TEXT:   
   
  
  2 
   
  Written by 
  TIM SHORTS 
   
  Cover Art by 
  JIM MAGNUSSON 
   
  Interior Art by 
  JIM MAGNUSSON 
   
  Cartography by 
  TIM SHORTS 
   
  Edited by 
  Joethelawyer 
  IVY SHORTS 
  CONTENTS 
  Referee Notes….2 
  Organizations/Gods….3 
  Hounds Head...4 
  Side Jobs….7 
  Area Map….8 
  Random Encounters….9 
  Random Barrow Mounds….16 
  What Happened to Millford?....20 
  Crypt of the Silver Crows….24 
  Hunters Crossing….28 
  INTRODUCTION 
  Holy shit I did it! Zine Quest. Kickstarter, that 
  was a thing. Crazy and exciting. I took some of 
  my gaming friends along for the ride. They’d 
  text me at work as I hit another milestone. I 
  expected 100 backers. Maybe 150 on the high 
  end. Blew right past that. Those of you with a 
  copy in your hands or on your computer 
  screen, I appreciate the support. Thank you. 
  Are you ready to talk about ways to make your 
  players suffer? Good. Hunters in Death is set 
  in my campaign world, The Komor Forest. I 
  mix horror, suspense, and mystery into my 
  sessions. Along with those elements I like to 
  weave connections between the world and the 
  different adventures. You’ll see critical 
  in 
  elements in the adventures and random 
  encounters that can have an effect on future 
  events.    
  Okay, I am ready to set this ship to sail. I hope 
  you and your friends find the excitement of 
  rolling a 20 at the best possible moment and 
  the laughter of rolling a 1 at the worst possible 
  moment. The latter is a skill I have perfected. 
  Thanks again everyone. I now present to you 
  Hunters in Death.  
  Enjoy! 
  
  3 
   
  Referee Notes 
  Hunters in Death is a sandbox hex-crawl, a 
  deadly old school setting. There is no 
  “adventure path”. No pre-set route for the 
  party to take, nor any pre-set outcome. 
  Any adventure can be done at any time. 
  These adventures are not written with 
  gameplay balance in mind. There are 
  encounters that will annihilate a party 
  should they choose a frontal assault. 
  Running away is a viable and wise decision. 
  I’ve provided the framework and details, 
  but as with all the best classic adventures, 
  each referee needs to add their personal 
  touch to make Hunters in Death their 
  own.  
  The following information presents game 
  mechanics and GM philosophies that are 
  particular to the Komor Forest.  
   
  OLD-SCHOOL ESSENTIALS 
  I’ve crafted these adventures and designed 
  the setting using the Old-School Essentials 
  (OSE) ruleset. I’ve modified some game 
  mechanics and outlined those changes 
  below. 
   
  MONSTERS 
  For monsters included in the OSE books 
  I’ve noted their stat blocks in the Monster 
  book and Rules Tome where their stats are 
  found. A goblin entry looks like this: 
  goblin (M28/T164). This gives me more 
  room for content. Those monsters/NPCs 
  unique to the Komor Forest are 
  accompanied by a stat block. I’ve added a 
  section within the stat blocks for valuable 
  things to harvest from the creatures.  
   
   
   
  VIZ 
  Viz is the physical manifestation of magic. 
  It can appear in nature as rocks or flowers, 
  and within monsters with magical abilities. 
  Viz can be used in place of an available 
  spell slot. One viz must be used for each 
  level of the spell cast. So casting a 3rd level 
  spell requires three viz. It is also used to 
  charge magic items.  
   
  HARVESTING 
  Harvesting certain plants and creatures can 
  benefit the party. It may boost the 
  performance of a spell, increase the 
  potency of a potion, or bulk up their coin 
  purses. The benefits and market value of 
  harvested items are described in the stat 
  block. 
   
  SILVER STANDARD 
  Silver is the standard form of currency. 
  Gold is considered the currency of nobles, 
  priests, and merchants. Abbreviations used 
  are: copper (cp), silver (sp), hard silver (hs), 
  gold (gp), and a gold 
  crown (gc), which comes 
  in the form of a bar.  
   
  HARD SILVER (HS) 
  The hard silver piece is a 
  special coin found in the 
  Komor Forest. It’s 
  rectangular in shape, 2” in length and 1” 
  wide, with a hole at the top. Hard silver 
  also has a quality that makes it perfect for 
  coating or creating weapons. Hard silver 
  weapons are able to hit creatures that can 
  only be harmed by magic and it does 
  double damage against undead foes.  
   
   
   
  CURRENCY  
  20cp = 1sp 
  1sp = 1sp 
  1hs = 10sp 
  1gp = 100sp 
  1gc = 1000sp 
  
  4 
   
  IDENTIFYING MAGIC ITEMS 
  Magic-users are able to identify magical 
  properties of items by sacrificing an already 
  memorized 1st level spell for that day. 
  However, if the magic item has several 
  properties, it may require the sacrifice of a 
  memorized spell of a higher level to  
  understand its powers.  
   
  LIGHT IN THE KOMOR FOREST 
  The Komor Forest is ancient. The trees 
  average 100’ to 200’ tall and block out the 
  sun. While the undergrowth is minimal, a 
  light source is needed to travel safely.  
   
  Organizations/Gods 
  GUILD OF ARCANE LORE 
  This is the largest magic-user guild in my 
  campaign. If a character is a member of the 
  guild, they have access to spells and might 
  get preferential treatment from Blake. They 
  have very little influence in Hounds Head.  
   
  SILENT KNIVES 
  The Silent Knives are the largest thieves’ 
  guild. They are led by five princes, and 
  each has their own territory. Ivanoff is one 
  of the five princes. A low-level thief 
  character won’t have that knowledge, but if 
  the thief proves worthy, Ivanoff will reveal 
  his position. 
   
  SARRATH, GOD OF ORDER AND 
  DISCIPLINE 
  Sarrath is influential due to the nobility 
  who worship him. The temples have 
  groups of street-level forces called the 
  Spears of Sarrath who are recruited from 
  prisons and back alleys. Exemplars are his 
  priests and Mirydons are his champions.  
   
   
  DELAQUAIN, GODDESS OF 
  BATTLE AND INDEPENDENCE   
  Delaquain is a favored god among the 
  people. She values independence and the 
  courage to say no when everyone else says 
  yes. Her champions are called Lions. It 
  isn’t uncommon for a Lion to be a 
  reluctant servant, but in the end they 
  become heroes of the people. 
   
  POSSIMIUS, GOD OF NOCTURNAL 
  CREATURES 
  Humble servants to all. Their priests are 
  known as Parsons. These individuals are 
  great organizers, and each establishes a 
  secret place to store goods for hard times.  
   
  DEDRAGORIA, THE DIVINE 
  MOTHER AND DESTROYER 
  Dedragoria is the first among the five gods 
  of death. She requires blood sacrifices, so 
  her temples are outlawed in the kingdom. 
  Her followers find isolated or hidden 
  places to perform their sacrificial rituals. 
   
  THE GREAT IMBIBER 
  The Great Imbiber is another favored god. 
  Those that follow The Great Imbiber carry 
  wine and ale at all times and never turn 
  down an opportunity to share a story or 
  two.  
  
  5 
   
  Angry Priest Inn 
  Scroll Stack 
  Possimius Temple 
  Ringing Anvil 
  1 square = 10’ 
  Ivanoff 
  Hounds Head 
  HOUNDS HEAD 
  The entirety of Hounds Head consists of 
  six buildings and several homesteads 
  within a short walking distance. Despite its 
  size, there is a lot of activity. Adventuring 
  groups travel here frequently. Miners use it 
  as a last call before heading into the 
  Gorgon Crags, and as a first call when 
  they bring back a load of ore. Hounds 
  Head also attracts what normal 
  settlements would consider to be 
  eccentrics and outliers, but here they fit 
  right in. 
   
   
  ANGRY PRIEST INN 
  Lavinia is the proprietor of the Angry 
  Priest Inn. Standing 6’3", she is rough 
  around the edges and doesn't tolerate 
  nonsense. Her staff consists of two to six 
  people, depending on the traffic coming 
  through. Both experienced and novice 
  adventures frequent the Angry Priest. 
  Some are grown children wearing pots for 
  helmets, barrelheads for shields, and sticks 
  as weapons. Those without money stand 
  along the wall. The tables are for 
  customers. Those along the wall are 
  untrained hirelings. The party can hire 
  their porters, torchbearers, and 0-level 
  fighters. 
  General Store 
  
  6 
   
  • Meals are 3sp. There is no menu. She 
  serves whatever she has available. 
  • Ale is 1sp. On special occasions she’ll 
  serve wine and charge 5sp. It’s served in 
  the same tankards as the ale. 
  • There are eight sparsely furnished rooms 
  upstairs which cost 5sp/night. There are 
  no locks on the doors. If you leave your 
  belongings and don’t pay the bill, 
  Lavinia keeps what she likes and sells 
  the rest. 
  • Sleeping in the tavern costs 1sp. She 
  won’t see anyone go hungry or sleep 
  outside during bad weather, but she 
  won’t tolerate laziness. Scrubbing the 
  floors or tables earns you a spot on the 
  floor.  
   
  GENERAL STORE 
  Samuel owns and runs the store with his 
  two sons, Elliot and Tag. He wants the 
  business to do well so his sons can take 
  over. He is honest and dislikes haggling, so 
  he gives the best price from the beginning. 
  His inventory consists of new and used 
  adventuring gear, as well as everyday items.  
  • New equipment listed in the OSE books 
  under 25gp, silver in this setting, is 
  available at double the price, due to 
  costs. 
  • Used equipment is anything found in the 
  equipment section of OSE. These items 
  are sold at list price. However, there is a 
  1 in 6 chance the item falls apart or 
  doesn’t work. Sometimes magic items 
  slip into his inventory without either the 
  seller or Samuel knowing. 
    
   
   
   
   
  IVANOFF 
  Ivanoff, the leader of Hounds Head, lives 
  here. He towers over most, standing 6’6”, 
  and has a big beard and a loud voice. 
  Ivanoff is approachable, friendly, and loves 
  to see adventurers. He tries to meet 
  everyone who comes through Hounds 
  Head. He has a job board in front of his 
  house. The referee can develop side quests 
  or use the Side Jobs (pg. 7) section. 
  • Should the party prove to be good 
  people that have helped others in the 
  hamlet, Ivanoff will offer a land grant. 
  Use the OSE basic construction pricing 
  (pg. 45 Genre Rules, pg. 137 Rules 
  Tome). Ivanoff even offers the party the 
  first 100sp towards the construction. He 
  wants good and sturdy people. 
  • Ivanoff is very proud of his job board, 
  so if the party uses it that makes him 
  happy. 
  • Ivanoff has leads on locations, 
  situations, or groups that need assistance 
  or killed.  
   
  POSSIMIUS TEMPLE 
  A humble temple dedicated to the God of 
  Nocturnal Creatures. Parson Robert tends 
  to the temple along with his two acolytes, 
  Christoff and Sena. Sena is devoted to 
  Delaquain but was sent here to learn 
  temperance and humility. Robert is often 
  overwhelmed with the number of 
  wounded or dead brought out of the 
  forest. If there is a cleric in the party he’ll 
  ask if they’d be interested in volunteering a 
  day or two to help with the wounded.  
  • Healing is limited. He only has the 
  ability to heal two times a day. Neither 
  acolyte can heal, but they are able to use 
  natural herbs and medicines to help 
  stave off infection. A donation of coin 
  
  7 
   
  or equipment is required. 
  • Beneath the temple is a secret warehouse 
  of goods. Temples of Possimius always 
  prep for bad times. Should Hounds 
  Head experience hardship, Parson 
  Robert provides the people with basic 
  supplies and equipment as needed. 
   
  RINGING ANVIL 
  Kovac runs the Ringing Anvil with his 
  oldest daughter Certes and his son Sev. 
  This is an open pole structure with a 
  smelter located in the corner. Kovac makes 
  his living by buying scrap metal from 
  adventurers. He smelts the metal into 
  ingots to sell them to the miners that 
  return from the Gorgon Crags.  
  • Buys scrap at 1sp per 100 coin weight of 
  the item. Sev handles all scrap purchases. 
  Even though he’s still a child, he’s 
  intelligent and knows how to handle 
  himself.  
  • Repairs metal items for 10% of the item 
  cost. 
  • Certes creates the shields. She has raw 
  talent. Her shields are rough but durable. 
  She charges list price for them.  
   
  SCROLL STACK 
  Home of Blake, member of the Guild of 
  Arcane Lore. It has an unusual look, 
  having two roofs. Blake had a leak once 
  that ruined a shipment of parchment and 
  doesn’t want that to happen again. Blake is 
  a scholar of the Komor Forest and the 
  Northmen. He collects unusual specimens 
  of flora and Northemen artifacts. Inside, 
  his home is a chaotic array of tomes and 
  maps. Red, his wolfhound, use dire wolf 
  stats (M66/T202), is friendly unless he or 
  Blake are threatened.  
  • Trades and sells rumors and information 
  about The Komor Forest, including 
  maps.  
  • Identify a magic item for 100sp. 
  • Blake receives a dozen healing potions 
  every month from the guild. He uses 
  these to trade for Northmen artifacts, or 
  as payment for a favor. He never sells 
  these for coin. 
  • Buys Northmen artifacts. 
  
  8 
   
  SIDE JOBS 
  NORTHMEN WEAPON 
  Task Giver: Blake 
  Blake is in need of a few Northmen 
  weapons. He has several weapons that are 
  broken and damaged, but he wants intact 
  weapons. There are barrows east of 
  Hounds Head. He believes they are the 
  closest and best place to find what he 
  wants. The weapon type doesn’t matter. 
  Roll on the Random Barrow Mounds 
  (pg. 16) table to generate the barrows.  
  Reward: 100sp. 
    
  INGREDIENTS THAT HEAL 
  Task Giver: Samuel  
  Samuel at the General Store has a cousin, 
  Merl, who is an alchemist in Scorn. Merl 
  agreed to make a batch of healing potions, 
  but he wants an ingredient in trade. The 
  ingredient is phasa bulb root. Phasa is a 
  large bush with a tangle of roots. Each 
  bush has between two to four bulbs. Merl 
  wants ten phasa bulbs. Samuel mentions 
  that boars (M8/T144) love phasa root.  
  Reward: Two healing potions. 
    
  DEFEND THE FOOD 
  Task Giver: Glidia 
  Glidia runs into Hounds Head pleading for 
  someone to help her father, Ollen, who’s 
  fighting goblins (M28/T164) just down the 
  road. Ollen is militia-trained and he’s killed 
  two of the goblins, but is wounded as he 
  fights off the rest. He was to deliver four 
  crates of iron rations to the Possimius 
  Temple and two crates to the General 
  Store. Ollen has two extra crates of rations 
  which he’ll give to the party for saving him. 
  A crate holds ten iron rations.  
  Reward: Twenty days of iron rations. 
   
  ANNOYING BANDITS 
  Task Giver: Ivanoff 
  Ivanoff believes there’s a group of bandits 
  (M4/T140) north of Hounds Head setting 
  traps in the forest. He wants the 
  adventurers to shut them down. The forest 
  is dangerous enough, without the threat of 
  getting injured and robbed in your own 
  backyard. 
  Reward: 200sp and a future job. 
    
  FIND HARLAN 
  Task Giver: Lavinia  
  Harlan went to one of the homesteads to 
  get ale. He’s late. Lavinia wants him found. 
  She thinks he may be drunk. Or dead. 
  Either way, she needs the ale. Harlan is a 
  few miles south of Hounds Head, hiding 
  in the forest, as a group of stirges (M57/
  T193) are draining the life out of his mule.   
  Reward: Free room and board for two 
  days. 
   
  HARPY FEATHERS 
  Task Giver: Blake  
  A group of adventurers bragged about 
  killing a harpy north of Hounds Head. 
  Blake inquired if they found a red feather 
  on its neck. In their drunken stupor he 
  interpreted their gibberish as they had not. 
  He requests the party retrieve the red 
  feather. The guild is interested in acquiring 
  one. There are three tiger beetles (M7/
  T143) munching on harpy guts. The tiger 
  beetles will damage the red feather if they 
  are not stopped. 
  Reward: A 1st level magic-user scroll, 
  randomly determined or 100sp. 
  
  9 
   
  Claw Lakes 
  Keratin Lake 
  Hounds Head 
  1 hex = 6 miles 
  Scant Mountain 
  Komor Forest 
  B2 
  B3 
  B4 
  B5 
  B6 
  C2 
  C3 
  C4 
  C5 
  C6 
  D2 
  D3 
  D4 
  D5 
  D6 
  = known Barrow Fields 
  Where is millford 
  ❖ 
  ❖ 
  Gathering of Grimlocks 
  Crypt of the Silver Crows 
  ❖ 
  Hunters Crossing ❖ 
  
  10 
   
  Random Encounters 
  Use the following table when the party 
  travels within the Komor Forest. The 
  forest is rife with predators looking for a 
  good meal or extra coins.   
  Because of the density of life and activity 
  within the Komor Forest, there is a 2 in 6 
  chance every 3 turns for a random 
  encounter. If the party camps and builds a 
  fire, the chance of a random encounter 
  increases to 4 in 6.  
  Random encounters can change the party’s 
  course of action. The referee should 
  consider the encounters and decide how to 
  introduce them to the party. Not all 
  encounters need to end in combat.  
   
  4d6 
  Random Encounters 
  4 
  Giranyu Gate* 
  5 
  Izarath* 
  6 
  Patra* 
  7 
  Hag Moths 
  8 
  Standing Stones 
  9 
  Giant Centipedes 
  10 
  Wolves 
  11 
  Gnolls 
  12 
  Stirges 
  13 
  Goblins 
  14 
  Bandits 
  15 
  Corpse 
  16 
  Victim of the Hunters  
  17 
  Skeleton Hoard 
  18 
  Owlbear 
  19 
  Harpies 
  20 
  Grimlocks 
  21 
  Barrow Mounds 
  22 
  Bob Bob* 
  23 
  Luguria* 
  24 
  Thaddeus and Rand* 
  The encounters with an asterisk are unique 
  creatures or situations. These encounters 
  are useful as planned events during the 
  party’s journey.   
  Some of the encounters have multiple 
  versions. Get your d4 ready to roll.  
  A reminder, monster entries that are in the 
  OSE Monster and Rules Tome books are 
  noted as such. 
  
  11 
   
  4. GIRANYU GATE* 
  A natural arched rock formation that has 
  an ancient sentience. The Northmen 
  called it Giranyu, meaning a Path to the 
  Where. When this gate is encountered the 
  arch has a strange luminescence that fades  
  and then intensifies. When a person 
  stands before the Giranyu they may state 
  where they wish to go, even if it’s a 
  different plane of existence or a different 
  time. This is a one-way journey.  
   
  5. IZARATH* 
  Izarath is a mane, spawned from the larva 
  pit of the hag, Narix. Her hounds are 
  hunting for Izarath. She wants her periapt 
  returned. Izarath promises treasure if the 
  party assists in hiding it. If done, Izarath 
  tells them to look for the drowned, one-
  eyed demon at the southern tip of Keratin 
  Lake. See the adventure What Happened 
  to Millford? (pg. 20). 
  Izarath is terrified of Narix. She planned 
  to consume the extra manes in her service. 
  The only true way to destroy a mane. If 
  there is a chaotic aligned party member, 
  Izarath agrees to assist him or her. 
  This encounter could happen more than 
  once if the party kills Izarath. It reforms 
  after one day. 
  Izarath (mane) 
  AC 7 [12], HD 1 (6hp), Att 2 × claw
  (1d2), and 1 × bite (1d4), THAC0 19 
  [+0], MV 90’ (30’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 
  S16 (1), ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 20. 
  Mundane damage immunity: Only 
  harmed by magical attacks. 
  Reform: Killing a mane dissipates them 
  into a stinking cloud of vapor. They re-
  form after one day.  
  Harvest: None 
  6. PATRA* 
  Running through the forest is a terrified 
  girl. Hair is torn from her scalp and dried 
  blood covers her face. She runs to the 
  party if she sees them. Her eyes are wide, 
  her heart pounding. She points to a dark 
  mass in the forest. At first it looks like a 
  deep shadow, but then it moves and 
  lurches forward. The little girl covers her 
  ears and closes her eyes.  
  A shadow king (think rat king) moves in 
  jerking motions, which makes it lurch 
  awkwardly. 
  Patra stays with the party until she is 
  returned to Hounds Head. Robert in 
  Hounds Head will take her in.  
   
  7. HAG MOTH SWARM 
  A flurry of hand-sized moths descend 
  from the trees and swarm the party. 
  Torches or a campfire attracts larger 
  swarms (4HD). Lanterns attract medium 
  swarms (3HD). A magic light source 
  attracts the smallest swarm (2HD). 
   
  Shadow King 
  AC 7, HD 5 (26hp), Att 1 × touch (1d4 + 
  strength drain), THAC0 15[+4], MV 
  30’ (10’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F5), 
  ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 350. 
  Strength drain: Victims lose 1 STR per 
  hit. Recovers after 8 turns. If reduced to 0 
  STR, the victim becomes a shadow. 
  Mundane damage immunity: Only 
  harmed by magical attacks. 
  Spell immunity: Unaffected by charm or 
  sleep spells.  
  Harvest: 0 to 3 viz 
  
  12 
   
  Hag Moth Swarm 
  AC 7[12], HD 2/3/4 (9/13/18hp). Att 1 x 
  swarm (1hp + poison), THAC0 18
  [+1]/17 [+2]/16[+3], MV 30(10’)/60’(20’) 
  flying, SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), 
  ML 11, AL Neutral, XP 20/35/75. 
  Poison: Hag moths have poisonous spines 
  that cause excruciating pain. Characters are 
  at -1 penalty to all rolls until the affected 
  area is washed. These penalties accumulate.   
  Size: 10’ x 30’ area.  
  Immunity: Only harmed by fire, extreme 
  cold, sleep spells (affect the whole swarm), 
  and smoke drives them away.  
  Swarm attack: Automatically strikes char-
  acters within swarm area. 
  Harvest: None 
  8. STANDING STONES 
  These stone monoliths average from 5’ to 
  12’ in height. The stones were constructed 
  by the Northmen to honor a person, an 
  event, or to serve as a warning. A Read 
  Languages spell is required to interpret what 
  is written upon the stone.  
  (1) The stone is worn smooth.  
  (2) A warning. The dead do not rest in the 
  forest. To drive the point home, the 
  adventures notice they stand on bones that 
  surround the stone. 
  (3) You stand upon the ground where 
  Ivar, the Slayer of the giant Ocupinica, 
  felled the two-headed abomination. It 
  takes one turn of searching to find the 
  giant skulls, half-buried in the dirt. 
  (4) Site of the Village of Sortic. The one 
  hundred and fifty-two souls vanished from 
  here on the third day of Hundred. 
  Scattered around the area are the stone 
  foundations of fourty-two buildings. The 
  area is picked over and nothing of value 
  remains.  
  9. GIANT CENTIPEDES (M11/T147) 
  (1) A swarm of giant centipedes feast on 
  the plump corpse of a giant spider. In the 
  trees is a mass of webbing. A humanoid 
  shape is encased in the web. Inside is a 
  desiccated gnoll. It carries 11hs on a 
  necklace.  
  (2) A single giant centipede emerges from 
  the undergrowth and attacks. 
  (3) Three giant centipedes have treed a 
  screaming halfling. In two rounds the 
  centipedes can attack. The halfling, Orion 
  Patterpith, says he travelled with a group 
  he met in Hounds Head, but they were 
  killed while exploring a barrow. In truth, 
  he ran when the corpses attacked. He’s 
  doesn’t know if they lived or died.  
  (4) Four giant centipedes drop from the 
  branches, surprising those below.  
   
  10. WOLVES  (M66/T202) 
  Wolves travel in packs of 1d6+10. They 
  stay at a distance, preferring to stalk their 
  prey. There is a 1 in 6 chance the wolf 
  pack is led by a dire wolf.  
   
  11. GNOLLS (M27/T163) 
  Gnolls hunt in groups of 1d6+2. They 
  prefer to attack weaker creatures. If magic 
  is present they cower and flee. If eight 
  gnolls are encountered they are led by a 
  brute gnoll (16hp). There is a 2 in 6 chance 
  they are drunk, in which case they go last 
  in combat and have a -1 penalty to hit.  
   
  12. STIRGES (M57/T193) 
  Stirge nests are common in the forest. 
  They are often heard before seen. They 
  live within trees near bodies of water and 
  swarm from above. There are 3d6 stirges 
  in a swarm. There is a 1 in 6 chance a 
  drained corpse lies nearby with 30sp worth 
  of gear.  
  
  13 
   
  13. GOBLINS (M28/T164) 
  Goblins come in all varieties. They are 
  typical savage, but there are organized 
  goblins who understand that survival 
  demands cooperation. There are also 
  goblins who integrate themselves within 
  communities of the other races.  
  (1) A group of goblins frothing at the 
  mouth are insane with hunger. They 
  haven't eaten in six days, and they are 
  weakened (2hp each), and attack with 
  mindless rage. If food is offered they drop 
  their weapons to eat. 
  (2) A pair of goblins named Edward and 
  Chuck got lost. They have a bag of berries 
  they need to return to Hounds Head to sell 
  to Lavinia so she can make her pies. When 
  they speak, Edward starts the sentence and 
  Chuck finishes it.  
  (3) A group of armed goblins march in a 
  single file, weaving through the forest. If 
  attacked, half take up the front line and 
  form a shield wall. The other half attacks 
  with short bows. They have a leader (4hp). 
  While the leader lives their morale is 9. 
  (4) A single goblin with red eyes stumbles 
  through the forest. It lashes out at unseen 
  attackers. It is infected with Goblin Rage. 
  If there are any goblins in the party they 
  warn the others to stay away. It is highly 
  contagious, but only to other goblins. It 
  attacks until dead.  
   
  14. BANDITS (M4/T140) 
  (1) Hidden amongst the trees are bandits 
  armed with bows and spears. They attempt 
  to surprise the party before sliding down 
  ropes to engage in melee combat.  
  
  14 
   
  (2) A group of men sit in a circle around a 
  small, covered fire. They pass around a 
  single rabbit on a stick. The men’s cheeks 
  are sunken from hunger. Many of them 
  have suffered injuries. If the party treats 
  them well there is a 3 in 6 chance 1d4 will 
  offer their services as a hirelings. 
  (3) A few men run out of the forest, eyes 
  wide with terror. They point to the trees 
  behind them. All they want is to run. If 
  subdued they say that their party was 
  slaughtered by a pair of hunters. A few 
  hundred yards away are a six men sliced 
  open and hung from the trees. 
  (4) The party is ambushed by a group of 
  halfling bandits led by the notorious 
  Maxton Portly. They use their ability to 
  hide within the forest to their advantage 
  and attack from afar with missile weapons. 
  Maxton worships Dedragoria.  
  15. CORPSE  
  (1) A mauled bugbear has a massive hole 
  in its stomach. Tufts of brown coarse fur 
  are in its hands. It has five opals in a 
  pouch (10sp each).  
  (2) A female dressed in plate mail sits 
  propped against a tree trunk. Her armor is 
  riddled with arrows. On closer inspection 
  her body is infested with insects. With 
  minor repairs the armor is salvageable. 
  Tucked into her armor is an old map that 
  leads to a king’s barrow (see the Random 
  Barrow Mounds tables pg. 16). 
  (3) Thirty-four goblin bodies litter the 
  forest floor. Several of the bodies are 
  missing limbs and some have been cleaved 
  in two. Carved into a tree near the body of 
  the largest goblin are the words "Kojak 
  Doorknobbane was here!" 
  (4) Three human bodies and one dwarf 
  body lie in the underbrush. All of their 
  throats have been slit. They’ve been 
  stripped of their possessions.  
   
  16. VICTIM OF THE HUNTERS 
  Three bodies hang from the trees. One 
  hangs by the neck, one under the 
  shoulders, and the last one dangles by his 
  ankle. They’ve been sliced open from 
  throat to groin. At the base of the tree are 
  their possessions. There is 2d6 x 10sp 
  worth of adventuring equipment. These 
  are the victims of Thaddeus and Rand.  
   
  17. SKELETON HORDE (M53/T189) 
  There are 4d6 x 10 skeletons walking 
  through the forest. They swarm towards 
  any movement.  
   
  18. OWLBEAR (M47/T183) 
  Owlbears are common in the Komor 
  Forest. They are solo hunters, but there is 
  a 1 in 6 chance of finding a mating pair. 
  They never flee from combat. Their bodies 
  contain 1d4 viz. 
  Maxton Portly    3rd lvl halfling 
  AC 5[14], HP 9, Att 1 x by weapon, 
  THACO 19 (+0), MV 60’(20’), SV D13 
  W14 P13 B16 S15, ML 9, AL Chaotic, XP 
  35. 
  STR 10, INT 12, WIS 11, DEX 16(+2), 
  CON 9, CHA 8(-1) 
  Items: leather armor, short sword, short 
  bow, 20 arrows, dagger, backpack, 50’ 
  rope, vial of holy water, grappling hook, 
  tinder box, lantern, 3 oil flasks, large sack, 
  5 lockpicks, 2 small sacks, waterskin, and 5 
  standard rations, 63sp, 11cp and 3 uncut 
  topaz (25sp each). 
  
  15 
   
  19. HARPIES (M31/T167) 
  In the highest branches is a nest of harpies. 
  Their song filters down and all those 
  below must make a save or fall under their 
  charm. These harpies have other creatures 
  charmed - (1) Goblins (2) Ogre (3) Gnolls 
  (4) Bandits - to fetch them food and help 
  defend the nest. There are 2d4 harpies in 
  the nest at one time. As a side note, each 
  harpy possesses a red feather located on 
  their throats. It is used to create Charm 
  Person scrolls. Blake will purchase the red 
  feather for a 1st level spell or 100sp. 
   
  20. GRIMLOCKS 
  Grimlocks explode out 
  of the ground around 
  the party and attack. 
  Their milky white eyes 
  stand in stark contrast 
  to their black hair. 
  They make an awful 
  noise as they emerge, 
  and are armed with stone weapons. There 
  are two grimlocks to each character and a 
  1 in 6 chance they are accompanied by a 
  pair of white apes (M4/T140). 
   
  21. BARROW MOUNDS 
  Please roll on the Random Barrow 
  Mounds tables (pg. 16)!   
   
   
   
  22. BOB BOB* 
  Bob Bob is a 12’ giant and wears the tiniest 
  groin cover. His muscular arms and hands 
  can tear a breastplate in half with ease. His 
  gaping maw is full of nasty, long, brown, 
  sharp teeth that can bite off an arm. Bob 
  Bob is known and liked by the locals. He 
  helps protect the homesteads from the 
  other hostile creatures. They lay out 
  offerings to the giant, but don’t get too 
  close. Bob Bob means to do good, but 
  smashes things accidently. (1) Bob Bob is 
  sitting under a tree making loud chewing 
  noises. He recently got a sack of potatoes 
  from one of the homesteads. (2) Bob Bob 
  is arguing with a tree because it is in his 
  way and he wants it to move. He keeps 
  smacking it. (3) A thunder storm rolls in 
  and the party hears a high-pitched scream. 
  Trees move and smaller ones fall as Bob 
  Bob runs through them. There is a 50% 
  chance he runs directly at the party. 
  Anyone hit by Bob Bob takes 1d6 damage. 
  He keeps running and screaming. (4) Bob 
  Bob waves at the party and walks over to a 
  boulder. He wants to play “who can knock 
  over a tree with 
  a rock.” 
  Grimlock 
  AC 5 [14], HD 2 (9hp), Att 1 × weapon 
  (2d4 or by weapon), THAC0 18 [+1], 
  MV 90’ (30’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 
  (2), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 20. 
  Infravision: 90’. 
  Hate the sun: -1 to-hit in full daylight. 
  Harvest: None 
  
  16 
   
  Bob Bob* 
  AC 5 [14], HD 6 (28hp), Att 1 × strike 
  (2d6) or boulder (3d6), THAC0 13 [+6], 
  MV 90’ (30’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 
  (6), ML 9 (4 vs thunder storms), AL Neu-
  tral, XP 275. 
  Boulder throwing: Up to 100’. 
  Friendly: Bob Bob likes to make friends.  
  Harvest: None 
   
  23. LUGURIA* 
  Luguria is a demonic entity that has used 
  its magic to manipulate its appearance into 
  that of a tall, thin man. It struggles to carry 
  a heavy satchel slung over its shoulder. It is 
  a peddler in rumors, tall tales, history, 
  spells, and esoteric information. Within its 
  satchel are tomes, scrolls, and folios for 
  sale. It speaks with a slow, exaggerated 
  pronunciation of each word. In the Lingua 
  Demonica, Luguria translates as Lure 
  Without Truth. It offers all information for 
  a price, but it leaves out important details. 
  The spell scrolls are accurate, but it’s 
  added details that have a demonic taint. 
  Only those educated in demonic lore will 
  detect it. The taint remains when the spells 
  are copied into a spellbook. When the spell 
  is memorized the magic-user must make a 
  save vs. spell. If the save fails the magic-
  user becomes chaotic and indifferent to 
  helping others.  
  It has 1d6 scrolls. Roll a d6 to determine 
  the level (1-3) 1st level, (4-5) 2nd level, (6) 
  3rd level. 1st level spells sell for 100sp, 2nd 
  200sp and 3rd 400sp. To determine which 
  spells roll on the magic-user spell table. It 
  also carries 1d4 random books.  
  Luguria has no interest in combat. It’ll cast 
  Charm Person, Sleep, Web, or Hold Person to 
  pacify its attackers. However, if a fight 
  ensues, Luguria reveals its true form, that 
  of a 15’ tall bloated demon with a 
  thousand cuts in its skin. Noxious black 
  bile spews out when it moves. Its face 
  looks like an expressionless piece of 
  obsidian. Its four arms end in sharpened 
  bone. Those that look upon Luguria must 
  make a save vs. spell or run in fear, as per 
  the spell. 
    
  24. THADDEUS AND RAND* 
  The Hunters in Death themselves. 
  Revenant brothers who roam the Komor 
  Forest looking to hunt down victims and 
  then hang them from trees as grotesque 
  trophies. For their stats, please see the 
  adventure Hunters Crossing (pg. 32).  
  Luguria* 
  AC 3 [16], HD 8 (34hp), Att 1 × strike 
  (1d6+poison) or spell, THAC0 12 [+7], 
  MV 90’ (30’), SV D8 W9 P10 B11 S12 (8), 
  ML 11, AL Chaotic, XP 275. 
  Fear: Upon revealing its true form, all 
  those in line of sight must make a save vs. 
  spell or become overwhelmed with fear, 
  per the spell.  
  Poison: On a failed save the victim dies 
  within 1d10 days. Until then, no strenuous 
  physical activity is possible, and the vic-
  tim's movement is limited to walking at 
  half speed. 
  Spell Use: Can cast any 1st through 3rd 
  level magic-user spell. It can cast six levels 
  worth of spells per day. 
  Death: Should the demon die it turns into 
  a black vapor and reforms the next day.  
  Harvest: When the demon’s body turns to 
  vapor it leaves behind a black ichor. A 
  demonic form of viz (2d6 found). It has a 
  strong sulfuric odor, and is not welcome in 
  temples. 
  
  17 
   
  Random Barrow Mounds 
  Many barrow fields are hidden within the 
  Komor Forest. A few, but not all, barrow 
  fields are noted on the map. Use the fol-
  lowing tables to determine the number of 
  barrows, populate them, and to determine 
  the treasures within.   
  The undead encountered outside the bar-
  rows have no treasure or salvageable 
  equipment, but the bandits and acolytes 
  do. 
  2d6 
  Number of Barrows 
  2 - 3 None. It looks like the map was 
  marked in error.  
  4 
  Barrows are destroyed, either by 
  weather or creatures. Only bones 
  and rock remain. If the party sifts 
  through the debris there is a 1 in 6 
  chance of finding something. Roll 
  on the treasure table.  
  5 - 6 A single barrow. 
  7 
  A field of 3d6 barrows. 
  8 - 9 Crow temple.*  
  10 
  A field of 1d6 barrows. 
  11 
  A hero’s barrow. 
  12 
  A king’s barrow and 3d6 barrows. 
  *Roll twice on the Barrow Residents Table. 
  2d6 
  Barrow Residents 
  2 
  Giant skeleton warrior. Stands 
  over 8’ tall and wields a two-
  handed weapon.  
  3 
  A group of Dedragoria Acolytes 
  (1d4+1) are performing a ritual. 
  They are accompanied by skele-
  tons (1d6). If left to complete their 
  ritual, another 1d6 skeletons rise 
  from the ground.  
  4 
  A group of bandits (2d6) battle 
  skeletons (1d6). If there are more 
  than 10 bandits, a boss bandit is 
  present.  
  5 
  Humanoid creatures (1d3+1) fight 
  over the corpse of a deer. These 
  humanoids are ghouls.  
  6 - 7 There are 2d6 skeletons accompa-
  nied by a skeleton warrior. 
  8 - 9 There are 3d6 skeletons wandering 
  the area.  
  10 
  Skeletons warriors (1d4+1) stand 
  guard.   
  11 
  A lone dire wolf has chosen to bed 
  down amongst the barrows.  
  12 
  No sign of creatures. Spooky.  
  
  18 
   
  Acolyte, Dedragoria 
  AC 2 [17], HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × mace 
  (1d6), THAC0 19 [0], MV 60’ (20’), SV 
  D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 (C1), ML 7, AL 
  Chaotic, XP 10. 
  Harvest: 1d6sp 
  Bandit                       m4/t140 
  Harvest: 1d6sp 
  Bandit, Boss 
  AC 5 [14], HD 2 (9hp), Att 1 × weapon 
  (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19 [0], MV 
  120’ (40’), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15 
  (T2), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 15. 
  Harvest: 3d6sp 
  Ghouls                      m25/t161 
  Harvest: A ghoul paralysis secretion gland 
  is the main ingredient in the ink of a Hold 
  Person scroll. 
  Skeleton                  m53/T189 
  Harvest: None 
  Skeleton, Giant 
  AC 5 [14], HD 5 (22hp), Att 1 × weapon 
  (2d6 or by weapon), THAC0 15 [+4], MV 
  90’ (30’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (5), 
  ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 175. 
  Undead: Make no noise, until they attack. 
  Immune to effects that affect living crea-
  tures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-
  affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. 
  charm, hold, sleep). 
  Harvest: None 
  Skeleton, Warrior 
  AC 5 [14], HD 2 (8hp), Att 1 × weapon 
  (1d6), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60’ (20’), SV 
  D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 12, AL 
  Chaotic, XP 20. 
  Undead: Make no noise, until they attack. 
  Immune to effects that affect living crea-
  tures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-
  affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. 
  charm, hold, sleep). 
  Harvest: None 
  Wolf                       m66/t202 
  Harvest: The pelt is worth 25sp. 
  Wolf, Dire                m66/t202 
  Harvest: Pelt is worth 50sp. Fangs are 
  worth 35sp. 
  
  19 
   
  The number of times a referee rolls on the 
  Barrow Treasure table is determined by 
  who’s barrow it is.  
  • A normal barrow: roll once. 
  • A crow temple: roll twice plus 1d6 death 
  coins (pg. 29). 
  • A hero’s barrow: roll three times and 
  multiple the coins by three.  
  • A king’s barrow: roll five times and mul-
  tiple the coins by five. 
  Some treasures are unique and noted by an 
  asterisk. Roll again.   
  3d6 
  Barrow Treasure 
  3 
  Roll on the magic treasures table.  
  4 
  Hard silver, spiked shield. It is 
  heavy. Only a character with a 13+ 
  Strength can use is properly. The 
  spike does 1d4 damage (500sp). 
  5 
  A hard silver ring with a large emer-
  ald in the setting (500sp). 
  6 
  A quiver with 5 arrows. The arrows 
  have hard silver tips (5sp each). 
  7 
  A silver torc necklace (100sp). 
  8 
  A pouch of 1d4+2 viz (100sp each). 
  9 
  A throwing axe blade. Exceptional 
  quality, +1 to hit, non-magical. 
  10 
  A goblet of 5d6 gems (20sp each). 
  11 
  1d4 death coins (pg. 29). 
  12 
  Copper drinking horn (10sp). 
  13 
  4d6 hard silver. 
  14 
  Wolf-shaped silver ring (10sp). 
  15 
  Poisoned 3d6 hard silver coins. Save 
  vs. poison or take 1d6 damage.  
  16 
  Silver statue of a crow (250sp). 
  17 
  A hard silver rod with runes etched 
  into its surface. It gives the name 
  and lineage of the corpse (100sp).  
  18 
  Roll twice. 
  
  20 
   
  d12 
  Magic Treasures 
  1 
  Spear of Morker* is a black spear, 
  infused with a demon. The wielder 
  can call upon the darkness, as per 
  the spell, once per day. The demon 
  promises more power. For a hidden 
  price.  
  2 
  Dueling Drinking Horns. These 
  paired horns are of excellent crafts-
  manship. Northmen used these in 
  their competitive drinking games. 
  Two contestants are required to con-
  tinue drinking until the other passes 
  out. Only a Remove Curse spell ends 
  the contest early. A save vs. poison is 
  required after each round of drink-
  ing. On a failure, the character falls 
  unconscious for the entire day. Many 
  drinking duels ended with both con-
  testants unconscious.  
  3 
  A Keg of Preservation is enchanted 
  to preserve any contents placed 
  within. Inside is 15.5 gallons of ale.  
  4 
  A Demon Vessel, is used to capture 
  demons to stop them from reform-
  ing. For example, a mane which is 
  killed would normally turn to gas 
  and reform the next day. The vessel 
  captures the gas and halts the pro-
  cess. Only one demon can be held 
  per vessel.    
  5 
  Boots of Travel* are made of a 
  strange, reptilian leather. They allow 
  the wearer to teleport 10’ to a loca-
  tion that is visible to the character. 
  The boots require recharging with 
  viz and can hold up to three charges.  
  6 
  A Coin of Chance is made of hard 
  silver with intricate runes engraved 
  on one side and blank on the other. 
  The bearer reduces the chance of a 
  random encounter by 1. 
  7 
  Skuller* is a hard silver battle axe 
  that pulsates with an eerie green 
  glow. It does triple damage against 
  all undead.  
  8 
  The Mask of Skydd* is a metal 
  mask with intricate details. When 
  magic is used against the character 
  gains +2 to magic based saves. 
  However, the mask also affects ben-
  eficial spells. To have those take 
  effect, the recipient must fail his 
  save. The mask prevents its wearer 
  from casting spells. 
  9 
  Potion of Might, increases Strength 
  to gain +1 to hit and damage for 
  one day.  
  10 
  Short Bow of Aridium, while not 
  magical, it adds the strength bonus 
  to the user’s damage.  
  11 
  Ring of Elven Grace. These rings 
  were given to Northmen heroes to 
  aid them in their battles against the 
  undead. The ring makes the wearer 
  immune to a ghoul’s paralysis touch.   
  12 
  Gloves of the Wood Golem* per-
  mit the wearer to carve and com-
  mand a wood golem. The gloves 
  require three viz to charge.  
  
  21 
   
   Keratin Lake 
  The Hanged man 
  Stone Ruins 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  one-eyed Devil 
  Gene Millford hasn’t been to the Angry 
  Priest Inn for a couple of weeks. He’s a 
  trapper by trade, and a very popular guy. 
  He likes to get drunk and sing dirty songs.  
  His fellow tavern dwellers wonder where 
  he’s been. He bragged about a spot he 
  found at the south end of Keratin Lake 
  where the muskrats are as big as pigs.   
  Traveling to Keratin Lake  
  There are many game trails that wind 
  through the forest to the lake, but they’re 
  confusing and it’s easy to get lost. Hounds 
  Head has a few guides that may help...for a 
  price.  
  Corby is small, even for a goblin, but his 
  voice is loud. Locals call him ‘little horn’. 
  He’ll take the party to the lake for 10sp, 
  but warns he isn’t a fighter, he’s lover. 
  Hilgrid is a hunter. He wears worn 
  leathers, is armed with a short bow and 
  sword. Hilgrid is no friend of Millford’s, 
  What Happened to Millford? 
  but Hounds Head protects its own. He 
  requests 40sp upfront and a share of any 
  treasure they may discover. 
  Dariel has a falcon perched on her left 
  shoulder, a bow slung over the other, and 
  a pair of hand axes at her hips. She knows 
  Millford and is glad to help, but her time is 
  money. She’ll charge the party a reduced 
  rate of 25sp. Like Hilgrid, she wants a 
  share of any treasure found. Arrows and 
  axes cost money. 
  If the party leaves without a guide there’s a 
  2 in 6 chance they become lost. Add 1d4 
  hours to their travel time which results in 
  more random encounter rolls.  
  Approaching Lake Keratin 
  After two hours the game trail opens into a 
  wide path which leads to a stone building. 
  Four large dead trees are in front of the 
  building, and many old ropes hang from 
  their branches.  
  
  22 
   
  A man (not Millford) hangs by his ankles 
  from one of the ropes. His throat has been 
  slit to the bone. Below the body is a gray-
  skinned humanoid that moves in quick, 
  jerking motions. It licks the ground.  
  The victim’s belongings are nearby. The 
  party can salvage a broken bow, two 
  broken hand axes, and chainmail coated in 
  dried blood with two arrow holes in it. 
  Broken oil flasks within the backpack 
  ruined all the contents except for six iron 
  spikes and a pouch with 10sp and 8cp. 
  Keratin Lake 
  Keratin Lake is known for it’s enormous 
  frogs, muskrats, beetles, snakes, and 
  beavers. Millford likes to set traps here. If 
  the party inspects the shores of the lake 
  there is a 3 in 6 chance of encountering 
  one of his traps. There is also a 3 in 6 
  chance to detect a trap if the party searches 
  the area. Stepping on a trap does 1d6 
  damage. If max damage is rolled the ankle, 
  or shin in the case of shorter folk, is 
  broken. This reduces movement by 75% 
  and the victim suffers a -4 penalty on ‘to 
  hit’ rolls in melee, but no penalty if 
  shooting with a bow while stationary. 
  There is a beaver leg stuck in a trap. Its 
  former owner chewed it off to get free. 
  This caught the attention of a pair of giant 
  crabs. They are aggressive and attack if the 
  party gets close. 
  One-Eyed Demon 
  Looking across the lake just above the dark 
  waters, the party sees the horned head of a 
  large demonic creature staring back at 
  them. Half of its face is broken off. The 
  head belongs to a 30’ tall statue hidden 
  within the water.  
  Hidden in the statue’s head is a bag of 
  assorted gems (500sp total). One of the 
  gems is the Eye of Narix, which is the 
  periapt of a night hag (see Random 
  Encounters Table, Izarath, pg.10). It 
  provides the wearer +2 to all saves and 
  cures disease. After ten uses, it crumbles to 
  dust. Viz cannot recharge this item. Narix 
  wants it back.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ghast 
  AC 4 [15], HD 4 (18hp), Att 2 × claw 
  (1d4 + paralysis), 1 × bite (1d6 + paraly-
  sis), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’), SV 
  D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (4), ML 9, AL 
  Chaotic, XP 175. 
  Paralysis: For 2d4 turns (save vs. paraly-
  sis). Elves and creatures larger 
  than ogres are affected. After paralyzing a 
  target, ghasts will attack others. 
  Undead: Make no noise, until they 
  attack. Immune to effects that affect 
  living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to 
  mind-affecting or mind-reading spells 
  (e.g. charm, hold, sleep). 
  Carrion Stench: A ghast exudes a 10’ radi-
  us of carrion stench which causes retching 
  and nausea unless a save vs. poison is 
  made. Those that fail their save, attack at a 
  penalty of -2 to their ’to hit’ rolls.  
  Harvest: A ghast has a gland that causes 
  its paralytic affect. A Hold Person scroll uses 
  the gland ground into an ink. 
  Crabs, giant                     m12/t148 
  Harvest: Ten pounds of crab meat can be 
  harvested from one crab. An ounce of crab 
  meat sells for 5sp. However, the crab meat 
  spoils quickly. 
  
  23 
   
  Stone Ruins 
  The stone walls are crumbling and sections 
  of the north wall are missing. The roof has 
  several large holes. And someone has 
  cleared the debris away from the door. 
  1. There are two large muskrat skins 
  stretched on racks. Three bear traps hang 
  on the wall.  
  2. Firewood is chopped and stacked under 
  a solid section of the roof to keep it dry. A 
  stump, with an axe in the center, is nearby. 
  The heavy wooden door has damage. A 
  pair of arrows are buried deep within the 
  wood and a dagger blade is broken off in 
  the door jam. Despite this, the door is still 
  sturdy.  
  3. A fireplace dominates this room. 
  Recently cut firewood is stacked next to it, 
  along with an iron cooking pot. There is a 
  bedroll on the floor. Two waterskins hang 
  on a wall, and under them is a small cask 
  of ale. A large hunting spear leans against 
  the opposite wall.   
  If the party stays more than one round, 
  they hear a man talking and a woman and a 
  child crying behind the door to the north.  
  4. A naked man frantically scribbles on the 
  wall with a charred piece of wood. His face 
  and body are black from soot. The walls 
  are covered with thousands of tiny 
  drawings of two interlocking circles.  
  Several pieces of wood, which are worn 
  down to their nubs, lie discarded on the 
  floor. The man mumbles to himself “Must 
  be safe. Must stay safe. If they can’t see me 
  they can’t kill me.” He occasionally giggles.   
  The disembodied whispers are louder in 
  this room. The party hears a woman 
  sobbing and asks “Why?” in a thick accent. 
  A little girl’s voice asks “Hello? Who’s 
  there?” 
  The naked man is Millford. He and his 
  friend Dorbin, the dead man hanging from 
  the tree, were chased to the stone building 
  by Thaddeus and Rand. He’d also be 
  hanging from a tree if it wasn’t for Dorbin.  
  He believes the voices are trying to trick 
  him. Millford thinks everyone is an enemy. 
  He attacks anyone who approaches with 
  his bare hands while screaming “I will not 
  go to the trees!”  
  If Millford is subdued or killed, the 
  woman’s sobbing escalates to a horrible 
  wailing, and the girl screams as if she’s 
  being tortured. Phantoms resembling a 
  woman and child rise from the floor, their 
  arms outstretched, their faces distorted 
  with rage. They swiftly float across the 
  floor and attack.  
  The ghosts vanish when destroyed and 
  white dust falls to the floor. Breaking open 
  the stone floor reveals an old coffin with 
  the remains of a woman and little girl 
  inside. The girl’s red hair ribbon lies in 
  stark contrast to the gray and bone within.  
  Blessing or sprinkling holy water over their 
  remains allows their souls to rest.  
   
   
   
  Millford 
  AC 9 [10], HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × fist (1d2), 
  THAC0 19 [0], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 
  W13 P14 B15 S16 (1), ML 8, AL Chaotic 
  (in his current state), XP 10. 
  S12 I12 W14(+1) D11 C12 Ch13(+1) 
  Madness: Millford has lost his damn 
  mind. Mind affecting spells have no affect.  
  
  24 
   
  What to do with Millford 
  Millford hasn’t eaten or drank in a week. 
  Dousing Millford with holy water revives 
  him. In Hounds Head, Robert the priest 
  will care of him and cast a Remove Fear spell 
  to return Millford to his normal state of 
  mind.  
  When Millford recovers, he shares how the 
  undead hunters chased them. While they 
  chopped and stabbed at Dorbin, Millford 
  barricaded himself in the room. The 
  hunters returned to the location two more 
  times while he hid. Both times they left by 
  walking west following a 
  hunter’s 
  trail.  
  Strangling Ghost 
  AC 4 [15], HD 2 (8hp), Att 1 × strangula-
  tion (death), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 
  30’ (120’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), 
  ML 11, AL Chaotic, XP 35. 
  Strangulation: The victim must make a 
  save vs. death or die in 1d4+1 rounds if 
  struck. Killing the ghost before the rounds 
  expire, saves the victim. 
  Mundane damage immunity: Only 
  harmed by magical attacks. 
  Undead: Make no noise, until they attack. 
  Immune to effects that affect living crea-
  tures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-
  affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. 
  charm, hold, sleep). 
  
  25 
   
  Crypt of the Silver Crows 
  1 Square = 5’ 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  Gorm 
  AC 6 [13], HD 5 (22hp), Att 1 × spear 
  (1d6) or by spell, THAC0 15 [+4], MV 
  90’ (30’), SV D9 W10 P12 B11 S12 (C5), 
  ML 10, AL Neutral, XP 175. 
  Spell Casting: Gorm casts spells equal to 
  a 5th level cleric.  
  Mundane weapon immunity: Only 
  harmed by silver weapons or magic. 
  Undead: Make no noise, until attacking. 
  Immune to effects that affect living crea-
  tures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-
  affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. 
  charm, hold, sleep). 
  Spear of Noctum strikes with a +2 bo-
  nus ‘to hit’ and damage (1d6+2). If maxi-
  mum damage is done the target is cursed 
  with blindness, save vs. spell negates.  
  Gorm is the guardian of the Silver Crow in 
  death. He’s stalked these corridors for 
  centuries. A chief and shaman in his final 
  years, he volunteered to stand guard while 
  the rest of his clan joined their gods in a 
  glorious afterlife. Over 6’ tall, he’s a 
  revolting entity of bone, flesh, and spectral 
  energy.  
  Gorm roams the dungeon and may be 
  found anywhere. Roll a d8 to determine 
  which room he starts in. If the result is a 5 
  or 6, the bars are raised and lowered to 
  allow access. Their loud clanging echoes as 
  Gorm stalks the group. 
  If combat is imminent, Gorm casts 
  Darkness, then Hold Person, before he enters 
  into the fight.  
  
  26 
   
  1. Entrance 
  This is the original entrance to the crypt. 
  The trapdoor is decayed and collapsed, 
  allowing access. It drops 20’ to a stone 
  floor.  
  A pool of murky water lies below the en-
  trance. Bits of ceiling have fallen into it. 
  The remains of a warrior dressed in rusted 
  chainmail rest at the bottom of the pool. A 
  broken spearhead lies a few feet away. 
  Beneath the warrior is the glint of silver. 
  There are 19sp in a rotten leather pouch.  
  2. Catacombs 
  There are thirty-two alcoves that contain 
  the remains of Northmen warriors. A hu-
  man male is impaled on a spear protruding 
  from one of the alcoves. He failed to avoid 
  the trap. He’s been stripped of anything of 
  value. The bones within twenty-two of the 
  alcoves are scattered. Ten appear to be 
  untouched.  
  Every alcove is trapped, but there is only a 
  1 in 6 chance that the spear trap is trig-
  gered if the body is disturbed. The spear 
  does 1d6+1 damage, no save.  
  Roll on the loot table to determine what is 
  found within the remaining ten alcoves.  
  3d6 
  Loot 
  3 
  A hard silver sword with a crow 
  head for a hilt (250sp). 
  4 
  A collection of 3 gold beard rings 
  (100sp each). 
  5 
  1d4 viz (pg. 2). 
  6 
  Demon Vessel (pg. 19). 
  7 
  Hard silver rod with runes (50sp). 
  8 
  Silver buckle (10sp). 
  9 
  Pouch with 20 topaz (10sp each). 
  10 
  Silver tipped drinking horn (10sp). 
  11 
  Helmet in the shape of a crow’s 
  head (50sp).  
  12 
  A death coin (pg. 29). 
  13 
  4d6 hard silver. 
  14 
  Steel ring with runes (10sp).  
  15 
  10 silver arrow tips, the shafts have 
  rotted (20sp). 
  16 
  Silver necklace of a snake (100sp). 
  17 
  Roll twice, ignore this if rolled 
  again.  
  18 
  Potion of Blessing. Liquid divini-
  ty. All curses and ailments are re-
  moved from the imbiber (400sp). 
  3. Rune Stones 
  The Northmen used rune stones to protect 
  sacred places from both hostile creatures 
  and entropy. A storm caused part of the 
  ceiling to collapse, and a section of the 
  broken rune stone protrudes from the 
  debris. 
  4. Sprung Trap 
  Eight iron bars block entry into this room. 
  The bars pin the skeletal remains of an elf 
  to the floor. The chainmail it wears is use-
  less. It appears that a large creature ripped 
  through the links and tore bones out from 
  the elf’s body. A sword lies on the far side 
  of the bars and a backpack lies discarded 
  to the side.   
  A successful Open Doors roll is needed to 
  lift the bars to gain access to the room.  
  There are six iron spikes, a mallet, a crow-
  bar, and a spellbook inside the backpack. 
  A Read Languages spell is required to under-
  stand the Hold Portal, Sleep, and Web spells 
  contained therein. 
  
  27 
   
  5. Dirt Ghouls 
  The room is filled with large deposits of 
  stone and dirt caused by collapsed walls 
  and ceiling. There is a pool of water to the 
  north. 
  Two ghouls hide in the debris. They ex-
  plode out of the pile when a character gets 
  close. The ghouls have a 2 in 6 chance to 
  surprise the party. 
  These two found their way into the vault 
  long ago. Chased by the elf (area 4), 
  they’ve been trapped here ever since, 
  starved of flesh for months. Once the way 
  is opened they’ll attack the party, eat, and 
  then escape. 
  Ghouls                      m25/t161 
  Harvest: A ghoul paralyzation secretion 
  gland is the main ingredient in the ink of a 
  Hold Person scroll. 
  6. Ancient Spring 
  When the Northmen created this crypt 
  they discovered the spring. They 
  constructed a culvert to redirect the water 
  into a nearby creek. The culvert is 50’ long, 
  1’ wide, 1’ tall, and the water within is 4” 
  deep.  
  The spring is 3’ deep, with stones on the 
  bottom. Three small stones have a 
  luminescent quality. These stones are viz 
  (pg. 2). New viz forms once a week (3 
  max). 
  7. Grave of Gabbet Gob Hopper 
  Faint areas of color stain the wall, remains 
  of a grand mural. Water seeping through 
  the walls destroyed the mural. The floor is 
  covered in rubble from the collapsing 
  ceiling, and some stones are intentionally 
  stacked in the center of the corridor. 
  Crudely written words are chiseled onto 
  one of the stones. “Gabbet Gob Hopper 
  was a good and faithful companion, may 
  he find the fattest rats and may it rain 
  every night so he can finally sleep.”  
  Beneath the pile of stones is a goblin 
  skeleton wrapped in a tattered blanket. 
  Around the body are food offerings and 
  aleskins. Inside Gabbet's pocket are 10sp. 
  8. Seven Silver Crows 
  There are a twelve half pillars in the room. 
  Seven of the pillars have 1’ tall, identical 
  silver statuettes of crows. At the base of 
  the five empty pillars are old skeletal 
  remains and shards of clay. Except for the 
  fifth pillar which has a woman dressed in 
  plate mail slumped against it.   
  Upon closer inspection the warrior’s body 
  is desiccated. It is difficult to judge how 
  long she has been here, but her equipment 
  shows little damage. The axe she carried 
  lies on the floor. Her money pouch is 
  heavy with 45sp, there is a dagger in her 
  belt, and tucked into her breastplate is a 
  crumpled parchment, a map that shows 
  the location of this crypt.  
  There is nothing of value on the other 
  bodies.  
  Within the seven remaining crows, the real 
  one sits. The referee will determine which 
  one is the true one. The others are trapped 
  with death curses. Should a character select 
  a wrong crow, it turns to clay and a deadly 
  curse is bestowed upon them. Those that 
  touch, shove it with a pole, or destroy a 
  pillar is enough. The character that acts 
  upon the statuette is cursed. If the group 
  as a whole triggers the curse, only one 
  random character suffers its effects.  
   
  
  28 
   
   Possessing the Silver Crow 
  The Silver Crow is a cultural artifact which 
  the Northmen revered. It has no magical 
  powers. However, should the party 
  encounter undead Northmen, they do not 
  attack, instead they kneel before the silver 
  crow.  
  Selling the silver crow is tricky, since its 
  true value is more than its weight in silver. 
  Only those who study Northmen culture 
  understand its cultural significance. Blake 
  will pay 2000sp for it. And while he 
  understands its importance, he lacks the 
  knowledge of how it affects the undead 
  Northmen.  
  The Silver Crow can be sold 
  to the ignorant for 1000sp. 
   
  Curses 
  To avoid a deadly curse a character must 
  make a save vs. death or suffer the 
  consequences. The curse should be 
  horrible and varied. Some examples: 
  • Fluids flow from every orifice until the 
  body is drained of all liquids. 
  • The heart grows too large to remain in 
  the chest and bursts through the ribcage. 
  • Three claw marks swipe across the 
  abdomen of the character and the skin 
  splits open as the innards spill out. 
  • Bones turn to chalk and the body 
  collapses in upon itself. 
  Whatever you decide, make it good.  
  
  29 
   
  BACKSTORY 
  Hunters Crossing is a cursed place. 
  Thaddeus and Rand, Northmen twin 
  brothers of noble birth, used their hunting 
  lodge to hold a grand celebration for their 
  30th year of life. As part of the celebration 
  they planned a great hunt for themselves 
  and their guests. They were to release their 
  large stable of slaves into the forest after 
  giving them each a pouch of thirty silver. 
  Those slaves that survived the hunt would 
  be granted their freedom and the thirty 
  silver to start their new lives.  
  But that did not happen. 
  The slaves, led by Oritum, poisoned the 
  house guards, then slaughtered the 
  brothers’ guests. Thaddeus and Rand were 
  captured, along with their wives and 
  children. The brothers were forced to 
  watch their wives be burnt alive, and their 
  children drawn and quartered. Oritum 
  bound then stabbed each brother a single 
  time with a poisoned blade and made sure 
  that no further harm came to them. While 
  Oritum and the slaves fled, Thaddeus and 
  Rand suffered in agony for their remaining 
  two days of life, as they looked upon the 
  bloodied and burnt bodies of their family. 
  When the other Northmen discovered the 
  gruesome scene, they looted Hunters 
  Crossing and disposed of the bodies in a 
  mass grave. The burial ceremony, Rite of 
  The Crow (pg. 29), was not performed. 
  The bodies of Thaddeus and Rand were 
  never found.   
  Referee Notes 
  Thaddeus and Rand are the Hunters in 
  Death. Revenants who have an 
  unquenchable need for revenge. They 
  scour the Komor Forest in search of 
  victims in their endless hunt. To them, all 
  are to blame for the murder of their 
  families.  
  Hunters crossing 
  Gnoll Ambush 
  
  30 
   
  These two can be found in any of the three 
  hexes (B4, C3, and D4) north of Hounds 
  Head. They stick to their hunting grounds. 
  This provides a wide territory for the 
  referee to place the hanging bodies that the 
  brothers leave behind.   
  The brothers could be encountered and 
  killed before this adventure, but they will 
  reform and continue their reign of terror. 
  To truly destroy the brothers, the battle 
  must be fought here, and their bodies 
  interned with their families and a cleric 
  must perform the Rite of The Crow.  
  RITE OF THE CROW 
  The Crow is the messenger of the dead 
  and carries the spirits into the afterlife. The 
  Rite of The Crow is a simple ceremony, 
  but to complete the rite properly each 
  deceased must possess a death coin.  
  DEATH COINS 
  Death Coins are extremely difficult to find 
  because they are made of wood and most 
  have rotted away. The death coins have a 
  depiction of a crow on one side. They are 
  the price of passage for The Crow to carry 
  one’s spirit to the realm of the dead. 
  CURRENT SITUATION 
  To the north of Hounds Head, families 
  have been slaughtered and their bodies 
  hung from trees. There are rumors of 
  gnolls establishing a foothold in the area, 
  but Ivanoff isn’t convinced gnolls are the 
  cause. He believes it’s the Komor Forest 
  pushing back against his attempt to civilize 
  the southern edge of the forest.  
  Ivanoff is unusually serious when he 
  requests the party’s assistance. He wants 
  the area searched. If it is the gnolls, kill 
  them. They need to be taken care of 
  regardless. But he asks the party to look 
  for a greater evil. The Komor Forest lacks 
  subtlety when it doesn’t like something.  
  He offers 100sp to each adventurer and a 
  land grant to the party if they succeed.  
  TRAVELING TO HUNTERS CROSSING 
  Ivanoff says all the families that were 
  attacked lived to the north along Trouble 
  Creek. He warned them not to build in 
  that area, but the fertile ground proved too 
  tempting. He suggests following the creek. 
  FIRST LEG OF THE JOURNEY 
  The first leg of the journey is where 
  Starvation Creek merges into Trouble 
  Creek. During that trek, roll two times on 
  the random encounter table below.  
  1. BLOODY ADVENTURING PARTY* 
  A group of adventurers stagger out of the 
  forest carrying a halfling. All are bloodied, 
  and a halfling is gravely wounded. The 
  leader of the group, Chandra, pleads for 
  healing for her friend. If the party assists 
  Chandra, she warns the them of the gnolls 
  ahead. If the party refuses or is unable to 
  help, the halfling dies before reaching 
  Hounds Head. Chandra will not forget 
  either act. The party has gained an ally or 
  an enemy. 
  1d4 
  Random Encounter 
  1 
  Bloody Adventuring Party* 
  2 
  wounded gnoll* 
  3 
  hanging bodies (1d4) 
  4 
  Torbur the Tinker* 
  *Encounters are unique, if rolled twice, roll again. 
  
  31 
   
  2. WOUNDED GNOLL* 
  A gnoll lies against a tree. Two arrows are 
  buried in its chest. It was wounded in the 
  fight with Chandra’s group. It speaks 
  broken common, but won’t answer 
  questions instead it points and says, “Death 
  hangs in the trees.” Unless it is healed the 
  gnoll dies in a few rounds. If healed, it 
  guides the party to Hunters Crossing, 
  warning “Death lives here.” 
  3. HANGING BODIES (1D4) 
  High in the trees the bodies of the families 
  hang by their necks. The ropes are secured 
  to a single tree. Ivanoff asked to return any 
  bodies found to give them a proper burial.  
  4. TORBUR THE TINKER* 
  An old man with a tinker’s bag is returning 
  to Hounds Head. He’s seen the bodies. Too 
  much work for gnolls. He mentions a cabin 
  along the creek. It’s cursed. A horrible 
  blackness lingers there.    
  Gnoll Ambush 
  If the party was warned by Chandra, the 
  gnolls can’t surprise them. There are three 
  gnolls in trees armed with bows, and three 
  on the ground, including their leader, Vox. 
   
  SECOND LEG OF THE JOURNEY 
  The savagery of the Komor Forest comes 
  into play during the second leg of the 
  journey. Make two rolls using the regular 
  Random Encounter Table (pg. 9). 
  Entering Hunters Crossing 
  As soon as the party enters the area the 
  atmosphere changes. It is harder to 
  breathe. No forest life is heard. The 
  characters shiver from the unnatural chill 
  in the air.  
  A sturdy bridge spans Trouble Creek. In 
  the field to the north is a mound of stone. 
  Across the creek is a dilapidated log cabin 
  and to the south sits a smaller building. 
  Bridge 
  Beneath the bridge is a section of darkness 
  that never vanishes. This is the shadow 
  womb where Thaddeus and Rand are 
  reformed when they are destroyed. This 
  rift was torn open from the extreme 
  emotions, the murders, and the torture. It’s 
  kept open by their hatred. As the brothers 
  writhed in pain from the poison slowly 
  crawling through their bodies, they 
  watched their wives’ blackened corpses 
  smolder and their children's bodies eaten 
  by birds and insects. They raged into the 
  darkness. They wanted revenge. They 
  wanted to make the world suffer.  
  Their rage was answered by Dedragoria, 
  Divine Mother and Destroyer. But she 
  waited. Waited for them to endure every 
  moment of pain. To allow their anger to 
  burn for as long as they breathed. On the 
  second day, when death took them, she 
  tore a hole in the darkness and pulled them 
  out and granted their wish for revenge. 
  They wander the forest seeking to avenge 
  their loss.  
  GNOLLS               (M27/T163) 
  Harvest: Long bow with 2d6 arrows, or a 
  sword and 2d6sp each.  
  VOX                       GNOLL LEADER 
  AC 4 [15], HD 2 (11hp), Att sword (d8+ 
  1), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 90’ (30’), SV 
  D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 8, AL 
  Chaotic, XP 20. 
  Equipment: chainmail, shield, hard silver 
  sword, and 3d6sp and a death coin.  
  
  32 
   
   
  Mass Grave 
  A pile of stones is in the center of the 
  field. Beneath the stones are the skeletal 
  remains of the brothers’ families. A total of 
  six bodies lay here.  
  Providing each family member with a 
  death coin and performing the Rite of The 
  Crow closes the shadow womb beneath 
  the bridge. This allows a final death for the 
  brothers.  
  Hunting Cabin 
  This is a two-story structure with broken 
  windows and doors. There is nothing of 
  value left. If anyone stays inside the cabin 
  for an extended period they hear strange, 
  unexplainable sounds and feel drastic 
  temperature shifts. Finally, an 
  overwhelming hopelessness infects them. 
  No recovery of hit points or spells are 
  gained while sleeping within the cabin.  
  There is a 25% chance the brothers are 
  present. They hunt for three days and 
  return here for one. They stand inside the 
  main room facing nothing.  
  Thaddeus and Rand fight until destroyed. 
  At that time their bodies vanish and 
  reform the next day in the shadow womb. 
  When they attack they focus on a single 
  target until it’s dead before moving on to 
  their next victim.  
  STABLES 
  Within the stables are the skeletal remains 
  of Thaddeus’s warhorse. Oritum killed the 
  horse. He considered it a manifestation of 
  evil. If the stables are searched a loose 
  floorboard is found. Beneath is a small 
  iron box. It has a note inside. 
  “To whomever finds this note, the 
  precious coins have long turned into food 
  and drink to fill my hollow stomach. I wish 
  you better luck on your next discovery.” 
  The note is signed by Kojak 
  Doorknobbane.  
  
  33 
   
  THADDEUS              REVENANT 
  AC 2 [17], HD 6 (37hp), Att sword (1d8), 
  THAC0 14 [+5], MV 90’ (30’), SV D10 
  W11 P12 B13 S14 (6), ML 12, AL 
  Chaotic, XP 950. 
  Mundane damage immunity: Can 
  only be harmed by magical attacks. 
  Reform: Dissipates into a stinking cloud 
  of vapor. He reforms in the shadow womb 
  after one day.  
  Undead: Make no noise, until they 
  attack. Immune to effects that affect 
  living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to 
  mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. 
  charm, hold, sleep). 
  Equipment: platemail, shield, hard silver 
  sword. 
  RAND                     REVENANT 
  AC 5 [14], HD 5 (31hp), Att two-handed 
  sword (1d10), THAC0 14 [+5], MV 
  90’ (30’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (5), 
  ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 950. 
  Mundane damage immunity: Can 
  only be harmed by magical attacks. 
  Reform: Dissipates into a stinking cloud of 
  vapor. He reforms in the shadow womb 
  after one day.  
  Undead: Make no noise, until they 
  attack. Immune to effects that affect 
  living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to 
  mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. 
  charm, hold, sleep). 
  Equipment: chainmail, hard silver two-
  handed sword. 
  
  34 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Old-School Essentials BX Essentials/Old-School Essentials Adventures & Settings/Hunters In Death (OSE)/Hunters In Death (OSE).pdf