TEXT: HAVE YOU GONE ON A 
  1
  
  RESCUE MISSION YET?
  Rescue Mission is a new Agent of the Death Goddess solo 
  adventure by Ken St. Andre
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  Seven Challenges 
  of Kartejan
  WRITTEN FROM THE MIND AND HAND OF
   KEN ST. ANDRE
  GRAPHIC BLANDISHMENT BY
  DAVID A. ULLERY
  TROLLHALLA PRESS
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  Seven Challenges of Kartejan--text copyright September 2012 by Ken St. Andre.  
  All rights reserved, may not be reprinted without authorization by the author.
  All illustrations copyright September 2012 by David A. Ullery.
  All rights reserved.
  Published in association with Flying Buffalo, Inc., (P.O. Box 8467, Scottsdale, Arizona, 
  85252. On the internet at http://flyingbuffalo.com. 
  TROLLHALLA PRESS
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  Seven Challenges of Kartejan
  By Ken St. Andre
  Introduction
  Kartejan is a human city-state of some 50,000 people that lies south of the Empire of 
  the Goddess.  It has everything a city needs to thrive: plentiful water from rivers and 
  streams, good farm land, good grazing land for the herds of cattle and horses that give 
  the city it’s greatest wealth, forests not too far away to provide wood, and alliances 
  with other human city-states on that part of the continent.  The human population 
  does not get along well with other non-human races, and non-humans are not allowed 
  within the city walls.  Not even the traditional friends of humanity, the Elves and the 
  Dwarves are allowed in Kartejan.  The city maintains a fairly large standing army to 
  protect themselves from “monsters”.  
  Oddly enough, however, the patron deity of Kartejan is the Trollgod.  Legend has it 
  that the earliest pioneers who founded the city were led to the spot by a strange man 
  who turned into a troll and saved the people from defeat during a fight with uruks.  
  When the people were in danger after that first fight, the man, Khenn Arrth, would 
  transform into a troll, and rescue them.  Khenn Arrth remained with the people for 
  many years, but one day his home was empty and he was gone, but the people of 
  Kartejan always remembered him and called him the Trollgod.  Some say that the 
  Trollgod still watches over and protects the city.
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  The city is ruled by a figurehead Duke and a Council of 8 well-respected citizens.  
  Every year the old Duke is dismissed and a new Duke is anointed.  This Duke is the 
  winner of the Kartejan Games Challenge.  Every year on Longest Day the city hosts 
  an athletic competition to choose a new Duke.  City Wizards watch the action through 
  scrying stones and rebroadcast it on the arena walls for the entertainment of the 
  citizens.  
  Getting Started
  This is an adventure for newly created human characters only.  You, the player, have 
  80 character points to be spread as you wish among your 8 attributes.  The physical 
  attributes are: Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, and Speed.  The mental attributes are 
  Intelligence, Luck, Wizardry, and Charisma.  Any point greater than 12 on Strength, 
  Dexterity, Speed, or Luck will generate a combat add.  
  You may, if you wish, roll 3D6 for any of your attributes, in hopes of rolling a triple 
  allowing you to add and roll again.  If you do this, you may generate a Specialist 
  character for the attribute on which you rolled the triple.  However, the attribute value 
  is still subtracted from your general pool of 80 points.  Example: Khayd decides to 
  roll 3D6 for his INT, thinking that if he gets a high value, he will make the character a 
  wizard.  He rolls 5, 5, 5 and then 4, 2, 2 for a total of 23.  80 -23 is 57.  Khayd’s 
  player only has 57 points for all his other attributes.  He will want a high Wizardry 
  and Dexterity—let us say he puts 12 points into each of those. 57 – 24 is 33.  There 
  are only 33 points left for the other 5 attributes.  Khayd will be a good wizard but 
  quite weak in almost everything else.
  No attribute may be lower than 4.  
  The adventure is set up this way to force the players to make some hard choices right 
  at the beginning.  Do you as player want a character that is average in everything, or 
  would you prefer one with strengths and weaknesses?  That is up to you.
  Do not worry about equipment, weapons, armor, food.  At the beginning of this 
  adventure, you have none of that stuff.  You will find what you need during the game.
  The Games Begin
  The contestants (players) are gathered at the starting line, clad only in 
  loin-cloths and sandals.  They have neither weapons nor equipment. 
  Mahrundl, a large and imposing wizard and member of the Council is 
  Master of Ceremonies this day.  His acolytes, Tromm and Naharaht 
  flank him, each carrying a tray.  Tromm carries the Constitution potions
  —glass bottles in the shape of horseheads full of an amber fluid.  Each 
  bottle contains a magical liquid that will temporarily boost a human’s 
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  Constitution, improving their health, healing injuries, curing disease.  Naharaht holds 
  a tray with a number of large electrum keys lying on it, one for each contestant. 
  Mahrundl is speaking: “Courageous Ones, we salute you for your bravery.  You are 
  about to face what may be the greatest test of your life, and if you win, you shall be 
  Duke of Kartejan for a year, with all the privilege and power that entails.  This post is 
  not easily won.  You may die in the attempt.  If that happens you will be given 
  honorable burial.  But if you finish the Gauntlet, you shall be greatly honored, even if 
  you are not the winner.  I urge you all to be brave and resourceful.”
  “Naharaht, give each contestant a key.”  The large attendant moves toward the 
  contestants and offers each a key from his tray.  “These are the keys to the city.  Do 
  not lose them.  In order to be considered a winner, you must emerge from the Testing 
  Grounds with a key in your possession.  It does not have to be the same key you 
  started with.”
  Mahrundl turns and indicates the bottles of magical fluids.  “The tests you will face 
  are difficult and dangerous.  You may be injured.  This essence is magical healing in a 
  bottle—drink it when you need a boost.  (Each bottle contains enough potion to heal 
  10 points of damage, or to raise the CON by 10 points.)  The contestants now have a 
  large bottle in one hand, and a large key in the other.
  The red-robed wizard gestures to his right.  “Your trials begin here on the Hill of 
  Hope.  He indicates a small hill about 100 feet high.   “And they will end when you 
  exit though this door.”  He points to a heavy black door set into a large cube of basalt 
  off to his left.  “The next part of the path you must travel will be obvious to you as 
  you complete each stage of the journey.”
  Mahrundl waits until everyone is quiet and waiting for his next remark.  “There are no 
  rules of fair play in this competition.  You may cooperate with each other, or battle 
  each other, or ignore each other, but there will only be one winner—only one of you 
  can be the next Duke of Kartejan.  (Game Master, at this point you may answer the 
  player’s questions.  Do not tell them anything about what they will face except what 
  they can see.)
  Challenge 1:  The Hill of Hope
  The contestants see a rugged slope of barren stone and dirt that is about 100 feet high. 
  Two walls of stone, each ten feet high run up the slope marking the path they must 
  travel.  The slope is steep, about 45 degrees, and fairly smooth.  There are no notable 
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  obstacles or obstructions on it.  At the top of the slope are eight short columns, and 
  balanced atop each column is a large roughly spherical boulder.
  The contestants need to reach the top of the hill.  They may run, walk, crawl or 
  whatever they wish to do, but the first goal is the top of the hill.
  For contestants who say they are running up the hill, let them each make a L1SR on 
  DEX.  If they make it, there is no problem.  If they fail, they fall against stone and 
  hurt themselves, taking as many hits of damage as they failed the saving roll by.  This 
  is stun damage and not fatal, but it will not heal without magical help during this 
  adventure.  Those who are walking do not have to make a DEX saving roll.
  About 25 feet up the hill is a dyke of stone about 4 feet high.  It is easy enough to 
  climb over.  About 50 feet up the hill is a kind of ditch about 3 feet deep with a rising 
  lip of stone on the uphill side.  When players reach that point ask for a L1SR on INT.  
  If they make the saving roll, describe the ditch.  
  When at least 3 players have crossed the ditch, have the soldiers on top of the hill 
  push the boulders off the pedestals and start the avalanche.  200 pound boulders come 
  careening down the hill toward the players, bouncing off the side walls, off the stony 
  ground, and off each other.  There is no way to predict exactly where a boulder will 
  be rolling.  To avoid being hit, players must do one of two things: make a L1SR on 
  Luck, or throw themselves into the ditch at the 50 foot mark.  (20 a.p. to those who 
  think of hiding in the ditch when the avalanche starts.)
  Boulder damage: anyone hit by a 
  boulder will take 2D6 CON 
  damage plus however much they 
  missed the saving roll by.
  If any players attempt to go up the 
  hill on the outside of the stone 
  walls, dissuade them by having 
  armed soldiers attempt to turn 
  them back.  There are 4 guards at 
  the bottom of the hill, two on each 
  side by the walls.  They are armed 
  with short swords that get 3D6 in 
  combat and each has 6 Adds. 
  They wear ceremonial leather 
  armor that provides 6 points of 
  protection.  It is unlikely that one 
  or two players could beat them, 
  but if players co-operated they 
  might overwhelm the guards and 
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  climb the hill outside the walls where they would be perfectly safe.
  The top of the slope: there will be one pedestal for each player, and if the players 
  search the pedestal they will find an amulet hidden on each one.  A successful search 
  will require a L1SR on either Luck or INT.  Each amulet consists of a silver 
  medallion with a hole in it through which a stout loop of twine passes, making a crude 
  necklace.  Roll 1D6 for each amulet to see which attribute it enhances when worn.  
  Each amulet adds 3 points to the wearer’s attribute.
  1—STR
  2—CON
  3—Luck
  4—DEX
  5—SPD
  6—CHR
  It would be easy enough to tie the key onto the twine, thus freeing one hand.  One 
  could tie the bottle on, too, but a heavy bottle bouncing on the neck would be 
  awkward and likely to hamper the player and/or get broken.  If any player thinks of 
  tying the key to an amulet, give the first one to think of it 50 points.
  There is no reason why one player is limited to one amulet, but there is meant to be 
  one for each player.  
  Challenge 2:  The Pit of Points
  The boulders are launched by city soldiers, but once they get their rocks off (grin), 
  they exit to the sides and are not there when the adventurers reach the top.
  The first thing the players will see at the top is the mighty Pit of Points, and the 4 
  coils of rope.  The rope is not a thin cord of any kind, but a sturdy rope made of 
  twisted strands of hemp about an inch thick.  Each coil of rope is some 60 feet long.
  The pit completely blocks the way forward.  It is 20 feet deep, 50 feet wide, and 50 
  feet across.  On the far side of the pit is a dressed stone wall that forms a cliff face 80 
  feet high.  The wall has carvings on it of a man kneeling and praying to what looks 
  like a great Rock Troll.  At the bottom of the pit are rows of spears set with the points 
  facing upwards.  A man could walk between the spears without much difficulty, but if 
  one fell into the pit, one would probably be impaled.  Falling onto a spear would do 
  considerable damage to the victim’s CON attribute.  If a character falls into the pit, let 
  them make a L2SR on Luck to avoid being impaled.  If the saving roll is missed have 
  a spear do  as many D6 worth of damage as the roll was missed by.  (Example: Duffe 
  is climbing down into the pit, loses his grip and falls.  He makes a L2SR on LK.  His 
  Luck attribute is 12 so he needs to roll a 13 to make it.  He rolls a 9, missing the 
  saving roll by 4 points.  Adding his level will not be enough to make the saving roll.  
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  The  GM then rolls 4D6 to see how much damage falling onto a spear point did, 
  getting a 4, 3, 1, 1.  Duffe takes 9 points of damage to his CON.   The maximum 
  damage the GM should ever inflict from such a fall is 6D6 no matter how badly the 
  player misses the saving roll.)
  On the far side of the pit are four stout wooden posts that seem to have been set into 
  the stone somehow.  (An easy enough trick for wizards who know the slush-yuck 
  spell) and there are also 4 such posts on the climbers’ side.  A lucky or skillful person 
  could make a slipknot in the rope, throw it across the pit, and lasso a post, then tie it 
  to a post on the near side and make a rope line across.  Or, such a person could tie it 
  to a post on the near side and descend into the pit.
  L1SR on INT to make a slip knot
  L2SR on STR to be able to throw the heavy rope across the pit
  L1SR on DEX  to lasso a post (from side or bottom)
  L2SR on Luck to lasso a post (from side or bottom)
  L3SR on DEX to walk the tight rope from one side of pit to the other
  L1SR on Luck to catch the rope if one falls off.
  L2SR on STR to hold onto rope if one catches it.
  L1SR on STR to cross pit on rope sloth style hanging beneath it.
  L1SR on STR and DEX to climb down a rope into the pit
  L2SR on STR to climb down just using the pegs in the walls.
  Falling into the pit:  If a player falls into the pit, bad things will probably happen.
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  L2SR on Luck not to be impaled on a spear.  (Spear damage is 6D6 and it is Kill 
  damage.  If a spear is taken as a weapon, it becomes a 3D6 weapon in the player’s 
  hands.)
  L1SR on Luck not to break the bottle of healing potion.
  If players are crossing the pit on the bottom, they can easily avoid being hurt by the 
  spears there.  Anyone who thinks of it may take a spear (a 3D6 weapon) by simply 
  pulling one out of the ground. (L1SR on STR).
  Climbing out of the pit on the other side will require both hands and a L2SR on STR, 
  which means carrying a spear or healing potion might be difficult.  Make the players 
  find a way to do it.
  Challenge 3:  Finding the Path
  The true continuation of the path is through a secret door in a side wall of the pit, but 
  the players have to find it.  That will mean searching the bottom of the pit, and they 
  probably won’t be thinking to look there.
  There is no obvious way to proceed once they reach the opposite side of the pit either, 
  but they will probably think to look for secret passages there.  An Oh There It Is 
  spell will find a hidden door behind the rock troll carving.  So will a careful search 
  and a L1SR on INT or a L2SR on Luck.  Knock Knock or L1SR on INT will find a 
  way to open it.  Behind the hidden door is an alcove in the stone, and lying there is a 
  short sword worth 3D6 + 2 in combat.  Inside is a narrow stairway that twists its way 
  upward in a tight back and forth zigzag.  At the top of the stairs will be a heavy stone 
  trapdoor requiring a L2SR on STR to open.  Beyond the trapdoor is a stone platform 
  with empty space around it on all sides.  Carved into the stone are the words:  WHAT 
  GOES UP MUST COME DOWN.  Lying on top of the platform is a crossbow with 4 
  bolts.  The crossbow is a 4D6 weapon.  (No STR or DEX requirement to use this 
  weapon.)
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  Searching for secret doors at the bottom of the pit is the same as searching at the top, 
  except that there really isn’t anything down there to give the door away.  It is in the 
  corner of the cliff wall on the goal side of the pit.  Opening it requires solving a 
  simple puzzle.  Behind the first door is a small alcove in which the players will find 
  packs, flint and steel in the form of 2D6 dirks, and torches.
  Leading out of the alcove is a second door.  It is locked, and a Knock Knock will not 
  open this one.  There will be a sign in Common on the door saying “Speak the name 
  of the master.”  The name some player must say in order to open this door is the first 
  name of whoever is running the game.  For me, it’s Ken.  Give whoever comes up 
  with the answer 50 a.p.  If no one can figure that out, then have players make a L1SR 
  on CHR.  Ask the one who has the best roll to tell you what your name is.  Give the 
  person who actually figures out the master name a falchion worth 4D6 in combat.
  Challenge 4:  Dancing in the Dark
  Once the door is open the players will see a long dark corridor sloping downwards 
  into the mountain.  It is barely wide enough for a single person, so only one player 
  can be in front.  The traps always hit whoever is in front.
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  After 100 feet, whoever is in front will see a human skull and a few shattered bones 
  lying in the tunnel ahead.  The bones look like they have been chewed on.  Make a 
  L1SR on CHR to check morale.  If saving roll is failed, then fear seizes the player, 
  and lowers his INT by 1D6.  The loss is temporary, but will not come back on this 
  adventure.    If they think to search, have the searcher make a L1SR on Luck.  A 
  successful search through the bones will reveal an old leather target shield that would 
  provide 3 points of armor protection.
  Mention that beyond the skull the footing grows treacherous, with lots of jagged-
  edged, broken rock under foot.  Players only have sandals.  Let everyone make a 
  L1SR on DEX.  Those who fail take 1D6 damage to a foot.  On a fumble, cause a 
  stumble that breaks the healing potion.
  After another 100 feet an eerie howl startles the players.  Make a L1SR on CHR again 
  to check morale.  On failure then fear and reduce INT by 1D6.  Let there be a whole 
  jumble of bones here, and searching through them requires a L2SR on Luck.  A 
  successful search reveals an old wire whip, a kind of a flail designed to cut open any 
  flesh it hits worth 4D6 + 4.  Using it successfully requires a L1SR on DEX,  Failure 
  results in self injury of 1D6 hits of damage.
  After another 100 feet have 
  the ground beneath the lead 
  adventurer crumble beneath 
  his feet and drop him on a 
  sliding path about 20 feet. 
  Make a L1SR on CON.  On 
  failure take the difference in 
  damage.  Those who follow 
  must also make the CON roll 
  unless they state they are 
  crawling or scooting on their 
  butt down through the rubble.
  After another 100 feet have 
  the path divide into two 
  passages, one sloping up and 
  one sloping down.  The one 
  sloping upwards travels for 
  several hundred feet, twisting 
  and turning, and getting lower 
  and narrower and finally dead-
  ends.  In the dead-end 
  chamber at the top, place two 
  battleaxes, each worth 5D6  in 
  combat and requiring STR of 15 and DEX of 10 to use.  Have everyone who went 
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  that way make a L1SR on CHR to see if fear lowers their INT rating.
  The path leading downward continues for a long way and finally comes out into a 
  grotto.
  Challenge 5:  Praying or Preying
  The grotto is a chamber large enough for everyone to stand erect, and move around 
  inside it.  There is a pool in the center, deep and wide, and icy cold.  Swimming or 
  wading across the pool requires a L1SR on CON.  On failure, reduce the CON of the 
  one who failed by the failure amount.  (Example:  needed to roll a 9 to succeed, only 
  rolled a 6, lose 3 points of CON.) In the center of the pool is an island, and on the 
  island is a large malachite statue of a sitting troll.  There is a faint aura of magic about 
  the place if anyone can sense it.  In front of the troll is a large shallow stone bowl, and 
  in the bowl are several hundred coins.  There are quite a few broken human bones 
  lying on the island, and many look like they have been chewed on.
  If players take any coins from the bowl, the statue proves to not be a statue after all, 
  and it comes to life, and attacks.  The statue has a monster rating of 100 (11D6 + 50).  
  If the coins are put back in the bowl, the troll stops its attack and sits down again, but 
  in a different place, revealing that there is a tunnel leading down into the stone 
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  beneath where it was sitting.  This is the way out.  The troll is living stone.  No 
  weapon the players have will harm it, but if they beat its combat totals, they can 
  defend themselves.  If they don’t figure out that they shouldn’t steal from the 
  Trollgod, they will probably all die here.  But if they don’t make it change position by 
  touching coins, they won’t find the exit.
  If players think to search the grotto, let them make L2SRs on Luck.  A successful 
  search will find a hidden chest in a for corner of the grotto, and inside the chest a 
  complete set of chainmail armor that will take 10 hits in combat.
  At this point, players may pray to the Trollgod, and cash in adventure points for 
  attribute points.  
  The tunnel leading down from the troll’s position  is very slick and rapidly turns into 
  a slide.  Explain the problem and see what the players do, but ultimately they will all 
  go sliding down into the dark.
  Challenge 6:  What’s the Magic Word?
  The slide deposits whoever has gotten this 
  far into what looks like a large square 
  vault.  The chamber has dressed stone 
  walls with many sunstones set into them 
  that light it up.  Walls of transparent crystal 
  divide the vault into three sections.  Section 
  1 is where the players come out of the 
  chute and land (L1SR on CON to see if 
  they hurt themselves then L1SR on Luck to 
  see if they broke the bottle full of healing 
  potion during the slide or the landing.  No 
  luck roll if the player has a pack and put 
  the bottle into it.)
  Section 2 is an open rectangular area with a 
  doorway leading into section 1, and a big 
  basalt throne in the center.  A mighty 
  warrior is sitting on the throne when the 
  players arrive, but gets up immediately and 
  blocks the doorway leading into his 
  section.  He immediately says, “YOU 
  SHALL NOT PASS!  
  The warrior is Grail, the Champion of 
  Kartejan.  He wields a  2-handed flamberge 
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  that gets 7D6 in combat, wears plate armor that takes 10 hits (and he can double that 
  if he wishes), and has a CON of 40.  He gets 50 adds in combat.  He has a WIZ rating 
  of 20 for purposes of defense.
  Players must either fight their way past him, or persuade him to let them go through 
  his room.  He won’t tell them what he wants, but if they talk to him, simply saying 
  “Please let me go through,” will cause Grail to let them pass.  This has to be a test of 
  courtesy for each player.  Explain that the crystal walls are soundproof, and Grail will 
  only allow a single player into his room at a time.  Send the other players out of the 
  room while talking with the champion, and swear them to secrecy.  As you deal with 
  each player, send them out to admit the next challenger.
  Players trapped in this room may search the walls and find a secret exit with either an 
  Oh There It Is or a L2SR on Luck.  This exit will cause them to come out of a small 
  side door on the basalt cube that Mahrundl showed them at the beginning.  They are 
  out, but they did not come through the right door, and so did not win.
  If anyone gets past Grail, continue with them to the final challenge.
  Challenge 7:  Winning the Game
  The third section of the vault is a tic-tac-toe board with squares of alternating red and 
  blue that looks like this:
  Do not tell the players what it takes to get through the exit door.  Let them figure it 
  out.
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  There is no space on the sides and each square is 10 feet by 10 feet.  Standing in each 
  square is a person.  They are all prisoners and criminals who have volunteered for this 
  job, because they have been promised that if they can take a key from a contestant, 
  they will be set free.  They are all armed.  In the lowest row they have simply daggers 
  worth 2D6 + 4 in combat.  In the second row they have broadswords worth 3D6 + 3 
  in combat.  In the third row they have great axes worth 5D6 in combat.  They have no 
  armor, and they have CONs of 10 in the first row, 14 in the second row, and 18 in the 
  third row.  The ones on the blue squares are male, and the ones on the red are female, 
  and they don’t like each other.  Once past the guard pattern the player may easily 
  walk another few feet to the exit door, but it will only open if he has walked a straight 
  path across the board.  (A straight path from side to side would also unlock the exit 
  door, but the player would not be able to reach it without going through the guards in 
  the ranks in front of the door.)
  Players may attempt to fight their way through, or they may attempt to talk their way 
  through, but to win the game, the player must travel in a straight line. (tic-tac-toe)  Or 
  they can do both, fight in one place and persuade in another.  The people in the 
  squares can only fight others in the squares adjacent to them, and cannot leave their 
  own square unless they hold a key.  
  Note that a player who held 2 keys could offer 1 key to a guard to persuade the guard 
  to help fight for him.  Or the player could offer something else.  Whether the guard 
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  will take the offer of anything but a key to help out depends of a Charisma saving roll. 
  L1 on the low rank, L2 on the mid rank, L3 on the top rank.  
  In the event that a player makes it across the board, but did not walk a straight line, he 
  will feel queasy for a second and find himself teleported back to the low side of the 
  board.  The guards will all shimmer and disappear to be replaced by a completely new 
  crew.
  Players may team up to cross the board at the same time, ganging up on their 
  opponents, but if that happens, opponents of the same gender will also gang up on the 
  players.
  Conclusion
  The first player to get out through the exit door with a key to the city is the grand 
  winner and becomes the next Duke of Kartejan for a year.  If no one makes it, the old 
  Duke gets to reign for another year.  Other players who get out through the exit door 
  with a key, get 1000 gold pieces and the favor of the city for a week (i.e. businesses 
  give them discounts, citizens buy them free drinks, etc.)  Anyone else who gets out is 
  given 500 gold and a thanks for playing speech.
  End.
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  19
  Check out these other Tunnels & Trollstm Adventures written by the 
  Troll God, Ken St. Andre, and Illustrated by David A. Ullery
  
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Tunnels & Trolls (osr)/Adventures & Settings/TnT - Seven Challenges of Kartejan.pdf