TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed 
  by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 
   
  This game product contains no Open Game Content.  No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without 
  permission of the author.  To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 system license, please visit 
  www.wizards.com/d20 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This scenario is intended 
  for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the RPGA Network.  
   
  NYR4-05 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Onyxgate 
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK®  
  Nyrond Regional Adventure 
  Version 1.0 
  by Keith A. McCall 
   
   
   
  Dire omens and portents point to a threat gathering in the ancient and fell fortification known as Onyxgate.  Rumor 
  speaks of an entire legion lost attempting to clear this den of evil.  For the good of the Kingdom, will you risk life and 
  perhaps soul to provide your King with information on this threat?  An adventure for resourceful and hardy characters.  
  APL 4-12.  It is strongly advised that parties do not “play up”. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 1 
  Introduction 
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® game. A four-hour time block has been allocated 
  for each round of this scenario, but the actual playing time 
  will be closer to three and a half hours. The rest of the time 
  is spent in preparation before game play, and record-
  keeping after the game. The following guidelines are here 
  to help you with both the preparation and voting segment 
  of the game. Read this page carefully so that you know and 
  can communicate to your players the special aspects of 
  playing an RPGA scenario.  
  Preparation  
   
   
   
   
  First you should print this scenario. This scenario was 
  created to support double-sided printing, but printing it 
  single sided will work as well. There is enough room along 
  the inside margin to bind the adventure, if you desire.  
   
  Read this entire adventure at least once before you run 
  your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any special 
  rules, spells, or equipment presented in the adventure. It 
  may help to highlight particularly important passages.  
   
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we assume 
  that you have access to the following books: the Player’s 
  Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster 
  Manual. We also assume that you have a set of dice (at least 
  one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a 
  pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of fun. It is 
  also a good idea to have a way to track movement during 
  combat. This can be as simple as a pad of graph paper and a 
  pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map and chits, or as 
  elaborate as resin dungeon walls and miniatures. 
   
  Keep in mind that you must have at least four players 
  (not counting the judge), for the game session to be a 
  sanctioned RPGA event. As well, you cannot have more 
  than six players participating in the game. 
  Playing the Game 
   
   
   
   
   
  Instruct the players either to prepare their characters 
  to participate in the adventure before the session begins, or 
  wait until you read the introduction, depending on the 
  requirements of the scenario as described in the 
  introduction. 
   
  Once you are ready to play, it is handy to instruct each 
  player to place a nametag in front of him or her. The tag 
  should have the player’s name at the bottom, and the 
  character’s name, race, and gender at the top. This makes it 
  easier for the players (and the judge) to keep track of who is 
  playing which character. 
   
  The players are free to use the game rules to learn 
  about equipment and weapons their characters are 
  carrying. That said, you as the judge can bar the use of even 
  core rulebooks during certain times of play. For example, 
  the players are not free to consult the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide when confronted with a trap or hazard, or the 
  Monster Manual when confronted with a monster.  
   
  Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you 
  may present it as written to the players, while other text is 
  for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in bold 
  italics. It’s strongly recommended that you paraphrase the 
  player text instead of reading it aloud. Some of this text is 
  general and must be adapted to the specific situation or to 
  actions of the player characters. 
  Tracking 
   
   
   
   
   
  After the players have completed the scenario or the time 
  allotted to run the scenario has run out, the players and 
  judge fill out the RPGA Tracking Sheet.  The judge 
  should complete the top of the form and list his name 
  and RPGA number.  The players should each list their 
  name and RPGA number.  After the form is filled out it 
  should be given to the Event Coordinator. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK 
   
   
   
   
  This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure.  As a LIVING 
  adventure it is expected that players bring their own 
  characters with them.  If players do not have a LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character generated, get a copy of the 
  current 
  LIVING 
  GREYHAWK 
  character 
  generation 
  guidelines, and a character sheet from your convention 
  coordinator or the RPGA Web site, and then have any 
  players without a character create one.  Once all players 
  have a LIVING GREYHAWK character, play can begin. 
   
  Along with the other materials discussed in the 
  Preparation section above that you are assumed to have in 
  order to run a D&D game, it is also recommended that 
  you have a copy of the LIVING GREYHAWK Gazetteer. 
  LIVING GREYHAWK Levels of Play 
   
   
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportioned to the average character level of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. To determine the Average 
  Party Level (APL): 
  1. 
  Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. 
  2. 
  If PCs bring animals that have been trained for 
  combat (most likely being war horses, dogs trained 
  for war), other than those brought by virtue of a class 
  ability (i.e. animal companions, familiars paladin’s 
  mounts, etc.) use the sidebar chart to determine the 
  number of levels you add to the sum above. Add each 
  character’s animals separately. A single PC may only 
  bring four or fewer animals of this type, and animals 
  with 
  different 
  CRs 
  are 
  added 
  separately.  
  Nevertheless, if a character has the Mounted 
  Combat feat, he may bring a single warhorse, light or 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 2 
  # of Animals 
  Mundane 
  Animals Effect on 
  APL 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  1/4 & 1/6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1/3 & 1/2 
  0 
  0 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  4 
  4 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  5 
  5 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  6 
  6 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  CR of Animal 
  7 
  7 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  heavy, with him in the adventure and it will not 
  count 
  toward 
  the 
  APL 
  calculation. 
  3. 
  Sum the results of 1 and 2, and 
  divide by the number of 
  characters 
  playing 
  in 
  the 
  adventure.  Round to the 
  nearest whole number. 
  4. 
  If you are running a table of six 
  PCs, add one to that average. 
  By following these four steps, you 
  will have determined the APL. 
  Throughout this adventure, APLs 
  categorize the level of challenge the 
  PCs will face. APLS are given in 
  even-numbered increments. If the 
  APL of your group falls on an odd 
  number, ask them before the 
  adventure begins whether they 
  would like to play a harder or easier 
  adventure. Based on their choice, 
  use either the higher or the lower adjacent APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience and gold a 
  PC may gain at the end of the adventure. If a player 
  character is three character levels or more either higher 
  or lower than the APL at which this adventure is being 
  played, that character will receive only one-half of the 
  experience points for the adventure.  Further, if the PC is 
  three character levels or more lower than the APL at 
  which this adventure is being played, that PC will receive 
  one-half gold for the adventure as well.  This simulates 
  the fact that either the PC was not challenged as much as 
  normal or relied on help by higher-level characters to 
  reach the objectives. 
   
  Further, a PC who is four or more levels higher than 
  the highest APL supported by the adventure may not 
  play the scenario unless the highest APL supported by 
  the adventure is APL 12. 
   
  Note: LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed 
  for APL 2 and higher. Four or five 1st-level characters may 
  find difficulty with the challenges in a LIVING 
  GREYHAWK adventure. If a group is APL 1 there are 
  three things that the group can do to help even the score. 
  1. 
  Attempt to create a table of six 1st-level characters, or 
  try to enlist higher-level characters to play at that 
  table. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help protect 
  them, and fight for them. All riding dogs are 
  considered trained to attack. PCs who want their 
  dogs to attack must succeed at a Handle Animal or 
  Charisma check (DC 10). Failure indicates that the 
  animal will not attack that round. This is a move 
  action (spoken command) that may be attempted 
  each round. If the animal is wounded or has taken 
  any nonlethal damage or ability score damage, the 
  DC increases to 12. 
  Time Units and Upkeep
   
   
   
   
  This is a standard one-round 
  Regional adventure, set in the 
  Nyrond Region.  Characters 
  native to the Kingdom of 
  Nyrond pay one Time Unit per 
  round, all others pay two Time 
  Units per round. 
   
  Adventurer’s 
  Standard 
  Upkeep costs 12gp per Time 
  Unit.  Rich Upkeep costs 50gp 
  per Time Unit.  Luxury Upkeep 
  costs 100gp per Time Unit. 
  Characters that fail to pay at least 
  Standard Upkeep will retain 
  temporary ability damage until 
  the next adventure, must buy 
  new spell component pouches and healer’s kits, and may 
  suffer other in-game penalties (or possibly gain in-game 
  benefits) as may be detailed in this scenario. 
   
  A character who does not pay for at least Standard 
  Upkeep may also avoid the above-described penalties by 
  living off the wild.  If the character possesses four or 
  more ranks in the Survival skill and succeeds at a Survival 
  check (DC 20), the character will heal temporary ability 
  damage as if he or she paid for Standard Upkeep, may 
  refill spell component pouches and healer’s kits, and may 
  restock up to 20 arrows or bolts if the character has at 
  least four ranks in Craft (bowmaking).  The player is 
  allowed to Take 10 on this roll. 
   
  More information about Lifestyle and Upkeep can 
  be found in the “Lifestyle and Upkeep” section of 
  Chapter 3 of the LIVING GREYHAWK Campaign 
  Sourcebook. 
  Acknowledgements 
  My thanks to Brandon Gillespie and John Jenks for many 
  fruitful discussions during the development of this 
  scenario.  My thanks to Jason Lauman and, again, John 
  Jenks for their editorial comments.  My thanks also to the 
  play-testers who were willing to risk their characters 
  through this adventure before it was completely 
  polished. Their comments helped make this a smoother 
  adventure. 
  Adventure Background 
  Onyxgate is an ancient fortification in the Almor region 
  of Nyrond.  It has long been a fell place and, shortly after 
  King Lynwerd came to power in the winter of 587 CY, 
  the Forth Legion was dispatched to cleanse the place of 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 3 
  its inhabitants.  In a major blow to the newly installed 
  King, the Fourth Legion disappeared to a man and has 
  not been seen again.  Since the Legions were being 
  reorganized at the time, the missing Legionnaires were 
  listed as missing in action, but the scale of the disaster 
  was hidden from the populace by having the lost men 
  appear to be from companies throughout the Legions. 
   
  In truth, General Basmajenn, disgruntled at the 
  rearrangement of the Legions and his own demotion 
  from Royal General (in charge of all Nyrondese military 
  forces) to mere General (equal with those who were once 
  his inferiors) by King Lynwerd, was wooed by Prince 
  Sewarndt.   General Basmajenn ultimately joined forces 
  with a fiendish army amassing in support of Prince 
  Sewarndt.  General Basmajenn brought most of the 
  Fourth Legion with him into this new army, although 
  there were some loyalists who fought to their deaths.  As 
  a “reward” and to assure General Basmajenn’s new loyalty, 
  the clerics of Hextor in support of Prince Sewarndt 
  performed the rituals turning the general into an 
  Animus.   
   
  As things stand in the present day, the corrupted 
  Fourth Legion trains savage humanoids, traitorous 
  humans, and fiends from the pits to work together as a 
  new conquering army, under the direction of Animus 
  General Basmajenn and a Simulacrum of Prince 
  Sewarndt. 
   
  The Grey Seer has recently been able to uncover 
  some portion of this magically masked buildup of force 
  in the region of Onyxgate, but his scrying abilities are 
  blocked within the keep and its depths.  Use of his 
  regular agents was deemed inadvisable, at least according 
  to his divinations on the subject, but those same divining 
  abilities have located qualified candidates within Rel 
  Mord. 
   
  Characters are summoned to the Royal Palace for an 
  urgent meeting.  The King, having been advised by the 
  Grey Seer, his un-introduced companion at the meeting, 
  will ask for the PCs’ help in gathering more information 
  about the growing threat at Onyxgate.  If they are up to 
  the task, they will be asked to prepare themselves and set 
  out for Almor the next morning. 
  Adventure Summary 
  Introduction: The King and I 
  The King asks the PCs to go to Onyxgate 
  Introduction 2: Entering Almor 
  The PCs ride through Almor 
  Encounter One: Wanna wrassle? 
  The PCs hit the guards at the fissure entrance to the 
  underground fissure system and, probably, take minor 
  damage while killing the guards. 
  Encounter Two: Dead Men Do Tell Tales 
  The corpse of a loyalist former Fourth Legion soldier is 
  found along with his journal, giving some information on 
  the happenings of eight years back. 
  Encounter Three: Be My Ghast 
  Pazrael’s spy is found along with some notes and a partial 
  map of the fissure system…  A vicious fight ensues. 
  Encounter Four: Yikes that’s a lot of troops 
  A speech by the would-be King of Nyrond is heard and 
  the majority of his personal army is seen.  Foolish PCs 
  will attack and die.  Smart PCs will sneak away as rapidly 
  as possible, realizing the entire Kingdom is in great 
  danger. 
  Encounter Five: Cry Havoc 
  The PCs must fight the Dogs of War as they attempt to 
  reclaim their mounts and rescue a surviving Entrell 
  Militia captain. 
  The Ride Out of Almor 
  The PCs ride out of Almor, pursued by a small un-
  detailed hunting party and creepy flavor text. 
  Conclusion 
  The King takes the report of the PCs and thanks them. 
  Preparation for Play 
  Before running this scenario, familiarize yourself with 
  the grappling rules, PHB p 155, (for the first combat 
  encounter), the spell Dimensional Anchor, PHB p 221, 
  (for the magic effect of the rock of Onyxgate), and the 
  rules concerning light and vision, PHB p 164, (for the 
  second combat encounter).  When a party first sits down 
  to play the scenario, take a note of their Sense Motive 
  bonus (for the first two combat encounters) and note 
  what sort of light sources they require for vision.  During 
  the adventure, keep note of which characters have light 
  sources and the marching order of the party within the 
  fissures and tunnels. 
   
  There are some extremely long read-aloud sections 
  in this scenario.  Read them ahead of time and paraphrase 
  them at will, according to the needs of time, your Judging 
  style and the players’ play style.  Since this scenario may 
  run long at the higher APLs, due to the length of 
  combats, Judges may need to consider paraphrasing these 
  sections. The bullet points following each section 
  heading are the most salient impressions that the flavor 
  text is attempting to convey and the most important 
  information within the encounter.  Hopefully, the bullet 
  points will make paraphrasing easier while still retaining 
  the flavor intended. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 4 
  Introduction: The King and I 
  It is a beautiful day in the capitol city of the 
  Kingdom of Nyrond.  With a relatively young, active, 
  and progressive King on the throne, Nyrond has 
  been able to reform itself with remarkable speed.  
  The devastation of the great wars of CY 583 to 585, 
  the ruined roads, the empty coffers, and the 
  rampant banditry of a mere nine years ago are now 
  firmly in the past.  King Lynwerd’s reorganization of 
  the 
  military 
  and 
  restructuring 
  of 
  Nyrond’s 
  provinces has paid off.  The only cloud on the 
  horizon is the rumors of plague; a misfortune the 
  Kingdom assures its people is well under control, 
  with clerics even now working on a cure. 
  As the second bell before noon peals, a small boy 
  approaches the PC as he/she goes about his/her business 
  in Rel Mord.   
  Approaching you while glancing repeatedly down at 
  a piece of parchment held in his hands, a young boy 
  dressed in Royal Courier garb stops to say “Pardon 
  me, but I am asked to take you to see His Majesty, 
  the King.  It is a matter of great importance.” 
  The parchment the boy holds, if the PCs wish to see it, 
  contains a rough ink sketch of the PC, the PC’s name 
  under the sketch, and the precise location the PC was at, 
  when the second bell rang. 
  The boy leads you in the most direct route up to the 
  Palace.  Rather than entering the front gates, you are 
  lead around to the side gates near the older section 
  of the Palace.  There, the boy salutes and turns the 
  party over to several Guards who come out to greet 
  the party.  The PCs are lead by these Guardsmen 
  through a number of less-used hallways to a small 
  antechamber, with broad oak doors. 
  Any PCs who were not together before find the rest of 
  the party gathered in the antechamber.  This is an 
  opportunity for the PCs who do not yet know each other 
  to make introductions and give character descriptions. 
  After only a few moments of waiting, the wax-
  rubbed oaken doors that dominate this room open, 
  and an elderly Oeridian lady wearing palace livery 
  beckons you into the room. 
   
  In the center of the room, a cluttered study of 
  some sort, with bookshelves lining the walls, is a 
  desk with a few mismatched chairs in front of it, a 
  high-backed chair behind it, and nowhere else to sit. 
  Four Royal Guardsmen stand unobtrusively at 
  attention in the corners of the room and standing in 
  front of the desk are two men. The tall dark-haired 
  Oeridian man of noble bearing, King Lynwerd, turns 
  from the papers on the desk.  His companion, an 
  older, bull-necked man with long gray hair, a long 
  gray beard, and voluminous gray robes glances at 
  you and, with a gesture, closes the drapes on the far 
  side of the room, hiding some sort of crystalline 
  surface that danced with flickering lights. 
  This room is used as a private study by the Grey Seer.  
  King Lynwerd and the Grey Seer preferred to have this 
  meeting quietly, without the pomp and ceremony of a 
  formal audience.  The draped crystalline surface is a 
  scrying device, currently set on a vertiginous swirl of 
  colors. 
  One of the Royal Guard steps forward and 
  announces “His August Supremacy, Altmeister of 
  All the Aerdi, King Lynwerd!”.  As he steps back to 
  his post by the wall, he makes an abbreviated 
  gesture to the PCs, apparently suggesting now is an 
  appropriate time to bow. 
  If the PCs kneel, bow, curtsy or otherwise assume 
  positions of respect, then continue with the flavor text.  
  Otherwise allow an uncomfortable silence to stretch 
  while the Royal Guard signals with more desperation that 
  the PCs ought to bow.  In any case, the King is graceful 
  enough to break the silence after a mere moment or two. 
  King Lynwerd says “Please rise and approach the 
  table.”  As the Royal Guard who announced his title 
  steps forward to escort the party, the King waves 
  him back saying, “Thank you, Watchcaptain 
  Renylds.  They may enter My presence unescorted; 
  the Seer summoned them, after all.” 
  As the PCs approach the table, the King and his 
  companion move around to the side with the single 
  chair, without taking seats.  Upon the table is a large and 
  detailed map of the Kingdom, seemingly drawn from a 
  position high above the land. 
   
  Note that the King’s companion is the Grey Seer.  
  However, it is the King himself who is doing the briefing 
  and has made all decisions in the plan of action.  Should 
  the PCs wish to question the Grey Seer, they may, but he 
  has exactly the same information as the King.  
  Furthermore, it is impolite to chose to question the 
  advisor when the King is present and so the Grey Seer 
  will direct the PC’s attention back to the King rather than 
  make the error of taking over the briefing. 
  The King leans forward and says “The divinations of 
  the Grey Seer indicate that this time of relative 
  peace is merely the quiet before a great storm, a 
  storm which may try Our Kingdom greatly.  There is 
  a source of evil and threat that his magics can not 
  penetrate from afar.  As I plan the future of the 
  Kingdom, I must have more knowledge of the 
  nature of this threat.” 
   
  “When he asked his God, Boccob, for guidance 
  in this matter, the Grey Seer found that greater or 
  lesser disaster attended each proposed use of My 
  own agents or his…  However, this was not always 
  true of the times I proposed using outside 
  assistance.  Adventurers are often unorthodox in 
  their methods and may be able to penetrate the 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 5 
  nature of a threat that our own agents are unsuited 
  to discover.  Each of you has proven your capability 
  and resilience many times over.” 
   
  “So it is that I must ask each of you to risk your 
  lives for the good of the Kingdom.  I do not ask this 
  lightly.  Will you accept this task?”  
  If one or more PCs is a member of a Royal MetaOrg, or 
  otherwise considers him or herself to qualify as an agent 
  of the King or the Grey Seer, read the following: 
  “We are pleased with you and wish to make use of 
  you in this task...  You are not typical of Our servants 
  and the divinations did not indicate any greater 
  threat contingent upon your involvement in this 
  matter.” 
  If one or more PC is not a citizen of Nyrond: 
  “If the threat we face is an enemy of Nyrond, the 
  presence of foreign heroes may not be expected.  It 
  is hoped that you may use this to your advantage.  I 
  would be most grateful if you would be willing to 
  serve Nyrond in our time of need.” 
  If the PCs want payment up front or explicit promise of 
  reward, the King looks the PC hard in the eye and says 
  coldly: 
   “I see the good of the Kingdom and all your 
  countrymen is not a good enough reason for your 
  mercenary soul.  I asked a favor for which I will duly 
  be grateful and you chose to interpret this as a 
  chance to dicker like moneychangers over precise 
  coin weights.  If money is what you want, then that 
  shall be your reward.  However, I’ll not name a price 
  until I know the quality of the information I’m 
  buying.” 
  The King does not bargain. The only additional allowance 
  the King will advance is a promise to see that, should the 
  PC die in attempting to complete the task, the family of 
  deceased PC will be compensated for their loss. 
   
  Should the PCs not get the hint and continue to 
  discuss reward rather than backing off and simply 
  accepting the King’s request, they will be permitted to 
  continue with the scenario with full treasure level being 
  rewarded at the end, but ALL item access and ALL favors 
  granted by the scenario are lost; the King makes sure the 
  party gets ONLY the coin for which they were so eager.  
  All Nyrondese Royal or Noble favors the PC has on ARs 
  prior to the Onyxgate AR shall also be considered 
  expended. 
   
  Should any PC reject the task, the player may leave 
  the table.  The scenario is finished for that player.  
  Assuming the PCs accept the task, continue reading the 
  read-aloud text. 
  King Lynwerd points to a section of the map.  “This 
  is the location of the greatest divined threat to the 
  Kingdom, on a hilltop in old Almor.  The primary 
  source of the threat is the ancient and fell 
  fortification known as Onyxgate.  This fortress has 
  stood for longer than any current empire and legend 
  tells of it being a home for demons.   
   
  Shortly after the fall of Chathold, in Patchwall 
  585, My father stepped down and I prepared for an 
  opportunity to strike the evils occupying Almor.  In 
  Readying 586, Duke Szeffrin left Almor, for 
  unknown reasons, leaving his troops in disarray.  
  Our forces then entered and began reclaiming 
  Almor from the remaining fiendish forces.  With 
  the Flight of Fiends in Coldeven of that year, the 
  opportunity for the final purging of evil from Almor 
  seemed to be at hand.  A new Legion was formed 
  using hardened veterans from a number of 
  decimated companies.  I diverted the entirety of this 
  new Fourth Legion, under the command of General 
  Basmajenn, to enter Onyxgate and reclaim it…  The 
  Fourth Legion disappeared to a man.   
   
  As I arrived on the throne, Our Kingdom was 
  bankrupt, a number of Our provinces were teetering 
  on the edge of open rebellion, and We badly needed 
  for the successes in Almor to be untainted by such a 
  horrific blow.  The loss was disguised during the 
  reorganization of the Legions and General Younard 
  listed the lost soldiers as being from battalions 
  operating across the breadth of Almor.  I have until 
  now been unable to spare the resources to send 
  more men to investigate what would be capable of 
  swallowing an entire Legion of My men.  The Grey 
  Seer has found the stone of Onyxgate to be 
  somehow fortified against both scrying and 
  teleportation, and so we must send people to the 
  area by non-magical means, for a first-hand 
  observation.  As Adventurers, you have proven 
  yourselves to be capable and resourceful.  I ask that 
  you go to Onyxgate and determine two things: what 
  nature of threat lies still within Onyxgate and what 
  has happened to My men.” 
   
  “Nyrond thanks you for your service and may 
  you return safely to report on the menace we all face. 
   Watchcaptain Renylds will see to any further needs 
  you have.  Good day to you and may Heironeous 
  protect you.”  With that the King turns from the 
  party and enters quiet conversation with his grey-
  haired companion. 
  PCs attempting to say and listen in on the conversation 
  will be ushered out by Watchcaptain Renylds and several 
  of his men. 
   
  Watchcaptain Renylds will instruct the party that he 
  has been instructed to provide them with mounts as 
  necessary, a rough map of the area they are to go to, and 
  can see to their needs as to “useful magics”.  
  Watchcaptain Renylds can provide access to purchase an 
  Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location, Goggles 
  of Minute Seeing, a Medallion of Thoughts, a Ring of 
  Invisibility, or a Wand of Silence.  The party will have the 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 6 
  rest of the day to purchase general access items and 
  prepare themselves.   
   
  Should the PCs wish to investigate further, into the 
  Fourth Legion, Onyxgate, Bloodcrystal, or Duke Szeffrin, 
  they will find that King Lynwerd’s short briefing was 
  remarkably thorough.  Additional pieces of information 
  should be granted to the PCs with the highest 
  Knowledge: History or Knowledge: Local checks.  Since 
  this is all information related to the tales of the Great 
  Wars, Bardic Knowledge may be used in place of 
  Knowledge: History, with the DC being 5 lower for 
  Bardic Knowledge. 
  • 
  Knowledge: History DC 25 - There is some 
  information indicating that the high priests of 
  Overking Ivid the Undying visited Onyxgate and 
  may have constructed or activated some sort of 
  Planar gate within the depths of the dungeons. 
  • 
  Knowledge: Planes DC 25 - The Animus Duke 
  Szeffrin may have had an alliance with the Abyssal 
  Lord Pazrael.  It is rumored that this Abyssal Lord 
  was the source of fiendish armies supplementing 
  Szeffrin’s troops and the source of the power that 
  raised the edifice of Bloodcrystal in a single night. 
  • 
  Knowledge: History or Knowledge: Local or 
  Profession: Soldier DC 10 - Before being reduced to 
  commanding a single Legion, General Basmajenn 
  had been Royal General Basmajenn, commander of 
  all the forces of Nyrond during the Great War, with 
  three Field Generals beneath him; Generals 
  Myariken, Hanshal and Younard.   
  • 
  Knowledge: History or Knowledge: Local or 
  Profession: Soldier DC 15 - Basmajenn was reputed 
  to be an inflexible bully who oversaw the loss of 
  thousands of Nyrond’s troops in the Almorian 
  campaigns of the Great War. 
  • 
  Knowledge: History or Knowledge: Local or 
  Profession: Soldier DC 20 – Basmajenn was a stern 
  commander who held the loyalty of many of the 
  common soldiers.  His major failing, which resulted 
  in his eventual demotion, was that he preferred 
  costly straight-ahead wave assaults to more subtle 
  maneuvering. 
  The 
  following 
  morning, 
  one 
  bell 
  after 
  dawn, 
  Watchcaptain Renylds will meet them at the east gate 
  with mounts and any special access items they’ve chosen 
  to purchase.  He estimates the distance to the fortress of 
  Onyxgate as being about ten days ride to the southeast. 
  As morning dawns cool and clear, the capitol is 
  already bustling with activity.  Red and yellow flags 
  fly from the towers of the Rel Mord’s tall, strong 
  walls, and Watchcaptain Renylds of the Royal Guard 
  awaits you by the east gate with several scale-mail 
  clad city guardsmen holding a string of chestnut 
  palfreys. 
  Introduction 2: Entering Almor 
  Riding southeastward through the rich farmland of 
  Justcrown province for the first three days is 
  peaceful and relaxing, with the clear, cool days being 
  perfect for travel.  Passing over the border into the 
  Duchy of Almor, the farms and small villiages seem 
  prosperous for the next two days travel.  By the end 
  of the fifth day of travel, which is the second day of 
  travel within the Duchy of Almor, the countryside 
  changes to rolling hills and the land becomes much 
  more sparsely populated.  It takes a moment to 
  realize that the sparseness of the settlements are an 
  indication that your group has just passed through 
  what were once known as the Almorian Borderlands 
  and you are now within the borders of Old Almor.  
  Two more days of travel and the depopulated hills of 
  old Almor are all around you, the emptiness of the 
  hills emphasized rather than broken up by the 
  occasional tiny newly built settlements generated by 
  King Lynwerd’s resettlement campaign.  After eight 
  days of travel, or three days travel within Old Almor, 
  you reach the settlement of Silverwat.  This small 
  settlement is the last outpost of civilization for 
  miles around. 
  Silverwat was detailed in NYR3-01 Curse of Almor.  See 
  that scenario if more information on Silverwat is desired. 
   
  This travel section is much more clear to the players 
  if the Judge hands out the Judge Aid #1: The Trail to 
  Onyxgate.  The map is all information that may be 
  helpful to both Judge and players. 
   
  If the players wish to take the main highways 
  around, rather than following the indicated relatively 
  direct horse trail, then they may, but the trip takes six to 
  eight days longer. 
  After staying the night at a farmer’s house a day’s 
  travel southwest of Silverwat, your group proceeds 
  further into the hills, leaving most evidence of 
  civilization behind.  The roads no longer show sign 
  of 
  maintenance 
  or 
  cart-wheel, 
  although 
  the 
  occasional muddy hollow shows evidence of the 
  passage of horses.  The soil appears poor and sandy, 
  and only the occasional dilapidated, abandoned 
  peasant’s croft give evidence that this land was ever 
  settled.   
   
  As night falls on the fifth day of travel within 
  Old Almor, you see in the distance the scraggly trees 
  of an old forest.  The road has dwindled down to a 
  muddy track that seems to skirt around the distant 
  forest, crossing over the old trail that once 
  connected Onyxgate to Bloodcrystal.  Your map 
  indicates that the direction of the fortress of 
  Onyxgate is off the road, through the scraggly forest. 
    
   
  Following the rising line of the treetops with 
  your eyes, it is apparent that the forest covers a set of 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 7 
  low hills, with some sort of squared-off tower barely 
  visible, just surmounting the tallest of the hills.  
  Oddly enough, as night closes in, evening birdsong 
  seems 
  absent 
  from 
  the 
  woods 
  surrounding 
  Onyxgate, even as it rises from the wooded hills all 
  around. 
  The quiet is not a silence spell; the animals simply stay 
  away from the creepy and tainted environs of Onyxgate.  
  Allow the party to rest, but keep the ominous feeling 
  going by suggesting a sense of disquiet if the party camps 
  in the silent wood surrounding Onyxgate, ask for 
  preparations and watch schedule, use hinting questions 
  like “So, are you really going to build a highly visible fire 
  this close to Onyxgate?” and such.  Mess with the 
  sensitives in the party a little; tell clerics of the sun (Pelor 
  or Pholtus) that clouds have hidden the sun from them 
  all day and even the moon is hidden in the night.  Tell 
  the nature types (Rangers, Barbarians, Druids, Nature 
  Clerics) that the area seems blighted and the creatures 
  unnaturally silent or skittish.  Play up the flavor but don’t 
  over-do it and cause the party to not sleep or travel too far 
  away for safety, just keep things a bit creepy and 
  unsettling.  Disquiet at this point, before even seeing the 
  tower, should help set the tone so that PCs do not 
  blithely walk up the main (and only) gate of Onyxgate 
  Keep. 
   
  If there is a Gnome in the party and he or she wishes 
  to find a burrowing animal with whom to converse, allow 
  a Survival Check DC 15 to find a small misshapen black 
  ground squirrel.  The little fellow is misshapen and a bit 
  twitchy and nuts, due to exposure to a rogue patch of 
  badlands warp magic.  All he knows is that Onyxgate 
  “feels bad” and he advises the gnome, “no go there”. 
   
  Should the party or members of the party chose not 
  to rest, they will be considered Fatigued the next day.  
  See the DMG pg 301 for Fatigue. 
  Encounter One: Wanna wrassle?  
  As the party travels about 100 yards into the low, 
  sickly wood, which surrounds the hill upon which 
  the tower stands, dappled light can be seen through 
  the oppressive growth, indicating perhaps a clearing 
  or even the far side of the woods.  Nearing the edge 
  of the wood, it is clear that what was once a healthy 
  grove covering the top of the hill is now just a thin 
  ring of twisted, dying trees.  The land within the 
  circle of trees is broken and heavily fissured, with a 
  fragmentary low-lying layer of brownish-yellow 
  vapor drifting over the land.   
   
  Dominating the view is a massive black tower of 
  smooth stone at the crest of the hill, about 600 yards 
  from the edge of the wood.  The tower itself is some 
  70 feet wide at the base and easily 200 feet tall, 
  crowned with battlements across the flat top. 
  Ask for spot checks.  Read the following to whoever has 
  the highest spot check.  You see the briefest flicker of 
  motion among the crenellations at the top of the 
  massive black tower...  It appears the tower may have 
  watchers posted.  Then continue with the general 
  surroundings description. 
  Some of the fissures in the broken ground 
  surrounding the tower are as deep as five feet, 
  perhaps offering some shelter from the eyes at the 
  top of the tower.  The drifting gasses, which pass 
  into the edge of the wood as well, smell sulfurous, 
  but do not appear to be toxic. 
  The vapor is smelly but not toxic.  It is seeping up from 
  acidic hot springs deep below Onyxgate, but will be 
  having no effect or impact during this scenario. 
   
  Ask for a set of hide checks from the party.  Provided 
  at least one member of the party has made a Hide DC 10, 
  indicate that the broken ground sports fissures deep 
  enough to hide in and one branching fissure extends into 
  the twisted, sickly woods in which the PCs are hiding. 
  Indicate that the chances of the party being spotted are 
  “reasonably low” provided they move cautiously and keep 
  down crawling or on hands and knees in the cracks and 
  fissures. 
   
  Be sure to note at this point what the party is doing 
  with their horses or other mounts.  No fissure is big 
  enough to stash mounts within.  However, a sheltered 
  clearing with untainted edible grasses can be found lower 
  on the hill with a successful Survival check DC 10.  
  Location of the mounts is important for Encounter Five: 
  Cry Havoc. 
   
  If the party wishes to make a circuit of the tower, to 
  look for windows or entrances, save time by simply 
  providing the following information. 
  A quick circuit of the tower by your party, while 
  staying discretely hidden within the wood, reveals 
  that the fortress tower has only one massive 
  entrance and a number of arrow-slits high in the 
  tower walls. 
  Ask for another spot check, DC = 10+APL.  Assuming at 
  least one member of the party makes the DC, read the 
  following 
  Looking out across the shattered landscape, you 
  spot a patrol of three men, wearing cloaks the color 
  of the broken earth they cross.  They seem to be 
  keeping low, cutting back and forth through 
  crevasses, in and out of view.  They do not appear to 
  see the party and are traveling at an angle away from 
  both the tower and the party, from where you first 
  spot them to about 500 yards out from the base of 
  the tower, perhaps 320 yards from your position, 
  and then they disappear into a relatively large 
  crevasse.  After a few moments, the patrol is seen 
  exiting the crevasse and heading back towards the 
  black tower of Onyxgate.   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 8 
  Should any PC voice the intent to walk openly across the 
  ground towards Onyxgate, rather than attempt to hide in 
  the fissures or at least use the fissures as cover, allow 
  them a DC 10 wisdom check.  If successful, tell to PC, 
  that their very flesh seemed to crawl at the idea, cold 
  filled their veins and a feeling of malevolent anticipation 
  seemed to emanate from the black tower.  Allow this 
  wisdom check (yes, they can take 10 or even 20, if they’d 
  like) to any PC indicating the intent of heading in the 
  open across the ground before the tower.   
   
  The same hints and wisdom checks should be used 
  for any PCs foolishly proposing hailing the patrol.  If the 
  patrol is hailed anyway, they will glance over in surprise 
  and then continue on and enter the tower.  The tower of 
  Onyxgate is considered alerted at this point and the PCs 
  have very little time to find the safe path.  See the 
  Development sections at the end of this section for how 
  to handle the situation. 
   
  Any PC planning on depending on Invisibility to 
  allow an approach to the main gate of the fortress tower 
  should be allowed a Knowledge Arcana Check DC 10 to 
  remember that there are a number of spells that can 
  circumvent this (ex. See Invisible and Trueseeing).  PCs 
  should also be allowed a Knowledge: Dungeoneering 
  check DC 10 or Knowledge Planes check, DC 10, to 
  remember that a number of creatures can sense without 
  sight (ex. Lifesense, Blindsight, Tremorsense).  
   
  Interpret any attempt by the party to hide or conceal 
  themselves as wanting to travel via the fissures.  The 
  fissures extend back into the twisted woods as well.  
  Entering the fissures puts the PC or PCs on the path 
  toward the first encounter fight and the “safe” entrance 
  into the underground. 
   
  At this point, determine if the PCs will be 
  attempting to Move Silently as well as Hide.  Note their 
  Move Silently checks, is they chose to make them, for use 
  at the start of the encounter with the guards. 
   
  If these hints are not enough, allow the PC or PCs to 
  approach the Keep without hiding in the fissures.  That 
  PC(s) will be able to easily reach the main and only 
  surface entrance to the tower of Onyxgate. Once within 
  10 feet of the entrance, the massive doors will crack open 
  and reveal a board marked with the Symbol of Death.  As 
  readied actions 6 stones each bearing the spells Silence 
  and Deeper Darkness will be pitched out of the opening.  
  Also as readied actions, the 7 Dread Wraiths (see Monster 
  Manual, p258) hiding below the PC(s) underground and 
  5 more Dread Wraiths, which flow out of the walls of 
  Onyxgate, will attack the hapless PC(s) simultaneously.  
  The final readied actions will be a Destruction spell from 
  a 13th level Cleric followed by the closing of the thin 
  crack opened in the doors of Onyxgate.  Should any PC(s) 
  still be standing near the tower at the end of the surprise 
  round, the 12 Dread Wraiths will all attack the surviving 
  PC(s).  To be clear, this is an untiered optional encounter 
  with the sole purpose of destroying the untrainably 
  stupid.  The Judge should feel free to add spell affects or 
  incorporeal enemies at will to assure the destruction of 
  any foolish enough to approach the front entrance of 
  Onyxgate despite many hints.  PCs who stayed in hiding, 
  which means in the fissures, will not be pursued or 
  attacked at this point. 
  The fissures, which run back and forth across the 
  broken ground surrounding the black tower of 
  Onyxgate, appear to have been created in some long 
  ago upheaval.  Some have been partially filed in by 
  the surrounding dirt and some have been turned 
  into even deeper cracks as water has drained away 
  into the depths.  
   
   It is a slow process, finding the avenues that 
  continue forward without becoming either too 
  narrow or too shallow to allow the party to proceed 
  while still hidden from the watchers within the 
  tower.  Still, a path is eventually found which allows, 
  with the occasional belly crawling, a shielded 
  approach towards your objective. 
  This is phrased as “towards your objective” simply 
  because the party may chose to approach the base of the 
  tower or the crevasse into which the three Onyxgate 
  guards had gone.  It doesn’t matter where the PCs are 
  attempting to go; they will find that the only fissure 
  which stays deep enough and wide enough for the party 
  to sneak along will coincidentally lead the party by a 
  winding route towards where the guard patrol had 
  disappeared.  This fissure varies in depth from three to 
  five feet and in width from three to five feet.   
   
  Approaching the location where the one patrol 
  entered and the other patrol left, low voices can 
  potentially be heard.  Listen check DC 20.  If successful, 
  read the following. 
  "I don't see the point.  There's never anything out 
  here in the Badlands and we don't even know if this 
  leads inside."  "Shyaddup Udo.  General Bas. sez that 
  it could an' it ain't like 'im ta be leaving anyting ta 
  chance.  Orders is orders.  We stand an' watch.  It's 
  better than bein' downbelow fer yet a’nudder close 
  combat drill."  
  Knowledge: Local or Knowledge: History DC 15 "General 
  Bas." may refer to General Basmajenn, the leader of the 
  missing Fourth Legion. 
   
  Situation: the party must fight through a minor 
  patrol group guarding a crevasse that leads into the 
  underground maze and eventually under Onyxgate 
  castle.  They’ll want to keep it fast and not flashy, as they 
  are nearly within view of the tower.  Players should be 
  warned before casting flashy magics (fireballs, flame-
  strikes, ice storms, and such) that this is likely to be seen 
  by the tower. 
   
  The leader of the guards, the Adept, and his familiar 
  should each be given a -2 circumstance penalty (due to 
  the Adept chatting with his companions) but still be 
  allowed to make a Listen checks.  It the party does not 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 9 
  declare any attempt to sneak, then the DC for the Adept 
  is only a 10, otherwise it is against the Move Silently 
  checks rolled earlier.  See the tactics sections for what to 
  do if the Adept has heard the PCs coming. 
  The crevasse you have been following has been 
  between three and five feet deep and perhaps three 
  to five feet wide.  Ahead of you, around a sharp turn, 
  it simultaneously widens to approximately seven 
  feet wide and deepens to some ten to fifteen feet 
  below the surface.  Near the middle of this wider 
  area is a low (four foot) crack near the bottom acting 
  as a cave mouth leading deeper underground.  
  Seated on rubble around this opening are three 
  human men.   
  Creatures: 
  APL 4 (EL 3) 
  � Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: 
  Male human War2; hp 19, 19; see Appendix 
  One.  
  � Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human 
  Adp2; hp 16; see Appendix One. 
  � Bat Familiar; Squeaky: hp 8; see Appendix 
  One. 
  APL 6 (EL 5) 
  � Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: 
  Male human War3; hp 27, 27; see Appendix 
  One.  
  � Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human 
  Adp3; hp 23; see Appendix One. 
  � Bat 
  Familiar; 
  Squeaky: 
  hp 
  11; 
  see 
  Appendix One. 
  APL 8 (EL 7) 
  � Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: 
  Male human Ftr4; hp 44, 44; see Appendix One.  
  � Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human 
  Adp5; hp 37; see Appendix One. 
  � Bat 
  Familiar; 
  Squeaky: 
  hp 
  18; 
  see 
  Appendix One. 
  APL 10 (EL 9) 
  � Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: 
  Male human Ftr6; hp 64, 64; see Appendix One.  
  � Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human 
  Adp7; hp 58; see Appendix One. 
  � Bat 
  Familiar; 
  Squeaky: 
  hp 
  29; 
  see 
  Appendix One. 
  APL 12 (EL 11) 
  � Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: 
  Male human Ftr8; hp 84, 84; see Appendix One.  
  � Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human 
  Adp9; hp 74; see Appendix One. 
  � Bat 
  Familiar; 
  Squeaky: 
  hp 
  37; 
  see 
  Appendix One. 
  Tactics: If the Adept, Merton, hears the party coming, he 
  continues the patter of conversation while using hand 
  gestures to prepare the warriors for the coming of the 
  party.  In this case, the guards will not be surprised and 
  the Adept will use a readied action to buff up one of the 
  warriors before both warriors move to attack the first 
  humanoid to round the turn of the crevasse into their 
  view. 
   
  Although the Adept’s conversation with the 
  Warriors continues even if they hear the PCs coming, 
  they do not have the Bluff Skill and so their Bluff Check 
  is a straight d20 roll.  If the party has heard the guards, 
  then roll a Sense Motive check for the party to see if the 
  party catches on to the fact that they may have been 
  heard. 
   
  If the guards hear PC spell-casting happening, then 
  they drop the pretense of being unaware and the adept 
  begins casting spells to enhance the warriors while the 
  warriors drink their potions. 
   
  Initial tactics suited to the APL are included in the 
  Appendices along with the stat blocks of the guards.  This 
  fight is the easiest fight in the scenario, but in the close 
  quarters of the crevasse this should be a short, bruising 
  battle, dealing a lot of damage to the first PCs attacked.  
  The fight will likely be over fairly quickly, but if enough 
  damage can be concentrated to one or two members of 
  the party, then it is hoped that the PCs will be 
  forewarned that Onyxgate has the potential to be a nasty 
  scenario and the PCs may be appropriately cautious 
  through the rest of the scenario. 
   
  All three appear to be between 30-35 years old.  
  Underneath the earth-colored cloaks they wear, the crest 
  of Nyrond (Knowledge: Heraldry/Nobility DC 10 – it’s 
  reversed DC 15 – Prince Sewarndt’s symbol is the crest of 
  Nyrond, reversed) is displayed on a badge at the breast of 
  their spiked scale mail, along with a black phoenix 
  (Knowledge Heraldry/Nobility DC 20 – the old crest of 
  the missing Fourth Legion).  The apparent leader of the 
  group (the Adept), wearing a better helm and with more 
  pips painted on his armor, also wears a wooden symbol of 
  Hextor on a chain about his neck. 
   
  Treasure: There is no treasure here above and 
  beyond what is found on the guard’s bodies.  Their loot-
  able possessions are noted below, with total values given 
  rather than the PC’s typical 1/6th share.  The potions have 
  likely been consumed and so are not listed. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 10 
   
  Feel free to point out to any PCs gathering up the 
  loot that the equipment is high quality.  These guards 
  were clearly part of a well-funded force. 
  APL 4: Loot – 936 gp value (3 mwk spiked gauntlets, 3 
  mwk longspears, 3 short swords, 3 daggers, 3 mottled 
  brown cloaks, 3 waterskins, 3 trail rations), Coin – 300 gp 
  in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile, Magic - 3 
  suits of +1 scale mail with armor spikes - (1,875 gp total 
  value).   
  APL 6: Loot – 936 gp value (3 mwk spiked gauntlets, 3 
  mwk longspears, 3 short swords, 3 daggers, 3 mottled 
  brown cloaks, 3 waterskins, 3 trail rations), Coin – 300 gp 
  in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile, Magic - 3 
  suits of +1 scale mail with armor spikes – (1,875 gp total 
  value).   
  APL 8: Loot – 936 gp value (3 pairs of mwk spiked 
  gauntlets, 3 mwk longspears, 3 short swords, 3 daggers, 3 
  mottled brown cloaks, 3 waterskins, 3 trail rations), Coin 
  – 300 gp in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile, 
  Magic - 3 suits of +1 scale mail with +1 armor spikes – (5,325 
  gp total value). 
  APL 10: Loot – 21 gp value (3 short swords, 3 daggers, 3 
  mottled brown cloaks, 3 waterskins, 3 trail rations), Coin 
  – 300 gp in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile, 
  Magic - 3 +1 spiked gauntlets (3458 gp total value), 3 +1 
  longspears (3,458 gp total value), 3 suits of +1 scale mail 
  with +1 armor spikes – (4,875 gp total value), and 3 Amulets 
  of Natural Armor +1 (3,000 gp total value). 
  APL 12: Loot – 21 gp value (3 short swords, 3 daggers, 3 
  mottled brown cloaks, 3 waterskins, 3 trail rations), Coin 
  – 300 gp in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile, 
  Magic - 3 +1 spiked gauntlets (3,458 gp total value), 3 +1 
  longspears (3,458 gp total value), 3 suits of +2 scale mail 
  with +1 armor spikes – (9,375 gp total value) and 3 Amulets 
  of Natural Armor +1 (3,000 gp total value) 
   
  Development: What if the tower sees flashy magics 
  or the PCs?  There will initially be an ominous silence 
  from the tower.  The PCs should be encouraged to head 
  below rapidly as moving quickly is their best safety.  If 
  the party chooses to stay above ground despite hints from 
  the Judge, allow about minutes game time to pass and 
  then cut directly to the final encounter (Encounter Five: 
  Cry Havoc), but with no extra horses or Entrell Militia 
  present.  It will take about eight minutes game time to 
  bring the initial forces up from the upper dungeons of 
  Onyxgate.  An initial wave of the hounds exit Onyxgate’s 
  main gate, followed by several more waves.   
   
  The final encounter should be fought with the 
  ‘bonus’ creature added for alerting the tower and the PCs 
  should be strongly encouraged to flee.  If they are not 
  fleeing by the end of the exit fight, describe massive 
  waves of demons and incorporeal undead exiting the 
  tower, making it clear that they can be outrun, but not 
  fought. With the forces in Onyxgate alerted, there will be 
  no chance for the PCs to investigate further.  Access to 
  most favors and treasure is lost.  Cross off of the ARs all 
  items not recovers and all favors unearned..  If the party 
  heads below ground before the approximately eight 
  minutes game time has expired, then the scenario may 
  continue.   
   
  In either case, since the tower has been alerted, add 
  the combatants indicated under the heading “PCs 
  spotted” to the exit fight encounter.  Due to errors or 
  poor luck on the part of the PCs, the last fight will now 
  be somewhat more difficult with no extra experience or 
  treasure being awarded. 
   
  Development: What if one or more of the guards 
  has survived to be captured?  They will be as unhelpful as 
  possible; they’ve spent the better part of a decade being 
  indoctrinated that they are part of the force that is going 
  to purify the “weak and corrupt” Nyrond of “the pathetic” 
  King Lynwerd.  At any opportunity, they will attempt to 
  escape or call out to alert other guards. 
   
  Recovering any gear bearing the reversed crest of 
  Nyrond surmounted by the black phoenix symbol or 
  even simply being able to describe the combination of 
  symbols is sufficient to qualify for the Favor of the King, 
  I. 
  Encounter Two: Dead Men Do 
  Tell Tales  
  Following low crevasse from the guarded opening into 
  the underground, there are a number of branching minor 
  water-created tunnels and earthquake-caused fissures, but 
  there is only one main branch at any given point that 
  remains large enough for the passage of medium-sized 
  creatures.  Numerous false leads continue for a dozen feet 
  or more before shrinking away to nothing.   
  Sure enough, the large, low crevasse heads 
  underground roughly in the direction of the black 
  tower.  Booted footprints were visible near the 
  entrance, but as the last trace of surface light fades 
  out, you have long since left behind all trace of 
  tracks and the air itself seems musty and dead. 
  Should any PC use Detect Magic or Arcane Sight while 
  within the caves and fissures surrounding Onyxgate, they 
  will be able to detect a very faint but pervasive Abjuration 
  aura that seems worked into the stone itself.  Spellcraft 
  check DC 20 reveals that extra-dimensional travel magics, 
  such as Teleport and Ethereal Jaunt seem to be blocked 
  by the Abjuration magics.  These Abjuration magics 
  function like a Dimensional Anchor Spell (PHB p 221) in 
  all ways, affecting all creatures with in Onyxgate or the 
  surrounding fissure system.   
   
  Since a Judge may interpret the Dimensional 
  Anchor Spell (PHB p 221) as preventing access to carried 
  extra-dimensional items (such as Heward’s Handy 
  Haversack, a Bag of Holding, or a Belt of Many Pouches), 
  PCs should not have this side effect blind-side them at an 
  inopportune time.  If extra-dimensional items are carried 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 11 
  by the party, let some PC within the party notice at the 
  outset that the items within the extra-dimensional spaces 
  are not accessible when the PCs are within the rock of 
  Onyxgate.  Allow PCs to notice the effect the moment 
  they enter the fissure system so that they can easily step 
  out of the fissure system and rearrange items if necessary. 
   
  Kind Judges may chose to interpret the Dimensional 
  Anchor spell to allow access to items within extra-
  dimensional spaces, although this is not a standard 
  interpretation.  The author’s intent with the Abjuration 
  magics is to disallow magical travel into and out of 
  Onyxgate, not to make things other than magical travel 
  difficult for the party. 
   
  Now is a good time to ask the party for their 
  marching order, light sources, and default precautions.  
  Once you have this information noted, continue with the 
  following. 
  Fissures intersect and disappear in all directions.  As 
  you move deeper, insects, vermin, and small, 
  perhaps magically warped, chittering things flee 
  from your presence, deeper into the earth.  Your 
  route through the three-dimensional maze of 
  fissures and cracks is both long and arduous, with 
  numerous 
  promising-seeming 
  passageways 
  dwindling 
  down 
  to 
  nothing. 
   
  Backtracking 
  constantly, you are always able to find a path 
  everyone is able to squeeze through.  A path that 
  goes steadily deeper into the earth. 
  Survival Check DC 20 - The party is, in fact, moving 
  down and under the main tower of Onyxgate. 
   
  Emphasize the oppressive size of the fissure maze by 
  requesting a number of Spot and Listen checks.  Inform 
  successful PCs that they hear an insectoid or reptilian 
  skittering noise from the nearby passageways, as though 
  something large were moving close by.  The PCs are in no 
  danger at this point, but there is no need for the PCs to 
  know this. 
   
  If the party has any Dwarves, have the Dwarf make a 
  Stonecunning (i.e. Search) check.  DC 10 – While the 
  fissures are numerous, they are in no danger of collapse.  
  They are through a good strong stone, basalt, and 
  whatever upheaval caused the shattering and fissuring is 
  long in the past.  The omnipresent dust hints that the 
  fissures have not shifted in a long time. 
   
  If the party has no dwarves, then the information is 
  not to be volunteered; it is only to be offered if the party 
  declares that they are searching and the Search DC is 20. 
   
  Before the party has worked their way to the next 
  piece of flavor text and the next encounter, more than 
  four hours of arduous underground travel takes place.  If 
  no one in the party has Darkvision, then the trip will 
  have taken more than six hours to reach this point.  For 
  those parties using expendable light sources (i.e. torches 
  oil lanterns, light spells, etc.), be sure that the resources 
  are marked off. 
   
  For those parties attempting to mark the trail, so that 
  they can follow it back out, take note of this.  It will 
  require five pieces of chalk to fully mark the path to this 
  point.  Other methods, chipping marks into the stone for 
  example, will take longer and slow the party’s travel. It 
  the trail is not marked, then returning by the same path 
  is possible, but will take just as long as it took the party to 
  find this path in the first place.  If the trail is marked, 
  then the journey will take one third as long as it did in 
  the first place. 
   
  While resting in the fissure system is possible, it is 
  not at all comfortable.  Allow spells to be regained if the 
  PCs chose to rest, but the entire party will be fatigued 
  thereafter due to the chill, sharp rock and the numerous 
  small centipede bites and stings they endured during 
  their eight hour rest. 
  The current best-bet fissure widens slightly from a 
  claustrophobic three feet wide crack into a near-
  passage with almost enough headroom for short 
  humans to stand only slightly stooped.  A deep chill 
  is present in this area.  Where the fissure widens to a 
  full five feet wide, a figure comes into view, seated 
  upright on a large stone block.  Apparently unaware 
  of your approach, the figure, human-sized and in 
  full plate and great-helm, sits with a naked bastard 
  sword across his lap.  His gauntleted right hand 
  rests upon the sword’s pommel and his left arm 
  rests upon the top of a large steel shield bearing the 
  painted image of a snarling lion.  The figure is 
  entirely unmoving and silent. 
  • 
  Spot DC 5 The armor is dirt-stained and scraped.  
  • 
  Spot DC 15 Under the dirt, the breast of the plate 
  armor bears the crest of Nyrond along with a black 
  phoenix. 
  • 
  Knowledge Heraldry/Nobility DC 10 – The crest of 
  Nyrond is not reversed.  
  • 
  Knowledge Heraldry/Nobility DC 20 – The Black 
  Phoenix is the old crest of the missing Fourth 
  Legion. 
  This is the body of the Fourth Legion Legionnaire and 
  Paladin of Heironeous, Brenton Salaff.  He is quite dead 
  and has been so for a long time.  Upon escaping from the 
  purge of loyalist soldiers from the Fourth Legion, as 
  General Basmajenn switched allegiance to King 
  Sewarndt, Brenton attempted to escape through the 
  crevasse system to warn King Lynwerd of what had 
  occurred.  Lost and without light, food, or water, he 
  weakened and eventually had to face the inevitability of 
  death in the caves.  He is found as he composed himself 
  for death.  His body is remarkably well preserved since a 
  brown mold has made the crumbly floor of this cavern 
  section it’s home. 
   
  Should any attempt be made to pass over/through 
  this section of the tunnel that places weight upon the 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 12 
  floor, the floor gives way, likely dumping the PC and 
  definitely dumping the body of the dead Paladin into the 
  rough pit formed, which is also the location of the Brown 
  Mold colony.  This is not really a trap, per se; it is simply 
  that the brown mold colony has weakened the rock here 
  over the years.  
   
  This section has the potential to bog down if the PCs 
  are searching for traps and find this one.  There is the 
  chance that the party could waste a lot of time attempting 
  to disarm or circumvent the pit trap.  If the party is 
  spending a lot of time here, feel free to speed things up 
  by having the pit collapse, exposing the brown mold and 
  dropping the Paladin’s body into the pit. 
   
  Once the Paladin’s body is disturbed by the fall, a 
  leather-bound book (the journal is Player’s Handout #1, 
  included at the end of this scenario) will be reveled, 
  falling from where it had been tucked beneath the shield. 
   
  This encounter is identical for all APLs. 
  � Camouflaged Pit Trap: CR 1; mechanical; 
  location trigger; no reset; DC 20 Reflex save 
  avoids; 5 ft. deep drop onto sharp rocks (1d6, 
  total, half falling damage and half piercing); 
  Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 20, Market 
  value 0 gp. 
  � Brown Mold (CR 2): Brown mold feeds on 
  warmth, drawing heat from anything around it.  It 
  normally comes in patches 5 feet in diameter, 
  and the temperature is always cold in a 30-foot 
  radius around it.  Living creatures within 5 feet of 
  it take 3d6 points of nonlethal cold damage.  Fire 
  brought within 5 feet of brown mold causes it to 
  instantly double in size.  Cold damage, such as 
  from a cone of cold, instantly destroys it. 
  Should the PCs wish to examine the body, ask for Heal 
  checks. 
  Heal check results for the body of Brenton Salaff: 
  • 
  1-9 He’s a human male and recently dead.  
  • 
  10-14 It’s hard to tell how long he has been dead as 
  he is well preserved.  
  • 
  15-19 He was about 20 years old when he died and 
  has been dead quite a while, but the cold dry air of 
  this section of the corridor has preserved him.  
  • 
  20-24 He has been dead for somewhere in the 
  neighborhood of six to ten years.  
  • 
  25+ He has been dead for eight years, and probably 
  died in the season of Coldeven, Planting, or 
  Flocktime. 
  Some players who are very concerned with the history of 
  Greyhawk may disagree with one entry in the Journal of 
  Brenton Salaff, claiming that Onyxgate was the 
  destination 
  after 
  the 
  taking 
  of 
  Bloodcrystal.  
  Bloodcrystal’s defensive forces were defeated and the 
  main fortress was placed under siege, but the main 
  fortress of Bloodcrystal was not initially taken.  At the 
  time, it was deemed more important to finish clearing 
  the rest of the countryside of enemy forces, since the 
  remnants of enemy troops at Bloodcrystal were bottled 
  up and could not leave. 
   
  Treasure:  
  All APLs: Loot – 778 gp total value (bastard sword, full 
  plate armor, heavy steel shield), Coin – 0 gp, Magic – 0 gp 
  The journal, Player’s Handout #1 
   
  Development: Should a follower of Heironeous or 
  any Good or Lawful PC state that they intend to see 
  Brenton’s body returned to Nyrond/his home/a temple 
  of Heironeous for a proper burial, that PC should be told 
  “You feel the urge to pick up and use the shield.”   
   
  If the PCs wish to take Brenton’s body with them, 
  for return to his family, the Army, or the Church of 
  Heironeous, do not make it difficult for them.  The body 
  is a desiccated husk and is relatively light and easy to 
  carry.  A kind judge may chose to declare the weight of 
  the body and equipment to be lower than the rules list.  
  Do not, however, hint to the PCs that they ought to take 
  the body; this is a role-playing opportunity.  
   
  A PC who has dedicated him/herself to seeing 
  Brenton’s body to a proper funeral outside of Onyxgate 
  will discover that the heavy steel shield has been 
  possessed by the spirit of Brenton Salaff, temporarily 
  granting it all the properties of a Lion’s Shield (see the 
  DMG, p221).  Furthermore, the PC will automatically 
  know the activation word of the Lion’s Shield 
  (“Invincible”, another name for Heironeous) along with 
  what it does.  Since this is a powerful item, intended to be 
  a reward for good role-playing, the Judge must not hint at 
  this whatsoever, not even hinting questions as to what 
  the party does with the body.  Keep note if anyone 
  announces ‘We “Greyhawk” the body’ since this will 
  count as disrespectful treatment of the corpse, resulting 
  in the spirit of Brenton Salaff leaving this plane, rather 
  than possessing the shield. It is expected that most 
  parties that pass through this adventure will never gain 
  access to this item during the adventure.   
   
  If the party does not have access to the possessed 
  Lion’s Shield during the adventure, they also do not gain 
  the Favor of the Salaff Blacksmiths at the end since they 
  will not have seen the shield in action and therefore will 
  not be able to describe the shield’s miraculous possession 
  to the Salaff family. 
   
  Recovering the journal of Brenton Salaff is all that is 
  required to qualify for the Favor of the Church of 
  Heironeous. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 13 
  Encounter Three: Be My Ghast  
  Once past the body, the path is no easier.  Several 
  times the only passable route is a narrow, short 
  drop, which must have been a hellish climb in 
  armor, if the soldier really did come this way from 
  deeper below. 
  A Survival (Track) Check DC 20 reveals faint scrapes 
  from metal on stone, indicating that Brenton Salaff really 
  did climb up those drops in his attempted escape. 
  As you move deeper, acrid liquid seeps from some of 
  the smaller cracks and the air takes on a bitter, 
  stinging smell.  The fissures through which you are 
  passing begin to assume the appearance of water-
  channels rather than mere earthquake cracks within 
  the earth.  The path widens and evens out, becoming 
  a relatively flat winding descent.  The slick, 
  moistened black rock distorts, bends and reflects 
  any 
  sounds made, creating the disorienting 
  impression of movement all around you. 
  The Judge should, at this point, be aware of the marching 
  order and light sources in play.  The Judge should also be 
  aware of what the characters in the party look like; it will 
  be necessary for the next encounter.  The tactics of the 
  enemy depend on their being able to discern who 
  amongst the PCs is the Cleric.  Until spells are cast, 
  showing the spell-caster to practice either divine or 
  arcane magic, the enemies are going to be forced to 
  assume that any PC in armor, with holy symbols, on the 
  armor, about the neck, or in hand, may be a Cleric.  Until 
  they are sure which PC or PCs may be divine spell-
  casters, they will assume that the armored person with 
  the most displayed holy symbols, from a single god, is the 
  Cleric or divine spell caster.  If a divine spell-caster has 
  attempted to hide his holy symbols and other indications 
  of his class/profession, then allow the enemy Spot checks 
  (DC 10 or the PC’s Hide check, if a Hide check was 
  made) to identify the divine spell-caster. 
   
  The primary tunnel the party is following winds and 
  bends, splitting and dead-ending as it has throughout.  
  Eventually, a full two to three minutes game time after 
  the above flavor text, the party will come to a bend in the 
  rock tunnel where the Judge must alter the situation 
  based on the party’s light sources and marching order:  If 
  the party has light sources with the lead party members 
  then they will simply walk out into the cavern with no 
  warning, baring other precautions.  If the party has 
  members in the lead who are not using light sources, 
  then, at the bend, they can see the shadows cast by a faint 
  light source ahead.  This should warn them that they are 
  about to enter an occupied area and potentially allow 
  them to prepare.  
  The acidic sting of the liquid upon the rocks is 
  joined by the sharp odor of decomposing flesh as 
  the fissure takes a final tight bend to open up into a 
  large chamber.  Dozens of small candles provide an 
  uncertain light, casting myriad small reflections 
  about the slick black rock chamber and giving a 
  feeling of vertigo and movement.   
   
  Stepping into the cavern, your eyes take a 
  moment to understand what they are seeing.  Your 
  eyes are able to fix on a regular object, some sort 
  dark wooden desk (~60 feet away), and the cavern 
  snaps into focus.  Wet rock glistens with the 
  reflected light of candles scattered randomly about.  
  Stalactites, stalagmites, and rubble break up the line 
  of vision, while the many fissures stretching across 
  the floor threaten to swallow leg or body of the 
  unwary. 
   
  As you enter the cavern, a deep voice purrs out.  
  “Ah, visitors…  An unexpected pleasure.  What news 
  do you bring me of the surface world?” 
  The PCs have stumbled upon the current base of 
  operation of the spy, Grynchlwrd, and his underlings.  
  Grynchlwrd is working for the Demon Lord Pazrael, 
  spying on the doings of Pazrael’s current ally, Sewarndt.  
  Being a demon, Pazrael is planning on betraying 
  Sewarndt the moment it seems convenient, and therefore 
  has dispatched agents to spy upon Sewarndt’s forces and 
  subvert any they can.  Pazrael’s agent, Grynchlwrd, a 
  fiendish native of the Prime Material plane (and hence 
  impossible to banish), has recruited the assistance of two 
  amoral thugs, who go by the names Black and Blue, to 
  help him in his endeavors.  Black and Blue don’t really 
  care what they are doing so long as they are paid well and 
  they get to crack a few heads while doing it.  Grynchlwrd 
  also has the assistance of a few created undead.  While 
  the undead may hunger for the living flesh of Black and 
  Blue, they are entirely under Grynchlwrd’s control and 
  will not attack Black or Blue.  Grynchlwrd considers the 
  undead an effective insurance policy to maintain good 
  behavior by the rogues. 
   
  The fissures within the cave have the following 
  effect: Any creature moving across the fissured region 
  must make a single Jump or Balance check DC 10+ APL 
  per move action or lose a foot into the cracks.  Failing the 
  check, i.e. losing a foot into the cracks results in the 
  creature going prone after only five feet movement and 
  taking 1d6 subdual damage (essentially they are tripped 
  and take minor damage from the rough terrain).  
  Creatures may move at half their movement rate to avoid 
  the need to make a jump check.  These conditions are 
  self-evident to the PCs and NPCs from just looking at the 
  terrain.  Do not surprise the PCs with this; just explain 
  the ground rules at the start of combat. 
   
  For any characters, wishing to fly or otherwise move 
  about the upper reaches of the room, it should be noted 
  that the cavern is a flattened dome-shape, with the 
  highest point in the room being 50’ above the floor.  
  However, the ceiling is quite uneven, having fissures 
  within it and stalactites hanging from it.  Assume flying 
  in a direct line near the ceiling or moving across the 
  ceiling will be difficult.  Those employing Spider Climb 
  or similar effects to cross the ceiling will have their 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 14 
  movement cut in half, effectively reducing their 
  movement to one quarter (1/4) of their normal walking 
  speed.  The obstacles also make flying, with average or 
  worse maneuverability, an annoying exercise with a 20% 
  chance of clipping a hanging rock outcropping and 
  dropping the creature to the floor.  Because of this, 
  Grynchlwrd will not be using his wings during this 
  combat. 
   
  The candles within the cave are effectively providing 
  sufficient light only for low light vision.  Black, Blue, and 
  the undead within the cave all effectively have low light 
  vision for the purposes of this scenario; they have all been 
  in the caves for months and their eyes have adjusted.  
  Those PCs who require better than low light for vision 
  must be within a region lit by the PC’s light sources or 
  they have a 20% miss chance due to concealment. 
   
  Creatures: Please note that the physical description 
  of Grynchlwrd, the speaker asking the PCs questions, and 
  the members of his little band changes depending on 
  APL.  Please refer to the relevant Appendices for the 
  appropriate descriptions.  It is critically important to note 
  that both as a half-fiend (at lower APLs) and as a Nabassu 
  (at higher APLs), Grynchlwrd is a native outsider.  
  Attempting any sort of banishment simply results in his 
  staying where he is; the Prime Material is his home plane. 
   
  APL 4 (EL 7) 
  � Grynchlwrd the Half-fiend Rog3:  hp 23; 
  see Appendix One. 
  � Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog3; hp 20, 20; see Appendix One. 
  � Human Male Ghouls (2): hp 15, 15; see 
  Appendix One and see Monster Manual page 
  119. 
  APL 6 (EL 9) 
  � Grynchlwrd the Half-fiend Rog5:  hp 37; 
  see Appendix One. 
  � Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog5; hp 32, 32; see Appendix One. 
  � Human Male Ghasts (2): hp 32, 32; see 
  Appendix One and see Monster Manual page 
  119. 
  APL 8 (EL 11) 
  � Grynchlwrd the Nabassu (lesser):  hp 51; 
  see Appendix One and see Appendix Six. 
  � Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog7; hp 44, 44; see Appendix One. 
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
  � Grynchlwrd the Nabassu (lesser) Rog2:  
  hp 65; see Appendix One and see Appendix Six. 
  � Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog9; hp 56, 56; see Appendix One. 
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
  � Grynchlwrd the Nabassu (lesser) Rog4:  
  hp 77; see Appendix One and see Appendix Six. 
  � Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog11; hp 79, 79; see Appendix One. 
  Tactics: One unifying tactic used at all APLs is that 
  Grynchlwrd initially tries to delay the PCs’ attack and 
  keep their attention focused on him, by talking to them.  
  To keep their attention, he will happily tell them some of 
  what he knows of King Sewarndt’s plans.  See Player 
  Handout #2: The Demon’s Letter for information that 
  Grynchlwrd will reveal.  If the PCs take the bait and are 
  willing to talk to Grynchlwrd rather than immediately 
  attacking, then attempt to play the conversation out, 
  while keeping a mental estimation of how many rounds 
  of preparation time the rogue underlings, Black and Blue, 
  have gained due to the conversation.  
   
  Another unifying tactic used at all APLs is the 
  targeting of divine spellcasters or, if there are no divine 
  spellcasters, the targeting of arcane spellcasters.  Handled 
  improperly, this is going to guarantee PC death.  This is 
  not the intent of the author; the intent is to use 
  intelligent enemy tactics to deprive the PCs of many of 
  the “power-ups” typically granted by divine spellcasters 
  in the first few rounds of a fight (Bless, Prayer, Bull 
  Strength, etc).  By severely hurting the divine spellcaster 
  (or arcane spellcaster), the enemy will hopefully force the 
  spellcaster to retreat and focus instead on healing 
  him/herself 
  and 
  casting 
  protective 
  magics 
  on 
  him/herself.  If a targeted spellcaster retreats back up the 
  fissure to heal up or cast protections, do not pursue, but 
  focus on pounding some other PC.  If the PCs don’t seem 
  to “get it”, then kind Judges should blatantly hint to a 
  targeted PC that retreat may be a good idea.  Kind Judges 
  may also wish to blatantly hint to the rest of the party 
  that they’d do well to attempt to protect the targeted PC.  
  If a targeted PC behaves intelligently, initiating an 
  outright retreat or even a fighting retreat, keep the 
  pressure on enough to force a continuing retreat, but 
  spread the damage around.  However, if a targeted PC 
  chooses to stay in the heat of things, feel free to grant 
  them the glorious death they apparently do not fear.  
   
  Detailed tactics for this section are found under the 
  relevant Appendices.   
   
  Once the enemy has been eliminated, the party has a 
  chance to look about the room.  Feel free to use the 
  bulleted flavor text room descriptions now, if the room 
  has not already been described.  
   
  Resting without negative effect is possible here, 
  although the chamber stinks of death, decay, and acid. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 15 
   
  Room description pieces to be read as they become 
  relevant, either during the fight or during the looting or 
  the room after the fight: 
  • 
  The heavily fissured half of the cave, by 
  which you entered, seems to be the drain-
  point for the acrid liquid that coated the 
  rocks for the more recent section of your 
  journey.  Past this area, the rest of the cavern 
  is once again dry rock. 
  • 
  A fine darkwood desk is visible, its 
  construction showing a number of hinges 
  and bracings indicating a folding or portable 
  nature despite its high quality.  Next to the 
  desk is a barbed chain hanging from a 
  nearby stalactite, an apparently recently 
  dead human male body supported by the 
  hooks. 
  • 
  The papers upon the desk are neatly written 
  in a thin spidery script.  The language is 
  Abyssal.  Upon a Decipher Script Check DC 25, 
  or having a PC able to read Abyssal, provide 
  Player’s Handout #2, the Demon’s Letter.  Allow 
  any PC inspecting Player’s Handout #2, the 
  Demon’s Letter to notice that the ink on the 
  signature is still damp.  Amongst the papers 
  there is also a very crude and incomplete map of 
  the fissure system.  Describe it as follows: There 
  are ‘X’s through some marked passages, 
  blank spots, and incomprehensible 
  shorthand notes at other points.  The most 
  interesting feature of the map is that there 
  are two passages that seem to lead to the 
  surface.  One passageway, poorly detailed on 
  the map, is the one through which the party 
  passed.  The other passageway seems to be a 
  shorter path, leading off of a branch-point 
  further down in the fissure system.  The 
  other path from the branch-point seems to 
  go a short ways before meeting up with 
  regular features, which may be the dungeons 
  proper of Onyxgate.  There is something 
  noted at this map feature. Decipher Script 
  Check DC 25, or having a PC able to read Abyssal 
  gives the translation “Useful spy-point”.  The 
  other papers on the desk, all also in Abyssal, are 
  not useful to the scenario, being musings 
  entertaining to a demon; an ode to the scent of 
  decaying flesh, a theoretical treatise on how to 
  maximize pain during torture, etc. 
  • 
  There are a number of rotting humanoid 
  bodies in a pile by the left side of the 
  portable desk.  Further to the left of the 
  corpse pile is an uneven mound of furs and 
  skins.  The creatures from whom the furs 
  and skins came are not immediately 
  identifiable.  The corpse pile is made up of dead 
  bodies and ghouls or ghasts.  When the nabassu 
  uses it’s Summon Ghouls ability, the dead bodies 
  animate and those reborn as ghasts attack.  The 
  pile of furs and skins is made up of the skins of 
  both abyssal creatures and natural creatures. 
  • 
  The rough wooden table is unremarkable, 
  unless you find dagger marks and an 
  incomplete set of playing cards remarkable. 
  • 
  Two folding cots covered in thick woolen 
  blankets of black or dark blue coloring are 
  tucked out of the way in a low alcove.  At the 
  end of each cot is an oak chest.  The two 
  chests are heavily but crudely carved to show 
  scenes of demonic faces and shadowy human 
  figures.  The cavern floor is covered in this 
  section by a large rug depicting obscene 
  scenes involving a wide assortment of 
  creatures.  Black and Blue, the twin rogues, 
  carved the chests themselves out of boredom.  
  The chests are neither locked nor trapped.  
  Inside the chests are more woolen blankets, iron 
  rations, wine skins, the twin’s entire savings, and 
  a scattering of odds and ends they’ve apparently 
  looted off of their victims. 
  • 
  The western wall is pock-marked with a 
  number of small niches and fissure lines, 
  some of which have been used as storage 
  space by the occupants of the cavern.  These 
  spaces contain odds and ends; a clay mug, a bit of 
  soap, carved bone dice, a cheap decorative 
  bracelet, a wooden comb, a ‘lucky’ rabbit’s foot, 
  an empty ink bottle, a broken quill, four pieces of 
  parchment, etc. 
  • 
  The steel grate is an open latticework 
  covered in spikes.  It appears to be 
  positioned to drop down and slow approach 
  from the corridor over which it is 
  positioned.  The openings in the grate are 6 
  inches by 6 inches. 
   
   
  Treasure:  
  ALL APLs – Partial fissure system map (see the read-
  aloud text above; there is no handout for the map) and 
  Letter.(Player Handout #2: The Demon’s Letter) 
   
  Treasure:  
   
  There is little of value here above and beyond what is 
  found on the guard’s bodies.  Their loot-able possessions 
  are noted below, with total values given rather than the 
  PC’s typical 1/6th share.  The single dose of poison each 
  had upon crossbow bolts has been used and is not listed.  
  The potions have likely been consumed and so are not 
  listed. 
  APL 4: Loot – 980 gp value (a mwk longspear, 2 mwk 
  bucklers, 2 mwk short swords, 2 mwk daggers, 2 mwk 
  heavy crossbows), Coin – 300 gp in ruby bloodstones and 
  gold coin bearing some sort of barbed skull symbol, 
  Magic – 2,063 gp value (3 suits of +1 studded leather). 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 16 
  APL 6: Loot – 815 gp value (a mwk longspear, 2 mwk 
  short swords, 2 mwk daggers, 2 mwk heavy crossbows), 
  Coin – 200 gp in ruby bloodstones and gold coin bearing 
  some sort of barbed skull symbol, Magic – 1,763 gp value 
  (3 suits of +1 studded leather), 1,748 gp value (3 +1 bucklers). 
  APL 8: Loot – 815 gp value (a mwk longspear, 2 mwk 
  short swords, 2 mwk daggers, 2 mwk heavy crossbows), 
  Coin – 200 gp in ruby bloodstones, Magic – 1,175 gp 
  value (2 suits of +1 studded leather), 1,165 gp value (2 +1 
  bucklers), and 1,000 gp value (2 Cloaks of Resistance, +1). 
  APL 10: Loot – 505 gp value (a mwk longspear, 2 mwk 
  daggers, 2 mwk heavy crossbows), Coin – 200 gp in ruby 
  bloodstones, Magic – 588 gp value (a suit of +1 studded 
  leather), 4,175 gp value (2 suits of +2 studded leather), 1,748 
  gp value (3 +1 bucklers), 1,000 gp value (2 Cloaks of 
  Resistance, +1), and 2,310 gp value (2 +1 short swords). 
  APL 12: Loot – 505 gp value (a mwk longspear, 2 mwk 
  daggers, 2 mwk heavy crossbows), Coin – 200 gp in ruby 
  bloodstones, Magic – 588 gp value (a suit of +1 studded 
  leather), 583 gp value (a +1 buckler), 4,165 gp value (2 +2 
  bucklers), 4,000 gp value (2 Bracers of Armor +2), 2,000 gp 
  value (2 Rings of Protection, +1), 1,000 gp value (2 Cloaks of 
  Resistance, +1), 2,310 gp value (2 +1 short swords), 4,000 gp 
  value (2 Amulets of Health +2), and 18,000 value (2 Rings of 
  Spell Storing, Minor). 
   
  Development: If the party has cast any area-effect 
  magics that encompass the desk and are likely to destroy 
  thin scraps of parchment (ex. Fireball, Flame Strike, 
  Blade Barrier), then the Demon’s Letter and the rough 
  fissure map are lost.  This is deeply unfortunate for the 
  party as they have destroyed most of the information for 
  which they were looking.  The Demon’s Letter is 
  required to qualify for the Favor of the King, II. 
  Encounter Four: Yikes that’s a 
  lot of troops  
  Glancing at the map found amongst the possessions 
  of the creature known as “Grynchlwrd”, two things 
  are clear. There is a somewhat shorter and easier 
  route back to the surface.  In a slight detour off of 
  that route, is a fissure that winds slightly deeper and 
  intersects with a massive room within the proper 
  dungeons of Onyxgate.  The scattered notes upon 
  the 
  makeshift 
  desk 
  seem 
  to 
  indicate 
  that 
  Grynchlwrd used this side fissure to spy upon the 
  doings within that main chamber. 
  Get the party’s marching order and light sources again as 
  they set out from this chamber.  There is no problem 
  disarming the arrow fusillade trap or in moving the grate 
  to allow a safe exit. 
  The oppressive weight of the stone over your heads 
  feels like an almost physical pressure as you enter a 
  maze of natural passageways.  They tunnels twist 
  and turn like the architecture of a mad-man’s 
  nightmares, 
  unfolding 
  into 
  identical-seeming 
  caverns while joining and rejoining familiar-feeling 
  passageways. 
  If the fissure map has not been destroyed, then it takes a 
  mere thirty minutes to reach the next piece of read-aloud 
  text.  If the fissure map on Grynchlwrd’s desk was 
  destroyed, then it takes another four hours to reach the 
  next piece of read-aloud text.  Carefully marking the 
  passageways will reduce the time from four hours to two 
  hours. 
   
  Tracking attempts really do not matter here, since 
  Grynchlwrd used random paths to get over to the fork 
  between the passage up and out and the passage down to 
  the spy-point.  In the following, keep in mind that the 
  exit path is the obscured one while the path leading 
  deeper down is the clear one.  The path leading deeper 
  down does not intersect with the dungeons in a nice 
  obvious passageway; it leads to a long thin crack which 
  allows an excellent view down into a massive chamber of 
  the dungeons. 
  The thin layer of grit, mold, and lichen, so prevalent 
  in the other dry fissures through which you have 
  traveled is worn away here.  It appears that this path 
  has been relatively well traveled in recent times.  
  After proceeding along the fissure for about ten 
  minutes along a downward sloping passage, you 
  come at last to a Y intersection, with a short 
  narrowing passageway continuing to the right and 
  another leading left and deeper.  A squiggled claw-
  mark is cut into the stone, differentiating this 
  particular splitting of the crevasse from the dozens 
  of other branch-points you’ve passed so far.   
  If the party has the map of the fissure system, read the 
  following: 
  Finally, this must be the branch-point indicated by 
  Grynchlwrd’s map.  The left fork, the one indicated 
  by the map to lead eventually to the regular features 
  which are probably the dungeons of Onyxgate, leads 
  down deeper into the cave system.  The right fork, 
  the one indicated by the map as leading to the 
  surface, rounds a bend but then seems to quickly 
  become too narrow to pass through.  
  If the party does not have the map of the fissure system, 
  read the following: 
  This branch point has a left fork that goes deeper 
  into the cave system and a right fork which rounds a 
  bend but then seems to quickly become too narrow 
  to pass through.   
  Quickly scouting either branch reveals that the left fork, 
  which leads to the spy-hole, is a rather long deep path.  
  The spy-hole is about twenty minutes travel away from 
  the branch-point.  The right fork only continues for 
  maybe ten or fifteen feet before apparently becoming too 
  narrow to be passable.  
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 17 
   
  At this point, roll Search Checks (DC 10) for any 
  elves in the party.  Merely by being near the partially 
  hidden other path, elves have a chance to find it.  If there 
  are no elves in the party, at least the PCs should be 
  wondering why the branch point is indicated if it is 
  impossible to continue down the other branch.  Hint to 
  them, if they are not thinking of this, and allow them to 
  make a Search Check DC 15 to find the path out. 
  Obscured by a boulder wedged in the crevasse before 
  you, is the way to continue along this fissure line; a 
  low hole in the crevasse wall, about 5 ft off of the 
  ground offers a way around the apparently too 
  narrow section. 
  So does the party head right and up or left and down?  If 
  up, allow them to note that this is a relatively easy path 
  with (Survival Check DC 5) fresh-tasting air.  The path 
  takes only 20 minutes to travel to the surface.  If the party 
  continues up to the surface, cut to the final exit fight.  
  However, the party does not have sufficient information 
  to qualify for Favor of the King, III.  The party that exits 
  at this point will not be aware that Sewarndt (or at least 
  his simulacra) is here or that Quaralanth is here.  The 
  favors granted will therefore be somewhat limited. 
   
  If the party heads down, a choice that will take only 
  about twenty minutes of travel, continue with the 
  following flavor text and information. 
  After descending many dozens of feet deeper 
  beneath the earth, the crevasse flattens into a broad 
  undulating crack, a dozen feet wide, but only two 
  feet tall.  Crawling perhaps twenty feet further, light 
  is detected ahead. 
  The fissure that leads to the spy-hole does not continue 
  on to anywhere else; it simply flattens out into the low 
  crack that intersects with the big cavern.  Get party 
  layout, light sources and precautions.  This is not really 
  needed information for the Judge, but should increase 
  the party’s caution and paranoia. 
   
  Allow 
  various 
  Spot 
  and 
  Knowledge 
  checks 
  throughout the following read-aloud text.  The Spot and 
  Knowledge checks are detailed in the bullet points 
  following this read-aloud text and are provided simply to 
  allow PCs to better understand what they are seeing, if 
  they are capable. 
  Finally, inching forward, the source of the light is 
  apparent.  The low wide crack intersects a truly 
  massive cavern in the cavern wall high above it’s 
  floor.  The cavern must be eighty feet tall, ten times 
  as wide and twenty times as long.  The crack you are 
  in is sixty feet above the ground and only fifty feet 
  back from the head of the massive cavern…  It 
  seems to be the head of the cavern as that is where 
  the stage is set up and where all of the assembled 
  creatures are facing.  The fifty-foot by seventy foot, 
  fifteen foot tall wooden stage has a smaller dais 
  upon it rising an additional ten feet. 
   
  Dozens of glowing balls of light slowly bob and 
  wander about the vast cavern space, illuminating 
  the assembled troops.  Rank upon rank of 
  humanoids in spiked armor stand at parade rest.  
  Diverse weapons are sheathed by their sides, and 
  almost all bear a bow.  In smaller units amongst the 
  warriors are robed human men and women, often 
  accompanied by small animals and metal giants.  On 
  the far side of the cavern, are a long row of human 
  men and women in metal breastplates and bearing 
  flails.  They seem to serve as a buffer between the 
  main army and a number of things difficult to 
  count; insubstantial things bob in the uncertain 
  light amongst a scattered rank of gaunt, feral 
  looking men.  Towards the back of the cavern are a 
  number of half-built multistory buildings bearing 
  the mark of frequent damage. 
   
  Creeping to the edge of the crack and glancing 
  down, the feeling of palpable evil is quite strong.  
  Directly beneath the crack, are some troops 
  apparently summoned from the Infinite Layers of 
  the Abyss. These are separated from the main ranks 
  of warriors by a long line of robed men and women 
  each bearing some mark of fiendish taint. 
   
  As you finish your quick glance about the 
  cavern, the slight murmuring and shifting about 
  comes to a silent standstill at the sound of a single 
  sustained note from a war horn.  Behind the 15 ft. 
  tall stage a single figure bearing a crown upon his 
  head separates from a discussion with two other 
  crowned figures and a robed man in a breastplate 
  and mounts the stairs.  As he reaches the top of the 
  stage and walks forward, the two other crowned 
  figures separate and join a short line of six robed 
  men, who begin a series of arcane gestures.  The 
  robed man in a breastplate joins several other 
  armored and robed men behind the line of mages 
  and they also begin gesturing.  Meanwhile, the 
  crowned figure on the stage reaches the pinnacle of 
  the smaller dais as a trumpet fanfare sounds and 
  vast banners appear in the air behind him.  Leaning 
  forward, he begins speaking in a confident and 
  familiar tone that carries easily through the entire 
  vast chamber. 
  Hand out Player Handout #3: King Sewarndt’s Speech.  If 
  there is a player at the table whom you think may be a 
  good choice to momentarily ham it up as Sewarndt, ask 
  that player to read the speech aloud to the rest of the 
  table.  If nothing else, it will give the Judge a break from a 
  whole lot of reading. 
  • 
  The metal giants are Iron Golems, the insubstantial 
  things are incorporeal undead, gaunt feral looking 
  men are vampires and vampire spawn. 
  • 
  Knowledge Local DC 15 - The damaged half-built 
  buildings in the back are urban warfare training area 
  modeled on the King’s walk in Rel Mord. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 18 
  • 
  For the troops from the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, 
  feel free to make up numbers and demon types.  This 
  is not meant to be a combat encounter and the 
  demon numbers and types should be described as 
  whatever is sufficient to convince the party that 
  picking a fight here will be a spectacularly bad idea. 
  • 
  Spot DC 15 – the crowned men were all identical 
  • 
  Spot DC 20 – the crowned men were all Sewarndt 
  • 
  Knowledge: Arcana DC 15 – these are most likely 
  several simulacra 
  • 
  Spot DC 20 – the robed man with the Sewarndts is 
  Quaralanth 
  • 
  Spellcraft DC 11 – The glowing balls of light are 
  Dancing Lights from dozens of casters. 
  • 
  Spot DC 15 then Spellcraft DC 11 – the spell cast 
  simultaneously by a number of arcane casters behind 
  the stage was Ghost Sound one or two silent images 
  thrown in. 
  • 
  Spot DC 15 then Spellcraft DC 11 – the spell cast by 
  several of the divine casters behind the stage was an 
  unfamiliar one, but it had the marks of enchantment 
  magics. 
  • 
  Amongst the banners is the Shield of Nyrond, 
  (Knowledge: Heraldry/Nobility DC 10 – it’s 
  reversed, DC 15 – Prince Sewarndt’s symbol is the 
  crest of Nyrond, reversed), a black phoenix 
  (Knowledge Heraldry/Nobility DC 20 – the old crest 
  of the missing Fourth Legion), a number of other 
  shields, (Knowledge: Heraldry/Nobility DC 10 - the 
  Shields of the provinces of Nyrond), a swirling 
  symbol (Knowledge: Religion DC 20 – Thirazdun), 
  and a red symbol (Knowledge: Heraldry or history 
  DC 10 – The Scarlet Sign) 
  As the last resounding cry of ‘No mercy!’ still echoes 
  throughout the cavern, a guard in spiked armor 
  pelts from a low cavern exit near the stage and 
  charges up upon the stage.  Regally silencing the 
  gathered forces with a one-handed gesture, the 
  crowned man upon the stage listens momentarily to 
  the 
  messenger 
  before 
  again 
  addressing 
  the 
  assembled troops. 
   
  “Men.  Royal General Basmajenn reports the 
  loss of a posting within the surface fissures.  Our 
  sacrifices in secrecy must not be exposed just yet.  
  This meeting is over.  Report to your posts.  
  Diviners, begin your probes within the caverns and 
  work outwards.  Summoners, bring forth the 
  Hunters of the Depths.  Beastmasters, unleash your 
  charges upon the surface.  If there are still spies 
  within the depths or the nearby surface, they must 
  be destroyed.  Now go! 
  Upon succeeding in a Listen check DC 10, read the 
  following. 
  It is not clear just what the “Hunters of the Depths” 
  are, but from the chorus of pleased hissing and 
  malevolent laughter coming from below the crack in 
  which you are hiding, it just cannot be good. 
  The laughing creatures are a bunch of demons a mere 
  sixty feet below the crack. 
   
  Upon succeeding in a Wisdom check DC 10, read 
  the following. 
  If you cannot get back to your mounts before those 
  Beastmasters are organized and unleash their 
  creatures upon the surface, then you will be on foot 
  as the forces of Onyxgate seek you out.  It may be 
  wise to get out fast. 
  Keep in mind that the Abjuration magic infused into the 
  stone surrounding Onyxgate acts as a Dimensional 
  Anchor spell on all within Onyxgate or it’s fissure system. 
   Should any PC use Detect Magic or Arcane Sight while 
  within the caves and fissures, they will be able to detect 
  the faint but pervasive Abjuration magic and a Spellcraft 
  check DC 20 reveals this fact.  Hopefully, the PCs will 
  have noted this already and will not be discovering this 
  effect just now. 
   
  Development: What to do if the PCs choose to 
  attack the assembled forces of Onyxgate.  Pause and offer 
  to let the PC(s) rethink that idea with the following 
  points in mind – 1) “Sewarndt” may be a simulacrum, not 
  the original, 2) the vampires, incorporeal undead and 
  some of the demons could definitely reach the PCs’ 
  location rapidly, and 3) the area may be shielded in a way 
  which prevents teleportation for escape.  If the PC(s) still 
  choose to attack, simply collect the character sheets.  
  Everyone is dead and attempting to play it out is 
  pointless.   
   
  Some PCs may wish to sacrifice themselves by 
  dropping powerful area-effect magics in an attempt to 
  harm the army for the sake of Nyrond.  Unfortunately, 
  even the apparently ‘perfect’ spell Earthquake will not 
  significantly harm the army since the magic-infused rock 
  of Onyxgate resists further collapse or fissuring.  This is 
  why the fissure system through which the PCs have 
  passed still remains intact many years after it’s formation. 
   The 
  PCs 
  were 
  sent 
  to 
  get 
  information.   
  The best thing they can do is get away quickly so that 
  their information can be delivered. 
   
  Creatures: Too many to count and way too many to 
  list.  Attacking them is simply suicide. 
   
  Treasure: Information only.  However, this 
  information on the make-up of the forces gathered in 
  Onyxgate is what is required to qualify for the Favor of 
  the King, III. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 19 
  Encounter Five: Cry Havoc  
  Ask the party which way they are choosing to exit the 
  crevasse system.  They can either take the longer route 
  back up to where they eliminated the three guards at the 
  entrance, within sight of the tower, or they can follow 
  the shorter route that seems to exit lower on the hillside, 
  according to Grynchlwrd’s map. 
   
  If the PCs attempt to exit the same way they came in, 
  add a guard post appropriate to one APL higher than the 
  party experienced first encounter, plus the hounds of the 
  final fight, plus the ‘bonus’ hound normally added due to 
  being spotted by the tower.  As this is a highly unlikely 
  choice by the PCs, there is no flavor text provided for the 
  encounter.  Feel free to improvise. 
   
  Assuming the PCs exit by the shorter route, heading 
  out the hidden exit, out of view of the tower: 
  The rush out of the depths is a blur.  The fissures 
  seem to go on forever and be over in an eye-blink.  
  The exit of this route is a low crawl beneath an old, 
  dead oak and climbing out of it’s hollow broken 
  trunk.  Even the weak dappled sunlight amidst the 
  trees is sharp and over-bright as it replaces the 
  absolute dark you have left. 
   
  The hazy warmth of the day and the buzzing of 
  bees would be an image of peace, were it not for the 
  approaching unearthly howls.  The sounds of 
  horrible howling are loudest behind you, a rising 
  chorus from up the hill.  There are sounds of 
  combat, screams and neighing, off to your left, a few 
  hundred feet. 
  Situation: Ten riders from the Entrell Militia have passed 
  by on their way back to the Entrell Estates from patrols 
  along the eastern Almorian border.  They had noticed 
  and followed the trail of horses to where the PCs had left 
  their mounts.  This is where they had the misfortune to 
  meet the first wave of hounds unleashed by the 
  beastmasters of Onyxgate.  They have fought a valiant but 
  losing battle against the hounds.  As the PCs arrive, the 
  last of the elves is about to be killed.  If the PCs aid him 
  immediately, he will survive and be able to ride out with 
  the party. 
   
  Any PC who has brought his or her own mount shall 
  find that mount to be still alive but at 50% hit points.  As 
  for the mounts provided by the royal stables, beautiful 
  chestnut palfreys, a number of them are dead along with 
  a number of the dappled palominos ridden by the Entrell 
  Militia elves.  At the end of the fight, unless the PCs are 
  responsible for killing a horse or two, there will be 
  sufficient mounts for the entire party, plus one. 
  Entering the familiar section of woods where you 
  had left your mounts, a scene of carnage is before 
  you.  Armored elves lie broken and bleeding about 
  the glade, most surrounded by the corpses of one or 
  more massive wolves.  Dead or dying horses form 
  low, bloody lumps in the churned terrain.  Several 
  wounded horses are being herded back into the 
  killing circle by great growling beasts as two of the 
  animals assault an armored elf still astride his 
  mount. 
   
  With a sudden leap, the elf is ripped from his 
  mount by one of the wolves and they begin to close 
  in. 
  Roll for initiative.  
   
  Situation, Captain Vel’morel is the last remaining elf 
  from a troop of ten and has only 25% of his original hit 
  points remaining.  The other nine elves are all dead at 
  this point and they have accounted for fifteen 
  wolves/hounds during the fighting.  The estimate of ‘25% 
  of his original hit points remaining’ is provided only as a 
  measure indicating that he is pretty badly wounded.  If 
  offered healing, he will advise the party to “Heal your 
  own and prepare to ride!”  If precise hit points become 
  important for reason, then assume Captain Vel’morel’s 
  maximum number of hit points is the same as the average 
  maximum number of hit points for the party. 
   
  When the PCs show up, Captain Vel’morel is 
  unhorsed and loses his sword.  During the ensuing battle, 
  he will not be useful in the fight as he is busy with the 
  critical task of preventing the wounded and panicked 
  horses from running away.  The number of horses he is 
  able to keep together is initially one for every PC as well 
  as one for himself.  As the combat progresses, this 
  number may drop.  See the tactics sections of the 
  Appendices for why.  Captain Laucian Vel’morel has not 
  been provided a stat block as he will not be fighting.   
  Creatures:  
  APL 4 (EL 5) 
  � Worgs (3): hp 35, 35, 35; see Appendix One 
  and see Monster Manual page 256. 
  � Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter 
  one” creature:  add one Worg, hp 35, and see 
  Appendix One for bonus creature separate 
  tactics. 
  APL 6 (EL 7) 
  � Hell Hounds (5): hp 26, 26, 26, 26, 26; see 
  Appendix One and see Monster Manual page 
  152. 
  � Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter 
  one” creature:  add one Hell Hound, hp 26, and 
  see Appendix One for bonus creature separate 
  tactics. 
  APL 8 (EL 9) 
  � Winter Wolves (4): hp 57, 57, 57, 57; see 
  Appendix One and see Monster Manual page 
  256. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 20 
  � Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter 
  one” creature:  add one Winter Wolf, hp 57, 
  and see Appendix One for bonus creature 
  separate tactics. 
  APL 10 (EL 11) 
  � Hell Hound (Nessian Warhound): hp 116; 
  see Appendix One and see Monster Manual 
  page 152. 
  � Winter Wolves (4): hp 57, 57, 57, 57; see 
  Appendix One and see Monster Manual page 
  256. 
  � Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter 
  one” creature:  add one Winter Wolf, hp 57, 
  and see Appendix One for bonus creature 
  separate tactics.. 
  APL 12 (EL 13) 
  � Hell Hounds (Nessian Warhounds) (4): hp 
  116, 116, 116, 116; see Appendix One and see 
  Monster Manual page 152. 
  � Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter 
  one” creature:  add one Nessian Warhound, hp 
  116, and see Appendix One for bonus creature 
  separate tactics. 
  Treasure:  
   
  Since the PCs will not reasonably have time to loot 
  the bodies of the fallen, there is no treasure to be gained 
  other than the Favor of the Entrell Militia 
  The Ride Out of Almor 
  Note that the following read-aloud text assumes that 
  Captain Vel’morel has survived the fight.  It will need to 
  be skipped if he was killed. 
  As the last of the beasts drops, the panic of the 
  surviving horses subsides and the elven fighter is 
  able to bring the horses over to the center of the 
  battlefield.  Retrieving his sword, he says “I am 
  Captain Laucian Vel'morel of the Entrell Militia, 
  and I thank you.  We must flee, but I ask your 
  indulgence for a moment.  Please tend the horses 
  and mount so we may flee the more quickly” He 
  then moves rapidly amongst the carnage, his dagger 
  darting down as he kneels by each fallen elf. 
  Captain Vel'morel will quickly step up to the corpse of 
  each of his dead comrades, say something quietly in 
  elven, cut a lock of hair and move to the next.  As he 
  moves, the howling in the distance seems to come closer. 
   
  Listen check DC 15 to hear his words (in rapid, but 
  forceful, elven) 
  “Dear friend, I pray your spirit travel with this 
  lock of hair as I bring it with me to our home.  
  You have died a hero and must accompany me 
  on this last ride.  Do not linger in this foul 
  place.  Come.” 
  There are nine bodies, but Captain Vel'morel, is fast and 
  efficient, taking only 4 rounds to complete his circuit.  
  He considers this his duty to his men and will not leave 
  until it is complete.  As the fourth round starts, distant 
  war-horns join the now much closer howling of a great 
  horde of beasts.  If there is still a horse to spare or one 
  which may be ridden double Captain Vel'morel will 
  quickmount and thank any PCs who have been willing to 
  stay with him through this task before riding like the 
  wind to stay ahead of the pursuing assault.   
   
  If the PCs attempt to leave before Vel'morel has 
  finished his task, he will ask that they leave him a horse.  
  If a horse is left for him, Vel'morel survives and will catch 
  up with the PCs on the ride out.  If no horse is left for 
  Vel’morel and he is left to fend for himself, he dies and 
  the Favor of the Entrell Militia is lost. 
   
  If any PCs should wish to stay and make a stand after 
  having killed the first set of hounds, have them make a 
  listen check DC 10.  Let them know that the sounds of 
  many dozen great wolves have been joined by the 
  pounding of war drums and clarion of war-horns.  The 
  only hope of survival lies in fleeing as fast as mounts may 
  carry them.  If Vel’morel still lives, he will advise the PCs 
  to flee, once he has completed his task, and he will set an 
  example. 
   
  Sadistic judges may choose to request ride checks 
  and upon failure describe the sounds of howling getting 
  closer. 
   
  If there are too few horses to provide mounts for the 
  entire party, the PCs may ride double.  Any PCs with a 
  high movement rate (ex. Monks or Barbarians) choosing 
  to run rather than ride may do so as well.   
   
  The PCs will not have a chance to rest during the 
  first part of their trip back to Justcrown Province.  
  Wolves and worse creatures chase the party for the first 
  fifteen hours of the pursuit, forcing the PCs to right flat-
  out even at night, with the result that the PCs reach 
  Silverwat in fifteen hours rather than two days.  As they 
  pass rises and glance back, they will be able to spot 
  motion on the ground and black shapes flitting about the 
  treetops. In Silverwat, they will be able to get new horses 
  for free, but a ominous feeling of pursuit and 
  encirclement force the PCs to leave as quickly as they 
  may.  Even after the sounds of howling have faded (going 
  silent shortly before Silverwat was reached), the feeling 
  of malign pursuit remains for many days.  In truth, there 
  are no more encounters in the scenario, but (as a flavor 
  issue) don’t let the PCs rest or relax until they enter 
  Justcrown.   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 21 
   
  Development:  The effects the rest-free run out of 
  the environs of Onyxgate are as follows: horses ridden 
  double will be ridden to death by the time Silverwat is 
  reached.  The horse will stagger into town and then 
  collapse, dead.  The PCs who choose to run will have 
  begun taking subdual damage during the fifteen-hour 
  pursuit; unlike horses, the PCs have not been bred to run 
  long distances for hours at a time.  The subdual damage 
  will be two fortitude checks, DC 15 for half damage, with 
  the each check being to save against (APL/2)*d6 worth of 
  subdual damage.  Skip or reduce the rolled subdual 
  damage at will, if it will knock s PC unconscious; this is 
  intended as flavor rather than a chance to kill PCs with 
  an unlisted encounter.  Although the scenario is 
  essentially over at this point, and so no permanent harm 
  is to be done, it is important to maintain the feeling of 
  threat and pursuit.  It is not that the PCs have escaped 
  from danger, but more that they have barely survived to 
  carry word of the massive danger that will fall upon the 
  PCs, and all of Nyrond, later. 
  Conclusion 
  As you ride out of Old Almor, passing the tiny 
  thorps of the resettlements, it is clear how 
  undefended and indefensible these tiny villiages 
  are.  Once passing through the Old Almorian 
  Borderlands into the more populated farmlands in 
  the northwestern section of the Duchy of Almor, the 
  friendly waves from the farmhands seem to be a 
  salute of recognition that they are unaware of the 
  threat hidden within the heart of the hills of Old 
  Almor.   
  PCs may wish to attempt rescuing or defending minor 
  settlements from the force pursuing them.  Point out that 
  the settlements have been thus far unmolested and, 
  furthermore, it seems that the pursuit has gone covert, 
  apparently intent on eliminating the PCs without giving 
  themselves away to the locals.   
  Even entering Justcrown province, with its well-
  patrolled roads, does not shake the vague feeling of 
  threat and pursuit, lingering like the scent of the 
  fissures under Onyxgate.   
  In reality, the pursuit fades away entirely once the PCs 
  have left the Almorian Borderlands.  The rolling fields 
  offer little by way of cover or camouflage.  The remaining 
  feeling of pursuit is purely psychological. 
  As the days of wearying travel affect your eyes, you 
  pull up in shock just after cresting the last rise 
  before Rel Mord comes into view.  The setting sun’s 
  crimson light conspired with the red and yellow 
  tower pennants to make it seem that the great walls 
  of the capitol were aflame, a hallucination rapidly 
  blinked away.  The massive losses during the 
  Greyhawk wars of a decade ago have been made up 
  by many patriotic youth wishing to serve in the 
  Legions of the Reformer King, but the sights 
  beneath Onyxgate have cast into sharp relief the 
  relative youth and inexperience of the Legions now 
  protecting Nyrond. 
   
  As you reach the gates of Rel Mord, your 
  descriptions have apparently been passed to the 
  guards, since you are whisked through all normal 
  barriers into an immediate audience with the King.  
  King Lynwerd accepts your report, appearing to pale 
  and age as he understands the import of your 
  discoveries.  Nodding his thanks, he wastes no time 
  and immediately calls for his council of advisors to 
  be summoned, along with a steward to see to your 
  needs. 
   
  The End 
   
  Experience Point Summary 
  To award experience for this adventure, add up the values 
  for the objectives accomplished. Then assign the 
  experience award.  Award the total value (objectives plus 
  roleplaying) to each character. 
  Encounter One: Wanna Wrassle? 
   
  APL4 90 xp 
   
  APL6 150 xp 
   
  APL8 210 xp 
   
  APL10 270 xp 
   
  APL12 330 xp 
  Encounter Two: Dead Men Do Tell Tales 
   
  APL4 90 xp 
   
  APL6 90 xp 
   
  APL8 90 xp 
   
  APL10 90 xp 
   
  APL12 90 xp 
  Encounter Three: Be My Ghast 
   
  APL4 210 xp 
   
  APL6 270 xp 
   
  APL8 330 xp 
   
  APL10 390 xp 
   
  APL12 450 xp 
  Witnessing Encounter Four Story Award 
   
  APL4 35 xp 
   
  APL6 50 xp 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 22 
   
  APL8 65 xp 
   
  APL10 80 xp 
   
  APL12 95 xp 
  Encounter Five: Cry Havoc 
   
  APL4 180 xp 
   
  APL6 240 xp 
   
  APL8 300 xp 
   
  APL10 360 xp 
   
  APL12 420 xp 
  Discretionary role-playing award 
   
  APL4 70 xp 
   
  APL6 100 xp 
   
  APL8 130 xp 
   
  APL10 160 xp 
   
  APL12 190 xp 
  Total possible experience: 
   
  APL4 675 xp 
   
  APL6 900 xp 
   
  APL8 1125 xp 
   
  APL10 1350 xp 
   
  APL12 1575 xp 
  Treasure Summary 
  During an adventure, characters encounter treasure, 
  usually finding it in the possession of their foes.  Every 
  encounter that features treasure has a “treasure” section 
  within the encounter description, giving information 
  about the loot, coins, and magic items that make up the 
  encounter’s treasure. 
   
  The loot total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if the foes are plundered of all their earthly 
  possessions.  Looting the bodies takes at least 10 minutes 
  per every 5 enemies, and if the characters cannot take the 
  time to loot the bodies, they do not gain this gold.  If you 
  feel it is reasonable that characters can go back to loot the 
  bodies, and those bodies are there (i.e., not carted off by 
  dungeon scavengers, removed from the scene by the local 
  watch, and so on), characters may return to retrieve loot.  If 
  the characters do not loot the body, the gold piece value for 
  the loot is subtracted from the encounter totals given 
  below. 
   
  The coin total is the number of gold pieces each 
  character gains if they take the coin available.  A normal 
  adventuring party can usually gather this wealth in a round 
  or so.  If for some reason, they pass up this treasure, the 
  coin total is subtracted from the encounter totals given 
  below. 
   
  Next, the magic items are listed.  Magic item treasure 
  is the hardest to adjudicate, because they are varied and 
  because characters may want to use them during the 
  adventure.  Many times characters must cast identify, analyze 
  dweomer or similar spell to determine what the item does 
  and how to activate it.  Other times they may attempt to 
  use the item blindly.  If the magic item is consumable (a 
  potion, scroll, magic bolts, etc.) and the item is used before 
  the end of the adventure, its total is subtracted from the 
  adventure totals below. 
   
  Once you have subtracted the value for unclaimed 
  treasure from each encounter add it up and that is the 
  number of gold pieces a characters total and coin value 
  increase at the end of the adventure.  Write the total in the 
  GP Gained field of the adventure certificate.  Because this is 
  a Regional scenario, characters may spend additional Time 
  Units to practice professions or create items immediately 
  after the adventure so this total may be modified by other 
  circumstances. 
   
  L = Looted gear from enemy; C = Coin, Gems, Jewelry, 
  and other valuables; M = Magic Items. 
   
  The below values are the typical PC’s 1/6th share of 
  the total loot. 
  Encounter One:  Wanna Wrassle? 
   
  APL 4: L: 156 gp; C: 50 gp; M: 313 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 156 gp; C: 50 gp; M: 313 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 156 gp; C: 50 gp; M: 888 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 4 gp; C: 50 gp; M: 2,540 gp  
   
  APL 12: L: 4 gp; C: 500 gp; M: 3,290 gp  
  Encounter Two: Dead Men Do Tell Tales   
   
  All APLs: L: 130 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp 
  Encounter Three: Be My Ghast   
   
  APL 4: L: 163 gp; C: 50 gp; M: 249 gp 
   
  APL 6: L: 136 gp; C: 33 gp; M: 585 gp 
   
  APL 8: L: 136 gp; C: 33 gp; M: 557 gp 
   
  APL 10: L: 84 gp; C: 33 gp; M: 1,470 gp  
   
  APL 12: L: 84 gp; C: 33 gp; M: 5,941 gp  
  Encounter Five: Cry Havoc   
   
  All APLs: L: 0 gp; C: 0 gp; M: 0 gp 
  Total Possible Treasure 
  APL 4: L: 449 gp; C: 100 gp; M: 606 gp  - Total: 1,155 gp 
  (but max gp cap is 600 gp) 
  APL 6: L: 421 gp; C: 83 gp; M: 898 gp  - Total: 1,402 gp (but 
  max gp cap is 800 gp) 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 23 
  APL 8: L: 421 gp; C: 83 gp; M: 1,444 gp  - Total: 1,949 gp 
  (but max gp cap is 1,250 gp) 
  APL 10: L: 217 gp; C: 83 gp; M: 4,010 gp  - Total: 4,311 gp 
  (but max gp cap is 2,100 gp) 
  APL 12: L: 217 gp; C: 83 gp; M: 9,231 gp  - Total: 9,531 gp 
  (but max gp cap is 3,000 gp) 
  Special 
  Until a favor is expended, the character is deemed to have 
  an Influence Point with the associated power group. 
  Disfavor of the King: All item access and favors listed 
  on this AR are removed, although the character does 
  receive maximum gold for the appropriate APL.  
  Similarly, all Royal or Noble favors from the Kingdom of 
  Nyrond issued or received prior to the date listed on this 
  AR are similarly cancelled. 
  Favor of the King, I:  King Lynwerd has arranged to 
  allow one suit of armor to be enchanted with the Light 
  Fortification special ability.  This favor may also be used 
  to upgrade an already Fortified suit of armor from either 
  Light to Moderate or Moderate to Heavy.  This favor 
  counts only as access and the PC must pay the difference 
  in market value for the upgrade.   
  Favor of the Church of Heironeous:  The Church of 
  Heironeous will upgrade any one magical weapon that 
  the PC owns to add the Holy special ability.  This favor 
  counts only as access and the PC must pay the difference 
  in market value for the upgrade.   
  Favor of the Salaff Blacksmiths:  The PC has access to 
  purchase the Lion Shield (DMG p 221).   
  Favor of the King, II:  King Lynwerd has arranged to 
  cover half the expenses of one Raise Dead spell, should 
  your body be brought to any Temple in the Kingdom of 
  Nyrond.  If a PC has died during the course of the 
  scenario, this favor may be expended immediately.   
  Favor of the King, III:  The King has granted the PC 
  access to purchase either, a Ring of Spell Storing, Minor, 
  a Ring of Spell Storing, or a Ring of Spell Storing, Major.  
  Until this favor is expended, the character is deemed to 
  have an Influence Point with the King or any Royal 
  organizations. 
  Favor of the Entrell Militia:  The Entrell Estates will 
  provide access to purchase either Horseshoes of Speed or 
  Horseshoes of the Zephyr.   
  Items for the Adventure Record 
  Item Access 
  APLs 4-10: 
  • 
  Goggles of Minute Seeing (Adventure; DMG; 1,250 
  gp) 
  • 
  Wand of Silence (Adventure; DMG; 4,500 gp) 
  • 
  Medallion of Thoughts (Adventure; DMG; 12,000 
  gp)) 
  • 
  Ring of Invisibility (Adventure; DMG; 20,000 gp) 
  • 
  Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location 
  Location (Adventure; DMG; 35,000 gp) 
  APL 12 (all of APLs 4-10 plus the following): 
  • 
  Ring of Spell Storing, Minor (Adventure; DMG; 
  18,000 gp) 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 24 
  Appendix One – Combat Encounters
  Encounter One: Wanna 
  wrassle? 
  APL 4  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: If Merton’s Listen check has exceeded the 
  PC’s Move Silently check by a fairly large margin, it 
  will be fair to consider the guards to have readied 
  actions for the appearance of the PCs. 
   
  Udo rushes the first PC he sees in an effort to 
  block up the fissure and prevent the other PCs from 
  being able to get past him or spread out.  Garrod uses 
  the longspear to keep other PCs off of Udo while Udo 
  grapples and uses his spiked armor on the grappled PC. 
   Merton casts Bless and moves up with the longspear to 
  aid by stabbing the grappled PC repeatedly.   
   
  Play the guards smart.  Ex. if Udo is more badly 
  hurt than Garrod, they will trade places so that Merton 
  can heal Udo.  If the guards start losing the battle, 
  Merton will attempt to signal the Tower.  In this effort, 
  he will send his bat familiar (Knowledge Arcana DC 
  15: kill the spell caster and the familiar is just an 
  animal, incapable of communicating anything) and 
  will use Ghost Sound to create the sound of a single 
  incredibly loud alarm horn.  Should the party have cast 
  silence or otherwise negated the Adept’s ability to 
  signal the Tower, he will simply continue in the 
  fighting, doing as much damage as he can before going 
  down.  All three will fight to the death as they have 
  been trained to do.   
  Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: Male human 
  War2, CR 1 (each); Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  2d8+6; hp 19 (each); Init +2; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 17; touch 
  12, flat-footed 15; BAB/Grp: +2/+9; Atk: +6 melee 
  (1d4+3/20/x2, mwk spiked gauntlet) or +6 melee 
  (1d8+3/20/x3, 
  mwk 
  longspear) 
  or 
  +5 
  melee 
  (1d6+3,20/x2, spiked armor) or +5 melee (1d6+3/19-
  20/x2, short sword) or +5 melee (1d4+3/19-20/x2, 
  dagger); AL LN; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 16(+3), 
  Dex 14(+2), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), Wis 10(+0), Cha 
  10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +3, Intimidate +4, Jump 
  -2, Listen +1; Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed 
  Strike 
   
  Possessions (each): +1 scale mail with armor spikes, 
  mwk spiked gauntlets, mwk longspear, short sword, 
  dagger, mottled brown cloak, waterskin, 1 trail ration, 
  100 gp in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile. 
   
  Physical Description: a scarred and weathered 30-35 
  yr old human male, of Oeridian descent. 
  Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human Adp2, CR 1; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 2d6+6; hp 16; Init 
  +0; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 15; touch 10, flat-footed 15; 
  BAB/Grp: +1/+3; Atk: +4 melee (1d4+2/20/x2, mwk 
  spiked gauntlet) or +4 melee (1d8+2/20/x3, mwk 
  longspear) or -1 melee (1d6+2,20/x2, spiked armor) or 
  +4 melee (1d6+2/19-20/x2, short sword) or +4 melee 
  (1d4+2/19-20/x2, dagger); AL LE; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, 
  Will +6; Str 14(+2), Dex 10(+0), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), 
  Wis 16(+3), Cha 10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Climb -1, Concentration +11, 
  Jump -7, Listen +10, Spot +6; Combat Casting, Skill 
  Focus(Concentration) 
   
  Possessions: +1 scale mail with armor spikes, mwk 
  spiked gauntlets, mwk longspear, short sword, dagger, 
  mottled brown cloak, waterskin, 1 trail ration, 100 gp 
  in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile. 
  Spells Prepared (3/2 base DC = 13 + spell level): 0— Cure 
  Minor Wounds, Ghost Sound, Light; 1st—Bless, Cure Light 
  Wounds 
   
  Physical Description (for all three humans): a scarred 
  and weathered 30-35 yr old human male, of Oeridian 
  descent. 
  Bat Familiar; Squeaky: Diminutive magical beast; 
  HD (2d6+6)/2; hp 8; Init +2; Spd 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good); 
  AC 17; touch 16, flat-footed 15; BAB/Grp: +1/-16; Atk: 
  None; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 1(-5), Dex 
  15(+2), Con 10(+0), Int 6(-2), Wis 14(+2), Cha 4(-3). 
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +10, Move 
  Silently +6, Spot +9, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, 
  Empathic Link, Alertness, Blindsight 20 ft., Low-light 
  vision. 
   
  Physical Description: a tiny black bat 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 25 
  APL 6  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: If Merton has heard the PCs coming, then all 
  three will have quaffed their potions of Bull’s Strength. 
   This has not been factored into their stats yet, so the 
  Judge must increase the listed Strength, Attack, 
  Grapple, and Damage bonuses by +2.  If Merton’s 
  Listen check has exceeded the PC’s Move Silently 
  check by a fairly large margin, it will be fair to consider 
  the guards to have readied actions for the appearance 
  of the PCs. 
   
  Initially, Udo rushes the first PC he sees in an 
  effort to block up the fissure and prevent the other PCs 
  from being able to get past him or spread out.  Garrod 
  uses the longspear to keep other PCs off of Udo while 
  Udo grapples and uses his spiked armor on the 
  grappled PC.  Merton casts Bless and moves up with 
  the longspear to aid by stabbing the grappled PC 
  repeatedly.   
   
  Play the guards smart.  Ex. if Udo is more badly 
  hurt than Garrod, they will trade places so that Merton 
  can heal Udo.  If one or the other of them did not get 
  the chance to drink a potion of Bull’s Strength, they 
  trade places to allow that.  Obscuring Mist will be used 
  if the party manages to bring ranged weapons to bear.  
  If the guards start losing the battle, Merton will 
  attempt to signal the Tower.  In this effort, he will send 
  his bat familiar (Knowledge Arcana DC 15: kill the 
  spell caster and the familiar is just an animal, incapable 
  of communicating anything) and will use Ghost Sound 
  to create the sound of a single incredibly loud alarm 
  horn.  Should the party have cast silence or otherwise 
  negated the Adept’s ability to signal the Tower, he will 
  simply continue in the fighting, doing as much 
  damage as he can before going down.  All three will 
  fight to the death as they have been trained to do. 
  Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: Male human 
  War3, CR 2 (each); Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  3d8+9; hp 27 (each); Init +2; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 17; touch 
  12, flat-footed 15; BAB/Grp: +3/+10; Atk: +7 melee 
  (1d4+3/20/x2, mwk spiked gauntlet) or +7 melee 
  (1d8+3/20/x3, 
  mwk 
  longspear) 
  or 
  +6 
  melee 
  (1d6+3,20/x2, spiked armor) or +6 melee (1d6+3/19-
  20/x2, short sword) or +6 melee (1d4+3/19-20/x2, 
  dagger); AL LN; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 16(+3), 
  Dex 14(+2), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), Wis 10(+0), Cha 
  10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +0, 
  Listen +2; Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed 
  Strike, Power Attack 
   
  Possessions (each): +1 scale mail with armor spikes, 
  mwk spiked gauntlet, mwk longspear, short sword, 
  dagger, potion of Bull’s Strength, mottled brown cloak, 
  waterskin, 1 trail ration, 100 gp in gold nobles bearing 
  King Sewarndt’s profile. 
  Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human Adp3, CR 2; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 3d6+9; hp 23; Init 
  +0; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 15; touch 10, flat-footed 15; 
  BAB/Grp: +1/+3; Atk: +4 melee (1d4+2/20/x2, mwk 
  spiked gauntlet) or +4 melee (1d8+2/20/x3, mwk 
  longspear) or -1 melee (1d6+2,20/x2, spiked armor) or 
  +3 melee (1d6+2/19-20/x2, short sword) or +3 melee 
  (1d4+2/19-20/x2, dagger); AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, 
  Will +6; Str 14(+2), Dex 10(+0), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), 
  Wis 16(+3), Cha 10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +0, Concentration +12, Jump -6, 
  Listen +14, Spot +6; Combat Casting, Skill Focus 
  (Concentration), Skill Focus (Listen) 
   
  Possessions: +1 scale mail with armor spikes, mwk 
  spiked gauntlet, mwk longspear, short sword, dagger, 
  potion of Bull’s Strength, mottled brown cloak, 
  waterskin, 1 trail ration, 100 gp in gold nobles bearing 
  King Sewarndt’s profile. 
  Spells Prepared (3/3 base DC = 13 + spell level): 0— Cure 
  Minor Wounds, Ghost Sound, Light; 1st—Bless, Cure Light 
  Wounds, Obscuring Mist 
   
  Physical Description (for all three humans): a scarred 
  and weathered 30-35 yr old human male, of Oeridian 
  descent. 
  Bat Familiar; Squeaky: Diminutive magical beast; 
  HD (3d6+9)/2; hp 11; Init +2; Spd 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good); 
  AC 18; touch 16, flat-footed 16; BAB/Grp: +1/-16; Atk: 
  None; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 1(-5), Dex 
  15(+2), Con 10(+0), Int 7(-2), Wis 14(+2), Cha 4(-3). 
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +11, Move 
  Silently +6, Spot +9, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, 
  Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Alertness, 
  Blindsight 20 ft., Low-light vision. 
   
  Physical Description: a tiny black bat 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 26 
  APL 8  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics If Merton has heard the PCs coming, then all 
  three will have quaffed their potions of Bull’s Strength. 
   This has not been factored into their stats yet, so the 
  Judge must increase the listed Strength, Attack, 
  Grapple, and Damage bonuses by +2.  If Merton’s 
  Listen check has exceeded the PC’s Move Silently 
  check by a fairly large margin, it will be fair to consider 
  the guards to have readied actions for the appearance 
  of the PCs.   
   
  Initially, Udo rushes the first PC he sees in an 
  effort to block up the fissure and prevent the other PCs 
  from being able to get past him or spread out.  Garrod 
  uses the longspear to keep other PCs off of Udo while 
  Udo grapples and uses his spiked armor on the 
  grappled PC.  Merton casts Bless, then he will also 
  make sure that both Udo and Garrod have Bear’s 
  Endurance cast on them.  Once the basic “buff” spells 
  have been cast, Merton moves up with the longspear to 
  aid by stabbing the grappled PC repeatedly.   
   
  Play the guards smart.  Ex. if Udo is more badly 
  hurt than Garrod, they will trade places so that Merton 
  can heal Udo.  If one or the other of them did not get 
  the chance to drink a potion of Bull’s Strength, they 
  trade places to allow that.  Obscuring Mist will be used 
  if the party manages to bring ranged weapons to bear.  
  If the guards start losing the battle, Merton will 
  attempt to signal the Tower.  In this effort, he will send 
  his bat familiar (Knowledge Arcana DC 15: kill the 
  spell caster and the familiar is just an animal, incapable 
  of communicating anything) and will use Ghost Sound 
  to create the sound of a single incredibly loud alarm 
  horn.  Should the party have cast silence or otherwise 
  negated the Adept’s ability to signal the Tower, he will 
  simply continue in the fighting, doing as much 
  damage as he can before going down.  All three will 
  fight to the death as they have been trained to do. 
  Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: Male human 
  Ftr4, CR 4 (each); Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  4d10+12; hp 44 (each); Init +2; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 17; 
  touch 12, flat-footed 15; BAB/Grp: +4/+11; Atk: +8 
  melee (1d4+3/20/x2, mwk spiked gauntlet) or +8 melee 
  (1d8+3/20/x3, 
  mwk 
  longspear) 
  or 
  +9 
  melee 
  (1d6+6,20/x2, +1 armor spikes) or +7 melee (1d6+3/19-
  20/x2, short sword) or +7 melee (1d4+3/19-20/x2, 
  dagger); AL LN; SV Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 17(+3), 
  Dex 14(+2), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), Wis 10(+0), Cha 
  10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Intimidate +5, Jump +1, 
  Listen +4; Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed 
  Strike, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Spiked Armor), 
  Weapon Specialization (Spiked Armor) 
   
  Possessions (each): +1 scale mail with +1 armor 
  spikes, mwk spiked gauntlet, mwk longspear, short 
  sword, dagger, potion of Bull’s Strength, mottled 
  brown cloak, waterskin, 1 trail ration, 100 gp in gold 
  nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile. 
  Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human Adp5, CR 4; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 5d6+15; hp 37; Init 
  +0; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 15; touch 10, flat-footed 15; 
  BAB/Grp: +2/+4; Atk: +5 melee (1d4+2/20/x2, mwk 
  spiked gauntlet) or +5 melee (1d8+2/20/x3, mwk 
  longspear) or +1 melee (1d6+3,20/x2, +1 armor spikes) 
  +4 melee (1d6+2/19-20/x2, short sword) or +4 melee 
  (1d4+2/19-20/x2, dagger); AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, 
  Will +7; Str 14(+2), Dex 10(+0), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), 
  Wis 17(+3), Cha 10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +0, Concentration +14, Jump -6, 
  Listen 
  +15, 
  Spot 
  +6; 
  Combat 
  Casting, 
  Skill 
  Focus(Concentration), Skill Focus(Listen) 
   
  Possessions: +1 scale mail with +1 armor spikes, 
  mwk spiked gauntlet, mwk longspear, short sword, 
  dagger, potion of Bull’s Strength, mottled brown cloak, 
  waterskin, 1 trail ration, 100 gp in gold nobles bearing 
  King Sewarndt’s profile. 
  Spells Prepared (3/3/2 base DC = 13 + spell level): 0— 
  Cure Minor Wounds, Ghost Sound, Light; 1st—Bless, Cure 
  Light Wounds, Obscuring Mist; 2nd— Bear’s Endurance (2) 
   
  Physical Description (for all three humans): a scarred 
  and weathered 30-35 yr old human male, of Oeridian 
  descent. 
  Bat Familiar; Squeaky: Diminutive magical beast; 
  HD (5d6+15)/2; hp 18; Init +2; Spd 5 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (good); AC 19; touch 16, flat-footed 17; BAB/Grp: +2/-
  15; Atk: None; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; Str 1(-
  5), Dex 15(+2), Con 10(+0), Int 8(-1), Wis 14(+2), Cha 
  4(-3). 
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +12, Move 
  Silently +6, Spot +9, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, 
  Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak With 
  Master, Alertness, Blindsight 20 ft., Low-light vision. 
   
  Physical Description: a tiny black bat 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 27 
  APL 10  
   
   
   
   
  Tactics If Merton has heard the PCs coming, then all 
  three will have quaffed their potions of Bull’s Strength. 
   This has not been factored into their stats yet, so the 
  Judge must increase the listed Strength, Attack, 
  Grapple, and Damage bonuses by +2.  If Merton’s 
  Listen check has exceeded the PC’s Move Silently 
  check by a fairly large margin, it will be fair to consider 
  the guards to have readied actions for the appearance 
  of the PCs.   
   
  Initially, Udo rushes the first PC he sees in an 
  effort to block up the fissure and prevent the other PCs 
  from being able to get past him or spread out.  Garrod 
  uses the longspear to keep other PCs off of Udo while 
  Udo grapples and uses his spiked armor on the 
  grappled PC.  Merton casts Bless, then he will also 
  make sure that both Udo and Garrod have Bear’s 
  Endurance cast on them.  If Merton is being targeted 
  by the PCs, he will cast Mirror Image fairly early on.  
  Once the basic “buff” spells have been cast, Merton 
  moves up with the longspear to aid by stabbing the 
  grappled PC repeatedly.   
   
  Play the guards smart.  Ex. if Udo is more badly 
  hurt than Garrod, they will trade places so that Merton 
  can heal Udo.  If one or the other of them did not get 
  the chance to drink a potion of Bull’s Strength, they 
  trade places to allow that.  Obscuring Mist will be used 
  if the party manages to bring ranged weapons to bear.  
  If the guards start losing the battle, Merton will 
  attempt to signal the Tower.  In this effort, he will send 
  his bat familiar (Knowledge Arcana DC 15: kill the 
  spell caster and the familiar is just an animal, incapable 
  of communicating anything) and will use Ghost Sound 
  to create the sound of a single incredibly loud alarm 
  horn.  Should the party have cast silence or otherwise 
  negated the Adept’s ability to signal the Tower, he will 
  simply continue in the fighting, doing as much 
  damage as he can before going down.  All three will 
  fight to the death as they have been trained to do. 
  Wrassling Guards, 2; Garrod and Udo: Male human 
  Ftr6, CR 6 (each); Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  6d10+18; hp 64 (each); Init +2; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 18; 
  touch 12, flat-footed 16; BAB/Grp: +6/+13; Full Atk: 
  +10/+5 one-handed melee (1d4+4/20/x2, +1 spiked 
  gauntlet) or +11/+6 one-handed melee (1d6+6,20/x2, 
  spiked armor) or +11/+6 Two-handed (1d8+7/20/x3, +1 
  longspear) +9/+4 melee (1d6+3/19-20/x2, short sword) 
  or +9/+4 melee (1d4+3/19-20/x2, dagger); AL LN; SV 
  Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 17(+3), Dex 14(+2), Con 
  16(+3), Int 10(+0), Wis 10(+0), Cha 10(+0). 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Intimidate +5, Jump +1, 
  Listen +6; Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed 
  Strike, Power Attack, Weapon Focus(Spiked Armor) 
   
  Possessions (each): +1 scale mail with +1 armor 
  spikes, +1 spiked gauntlets, +1 longspear, short sword, 
  dagger, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, potion of Bull’s 
  Strength, mottled brown cloak, waterskin, 1 trail 
  ration, 200 gp in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s 
  profile 
  Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human Adp7, CR 6; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 7d6+21; hp 58; Init 
  +0; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 16; touch 10, flat-footed 16; 
  BAB/Grp: 
  +3/+5; 
  Full 
  Atk 
  +6 
  One-handed  
  (1d4+3;20/x2,  +1 Spiked Gauntlet) or +2 One-handed  
  (1d6+3;20/x2,  +1 Spiked Armor) or +6 Two-handed  
  (1d8+4;20/x3,  +1 Longspear) +5 melee (1d6+2/19-
  20/x2, short sword) or +5 melee (1d4+2/19-20/x2, 
  dagger); AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +8; Str 14(+2), 
  Dex 10(+0), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), Wis 17(+3), Cha 
  10(+0). 
   
  Skills and Feats: Climb +0, Concentration +17, Jump 
  -7, Listen +18, Spot +6; Combat Casting, Skill 
  Focus(Concentration), Skill Focus(Listen), Improved 
  Toughness 
   
  Possessions: +1 scale mail with +1 armor spikes, +1 
  spiked gauntlets, +1 longspear, short sword, dagger, 
  Amulet of Natural Armor +1, potion of Bull’s Strength, 
  mottled brown cloak, waterskin, 1 trail ration, 200 gp 
  in gold nobles bearing King Sewarndt’s profile 
  Spells Prepared (3/4/3 base DC = 13 + spell level): 0— 
  Cure Minor Wounds, Ghost Sound, Light; 1st—Bless, Cure 
  Light Wounds (2), Obscuring Mist; 2nd— Bear’s Endurance 
  (2), Mirror Image 
   
  Physical Description (for all three humans): a scarred 
  and weathered 30-35 yr old human male, of Oeridian 
  descent. 
  Bat Familiar; Squeaky: Diminutive magical beast; 
  HD (7d6+21)/2; hp 29; Init +2; Spd 5 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (good); AC 20; touch 16, flat-footed 18; BAB/Grp: +3/-
  14; Atk: None; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7; Str 1(-
  5), Dex 15(+2), Con 10(+0), Int 9(-1), Wis 14(+2), Cha 
  4(-3). 
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +15, Move 
  Silently +6, Spot +9, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, 
  Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak With 
  Master, Speak with animals of its kind, Alertness, 
  Blindsight 20 ft., Low-light vision. 
   
  Physical Description: a tiny black bat 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 28 
  APL 12  
   
   
   
   
  Tactics If Merton has heard the PCs coming, then all 
  three will have quaffed their potions of Bull’s Strength. 
   This has not been factored into their stats yet, so the 
  Judge must increase the listed Strength, Attack, 
  Grapple, and Damage bonuses by +2.  If they had the 
  time, all three will have also quaffed their potions of 
  Shield of Faith +3.  This has also not been factored into 
  their stats yet, so the Judge must increase the listed 
  Armor Class bonuses by +3.  If Merton’s Listen check 
  has exceeded the PC’s Move Silently check by a fairly 
  large margin, it will be fair to consider the guards to 
  have readied actions for the appearance of the PCs.   
   
  Initially, Udo rushes the first PC he sees in an 
  effort to block up the fissure and prevent the other PCs 
  from being able to get past him or spread out.  Garrod 
  uses the longspear to keep other PCs off of Udo while 
  Udo grapples and uses his spiked armor on the 
  grappled PC.  Merton casts Bless, then he will also 
  make sure that both Udo and Garrod have Bear’s 
  Endurance cast on them.  If Merton is being targeted 
  by the PCs, he will cast Mirror Image fairly early on.  
  Once the basic “buff” spells have been cast, Merton 
  moves up with the longspear to aid by stabbing the 
  grappled PC repeatedly.   
   
  Play the guards smart.  Ex. if Udo is more badly 
  hurt than Garrod, they will trade places so that Merton 
  can heal Udo.  If one or the other of them did not get 
  the chance to drink a potion of Shield of Faith +3, they 
  trade places to allow that.  Obscuring Mist and/or 
  Deeper Darkness will be used if the party manages to 
  bring ranged weapons to bear.  If any PC gets within 10 
  feet of Merton, he will activate his Quaal’s Feather Token 
  – Whip.  If the guards start losing the battle, Merton 
  will attempt to signal the Tower.  In this effort, he will 
  send his bat familiar (Knowledge Arcana DC 15: kill 
  the spell caster and the familiar is just an animal, 
  incapable of communicating anything) and will use 
  Ghost Sound to create the sound of a single incredibly 
  loud alarm horn.  If a situation occurs where Merton 
  has a chance to hit a bunch of PCs with Lightning Bolt, 
  he will use it even if it means hitting one of his fellow 
  guards.  Otherwise, Lightning bolt may be fired 
  directly into the air to help signal the tower.  Should 
  the party have cast silence or otherwise negated the 
  Adept’s ability to signal the Tower, he will simply 
  continue in the fighting, doing as much damage as he 
  can before going down.  All three will fight to the 
  death as they have been trained to do. 
  Wrassling Guards; Garrod and Udo: Male human 
  Ftr8, CR 8 (each); Medium Humanoid (human); HD 
  8d10+24; hp 84; Init +2; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 19; touch 12, 
  flat-footed 17; BAB/Grp: +8/+16; Atk: +13/+8 one-
  handed (1d4+5/20/x2, +1 spiked gauntlet) or +14/+9 
  one-handed (1d6+7,20/x2, +1 spiked armor) or +14/+9 
  two-handed (1d8+9;20/x3, +1 longspear) +12/+7 melee 
  (1d6+4/19-20/x2, short sword) or +12/+7 melee 
  (1d4+4/19-20/x2, dagger); AL LN; SV Fort +9, Ref +4, 
  Will +2; Str 18(+4), Dex 14(+2), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), 
  Wis 10(+0), Cha 10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Climb +9, Intimidate +3, Jump +6, 
  Listen +6, Spot +1; Combat Reflexes, Improved 
  Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Power Attack, 
  Weapon Focus (Spiked Armor, Longspear), Weapon 
  Specialization (Spiked Armor, Longspear) 
   
  Possessions: +2 scale mail with +1 armor spikes, +1 
  spiked gauntlets, +1 longspear, short sword, dagger, 
  Amulet of Natural Armor +1, potion of Bull’s Strength, 
  potion of Shield of Faith +3, mottled brown cloak, 
  waterskin, 1 trail ration, 100 gp in gold nobles bearing 
  King Sewarndt’s profile. 
  Wrassling Coach; Merton: Male human Adp9, CR 8; 
  Medium Humanoid (human); HD 9d6+27; hp 74; Init 
  +0; Spd 20 ft/x4; AC 18; touch 10, flat-footed 18; 
  BAB/Grp: +4/+6; Atk: +7 one-handed (1d4+3/20/x2, +1 
  spiked gauntlet) or +3 one-handed (1d6+3,20/x2, 
  spiked armor) or +8 two-handed (1d8+4;20/x3, +1 
  Longspear) +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20/x2, short sword) or 
  +6 melee (1d4+2/19-20/x2, dagger); AL LE; SV Fort +6, 
  Ref +3, Will +10; Str 14(+2), Dex 10(+0), Con 16(+3), Int 
  10(+0), Wis 18(+4), Cha 10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +18, Jump -4, Listen +20, 
  Spot +7; Combat Casting, Skill Focus(Concentration), 
  Skill 
  Focus(Listen), 
  Weapon 
  Focus(Longspear), 
  Improved Toughness 
   
  Possessions: +2 scale mail with +1 armor spikes, +1 
  spiked gauntlets, +1 longspear, short sword, dagger, 
  Amulet of Natural Armor +1, potion of Bull’s Strength, 
  potion of Shield of Faith +3, mottled brown cloak, 
  waterskin, 1 trail ration, 200 gp in gold nobles bearing 
  King Sewarndt’s profile. 
  Spells Prepared (3/4/3/2 base DC = 14 + spell level): 0— 
  Cure Minor Wounds, Ghost Sound, Light; 1st—Bless, Cure 
  Light Wounds (2), Obscuring Mist; 2nd— Bear’s Endurance 
  (2), Mirror Image; 3rd – Deeper Darkness, Lightning Bolt 
   
  Physical Description (for all three humans): a scarred 
  and weathered 30-35 yr old human male, of Oeridian 
  descent. 
  Bat Familiar; Squeaky: Diminutive magical beast; 
  HD (9d6+27)/2; hp 37; Init +2; Spd 5 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (good); AC 21; touch 16, flat-footed 19; BAB/Grp: +4/-
  13; Atk: None; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +8; Str 1(-
  5), Dex 15(+2), Con 10(+0), Int 10(+0), Wis 14(+0), Cha 
  4(-3). 
  Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +16, Move 
  Silently +6, Spot +9, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, 
  Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak With 
  Master, Speak With Animals of Its Kind, Alertness, 
  Blindsight 20 ft., Low-light vision. 
   
  Physical Description: a tiny black bat 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 29 
  Encounter Three: Be My Ghast 
  APL 4  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: Grynchlwrd will initially attempt to distract 
  the PCs (Bluff Check vs. the PC’s Sense Motive Check) 
  by chatting with them.  If PCs do not initially attack, 
  then Grynchlwrd will ‘bargain’ with the PCs, offering 
  an exchange of information.  Even if the PCs do not 
  offer information in return, Grynchlwrd will attempt 
  to hold their attention by revealing pieces of 
  information that he knows to be of value to them.  See 
  Player Handout #2 for the information he is willing to 
  reveal.  This conversation is simply to buy time for his 
  underlings drink their potions of invisibility and to get 
  into position.  For each piece of information 
  Grynchlwrd reveals, consider one round to have 
  passed, during which the Rogues will be preparing.  
  Conversation stops when the Rogues indicate their 
  readiness for combat by attacking.  Grynchlwrd will 
  have been waiting for this moment and will be able to 
  act immediately after the Rogues. 
   
   The Rogues will drink their potions of invisibility 
  and move to within 30 feet of the most obvious 
  cleric/divine caster.  They will reveal themselves with 
  simultaneous heavy crossbow sneak attacks upon the 
  target cleric/divine caster.  Once the Rogues have 
  attacked, the Ghouls will stand up from within the pile 
  of bodies between the desk and Grynchlwrd’s bed, and 
  join the attack, along with Grynchlwrd himself.  
  Grynchlwrd will make his initial attack against any 
  divine spellcaster.  
   
  All attackers, except the Ghouls, will have as their 
  highest priority the elimination of divine spellcasters 
  from combat.  Unconscious, dead, or simply fleeing all 
  count as ‘eliminated from combat’ as their goal is to 
  remove from the fight whoever can power up the 
  whole party (bless, prayer, etc.) or heal the party or 
  turn their undead allies.  If no divine caster is available 
  as a target, then they will primarily target any other 
  spellcasters.   
   
  The Ghouls simply attempt to attack and occupy 
  the PC fighter-types, to allow the rogues freedom in 
  their attacks.   
   
  Play the combatants intelligently; whenever they 
  can, they will flank opponents.  When they cannot 
  flank, they will use Improved Feint.  Grynchlwrd will 
  use the reach of the longspear for opportunity attacks 
  upon people who attempt to close with him, but will 
  switch to claw attacks if he is prevented from 
  withdrawing to the distance required for the longspear. 
  Grynchlwrd the Half-fiend: Male Human Rog3, CR 
  4; Medium Outsider (augmented humanoid, native); 
  HD 3d6+9; hp 23; Init +4; Spd 30 ft/x4; Fly 30 ft.(avg); 
  AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15; BAB/Grp +2/+6; Atk 
  +6/+6 primary natural  (1d4+2;20/x2, 2 Claws), +1 
  secondary natural  (1d6+4;20/x2, Bite), +7 two-handed  
  (1d8+6;20/x3, mwk longspear); AL CE; SV Fort +4, Ref 
  +7, Will +1; Str 18(+4), Dex 18(+4), Con 16(+3), Int 
  16(+3), Wis 10(+0), Cha 14(+2); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Escape Artist +10, Gather 
  Information +10, Hide +10, Jump +14, Knowledge 
  (local) +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Search +9, 
  Sense Motive +6, Spot +6, Tumble +14, Acrobatic, 
  Combat Expertise, Improved Feint. 
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet; Damage 
  reduction: 5/magic; Immunity to poison; Resistance to 
  acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, and fire 10; Spell 
  Resistance 13; Your natural weapons are treated as 
  magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage 
  reduction. 
  Smite Good (Su): Once per day you can make a 
  normal melee attack to deal +3 against a good foe. 
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day- Darkness, 1/day – 
  Desecrate 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a 
  magical attack, you take no damage 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 2d6 damage 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, mwk longspear, and 
  100 gp in ruby bloodstones. 
   
  Physical Description: A black-skinned and red-eyed 
  humanoid neatly dressed in black studded leather, 
  with silver trim.  A pair of bat wings is folded against 
  the creature’s back. 
  Rogue Twins, 2; Black and Blue: Male human Rog3, 
  CR 3 (each); Medium Humanoid (human); HD 3d6+6; 
  hp 20 (each); Init +2; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 17; touch 12, flat-
  footed 15; BAB/Grp: +2/+4; Atk: +5 melee (1d6+2,19-
  20/x2, mwk short sword) or +5 melee (1d4+2,19-20/x2, 
  mwk dagger) or +5 melee (1d10/19-20/x2, mwk heavy 
  crossbow); AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 
  14(+2), Dex 14(+2), Con 14(+2), Int 14(+2), Wis 10(+0), 
  Cha 10(+0). 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +9, Bluff +7, Climb +8, 
  Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Jump +10, Listen +6, Move 
  Silently +8, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6, Tumble +10, 
  Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Feint 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a 
  magical attack, you take no damage 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 2d6 damage.  Ranged 
  attacks must be within 30 feet to gain this. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, mwk buckler, mwk 
  short sword, mwk dagger, mwk heavy crossbow, 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 30 
  Potion of Invisibility, and 100 gp in gold coin bearing 
  some sort of barbed skull symbol. 
   
  Physical Description: Twin young Oeridian men, 17-
  20 yrs old, with black hair and very pale skin. One 
  wears mottled brown studded leather with black trim 
  and the other mottled brown studded leather with 
  dark blue trim. 
  Human Male Ghouls (2): hp 15, 15; see 
  Monster Manual page 119. 
  APL 6  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: Grynchlwrd will initially attempt to distract 
  the PCs (Bluff Check vs. the PC’s Sense Motive Check) 
  by chatting with them.  If PCs do not initially attack, 
  then Grynchlwrd will ‘bargain’ with the PCs, offering 
  an exchange of information.  Even if the PCs do not 
  offer information in return, Grynchlwrd will attempt 
  to hold their attention by revealing pieces of 
  information that he knows to be of value to them.  See 
  Player Handout #2 for the information he is willing to 
  reveal.  This conversation is simply to buy time for his 
  underlings drink their potions and to get into position. 
   For each piece of information Grynchlwrd reveals, 
  consider one round to have passed, during which the 
  Rogues will be preparing.  Conversation stops when 
  the Rogues indicate their readiness for combat by 
  attacking.  Grynchlwrd will have been waiting for this 
  moment and will be able to act immediately after the 
  Rogues. 
   
  The Rogues will drink their potions of invisibility 
  and move to within 30 feet of the most obvious 
  cleric/divine caster.  If they have the time before 
  combat starts, they will also drink their potions of Cat’s 
  Grace and Blur.  They will then reveal themselves with 
  simultaneous heavy crossbow sneak attacks upon the 
  target cleric/divine caster.  These crossbow attacks are 
  the only attacks in which poison is used.  One bolt is 
  coated with Medium Spider Venom and the other bolt 
  is coated with Black Adder Venom.  See DMG p 297 for 
  the effects and save DCs of the poisons.  Once the 
  Rogues have attacked, the Ghasts will stand up from 
  within the pile of bodies between the desk and 
  Grynchlwrd’s bed, and join the attack, along with 
  Grynchlwrd himself.  Grynchlwrd will make his initial 
  attack against any divine spellcaster.  
   
  All attackers, except the Ghasts, will have as their 
  highest priority the elimination of divine spellcasters 
  from combat.  Unconscious, dead, or simply fleeing all 
  count as ‘eliminated from combat’ as their goal is to 
  remove from the fight whoever can power up the 
  whole party (bless, prayer, etc.) or heal the party or 
  turn their undead allies.  If no divine caster is available 
  as a target, then they will primarily target any other 
  spellcasters.   
   
  The Ghasts simply attempt to attack and occupy 
  the PC fighter-types, to allow the rogues freedom in 
  their attacks.   
   
  Play the combatants intelligently; whenever they 
  can, they will flank opponents.  When they cannot 
  flank, they will use Improved Feint.  Grynchlwrd will 
  use the reach of the longspear for opportunity attacks 
  upon people who attempt to close with him, but will 
  switch to claw attacks if he is prevented from 
  withdrawing to the distance required for the longspear. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 31 
  Grynchlwrd the Half-fiend: Male Human Rog5, CR 
  6; Medium Outsider (augmented humanoid, native); 
  HD 5d6+15; hp 37; Init +4; Spd 30 ft/x4; Fly 30 ft.(avg); 
  AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 21; BAB/Grp +3/+7; Atk 
  +7/+7 primary natural  (1d4+2;20/x2, 2 Claws), +2 
  secondary natural  (1d6+4;20/x2, Bite), +8 two-handed  
  (1d8+6;20/x3, mwk longspear); AL CE; SV Fort +4, Ref 
  +8, Will +1; Str 19(+4), Dex 18(+4), Con 16(+3), Int 
  16(+3), Wis 10(+0), Cha 14(+2); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +10, Escape Artist +12, Gather 
  Information +12, Hide +12, Jump +16, Knowledge 
  (local) +11, Listen +8, Move Silently +12, Search +11, 
  Sense Motive +8, Spot +8, Tumble +16, Acrobatic, 
  Combat Expertise, Improved Feint. 
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet; Damage 
  reduction: 5/magic; Immunity to poison; Resistance to 
  acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, and fire 10; Spell 
  Resistance 15; Your natural weapons are treated as 
  magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage 
  reduction. 
  Smite Good (Su): Once per day you can make a 
  normal melee attack to deal +5 against a good foe. 
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day- Darkness, 1/day – 
  Desecrate, 1/day – Unholy blight 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a 
  magical attack, you take no damage 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 3d6 damage. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): You retain you Dexterity bonus 
  to AC even if flatfooted or struck by an invisible 
  attacker. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 buckler, mwk 
  longspear, and 100 gp in ruby bloodstones. 
   
  Physical Description: A black-skinned and red-eyed 
  humanoid neatly dressed in black studded leather, 
  with silver trim.  A pair of bat wings is folded against 
  the creature’s back. 
  Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog5; CR 5; Medium Humanoid; HD 
  5d6+10; hp 32; hp 32; Init +2; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 
  18, touch 12, flat-footed 18; BAB/Grp +3/+5; Full 
  Atk +6 One-handed (1d6+2;19-20/x2, mwk short 
  sword), +6 Two-handed (1d10;19-20/x2, mwk 
  heavy crossbow), +6 One-handed (1d4+2;19-
  20/x2, mwk dagger); AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, 
  Will +1; Str 14(+2), Dex 15(+2), Con 14(+2), Int 
  14(+2), Wis 10(+0), Cha 10(+0); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Bluff +8, Climb +10, 
  Escape Artist +10, Hide +10, Jump +12, Listen +8, Move 
  Silently +10, Sense Motive +8, Spot +8, Tumble +12, 
  Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Dodge 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a 
  magical attack, you take no damage 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 3d6 damage. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): You retain you Dexterity bonus 
  to AC even if flatfooted or struck by an invisible 
  attacker. 
   
  Possessions (each): +1 studded leather, +1 buckler, 
  mwk short sword, mwk dagger, mwk heavy crossbow, 
  Potion Of Invisibility, Potion Of Cat’s Grace, Potion Of 
  Blur, 50 gp in gold coin bearing some sort of barbed 
  skull symbol. 
   
  Physical Description: Twin young Oeridian men, 17-
  20 yrs old, with black hair and very pale skin. One 
  wears mottled brown studded leather with black trim 
  and the other mottled brown studded leather with 
  dark blue trim. 
  Human Male Ghasts (2): hp 32, 32; see Monster 
  Manual page 119. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 32 
  APL 8  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: Grynchlwrd will initially attempt to distract 
  the PCs (Bluff Check vs. the PC’s Sense Motive Check) 
  by chatting with them.  If PCs do not initially attack, 
  then Grynchlwrd will ‘bargain’ with the PCs, offering 
  an exchange of information.  Even if the PCs do not 
  offer information in return, Grynchlwrd will attempt 
  to hold their attention by revealing pieces of 
  information that he knows to be of value to them.  See 
  Player Handout #2 for the information he is willing to 
  reveal.  This conversation is simply to buy time for his 
  underlings drink their potions and to get into position. 
   For each piece of information Grynchlwrd reveals, 
  consider one round to have passed, during which the 
  Rogues will be preparing.  Conversation stops when 
  the Rogues indicate their readiness for combat by 
  attacking.  Grynchlwrd will have been waiting for this 
  moment and will be able to act immediately after the 
  Rogues. 
   
  The Rogues will drink their potions of invisibility 
  and move to within 30 feet of the most obvious 
  cleric/divine caster.  If they have the time before 
  combat starts, they will also drink their potions of Cat’s 
  Grace and Displacement.  They will then reveal 
  themselves with simultaneous heavy crossbow sneak 
  attacks upon the target cleric/divine caster.  These 
  crossbow attacks are the only attacks in which poison 
  is used.  One bolt is coated with Shadow Essence and 
  the other bolt is coated with Black Adder Venom.  See 
  DMG p 297 for the effects and save DCs of the poisons. 
   Once the Rogues have attacked, Grynchlwrd will use 
  his Summon Ghasts ability, causing some of the bodies 
  in the pile of corpses between the desk and 
  Grynchlwrd’s bed to be reborn as Ghasts.  The Ghasts 
  will stand up from the pile of bodies, and join the 
  attack.  Grynchlwrd next uses his spell like ability 
  Death Gaze against any divine spellcaster.  
   
  All attackers, except the Ghasts, will have as their 
  highest priority the elimination of divine spellcasters 
  from combat.  Unconscious, dead, or simply fleeing all 
  count as ‘eliminated from combat’ as their goal is to 
  remove from the fight whoever can power up the 
  whole party (bless, prayer, etc.) or heal the party or 
  turn their undead allies.  If no divine caster is available 
  as a target, then they will primarily target any other 
  spellcasters.   
   
  The Ghasts simply attempt to attack and occupy 
  the PC fighter-types, to allow the rogues freedom in 
  their attacks.   
   
  Play the combatants intelligently; whenever they 
  can, they will flank opponents.  When they cannot 
  flank, they will use Improved Feint.  Grynchlwrd will 
  initially use the reach of the longspear for opportunity 
  attacks upon people who attempt to close with him, 
  but will quickly switch to claw and bite attacks. 
  Grynchlwrd the Nabassu (lesser): Male Tanar’ri, CR 
  9; Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Native); HD 
  7d8+14; hp 51; Init +5; Spd 30 ft/x4; Fly 40 ft.(avg); AC 
  23, touch 12, flat-footed 21; BAB/Grp +8/+12; Atk 
  +12/+12 primary natural  (1d4+4;20/x2, 2 Claws), +10 
  secondary natural  (1d6+2;20/x2, Bite), +13 two-handed 
   (1d8+6;20/x3, mwk longspear); AL CE; SV Fort +9, Ref 
  +9, Will +13; Str 19(+4), Dex 14(+2), Con 14(+2), Int 
  14(+2), Wis 14(+2), Cha 13(+1); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +16, Escape Artist 
  +13, Hide +13, Intimidate +12, Jump +15, Knowledge 
  (Arcana) +13, Listen +15, Move Silently +13, Search 
  +13, Spellcraft +13, Spot +15, Alertness, Combat 
  Casting, Improved Initiative, Multiattack  
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet; Damage 
  reduction: 10/magic; Ethereal jaunt; Immunity to 
  death effect magics; Immunity to electricity and 
  poison; Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10; Spell 
  Resistance 21; telepathy 100 ft. Your natural weapons 
  are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of 
  overcoming damage reduction. 
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will—deeper darkness (cast as 
  a 12th-level cleric); 1/day—death gaze (functions as 
  Finger of Death cast by a 12th-level sorcerer, DC 18).  
  A Nabassu that reaches 10+ HD by Feeding can also 
  use the following: 1/day—energy drain (cast as a 12th-
  level sorcerer, DC 20), silence (cast as a 12th-level cleric, 
  DC 14), and vampiric touch (cast by a 12th-level 
  sorcerer).  
  Feed (Su): When a Nabassu slays a humanoid 
  opponent, it can feed on the corpse, devouring both 
  flesh and life force, as an action requiring a full round. 
  For every 8 HD or levels a Nabassu consumes, it gains 
  1 Hit Die. Feeding destroys the victim’s body and 
  prevents any form of resurrection that requires part of 
  the corpse. A wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell 
  can restore a devoured victim to life. 
  Paralysis Aura (Su): As a free action, a Nabassu can 
  create an aura of paralysis in a 10-foot radius. It is 
  otherwise identical with ghoul touch cast by a 12th-
  level sorcerer (save DC 13). If the save is successful, 
  that creature cannot be affected again by that Nabassu’s 
  paralysis aura for one day. Other demons are immune 
  to the aura. 
  Ethereal Jaunt (Su): Twice per day a Nabassu can 
  shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal as part of 
  any move action, and shift back again as a free action. It 
  can remain on the Ethereal Plane for 1 round before 
  returning to the Material. The ability is otherwise 
  identical with ethereal jaunt cast by a 12th-level 
  sorcerer. 
  Summon Ghasts (Sp): Once per day a Nabassu can 
  automatically summon 1d6 Ghasts (see Monster 
  Manual page 119.) as a standard action. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 33 
  Telepathy (Su): Nabassu can communicate 
  with any creature within 100 feet that has a 
  language. 
   
  Possessions: Mwk longspear and 200 gp in ruby 
  bloodstones. 
   
  Physical Description: The creature stands about 7 
  feet tall and resembles a gargoyle at first glance, but 
  one with tough, leathery, black skin rather than a hide 
  of stone. It is gaunt, with tightly corded muscles, and 
  great claws on its hands and feet. Its eyes gleam steel-
  gray and flicker with malice while its mouth is 
  stretched in a feral grin, displaying sharp fangs. 
  Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog7; CR 7; Medium Humanoid; HD 
  7d6+14; hp 44; hp 44; Init +2; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 
  18, touch 12, flat-footed 18; BAB/Grp +5/+7; Full 
  Atk +8 One-handed (1d6+2;19-20/x2, mwk short 
  sword), +8 Two-handed (1d10;19-20/x2, mwk 
  heavy crossbow), +8 One-handed (1d4+2;19-
  20/x2, mwk dagger); AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, 
  Will +3; Str 14(+2), Dex 15(+2), Con 14(+2), Int 
  14(+2), Wis 10(+0), Cha 10(+0); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +14, Bluff +10, Climb +12, 
  Escape Artist +12, Hide +12, Jump +14, Listen +10, 
  Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +10, Spot +10, 
  Tumble +14, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, 
  Dodge, Mobility 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a 
  magical attack, you take no damage 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 4d6 damage. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): You retain you Dexterity bonus 
  to AC even if flatfooted or struck by an invisible 
  attacker. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 buckler, mwk 
  short sword, mwk dagger, mwk heavy crossbow, Cloak 
  of Resistance, Potion Of Invisibility, Potion Of Cat’s 
  Grace, Potion Of Displacement, and no coin (lost it 
  gambling with Grynchlwrd). 
   
  Physical Description: Twin young Oeridian men, 17-
  20 yrs old, with black hair and very pale skin. One 
  wears mottled brown studded leather with black trim 
  and the other mottled brown studded leather with 
  dark blue trim. 
  APL 10  
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: Grynchlwrd will initially attempt to distract 
  the PCs (Bluff Check vs. the PC’s Sense Motive Check) 
  by chatting with them.  If PCs do not initially attack, 
  then Grynchlwrd will ‘bargain’ with the PCs, offering 
  an exchange of information.  Even if the PCs do not 
  offer information in return, Grynchlwrd will attempt 
  to hold their attention by revealing pieces of 
  information that he knows to be of value to them.  See 
  Player Handout #2 for the information he is willing to 
  reveal.  This conversation is simply to buy time for his 
  underlings drink their potions and to get into position. 
   For each piece of information Grynchlwrd reveals, 
  consider one round to have passed, during which the 
  Rogues will be preparing.  Conversation stops when 
  the Rogues indicate their readiness for combat by 
  attacking.  Grynchlwrd will have been waiting for this 
  moment and will be able to act immediately after the 
  Rogues. 
   
  The Rogues will drink their potions of invisibility 
  and move to within 30 feet of the most obvious 
  cleric/divine caster.  If they have the time before 
  combat starts, they will also drink their potions of 
  Displacement.  They will then reveal themselves with 
  simultaneous heavy crossbow sneak attacks upon the 
  target cleric/divine caster.  These crossbow attacks are 
  the only attacks in which poison is used.  One bolt is 
  coated with Large Scorpion Venom and the other bolt 
  is coated with Wyvern Poison.  See DMG p 297 for the 
  effects and save DCs of the poisons.  Once the Rogues 
  have attacked, Grynchlwrd will use his Summon 
  Ghasts ability, causing some of the bodies in the pile of 
  corpses between the desk and Grynchlwrd’s bed to be 
  reborn as Ghasts.  The Ghasts will stand up from the 
  pile of bodies, and join the attack.  Grynchlwrd next 
  uses his spell like ability Death Gaze against any divine 
  spellcaster.  
   
  All attackers, except the Ghasts, will have as their 
  highest priority the elimination of divine spellcasters 
  from combat.  Unconscious, dead, or simply fleeing all 
  count as ‘eliminated from combat’ as their goal is to 
  remove from the fight whoever can power up the 
  whole party (bless, prayer, etc.) or heal the party or 
  turn their undead allies.  If no divine caster is available 
  as a target, then they will primarily target any other 
  spellcasters.   
   
  The Ghasts simply attempt to attack and occupy 
  the PC fighter-types, to allow the rogues freedom in 
  their attacks.   
   
  Play the combatants intelligently; whenever they 
  can, they will flank opponents.  Black and Blue will 
  delay to move on the same initiative, attempting, 
  whenever possible to do simultaneous flanking spring 
  attacks on targets. When they cannot flank, they will 
  use Improved Feint.  Grynchlwrd will initially use the 
  reach of the longspear for opportunity attacks upon 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 34 
  people who attempt to close with him, but will quickly 
  switch to claw and bite attacks. 
  Grynchlwrd the Nabassu (lesser) Rog2: Male 
  Tanar’ri, CR 11; Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, 
  Native); HD 7d8+2d6+18; hp 65; Init +5; Spd 30 ft/x4; 
  Fly 40 ft.(avg); AC 29, touch 12, flat-footed 27; 
  BAB/Grp +9/+13; Atk +13/+13 primary natural  
  (1d4+4;20/x2, 2 Claws), +11 secondary natural  
  (1d6+2;20/x2, Bite), +14 two-handed  (1d8+6;20/x3, 
  mwk longspear); AL CE; SV Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +13; 
  Str 19(+4), Dex 14(+2), Con 14(+2), Int 14(+2), Wis 
  14(+2), Cha 13(+1); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Concentration +16, 
  Escape Artist +17, Gather Information +8, Hide +18, 
  Intimidate +12, Jump +20, Knowledge (Arcana) +13, 
  Knowledge (local) +7, Listen +19, Move Silently +17, 
  Search +16, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +13, Spot +20, 
  Tumble +9, Alertness, Combat Casting, Combat 
  Expertise, Improved Initiative, Multiattack  
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet; Damage 
  reduction: 10/magic; Ethereal jaunt; Immunity to 
  death effect magics; Immunity to electricity and 
  poison; Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10; Spell 
  Resistance 21; telepathy 100 ft. Your natural weapons 
  are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of 
  overcoming damage reduction. 
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will—deeper darkness (cast as 
  a 12th-level cleric); 1/day—death gaze (functions as 
  Finger of Death cast by a 12th-level sorcerer, DC 18).  
  A Nabassu that reaches 10+ HD by Feeding can also 
  use the following: 1/day—energy drain (cast as a 12th-
  level sorcerer, DC 20), silence (cast as a 12th-level cleric, 
  DC 14), and vampiric touch (cast by a 12th-level 
  sorcerer).  
  Feed (Su): When a Nabassu slays a humanoid 
  opponent, it can feed on the corpse, devouring both 
  flesh and life force, as an action requiring a full round. 
  For every 8 HD or levels a Nabassu consumes, it gains 
  1 Hit Die. Feeding destroys the victim’s body and 
  prevents any form of resurrection that requires part of 
  the corpse. A wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell 
  can restore a devoured victim to life. 
  Paralysis Aura (Su): As a free action, a Nabassu can 
  create an aura of paralysis in a 10-foot radius. It is 
  otherwise identical with ghoul touch cast by a 12th-
  level sorcerer (save DC 13). If the save is successful, 
  that creature cannot be affected again by that Nabassu’s 
  paralysis aura for one day. Other demons are immune 
  to the aura. 
  Ethereal Jaunt (Su): Twice per day a Nabassu can 
  shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal as part of 
  any move action, and shift back again as a free action. It 
  can remain on the Ethereal Plane for 1 round before 
  returning to the Material. The ability is otherwise 
  identical with ethereal jaunt cast by a 12th-level 
  sorcerer. 
  Summon Ghasts (Sp): Once per day a Nabassu can 
  automatically summon 1d6 Ghasts (see Monster 
  Manual page 119.) as a standard action. 
  Telepathy (Su): Nabassu can communicate 
  with any creature within 100 feet that has a 
  language. 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save 
  against a magical attack, you take no damage. 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 1d6 damage.  Ranged 
  attacks must be within 30 feet to gain this, and this 
  extra damage is not increased on a critical hit. 
  Creatures that are immune to critical hits ignore this 
  damage, as do creatures with concealment 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 buckler, mwk 
  longspear, and 200 gp in ruby bloodstones. 
   
  Physical Description: The creature stands about 7 
  feet tall and resembles a gargoyle at first glance, but 
  one with tough, leathery, black skin rather than a hide 
  of stone. It is neatly dressed in silver-trimmed black 
  studded leather, and has great claws on its hands and 
  feet. Its eyes gleam steel-gray and flicker with malice 
  while its mouth is stretched in a feral grin, displaying 
  sharp fangs. 
  Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog9; CR 9; Medium Humanoid; HD 
  9d6+18; hp 56; hp 56; Init +3; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 
  20, touch 13, flat-footed 20; BAB/Grp +6/+8; Full 
  Atk +9/+4 One-handed (1d6+3;19-20/x2, +1 
  short sword), +10/+5 Two-handed (1d10;19-
  20/x2, mwk heavy crossbow), +9/+4 One-
  handed (1d4+2;19-20/x2, mwk dagger); AL NE; 
  SV Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +4; Str 14(+2), Dex 
  16(+3), Con 14(+2), Int 14(+2), Wis 10(+0), Cha 
  10(+0); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +17, Bluff +12, Climb +14, 
  Escape Artist +15, Hide +15, Jump +16, Listen +12, 
  Move Silently +15, Sense Motive +12, Spot +12, 
  Tumble +17, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, 
  Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a 
  magical attack, you take no damage 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 5d6 damage. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): You retain you Dexterity bonus 
  to AC even if flatfooted or struck by an invisible 
  attacker. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 35 
   
  Possessions: +2 studded leather, +1 buckler, +1 short 
  sword, mwk dagger, mwk heavy crossbow, Cloak of 
  Resistance, Potion Of Invisibility, Potion Of Cat’s 
  Grace, Potion Of Displacement, and no coin (lost it 
  gambling with Grynchlwrd). 
   
  Physical Description: Twin young Oeridian men, 17-
  20 yrs old, with black hair and very pale skin. One 
  wears mottled brown studded leather with black trim 
  and the other mottled brown studded leather with 
  dark blue trim. 
  APL 12  
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: Grynchlwrd will initially attempt to distract 
  the PCs (Bluff Check vs. the PC’s Sense Motive Check) 
  by chatting with them.  If PCs do not initially attack, 
  then Grynchlwrd will ‘bargain’ with the PCs, offering 
  an exchange of information.  Even if the PCs do not 
  offer information in return, Grynchlwrd will attempt 
  to hold their attention by revealing pieces of 
  information that he knows to be of value to them.  See 
  Player Handout #2 for the information he is willing to 
  reveal.  This conversation is simply to buy time for his 
  underlings drink their potions and to get into position. 
   For each piece of information Grynchlwrd reveals, 
  consider one round to have passed, during which the 
  Rogues will be preparing.  Conversation stops when 
  the Rogues indicate their readiness for combat by 
  attacking.  Grynchlwrd will have been waiting for this 
  moment and will be able to act immediately after the 
  Rogues. 
   
  The Rogues will drink their potions of invisibility 
  and move to within 30 feet of the most obvious 
  cleric/divine caster.  If they have the time before 
  combat starts, they will also drink their potions of Cat’s 
  Grace and Displacement.  They will then reveal 
  themselves with simultaneous heavy crossbow sneak 
  attacks upon the target cleric/divine caster.  These 
  crossbow attacks are the only attacks in which poison 
  is used.  One bolt is coated with Purple Worm Poison 
  and the other bolt is coated with Deathblade.  See 
  DMG p 297 for the effects and save DCs of the poisons. 
   Once the Rogues have attacked, Grynchlwrd will use 
  his Summon Ghasts ability, causing some of the bodies 
  in the pile of corpses between the desk and 
  Grynchlwrd’s bed to be reborn as Ghasts.  The Ghasts 
  will stand up from the pile of bodies, and join the 
  attack.   
   
  The rogues next use Improved Feint to attempt to 
  gain sneak attack damage on the Extended Melf’s Acid 
  Arrows (total duration of ten rounds) that they trigger 
  from their Rings of Spell Storing, Minor.  If this will 
  result in a guaranteed kill of the divine spell-caster, 
  target any spell-casters with these Acid Arrows since 
  the continuing damage should force concentration 
  checks.  Grynchlwrd next uses his spell like ability 
  Death Gaze against any divine spellcaster.  
   
  All attackers, except the Ghasts, will have as their 
  highest priority the elimination of divine spellcasters 
  from combat.  Unconscious, dead, or simply fleeing all 
  count as ‘eliminated from combat’ as their goal is to 
  remove from the fight whoever can power up the 
  whole party (bless, prayer, etc.) or heal the party or 
  turn their undead allies.  If no divine caster is available 
  as a target, then they will primarily target any other 
  spellcasters.   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 36 
   
  The Ghasts simply attempt to attack and occupy 
  the PC fighter-types, to allow the rogues freedom in 
  their attacks.   
   
  Play the combatants intelligently; whenever they 
  can, they will flank opponents.  Black and Blue will 
  delay to move on the same initiative, attempting, 
  whenever possible to do simultaneous flanking spring 
  attacks on targets. When they cannot flank, they will 
  use Improved Feint.  Grynchlwrd will initially use the 
  reach of the longspear for opportunity attacks upon 
  people who attempt to close with him, but will quickly 
  switch to claw and bite attacks. 
  Grynchlwrd the Nabassu (lesser) Rog4: Male 
  Tanar’ri, CR 13; Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, 
  Native); HD 7d8+4d6+22; hp 77; Init +5; Spd 30 ft/x4; 
  Fly 40 ft.(avg); AC 29, touch 12, flat-footed 29; 
  BAB/Grp +11/+15; Atk +16/+16 primary natural  
  (1d4+5;20/x2, 2 Claws), +14 secondary natural  
  (1d6+2;20/x2, Bite), +17 two-handed  (1d8+7;20/x3, 
  mwk longspear); AL CE; SV Fort +10, Ref +13, Will 
  +12; Str 20(+5), Dex 14(+2), Con 14(+2), Int 14(+2), Wis 
  14(+2), Cha 13(+1); 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Concentration +16, 
  Escape Artist +19, Gather Information +10, Hide +20, 
  Intimidate +12, Jump +23, Knowledge (Arcana) +13, 
  Knowledge (local) +9, Listen +21, Move Silently +19, 
  Search +16, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +13, Spot +22, 
  Tumble +11, Alertness, Combat Casting, Improved 
  Initiative, Multiattack, Combat Expertise, Improved 
  Feint 
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet; Damage 
  reduction: 10/magic; Ethereal jaunt; Immunity to 
  death effect magics; Immunity to electricity and 
  poison; Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10; Spell 
  Resistance 21; telepathy 100 ft. Your natural weapons 
  are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of 
  overcoming damage reduction. 
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will—deeper darkness (cast as 
  a 12th-level cleric); 1/day—death gaze (functions as 
  Finger of Death cast by a 12th-level sorcerer, DC 18).  
  A Nabassu that reaches 10+ HD by Feeding can also 
  use the following: 1/day—energy drain (cast as a 12th-
  level sorcerer, DC 20), silence (cast as a 12th-level cleric, 
  DC 14), and vampiric touch (cast by a 12th-level 
  sorcerer).  
  Feed (Su): When a Nabassu slays a humanoid 
  opponent, it can feed on the corpse, devouring both 
  flesh and life force, as an action requiring a full round. 
  For every 8 HD or levels a Nabassu consumes, it gains 
  1 Hit Die. Feeding destroys the victim’s body and 
  prevents any form of resurrection that requires part of 
  the corpse. A wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell 
  can restore a devoured victim to life. 
  Paralysis Aura (Su): As a free action, a Nabassu can 
  create an aura of paralysis in a 10-foot radius. It is 
  otherwise identical with ghoul touch cast by a 12th-
  level sorcerer (save DC 13). If the save is successful, 
  that creature cannot be affected again by that Nabassu’s 
  paralysis aura for one day. Other demons are immune 
  to the aura. 
  Ethereal Jaunt (Su): Twice per day a Nabassu can 
  shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal as part of 
  any move action, and shift back again as a free action. It 
  can remain on the Ethereal Plane for 1 round before 
  returning to the Material. The ability is otherwise 
  identical with ethereal jaunt cast by a 12th-level 
  sorcerer. 
  Summon Ghasts (Sp): Once per day a Nabassu can 
  automatically summon 1d6 Ghasts (see Monster 
  Manual page 119.) as a standard action. 
  Telepathy (Su): Nabassu can communicate 
  with any creature within 100 feet that has a 
  language. 
  Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save 
  against a magical attack, you take no damage. 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 2d6 damage.  Ranged 
  attacks must be within 30 feet to gain this, and this 
  extra damage is not increased on a critical hit. 
  Creatures that are immune to critical hits ignore this 
  damage, as do creatures with concealment 
  Uncanny Dodge(Ex): You retain you Dexterity 
  bonus to AC even if flatfooted or struck by an 
  invisible attacker. 
   
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 buckler, mwk 
  longspear, and 200 gp in ruby bloodstones. 
   
  Physical Description: The creature stands 
  about 7 feet tall and resembles a gargoyle at 
  first glance, but one with tough, leathery, black 
  skin rather than a hide of stone. It is neatly 
  dressed in silver-trimmed black studded leather, 
  and has great claws on its hands and feet. Its 
  eyes gleam steel-gray and flicker with malice 
  while its mouth is stretched in a feral grin, 
  displaying sharp fangs. 
  Black and Blue the Rogue Twins: Male 
  human Rog11; CR 11; Medium Humanoid; HD 
  11d6+33; hp 79; hp 79; Init +3; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 
  19, touch 14, flat-footed 19; BAB/Grp +8/+10; 
  Full Atk +11/+6 One-handed (1d6+3;19-20/x2, 
  +1 short sword), +12/+7 Two-handed (1d10;19-
  20/x2, mwk heavy crossbow), +11/+6 One-
  handed (1d4+2;19-20/x2, mwk dagger); AL NE; 
  SV Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +4; Str 14(+2), Dex 
  16(+3), Con 16(+3), Int 14(+2), Wis 10(+0), Cha 
  10(+0); 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 37 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +19, Bluff +14, Climb +16, 
  Escape Artist +17, Hide +17, Jump +18, Listen +14, 
  Move Silently +17, Sense Motive +14, Spot +14, 
  Tumble +19, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, 
  Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack 
  Improved Evasion(Ex): On a failed Reflex save 
  against a magical attack, you take half damage.  On a 
  successful Reflex save against a magical attack, you take 
  no damage. 
  Sneak Attack: Any time someone you attack is denied 
  his or her Dexterity bonus to AC, or you are flanking 
  him or her, you inflict an extra 6d6 damage. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): You retain you Dexterity bonus 
  to AC even if flatfooted or struck by an invisible 
  attacker. 
  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): You can no longer 
  be flanked, except by a level 15+ rogue. 
   
  Possessions (each): Bracers of Armor +2, +2 buckler, 
  Ring of Protection +1, +1 short sword, mwk dagger, 
  mwk heavy crossbow, Amulet of Health +2, Cloak of 
  Resistance, Potion Of Invisibility, Potion of Cat’s 
  Grace, Potion Of Displacement, Ring of Spell Storing, 
  Minor, and no coin (lost it gambling with 
  Grynchlwrd). 
   
  Physical Description: Twin young Oeridian 
  men, 17-20 yrs old, with black hair and very pale 
  skin. Apparently unarmored, one wears a 
  mottled brown jerkin with black trim and the 
  other a mottled brown jerkin with dark blue trim. 
  Encounter Five: Cry Havoc 
  APL 4  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: The worgs will attack the smallest or 
  most wounded-appearing PCs, circling and 
  working together to wound one PC until that PC 
  retreats.  If a PC retreats, they will switch 
  targets, to whomever is the next smallest or 
  most wounded, until the original target returns to 
  battle.  The worgs were trained to harass and 
  wound opponents, softening them up and 
  making them bleed so that running would be 
  less of an option for the victims once the main 
  pack arrives. 
  Worgs (3): hp 35, 35, 35; see Monster Manual 
  page 256. 
  Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter one” 
  creature:  add one Worg, hp 35.  This worg does not 
  initially engage the PCs.  Instead, it heads for Captain 
  Vel’morel and the horses.  It will kill one wounded 
  horse on round one and engage Captain Vel’morel on 
  round two.  Unless the PCs save him by attacking the 
  beast and causing it to join the assault on the PCs, 
  Captain Vel’morel will be killed in round three.  
  Thereafter the bonus worg will join the assault on the 
  PCs and, unless one PC spends their actions 
  attempting to gather the horses, one riding horse will 
  flee irretrievably every other round.  War-trained 
  horses will not flee. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 38 
  APL 6  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: When the party arrives, it has been a 
  few rounds since the hell hounds have used 
  their breath weapons and so they are ready to 
  be used again.  The hell hounds will charge the 
  party and use their breath weapons at point 
  blank range, if they can catch more than one PC 
  in a single blast.  When biting, they will attack 
  the smallest or most wounded-appearing PCs, 
  circling and working together to wound one PC 
  until that PC retreats.  If a PC retreats, they will 
  switch targets, to whomever is the next smallest 
  or most wounded, until the original target returns 
  to battle.  The hell hounds were trained to 
  harass and wound opponents, softening them 
  up and making them bleed so that running 
  would be less of an option for the victims once 
  the main pack arrives. 
  Hell Hounds (5): hp 26, 26, 26, 26, 26; see Monster 
  Manual page 152. 
  Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter one” 
  creature:  add one Hell Hound, hp 26. This hell 
  hound does not initially engage the PCs.  
  Instead, it heads for Captain Vel’morel and the 
  horses.  It will kill one wounded horse on round 
  one and engage Captain Vel’morel on round 
  two.  Unless the PCs save him by attacking the 
  beast and causing it to join the assault on the 
  PCs, Captain Vel’morel will be killed in round 
  three.  Thereafter the bonus hell hound will join 
  the assault on the PCs and, unless one PC 
  spends their actions attempting to gather the 
  horses, one riding horse will flee irretrievably 
  every other round.  War-trained horses will not 
  flee. 
  APL 8  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: When the party arrives, it has been a few 
  rounds since the winter wolves have used their breath 
  weapons and so they are ready to be used again.  The 
  winter wolves will charge the party and use their 
  breath weapons at point blank range, if they can catch 
  more than one PC in a single blast.  When biting, they 
  will attack the smallest or most wounded-appearing 
  PCs, circling and working together to wound one PC 
  until that PC retreats.  If a PC retreats, they will switch 
  targets, to whomever is the next smallest or most 
  wounded, until the original target returns to battle.  
  The winter wolves were trained to harass and wound 
  opponents, softening them up and making them bleed 
  so that running would be less of an option for the 
  victims once the main pack arrives. 
  Winter Wolves (4): hp 57, 57, 57, 57; see 
  Monster Manual page 256. 
  Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter one” 
  creature:  add one Winter Wolf, hp 57 This 
  winter wolf does not initially engage the PCs.  
  Instead, it heads for Captain Vel’morel and the 
  horses.  It will kill one wounded horse on round 
  one and engage Captain Vel’morel on round 
  two.  Unless the PCs save him by attacking the 
  beast and causing it to join the assault on the 
  PCs, Captain Vel’morel will be killed in round 
  three.  Thereafter the bonus winter wolf will join 
  the assault on the PCs and, unless one PC 
  spends their actions attempting to gather the 
  horses, one riding horse will flee irretrievably 
  every other round.  War-trained horses will not 
  flee. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 39 
  APL 10  
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: When the party arrives, it has been a few 
  rounds since the winter wolves or the hell hound have 
  used their breath weapons and so they are ready to be 
  used again.  The winter wolves and the hell hound will 
  charge the party and use their breath weapons at point 
  blank range, if they can catch more than one PC in a 
  single blast.  When biting, the winter wolves will 
  attack the smallest or most wounded-appearing PCs, 
  circling and working together to wound one PC until 
  that PC retreats.  If a PC retreats, they will switch 
  targets, to whomever is the next smallest or most 
  wounded, until the original target returns to battle.  
  The winter wolves were trained to harass and wound 
  opponents, softening them up and making them bleed 
  so that running would be less of an option for the 
  victims once the main pack arrives.  The hell hound 
  will attack and harass whichever PC is doing the most 
  damage to the winter wolves, in an attempt to protect 
  them and allow them to focus on a single target. 
  Hell Hound (Nessian Warhound): hp 116; see 
  Appendix Four and see Monster Manual page 
  152. 
  Winter Wolves (4): hp 57, 57, 57, 57; see Monster 
  Manual page 256. 
  Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter one” 
  creature:  add one extra tough and healthy 
  Winter Wolf, hp 78, +1 to Fort, Ref, and Will 
  saves. This winter wolf does not initially engage 
  the PCs.  Instead, it heads for Captain Vel’morel 
  and the horses.  It will kill one wounded horse 
  on round one and engage Captain Vel’morel on 
  round two.  Unless the PCs save him by 
  attacking the beast and causing it to join the 
  assault on the PCs, Captain Vel’morel will be 
  killed in round three.  Thereafter the bonus 
  winter wolf will join the assault on the PCs and, 
  unless one PC spends their actions attempting 
  to gather the horses, one riding horse will flee 
  irretrievably every other round.  War-trained 
  horses will not flee. 
  APL 12  
   
   
   
   
  Tactics: When the party arrives, it has been a few 
  rounds since the hell hounds have used their breath 
  weapons and so they are ready to be used again.  The 
  hell hounds will charge the party and use their breath 
  weapons at point blank range, if they can catch more 
  than one PC in a single blast.  When biting, they will 
  attack the smallest or most wounded-appearing PCs, 
  circling and working together to wound one PC until 
  that PC retreats.  If a PC retreats, they will switch 
  targets, to whomever is the next smallest or most 
  wounded, until the original target returns to battle.  
  The hell hounds were trained to harass and wound 
  opponents, softening them up and making them bleed 
  so that running would be less of an option for the 
  victims once the main pack arrives 
  Hell Hounds (Nessian Warhounds) (4): hp 116, 116, 
  116, 116; see Monster Manual page 152.  
  Bonus “We were spotted in Encounter one” 
  creature:  add one Hell Hound (Nessian 
  Warhound), hp 116.  This hell hound does not 
  initially engage the PCs.  Instead, it heads for 
  Captain Vel’morel and the horses.  It will kill one 
  wounded horse on round one and engage 
  Captain Vel’morel on round two.  Unless the 
  PCs save him by attacking the beast and 
  causing it to join the assault on the PCs, Captain 
  Vel’morel 
  will 
  be 
  killed 
  in 
  round 
  three.  
  Thereafter the bonus hell hound will join the 
  assault on the PCs and, unless one PC spends 
  their actions attempting to gather the horses, 
  one riding horse will flee irretrievably every other 
  round.  War-trained horses will not flee. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 40 
  Judge Aid #1 (or Player Handout #0): The Trail to Onyxgate 
   
   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 41 
  Judge Aid #2: Top-down view of Onyxgate 
  This is intended to be a top down look at the above ground area of Onyxgate.  The tower is on top of a very large hill.  
  The tower is surrounded by an area of blasted and warped earth, with deep fissures all through it.  This is then edged by 
  low sickly wood and healthy wood further out. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 42 
  Judge Aid #3: Side and top views of entrance crevasse 
  The PCs will be belly-crawling or crouching along and then be able to make their way over to where the fissure widens 
  and deepens.  The surface level crack, only opens to about 5 feet wide, but as it deepens to 10-15 feet deep, it also opens 
  up somewhat to 10 feet wide or so.  Down there, right by the entrance is a set of guards.  The party is going to have to 
  take down the guards without letting any of them signal the tower.  The passageway is tight and so the party will have 
  difficulty bringing everyone to bear or maneuvering.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 43 
  Judge Aid #4 Nabassu’s temporary home 
  This is the rough sketch of where the scenario’s biggest fight takes place.  After a tight turn in the tunnel, the PCs enter 
  a largish natural cave.  Stalactites and stalagmites are not in the sketch but can be added at random when the Judge 
  sketches this on the battle-mat.  The important features are the heavy fissures in the region where the PCs enter (to 
  make the fight more interesting) and the uneven walls with hiding space so the PCs may not know if they’ve seen all 
  the baddies.  The distance from the PC’s entrance fissure to the desk is about 60 ft.  The cave is about 110 ft. wide, from 
  the big fur pile to the two cots.  The defenses of the occupants of the cave are all mounted pointing at the opposite 
  entrance, since the spies were most concerned about discovery by the inhabitants of Onyxgate, not by people from the 
  surface. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 44 
  Judge Aid #5 (Player Handout #5) The Favors Explained 
  Disfavor of the King: (From Introduction: The King and I) 
  Qualification – Continuing to attempt to bargain with King Lynwerd over pay, after he has become annoyed and called 
  the PC a “mercenary soul”.   
  Result – King Lynwerd makes sure the PC receives only the gold they craved.  He has let it be known, furthermore, that 
  the PC in question is a mercenary, and not the sort which He considers a true friend of Nyrond. 
  Mechanic - All item access and favors listed on this AR are removed, although the character does receive maximum gold 
  for the appropriate APL.  Similarly, all Royal or Noble favors from the Kingdom of Nyrond issued or received prior to 
  the date listed on this AR are similarly cancelled. 
  Favor of the King, I:  (From Encounter One: Wanna wrassle?) 
  Qualification – Noticing and understanding the meaning of the symbols on the guard’s armor; the inverted shield of 
  Nyrond and the black phoenix.  Not knowing the meaning, but simply returning some of the armor bearing those 
  symbols to Rel Mord also qualifies. 
  Result - You have performed a valuable service for the King in being able to warn Him that the lost legion has 
  apparently survived, and is in allegiance to Prince Sewarndt.  King Lynwerd is grateful. 
  Mechanic - In return for this information, King Lynwerd has arranged to have one suit of armor enchanted with the 
  Light Fortification special ability.  This favor may also be used to upgrade an already Fortified suit of armor from either 
  Light to Moderate or Moderate to Heavy.  This favor counts only as access and the PC must pay the difference in market 
  value for the upgrade.   
  Favor of the Church of Heironeous:  (From Encounter Two: Dead Men Do Tell Tales) 
  Qualification – Bringing the journal of Brenton Salaff back to Rel Mord. 
  Result - In recovering the diary of Brenton Salaff, you have recovered a very minor relic of the Church.  For the past 
  several years, there has been the occasional report of a soldier in full plate appearing in the dreams of the faithful of 
  Heironeous.  The figure, seated upon a stone in a dark cave, simply intones “Prepare” and then fades.   
  Mechanic - When the PC exercises this favor, the Church of Heironeous will upgrade any one magical weapon that the 
  PC owns to add the Holy special ability.  This favor counts only as access and the PC must pay the difference in market 
  value for the upgrade.   
  Favor of the Salaff Blacksmiths:  (From Encounter Two: Dead Men Do Tell Tales) 
  Qualification – Recovering the body of Brenton Salaff from Onyxgate. 
  Result - Touched by your treatment of their long-lost son’s body and effects, the Salaff family has recreated the Lion 
  Shield of Brenton Salaff.  Their gratitude knows no bounds; only the expense of the enchantment prevents them from 
  granting the Lion Shield as a gift. 
  Mechanic - The PC has access to purchase the Lion Shield (DMG p 221).   
  Favor of the King, II:  (From Encounter Three: Be My Ghast) 
  Qualification – Recovering Player Handout #2: The Demon’s Letter. 
  Result - You have performed a valuable service for the King in being able to provide Him with a list of those with whom 
  the Traitor Prince may be dealing.  This shall allow King Lynwerd to plan strategy to inconvenience those allies. He has 
  let it be known, furthermore, that the PC in question is a true friend of Nyrond.  The King has informed the Temples 
  that he will pay well to not lose such valued friends. 
  Mechanic - King Lynwerd has arranged to cover the expenses of one Raise Dead spell, should your body be brought to 
  any Temple in the Kingdom of Nyrond.  If a PC has died during the course of the scenario, this favor may be expended 
  immediately.   
  Favor of the King, III:  (From Encounter Four: Yikes that’s a lot of troops) 
  Qualification – Witnessing Sewarndt’s speech to his assembled troops. 
  Result - You have performed a critically valuable service for the King in being able to warn Him of the presence of 
  Prince Sewarndt, Quarelanth, and an impressive fighting force in the heart of Onyxgate.  Your report mentioning the 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 45 
  make-up of his main forces has allowed the King and his advisors to begin intelligently planning tactics with those 
  opponents in mind.  His reward to you is an opportunity to have a ring enchanted which may let you prepare for your 
  opponents. 
  Mechanic - The King has granted the PC access to purchase either, a Ring of Spell Storing, Minor, a Ring of Spell 
  Storing, or a Ring of Spell Storing, Major.  Until this favor is expended, the character is deemed to have an Influence 
  Point with the King or any Royal organizations. 
  Favor of the Entrell Militia:  (From Encounter Five: Cry Havoc) 
  Qualification - Saving the life of Captain Laucian Vel’Morel and waiting to allow him to carry out locks of his comrade’s 
  hair for burial in consecrated ground. 
  Result - The PC has earned the favor of the Entrell Militia.  
  Mechanic – The Entrell Estates will provide access to purchase either Horseshoes of Speed or Horseshoes of the 
  Zephyr.   
   
   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 46 
   
  Appendix Six: New Monster – The Nabassu (lesser) 
  NABASSU (lesser) 
  Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Native, Tanar’ri) 
  Hit Dice: 7d8+14 (45 hp) 
  Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) 
  Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 40 ft. (average) 
  Armor Class: 23 (+2 Dex, +11 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 21 
  Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+12 
  Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d4+4) 
  Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d4+4) and bite +10 melee (1d6+2) 
  Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. 
  Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, feed, paralysis aura, summon ghasts 
  Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft., ethereal jaunt, immunity to death 
  effect magics, immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell 
  resistance 21, telepathy 100 ft. 
  Saves: Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +13 
  Abilities: Str 19, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 13 
  Skills: Concentration +16, Escape Artist +13, Hide +13, Intimidate +12, Jump +15, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +13, Listen +15, Move Silently +13, Search +13, Spellcraft +13, Spot +15 
  Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Multiattack 
  Environment: Any and Infinite Layers of the Abyss 
  Organization: Solitary 
  Challenge Rating: 9 
  Treasure: Standard 
  Alignment: Always chaotic evil 
  Advancement: 8-9 HD (CR = HD+2), 10-14 HD (CR = HD+3); 15-21 HD (CR = HD+4 and Size 
  changes to Large) 
   
  The creature stands about 7 feet tall and resembles a gargoyle at first glance, but one with tough, 
  leathery, black skin rather than a hide of stone. It is gaunt, with tightly corded muscles, and great claws 
  on its hands and feet. Its eyes gleam steel-gray and flicker with malice while its mouth is stretched in a 
  feral grin, displaying sharp fangs. 
   
  The Nabassu, also known as “death stealers”, are demons, which inhabit the prime material 
  plane as part of their life cycle.  Once spawned in the Abyss, young Nabassu must survive as best they 
  can in the Abyss.  Those that live long enough to reach young adulthood attempt to find a secure location 
  to form a cocoon. The process by which the young Nabassu undergoes within its cocoon not only 
  transforms it into the adult form of the Nabassu, but also gates the Nabassu to the prime material plane, 
  leaving the empty cocoon on the Abyss.  Many are slain in the process of moving from the Abyss to the 
  prime material plane, but those that survive begin their true growth.  In order to grow and mature, each 
  Nabassu must Feed on many humans, create evil undead, and wreak wickedness.  Dwelling in places of 
  desolation, these dreadful monsters trouble mankind continually by raiding in order to work their evil, thus 
  satisfying their lust for cruelty and their desire to regain their place in the Abyss.  Since spending time on 
  the Material Plane is part of their unnatural life cycle, they cannot be banished to the Abyss when on the 
  Material Plane; unlike most other Outsiders, Nabassu are considered to have the Material Plane as one 
  of their two home planes and so banishment will not work. 
   
  COMBAT 
  Nabassu are sadistic, preferring to paralyze opponents if possible, before attacking using claw and bite. This is their 
  preferred method as they enjoy watching their foes die a slow and very painful death.  Should their prey be dangerous 
  opponents who are not easily paralyzed, they will Death Gaze the biggest perceived threat, use the summon ghasts 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 47 
  ability, then close to attack with claw and bite.  If a fight goes against the Nabassu, it will use the deeper darkness ability 
  and ethereal jaunt abilities to pick at it’s opponents until it can Feed on a fallen foe. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will—deeper darkness (cast as a 12th-level cleric); 1/day—death gaze (functions as Finger of 
  Death cast by a 12th-level sorcerer, DC 18).  
  A Nabassu that reaches 10+ HD can also use the following: 1/day—energy drain (cast as a 12th-level sorcerer, DC 20), 
  silence (cast as a 12th-level cleric, DC 14), and vampiric touch (cast by a 12th-level sorcerer).  
  Feed (Su): When a Nabassu slays a humanoid opponent, it can feed on the corpse, devouring both flesh and life force, 
  as an action requiring a full round. For every 8 HD or levels a Nabassu consumes, it gains 1 Hit Die. Feeding destroys 
  the victim’s body and prevents any form of resurrection that requires part of the corpse. A wish, miracle, or true 
  resurrection spell can restore a devoured victim to life. 
  Paralysis Aura (Su): As a free action, a Nabassu can create an aura of paralysis in a 10-foot radius. It is otherwise 
  identical with ghoul touch cast by a 12th-level sorcerer (save DC 13). If the save is successful, that creature cannot be 
  affected again by that Nabassu’s paralysis aura for one day. Other demons are immune to the aura. 
  Ethereal Jaunt (Su): Twice per day a Nabassu can shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal as part of any move 
  action, and shift back again as a free action. It can remain on the Ethereal Plane for 1 round before returning to the 
  Material. The ability is otherwise identical with ethereal jaunt cast by a 12th-level sorcerer. 
  Summon Ghasts (Sp): Once per day a Nabassu can automatically summon 1d6 Ghasts (see Monster 
  Manual page 119.) as a standard action. 
  Telepathy (Su): Nabassu can communicate with any creature within 100 feet that has a language. 
   
  Knowledge: Planes Check Results  
  DC 10 - Identify it as a demon,  
  DC 15 - Learn that it is immune to poison and electricity and resistant to cold, fire and acid.  Additionally, learn it has 
  telepathy,  
  DC 20 - Identify it as a Nabassu,  
  DC 25 - Learn that is comes to the prime through its own powers to feed on humanity once in its lifetime.  Additionally, 
  learn that it devours its victims after killing them and destroys their soul, preventing almost all hope of resurrection,  
  DC 30 - Learn of its paralysis, darkness, and vampiric touch abilities.,  
  DC 35 - Learn that it can summon ghasts, and it can shift to the Ethereal.  Additionally, learn of its death gaze ability and 
  immunity to death effect magics 
   
  The Nabassu first appeared in the First Edition Monster Manual II (Gary Gygax, 1983). 
  Nabassu were specifically mentioned in the Marklands as inhabiting Bloodcrystal and mentioned in Ivid the Undying 
  as inhabiting Onyxgate, Bloodcrystal, and the lands between them, frequently attacking and feeding in Narsel 
  Mendred. 
  Nabassu, DnD 3.5 Conversion by Keith A. McCall.  This version is termed “Nabassu (lesser)” to differentiate it from the 
  much higher CR version published in Dragon after this version had been used in the scenario. 
    
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 48 
  Player Handout #1: The journal of Brenton Salaff 
  The book appears to be the journal or diary of a soldier in Nyrond’s Fourth Legion, one Brenton Salaff.  Mildew and a 
  long past drenching have destroyed much of the text.  From the few readable pages remaining, it is apparent that 
  Brenton joined the Army young and against the will of his blacksmith family.  Many early passages seem to be attempts 
  to come to terms with the Great War, in the florid prose of a young teen.  Mercifully, few of these pages have survived 
  the ravages of time, but those that have survived seem to dwell on the rampant tactical mismanagement of the Armies 
  by King Archbold and his cronies.  Towards the end of the text, the early florid prose is slowly replaced by a terse and 
  factual style.  Fragmentary evidence shows young Brenton was part of the great push into Phostwood during the 
  campaigns.  Later pages indicate he was one of the few survivors of the devastatingly costly victory at Karndred’s 
  Meadows near the end of the Great War.  The actual pages are missing but later pages refer to the fact that Brenton 
  dedicated himself to Heironeous at Karndred’s Meadow and attributes his survival to the influence of Heironeous. Of 
  the surviving text, several sections seem to suggest an explanation for the loss of the missing legion: 
   
  Field promotion to Captain ignored.  No surviving commanders to able to attest to the promotion.  Does Heironeous wish to teach me 
  humility?  Prayers unanswered.  Will bear my newly lowered rank and reassignment to new legion with honor.  May He find me worthy. 
   
  Assigned to legion under former Royal General Basmajenn.  Many veterans from different legions formed into special task force, new 
  Fourth Legion.  Hitting Almor.  Flight of Fiends did not destroy all their monsters, allies or works.  Every man here a blooded veteran. 
   Many sick-of-mind from too much war.  Great war over.  Still we have neither pay nor rest.   
   
  General Basmajenn addressed troops.  Angry.  Been assigned to clear Onyxgate.  Warned us, expects command to be suicide for him and 
  us.  Fiends gone but fiends’ allies still remain, fiends’ magics remain.  Expects next mission to be taking Bloodcrystal fortress and, if any 
  survive Onyxgate and Bloodcrystal, next mission to be Chathold and further east. 
   
  Onyxgate sighted.  Strange messengers came riding from Nyrond.  No heraldry.  We encamp.  Hooded magikers met General Basmajenn.  
  Command staff, one company, and magikers approaching Onyxgate.  Most of legion remains encamped. 
   
  Whole legion entering Onyxgate.  General excited, pleased.  Says Onyxgate empty in upper reaches.  Lord Heironeous filled dreams with 
  blessings and protections in night past.  Is warning I will need them?  Dark tower gives me shivers and cold sweat despite heat.  
  Others do not want to hear warnings.  Tired and want to hear good news only.  If Onyxgate empty, why does Lord Heironeous grant 
  me such magics? 
   
  Upper tower vacant.  Legion now encamped within Onyxgate.  Command staff, magikers, elite company, others, encamp in depths.  Elite 
  company with new faces placed in charge of gates.  Where new ones come from?  Unable to sleep this night.  Something pulling me to 
  seek the lower regions, though skin crawls. 
   
  Planting CY 586. Last entry.  Light failing.  Deep in caverns.  Last night was purge.  Fled into dungeon depths and into cave system.  
  Trying to find path back to surface.  Must escape to warn rest of army.  Traitor Prince here.  Basmajenn joined him.  Magikers bent 
  minds.  Resisting few slaughtered.  Last torch going and still in tunnels, I fear I may not escape.  Heironeous grant me freedom or 
  guide others to take word.  Prepare.  Fourth Legion turned.  Dark things move here.  Nyrond not safe.  King must be told.  Seal 
  Onyxgate.  Pray for the Lost. 
   
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 49 
  Player Handout #2: The Demon’s Letter 
  My Dear Lord Pazrael,  
   
   
  It has been long since my last communication, but our plans proceed apace.  It is fortunate that the main 
  caverns and dungeons intersect with a maze of smaller passageways in several places.  Although the Animus, 
  Basmajenn, employs regular sweeps of the caverns, I have so far been able to avoid detection.  While I’ve been 
  forced to move regularly, this has afforded me the opportunity to learn safe routes through these back ways and 
  I have used them to catch the occasional individual unaware.  One particularly good catch was a half-fiend 
  mage called Neskartu…  He was, and still is, high within the ranks of King Sewarndt’s forces.  I have turned 
  him to your allegiance and he has proven quite useful.  He has managed to make the necessary changes to the 
  rituals for the reopening of the Gate.  When it opens, it shall connect to the domain of our forces and, should 
  our alterations remain unnoticed, King Sewarndt shall be unable to close it from this side.  Furthermore, 
  Neskartu has been teaching those under his tutelage the means of summoning fiendish flesh to taint 
  themselves, as a means to power.  I provided Neskartu with the true names of minor fiends within our forces 
  and these are the fiends who are being bound to these mages.  If all works as expected, for the price of a few 
  minor fiends, you shall be gaining a number of mages deeply tainted and predisposed to be loyal to our cause. 
   
  The forces King Sewarndt has managed to array in his bid for power are finally almost ready and the final 
  rituals to open the gate are due to start in two weeks’ time.  I have not yet been privy to how long the rituals 
  shall take to complete.  Speaking of those forces, I have done my best to learn of their goals, but most remain 
  an unknown to me.  It is best to assume that they are planning the same sort of betrayals we are and I hope to 
  be able to tell you more of their capabilities and weaknesses in a future letter.   
   
  One group is, of course, the Hextorite clergy.  They seek the annihilation of their Heironean brethren and 
  claim that they have taken steps already to assure that the Heironean clergy shall be a minimal factor in the 
  upcoming battle.   
   
  Another group is the old human nobility.  The Almorian nobles want their kingdom returned and the 
  Nyrondese nobles displaced by Lynwerd’s policies want their old powers and prestige returned.  Both sets will 
  support any side that promises to return their lands to them.   
   
  Then there is a set of Suel humans with a predilection for the color of blood.  They seem to have offered 
  themselves in a Naval capacity and request dominion of the southern islands off the coast of Nyrond in 
  exchange for their aid.  I do not understand this, but they have requested no compensation for “cleansing the 
  northern hills of non-human filth”, so they may be involved in the army as well as in taking the coastal cities.  
  There have been tantalizing hints that they consider Oldred to be in their hands already. 
   
  Additionally, there are a number of Flan human women, wearing the mark of Tharizdun, who have 
  offered magical support, provided certain royal personages are  exterminated in a particular order.  I must look 
  into this further. 
   
  There are rumors that King Sewarndt has offered to recognize the town of Midmeadow as belonging to the 
  Pale in perpetuity in return for aid from that side as well, although I’ve uncovered no information to support 
  this rumor, nor does it seem likely.  King Sewarndt has little love for the Northern Pholtan zealots. 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 50 
   
  In addition to these, there are a dozen minor power groups willing to support Sewarndt’s return to power 
  if they believe it to be to their advantage.  King Sewarndt has been skillful at convincing each group of his 
  ability to deliver to each the many things he has no intention of delivering. 
   
  Honestly, King Sewarndt has promised so many different forces so many different things that it shall be 
  impossible to fulfill all his agreements in the event of victory.  I am impressed.  At this rate, even were our 
  forces to do nothing to aid in the coming cataclysm it should still be a delightful dance of betrayal, death, and 
  destruction.  However, since the Gate shall be opened and our forces available to add to this effort, it should 
  take little additional effort to make this land positively homey.  Before the season is out, I hope to greet you 
  here in person. 
   
   
  Yours in eternal fealty,  
   
   
  Grynchlwrd 
  
  Onyxgate 
   
  Page 51 
  Player Handout #3 
  King Sewarndt’s Speech.  This is not a document found by the PCs, but rather a speech witnessed by the PCs.  It is 
  delivered with such power and conviction (reinforced with mild and subtle magics) that it is easy for any PC to 
  remember for later transcription, and so it is reproduced here. 
   
  “My friends.  Nyrond lies in the grip of weakness!  My scheming older brother sits upon the throne while my noble 
  father yet lives.  Our noble King, our King Archbold, his mind destroyed by Lynwerd’s betrayal, is forced to be a living 
  ghost, powerlessly haunting the very halls his own son usurped!  Where once nobility and experience were respected, 
  we now see the proper order of things overturned by blatant cronyism.  Those same young nobles who played games 
  with the lives of the Legions, interfering in the plans of loyal generals, those same insolent rabble have been placed in 
  positions of power.”   
  “Royal General Basmajenn was usurped by young Myariken.  In mimicry of my honored father’s position, good Count 
  Blackmar has been usurped by his own son and was stripped of titles and honors.  But that did not satisfy the Ursurper.  
  Lynwerd feared that others may rally behind Count Blackmar and so Count Blackmar was executed on trumped up 
  charges.  I weep to think that even now good Count Blackmar’s head is displayed for the mockery of the peasants, upon 
  the gates of Rel Mord.  Everywhere across our great land, power and position have been granted to the cronies of 
  Lynwerd, while the families who have served My family for generations have been stripped of power and turned out of 
  their homes…“ 
  “Is this just?!”   
   
   
  <The arrayed troops cry back in massed unison> “No!”   
  “Is this honorable?!”  
   
  <The arrayed troops cry back in massed unison> “No!”   
  “Will this be allowed to stand?!”  
  <The arrayed troops cry back in massed unison> “No!”   
  “How, how does the Usurper justify this betrayal of our nation?  He claims to make our nation stronger by these petty 
  political games.  He makes this claim even while pursuing the goal of Lesser Nyrond.  Even now, the Usurper has 
  allowed the zealots of the Theocracy to take control of Midmeadow and her environs.  Even now that weakling asks for 
  aid from allies who should rightly be vassal states!”   
  “The Usurper has placed Nyrond on it’s knees, cravenly taking a defensive stance and making concessions in hopes that 
  Nyrond’s enemies will show pity!  Weakness is death!  I have seen the forces that are arrayed against us - the demigod 
  and his undead forces to our northwest, the fanatical zealots to our north, and the corrupt horrors of the mad Aerdi 
  Overking to our east…” 
  “Will they have pity on us?!”   
   
  <The arrayed troops cry back in massed unison>  “No! “  
  “Do we dare be weak before them?!”   <The arrayed troops cry back in massed unison> “No!”   
  “Dare we let mercy weaken our resolve when the fate of our nation depends on us?!”   
   “No!”   
  “Fear not.  Soon is the time we shall retake Nyrond from weakness and betrayal.  We have reached beyond our 
  traditional alliances and our cause is supported by the followers of the Scarlet Sign.  The Gods themselves smile on our 
  efforts…  They have sent a green dragon to plague that friend of the Usurper, the Gnome King Ap’Hiller.  They have 
  sent a plague upon the lands that has sickened many in the Usurper’s armies.  The Gods smile on us and prepare the 
  field.  Soon we shall finally leave this stronghold to re-forge Nyrond in our image.” 
  “No mercy for the Usurper!”   
   
  <The arrayed troops cry back in massed unison>  “No mercy!”   
  “No mercy for the enemies of Nyrond!”   
  <The arrayed troops cry back in massed unison>  “No mercy!”   
  “No mercy for those who would leave Nyrond on her knees!”  
   
   
   
   “No mercy!’   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Nyrond/594/Normal Scenarios/NYR4-05 - Onyxgate (APL 4-12)/NYR4-05 - Onyxgate.pdf