TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
  ® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
   
  This game product contains no Open Game Content.  No portion of this work may be reproduced in any 
  form without permission of the author.  To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 
  system license, please visit www.wizards.com/d20 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc. LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 
  This scenario is intended for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the 
  RPGA Network.  
   
  DyvIntro3-02 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  A 2-round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK®  
  Dyvers Regional Introductory Adventure 
  Version 28.5 
  Rounds One and Two 
  by Derrek Burrows 
  Edit: Mason Mines 
   
   
   
   
   
  A Dyvers spy has reported that the Blade of Chaos, stolen eighteen years ago from the Dyvers temple of 
  Norebo, has returned to the City.  Anyone who retrieves this lost artifact of chaos can expect great fortune 
  from the God of Gambles.  All of your skills and luck will be on the line, because the criminal bosses of 
  Dyvers’ gritty underworld would love to have the Blade, and they are stacking the deck against you.  Note:  
  Lawful characters will reduce the party's chances of success in this adventure.  It furthers the cause of chaos, 
  and success requires some unlawful activities. An introductory adventure for level one characters. 
  
  Introduction 
   
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the 
  Dungeons & Dragons® game. A four-hour time 
  block has been allocated for each round of this 
  scenario, but the actual playing time will be closer to 
  three and a half hours. The rest of the time is spent 
  in preparation before game play, and scoring after 
  the game. The following guidelines are here to help 
  you with both the preparation and voting segment of 
  the game. Read this page carefully so that you 
  know and can communicate to your players the 
  special aspects of playing an RPGA scenario.  
   
  Preparation  
   
   
   
   
   
  First you should print this scenario. This 
  scenario was created to support double-sided 
  printing, but printing it single sided will work as well. 
  There is enough room along the inside margin to 
  bind the adventure, if you desire.  
   
   
  Read this entire adventure at least once before 
  you run your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself 
  with any special rules, spells, or equipment 
  presented in the adventure. It may help to highlight 
  particularly important passages.  
   
   
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we 
  assume that you have access to the following 
  books: the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. We also 
  assume that you have a set of dice (at least one d4, 
  d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a 
  pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of 
  fun. It is also a good idea to have a way to track 
  movement during combat. This can be as simple as 
  a pad of graph paper and a pencil, as handy as a 
  vinyl grid map and chits, or as elaborate as resin 
  dungeon walls and miniatures. 
   
   
  Instruct the players either to prepare their 
  characters now, or wait until you read the 
  introduction, depending on the requirements of the 
  scenario as described in the introduction.  
   
   
  Keep in mind that you must have at least three 
  players (not counting the DM), for the game session 
  to be a sanctioned RPGA event. As well, you 
  cannot have more than six players participating in 
  the game. 
   
   
  Once you are ready to play, it is handy to 
  instruct each player to place a nametag in front of 
  him or her. The tag should have the player’s name 
  at the bottom, and the character’s name, race, and 
  gender at the top. This makes it easier for the 
  players (and the DM) to keep track of who is playing 
  which character. 
   
   
  The players are free to use the game rules to 
  learn 
  about 
  equipment 
  and 
  weapons 
  their 
  characters are carrying. That said, you as the DM 
  can bar the use of even core rulebooks during 
  certain times of play. For example, the players are 
  not free to consult the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  when confronted with a trap or hazard, or the 
  Monster Manual when confronted with a monster.  
  Some of the text in this scenario is written so that 
  you may present it as written to the players, while 
  other text is for your eyes only. Text for the players 
  will be in gray boxes. It’s strongly recommended 
  that you paraphrase the player text instead of 
  reading it aloud. Some of this text is general and 
  must be adapted to the specific situation or to 
  actions of the player characters. 
   
  Living Greyhawk  
   
   
   
   
  This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure.  As 
  a LIVING adventure it is expected that players 
  bring their own characters with them.  If players do 
  not have a LIVING GREYHAWK character 
  generated, get a copy of the current LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character generation guidelines, and 
  a 
  character 
  sheet 
  from 
  your 
  convention 
  coordinator or the RPGA Web site, ant then have 
  any players without a character create on.  Once 
  all players have a LIVING GREYHAWK character, 
  play can begin. 
   
   
  Along with the other materials that you are 
  assumed to have in order to run a D&D game, it is 
  also recommended that you have a copy of the 
  LIVING GREYHAWK Gazetteer. 
   
  Living Greyhawk Levels of Play  
   
  This is a introductory adventure, and thus 
  all characters must be 1st-level. 
   
  Time Units and Upkeep 
  This is a standard 2-round Regional adventure, 
  set in Dyvers.  Characters native to Dyvers pay 
  one Time Unit per round, all others pay two Time 
  Units per round.  Adventurer’s Standard Upkeep 
  costs 12gp per round.  Rich Upkeep costs 50gp 
  per round.  Luxury Upkeep costs 100gp per round. 
   
  Adventure Summary and 
  Background 
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 2 
  
  Introduction, Fish Hook:  The characters are 
  eating lunch Bornden’s Fish Dock when they have 
  a chance meeting with the gnomish spy, Ellywick 
  Murnig, dressed as Assistant to Ambassador 
  Osworth.  They get their first glimpse of the Blade, 
  and are invited to escort her. 
   
  Encounter 1, The Sewers:  The characters travel 
  through the sewers to outrun thugs following 
  Ellywick.  They see Evernight Street, Buried 
  Hearth tavern, and then plunge into the main 
  sewers.  They first fight off a small fragment of an 
  ochre jelly.  Then, they get caught between thugs 
  and a spider swarm while crossing a bridge over 
  the sewage reservoir, Styx. Finally they reach the 
  secret stair up to the Palace of Fortunes. 
   
  Encounter 2, The Curse of Despair:  The 
  characters enter the Palace of Fortunes casino, 
  the main Dyvers temple of Norebo.  There they 
  meet Vuli Rhona, a Norebo cleric and manager of 
  the casino.  They hear about the Blade of Chaos 
  and have the Curse of Despair demonstrated to 
  them.  The Curse makes people who lose in a 
  game of chance at the Palace feel like giving up 
  and stopping play.  All Vuli needs is the Blade of 
  Chaos and he thinks he can end the Curse that is 
  killing their casino business.  Ellywick has found 
  the man with the Blade, code-named Drakken, 
  and arranged a trade.  With gifts and promises of 
  reward, the PCs are sent off to Maraven to trade a 
  box of gems worth 10,000 gp for the Blade and 
  bring it back to the Palace. 
   
  Encounter 3, Getting There:  The PCs are soon 
  harried by Dyvers Pickpocket guild thieves trying 
  to steal the gems.  They are shadowed to 
  Maraven by Enforcer guild informants and even 
  through the streets to the meeting place by 
  Smuggler guild informants. 
   
  Encounter 4, Decoys:  The PCs meet Drakken at 
  Fharlaghn’s Respite tavern.  He informs them that 
  the Blade has already been traded and that the 
  PCs were decoys meant to distract from the real 
  trade and group.  Their gems are just glass, and 
  they won’t get the reward because they can’t 
  return the Blade.  After a little more information, 
  including Drakken’s real name and some history of 
  the Blade, the PCs are left alone to return to 
  Dyvers.  Maybe they can get the Palace manager 
  to give them a consolation reward 
   
  Encounter 5, Smoke:  Returning to Dyvers, the 
  PCs come upon what appears to be the real 
  group, massacred on the road by fiends.  They 
  can find out about one survivor who had a magic 
  blade that could be the Blade of Chaos.  They 
  track the survivor to a robber gang’s hideout.    
   
  Encounter 6, Urn’s Lair:  In perhaps the most 
  dangerous encounter of all, the PCs enter the 
  robbers’ lair one way or another.  Hidden in the 
  lair, they find the recently deceased adventurer 
  with the Blade of Chaos.    
   
  Encounter 7, Return the Blade:  The PCs decide 
  what to do with the Blade.  There are 
  consequences for keeping it, selling it, destroying 
  it or, preferably, returning it.  Most of the options 
  involve getting back into Dyvers without being 
  caught.    
   
  Encounter 7A (Optional), Choker Ambush:  The 
  PCs are ambushed, either on the streets or in the 
  sewers, by a choker.  The choker is the pet of an 
  assassin guild member, and is trying to steal the 
  Blade from the characters. 
   
  Encounter 8, The Palace:  The PCs return to the 
  Palace of Fortune, but before they claim their 
  reward, a lantern archon tries to take the Blade 
  away to destroy it back in Celestia.  They can 
  choose to keep the Blade away from the lawful 
  good celestial until Vuli Rhona banishes it, or kill 
  the celestial, as high priest Legalilin Agraus 
  demands.  If the archon touches the Blade, it 
  teleports away with it and the players have to 
  argue very well to receive their reward.  If the 
  Blade is safe, then the ritual to remove the Curse 
  of Despair is performed and a party ensues.  The 
  characters are heroes if they are successful. 
   
  Adventure Background 
  History of The Blade of Chaos:  It was originally 
  stolen from Ralishaz, according to priests in the 
  Dyvers temple of Norebo.  A more reasonable, 
  independent historian would say that it was forged 
  for the leader of the Seven Rooks, a notorious 
  band of thieves that plagued Keoland some 300 
  years ago.  Before he died, the leader “donated” 
  the Blade to a temple of Norebo in the same 
  manner donations are made today—he lost it 
  gambling.  Since then, it has been further 
  enchanted, and made more powerful for Norebo’s 
  followers.  It was a coveted prize and honor 
  awarded to a temple for one year, through sacred 
  contests and games of chance.  That is, until it 
  was unexpectedly stolen by an outsider. 
   
  Ricard’s Blade:  In 573 C.Y., it was stolen from 
  Dyvers, not by one of Norebo’s rogues, but by an 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 3 
  
  adventurer named Ricard Damaris.  The high 
  priest of Norebo in Dyvers was Legalilin Agraus, 
  and when his temple came to possess the Blade 
  of Chaos for the year 571, he was ecstatic.  As the 
  year neared its end, he decided to fix the next 
  contest for the Blade.  It worked, and so the 
  temple in Dyvers increased in stature and he 
  thought he had gotten away with the fraud.  He 
  fixed the next year’s contest as well.  Norebo, 
  however, is the god of luck, chance, and fair 
  gambling, not cheating.  As punishment for 
  defrauding the sacred contests and Blade, 
  Norebo’s proxy arranged for Ricard to swipe the 
  Blade of Chaos, as well as an amulet of proof 
  against detection and location.  The amulet and 
  the will of Norebo have kept any of the clerics from 
  finding him through divinations.  Ricard fell into 
  service with Sir Robilar and purchased Robilar’s 
  Green Dragon Inn in Greyhawk in 575 C.Y.  
  (Robilar’s standard at the time was a green 
  dragon).  The Inn and Tavern hosts adventurers, 
  crooks, Rhennee, Bright Desert spies, and other 
  low-lives.  Ricard at first expected to have Norebo 
  or Alliance assassins (yes, he has at least one 
  Alliance contact), knocking on his door every 
  night.  But, as the years passed, he came to 
  believe that Norebo must be punishing the temple 
  in Dyvers, otherwise they would have had better 
  luck finding the Blade and Ricard.  Ricard learned 
  much about the Blade, and he sometimes used it 
  despite the painful energy drain it inflicted upon 
  him (he’s not chaotic).  He has finally grown tired 
  of watching his back, not to mention that he 
  develops shakes when he grasps the wretched 
  thing.   Thus, he has been looking for a way to 
  return the Blade without being punished by 
  Norebo’s people, and preferably make some gold 
  on the deal.   
   
  To this end, his contacts have led him to one of 
  Dyvers’ Infiltrator agents, Ellywick “Rubylips” 
  Murnig.  She is a gnome who plays Assistant to 
  the Dyvers Ambassador to Greyhawk by day, but 
  spy by night.  Through her efforts, Ricard hopes to 
  make a lucrative trade with the temple of Norebo 
  in Dyvers.   
   
  Agraus’ Decoys: 
  Legalilin Agraus, still the high priest of Norebo, 
  has heard from Ellywick as well.  He desperately 
  wants the Blade returned, but wants to arrange it 
  himself because he is being punished by Norebo 
  until he personally sees the Blade returned.  
  Knowing that many ruthless criminal bosses in the 
  Alliance would love to have the Blade, he 
  dispatched his most trusted group of high level 
  adventurers to make the trade immediately, and 
  got Ellywick to convince Vuli Rhona to send a 
  different group (the PCs) a little later.  He gave 
  Vuli a box of fake gems, and thus Vuli’s group 
  became a decoy to distract criminals and spies 
  from the real group who retrieved the Blade.  
  Legalilin has studied and meditated very hard 
  since his cheating of the Blade ceremony.  He 
  thinks he understands Norebo’s will much better, 
  and is ready to take a level of Contemplative, but 
  Norebo is holding him back until he atones.  He is 
  also trying to turn the Palace over to a new high 
  priest, preferably Vuli Rhona.  Legalilin is about to 
  out-maneuver and assume the position of the 
  current head of the Gambling guild, another 
  division of the Alliance.  Getting the Blade back 
  would also help him to take that position. 
   
  Introduction 
  The Fish Hook 
   
  You are eating lunch on the back deck of 
  Captain 
  Bornden’s 
  Fish 
  Dock. 
   
  Captain 
  Bornden’s is enjoyed by adventurers, sailors, 
  and mercenaries who stay at the Imperial 
  Hotel, mainly because it’s right across the 
  street.  The food is good and plentiful.  Even if 
  you don’t particularly fancy fish, it makes a 
  nice break from tavern stew.  Some seagulls 
  hop among the tables looking for scraps, and 
  far across the sparkling water is the hazy 
  shape of Great Crown Island.  The remains of a 
  delicious meal of seasoned fish clutter the 
  weathered table in front of you and you are in 
  the middle of a light-hearted discussion about 
  the contents of a brightly painted, mermaid-
  shaped 
  seasoning-shaker 
  labeled 
  “Timi’s 
  Savory Seafood Seasonings.” At least one of 
  you is certain that Timi is a scandalous 
  priestess of Myrhiss. 
   
  When suddenly, an elderly gnomish female, 
  dressed in fine clothes and face powdered in 
  latest courtier fashion, comes dashing out 
  onto the deck.  You smell her perfume almost 
  before you see her.  She says, in a high voice, 
  “Vuli Rhoooona”, accentuating the “oooh” as 
  she trips over the back door step, sprawling 
  onto the deck with a thud.  A piece of 
  parchment flies out of her hand and flutters in 
  the breeze, landing right on your table.  You 
  catch a glimpse of a sketch of a sword before 
  the breeze grabs it again and threatens to fly it 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 4 
  
  right over the rail of the deck and down into 
  the water below. 
   
  The fallen gnome squeaks a plea to them, “Grab 
  that, please!”  Any PC can grab it.  If more than 
  one tries, decide who gets it by rolling initiative. 
   
  Ellywick 
  Murnig: 
  Female 
  gnome 
  (rock) 
  Brd2/Rog3; hp 22;  CR 5. (See Appendix I.) 
   
  Ellywick clambers to her feet, then turns to you 
  to take the parchment back, saying, “Thank 
  you folks so much for catching that for me.  
  You are such dears.”  She looks around the 
  deck and realizes that you are the only ones on 
  the deck.  “You haven’t seen a Norebo cleric 
  out here, have you?  A tall elderly gentleman; 
  wears an amulet with two 8-sided gambling 
  dice?”   
   
  After you respond, she sighs.  “Well, I seem to 
  have lost my escort, and a Lady can’t walk the 
  streets without an escort. Let me introduce 
  myself:  I am Ellywick Murnig, assistant to 
  Ambassador Osworth who represents Dyvers 
  concerns to the City of Greyhawk.  Would you 
  folks mind escorting me to the Palace of 
  Fortune?  It’s beside the city arena.  And I’ll 
  buy your lunch for your trouble.” 
   
  She is serious about lunch, which comes to 2 sp 
  each.  If they want to see the parchment, show 
  them the player handout picture of the Blade.  She 
  says she wants to show it to Vuli Rhona, the 
  manager at Norebo’s Palace of Fortune to see if it 
  is the Blade of Chaos, a religious relic that was 
  stolen from the temple years ago. “If this picture 
  matches, then I might know where the Blade is. 
   If it doesn’t match, then I’ll keep looking.  It’s a 
  pet project of mine.” 
   
  At the doorway she stops and looks out.  She 
  points out several men loitering across the 
  street.  “They and about a dozen others are 
  waiting for me to come out.  It wouldn’t do to 
  have them catch me.  Not with this,” she says. 
   She tucks the parchment deep into her 
  bosom.  “There are certain criminal elements 
  in this city who would literally kill to get that 
  Blade or clues to its hiding place.   This might 
  get a little dangerous.  I promise you, when we 
  get to the House of Fortune, you will be 
  rewarded.  What’s the going rate for defending 
  a Lady?  Is 10 gp enough for hazard pay?  Are 
  you still with me?”   
   
  If they don’t accept 10 gp, then let someone in the 
  party make a Diplomacy check.  She will increase 
  it by 1 gp per point above 15 on the check.     
   
  Once you agree, she tells you, “With those 
  Gambling Guild thugs watching the street, we 
  have to take the sewers.”   
   
  Encounter One  
  The Sewers 
   
  Reference the Judges map of the sewers of 
  Dyvers for this Encounter.  Note that the small 
  tertiary sewer pipe used to get to Evernight Street 
  is not shown on the sewer map.  Only primary and 
  secondary pipes are shown on the map. 
   
  To get to the sewers, they must go out the back, 
  climb down the 20’ legs of the deck to the 
  sandy/muddy shore (Climb DC 5).  There is a 
  nearby sewer opening jutting out of the rock-
  reinforced embankment.  It is big enough for small 
  characters to walk upright, but medium characters 
  will have to stoop.  The opening is decoratively 
  carved to look like a monster’s mouth out of which 
  trickles a little bit of slimy water.  The carving is so 
  worn that it could be centuries old.  The grate 
  covering the opening is rusty and locked from the 
  inside.   
   
  Sewer Grate:  The lock is a simple lock, but it is 
  on the inside, so opening attempts are performed 
  by reaching through the bars and around with out 
  seeing the lock, thus the Open Lock DC is 22 (DC 
  20 for simple lock, +2 for the added difficulty).  
  Remind them that they can “Take 20” for this 
  check.  The rusty bars can be bent open with a 
  Strength check DC 23.  They have hardness 8 
  and 20 hit points to break. 
   
  Just as it opens, they hear a shout from the deck 
  of Bordens.  They’ve been spotted and Ellywick 
  shouts to the characters, “Come on!” and 
  disappears into the opening.   
   
  After traveling about 50 feet, the light momentarily 
  darkens when the silhouettes of the pursuers 
  partially block the opening.  After 100 feet, it ends 
  in a vertical climb up to a sewer grate.  Strangely, 
  no daylight comes from above: only torch light and 
  the dim murmur of voices and distant music.  
  There is room to stand up and Ellywick asks them 
  to push up the grate and lift her out.  
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 5 
  
   
  Once out, you see that you are on a street, 
  complete with old cobblestones and sidewalks 
  and store fronts.  But, it has a ceiling twelve 
  feet up, supported by strong timbers, and is lit 
  by hanging lanterns, the glow of candles in 
  windows, and multi-colored glowing tracings 
  decorating the front of what must be a tavern.  
  It smells musty, smoky, and spicy all at once.  
  A few people walk along the sidewalk, some 
  look in windows, and others are watching you 
  from shadowy openings.    
   
  Ellywick suggests they secure the grate, but not 
  permanently.  There is a water barrel sitting 
  nearby they could roll over it.  Or, wedge a spike 
  or piton.  “We should hurry on—that won’t hold 
  them for long, and there are lots of other 
  entrances.” 
   
  Ellywick says with a slight flourish, “Welcome 
  to Evernight Street.  This is Sailward Street as 
  it was before reconstruction in this area.  It 
  used to run down to the shore, but because of 
  flooding and invasion concerns, the whole 
  neighborhood was elevated by fifteen feet.  
  The other streets were filled in and many 
  buildings rebuilt to the new street level.  But 
  the businesses along this street, led by the 
  Imperial Hotel owners, had the novel idea to 
  keep the old street by supporting the new 
  street above, like some kind of long bridge or 
  tunnel.  Normally, visitors don’t come in 
  through the sewers.  The main public entrance 
  is through the Imperial Hotel, and most of the 
  shops have back stairs to the surface.  It was 
  named Evernight Street because of the 
  continuous 
  darkness 
  and 
  to 
  give 
  it 
  a 
  mysterious sound. Its shops are open all hours 
  and in all weather.  For now, we must hurry on 
  into the main sewers if we want to get to 
  Norebo’s House of Fortune with this vital 
  message before our pursuers.  Later, you 
  should come back and see some of the 
  interesting shops. 
   
  Ellywick leads you into the Buried Hearth 
  tavern.  It is decorated on the outside with 
  alchemical or magical traces of colorful light.  
  The main room is dominated by a huge old 
  stone hearth, big enough for two giant kettles 
  to hang.  The blaze and fragrant smoke keep 
  back the dampness of Evernight’s air.  It 
  seems most of the dozen or so patrons are of 
  underground dwelling races--deep halflings, 
  gnomes, dwarves, half-orcs and some races 
  you haven’t seen before.  Some are hooded so 
  you can’t see them.  Ellywick gives a quick 
  wave to the bartender, and walks straight 
  through the room, into a hallway, and out a 
  back door.  You step into a narrow alley-
  turned-tunnel that goes behind the buildings.  
  There are no lights except the glow coming 
  from the tavern doorway and another doorway 
  to the left.  Directly across from your doorway 
  is a wrought iron gate blocking another dim 
  alley-turned-tunnel that stretches back away 
  from the buildings.  It is pitch black.  Ellywick 
  lifts the latch and opens it.  As you step 
  through, she suggests that you get some 
  lights going because it gets real dark down 
  this way.  After a short, debris-filled stretch, it 
  ends in a short stone stairwell going down.  
  There is a door at the bottom that looks very 
  solid, but unlocked.  The gnome tries the 
  handle but it is stuck so she lets someone else 
  try to open it.   
   
  A strength check DC 16 will open it.  The jarring of 
  the door, however, causes a creature to fall from 
  the ceiling towards a random PC (not Ellywick).  
  This is a surprise standard attack.  Normal conbat 
  initiative follows. 
   
  Ochre Jelly fragment:  hp 9; CR 2.    
  (See Appendix I) 
   
  Once they have defeated the ochre jelly fragment, 
  they continue through the doorway into the 
  sewers. 
   
  Ellywick seems to know the sewers of Dyvers 
  well.  As you carefully follow her along the 
  walkway at the edge of the tunnel, you swear 
  you see movement in the murky water.  
  However, nothing ever surfaces.  The tunnel 
  you are travelling suddenly opens into an 
  enormous chamber.  At first it looks like a lake 
  of black water, but you quickly realize it is a 
  huge tunnel, fifty feet across.  It is impossible 
  to tell how deep the water is or how far the 
  tunnel stretches left and right.  The air is filled 
  with odor and dripping echoes from sewer 
  pipes that open into the walls and the 30-foot 
  high 
  ceiling. 
   
  Rat 
  squeaks 
  and 
  other 
  unidentified 
  sounds 
  add 
  to 
  the 
  eerie 
  atmosphere.  The walkway is a spacious ten 
  feet wide and more in places.  The walls, which 
  alternate between natural stone and masonry, 
  are 
  carved 
  with 
  strange 
  creatures 
  and 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 6 
  
  patterns.  And everywhere there are slimy 
  patches and dark little holes.  Ellywick breaks 
  the silence, saying “This is called Styx, and, 
  while it doesn’t lead to the lands of the dead, it 
  has carried its share of dead bodies.  It opens 
  to the Velverdyva River in three places, so it 
  has some circulation, and the outer gratings 
  let only small critters in.  So, if you see 
  movement, it is probably fish, not some 
  hideous sewer monster.  But, I’d still stay away 
  from the edge if I were you.”  She leads on for 
  blocks until you reach a stone bridge arching 
  over the water to the opposite side.  There is a 
  railing, and magically lit lamp posts bathe the 
  bridge in a ghostly glow.  As you cross the 
  middle of the bridge, you see on the other side 
  a disgusting  quivering mound of spiders.  The 
  swarm covers the entire ten-foot width of the 
  bridge for ten feet.  It is centered on a mound 
  of what appears to be corpse, judging from the 
  swollen black and purple limbs protruding 
  from beneath.  Ellywick stops and grimaces, 
  and suggests, “Maybe we should back up and 
  wait until this thing passes.”  Just then, bows 
  twang behind you and arrows clatter across 
  the bridge, narrowly missing you.  The 
  shadowy figures of pursuers, four armed men, 
  come walking swiftly toward the bridge from 
  behind you.  “Give us the Blade, gnome!” they 
  demand.  Ellywick replies, “Not to thugs like 
  you.”  Ellywick’s hands flash towards her 
  throwing knives… 
   
  Ellywick will help fight by throwing daggers from 
  behind the party at whoever she can target.  After 
  the 
  combat, 
  either 
  from 
  Ellywick 
  or 
  by 
  interrogation, the characters learn that these are 
  thugs from the Gambling Guild, representing a 
  faction trying to thwart the high priest of Norebo, 
  Legalilin Agraus.  
   
  Spider Swarm:  hp 9; CR1 The spider swarm 
  does not attack unless their area is entered. 
  (See Appendix I).   
   
  On the corpse are the following:  hand axe, leather 
  armor, lantern, flask of oil, map of the sewers (see 
  Players Handouts), and 7 gp. 
    
  Gambling Guild sap thugs (2): Male human 
  Exp1; hp 6; CR ½ each 
  Gambling Guild crossbow thugs (2): Male 
  halfling (lightfoot) Exp1; hp 6; CR ½ each 
  (See Appendix I) 
   
  After 
  your 
  fight, 
  Ellywick 
  says 
  “Thank 
  goodness there were only four.  You did very 
  well.”  She leads you across the Styx and out a 
  sewer main on the other side.  You follow the 
  dark passages until you feel like you’ve 
  crossed more than half of Dyvers.  You once 
  hear some workers digging down a tunnel, but 
  have no other hostile encounters.  Your guide 
  faces a wall and presses on a certain stone.  A 
  secret door slides up and she leads you up a 
  long, steep, narrow flight of stairs.  At the top 
  is a landing with a sturdy, iron-bound door.  
  She knocks and waits.   
   
  The door is locked and trapped, and Ellywick 
  insists the players DO NOT try to open it 
  because there is a complex dangerous trap.  And, 
  the trap would be quite expensive to replace if 
  they disabled it.   
   
  Strong wooden door, barred:  Break DC 25, 
  hardness 5, hp 20.  Lock is good, DC 30 Open 
  Lock check to pick it.  If Open Lock check fails by 
  5 or more, the poison wall spikes trap fires. 
   
  Poison wall spikes:  CR 4; mechanical; touch 
  triggered; manual reset; Atk +16 melee (1d8+4 
  plus poison, spike); poison (Medium monstrous 
  spider venom, DC 12 Fortitude save resists 1d4 
  Str/1d4 Str); Search DC 17; Disable Device DC 
  21. 
   
  After several minutes, the door swings open, and 
  you see a tall handsome man with a little grey hair 
  and a winning smile.  He wears a cleric’s robe and 
  an amulet sporting two 8-sided gambling dice—
  the holy symbol of Norebo.   
   
  Vuli Rhona: Male human Clr6/Rog2; hp 22;  CR 
  8. (See Appendix I.) Note: He has cast Eagle’s 
  Splendor before opening the door, so his 
  Charisma is 18. 
   
  Encounter Two 
  The Curse of Despair 
   
  After expressing his surprise and delight at 
  seeing Ellywick, he introduces himself as Vuli 
  Rhona, cleric of Norebo and manager of the 
  Palace of Fortune.  He invites you in and leads 
  you through the dark casino.  It is obviously 
  closed, and except for the sound of someone 
  hammering and sawing in a distant room, your 
  group appears to be the only ones here. 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 7 
  
   
  A PC making a Knowledge (religion) check DC 12 
  will know that at temples of Norebo all gambling 
  losses are considered donations to the church.  If 
  any PC has the skill Profession (gambling), he 
  knows that for the last few months, gamblers have 
  been avoiding this place because all they do is 
  lose money.   
   
  “Zilchus’ Partners of the Gold Coin shut us 
  down because of unpaid debts.  Our high 
  priest, Legalilin Agraus, is never around 
  because he is trying to become head of the 
  Gambling Guild.  So, it’s just me and some 
  volunteer lay-workers.”  The cleric leads you 
  through the echoing central hall.  Thirty-foot 
  shafts of daylight fall from the central dome 
  onto cloth-draped gambling tables.  One look 
  at the symbols decorating the dome, and you 
  realize that this was once a temple to Pelor, the 
  sun god.  Above you, the balcony of the 
  second floor opens onto the central hall.  
  Gaudy tapestries hang from it, with fanciful 
  figures of laughing rogues eluding armored 
  knights, wizards, and dragons.  In all of them 
  there is a stunningly beautiful woman in a red 
  gown wearing a skull amulet.  She always has 
  her back turned to the rogue, but her eyes 
  slyly look back at him in admiration.  
   
  If anyone asks about the woman, she is Wee Jas, 
  the LN/LE goddess of magic and death, who has 
  been represented as Norebo’s lover for the last 
  thousand years.  
   
  He continues, “We’ve been closed for two 
  weeks 
  already, 
  but 
  thanks 
  to 
  our... 
  connections... nothing has been stolen, yet.  
  But if you have what I think you do, then our 
  problems are over.  You see, this has always 
  been a profitable enterprise, despite the heavy 
  taxes and regulations imposed on us by the 
  Brotherhood of the Golden Coin.  But half a 
  year ago, we were struck by a bizarre and 
  insidious curse.  It’s hard to explain, so I’ll just 
  show it to you.”  With that, he whisks aside the 
  cloth covering one of the dicing tables. 
  “Watch.”  He pulls off the ivory pair of 8-sided 
  dice from his holy symbol of Norebo.  He asks, 
  “Who wants to try a hand at a little dice 
  game?” 
   
  He offers anyone else a colored 8-sided die to try 
  his hand at the gambling game called “In 
  Between”.  Vuli explains the rules, and then rolls 
  two white 8-sided dice.  The player rolls the 
  colored 8-sided die and wins if he rolls a number 
  between the two white dice.  Matching a number is 
  a loss, and if both white dice match, then the loss 
  is automatic.  Go ahead and do this with any 
  player who is willing.  He insists that they wager 
  some money (it’s against his religion to play at 
  gambling with no stakes), though no more than 10 
  sp for this demonstration. 
   
  If the player wins, then Vuli pays the wager i.e. the 
  PC gets his wager back plus the same amount 
  from Vuli.  If the player loses, then he is subject to 
  the “Curse of Despair,” and must make a Will 
  saving throw against DC 23.  Failure means he 
  is convinced he can’t win and refuses to try the 
  game again.  This wears off after staying outside 
  of the House of Fortune for 24 hours.  The DM can 
  roll as many times as it takes for the PCs to get 
  the idea of what is going on.   
   
  Vuli’s face turns grim as he resumes talking, 
  “This is a powerful curse on our Palace.  Most 
  of our patrons have left because of the 
  constant despair.  We have tried changing 
  games, dice, cards, and odds.  The changes 
  seem to work only once, and in the end 
  despair wins.  We are the only gambling 
  establishment that has this curse, so our 
  business is failing.”  Vuli shudders.  “We 
  haven’t been able to dispel this magic; it’s just 
  too powerful.  We were at a complete loss, 
  until last month I was visited in a dream by one 
  of Norebo’s servants.  In that dream, she made 
  one simple statement, “The Bane of Despair 
  may be ended by an Artifact of Chaos.”     
   
  The first thing that came to my mind was the 
  Blade of Chaos, which was stolen from us 
  eighteen years ago. From the first day that 
  mortal hands wielded it, it has been a coveted 
  prize and symbol of Norebo’s favor.  Each year 
  it was awarded to the temple that won a 
  specially sanctioned competition.  That temple 
  would then loan it to those who took extreme 
  risks for the priesthood.  We in Dyvers were 
  honored by Norebo to win it three years in a 
  row.  So, it was a great embarrassment to us 
  all when eighteen years ago, an unbeliever 
  stole this Artifact of Chaos.  We scoured the 
  Flanaess for a decade, chasing every rumor we 
  heard.  Finally, we gave up the search.” 
   
  At this point he breaks into a smile again.   “I 
  discussed it with High Priest Agraus and even 
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  Page 8 
  
  though he gave up searching long ago, he 
  agreed that this new omen meant I should find 
  the Blade if I could.  I enlisted Ellywick, and 
  she went to work on it just one month ago, and 
  already the Blade has been found, or at least I 
  hope it has.”  With that, he walks over to the 
  bar and carefully pulls down a decorative 
  longsword that was hanging by chains over 
  the counter.  “It’s an exact replica of the Blade 
  of Chaos,” he explains.   When he puts it on 
  the table, Ellywick climbs up onto a barstool 
  and puts the piece of parchment next to it.  On 
  the paper is the drawing of a sword and a 
  design that clearly match the sword and the 
  designs engraved on the blade.  “Blessings of 
  Norebo, it is an exact match!” Vuli exclaims.    
  He ducks behind the bar and grabs a bottle of 
  fine wine and offers you each a glass.   
   
  With a tip of the glass and a gulp, he 
  continues, “First off, let me thank and toast 
  Ellywick.  You are without doubt Dyvers’ best 
  spy.”  Turning to your group, he says, “We 
  can’t waste any more time, or the Blade could 
  vanish again.  You have proven yourselves 
  capable in your adventures with Ellywick.  Will 
  you travel to Maraven to bring the Blade of 
  Chaos back here to its rightful place?  There 
  will be an element of danger and risk, but 
  you’ll be in the service of the lord of risk and 
  his luck will aid you.  If you succeed, you will 
  be rewarded 200 gp each.”  Ellywick clears her 
  throat and says, “I promised they would be 
  rewarded 10 gp for escorting me here safely.” 
  Vuli frowns momentarily, but goes behind the 
  bar and counts out 10 gp each.  If you agree to 
  the offer, then Vuli Rhona completely heals 
  any wounds you have, and they both start 
  briefing you on your mission. 
   
  Information that Vuli and Ellywick will offer: 
   
  • 
  Vuli:  Your mission is to bring the artifact 
  back from its current owner.  You will have 
  a package in trade—a coffer of gems 
  worth 10,000 gp.  It is locked and trapped, 
  but you are given the key.  Ellywick 
  suggests that someone other than the one 
  carrying the coffer should carry the key.  
  Coffer:  Hardness 5, Hit Points 10, Break 
  DC 18.  Good lock DC 30 to Open Lock.  
  Poison Needle Trap:  CR 1; mechanical; 
  touch trigger; manual reset; Atk +8 ranged 
  (1 plus greenblood oil poison); Search DC 
  22; Disable Device DC 20.  Judge Note:  
  The gems are cleverly crafted glass fakes. 
   Anyone taking them out and examining 
  them for one minute can make an 
  Appraise check DC 15.  Dwarvish, 
  magnifying glass, Raven familiar, Diligent 
  feat, and Craft (gem cutting) bonuses all 
  apply to this check.  A failed check means 
  they appear to be worth about 10,000 gp. 
  • 
  Ellywick: The man who claims to have the 
  Blade and gave Ellywick the drawing says 
  he wants to trade the Blade back to the 
  Palace.  He gave the name “Drakken,” 
  though that was not his real name.  He 
  was at an inn named Fharlanghn’s 
  Respite, in Maraven.  He was there last 
  night, and will be staying there through 
  tomorrow night before leaving, waiting 
  for an answer.     
  • 
  Vuli: He lets you study the non-magical 
  replica of the Blade, which has the old 
  Suloise symbol of chaos etched in the 
  dark/light swirled blade (looks similar to 
  Damascus steel, if you’re familiar with 
  that), and two ruby 8-sided dice solidly 
  attached to the gold-gilded pommel.  You 
  can again show the player handout picture 
  of the Blade.  
  • 
  Vuli:  He also informs you that he doubts 
  anyone is actually wielding the Blade, 
  since it will drain the life from whoever 
  grasps it, unless he or she is serving 
  Norebo.  He feels the church would have 
  been notified by now if the owner was 
  someone serving Norebo—either by a 
  gloating message or offer to return it, or 
  something similar.   
  • 
  Vuli:  For one dedicated to Norebo, it is a 
  potent weapon.  Not only does its edge 
  bite deeper than normal swords, but also it 
  has the power to throw enemies into 
  darkness. Rogues love it because it can 
  also sense nearby traps.  It allegedly 
  reserves its worst sting for lawful enemies, 
  paralyzing them.    
  • 
  Vuli:  Keep your mission as secret as 
  possible.  Especially don’t tell any 
  Ralishaz or Kurell clerics since they are 
  rivals and would love to thwart your 
  mission.  In fact, it would be best to just 
  not tell anybody.   
   
  Once the party has agreed, been fully briefed, and 
  is ready to go, Vuli presents them each a holy 
  symbol of Norebo—two mother-of-pearl eight-
  sided dice embedded in a lustrous black 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 9 
  
  sablewood brooch. The brooch has a special 
  power to call on Norebo’s favor. 
   
  Brooch of Norebo’s Favor: 
  Once, during this adventure only, the wearer can 
  make a plea for aid from Norebo while grasping 
  the brooch (free action that can be taken at any 
  time and provokes no attack of opportunity).  The 
  character may then reroll a single roll he has just 
  rolled.  The new result must be taken.  Outside of 
  this adventure they are just nice normal holy 
  symbols.   
   
  Note:  Vuli only presents the brooches to PCs 
  who agree to wear them.  Wearing the brooch 
  does not require or cause conversion to Norebo, 
  but most clerics should have a problem with 
  wearing a different holy symbol.  An Appraise 
  check DC 12 will tell a PC that it is worth 25 gp if 
  sold.   
   
  Vuli blesses you and says “Take this symbol 
  of Norebo, and may Norebo bring you fortune 
  in your task.  When disaster strikes and all 
  seems lost, grab this symbol and pray for 
  aid—you never know when Norebo is listening. 
   One more thing--please hurry.  The Blade of 
  Chaos has evaded us all of these years, and 
  now that it’s within our grasp, I dread the 
  thought of it disappearing again.  Especially 
  since it seems to be the only way to lift this 
  curse and save the Palace.”  He hands you the 
  coffer of gems and reminds you to keep it 
  hidden because it has 10,000 gp worth of gems 
  in it.  “Ah, it goes without saying that I will pay 
  twice this much to have you assassinated if 
  you try to cheat me.  I look forward to seeing 
  your safe and timely return with the Blade.”  
  With that, he lets you out of the Palace.   
   
  Encounter Three 
  Getting There 
   
  While in Dyvers: 
  It is 2:00 in the afternoon.  The PCs need to go to 
  Fharlanghn’s Respite tavern in Maraven by 
  tomorrow night and set up a meeting with Drakken 
  to discuss the Blade, and they must do so 
  covertly. They are aware that Maraven is 36 miles 
  east of Dyvers on the paved, highly traveled 
  Greyhawk Road.  See PHB v3.5 p. 164 for 
  overland movement.  Basically, if they leave at 
  dawn, travel light and ride mounts, they can reach 
  Maraven in eight hours of travel with no problem.  
  If any of them are on foot or are riding mounts 
  while carrying more than about 150-200 pounds, 
  they will have to either hustle for an hour or force 
  march an extra hour.  Allow them to make any 
  mount or item purchases allowed by LG rules, and 
  to pick new spells for their characters in Dyvers.   
   
  “Beggars”: 
  There are rogues watching them from the time 
  they set foot outside of the Palace.  Within 10 
  minutes, a group of five female “beggars” will 
  approach them begging for alms.  Bumping up 
  against them, clinging to them, begging pitifully for 
  their starving children.  They are part of the 
  Pickpocket Guild, and they have been tipped off 
  that these folks are carrying a big payment.  They 
  know nothing else about the mission.  This pocket-
  picking is a little different than normal in that they 
  are looking for something specific.  So, first they 
  must roll their Search vs the character’s Slight of 
  Hand roll (used to hide the coffer).  If the 
  characters said nothing about hiding the coffer, 
  then the “beggars” only need to beat a DC 10.  
  One check is made per round that the characters 
  allow them to stay near.  Once they find the coffer, 
  they try to take it.  Roll their Slight of Hand checks 
  to lift the coffer.  The DC is 20 for the first try, 22 if 
  the judge feels the characters have taken extra 
  effort to secure the coffer.  The characters get to 
  make Spot checks, whether the attempt succeeds 
  or not.  If their Spot check is higher than the 
  Sleight of Hand check, they notice the attempt.  
  Any attempts to take the coffer after being noticed 
  are DC 30.  To drive the “beggars” off requires 
  either an Intimidate check vs DC 12 (which takes 
  one minute of interaction) or attacking.  If the 
  characters draw lethal weapons, roll initiatives, 
  and the “beggars” scatter in all directions when 
  their initiatives come up.  If the characters try to 
  drive them off with non-lethal means, the 
  “beggars” will grapple with the characters.  The 
  City Guard will appear in five minutes, and the 
  characters had better not have any weapons out 
  or dead people lying around or they will be 
  arrested, which ends the adventure.   
   
  “Beggars” of Pickpocket Guild (5): female 
  human Exp1; hp 4; CR ½ each, (See Appendix I) 
   
  Shadowed: 
  No other rogues are stupid enough to make such 
  brazen moves, instead choosing to covertly watch. 
   The characters might get the feeling they are 
  being watched; a successful Sense Motive check 
  vs DC 20 will give them that hunch.  Any Spot 
  checks to see someone watching them while in 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 10 
  
  Dyvers is a DC 30.  If they wish to try to Hide from 
  the watchers, then beating a DC 15 will end the 
  feeling of being watched for one hour. 
   
  On the Road to Maraven: 
  There are no attacks on them after they leave the 
  city, but again they are being followed, this time by 
  Enforcer Guild informants who are disguised as 
  travelers.  Their Disguise DC is 10, which is the 
  DC for a Spot check to see through the traveler 
  disguise if the characters look behind them.  
  However, the Spot roll is modified by -1 per 10 feet 
  of distance, and the shadowers try to remain at 
  least 100 feet back.  Allow one Spot check per 
  hour.  There is nothing preventing the characters 
  from riding back to take a closer look at merchants 
  behind them, or the ones in front of them for that 
  matter.  The road is fairly well traveled, and the 
  Judge should make a point of implying that they 
  are being watched. 
   
  If they manage to spot and want to attack one of 
  the Enforcer Guild informants, the victim will run.  
  If intimidated into talking, he knows that they are 
  going after the Blade of Chaos and he is 
  supposed to inform some partners to ready an 
  ambush for whoever brings the Blade back.  He 
  says there are other people interested in this 
  Blade trade, from different gangs in Dyvers.  He 
  thinks the rumor about the Blade started with 
  someone in the Smugglers Guild. 
   
  Mudron, Enforcer Guild informant:  male human 
  Exp1;  hp 6; CR ½; (See Appendix I) 
   
  On the streets of Maraven: 
  In Maraven there will be three groups interested in 
  the characters.  There are the Enforcer Guild 
  informants 
  who 
  have 
  been 
  following 
  the 
  characters from Dyvers, watching for the Blade.  
  Another is a gang from the Smugglers Guild that 
  works with House Pengallan in Maraven.  Ellywick 
  started the rumor about the incorrect time and 
  place the Blade would be traded, and the gang’s 
  current leader, Stultz, is intent on watching the 
  gates and the tavern to find who has the Blade 
  and ambush them.  The third is an assassin hired 
  by high priest Legalilin Agraus to kidnap or kill 
  Ricard once he no longer carries the Blade.  She 
  has already located her target and waits in 
  disguise in the tavern.  The characters won’t run 
  into her, but she might return in a future module. 
    
  If they enter Maraven through the gates and 
  without disguising themselves, Stultz’s informant 
  will alert the rest of the gang, who will follow the 
  characters to the tavern.     
   
  The characters might get the feeling they are 
  being watched; a successful Sense Motive check 
  vs DC 20 will give them that hunch.  Any Spot 
  checks to see someone watching them while in 
  Maraven are a DC 25.  If they wish to try to hide 
  from the watchers, then a Hide roll that beats a DC 
  15 will end the feeling of being watched for one 
  hour. 
   
  If they manage to chase down the Smuggler Guild 
  informant, he puts up a fight, but tries to surrender 
  before death.  He knows only what his leader 
  Stultz told them; that a group from Dyvers 
  matching the characters’ description would arrive 
  and will be making a trade for a Blade of Chaos.  
  They are to follow them and take the Blade if 
  possible.   
   
  Jasil, 
  Smuggling 
  Guild 
  informant: female 
  hafling Exp1; hp6; CR ½; (See Appendix I) 
   
  They have no trouble finding Fharlanghn’s 
  Respite, and could have a small crowd trying to 
  covertly follow, but not prepared to attack until 
  they have seen the Blade. Inside, there is rest, 
  food, and Drakken.  
   
    Encounter Four 
  Decoys 
   
  When they reach the tavern, it is bright and 
  cheery.  There are at least a dozen people in the 
  room, and the halfling bartender is busy talking 
  and swabbing the top of the bar.  Anyone they ask 
  about “Drakken” will shrug and suggest the 
  bartender, Gother.   
   
  When you approach the bar, Gother stops for a 
  second and asks, “What can I get for you?”  
  He listens to your request and says, “Now, I 
  might know the answer to your question, but 
  you’re not going to get it for a song and a 
  dance.  Wait a sec, maybe you can have it for a 
  song and a dance.”  He then yells to the crowd, 
  “Who’s ready for the “Sing or Stink” game!?”  
  Half the crowd cheers, and he jumps up onto 
  the bar and everyone crowds around.  He 
  begins to sing a rowdy drinking song, 
  obviously a favorite of this crowd.  He gets to 
  the chorus and suddenly stops and puts his 
  hand on your head (Judge should pick a player) 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 11 
  
  and shouts “Your turn!”  Everyone is waiting 
  for you to sing the chorus or start a new song. 
    
  If the character sings and doesn’t mess the song 
  up, then he proceeds to the next character in the 
  group.  If the chosen character doesn’t sing or 
  messes the song up (messing the song up means 
  missing a Perform (sing) check against DC 10), 
  then the crowd shouts:  
   
  “Yo Ho! See that sot! 
  We drink it down fast 
  To get where he got!” 
   
  Everyone must take a drink and the character 
  must pay for the drink of the next one Gother 
  chooses.  Gother chooses each character in the 
  group, one at a time.  Each time a character has 
  two or more drinks, have her roll a Fortitude save 
  vs DC 11.  Failure indicates some intoxication, 
  which imposes a -1 penalty to the next Fortitude 
  save against intoxication, and 1d2 points of 
  temporary ability damage to both Wisdom and 
  Dexterity.  Reaching 0 Wisdom means she passes 
  out.  Reaching 0 Dexterity means she collapses in 
  a drunken wreck but remains conscious.  The 
  character regains 1 point of Dexterity and 1 point 
  of Wisdom each hour.  Neutralize poison negates 
  the intoxication immediately. 
   
  Once he’s gone through the whole group of 
  characters, if none of them has succeeded at the 
  Perform check, he begins again.  If at least one 
  has made it, then he applauds, and everyone else 
  joins his applause briefly.  He jumps down from 
  the bar and says he’ll take them to Drakken.  He 
  leads them back into the inn to a room and knocks 
  on the door.   
   
  A gravely voice from inside beckons for you to 
  come on in.  A fifty-something bearded man in 
  traveling clothes looks up from packing his 
  backpack.  A gold and ruby earring dangles 
  from one ear, and he smells of spices, alcohol 
  and sweat.  His hand is on the hilt of a 
  longsword that looks nothing like the Blade of 
  Chaos.  He asks if Vuli Rhona sent you.   
   
  After listening to your response, he says “Let’s 
  go back to the bar to do this.  I want to be in 
  public for this exchange.  And trust me, you 
  will too.”  He shoulders through your group 
  with his heavy backpack, and heads back to 
  the bar.  Once there, he takes a table near the 
  back, and sits down.  As you gather around, he 
  says “Well, you’re talking to Drakken now.  
  What do you want?”   
   
  A Wisdom check of DC 10 will notice that the 
  crowd in the bar has doubled in size, to about 25 
  people.  Anyone who notices the larger crowd and 
  then makes a Sense Motive check of DC 20 will 
  get the hunch that there are people in the crowd 
  watching them. 
   
  Drakken, after listening to what you want, pulls 
  a pipe from his vest pocket, loads it with 
  tobacco, and lights it with the candle on the 
  table; all without saying anything.  Only after 
  he takes a deep draw and blows a smoke ring 
  into the air does he speak.  “I don’t have the 
  Blade of Chaos.  I traded for it hours ago.  A 
  group of tough adventurers was sent by the 
  Norebo high priest, Legalilin Agraus, and they 
  are probably half way back to Dyvers by now.  
  You missed the deal; you can all go home 
  now!” he says in a loud voice.  He glares at the 
  crowd in the tavern.  Half of the crowd is 
  staring at you guys, mouths agape.  Some of 
  them begin cussing and others spit or chuckle. 
   He turns to you guys and says “Your gems 
  are just pretty glass.  Sorry, but you were just 
  decoys to draw attention from the real trade.”  
  Suddenly, he jumps up, drawing his longsword 
  in the same movement.  He is facing a 
  Baklunish man in the crowd who has drawn 
  his own scimitar.  The man backs down, and 
  he turns to the rest of the onlookers and warns 
  them, “I don’t have the Blade of Chaos 
  anymore, but that doesn’t make me any less 
  dangerous.  Which one of you wants to risk it, 
  huh?  Your life for nothing?  Go home.  I’m 
  tired and looking for an excuse to kill one of 
  you guys that have been sneaking around.”  
  Most of the crowd trickles out the door, except 
  for four who are standing around with the 
  bartender and bouncers.  He sheaths his 
  sword and sits back down and once again 
  addresses your group.  “I’m sorry you had to 
  go through all that trouble for nothing, but 
  that’s 
  common 
  practice 
  in 
  these 
  deals.  
  (pause)  You folks probably need a drink.  
  Gother!!  Bring some good ale!”   
   
  Ricard Damaris: male human Ftr8/Rog1; hp 74 
  CR 9:  (See Appendix I.) 
   
  Things the PCs find out from Drakken: 
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 12 
  
  • 
  His real name is Ricard Damaris, and he 
  owns the Green Dragon Inn in the City of 
  Greyhawk.  He explains that it was 
  Ellywick’s idea to use the name Drakken 
  as a code to recognize the contacts she 
  would be sending.  Yes, Ellywick knew 
  what was going on; she was his contact 
  back in Greyhawk.  He doesn’t recognize 
  the name Vuli Rhona. 
   
  • 
  Yes, he for sure no longer has the Blade 
  of Chaos.  The group who took the Blade 
  were three men and a woman.  The 
  woman was carrying the Blade.  He is 
  more than content with his trade.  He got 
  certain favors, for a couple of items he 
  wanted, plus another decent sword.  He 
  expects some old enemies to return now 
  that he doesn’t have the Blade, so he 
  needed an adequate replacement.  
   
  • 
  Blade of Chaos theft: He and a partner 
  stole it in 573 C.Y.  Legalilin Agraus was 
  the new high priest of Norebo in Dyvers at 
  the time.  Normally, the Blade could have 
  easily been tracked down and returned, 
  but Agraus had lost favor with Norebo.  
  Every year, Norebo temples interested in 
  hosting the Blade used to gather for a 
  special competition which determined 
  which temple got the sacred relic for the 
  year.  Apparently, Agraus fixed a couple 
  competitions so Dyvers ended up with the 
  Blade for three years in a row.  It was 
  supposed to be a sacred and fair event, 
  so Norebo let them lose it for the last 20 
  years.  Now, with some kind of curse and 
  prodding from Norebo, Agraus has a 
  chance to preside over a resumption of 
  the fair competitions and redeem himself, 
  once he returns the Blade.    
   
  • 
  Blade of Chaos: Ricard learned much 
  about the Blade.  It tries to slay anyone 
  who is not chaotic.  If a non-chaotic 
  person tries to wield it, (this happens to 
  Ricard every time he uses it) it painfully 
  drains his energy, but he returns to full 
  strength when he’s done using it.  He 
  once saw the drain kill a young man, so 
  be careful.  Also, it can throw darkness, 
  and find treasure and its edge is 
  enchanted 
  enough 
  to 
  use 
  against 
  supernatural 
  creatures. 
   
  The 
  Blade 
  somehow gave him the feeling that it was 
  time to return it to Norebo.  So, he found a 
  Dvyers contact, Ellywick, who arranged 
  the trade.  And now he’s ready to get back 
  to his Green Dragon Inn.   
   
  Note:  Fighting or trying to harass Ricard is not a 
  good idea.  He is extremely tough, and you should 
  tell the PCs that he seems well beyond them in 
  ability.  Not to mention that he isn’t the one who 
  set them up as decoys.  
   
  Once you are done talking, he orders you one 
  more round of good ale.  “If I were you, I’d go 
  to the Palace and have a talk with Agraus or 
  Rhona about getting a partial reward for your 
  efforts.  It can’t hurt to ask.  You seem like my 
  kind of folks, and I’m glad to have met you.  If 
  you get into Greyhawk, come on by the Green 
  Dragon and visit.”  With that, he excuses 
  himself, says something to the bartender and 
  gives him a large tip.  Then he walks out, 
  leaving you all alone in the tavern.     
   
    Encounter Five 
  Smoke 
   
  There is nothing more to do in Maraven.  There 
  are no informants watching them.  Everything is 
  normal, and nothing will happen until they head 
  home. 
   
  On the road back to Dyvers, a storm blows in 
  from the lake.  Thunder rolls and lightning 
  flashes, and you smell rain…and smoke.  You 
  don’t see the source of the smoke until you 
  come over a rise and see the flames of a 
  bonfire on the side of the road.  A small group 
  of eight locals gathers to watch a cleric 
  perform a ritual.  As you draw near, you see a 
  dozen disturbingly shaped bodies, some huge 
  and others human sized, burning in the blaze.   
   
  If approached, the people crowd towards the other 
  side of the bonfire and seem suspicious and 
  frightened.  Reassuring words and a Diplomacy 
  check of DC 15 will get the people to give useful 
  information.  One other character can assist this 
  skill check.  With a successful check, the 
  characters 
  can 
  determine 
  the 
  following 
  information:  These are common folk who have 
  stumbled upon the scene of a massacre.  They 
  heard and saw the magical combat from a 
  distance, and didn’t dare approach until all was 
  quiet.  They found demonic bodies and human 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 13 
  
  bodies.  There was one survivor—a woman who 
  was shaking and moaning incoherently about 
  something—“return the blade of chaos”, they 
  think.  She was holding some kind of strange 
  magical sword, and all covered in her own blood 
  and fiend blood, so no one wanted to touch her. 
  Anyway, before the cleric arrived, a local gang of 
  thugs and pirates showed up and took her back to 
  their lair.  The rest of the people carefully gathered 
  the bodies into a pile, and the cleric of Xerbo is 
  guiding a ceremonial burning to keep the demonic 
  influence from spreading.  His name is Hetter 
  Shelcove, and is a 2nd level cleric.  They can point 
  the way to where the thugs lair in a couple of old 
  buildings along a stream.  The leader’s name is 
  Urns, and he is pretty tough.  The rest of the gang 
  is normal bullies.  They think there are five in the 
  gang, plus Urns. 
   
  If the Diplomacy check is unsuccessful, the 
  characters will only find out that a survivor was 
  taken “in that direction.”  It will be up to them to 
  find the tracks.  For those with Track feat, it’s a DC 
  13 Survival skill check to find the tracks of six 
  people and follow them to the lair.  Without 
  Tracking feat, a Survival or a Search skill check 
  DC 13 will find the six tracks headed north, but 
  won’t allow them to track.  A desperate person 
  could use this method to check once per round 
  per 5 feet, but it is about 2000 feet before they can 
  see the old buildings towards which the tracks 
  head.  That would take 40 minutes minimum. 
   
    Encounter Six 
  Urn’s Lair 
   
  Outside the Hideout:  Refer to the Hideout map 
  from the DM’s aids. 
   
  The main building is a two-storied old house with 
  boarded windows and doors.  Even the windows 
  on the second floor are boarded.  When the PCs 
  first arrive, a figure walks up to the boarded-up 
  front door (to Room 1) and twists the handle but 
  doesn’t open it.   
   
  Tuloc: male orc War2; hp 5; CR 1:  (See 
  Appendix I.) 
   
  The figure then walks around to the back of the 
  house (door to Room 2).  If the PCs follow the 
  figure within view of Karst, who is watching from 
  the third-story window of the building across the 
  street, Karst shoots at them.   It is difficult to get to 
  the back door (room 2) without taking fire from 
  Karst, but it can be done.  If the PCs get within 
  view of the back of the hideout, they will see Tuloc 
  open the back door, false boarding and all, and go 
  inside.  If fighting starts before he gets inside, 
  Tuloc will try to run inside the back door as quickly 
  as possible, forgetting to deactivate the pit trap.  In 
  his rush, he will fall into the pit.  Get out the 
  Hideout map from the DM’s aids and cover up the 
  inside rooms of the hideout, and continue to the 
  Karst Attacks section below. 
   
  Karst attacks:   
  Karst is a bizarre troll-like fey-touched creature 
  that lives in the abandoned building beside the lair. 
   He watches the outside of the lair and shoots 
  arrows at intruders from the shadowy dark 
  windows of the three-story building.  As he fires 
  his first arrow, he utters and inhuman piercing 
  shriek, which warns the thugs inside the lair to 
  prepare for invaders.  As soon as anyone comes 
  towards the door to his building, he will hide and 
  prepare to charm person the first one through to 
  protect him.   
   
  The inside of the three-story building no longer 
  has floors, only the beams and ledges that once 
  supported the floors.  Besides barn swallow nests, 
  there are two dozen of Karsts’ bizarre mud 
  sculptures sitting and standing on the beams and 
  ledges.  They look very similar to him—lumpy 
  grey-green humanoids—he thinks of them as his 
  family.  He hides among them, and will charm 
  person the first person coming through the door, 
  asking for protection.  Then wait for the right 
  moment to either escape with help of his new 
  charmed friend or leap down upon an intruder.  He 
  gets a +5 to his Hide check because of the 
  sculptures.   
   
  Karst: male fey-touched Ftr2; hp 13; CR 2:  (See 
  Appendix I.) 
   
  If it is night, then Karst gets total concealment 
  while shooting from inside the windows, so 
  spotting him is impossible without dark vision.  
  With dark vision or during the day it takes a Spot 
  check against DC 15.  If they just shoot through a 
  random window and get the right one, there is still 
  a 50% miss chance, or 20% during the day.  No 
  miss chance if they have dark vision and have 
  spotted him.  Because he is behind the window, 
  Karst has one-half cover (cover bonus +4 AC, +2 
  bonus to Reflex save).   
   
  Entering the Hideout: 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 14 
  
  The room notations below refer to the numbered 
  rooms in the hideout on the Hideout map from the 
  DM’s aids. 
   
  Room 1:   
  The front room is 10’x25’ and filled with furniture 
  and large tapestries, and other large stolen items. 
   There are a few items that could be carried, but at 
  most the PCs would have to come back, and by 
  then it is gone.  Some of Urns men and women 
  sleep, lounge or engage in other activities on the 
  furniture, so it is worthless.  The front door would 
  open into this room if the front door could open at 
  all.  It is boarded securely closed.   
   
  Boarded Door:  Break DC 25, hardness 5, hp 22. 
   
  Boarded Windows:  Break DC 28, hardness 5, 
  hp 15 (the DC is higher because they are not as 
  easy to reach as the door). 
   
  The door handle is attached by string to a simple 
  pulley system that unlocks the back door in room 2 
  when the handle is twisted around twice.   
   
  Room 2:  
  The back room is 10’x15’ and has a table with four 
  chairs, and a staircase going up to the second 
  floor.  This staircase is not safe.  It will collapse if 
  more than two medium sized people stand on it at 
  a time (fall damage 1d6; tumble or jump check 
  of DC 15 for no damage).  If the PCs Search DC 
  10 then the instability will be noted.   The back 
  door opens into this room.  The door is unlocked 
  by turning the front door handle all the way around 
  twice.   
   
  Good wooden door:  Break DC 18, hardness 5, 
  hp 15.  Lock is average, DC 25 to pick it. 
  Boarded Window:  Break DC 18, hardness 5, hp 
  15. 
    
  The 5’x5’ square right inside the doorway is a pit 
  trap.  The lid is normally held fast and characters 
  can walk on it.  However, a simple hidden slide 
  bolt makes it a trap door that swings down but 
  then snaps back up, with no handle on the inside.  
   It is armed when the PCs come through the door, 
  and cannot be found by a search unless the PCs 
  get the door open to be able to search on the floor 
  before stepping in.   
   
  Pit Trap (10 Ft. Deep):  CR 1; no attack roll 
  necessary (1d6); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; 
  Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20). 
   
  If the PCs manage to get in without Karst 
  shooting, and without loudly breaking things, then 
  there will be three people sitting at the table.  
  When the PCs enter, Born and Daran will run to 
  rooms 3 and 4, knocking over chairs in their haste. 
   The third person at the table, Vilesther, an elvish 
  female adept, will yell for Urns and run up to the 
  top of the stairs and cast sleep. 
   
  If the PCs don’t get in quietly and without fighting, 
  then the room has the table up-turned for defense 
  (1/2 cover = +4 AC cover bonus, +2 reflex save 
  bonus). Behind it are the Born and Daran who will 
  throw daggers until they have to fight with clubs, 
  Tuloc will engage with battleaxe, and Vilesther, 
  who has pre-cast bless spell a round prior, and is 
  sitting on the top step of the stairs, with sleep 
  readied to cast on the first two opponents who 
  make it past the trap door.     
   
  In any case, when the first PC gets half way up the 
  stairway, the stairs collapse.  When the dust 
  settles, Urns waves a white handkerchief back 
  and forth in the opening that the stairs used to 
  lead to.  He surrenders.  Any of his gang who are 
  still alive also surrenders.   
   
  The Gang 
   
  Vilesther: female elf Adept 2: hp 10; CR 1  
  Born & Daran: male human Exp1: hp 6 each; CR 
  ½ each 
  Tuloc: male orc War2; hp 5; CR 1 (If he is still 
  alive). 
  (See Appendix I.) 
   
  Room 3:   
  This 10’x20’ room is a workshop of sorts.  It has 
  equipment to modify stolen goods to make them 
  less identifiable, and ways to take complex items 
  apart.  It also has locks for open lock practice, and 
  pieces of wood and rope.  Scattered on benches 
  and amid debris on the floor are what amount to 
  four sets of artisans tools, two extra thieves tools, 
  and two simple locks for practice.  The floor is so 
  cluttered that it requires a REF save of DC 13 
  every round while fighting or running in here. 
  Failure means the character has tripped and fallen 
  prone. Movement at ½ speed is possible with no 
  Dex checks.  The window, while appearing 
  securely boarded from the outside, is actually 
  locked with a sliding iron bar (Break DC 24, 
  hardness 10, hp 5).  It is used as an escape route.  
   
  Room 4:   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 15 
  
  This 10’x25’ room is the kitchen and mess hall.  
  There is a fireplace with a cooking hearth and a 
  table with chairs.  Some well-stocked food, dish, 
  and cooking utensil cabinets line one wall. Urns 
  has discovered that one way to make his people 
  happy is to keep them well fed.  There is also a 
  healer’s kit. 
   
  Room 5:   
  This 5’x10’ closet is used to hold stolen trade 
  goods, and sometimes prisoners.  The door is 
  locked.   
  Door, locked:  Average lock (DC 25 to pick), 
  break DC 18, hardness 5, hp 15.   
   
  Inside is the body of a woman, stripped of all 
  valuables except a sword, clenched in her blood-
  mired hands.  Her wounds are slowly oozing 
  green odious green liquid.  Her blood is smeared 
  across her pale half-naked body, mixed with what 
  must be fiendish ichor.  The sword she holds is 
  obviously the Blade of Chaos.  Review the 
  powers of the Blade and remember that a non-
  chaotic person picking it up will get a negative 
  level, which will instantly and painfully kill a 1st 
  level character.  In this case, if the character 
  reaching for the Blade is not chaotic, but is 
  wearing one of the Norebo amulets, the amulet will 
  shout a warning, “The Blade only serves chaotic 
  masters—it was forged to slay all others.  Do 
  not touch it!”  Then the amulet loses its Norebo 
  Blessing (reroll power).   
   
  If a chaotic character grasps it:  You feel a surge 
  of frenzied energy and every hair on your body 
  stands up.  A cackle of joy resounds in your 
  mind, and you have the urge to just run, you 
  don’t care where.  There is a primal inhuman 
  power in your hands, you think almost like 
  Limbo, 
  which 
  speaks 
  no 
  language 
  but 
  emotion.  It lusts not just for freedom and 
  individuality, but for the dissolution of all 
  order.  You will have to keep watch on yourself 
  that you don’t get swept up in the urges you’re 
  feeling.   
   
  Treasures:  Also stashed here are 5 lbs. 
  cinnamon (5 gp), 5 lbs. salt (25 gp), 5 lbs. tea 
  leaves (1 gp), and a 5 yards of nice linen (20 gp).   
   
  Urns Sings: 
  Once the stairs collapse, Urns surrenders, as do 
  any surviving members of his gang.   
   
  Urns: male half-elf Rog4; hp 18; CR 4 (See 
  Appendix I.) 
   
  He will not admit to knowing about the surviving 
  woman or the Blade unless forced to do so.  He 
  immediately quaffs his potion of charisma.  The 
  potion adds +4 enhancement bonus to Cha, giving 
  him 
  +2 
  on 
  his 
  Bluff 
  checks 
  during 
  the 
  interrogation.  He tries to negotiate with the PCs 
  while remaining in the second floor opening that 
  was at the top of the stairs.  The Intimidate roll 
  against him will suffer a –2 circumstance penalty if 
  the PCs allow him to stay separated from them 
  this way.  If the PCs force him to come down, or 
  climb up to him, then the interrogation proceeds 
  without a penalty.   He asks why they are here.    
   
  A successful Intimidate skill check against a DC 
  14 is needed to get him to tell where the woman’s 
  corpse is hidden (the closet—Room 5) and the 
  Blade.  He insists, truthfully, that she died on the 
  way here, probably because of poisoned wounds. 
   One person can assist in this skill check, giving 
  the interrogator a +2 if his Intimidate check beats a 
  DC 10.  Urns will ask for safety in return for the 
  info.  He will fight to the death before letting them 
  bind him up or otherwise disarm him.  Note:  Warn 
  the players that this would be a needlessly 
  dangerous combat. 
   
  If they kill Urns or don’t get information from him, 
  they can search the house and find the woman’s 
  corpse and the Blade locked in the closet, Room 
  5. 
   
  Upstairs: 
  His upstairs area is small, but there are some 
  valuable stolen items that make Urns retreat 
  comfortable.  See the treasure section below for 
  the exact contents.  These stolen items cannot be 
  sold without finding a fence.  Urns and his gang 
  are burglars and small-time pirates.  They are 
  always dealing with fences in Dyvers or Maraven.  
  Urns also keeps some treasure here in a locked, 
  small chest. 
   
  Locked chest:  good lock, DC 30 to open lock.   
   
  Treasure: in the room -  2 small statuettes (20 gp 
  each), 1 tapestry (30 gp), 2 rugs (10 gp each) 
  inside the locked chest – 100 gp  
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 16 
  
  Encounter Seven 
  Return the Blade 
   
  So, you finally have the Blade of Chaos.  It is a 
  strange twisted blade.  It is probably foolish to 
  keep it, now that Norebo himself seems to 
  want it returned.  You could return it, sell it, or 
  get rid of it for good. 
   
  Selling the Blade:  The characters have no idea 
  who would have sufficient funds to purchase the 
  Blade, which is worth about 60,000 gp.  The most 
  likely buyer would be the Norebo temple or its 
  rivals.  Run them through this encounter, but not 
  Encounter Eight, The Palace.  Once through the 
  gates, docks or sewers and the optional ambush, 
  they find a buyer quickly, but they get no more 
  payment than the reward they would have 
  received returning it to the Palace. 
   
  Keeping the Blade:  If they foolishly decide to 
  keep the Blade, they have to face the normal risks 
  and consequences for major thefts, as outlined in 
  the Living Greyhawk Campaing Sourcebook, pg 
  43. Because they are facing the best thieves, they 
  must score a “Success” result on the “The 
  Overking’s Jewels” chart.  Keeping an item hidden 
  on your person is a Sleight of Hand check, and to 
  get a success requires a DC 30.  If they succeed, 
  they still don’t get to keep the Blade (because this 
  introductory module can’t do that).  But, Norebo 
  loves such a huge risk, so as a reward, give them 
  maximum gp and experience for this adventure.  If 
  they fail the DC 30 check, they are caught, lose 
  the Blade, and possibly arrested.   The person 
  with the Blade must succeed at a Bluff check DC 
  25 or lose 6 TU from imprisonment.  He gains no 
  coin or benefits during this imprisonment. If they 
  still enter the city, run the characters through this 
  encounter, but not through Encounter Eight: The 
  Palace. 
      
  Getting rid of the Blade:  It could be thrown into 
  the Nyr Dyv or buried in a remote locale or given 
  to a local.  Unless it is destroyed, it will be found 
  by divinations.  It can be destroyed by asking a 
  lawful church to sacrifice it.  They will have to find 
  a powerful cleric, and they will get no payment, 
  except that warm fuzzy feeling of serving their 
  deity or the cause of law.  The Judge should make 
  note of the sacrifice on their A.R.  As they are on 
  their way to a lawful temple or shrine, run the 
  characters through this encounter, but not 
  Encounter Eight: The Palace. 
   
  Returning the Blade:  This choice will take them 
  through this encounter and on to Encounter Eight: 
   The Palace.  The characters have three choices 
  for getting into town with the Blade:  gates, docks, 
  or sewers.   
   
  Gates and Docks:  Some of the gate and dock 
  guards are working with the Enforcers to find the 
  Blade.  The characters must pass through a guard 
  station, so if the characters don’t disguise 
  themselves they will be automatically recognized.  
  If they are disguised, then the guards are “taking 
  10” on their Spot checks, giving them an automatic 
  13.  This is the DC that the characters must get on 
  their Disguise checks—all of them.  However, the 
  guards are looking for a group of adventurers, so if 
  they go in singly, they get a +2 circumstance 
  bonus on their Disguise rolls.   
   
  If they are caught at the gate, then the guards will 
  confiscate the Blade as stolen goods and arrest 
  the characters.  The person with the Blade must 
  succeed at a Bluff check DC 25 or lose 6 TU from 
  imprisonment.  One TU less for every gp he 
  contributes.  He gains no coin or benefits during 
  this imprisonment.  He can try to flee or fight, 
  instead.  The guards will try to stop the one with 
  the Blade.  The penalties for assault or killing a 
  guard are in the Dyvers Gazetteer.  Assault is 5 gp 
  penalty plus confiscation of the weapon.  Killing 
  the guard would be manslaughter at least (208 
  T.U. imprisonment) or murder (lose the character 
  permanently to the Triad). 
   
  Guards (2), varies, War1: varies humanoid; hp 
  10; CR ½ each.  (See NPC Listings Appendix) 
   
  The Sewers:  They won’t face any guards if they 
  go back through the sewers.  But they will have to 
  first find a boat since the only entrance they know 
  of is on the city shore, and the shear slick city 
  walls extend far out into the Velverdyva River.  
  There are many small rowboats along the shore to 
  both the east and west of Dyvers, so stealing a 
  boat or hiring a boat is equally easy.  Hiring a boat 
  costs 1 sp.  Once on the city shore, they can take 
  the same way they entered with Ellywick and 
  follow the same route.  The sewer grate has been 
  locked and repaired if necessary.   
  Sewer Grate:  The lock is a simple lock, but it is 
  on the inside, so opening attempts are performed 
  by reaching through the bars and around with out 
  seeing the lock, thus the Open Lock DC is 22 (DC 
  20 for simple lock, +2 for the added difficulty).  
  Remind them that they can “Take 20” for this 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 17 
  
  check.  The rusty bars can be bent open with a 
  Strength check DC 23.  They have hardness 8 
  and 20 hit points to break. 
   
  Optional: Encounter 7A 
  Choker Ambush 
   
  If there is game time left before running Encounter 
  Eight: The Palace, you can run this encounter 
  before they reach the Palace.  If there isn’t 
  sufficient time, skip this encounter and try to finish 
  out Encounter Eight: The Palace instead.   
   
  A certain member of the Assassins Guild heard 
  about the Blade and used fiendish divination to 
  discover its whereabouts.  She sent the fiends that 
  attacked the original party of adventurers.  Now 
  her fiendish favors are used up.  She still has her 
  trained choker to help and her quasit familiar has 
  communed again to find out the location of the 
  Blade and the best place for a choker ambush.  It 
  will be from a shadowed overhang if the 
  characters are in the streets, or better yet, from 
  the ceiling somewhere in the sewers.   
   
  The choker will first try to reach out from hiding 10 
  feet above the characters (it has 10 feet reach).  
  Roll its Hide +10 check.  Characters roll their Spot 
  checks versus the Hide to see it.  They have a -1 
  on their Spot check because of the 10 foot 
  distance.   
   
  If they don’t spot him, then a successful Sleight of 
  Hand check vs DC 20 lets the choker snatch the  
  Blade.  The character with the Blade and those 
  behind him get Spot checks.  If they beat his 
  Sleight of Hand roll, then they see him steal it and 
  melee starts.  If they fail this spot check, and his 
  Sleight of Hand check was successful, then he 
  disappears into the darkness, away to his 
  unknown master.  The character who was carrying 
  the Blade won’t notice it is gone until Encounter 
  Eight:  The Palace.    The Blade is eventually 
  recovered, but not until several grisly murders are 
  perpetrated on important lawful officials in town. 
   
   If the Sleight of Hand fails, he keeps trying until 
  he is spotted.  Since he has to move to keep up 
  with his target, his Hide check the next round has 
  a -5 penalty because he moved.  Once he is 
  spotted, then the encounter proceeds to combat 
  and the choker tries to grab the Blade using the 
  “grabbing items” unarmed disarm attack (PHB p. 
  155).  It will attempt this until it dies, such is its 
  mistress’s compulsion.  Remember if has a 10 foot 
  reach for these attacks.  If it gets the Blade, it tries 
  to flee to its master.  It is great a climbing and tries 
  to climb as high as possible and stay out of reach 
  this way.  It can still be shot with range weapons, 
  or characters can try to jump or climb after it. 
   
  Snipe, choker: CR 2, hp 16. See Monster 
  Manual. 
   
  Encounter 8 
  The Palace: 
   
  The PCs finally reach the Palace of Fortunes.  
  They have no problem entering.  Their knock at 
  the secret sewer door or the street-level doors is 
  answered.   
   
  Inside you are greeted by Vuli Rhona, Legalilin 
  Agraus, several other priests, and some 
  unrecognized seeding looking characters and 
  their bodyguards.  The priests are all happy or 
  at least relieved to see the Blade.  Vuli lets out 
  an inspired “Yes!! Here they are!  I told you 
  they would come!  Bring their reward out here, 
  immediately!”  There is the clink of gold and 
  your reward is spread out on a table in front of 
  you before you even have time to respond.  
  “First off, let me say how sorry we are that you 
  had to be decoys.  It wasn’t my idea, but that is 
  just the way these things work.  In the end it 
  was better for you—look what happened to the 
  first group!  But I haven’t let you speak yet.  I 
  bet you have a lot to say.”  Vuli looks eagerly 
  at you, waiting for a response. 
   
  Your reply goes unnoticed, as everyone looks 
  up and stares at the ceiling.  A golden glowing 
  ball of light about the size of a basket ball 
  descends from the skylight windows, among 
  the old markings to Pelor.  Emanating from it is 
  soft celestial music, more beautiful and tender 
  than any instrument could play.  It slowly 
  approaches (the PC who has the Blade).   A 
  soft musical voice says “No.  This weapon of 
  destruction must be undone.  Its destiny is to 
  inflict a great evil.  We will take it to be 
  unforged in Mount Celestia.  Give it to us, 
  young mortal.”   
   
  This is a lantern archon sent by proxies of Pelor 
  and Zilchus.  It has been instructed to retrieve the 
  Blade to destroy it before it is used to murder a 
  lawful good hero.  It cannot name the victim, 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 18 
  
  where, or when this will happen, but it knows that 
  a powerful servant of good will be destroyed using 
  this Blade.  It will retrieve the Blade by force if 
  necessary.  All it has to do is touch the Blade and 
  it will teleport away with it.   
   
  The high priest Agraus shouts out, “Don’t let it 
  touch the Blade or it will be lost forever!  
  Destroy that thing!  It is a servant of law.”  But 
  Vuli Rhona cries, “No, do not kill such an 
  innocent messenger from the gods!  Not in my 
  temple!  Keep it away from the Blade for just a 
  moment and I will use a scroll to return it home 
  without doing it harm.  It is called a lantern 
  archon, and it is the sweetest and weakest of 
  the celestial races.  A careless blow could 
  easily destroy it.”  And Vuli races off.  Argraus 
  growls, “There will be no reward for you if that 
  thing gets the Blade!  I would dispatch it now if 
  I were you.”  He is keeping away from this 
  being of pure lawful goodness, and the 
  gathered criminals are pushing back into the 
  shadows.  The very presence of it is making 
  them all very uncomfortable. 
   
  It is now up to the players how they wish to deal 
  with the small archon.  Vuli will be back in four 
  rounds.  The lantern will not accept “no” for an 
  answer and will keep trying to do touch melee 
  attacks on the Blade no matter how the characters 
  argue or plead.  If the weapon is sheathed, then it 
  is a normal touch melee attack roll against the 
  character carrying it, like the grabbing items rules 
  on p. 155 of PHB.  If the PC is holding or wielding 
  the sword, it is performed like a disarm attempt.  
  See PHB p. 155.  If the archon successfully 
  “disarms” the PC, then it teleports away in a flash, 
  along with the Blade.  It is possible that they might 
  have to kill the archon.  It doesn’t teleport away 
  with the Blade if it is struck by the Blade.   
  Remember the Blade’s powers against lawful 
  opponents.  It is relishing the combat against this 
  LG entity, and if the character holding it is chaotic, 
  it strongly projects its emotions upon him, urging, 
  demanding to destroy this celestial symbol of 
  hated lawfulness.   
   
  Archon, lantern: CR 2; hp 4.  See Monster 
  Manual. 
   
  If they decide to attack anyone else in the room, 
  they are countered by a group of low-level arena 
  fighters who are there for just that reason. 
   
  Pit fighters:  
  “Poison” Joey: Male Halfling (Lightfoot) Rogue 1; 
  hp 7; CR 1. ; (See Appendix I.) 
   
  “Bonesplitter” Rez-bangrah: male half-orc 
  Bbn1;  hp 13; CR 1; (See Appendix I.) 
   
  “Bear” Koria: female dwarf (hill) Ftr1; hp 17; CR 
  1; (See Appendix I.) 
   
  “Ironball” Ingigrid: female human Ftr1; hp 10; 
  CR 1; (See Appendix I.) 
   
  Sadly, they get no experience or treasure for this 
  foolish bit of revenge.  Agraus. Rhona and the 
  priests toss them out on the streets after the 
  combat.  No reward is given. 
   
  Blade is Safe: 
  Once the Blade is safe, the small crowd cheers 
  and a special ceremony is performed to 
  remove the Curse of Despair.  It is successful, 
  and everyone is invited to uncover the tables 
  and begin gambling again.  The crowd grows 
  rapidly and it is a special night with free food 
  and drinks flowing, waiting staff are brought in 
  and caterers.  You are treated as heroes by 
  everyone, and the waitresses and waiters 
  resume their old habits of tempting you to 
  exchange more and more of your reward for 
  gambling tokens, and pay your “tithes” to 
  Norebo, god of luck and gambling.   
   
  Blade is Lost: 
  The weapon is forever lost.  The rest of the 
  gathered people are stunned.  Then Agraus 
  begins sweeping the characters’ reward back into 
  the box from which he had poured it.  He intends 
  to not reward them.  If the characters argue, one 
  can roll a Diplomacy check of DC 19 to succeed.  
  (Before they do the check, remind them that any 
  unused Norebo Luck amulet will allow the 
  negotiator a reroll).  One other character can 
  assist by rolling a Diplomacy check vs DC 10.  
  Successful assist gives the first character a +2 
  bonus to his Diplomacy check.  If they beat DC 19, 
  then they still get the reward for getting the Blade 
  back into the Palace.  If the Diplomacy check fails, 
  they don’t receive the reward.  There isn’t much 
  point in fighting since the people here are much 
  more powerful.   
   
  The End 
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 19 
  
  Experience Point Summary 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up 
  the values for the objectives accomplished. Then 
  assign the discretionary role-playing experience 
  award. The role-playing award should be given for 
  consistent character portrayal and contribution to 
  the fun of the game. You can award different role-
  playing amounts to different characters. 
   
  Award the total value (objectives plus role-
  playing) to each character.  
   
  Encounter One, The Sewers: 
  Ochre Jelly fragment EL 2 
  120 xp 
   
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available.  A 
  normal adventuring party can usually gather this 
  wealth in a round or so.  If for some reason, they 
  pass up this treasure, the coin total is subtracted 
  from the encounter totals given below. 
  Gambling Guild thugs EL 2 
  120 xp 
  Spider swarm EL 1 
  60 xp 
   
  Encounter Three, Getting There:   
  Catch and drive away the “Beggars”  
  (nothing for killing the beggars) 
  10 xp 
  Catch and defeat Enforcer or Smuggler 
  Informant on road or inside Maraven 
  10 xp 
   
  Encounter Four, Decoys: 
  Singing successfully 
  10 xp 
   
  Encounter Five, Smoke: 
  Reaching the Lair 
  10 xp 
   
  Encounter Six, Urn’s Lair: 
  Defeat Karst EL 2 
  120 xp 
  Defeat Urns men EL 3 
  180 xp 
   
   
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is 
  the number of gold pieces a characters total and 
  coin value increase at the end of the adventure.  
  Write the total in the GP Gained field of the 
  adventure certificate.  Because this is a Regional 
  scenario, characters may spend additional Time 
  Units to practice professions or create items 
  immediately after the adventure so this total may be 
  modified by other circumstances. 
  Get Urns to tell the truth 
  10 xp 
   
  Encounter Seven, Return the Blade: 
  Get into Dyvers  
  10 xp 
   
  Optional 7A, Choker Ambush: 
  Defeat Choker EL 2 
  120 xp 
   
  Encounter Eight, The Palace: 
  Hold-off or Defeat the Archon EL 2 
  120 xp 
   
  Total experience Role Play 
  60 xp 
  Total Combat  
  840 xp 
   
  Total possible experience 
  900 xp 
   
  Treasure Summary 
  During 
  an 
  adventure, 
  characters 
  encounter 
  treasure, usually finding it in the possession of their 
  foes.  Every encounter that features treasure has a 
  “treasure” section within the encounter description, 
  giving information about the loot, coins, and magic 
  items that make up the encounter’s treasure. 
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their 
  earthly possessions.  Looting the bodies takes at 
  least 10 minutes per every 5 enemies, and if the 
  characters cannot take the time to loot the bodies, 
  they do not gain this gold.  If you feel it is 
  reasonable that characters can go back to loot the 
  bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., not carted 
  off by dungeon scavengers, removed from the 
  scene by the local watch, and so on), characters 
  may return to retrieve loot.  If the characters do not 
  loot the body, the gold piece value for the loot is 
  subtracted from the encounter totals given below. 
  Next, the magic items are listed.  Magic item 
  treasure is the hardest to adjudicate, because they 
  are varied and because characters may want to use 
  them during the adventure.  Many times characters 
  must cast identify, analyze dweomer or similar spell 
  to determine what the item does and how to 
  activate it.  Other times they may attempt to use the 
  item blindly.  If the magic item is consumable (a 
  potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the item is used 
  before the end of the adventure, its total is 
  subtracted from the adventure totals below. 
   
  Treasure Key: 
   
  Introduction: 
  • 
  Lunch on Ellywick  
   
  0.2 gp 
   
  Encounter One, The Sewers: 
  • 
  Loot on the spidered corpse  
  18.6 gp 
  • 
  Loot on Gambling Guild thugs 
  56 gp 
   
  Encounter Two, The Curse of Despair: 
  • 
  Holy Symbol of Norebo, one for each PC who 
  agrees to wear it.  Black stained sablewood 
  brooch with two 8-sided mother-of-pearl dice 
  embedded.  
  sell for 12.5gp each 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 20 
  
  • 
  Reward for escorting Ellywick 
  10-15 gp 
   
  Encounter Three, Getting There: 
  • 
  Loot on “Beggars” pickpockets 
  3 gp 
   
  • 
  Loot on Enforcers informant  
  22.5 gp 
  • 
  Loot on Smugglers informant 
  22.5 gp 
   
  Encounter Four, Decoys: 
  • 
  Sell glass gems and box: 
    
  30 gp 
   
  Encounter Five, Smoke: 
   
  Encounter Six, Urn’s Lair: 
  • 
  Loot Karst and his building  
  25.5 gp 
  • 
  Room 3:  Loot 
   
   
  52.5 gp 
  • 
  Room 4: Loot 
   
   
  25 gp 
  • 
  Room 5:  Loot trade goods  
  51 gp 
  • 
  Upstairs:  Loot decorations  
  45 gp 
  • 
  Upstairs in locked chest 
   
  100 gp 
  • 
  Loot on Urns 
   
   
  52 gp 
   
  • 
  Loot on Vilesther 
   
   
  15 gp 
  • 
  Loot on Tuloc 
   
   
  26.5 gp 
  • 
  Loot on Born & Daran 
   
  43 gp 
   
   
  Encounter Eight, The Palace: 
  • 
  The reward:   
   
   
  200 gp 
   
  Total Possible Treasure = 803.3 gold
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 21 
  
  Appendix I: NPC Listing 
  Encounter 1 
   
  Ellywick 
  Murnig: 
  Female 
  Gnome 
  (Rock) 
  Brd2/Rog3; CR 5; Size S (3’ 2”); HD 5d6; hp 22; 
  Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 15 (Dex, amulet, 
  size); Atk +3 melee (1–1 §, grapple), +4 melee 
  (1d4, dagger +1 [crit 19-20, x2); SA spells; SQ 
  gnomish traits; AL CG; SV Fort +1, Ref +9, Will 
  +4;  
  Str 8, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16  
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Gnome, Oeridian, 
  Elvish 
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +15, 
  Disguise +11, Forgery +6, Gather Information +11, 
  Knowledge (knowledge Dyvers) +3, Knowledge 
  (knowledge Greyhawk) +3, Listen +8, Perform 
  (sing) +7 (4 ranks), Search +4, Sense Motive +8, 
  Spot +6; Alertness, Improved Unarmed Strike 
  Possessions:  masterwork daggers (2), amulet of 
  natural armor +1, disguise kit, courtier’s clothes 
  and jewelry worth 200 gp, 20 pp, 5 gp. 
   
  Spells Prepared (3/1; Save DC 13 + spell level): 0-
  Level—detect magic, daze, lullaby;  1st level—
  obscure object*(precast on Blade sketch) 
  Bardic abilities:  bardic music, bardic knowledge, 
  countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1 
  Rogue abilities:  Uncanny dodge, sneak attack 
  +2d6 
   
  Gnomish Traits:  low-light vision, +2 racial bonus 
  on saves against illusions, +1 to DC for all saves 
  on illusions cast by gnome, +1 attack against 
  kobolds and goblinoids, +4 dodge bonus to AC 
  against giant types, +2 Listen & Craft (alchemy) 
  checks,  
  Spell-like Abilities:  1/day—speak with animals 
  (burrowing only, 1 minute), dancing lights, ghost 
  sound, prestidigitation. 
   
  Roleplaying notes:  Short and chubby and full of 
  energy.  Blonde hair and violet eyes, and dressed 
  in courtier clothes and jewelry from her most 
  recent 
  meeting 
  with her boss, Ambasador 
  Osworth.  She would be higher in the Infiltrator 
  Guild if she would take time to see the big picture. 
   But, she focuses on each mission individually, 
  and rarely connects the dots to overarching plots.  
  She is usually friendly, but can have sudden 
  moody spells.   
   
  Ochre jelly fragment (MM p 200-203): CR 2; 
  small ooze; HD 2d8; hp 9; Init -5; Spd 10 ft, climb 
  10 ft; AC 6 (+1 size, -5 Dex), touch 6, flat-footed 6; 
  Base atk/Grapple +3/9; Atk slam +4 melee (2d4+2 
  plus 1d4 acid); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA acid, 
  improved grab, constrict 2d4 + 2 plus 1d4 acid; 
  SQ blindsight 60 ft., ooze traits; AL N; SV Fort +8, 
  Ref -3, Will -3;  
  Str 13, Dex 1, Con 22, Int --, Wis 1, Cha 1;  
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +9 
   
  Acid (Ex): An ochre jelly fragment 
  secretes a digestive acid that dissolves only flesh. 
   Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid 
  damage. 
   
  Constrict (Ex):  An ochre jelly fragment 
  deals automatic slam and acid damage with a 
  successful grapple check. 
   
  Improved Grab (Ex):  To use this ability, 
  an ochre jelly fragment must hit with its slam 
  attack.  It can then attempt to start a grapple as a 
  free action without provoking an attack of 
  opportunity.  If it wins the grapple check, it 
  establishes a hold and can constrict. 
   
  Description:  When a full size ochre jelly is 
  attacked with slashing, piercing  or electricity 
  damage, it will split.  It does this repeatedly until it 
  has less than 10 hp.  This fragment is a surviving 
  split.  It has lost some of its size and is slowly 
  regrowing.  Note: it is too small to have the Split 
  ability and takes full damage from piercing, 
  slashing and electricity attacks. 
   
  Spider swarm (MM p 237-240): CR 1; diminutive 
  vermin (swarm); HD 2d8; hp 9; Init +3; Spd 20 ft, 
  climb 20 ft; AC 17 (+4 size, +3 Dex), touch 17, flat-
  footed 14; Base atk/Grapple +1/--; Atk swarm (1d6 
  plus poison); Face/Reach 10 ft./0 ft.; SA poison; 
  SQ distraction; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +0;  
  Str 1, Dex 17, Con 10, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 2;  
   
  A spider swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any 
  creature whose space it occupies at the end of its 
  move. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Listen +4, Spot +4 
   
  Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that 
  begins its turn with a spider swarm in its space 
  must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or be 
  nauseated for 1 round.  The save DC is 
  Constitution-based. 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 22 
  
   
  Poison (Ex):  Injury, Fortitude DC 11, 
  initial and secondary damage 1d3 Str.  The save is 
  Constitution-based. 
  Possessions:  On the corpse are the following:  
  hand axe, leather armor, lantern, flask of oil, map 
  of the sewers (see Players Handouts), and 7 gp. 
   
  Gambling Guild sap thugs (2) : Male Human 
  Exp1; CR 1/2; Size M (6’); HD 1d6; hp 6; Init +2; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 13; Atk +0 melee (1d6 §, sap), +0 
  melee (1d3 §, grapple); SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will 
  +2; AL CN;  
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12;   
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Gnomish 
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +5, Bluff +5, Disable 
  Device +5, Innuendo +2, Knowledge (knowledge 
  Dyvers) +3, Profession (gambling) +4, Search +5, 
  Sense Motive +4, Spot +4; Improved Unarmed 
  Strike, Martial Weapon Proficiency(Sap) 
  Possessions:  sap, padded armor, 5 sp 
   
  Roleplaying Notes: Wearing hooded cloaks and 
  high leather boots.  They have dice and women 
  tattoos.  They don’t speak much, and their eyes 
  are blood-shot. 
   
  Gambling Guild crossbow thugs (2): Male 
  Halfling (Lightfoot) Exp 1; CR 1/2; Size S (3’ 4”); 
  HD 1d6; hp 6; Init +3; Spd 20 ft.; AC 16; Atk +1 
  melee (1d6, club), –3 melee (1 §, grapple), +4 
  ranged (1d6, light crossbow [crit 19-20/x2); SQ 
  Hafling traits; SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +3; AL CG;  
  Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10;   
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Hafling, Oeridian 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Disable Device +3, 
  Escape Artist +5, Hide +11, Innuendo +2, 
  Knowledge (knowledge Dyvers) +3, Move Silently 
  +9, Open Lock +5, Pick Pocket +5, Spot +4; Point 
  Blank Shot 
  Possessions:  small club, small light crossbow, 20 
  bolts, leather armor, 10 sp 
  Halfling Traits:  +2 racial bonus on Climb, Jump, 
  and Move Silently checks; +1 bonus on all saves; 
  +2 saves against fear;  +2 racial bonus to Listen 
  checks. 
  Roleplaying notes: Wearing green vests and 
  capes.  They have a patch on their vests marking 
  them as private security guards.  They have dice 
  and halfling women tattoos.  They have long black 
  mustaches, and seem cocky. 
   
   
  Encounter 2 
   
  Vuli Rhona: Male Human Clr6/Rog2; CR 8; Size 
  M (6’ 5”); HD 6d8+2d6; hp 40; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 14; Atk +10 melee (1d4+3, dagger +3), +5 
  melee (1d6 §, sap), +1 melee (1d3 §, grapple); AL 
  CN; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +8;  
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14 
  (*18 precast eagle’s splendor); 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Sueloise 
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +10, Craft (trapmaking) • 
  +5, Decipher Script +6, Diplomacy +12, Disable 
  Device +6, Forgery +6, Knowledge (religion) +7, 
  Open Lock +7, Profession (gambling) +15, Scry 
  +7, Search +5, Sense Motive +8, Use Magic 
  Device +7; Quick Draw, Skill Focus (gambling), 
  Weapon Finesse (Dagger), Craft Wondrous Item 
  Possessions:  +2 dagger, sap, +2 ring of 
  protection, ring of invisibility, chime of opening, 40 
  pp.  Chime and platinum are in a specially secure 
  money belt that adds +10 to the DC of Sleight of 
  Hand checks to steal them.  
   
  Spells Prepared (5 / 4+1 / 4+1 / 3+1, Save DC 13 
  + spell level): 0-Level—cure minor wounds (2), 
  detect magic, detect poison, create water;  1st 
  level—*protection from law, bless, divine favor, 
  bless water, obscuring mist;  2nd level—*Aid, 
  augury, eagles splendor (precast), status, silence; 
  3rd level—*protection from energy, dispel magic, 
  prayer, summon monster III. 
  Rogue abilities:  sneak attack +1d6 
   
  Roleplaying notes: A tall wiry old man wearing a 
  cleric’s robe and an amulet sporting two 8-sided 
  gambling dice—the holy symbol of Norebo.  He 
  has dice and women tattoos. 
   
  Encounter 3 
  “Beggars” of Pickpocket Guild, female human 
  Exp1; CR ½ each; Size M; HD 1d6; hp 4; Init +1; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 11; Atk +0 melee (1d3 §, grapple); 
  AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2;  
  Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 12;   
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common 
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +1, Bluff +5, Craft 
  (pottery) +1, Hide +3, Sleight of Hand +7, Search 
  +3, Sense Motive +4, Spot +2, Use Rope +3; Run, 
  Deft Hands 
  Possession:  small sack, 6 sp 
   
  Mudron, Enforcer Guild informant, male human 
  Exp1;  CR ½; Size M (5 ft., 11 in. tall); HD 1d6; hp 
  6; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (padded, +2 Dex); 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 23 
  
  Attack +0 melee (1d6 [crit x2], club), or +2 ranged 
  (1d4 [crit 19-20 x2], dagger); SV Fort +0, Ref +2, 
  Will +2; AL N;  
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 11. 
   
  Languages Spoken: Common, Thieves cant. 
  Skills and feats:  Appraise +4, Bluff +3, Climb +3, 
  Disguise +3, Gather Information +1, Hide +6, 
  Innuendo +1, Listen +3, Move silently +6, Move 
  Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Search +5, Spot +3, 
  Knowledge (Dyvers) +2; Alertness, Improved 
  Unarmed Strike. 
  Possessions:  Thieves tools, padded armor, club, 
  daggers (2), pouch containing 3 gp 
   
  Jasil, Smuggling Guild informant, female 
  hafling Exp1;  CR ½; Size M (5 ft., 9 in. tall); HD 
  1d6; hp 6; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (padded, +2 
  Dex); Attack +0 melee (1d6 [crit x2], club), or +2 
  ranged (1d4 [crit 19-20 x2], dagger); SV Fort +0, 
  Ref +2, Will +2; AL N;  
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 11. 
   
  Languages Spoken: Common, Rhopan. 
  Skills and feats:  Appraise +4, Bluff +3, Climb +3, 
  Disguise +3, Gather Information +1, Hide +6, 
  Innuendo +1, Listen +3, Move silently +6, Move 
  Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Search +5, Spot +3, 
  Knowledge (Marven) +2; Alertness, Improved 
  Unarmed Strike. 
  Possessions:  Thieves tools, padded armor, club, 
  daggers (2), pouch containing 3 gp 
   
  Encounter 4 
   
  Ricard Damaris, male human Ftr8/Rog1:  CR 
  9; Size M (6 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 8d10+16 + 1d6+2; 
  hp 74; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 20 (+2 chainmail, small steel shield, +2 
  Dex); Attack +13/+8 melee (1d8 + 6, [crit. 17-19, 
  x2] longsword), or +12/+7 melee (1d3 +4, 
  Grapple), or +10/+5 ranged (1d10 [crit 17-20, x3], 
  heavy crossbow) or +10/+5 ranged (1d3 +4, 
  subdual, thrown mug); SA: Rog sneak attack 
  +1d6; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +1;  
  Str 19*, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 14  
  *Includes a +2 inherent ability bonus from two 
  Wish spells earned during an adventure, plus 2 
  points raised during normal level progression, 
  every four levels. 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common. 
  Skills and Feats:  Bluff +6, Climb +7, Diplomacy 
  +3, Disable Device +2, Handle animal +5, Heal –1, 
  Innuendo +0, Jump +11, Move silently +3, Open 
  lock +3, Ride +7, Sense motive +2, Swim +7, 
  Tumble +5, Use Magic Device +3; Alertness, 
  Cleave, Improved critical (longsword), Improved 
  initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mounted 
  combat, Point Blank Shot, Power attack, Weapon 
  focus 
  (longsword), 
  Weapon 
  Specialization 
  (longsword). 
   
  Possessions:  Heavy crossbow, +2 chain mail, +2 
  longsword, ring of freedom of movement, amulet 
  of proof against detection and location, small 
  metal shield, potion of cure serious wounds, 
  potion of lesser restoration. 
   
  Roleplaying notes:  Ricard is a cocky retired 
  adventurer.  He has enough self-assurance that 
  he is able to laugh at himself and his mistakes, but 
  still believes he will always prevail.  He can be 
  very daring, both in attacking and in fleeing.  He is 
  a dangerous enemy, and a good friend.  He is also 
  more trusting of others than he should be (Wis 8). 
   If you can, play him as a roguish hero in the style 
  of Harrison Ford as Han Solo, or Kurt Russel as 
  Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China.  But, 
  remember that he is an NPC and should be 
  overshadowed by the PCs.  He is well known as a 
  good source of information and tales.  He is aware 
  of very dangerous secrets involving hidden cults, 
  criminal activities, and the vices of the elite of 
  Greyhawk. 
   
  Encounter 6 
   
  Urns, male half-elf Rog4:  CR 4; Size M (5 ft., 4 
  in. tall); HD 4d6; hp 18; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 15 (leather armor, +3 Dex); Attack +4 
  melee (1d4 +1, [crit 19-20, x2], dagger), or +4 
  melee (1d6 +1, [crit 18-20, x2] rapier); SA: Rog 
  sneak attack +2d6; SQ: Rogue evasion, trap 
  finding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge, Elvish 
  traits; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +1;  
  Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13. 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Elven, Sahaugin 
  Skills and feats:  Appraise +7, Balance +8, Bluff 
  +6, Climb +6, Diplomacy +8, Disable device +7, 
  Forgery +6, Gather Information +4, Hide +8, 
  Innuendo +1, Intimidate +4, Jump +6, Move 
  silently +8, Open Lock +6, Search +8, Sense 
  motive +4, Spot +8, Tumble +6; Alertness, Run, 
  Skill Focus (Gather Information). 
  Elvish traits:  low-light vision; immune to sleep 
  spells and effect; +2 Saves versus Enchantment 
  spells or effect.  
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 24 
  
  Possessions:  leather armor, dagger, rapier, 
  thieves tools, pouch containing 20 gp, leather bag 
  with caltrops, potion of Eagles Splendor (already 
  consumed), a bag of three small chocolates 
  wrapped in silk. 
   
  Roleplaying notes:  Urns is fairly handsome and a 
  good leader.  He strokes his thin blond beard a lot 
  while speaking, and running his hand through his 
  hair while listening.  He survives by talking his way 
  out of trouble, surrendering or fleeing whenever 
  necessary.  He used to operate in Maraven, but 
  was kicked out when Magister Larissa Hunter’s 
  orders cleaned that town out.  Then he tried 
  Dyvers, but made some mistakes early on, and is 
  now laying low from the Enforcers Guild.  He has 
  the makings of a gang here, but he has little 
  loyalty and will move on to save his life. 
   
  Karst, male fey-touched Ftr2:  CR 2; Size M (5’ 
  4”); HD 2d10 -2; hp 13 (+3 Toughness feat); Init 
  +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Attack +2 melee 
  (1d6, club), or +4 ranged (1d6 [crit x3], short bow), 
  or +2 melee (1d3, grapple); AL CN; SA charm 
  person; SQ immunity to mind-affection effects, 
  low-light vision; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will;  
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 13. 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Orcish, sylvan, elvish. 
  Skills and Feats:  Balance +2, Bluff +5, Hide +7, 
  Knowledge (nature) +2, Move silently +7, Perform 
  (sculpture) +4, Sense Motive +4, Spot +5, Survival 
  +2; Weapon Focus (short bow), Point Blank Shot, 
  Toughness. 
   
  Charm person (Sp):  Once per day, a 
  feytouched can use charm person as the spell.  
  Caster level equals Hit Dice, save DC 11. 
   
  Immunity to Mind-Affecting Effects (Ex):  A 
  feytouched is immune to all spells and effects with 
  the mind-afffecting descriptor. 
  Possessions:  short bow, quiver containing 5 +1 
  magic arrows and 15 normal arrows, club, painted 
  wooden troll mask, sack containing 50 sp 
   
  Roleplaying notes:  Karst is a close friend of Tuloc, 
  the orc.  He likes to create mud sculptures and 
  talks to himself a lot.  He doesn’t like melee 
  combat, but will become enraged and attack 
  anyone who attacks him in his home, or especially 
  if they mess with his sculptures.  He is more than 
  willing to pretend to make a deal and leave 
  enemies alone for a while, ready to attack again 
  the next time he sees them (coming back out of 
  Urn’s Lair, for instance).  
   
  Vilesther, female elf Adept 2:  CR 1; Size M (5 
  ft., 2 in. tall); HD 2d6; hp 10; Init +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Attack +0 melee (1d4 -1 
  [crit 19-20, x2], dagger), or +5 ranged (1d4 -1 [crit 
  19-20 x2], dagger); AL NE; SQ elvish traits; SV 
  Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +5;  
  Str 8, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12. 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Draconic, Elven. 
  Skills and Feats:  Alchemy +5, Concentration +4, 
  Handle animal +3, Hide +4, Jump –1, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +2, Knowledge (religion) +2, Listen +4, 
  Move silently +4, Scry +2, Sense Motive +2, 
  Spellcraft +3, Spot +4; Spell Focus (enchantment). 
  Elvish traits: Low-light vision; immune to sleep 
  spells and effect; +2 Saves versus Enchantment 
  spells or effect; Automatic Searching within 5’ of 
  hidden or secret door. 
  Possessions: 
   
  Fetish 
  holy 
  symbol, 
  spell 
  component pouch, two daggers, fetish necklace 
  (worthless), pouch with 10 gp. 
   
  Adept Spells Prepared (3/2, Save DC 12 + spell 
  level): 0-Level—cure minor wounds (2), detect 
  magic;  1st level—sleep (DC 15 because of Spell 
  Focus feat), bless*(Pre cast) 
   
  Roleplaying notes:  Vilesther is a nasty, stringy-
  haired, bad-breathed elf.  Close study will show 
  that she could easily be more beautiful if she were 
  to clean up herself.  Her eyes are hateful, and she 
  likes no one, not even her fellow gang members.  
  She is cooperating for the time being because a 
  dark vision showed her that Urns would make a 
  potent discovery someday.  Meanwhile, she 
  carries a leather string of fetishes made from her 
  victims—teeth, 
  hair, 
  ears 
  and 
  shriveled 
  unrecognizable parts.   
   
  Tuloc, male orc War1:  CR 1/2; Size M (6 ft., 6 in. 
  tall); HD 1d8+1; hp 5; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 
  (studded leather); Attack +4 melee (1d12 +4 [crit 
  x3], greataxe) or +4 melee (1d3 +3 grapple); SQ 
  orcish traits; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will -2;   
  Str 17, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 6. 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Orc. 
  Skills and Feats:  Balance –3, Hide –3, Listen +3, 
  Sense Motive –2, Spot +2; Alertness. 
  Possessions:  studded leather, greataxe, 4 gp. 
  Orcish traits:  Dark vision 60 ft., light sensitivity (-1 
  penalty to attack roll in sunlight or within daylight 
  spell). 
   
  Born & Daran, male Rhennee human Exp1:  CR 
  ½ each; Size M (5 ft., 9 in. tall); HD 1d6; hp 6; Init 
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 25 
  
  +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (padded, +2 Dex); Attack +0 
  melee (1d6 [crit x2], club), or +2 ranged (1d4 [crit 
  19-20 x2], dagger); SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2; AL 
  N;  
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 11. 
   
  Languages Spoken: Common, Rhopan. 
  Skills and feats:  Appraise +4, Bluff +3, Climb +3, 
  Escape Artist +3, Gather Information +1, Hide +6, 
  Innuendo +1, Listen +3, Move silently +6, Move 
  Silently +6, Open Lock +6, Search +5, Spot +3, 
  Use Rope +2; Alertness, Improved Unarmed 
  Strike. 
  Possessions:  Thieves tools, padded armor, club, 
  daggers (2), pouch containing 3 gp 
   
  Encounter 7 
   
  Guards, varies humanoid, War1:  Size varies 
  (humanoid); HD 1d8+2; hp 10; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 
  20; AC 18 (chain shirt, wooden shield) touch 12, 
  flat-footed 16); Atks +4 melee (1d8+2 [crit 19-20], 
  longsword); AL varies; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; 
  Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Gather 
  Information 
  +2, 
  Knowledge (law) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, 
  Knowledge (Dyvers) +1; Power Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (longsword). 
  Possessions:  Chain shirt, large wooden shield, 
  longsword 
   
  Encounter 8 
   
  Pit Fighters: 
  “Poison” Joey: Male Halfling (Lightfoot) Rogue 
  1; CR 1; Small Humanoid (Halfling) (3 ft., 3 in. tall); 
  HD 1d6+1; hp 7; Init +4; Spd 20 ft.; AC 18; Atk +2 
  melee (1d6+1, light mace), +5 ranged (1d4, dart); 
  AL CN; SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ hafling traits; 
  SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +0;  
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 11;  
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Dwarven, Halfling. 
  Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +1, Hide +12, 
  Innuendo +3, Jump +7, Listen +5, Move Silently 
  +10, Perform +4, Pick Pocket +8, Search +3, 
  Tumble +8; Point Blank Shot 
  Hafling traits: +2 racial bonus on Climb, Jump, and 
  Move Silently checks; +1 bonus on all saves; +2 
  saves against fear;  +2 racial bonus to Listen 
  checks. 
  Possessions: 
   
  Studded 
  leather 
  armor 
  (masterwork), light mace, darts (10) 
   
  “Bonesplitter” 
  Rez-bangrah, 
  male 
  half-orc 
  Bbn1:  CR 1; Size Medium Humanoid (Half-orc) (6 
  ft., 0 in. tall); HD 1d12+1; hp 13; Init +2; Spd 40 ft.; 
  AC 12; Atk +6 melee (2d4+6, masterwork spiked 
  chain); AL CE; SA rage; SQ dark vision 60 feet; 
  SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0;  
  Str 18, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 9 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Orc. 
  Skills and feats:  Escape Artist +4, Open Lock +4; 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spiked chain) 
   
  Rage (Ex):  Once per day for 6 rounds, 
  temporarily gains a +4 Strength, +4 Constitution 
  and +2 morale bonus on Will saves.  Takes -2 
  penalty to AC.  Becomes fatigued afterward (-2 
  penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t 
  charge or run). 
  Possessions:  Masterwork spiked chain. 
   
  “Bear” Koria, female dwarf (hill) Ftr1:  CR 1; 
  Size Medium Humanoid (Dwarf) (4 ft., 1 in. tall); 
  HD 1d10+4; hp 17; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17 
  (banded armor, Dex); Atk +4 melee (1d8+3, 
  masterwork dwarven urgrosh), +2 melee (1d8+2, 
  masterwork dwarven urgrosh), –2 melee (1d6+1, 
  masterwork dwarven urgrosh); AL LE; SQ 
  dwarven traits; SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Will –1; 
   Str 14, Dex 12, Con 19, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 8. 
   
  Languages Spoken:  Common, Dwarven. 
  Skills 
  and 
  Feats: 
  Appraise 
  +2, 
  Profession 
  (weaponsmith) +1; Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (Dwarven waraxe, Dwarven, Toughness, Two-
  Weapon Fighting 
  Dwarven traits:  darkvision 60 feet; move 20 feet 
  even with medium or heavy armor or with medium 
  or heavy loads; +2 bonus on stonework searches 
  w/in 10 feet; intuit depth underground; stability 
  bonus +4 on ability checks to resist bull rush or 
  tripped; +2 saves against poison; +2 saves 
  against spells and spell-like effects; +1 attack 
  against orcs and goblinoids; +4 dodge bonus to 
  AC against giant-types; +2 bonus to Appraise and 
  Craft checks on stone and metal items;  
  Possessions: 
   
  Banded 
  armor 
  (masterwork), 
  Dwarven Urgosh (masterwork) 
   
  “Ironball” Ingigrid, female human Ftr1:  CR 1; 
  Size Medium Humanoid (Human) (5 ft., 3 in. tall); 
  HD 1d10; hp 10; Init +6; Spd 20 ft.; AC 19; Atk +6 
  melee (1d8+3, masterwork morningstar), +5 
  melee (1d6+3, masterwork throwing axe); AL LN; 
  SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will –1;  
  Str 16, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 14 
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 26 
  
  Languages Spoken:  Common.  
  Skills and Feats: Balance –2, Bluff +4, Diplomacy 
  +3, Escape Artist –2, Knowledge (nobility & 
  royalty) +2, Perform +4; Blind-Fight, Improved 
  Initiative, Weapon Focus (Morningstar) 
  Possessions:  Throwing axe (2) (masterwork), 
  Form-fitting breastplate (masterwork), Morningstar 
  (masterwork). 
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 27 
  
   
  City map showing Bornden’s Fish Dock and Evernight Street 
  locations (for Encounters 1 and 7.) 
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 28 
  
   
  Buried Hearth and alley/stairs map 
  (For ochre jelly fragment attack and possibly choker attack in Encounters 1 & 7a.) 
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 29 
  
   
  Map of Bridge of Styx (for thug and spiders in Encounter 1.) 
   
   
   
   
                                                   
   
   
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 30 
  
   
  Map of Palace of Fortune, first floor (for Encounter 2 & 8.) 
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 31 
  
   
  City map of Palace of Fortune location. 
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 32 
  
   
  Urn’s Lair DM’s map 
  (for Encounter 6, Urn’s Lair.) 
   
   
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 33 
  
   
  Player Handout of Norebo symbol and Blade of Chaos. 
   
   
   
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 34 
  
   
  Players handout map of Sewers 
  From spider-covered corpse.  
   
   
   
  High Stakes 
   
  Page 35 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Greyhawk/Living Greyhawk - RPGA/DYV (Dyvers)/DYVIntro3-02 High Stakes (3E).pdf