall.
Someone screams to your left, another voice yells out 'Help' to your right. Somewhere else someone
yells 'To arms!'
Then it all grows quiet again, except for a faint moaning in the distance and a sickly, pale glow that
seems to hang in the air.
Slowly you creep forward to investigate and you see them.
The walking dead.
Go to Part 5
B:
' A foolish choice. I assure you, my dungeons are not as pleasant as my guest rooms and the rats not as
inviting as my maids. Oh well ... either way you are mine!'
With that the Snake snaps his fingers and the armed guards escort you into the dungeons.
The walk you ahead of them at sword point and gossip amongst themselves as they march you along.
Down you go, below the Hold-Fast into the cold, unforgiving dungeons.
It is cold, wet and dark down here and the air is ripe with the smell of mold and disease. The guards
stop to disarm you and then continue to march you to your doom. They laugh and talk amongst
themselves.
Then suddenly grow quiet.
You walk a few feet before you realize you are alone. You turn around and they are gone!
You stop and look. Nothing! In the distance you hear a stifled scream and then moaning. A pale,
stickily glow seems to hang in the air.
You walk forward and pass the body of one of the guards stuffed in to a small niche in the wall. Blood
trickles down from his severed head.
You enter the chamber where they disarmed you and find the second guard. Being eaten alive by some
ghouls!
5: Sports! (Cliffhanger ending)
Ok this has nothing to do with sports, but the ghouls are armed with baseball bats so it's close.
By some dark foul magic, the Hold-Fast has been overrun by ghouls (and something else). The ghouls
have been told to capture the Snake and the players (for next chapter) and kill everyone else. They are
led by a wraith!
No matter where they go the players will find the same thing. Small bands of ghouls slaughtering the
inhabitants of the Hold-Fast. The Hold-Fast is surrounded by dark storm clouds and all interior light
sources have been put out, only the sickly pale glow of the dead lights the place.
Ghouls (6) +1 to hit. Claws 1d8+1. Bite 1d6+1. Baseball bat club 1d8+1.Natural armor=Chain Mail. -1
to be hit due to foul stench. All struck will receive Black Wound! . Very fast, very tough.
Escape is impossible as the ghouls control the whole castle and outnumber the players ten to one. Plus
the wraith will relentlessly hunt down the players and the Snake until they are captured. A few other
members of the Hold-Fast might also end up being captured for 'later'.
Wraith (1) +4 to hit. Claws 1d10+4. Non magic does 1/2 damage. +1 or magic to do full damage. Very
fast! Touch causes Black Wounds. Can pass through walls. Smell Track.
By the end of the night the players will find themselves captured with their former host and being
marched down into the dungeons of the Hold-Fast. There they will discover a secret tunnel that even
the Snake did not know about. They will be marched into the dark, deep underground tunnel and along
its twisting path for hours with no rest allowed (the dead need no sleep).
At then end of which they are escorted in to a strange, dank chamber filled with a foul stench and the
pale glow of the dead.
Their they will wait with this army of the dead for their new 'Host'.
6: Next Chapter: The Villain exposed
Who is the evil force behind the ghouls and perhaps the very plague itself? What does he (or she)
want ?

Part 3: The Evil that men do

Our story so far:

Continued from Part 1 and Part 2
After being captured by the forces of "The Snake." The party was marched to his hidden holdfast and
was offered the choice to join him in his rebellion against his brother "Lord Drin" or be locked in the
dungeons.
Before they could give an answer, the holdfast was overrun by the undead! The party members are now
prisoners of the Ghouls and their Wraith leader and are being marched along (again) a hidden
underground passage to who knows what fate.
1: Walking with the dead
Once again the party finds themselves being marched along to a fate they have no control over. In the
company of their former host, "the Snake," and the last of his men. You jog along this dank
underground passage to who knows what horrid end. Your only company is your own morbid thoughts,
as the foul smelling ghouls offer no conversation.
Ahead of you the Wraith leads the prisoners, horrid in its unlife. Even more so in the fact that it was
once a man, perhaps even someone you knew. Slain by the Black Wound and risen as a wraith.
The question remains, under whose control.
The rank smelling tunnel offers no clues, parts of it looks dug while other parts of it look crafted,
perhaps by Dwarves from long ago. There is no light down here, other then that given off by the
Undead and no sense of time. You can not tell if you have been walking for minutes or hours. The
Undead keeps pushing you along at their unholy pace, showing no concern for your well being. When
one of the Snake's men fall to his knees, the ghouls jump on him and consume him in front of you.
As you walk you have more time to study your situation. Perhaps to find a way out.
The passage started as if hand dug then widened into a natural cavern. As time passed the natural has
turned into the worked. You now pass down a cobblestone, bricked, supported hallway. Obviously of
Dwarf make.
The ghouls march you past this ancient wonder and up a old set of stairs. They lead you into a large
chamber. It is dark and foul smelling -- obviously the ghoul's nest. The air is warm and tepid and filled
with strange sounds and smells. Your skin crawls as you can almost feel the corruption down here.
The ghouls chatter and howl at you but then wander off to their Dens while the wraith remains standing
in silent immobility by a pair of brass bound doors.
The room has a pale green glow to it from the Ghouls skin, but other then that you have no way of
telling where you are. Perhaps that is a good thing?
"What is the meaning of this?" shouts the Snake. Instinctively reaching for his weapon, only to find it
missing.
" I say we fight 'em," shouts one of his men.
"Is this my brother's doing? Just like him to make a deal with the undead."
Then his accusing eyes look at you.
"You? This all began with you! You led them to me didn't you? All this time and you have been in
league with them haven't you? Haven't you!" He points at your party and his men turn as one and face
you. You suddenly feel very alone.
" I say we kill 'em and give 'em to the beasts. That might distract them long enough to make our
escape!"
"Yes, perhaps you are right. We may die this evening to satisfy my brother's greed. But I assure you,
you will die first!" He gestures and his men begin to march on you. The ghouls offer no aid, they just
sit on their haunches in the dark watching and waiting.
You protest your innocence but to no avail. It seems a fight is inevitable

Snake's Men (8) Unarmed 1d6. Unarmored. Mercenary training and touch.
The Snake (1) Unarmed 1d6+4. Unarmored. Very well trained and very touch. Professional and a very
dirty fighter.

The fight breaks out. You have only your fists, wits (Spells?) and whatever you can find laying around
to use as a weapon. Sadly that pretty much leaves you with just bones (1d6-1).
The fight is dirty and unprofessional. The darkness and the situation just make it that more ugly. It
seems to last forever and you don't seem to be winning.
2: Meet the bad guy
"That's enough!"
Suddenly lightning fills the room and thunder echoes off the walls. The ghouls go running into the dark
corners of the chamber. Dragging the dead and dying members of the snakes party with them (And any
dead PC's).
"I did not invite you all this way just to have you kill each other. That's my job!"The voice is both
sinister and melodic, like a cool Georgia breeze. The kind of voice that you would follow willingly to
your doom.
He was not there a moment ago, but now he stands there in all his malevolent glory. The man who is no
doubt your host. He stands at least six feet tall and about 200 pounds of whip cord muscles. The stench
of the room does not seem to touch his black clothing and with the way his hand sits on the large black
long sword at his side, you know he can use it.
But it is the aura of power about him that frightens you the most. There is something in his rich dark
eyes and sinister smile that frightens you. Like something the grave spit up. Perhaps it is the way the
ghouls and the wraith bow to him. Perhaps it is the eerie blood red glow about him or the way the filth
on the f1oor seems to flow away from him but for the first time in you life you understand the true
meaning of Evil. For if this man is anything, he is that.
He strides into the center of the room as if he owns it and walks right up to the man that started the
fight. With whip like speed his long slender fingers grab the man's head and before you can react, he
crushes his skull in his hand.
The man falls dead at your host's feet and yet not a drop of blood is on him.
The Snake growls with anger and leaps at the man, but with a gesture the Snake finds himself floating
immobile in mid leap. "Now, now. I expect civility from my guests. And you! Get to work."
You watch in horror as the man who just had his skull crushed suddenly jerks back to unlife and begins
to shamble about the room. You wonder if you are next. The man smiles as if he read your thoughts.
"So you are the scum my brother has employed to get rid of me?" spits out the
Snake.
"Oh no, Sir Drew, I assure you your brother is as much my enemy as you are. I simply chose to deal
with you first. Your patrols in the Haunted Forest have been giving my Orks a hard time. I simply can't
have that. It just would not do to have my secret lair found out before I am ready to complete my little
experiment here in your lovely valley. So I am afraid you have to die, you already know too much as it
is."
Despite the civility and refinement in his voice you are struck cold with the realization that this man is
insane and means every word he says, "Lord Din and the town of Wren's Crossing will be next, don't
you worry. But for now I deal with you my pretty snake."
He snaps his fingers and the Ghouls stroll back into the light and begin to paw at the Snake. Some of
his men try to defend him but are quickly struck down by the Wraith. Five ghouls grab the struggling
Snake and begin to pull him towards the brass bound doors.
"Who are you? What the hell do you want with me?"
The Snake screams. The man in black pauses to consider his answer, "Over the years I have worn many
names Drew. Though the one you are most likely to know me as is the Black Huntsmen."
He pauses for effect, "Now you may simply call me Remington."
The Snakes face turns ashen, "The necromancer from the South?"
"One and the same, Drew. One and the same."
With that, the Ghouls drag the struggling Snake out of the room and to who knows what fate. Leaving
you and the few remaining members of the Snake's men to face down Remington.
Your mind is wild with everything you have heard of this foul man. Remington, the black huntsman.
The necromancer. The evil eye of the South. An ancient and powerful wizard and master of the black
arts and you are face to face with him.
"Now then, what to do with you. I simply can't allow you to inform the rest of the High Kingdoms that
I am here until my little surprise is complete. Still it's no fault of your own that you are here now is it?
Tell you what. I'll give you a fighting chance. More than anyone ever gave me when I was your age.
All you have to do is make it through these doors behind me and I'll let you go. Simple enough, right?"
He snaps his fingers and is gone in a flash of light. You stand-alone in the dark, dank room. The smell
of magic and death lingers in the air. Somewhere you hear the screams of the Snake begin.
"Boss!" One of the Snake's men rushes towards the doors to rescue his master. Before he can make it to
the doorknobs he is struck down by an unseen assailant and you watch as his head goes flying across
the room and his body slumps to the ground.
With that the Wraith steps out of the shadow and brandishes its bloody sword. And this time it brought
a friend.

Snake's Men (6) Unarmed 1d6. Unarmed. Mercenary training and touch.
The Wraiths (2) Long Sword 2d6+2. Undead. Normal weapons do 1/2 damage. Aura of fear. Black
Wounds. Very Touch.
3: The fate of a Snake
Death.
You have grown sick of it. The smell of it, the feel of it. It has followed you since you began this
foolish quest. What was it only a few days ago?
Perhaps now you regret becoming an adventurer.
It would be so easy to just turn your back on the Snake and walk back down the tunnel to the now
empty Holdfast and from there, depart the cursed land of Wren's Crossing and leave it to its fate. You
don't deserve this after all do you?
But to go on?
To cross that barrier and face down Remington. Perhaps you will die, but at least you would know that
you did your best to make the world a better place and perhaps for that your Soul would go to the West.
Do you turn back? Or go on?
On the other side of the Brass Bound doors is a chamber much like the last. It is dank and dark and
filled with the stench of age and rot. Whatever this place was, it has long fallen into disrepair. Perhaps
it was a dwarves tomb, that would explain the tunnel and the craftsmanship and the bones that litter the
floor.
You stand in a four-way intersection. To your left is a passage made of dark blue stone. Down it you
can hear the screaming of the Snake and the tittering of Ghouls.
To your right is a passage made of damp, red stone. Down it come the sound of machinery pumping
away and the smell of Plague.
Ahead of you is a dry; dark passage made of green stone that slopes slightly upward. The faint smell of
fresh air seems to trickle down it, as does a very faint laughter.
Behind you is the room you just left.

A: If the party goes down the Blue Passage: Keep reading this section to discover the fate of the Snake.
B: If the party goes down the Red passage. Read section 4.
C: If the party goes down the Green passage. Read section 5.
D: If the party chickens out and goes back down the tunnel to the Holdfast. They can escape this
adventure. You are on your own after that.

Down the blue passage (The fate of the snake)

The passage is carved and worked and inlaid with a strange blue stone. Although valueless it is still a
sight to behold and you wonder about the Dwarves that built this tomb.
You pass a few small chambers but they are empty and unused. (There is a 1 in 6 chance that they find
something of small value in here). The hallway ends in a large carved blue chamber that has a foul
smell to it.
The chamber was once a conference room but it is now a necromantic laboratory. Hooks and chains
hang from the ceiling and tables covered with surgical instruments line the four walls.
A small party of ghouls hang out in here, licking the blood off the chains.
With a start you realize just whose blood they are licking, the disemboweled lower torso of the Snake
hangs from the chains, dancing in the wind like some sick marionette.
Once they see you, the ghouls will rush to defend their meal.

Ghouls (4) Claws 1d6+1. Touch. Natural Armor to chain mail. Undead. Very fast. -1 to be hit due to
stench.

Once you finish off the ghouls you realize two things. One, there are a few things of value in here. And
two, you are not alone in the chamber. You hear a whispering and the sound of bones rattling. A foul
breeze begins to blow and the chains rattle in the air. Something begins to move towards you,
whispering, "All your fault."
As the thing enters the light you are stunned with what you behold. You gaze upon a 15 foot long
skeleton of a Giant Snake of some kind and at its front, where its head should be is the upper torso and
head of Lord Drew, The Snake.
This then, is the fate of the Snake (Oh yeah, like you didn't see this coming).
The abomination will dance in the air and move seductively, its dead eyes never leaving you. All at
once it will hiss, "Look at me. This is your fault!" Then it will attack.

Necrophidisis. +4 to hit. Claws 1d8+4. Bite 1d6+4. Stinger 2d6+4. Paralysis Venom (bite and stinger).
Very touch and well trained. Undead. Bladed weapons do 1/2 damage. Ranged weapons do no damage.

Rewards: Amongst the room you will find the following. Several surgical instruments including
scalpels, clamps needle and thread, pain killers, antibiotics, and gauze. Bones saw and bone hammer.
24 silver bits. 12 gold bits. A matching set of 24 silver needles each over a foot long. 2 pounds of salt.
A +1 dagger. 3 vials of healing potion.

The party must now backtrack. Heavy hearted over the fate of the Snake and their own fate indeed.
4: All my plans exposed
Down the Red Passage
You walk down the carved, dimly lit hallway. The tunnel is made of some strange red stone. Carved
with the intimate craftsmanship that only Dwarves can create.
The hall is thick with a foul odor and the walls and floor are damp with condensation. Green mold
clings to the red stone. Soon the smell becomes overwhelming and you begin to feel faint.
While there are a few chambers off the hall (1 in 6 chance to find something) the strange smell and
sound seems to be coming from the central chamber directly in front of you.
You enter what once must have been a smithy or smelting chamber, but it has been reconfigured to fit
Remington's foul needs. In the center of the chamber is a large cauldron, boiling over a central fire.
Copper pots exit the cauldron and extend into the ceiling like chimneys. Sickly looking rats scurry
about the chamber, they are covered in the green mold and you watch as some of them lick the goo
seeping out of the cauldron and then scurry in to their holes.
With stunned fascination you approach the cauldron. The boiling liquid is dark green with patches of
brown in it. The smell coming from the pot is so foul you cannot help but retch. It is the smell of
corruption and plague.
" Ah I see you have discovered my little secret." Remington strides into the room, seemingly
unaffected by the smell and the taint. He grabs a rat and with casual ease chucks it into the pot. Where
it screams and dies.
"I am afraid my solution is not very original. Mankind has been using disease as a weapon forever. Still
when you want to kill off an entire population nothing works like a plague. My plague spores are
pumped in to the air through these copper pots and delivered by the rain. My rats can get into the places
my spores can't and spread the plague that way. Within the month this whole valley will be infected
and dead or dying. By winterfest I will be the Lord of Wren's Crossing, as everyone else will be dead.
HEHEHEHEHEEHEH!"
He pauses and begins to walk towards you. A black blade is now in his hand, where a moment ago it
was not.
"Oh, I know what you are thinking. We can escape and warn the valley. Well, you are welcome to try
but I have a feeling they will be too busy to listen to you. But go ahead and try. I won't stop you. Of
course you could just try to kill me and get the antidote."

Remington: +6 to hit. High Level, Ultra powerful. Necromancer. Spells. Normal weapons will not
harm. Black Blade 2d6+6. Lightning Bolt 10d6. Any one slain by him will rise up as a Zombie in 1d6
rounds.

The party should of course see the hopelessness in fighting Remington. He can hurl 10d6 lightning
bolts fur gosh sakes. Should they attempt to combat him, he will be a ruthless and unstoppable foe.
Using both spells and his deadly blade to devastate the party. He will slay 1/2 the members and then let
the rest run (See part 5).
Should the party take Remington up on his offer to run for help, neither he nor his forces will stand in
their way until they exit the Dwarven ruins.
Go to part 5.
5: Hopeless battle
Down the green passage. This passage like the other two is well worked and carved out of some
unknown green stone. It slopes up towards an exit and the smell of fresh air and rain hits you as you
run up it. As you approach the exit your feet begin to sink in the mud and as you hit the surface you see
that it is still raining.
The tomb is in a small secluded valley somewhere in the Granite Mountains on the border of Wren's
Crossing.
As your eyes adjust to the light, you see just why Remington was so self-assured. The valley is filled
with armed and armored Skeleton troopes poised to descend on the people of Wren's Crossing.
"So you see. You can warn my dear Lord Drin but I think he will be so busy defending his precious
valley from my Skeletons to worry about my plague. Either way I win. So run! Run and warn him.
HAHAHAHAHAH"

I leave the resolution of this situation up to the GM's capable hands

Skeletons: Swords: 1d6+1. Bows 1d8+1. Take 1/2 damage from bladed weapons and ranged weapons.
Undead
To be concluded in the November issue of Sabledrake Magazine

GM Notes

1: The Plague
Due to the bad weather and other factors, a virulent plague has descended on the land. Unless the
character is a member of a race (Elf, dwarf) that is immune to disease or a Class (paladin) that is
immune to disease, he to may fall victim to the Plague.
For every hour a character is exposed to the weather, they must make a Disease check saving throw.
Should they fail the saving throw, they will catch a cold and for the next 1d6 days. Are they infected?
They will suffer from coughing and sneezing and be -1 to all rolls for the duration.
Should anyone critically fail the saving throw they have contracted the plague! At first it will appear as
if they have a cold just like everyone else, but in 1d6 hours that cold will worsen to a flu. Hot and cold
flashes will come next, and they will become nauseous and tired and be -3 to all rolls due to dizziness.
About 1d6 hours after that her body will slowly begin to break out with ugly red splotches and a foul
smell will begin to come off them. At this point they will pass out and begin to take actual damage as
the Plague attacks the lungs. The victim will lose 1 point of Health (Con) per hour until the Plague is
dealt with or death ensues.
There are only two cures available for the plague (three if you allow magic). One is the remedy Raif
was working on and the other is the antitoxin in the possession of Remiington (See above).
2: Black Wounds
I discussed this ability of the Undead in last October's issue of Sabledrake, but it bares repeating
considering how many Undead are in this adventure.
Any character (except for Elves) struck by a Ghoul; Wraith or other powerful Undead will receive what
is known as a "Black wound" or Taint. This insidious infection id the ultimate cures of the Undead.
At first the victim will feel no effect other then the painful stinging of the wound, but as time passes the
effects are felt. The victim will loose 1 point of Charisma and 1d6 hit points a day until the Black
Wound is cleansed and healed. Should this cause the characters Charisma or Hit points to drop to 0
they die, and what's worse they will raise from the dead in 1d6 hours as a Wraith!
Other then Magic, there are very few known cures for a Black Wound. Rest in a holy place (such as a
sanctified temple) or a place of Light (such as an elfish haven) can cure a Black Wound if given
enough time. Also an herbal drought made from the rare Snow Flower can also cure it. A high level
herbalist like Raif may know of other natural ways as would a Necromancer like Remington.