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. 
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  This is an official RPGA® play document. To find out more about the RPGA and to learn more on how you can sanction and run DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS game events of all sizes, visit our website at www.rpga.com. 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK, Living Greyhawk, D&D Rewards, RPGA, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster 
  Manual are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc, in the US and other countries. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United 
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  permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely 
  coincidental. © 2007 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  Visit the LIVING GREYHAWK website at www.rpga.com. 
   
   CORS7-03 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Into White Plume  
  High-Level Version 
   
  A One-Round Dungeons & Dragons® Living Greyhawk™ 
  Core Special Adventure 
  Version 1 
   
  by Britt Frey and Robert Little 
  Circle Reviewer: Creighton Broadhurst  
  Special Thanks: Eric Anondson, Creighton Broadhurst, Joe Selby and Michael Tran 
  Playtesters: Konrad Brandemuhl, Dan Boals, Stefania Fiorentino, Dan Hass, Clay Jenkins, David ‘Keyoke’ Polansky, 
  Marcia Schoonover, Keith Symcox, Susan Threadgill, Jeff Whitecotton, Jeff Withey, and Dave Woodfin 
   
  Long a place of legend, tales of White Plume Mountain are well known. Once the lair of the infamous wizard, Keraptis, 
  the threat from this mountain was thought laid low decades ago. Now, though, adventurers have uncovered clues that 
  Keraptis remains within the volcano and that another, terrible creature of Evil is seeking a potent artifact that blurs the 
  boundaries between life and death. Divinations reveal that the item rests deep within Keraptis’s lair. You have been 
  asked to find the resting place of the crystal skull of Keraptis, hopefully before anyone else can get there. A one-round Core 
  Special adventure set in White Plume Mountain for characters of level 9-15 (APLs 10-14). 
   
  Resources for this adventure include Complete Adventurer [Jesse Decker], Complete Divine [David Noonan], Complete Mage 
  [Skip Williams, Penny Williams, Ari Marmell, Kolja Raven Liquette], Complete Scoundrel [Mike McArtor and F. Wesley 
  Schneider], Complete Warrior [Andy Collins, David Noonan, and Ed Stark], Draconomicon, [Andy Collins, Skip Williams, 
  James Wyatt], Lords of Madness [Richard Baker, James Jacobs, Steve Winter], Dungeon Tiles Mapper [Randal Meyer],  Libris 
  Mortis [Andy Collins and Bruce R. Cordell], Magic Item Compendium [Andy Collins, Eytan Bernstein, Frank Brunner, Owen 
  K.C. Stephens, John Snead], Monster Manual V [Creighton Broadhurst, Jason Bulmahn, David Chart, B. Matthew 
  Conklin III, Jesse Decker, James “Grim” Desborough, Rob Heinsoo, Sterling Hershey, Tim Hitchcock, Luke Johnson, 
  Nicolas Logue, Mike McArtor, David Noonan, Aaron Rosenberg, Robert J. Schwalb, Rodney Thompson, Wil 
  Upchurch], Player’s Handbook II [David Noonan], Races of Stone [David Noonan, Jesse Decker, Michelle Lyons], Savage 
  Species [David Eckelberry, Rich Redman, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes], Spell Compendium [Matthew Sernett, Jeff Grubb, Mike 
  McArtor],  S2 White Plume Mountain [Lawrence Schick], and White Plume Mountain [Andy Collins, Gwendolyn F.M. 
  Kestrel, and James Wyatt].
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 2 
  RPGA® SANCTIONED PLAY 
  Most likely you ordered this adventure as part of an 
  RPGA event from the RPGA website, or you received it 
  from your senior gamemaster. To play this adventure as 
  part of the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign—a worldwide, 
  ongoing D&D® campaign set in the GREYHAWK setting—
  you must sanction it as part of an RPGA event. This event 
  could be as elaborate as a big convention, or as simple as a 
  group of friends meeting at the DM’s house.  
   
  To sanction an RPGA event, you must be at least a 
  HERALD-LEVEL™ gamemaster. The person who sanctions 
  the event is called the senior gamemaster, and is in 
  charge of making sure the event is sanctioned before 
  play, runs smoothly on the date sanctioned, and then 
  reported back to the RPGA in a timely manner. The 
  person who runs the game is called the session Dungeon 
  Master (or usually just DM). Sometimes (and almost all 
  the time in the cases of home events) the senior 
  gamemaster is also the session DM. You don’t have to be a 
  HERALD-LEVEL GM to run this adventure if you are not 
  the senior GM.  
   
  By sanctioning and reporting this adventure you 
  accomplish a couple of things. First, it is an official game, 
  and you can use the AR to advance your LIVING 
  GREYHAWK character. Second, players and DMs gain 
  rewards for sanctioned RPGA play if they are members of 
  the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS program. Playing 
  this adventure is worth two (2) points.  
   
  This adventure retires from RPGA-sanctioned play 
  on December 31, 2008.  
   
  To learn more about the LIVING GREYHAWK 
  character creation and development, RPGA event 
  sanctioning, and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS, visit 
  the RPGA website at www.rpga.com.  
   
  PLAYERS READ NO FARTHER 
  If you are planning on playing this adventure, stop 
  reading now. The rest of the information in this 
  adventure is for the DM only. If you read farther than this 
  section, you’ll know too much about its challenges, which 
  kills the fun. Also, if you’re playing this adventure as part 
  of an RPGA-sanctioned event, reading beyond this point 
  makes you ineligible to do so.  
   
  PREPARING FOR PLAY 
  To get the most out of this adventure, you need copies of 
  the following D&D rule books: Player’s Handbook, 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual.  
   
  Throughout this adventure, text in bold italics 
  provides player information for you to paraphrase or read 
  aloud when appropriate. Information on nonplayer 
  characters (NPCs) and monsters appear in abbreviated 
  form in the adventure text. Refer to Appendix 1 for full 
  information on 
  NPCs 
  and 
  monsters. 
  For 
  your 
  convenience, Appendix 1 is split by APL 
   
  Along with this adventure, you’ll find a RPGA 
  session tracking sheet. If you’re playing this adventure as 
  part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, complete and turn in 
  this sheet to your senior GM directly after play. You’ll also 
  find a LIVING GREYHAWK adventure record (AR). You 
  need one copy of this for each participating player. 
   
   LIVING GREYHAWK LEVELS 
  OF PLAY 
  Because players bring their own characters to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s challenges are 
  proportionate to the modified average character level of 
  the PCs participating in the adventure. To calculate the 
  Average Party Level (APL), follow the process below:  
  1. Determine the character level for each of the PCs 
  participating in the adventure. Each PC may bring 
  one animal, plus any creatures gained from class 
  abilities to help in combat. (PCs can bring more 
  creatures but they cannot help in combat). If you 
  deem that the animal bestows a significant benefit in 
  combat add the animal’s CR to the level of the PC it is 
  accompanying for calculating APL. (Animals gained 
  from class abilities and one standard horse, warhorse, 
  or riding dog for a PC with Mounted Combat do not 
  affect APL). 
  2. Sum the results of step 1 and divide by the number of 
  characters playing in the adventure. Round to the 
  nearest whole number. 
  3. If you are running a table of six PCs, add one to that 
  average. 
   
  Throughout this adventure, APLs categorize the level of 
  challenge the PCs 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 can gain at the end of the adventure. A player 
  character more than three levels higher than the APL at 
  which the adventure is played cannot participate. If a 
  player character is more than two levels away from the 
  APL at which the adventure is played, he suffers a 50% 
  penalty to the amount of gold and XP gained in the 
  adventure. 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. 
   
  LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are designed for APL 
  2 and higher. Four or five 1st-level characters may find 
  the challenge of an APL 2 adventure difficult. Suggest the 
  following to these groups to help increase their chances 
  of success:  
  1. 
  Enlist a sixth player. 
  2. 
  Advise characters to buy riding dogs to help protect 
  them and fight for them. 
   
  These APL calculation rules reference version 7.0 of the 
  Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook. If you are playing 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 3 
  this adventure in 2008, check the current version of the 
  LGCS and follow any updated rules presented within.  
   
  AUGMENTED APL 14 
  This adventure features two different challenge levels at 
  APL 14. Players qualifying for APL 14 can instead elect to 
  play the augmented version of that APL. Make clear to 
  the players that doing so bestows no extra gold, XP, or 
  other rewards; the combats and encounters are simply 
  more challenging.  
   
  TIME UNITS AND UPKEEP 
  This is a standard one-round Core Special adventure, set 
  in White Plume Mountain. All characters pay 2 Time 
  Units per round. 
   
  Adventurer’s Standard Upkeep costs 12 gp per time 
  unit. Rich Upkeep costs 50 gp per time unit. Luxury 
  Upkeep costs 100 gp per time unit. Characters that fail to 
  pay at least Standard Upkeep 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 adventure. 
   
  A character that does not pay for at least Standard 
  Upkeep may avoid the above-described penalties by 
  living off the wild. If the character possesses four or more 
  ranks in Survival and succeeds on a DC 20 Survival 
  check, he heals temporary ability damage as if he had 
  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). PCs may Take 10 on this roll. 
   
  Chapters 1 and 5 of the LGCS present more 
  information about lifestyle and upkeep. 
   
  PREPARATION FOR PLAY 
  This core special adventure complements Return to White 
  Plume Mountain [Bruce R. Cordell], S2 White Plume 
  Mountain [Lawrence Schick], and White Plume Mountain 
  [Andy Collins, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, and James 
  Wyatt] updating this infamous locale to the current 
  timeline. Knowledge of these adventures is not necessary 
  to run this event, although a familiarity with the original 
  material may assist a DM in portraying the encounters 
  herein.  
   
  This adventure’s design assumes that at least some of 
  the players are familiar with the original material. (Such 
  knowledge of the dungeon is easily explained away by 
  bards’ stories of successful explorations of the interior).  
   
  CHALLENGES 
  The encounters in this adventure are intended to 
  challenge the players’ tactics as much as their character 
  builds or dice rolls; most of the encounters require clever 
  thinking to overcome without serious losses. If the 
  players are able to think quickly and adapt to new 
  information and situations, they will be able to save time 
  and resources, hopefully enough to succeed in their 
  mission. 
   
  STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES 
  Before the adventure begins, be sure to clarify standard 
  operating procedures such as marching order and 
  distances, search procedures when traveling corridors or 
  approaching doors, when the PCs wish to be Hiding or 
  Moving Silently, or other constant or repetitive actions 
  that may come up during the adventure. Inform the 
  players that, unless they inform you otherwise, these 
  standard operating procedures will be assumed at all 
  times. 
   
  ENCOUNTER START DISTANCES 
  Most of the encounters in this adventure have variable 
  start distances between the PCs and NPCs based on 
  Listen, Spot, Hide, and Move Silently checks. Review 
  these rules before running this adventure, paying 
  attention to distance, distraction, armor check, and other 
  modifiers. The echoes of the cavern impose a -2 
  circumstance 
  penalty 
  to 
  Move 
  Silently 
  checks. 
  Remember, it is usually the lowest check in the party that 
  matters. Casting spells with verbal components must be 
  done in a strong voice, making the base DC to hear such 
  spellcasting -5 (PH 174). 
   
  LIGHTING AND VISION 
  All the creatures in this adventure have darkvision; some 
  have even better abilities, such as scent or blindsight. As 
  such, they do not need lights of any kind. If the PCs do 
  not have such abilities and must use light sources, they 
  will likely be noticed long before the PCs notice the 
  NPCs. 
   
  HEAT DANGERS 
  Before running this adventure, review the rules for heat 
  dangers (DMG 303). The rules contain an ambiguity for 
  resistances and immunities; for the purposes of this 
  adventure, having resistance to fire does not grant full 
  immunity to all lava damage; to avoid all lava damage, the 
  character must either have immunity to fire or resistance 
  in excess of the damage dealt. If the players mention fire 
  damage, lava, resistance, immunity, protection, or 
  anything else during preparations that would indicate 
  they are considering the possible threat of fire damage 
  and attempting to prepare for it, be sure to clarify this 
  point so they can prepare accordingly. 
   
  Only Encounters 6 and 7 involve heat dangers. 
  Ambient temperatures in this area are in the “extreme 
  heat” category. The nonlethal damage per 5 minutes will 
  likely not matter, but the damage per 1 minute and heat 
  metal effects may be required. It is likely, however, that 
  the PCs will have enough fire resistance to avoid the 
  ambient heat effects. 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 4 
   
  A PC that takes damage from contact with lava or the 
  ambient extreme heat risks catching on fire. Characters 
  with fire resistance greater than 6 would take no damage 
  from being on fire; thus, you can ignore catching on fire 
  effects for such characters. 
   
  NEW RULE ITEMS 
  Core adventures often utilize new rules items –including 
  new classes, prestige classes, races, feats, spells, and 
  equipment (including magic items) – that do not appear 
  in the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, or Monster 
  Manual). The full write-up of any featured feats, spells, or 
  equipment appears in Appendix 2. Information on 
  featured classes, prestige classes, and races appears in the 
  relevant creature’s stat block. This adventure includes all 
  the information required to run these characters. The DM 
  should double-check that he fully understands any new 
  rule items presented in this adventure before play begins. 
   
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND 
  Throughout this adventure, the crazy whisper gnome that 
  has assumed the title ‘Keraptis’ will be referred to as 
  ‘Ceraptis’ to avoid confusion with the real Keraptis. This 
  is purely for the GM’s benefit, as the gnome would surely 
  use the same spelling as the archmage. 
   
  IN THE PAST TWO YEARS… 
  …Gildor Arcanix has been hunting the root cause of a 
  dramatic increase in evil dragon activity throughout the 
  central Flanaess. Gildor is a gold dragon and the leader of 
  the Oathsworn Slayers, a group dedicated to hunting evil 
  dragons and their spawn. He has noticed an increase in 
  the number and power of cults dedicated to the worship 
  of various chromatic dragons and in the number of active 
  dragonspawn and, in response, has enlisted the aid of 
  adventurers in uncovering the source. The group has 
  recently come to discover that an ancient draconic 
  menace has returned to Oerth. Dragotha, a dracolich of 
  unspeakable power and evil, has been manipulating 
  events behind the scenes for unknowable years, actions 
  fueling a plot that is just now coming to its culmination. 
  Dragotha has been the secret mastermind behind the 
  various draconic cults, masquerading as different 
  chromatic dragons in different areas. He has enlisted the 
  aid of old allies in the court of Tiamat to help him achieve 
  his goals. The only other information Gildor has 
  uncovered about Dragotha’s goals is that he is seeking 
  knowledge and artifacts related to life and death. 
   
  FOUR DAYS AGO… 
  …expendable adventurers, lacking the experience for 
  more interesting and important adventures, plunged into 
  the dungeons of White Plume Mountain. They were 
  attempting to find the cause of recent disturbances at the 
  volcano and stop them before an eruption could destroy 
  the nearby villages and disrupt the environment for 
  hundreds of miles. While they were there, the 
  adventurers 
  first 
  found 
  several 
  dead 
  chromatic 
  dragonspawn, apparently killed by the mountains crazed 
  whisper gnome inhabitants. 
   
  Further into the dungeons, the adventurers 
  discovered evidence that the gnomes, under the direction 
  of Ceraptis, had been working to cause the volcano to 
  erupt. Apparently, Ceraptis thought this was the perfect 
  solution to the problems of frequent adventurer and, 
  more recently, dragonspawn incursions and had 
  convinced the other gnomes of his brilliance – a classic 
  case of too much Charisma and not enough Wisdom. The 
  adventurers also discovered that the dragonspawn were 
  seeking something within the bowels of the mountain, 
  but could not uncover what it was or why they wanted it. 
   
  The disruptions of the volcano caused several cave-
  ins, blocking the adventurers’ further progress into the 
  dungeons. Stymied, but with evidence in hand and 
  further disruptions hopefully prevented, the adventurers 
  returned to civilization, turning over their findings 
  before heading off to further adventures. The details 
  passed between various powers within the “Forces of 
  Good” before ending up in the hands of Gildor Arcanix. 
   
  THE LAST FEW DAYS… 
  …have seen Gildor enlisting the aid of many allies and 
  followers that possess divinatory magic and esoteric 
  knowledge. Much of the desired information was cloaked 
  by Keraptis’s penchant for secrecy and mystery and the 
  enchantments on his former demesne blocking 
  divinations. However, powerful divinations and dusty 
  tomes were able to reveal that Dragotha had some sort of 
  connection to Keraptis and White Plume Mountain in 
  the past and that he was likely seeking an ancient and 
  powerful artifact in the form of a crystal skull. 
   
  Not much is known of the artifact that scholars have 
  dubbed the crystal skull of Keraptis, but Dragotha would 
  likely have known of it from his previous dealings with 
  Keraptis and it would fit his recent activities and goals. 
  No matter what its powers, if Dragotha wants it, Gildor 
  wants it first.  
   
  LATE LAST NIGHT… 
  …one of Gildor’s aides was able to magically view an area 
  within White Plume Mountain. Apparently, the 
  disruptions had opened a small rift near the dungeon. As 
  the area was not in existence when the original wards 
  were placed, this new area was vulnerable, and that 
  vulnerability has been found. Gildor quickly hired a 
  wayfarer and arranged for the visual image to be shared 
  with him. 
   
  AT DAWN TODAY… 
  …several adventurers in the area of Critwall received a 
  missive from Gildor requesting their aid. The letter asked 
  them to meet at a small shrine of Bahamut in one hour. 
  There, he explains the situation and asks them to accept 
  teleportation into the viewed room, explore the dungeon, 
  recover the crystal skull of Keraptis, and return it to him. 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 5 
  ADVENTURE SUMMARY 
  Introduction 
  The PCs have five hours to prepare spells, purchase items, 
  Gather Information, perform research, or do anything 
  else they wish.  
   
  1: Transdimensional Insertion 
  The PCs are teleported into White Plume Mountain. 
   
  2: Why Won’t You Die 
  The PCs encounter Ceraptis and his personal guards in 
  the midst of torturing two prisoners. Upon the first 
  death, the room’s trap activates, forcing the PCs to alter 
  tactics. 
   
  3: Please Hold 
  If the PCs are not careful, they trigger the transfix trap and 
  may be trapped long enough that Xonxin from 
  Encounter 4 finds them. 
   
  4: My Good Buddy, Imix 
  Xonxin and his ember guards are interrupted while 
  repairing damage to the tunnels or, if the PCs are not 
  careful, the PCs are surprised by Xonxin and his ember 
  guards. 
   
  5: That’s No Rust Monster 
  In the magical experimentation centre, the PCs 
  encounter what they think are rust monsters, but are 
  really overgrown worgs in disguise. As the PCs discover 
  this, the real rust monster joins the fray. 
   
  6: Liquid Hot Magma 
  As the PCs cross a magma chamber, a cave-in traps them 
  amidst falling rocks and exploding magma. 
   
  7: Giant Metal Thing 
  The PCs finally find the crystal skull of Keraptis…fused to 
  the body of a giant metal guardian standing in the middle 
  of a pool of lava. 
   
  Conclusion 
  The PCs leave White Plume Mountain and decide what 
  to do with the skull. 
   
  WARNING 
  Remember that this game, in general, and this adventure, 
  in particular, is about having fun. While the adventure 
  may be challenging, the author is not “out to get you.” 
  Thinking in terms of author or GM against player is a 
  guaranteed way to decrease the fun of the adventure for 
  both you and the other participants. Trust the author to 
  take care of you and make sure you have fun, no matter 
  what the initial appearances. 
   
  INTRODUCTION 
  Arriving at the shrine, you see a human male with 
  golden hair and eyes; his regal aura is almost 
  palpable. He wastes no time in introducing himself 
  as Gildor Arcanix and asking if you have any 
  questions about the missive or the mission. 
   
  If anyone has true seeing or an equivalent ability, they see 
  that Gildor is really an ancient gold dragon in human 
  form. Gildor can provide the following information. He is 
  slightly more open with PCs that have worked with him 
  in the past. 
   
  • Who is Dragotha? He is a dracolich and the former 
  lover of The Chromatic Dragon. 
  • Will we encounter him? For your sake, I hope not. 
  He is a creature of immeasurable evil and power. 
  Luckily, he seems to prefer manipulating other 
  creatures to do his bidding. Perhaps he cannot act 
  openly or personally. 
  • What does he want with this artifact? I do not know. I 
  only know that recent investigations into his 
  actions have shown a desire for ancient Ur-Flan 
  secrets and items. The Ur-Flan were known for 
  their mastery over life and death. Given his state 
  as a dracolich and his past connections to 
  Keraptis, he is likely interested in that facet of 
  their history. 
  • Who is Keraptis? Not much is known of Keraptis, 
  nor has anyone heard from him in decades. He 
  was an archmage obsessed with immortality. Long 
  ago, he made White Plume Mountain into his base 
  of operations, bringing with him his odd, gnome 
  slaves. There was an incident decades ago 
  involving some missing magical weapons and a 
  note supposedly from Keraptis, but that is the 
  only alleged activity from him in recent memory. 
  • Odd gnomes? Keraptis had his own breed of 
  gnomes that he used as a sort of slave race. They 
  are known as whisper gnomes and, based on 
  recent incursions into the mountain, still dwell 
  there. Their constant inbreeding, the magical 
  dabbling of Keraptis, and their long isolation have 
  driven them mad, though. 
  • What can we expect within White Plume Mountain? 
  Well, it is a volcano, so heat is to be expected. As I 
  said, the whisper gnomes still dwell there. There 
  might also be some deformed spawn of the 
  Chromatic Dragon. Other than that, I have no 
  idea, thanks to Keraptis’s wardings. 
  • Spawn of Tiamat? Do not say her name, if you 
  please. Yes, some of her spawn were found within 
  the mountain by previous adventurers. Other 
  information discovered there indicates that they 
  have been attacking the mountain repeatedly 
  recently, looking for something, which is what 
  prompted my research. 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 6 
  • Keraptis’s wardings? He apparently blocked the 
  mountain from divinations. We were unable to 
  directly divine any information about the 
  mountain, other than one small area. 
  • One small area? The recent tremors apparently 
  opened up a small area within the mountain, next 
  to the cavern complex. As this area did not 
  previously exist, it was not as well shielded from 
  divinatory magic. This allowed one of my aides to 
  scry the area, after much effort. That is how we 
  will be teleporting you in. 
  • Teleporting us in? I have hired a Wayfarer and we 
  have used illusory magic to share the target 
  destination with him. He will teleport your group 
  to the cavern and then return here. 
  • How do we get out? I would prefer it if you could 
  provide your own way out, but I do have a talisman 
  you can take for emergency use. If you break this 
  talisman, you and all your allies that are touching 
  you will be transported to this shrine. 
  • What is it you want us to do there? Locate and 
  recover the crystal skull of Keraptis. Of course, any 
  other opportunities to thwart evil should not be 
  avoided. 
  • Recover, not destroy? I would like to be able to 
  study the artifact in the hopes of gleaning some 
  clue as to Dragotha’s motives. Besides, it is 
  unlikely you will be able to destroy the artifact; 
  items of such power require special processes to 
  destroy. 
  • When do you want us to leave? Now, but I 
  understand the need to prepare. I would like you 
  to leave within the next five hours; the Wayfarer I 
  hired must leave by that time. You may have the 
  time until then to prepare, though the earlier you 
  leave, the better I will feel. 
   
  The PCs are given as much as five hours to prepare for the 
  mission. Spellcasters that prepare spells are assumed to 
  have left their spell slots open and can prepare spells as 
  they wish. PCs may go shopping for last minute items if 
  they wish, being able to purchase any item of less than 
  10,000 gp market value and to which the PC has Core or 
  Open access. 
   
  LORE 
  The following pieces of information can be discovered 
  with either a Gather Information check or the 
  appropriate Knowledge check. PCs only have time to 
  make one Gather Information check each. PCs that need 
  to prepare spells, want to make additional purchases, or 
  spend time on other preparations do not have time to 
  Gather Information. 
   
  Keraptis 
  PCs with Knowledge (history) or bardic knowledge can 
  learn more about Keraptis. When a PC makes a successful 
  skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including 
  the information from lower DCs. 
  • DC 15: The powerful and evil wizard, Kerpatis, dwelt 
  below White Plume Mountain. Several decades ago, 
  he stole several powerful weapons from Greyhawk 
  City but adventurers retrieved them all. 
  • DC 20: Keraptis was served by strange gnomes that 
  were fanatically loyal to him. 
  • DC 25: Keraptis is unknowably old. Ancient Flan 
  records, recovered from Tostenhca - a mountain-city 
  hidden deep within the Griff Mountains record a 
  wizard of that name who controlled incredible power. 
  • DC 30: Keraptis is thought to have disappeared some 
  time ago to travel the planes in search of ways to 
  extend his already prodigious lifespan. 
   
  White Plume Mountain 
  PCs with Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), 
  or bardic knowledge can learn more about White Plume 
  Mountain. When a PC makes a successful skill check, 
  read or paraphrase the following, including the 
  information from lower DCs. 
  • DC 10: The mountain stands in the center of a 
  desolate moor. It is the highest point for miles 
  around. 
  • DC 15: White Plume Mountain is not really a 
  mountain but in reality is a high conical hill probably 
  formed by the upwelling of lava from below. 
  • DC 20: A geyser at its summit provides the 
  characteristic white plume for which the mountain is 
  famed. 
   
  Whisper Gnomes 
  The descendants of Keraptis’s mad gnome bodyguards yet 
  dwell in White Plume Mountains.  
   
  PCs with ranks in Knowledge (local: any) may know 
  more about whisper gnomes. When a PC makes a 
  successful skill check, read or paraphrase the following, 
  including the information from lower DCs. 
   
  DC 11: Identifies the creature as a whisper gnome, a 
  rare type of gnome. They are creatures of stealth and 
  suspicion. 
   
  DC 16: Whisper gnomes have excellent senses. They 
  are able to see in the dark and have exceptional hearing. 
   
  DC 21: Whisper gnomes have a range of spell-like 
  abilities. They can produce magical sounds, move small 
  objects without touching them, and send silent messages 
  to one another. 
   
  DC 26: Whisper gnomes can cloak themselves in 
  magical silence. 
   
  1: TRANSDIMENSIONAL 
  INSERTION 
  When you indicate that you are ready, the hired 
  Wayfarer directs you to gather together as he begins 
  casting his spell. As you dematerialize, the familiar, 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 7 
  brief nausea passes over you quickly. As you 
  rematerialize, you see first nervousness, and then 
  relief on the face of the Wayfarer, as he realizes he 
  was on target. He gives your group a curt nod before 
  breaking his talisman and disappearing, his contract 
  fulfilled. 
   
  Down the unworked passage, you can hear clear 
  sounds of what is likely torture: intermittent lashes 
  and strikes, sobbing, and forceful questioning. 
   
  The PCs have teleported into the only area that Gildor’s 
  people were able to scry. Their guide breaks his refuge 
  talisman as soon as they arrive, wanting nothing to do 
  with combat. The PCs may prepare as they wish, but are 
  only 80 ft. from the Indoctrination Centre (Encounter 2). 
  The PCs can immediately hear activity and Gnomish 
  chatter down the hall. 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  If the PCs make much noise at all, Ceraptis and his 
  minions likely hear them and begin preparing for 
  intruders. With all modifiers already included, assuming 
  the NPCs are constantly taking 10 on passive Listen 
  checks, they succeed on any Listen check of base DC 9 or 
  lower, such as talking, spellcasting, and some movement; 
  the PCs may be able to get away with whispering and 
  moving slowly and quietly, as long as they are not too 
  heavily armored or clumsy. 
   
  2: WHY WON’T YOU DIE?! 
  As you turn the corner to exit the freshly rent 
  fissure, your eyes fall upon a morbid sight. To one 
  side of the room is a table with a dissected green 
  dragonspawn, while chained to the walls are two 
  humanoids, one a male dwarf and the other a type of 
  female gnome, likely a whisper gnome of which you 
  have heard. The gnome is unconscious, whilst the 
  dwarf is being beaten by a gigantic, monstrously 
  deformed gnome with long braids of fire-red hair 
  and shiny, red scales. The activities are being 
  overseen by a pale gnome of wild yet regal 
  appearance. Standing to the side are two other 
  gnomes, seeming to take great glee in the dwarf’s 
  pain. 
   
  As soon as the revenance trap detects a dead creature of 
  size Small or larger within the room, it activates on its 
  next initiative, firing a Reach revenance on the target 
  (Note: this targets a Small or larger PC if he dies within 
  range and is the closest target). Read the following text 
  when the turret first activates. 
   
  Suddenly, the center of the stone ceiling begins to 
  morph. A silvery liquid flows down and quickly 
  forms into a reflective dome that fires a mystical ray. 
   
  All APLs 
   
  � Revenance Trap: Appendix 1. 
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
   
  � Ceraptis: male half-vampire whisper gnome bard 
  8; hp 44; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Banaar: half-red dragon spriggan barbarian 4/war 
  hulk 2; hp 160; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Lobo and Bolo: male whisper gnome rogue 6; hp 
  33; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
   
  � Ceraptis: male half-vampire whisper gnome bard 
  8/lyric thaumaturge 2; hp 55; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Banaar: half-red dragon spriggan barbarian 4/war 
  hulk 5; hp 208; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Lobo and Bolo: male whisper gnome rogue 6; hp 
  33; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 18) 
   
  � Ceraptis: male half-vampire whisper gnome bard 
  9/lyric thaumaturge 4; hp 71; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Banaar: half-red dragon spriggan barbarian 4/war 
  hulk 5; hp 208; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Lobo and Bolo: male whisper gnome rogue 
  8/blade bravo; hp 77; Appendix 1. 
   
  Augmented APL 14 (EL 20) 
   
  � Ceraptis: male half-vampire whisper gnome bard 
  9/lyric thaumaturge 4; hp 71; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Banaar: half-red dragon spriggan barbarian 4/war 
  hulk 5; hp 208; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Lobo and Bolo (6 total): male whisper gnome 
  rogue 8/blade bravo; hp 77; Appendix 1. 
   
  The EL of this encounter has been increased by 1 to 
  account for the effects of the revenance trap. 
   
  Tactics 
   
  Ceraptis: Ceraptis first starts singing to inspire 
  courage, using inspirational boost to increase the bonus to 
  +3. His Melodic Casting feat allows him to maintain his 
  bardic music abilities while taking other vocal actions. If 
  he has inspire greatness at the current APL, he uses that 
  as his next action on Banaar; otherwise, he begins casting 
  opportunity spells. In the first round that he has a free 
  immediate action, he activates his badge of valor to boost 
  the Inspire Courage bonus to +4 to hit and damage. 
  Remember to use Captivating Melody when casting 
  offensive spells if Ceraptis has that feat at the current 
  APL. 
   
  Banaar: At APL 10, Banaar uses his belt of battle 
  primarily for move actions to position himself while still 
  gaining full attacks or a Great Swing in one round. If he 
  does not need to do so, he use all three charges to gain a 
  full attack action. At APLs 12 and 14, he use the belt of 
  battle to gain either a move action for positioning for a full 
  attack against one opponent, or to gain a standard action 
  to gain a free Mighty Swing. 
   
  Lobo and Bolo: Lobo and Bolo attempt to flank with 
  each other and/or with Banaar. At APL14, they use their 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
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  first action to drink potions of shield of faith +3; if they have 
  additional time to prepare, they drink potions of haste. 
  They then target a Medium or larger creature using their 
  Mobile Fighting (+1 dodge), Titan Fighting (+4 dodge), 
  Combat Expertise (+5 dodge), and Size Advantage (+2 or 
  more dodge) to boost their AC by 12 or more, giving a 
  total AC of 37 or more, and then use Goad to force big, 
  dumb fighters to attack them. Using their impaling 
  weapon ability, they should still be able to hit the 
  opponent while taking the -5 penalty to hit from Combat 
  Expertise. 
   
  Treasure: Refer to the Treasure Summary to determine 
  what the PCs find here. 
   
   
  CAPTIVES 
  Neither captive is in any condition to adventure, nor do 
  they want to. They ask to be taken out of the mountain as 
  soon as possible. If this cannot be done immediately, they 
  will follow the party from several hundred feet away. To 
  count as “rescued”, the PCs must get the prisoners out of 
  the complex, likely by taking the NPCs with them when 
  they teleport out. 
   
  Mithraldo Deepunder 
  If the PCs rescue the dwarf, Mithraldo Deepunder, he 
  will be extremely grateful and promises to make it up to 
  the PCs. If asked, he explains that he was a member of a 
  party of dwarves that were exploring the mountain when 
  they came upon the whisper gnomes and their traps. His 
  companions were killed, but he was captured alive; the 
  whisper gnomes have been trying to ‘indoctrinate’ him 
  for the past three weeks. 
   
  Yalla Thergan 
  If the PCs rescue the whisper gnome, be sure to watch 
  how the individual PCs treat her. PCs that treat her well, 
  such as healing her or asking her if she needs anything, 
  earn an entry on the AR that others do not. 
   
  Yalla, like all of the whisper gnomes in White Plume 
  Mountain, is a bit insane, though she has a better handle 
  on reality than most of the others. If asked, Yalla explains 
  that she has always lived in White Plume Mountain. She 
  was being tortured because she thought Ceraptis’s idea 
  was idiotic and dangerous; he was trying to ‘convince’ her 
  otherwise. 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  After defeating Ceraptis and his minions, the PCs may 
  rescue the two prisoners, search the room and the bodies, 
  and proceed out the only exit. On Ceraptis’s body, the 
  PCs find a crystal skull of Ceraptis. This is a minor magic 
  item Ceraptis had crafted to help him incite fear in the 
  other gnomes. It is really nothing more than a glorified 
  everburning torch. Ceraptis knew of the crystal skull of 
  Keraptis and fashioned this skull to mimic it. Hopefully, 
  the PCs quickly realize that the skull is too small to fit the 
  description and too weak to be an artifact. If they want to 
  waste time deciding what to do, though, let them. 
   
  3: PLEASE HOLD 
  Ahead of you, the corridor opens into a wide rift 
  within the mountain. Your party stands at ground 
  level of the interior chasm, which appears to end to 
  your left and stretch off into the darkness on your 
  right. You notice no movement, but the heat has 
  increased and the sound of shifting rocks is audible 
  in the distance, echoing through the caverns. 
   
  The PCs exit a 15 ft. wide passage and enter a chasm that 
  runs perpendicular to the passage they just exited; the 
  PCs are at the bottom of the chasm. The chasm is 40 ft. 
  across, an average of 25 ft. high, and stretches off into the 
  darkness beyond sight. 
   
  Ten feet from the middle of the exit point of the 
  passage, in the chasm, is a transfix trap intended to freeze 
  interlopers as they advance towards the Indoctrination 
  Centre. The trap can be bypassed by uttering the phrase 
  “Praise to Keraptis!”, but it is unlikely the PCs have this 
  information. The trap is triggered when a creature moves 
  to within 5 ft. of the trap without uttering the trigger 
  phrase. This means that any Search check to find the trap 
  without first triggering it must be made from 10 ft. away. 
  If the PC is only searching adjacent squares, they trigger 
  the trap before finding it. 
   
  This trap has two possible effects. First, it could cause 
  shorter duration buff spells to expire. Second, it could 
  cause Encounter 4 to start while one or more PCs are 
  transfixed. 
   
  All APLs (EL 11) 
   
  � Transfix Trap: Appendix 1. 
   
  The EL of this encounter has been increased by 1 to 
  account for the possibility of Encounter 4 occurring here 
  while some PCs are transfixed. 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  If the PCs spend more than 30 minutes in this location, 
  Xonxin and his ember guards stumble across them, 
  beginning Encounter 4. Begin such a combat with the 
  NPCs placed 60 ft. from the closest PC, or further out if 
  the PCs are making a good deal of noise or if the PCs have 
  more than 60 ft. of perception available. 
   
  Tactics: If Encounter 4 begins here, the NPCs avoid 
  giving away the trigger phrase, if possible. The ember 
  guards have enough reach to stand outside the area and 
  still attack anyone transfixed or standing at the mouth of 
  the passage. They do not proceed down the hall to attack 
  the PCs unless there is only one ember guard remaining 
  or Xonxin is dead; the ember guards are not smart 
  enough by themselves to avoid being bottled up. Consult 
  Encounter 4 for further tactics. 
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 9 
  4: MY GOOD BUDDY, IMIX 
  Adjust the following text to account for multiple ember 
  guards. 
   
  The chasm slowly drifts downwards, the heat rising 
  at the same time. As you turn a corner, you see a 
  hulking mass of stone and brass, puffs of acrid 
  smoke leaking from its maw; intense heat radiates 
  from its surface, and smoke rises where it treads. 
  Standing behind the monster is a giant with red skin 
  and fiery eyes. 
   
  Xonxin has been dispatched by Ceraptis to shore up the 
  caverns in various places, using his ember guards as 
  manual labor. Xonxin and his ember guards are currently 
  working at the passageway the low-level adventurers 
  found at the end of their portion of this adventure. 
   
  The PCs have a slight advantage here, as they can 
  clearly hear the sounds of construction from 120 ft. away. 
  Beyond that distance, the PCs can only make out the 
  sounds of shifting rocks, not what is causing it. As soon as 
  Xonxin or the ember guards notice the PCs, they attack. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
   
  � Xonxin: male efreeti; hp 65; MM 115. 
   
  � Ember Guard: hp 162; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
   
  � Xonxin: male efreeti; hp 65; MM 115. 
   
  � Ember Guard (2): hp 162; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 18*) 
   
  � Xonxin: male efreeti; hp 65; MM 115. 
   
  � Greater Ember Guard (2): hp 225; Appendix 1. 
   
  Augmented APL 14 (EL 20*) 
   
  � Xonxin (2): male efreeti; hp 65; MM 115. 
   
  � Greater Ember Guard (4): hp 225; Appendix 1. 
   
  *The EL of this encounter at these APLs has been 
  decreased by 1 due to the likelihood of PCs having 
  resistance to fire, reducing the effectiveness of the NPCs. 
   
  Tactics: If Xonxin and the ember guards are aware of the 
  PCs before the PCs are aware of them, Xonxin uses his 
  spell-like abilities to make all the NPCs invisible. 
   
  Xonxin: Xonxin’s first actions, either in combat or 
  preparing for surprise combat, are to use one of his 3/day 
  non-genie wishes on each ember guard to make its next 
  attack an automatic critical hit (he instructs the ember 
  guards to full Power Attack on their next attack, if they 
  have that feat at the APL). He then uses wall of fire to split 
  up the party and/or block enemy spellcaster’s line of 
  effect spells or use his remaining wish(es) to revive 
  defeated ember guards, as appropriate. If Xonxin sees that 
  things are going poorly, he uses plane shift to escape. 
   
  Ember Guards: Xonxin instructs the ember guards 
  to spread out during combat to help avoid area of affect 
  attacks and to maximize the impact of their Death Throes 
  ability. His instructions place the ember guards in such a 
  way that they can all breath on the party while avoiding 
  each other’s breath attacks, which should be easy with 
  their 15 ft. reach. Even if the PCs seem immune to fire, 
  the ember guards continue to breathe on the party in an 
  attempt to keep them slowed; however, the ember guards 
  are not intelligent enough to notice if a previous breath 
  slowed the PCs, so some breath attacks may be wasted. 
   
  Lore 
  Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can 
  learn more about ember guards. When a character makes 
  a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, 
  including the information from lower DCs. 
  • DC 23: This is an ember guard, a creature from the 
  Elemental Plane of Fire. An ember guard can breathe a 
  cone of flame that magically slows those it burns. Cold 
  is this creature’s major weakness. 
  • DC 28: Ember guards are spawned by Imix, Prince of 
  Evil Fire Elementals. Their essential nature—fire—lies 
  trapped within a skin of brass and stone that is resilient 
  against all but good weapons. Despite amazing healing 
  abilities, ember guards lose their ability to contain their 
  inner fire as they suffer injuries, causing those nearby 
  to burn as heat and flame escape. 
  • DC 33: If an ember guard is slain, it explodes in a 
  tremendous burst, showering the area with fiery 
  cinders. 
   
  Treasure: Refer to the Treasure Summary to determine 
  what the PCs find here. 
   
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  After defeating Xonxin and his ember guards, the PCs 
  may either continue clearing the passage, which only 
  leads to the already cleared area of the mountain (see low-
  level section of the adventure), or continue down the 
  chasm, which leads to Encounter 5. Any time spent 
  investigating the cave-in discovers crushed, decayed 
  dragonspawn of various types, killed during the cave-in 
  while invading the mountain. 
   
  5: THAT’S NO RUST 
  MONSTER 
  You appear to have entered a laboratory of some 
  type, likely a magical experimentation centre. You 
  see tables covered in beakers, tomes, staves, and 
  other typically magical items.  
   
  You are not alone in the room, as you see 
  gigantic creatures with insect-like legs, an armored 
  carapace, several antennae and tentacles, and an odd-
  looking tail. On the back of each creature is a 
  whisper gnome holding a set of reins. 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 10 
  The guulvorgs are disguised as half-farspawn rust 
  monsters. Give the PCs Spot checks, as described below. 
  If the disguises fool them, give the PCs Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) checks to identify the “rust monsters.” 
   
  APL 10 (EL 13) 
   
  � Immature Guulvorg (2): hp 126; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Half-Farspawn Rust Monster: hp 188; 
  Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 15) 
   
  � Immature Guulvorg (3): hp 126; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Rust Monster of Legacy: hp 188; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 18) 
   
  � Greater Guulvorg (3): hp 212; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Rust Monster of Legacy: hp 188; Appendix 1. 
   
  Augmented APL 14 (EL 20) 
   
  � Guulvorg (6): hp 212; Appendix 1. 
   
  � Rust Monster of Legacy (2): hp 188; Appendix 1. 
   
  At Augmented APL 14 have half the guulvorgs arrive in 
  round 3 and begin attacking on round 4. Have the rust 
  monsters arrive in round 6 and begin attacking in round 
  7. Adjust the round numbers as necessary if the PCs 
  finish off the previous set of NPCs quickly. 
   
  Tactics: The guulvorgs in this encounter are disguised as 
  rust monsters (everyday by Ceraptis). Their general tactic 
  is to engage any enemies early, giving them time to 
  realize that the guulvorgs are not really rust monsters, 
  just in time for the actual rust monster to move in and 
  attack. This tactic is meant to keep the enemy confused 
  and off-balance. 
   
  As soon as the guulvorgs or rust monster are aware of 
  the PCs’ approach, the gnomes mount their disguised 
  guulvorgs and prepare to meet the PCs at the entrance to 
  the Experimentation Centre. 
   
  Gnomes: The guulvorg-rider gnomes are here 
  merely for story purposes and a bit of roleplay flavor. 
  They do not take any actions in combat and do not affect 
  the EL of the combat. If you need their statistics for some 
  reason, use a gnome out of the Monster Manual. 
   
  Guulvorgs: The guulvorgs spread out to avoid area 
  attacks and to give the rust monster space to operate, 
  when he arrives. As soon as the PCs see the guulvorgs, 
  they can roll a Spot check to see through the rust monster 
  disguises. It requires a DC (25+APL) Spot check to see 
  through the disguises (this already includes modifiers for 
  combat distraction and average distance). At the 
  beginning of each PC’s turn, give them another Spot 
  check with a cumulative +4/round circumstance bonus, 
  representing the guulvorgs not acting appropriately for 
  their ‘physiology’ and the disguises taking damage during 
  combat. 
   
  The guulvorgs take advantage of their quick tail 
  ability and/or clever 5-ft. steps to gain full attacks every 
  round while ending every other round 15 ft. away from 
  the enemy, if possible. This allows them to still threaten 
  with their tail, and forces enemies to provoke an attack of 
  opportunity when approaching. The guulvorgs also flank 
  whenever possible and, if space is an issue, use their quick 
  tail ability to cycle through spaces and let each guulvorg 
  full attack every round. 
   
  Rust Monster: The real rust monster moves into 
  attack position in round three; it begins attacking in 
  round four. The rust monster spends the first few rounds 
  buffing, in the following order: round 1 – blur, round 2 – 
  greater invisibility and move to within one movement of 
  attack position, round 3 – blink and move into attack 
  position. 
   
  Before running this combat, be sure to review the 
  rules for the interactions between blur, blink, greater 
  invisibility, see invisibility, and true seeing. Remember to 
  apply the miss chances against the rust monster for both 
  blink and either blur or greater invisibility, as appropriate, 
  and the miss chance for the rust monster from blink. 
   
  If the rust monster gains an attack of opportunity 
  from Spectral Skirmisher at APLs 12 and 14, it uses its 
  antenna attack against the weapon being used to attack it, 
  if metal, or against armor, giving the guulvorgs a better 
  chance of damaging the enemy; the APLs 12 and 14 rust 
  monster is highly intelligent. At APL 10, it uses such an 
  attack of opportunity to attack the largest metal object on 
  the provoking creature. 
   
  The APL 10 rust monster does not use amorphous 
  form unless there are no significant metal objects left in 
  the room. The APLs 12 and 14 rust monster only uses 
  amorphous form if it needs to gain immunity to critical 
  hits and flanking or if there are no significant metal 
  objects left in the room. The rust monster’s other spell-
  like abilities should be used as appropriate, remembering 
  that the APL 10 rust monster has only a 3 Intelligence 
  and is strongly compelled to use its rust ability if it can. 
   
  Lore 
  Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) can learn 
  more about guulvorgs, once they see through the 
  disguises. When a character makes a successful skill 
  check, the following lore is revealed, including the 
  information from lower DCs. 
  • DC 23: Guulvorgs are magical beasts that are related to 
  and as smart as worgs. These creatures are among the 
  largest wolf-like monsters in existence. Their fangs are 
  oversized even for their huge mouths. 
  • DC 28: A guulvorg’s tail ends in a huge bulb of 
  hardened bone, and the beast can use this tail 
  extremely quickly in battle. 
  • DC 33: Protecting it from fire and making it immune 
  to cold, a guulvorg’s blood runs boiling hot. If the 
  creature is wounded, which is hard to do without 
  magic weapons, its blood scalds its attacker. 
   
  Treasure: Refer to the Treasure Summary to determine 
  what the PCs find here. 
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
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  DEVELOPMENT 
  After defeating the rust monster and guulvorgs, the PCs 
  may search the room, discovering a few magic items. Of 
  note are body parts of various dragonspawn that have 
  been subjected to magical experiments. After examining 
  the room, the party may proceed down the stairs leading 
  to the magma chamber in Encounter 6. 
   
  6: LIQUID HOT MAGMA 
  The PCs exit a narrow passage and emerge in a large, 
  active magma chamber with a small path leading across it. 
  The path is 10 ft. wide and travels 80 ft. before leading 
  into another passage out of the magma chamber. The 
  chamber stretches 100 ft. to either side of the path, but 
  you should not need more than 30 ft. to either side of the 
  path for this encounter. 
   
  Ahead of you is a magma chamber with a narrow 
  path stretching from one side of the room to the 
  other. To either side of the 10-foot wide path is 
  liquid magma; frequent, slowly bursting bubbles 
  indicate the instability of the mountain. The heat 
  here, mere feet from the molten lava, surpasses the 
  physical limitations of mortals. Almost 100 feet 
  ahead of you, the path leaves the chamber to enter 
  another passage. 
   
  As the first PCs reach the halfway point on the path (the 
  square 45 ft. from the entrance), a tremor shakes the 
  mountain, causing large sections of the ceiling to 
  collapse. 
   
  As you move carefully across the magma chamber, a 
  tremor shakes the volcano, dislodging portions of 
  the ceiling. Bits of rock begin to fall around you. 
   
  Roll initiative. On the trap’s first initiative turn, the rock 
  fall occurs, blocking the exits, disrupting the magma, and 
  probably injuring the party; follow the instructions in the 
  Appendix and place the lava vortex tile in a random 
  location 10 ft. away from the path. 
   
  Large sections of the ceiling of the room rain down 
  upon you and your allies. Both exits of the room are 
  blocked by piles of large rocks, and the magma has 
  begun to shift in unsettling ways. 
   
  Each round after the first, magma explodes out of the lava 
  vortex area, covering the entire area. 
   
  One area of the magma appears to have been 
  disrupted more than the rest, as it violently erupts, 
  spraying you and your allies with molten stone and 
  metal. 
   
  On each character’s initiative, ask them what they want to 
  do. Remember that one of the challenges of an encounter 
  trap is for the players to think of a way out; do not tell 
  them how to escape or what to do. If a player wants to 
  make a Disable Device check, ask them what they are 
  trying to accomplish; encounter traps are not a measure 
  of bonuses or d20 rolls. The encounter trap in the 
  Appendices lists two ways of escaping, but other 
  particularly clever ideas that seem like good ideas should 
  be allowed. 
   
  ENVIRONMENT 
  Off the path, the magma is 5 or more feet deep 
  throughout the chamber; leaving the path results in full 
  submersion damage. See the ‘Heat Dangers’ section at the 
  beginning of this adventure for more details. 
   
  TRAPS 
  APL 10 (EL 12) 
   
  � Lesser Magma Explosion Trap: Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 14) 
   
  � Magma Explosion Trap: Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 17) 
   
  � Greater Magma Explosion Trap: Appendix 1. 
   
  Augmented APL 14 (EL 19) 
   
  � Greater Magma Explosion Trap (2*): Appendix 
  1. 
   
  * At Augmented APL 14, have two rock collapse events 
  on round 1, two magma disruption areas, increase the 
  Disable Device check at each exit by 2, and add 30 hp to 
  each exit. 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  Leaving the magma chamber, the PCs proceed through a 
  winding passage for 100 ft. before emerging in the area 
  described in Encounter 7. 
   
  7: GIANT METAL THING 
  Exiting the passage leading from the unstable 
  magma chamber, you stand at the end of a magma 
  pool that begins just ahead of you and stretches 
  away, farther into the mountain. The pool is roughly 
  20 feet wide and is flanked by paths roughly 5 feet 
  wide. 
   
  The pool/stream travels approximately 100 feet in a 
  winding pattern before opening into larger pool. Adjust 
  the following text to account for more than one 
  merchurion. 
   
  After traveling about 200 feet along the twisting 
  magma flow, the area opens into a larger magma 
  pool. A metal colossus stands amidst the magma, its 
  form shifting and flowing like liquid. The creature 
  moves with a grace that belies its powerful, 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
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  humanlike form, and you see that its metallic sheen 
  is no suit of armor. Where its head would be is a 
  crystal skull, the silver liquid flowing from the eyes, 
  nose, and mouth, joining the rest of the liquid form, 
  flowing down the creature’s arms, and taking the 
  shape of a vicious, over-large axe. 
   
  ENVIRONMENT 
  The PCs exit a narrow passage and emerge on a 5 ft. ledge 
  along the edge of a 20 ft. wide magma flow. They travel 
  along this passage for 200 ft. before encountering the 
  merchurion(s), 50 ft. ahead, in the middle of the magma 
  flow. 
   
  The crystal skull of Keraptis has been fused into the 
  guardian as its head, giving the odd appearance of a 
  silvery being with a crystal skull, with silver liquid 
  flowing from the eyes, nose, and mouth. If there are two 
  guardians at the given APL, the other merchurion is of 
  average appearance for its type. 
   
  Off the ledge, the magma (DMG 304) is 6 ft. deep 
  throughout the pool. Leaving the ledge has the following 
  effects: 
   
  Medium or Smaller Creatures: The magma deals 
  20d6 fire damage per round of exposure, plus 10d6 fire 
  damage each of the next 1d3 rounds after exposure 
  ceases. DC 10 Swim checks are required for movement. 
   
  Large or Larger creatures: The magma deals 2d6 
  fire damage per round of exposure, plus 1d6 fire damage 
  each of the next 1d3 rounds after exposure ceases. Each 
  square counts as difficult terrain. 
   
  APL 10 (EL 14*) 
   
  � Decayed Merchurion: hp 202; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 12 (EL 16*) 
   
  � Decayed Merchurion (2): hp 202; Appendix 1. 
   
  APL 14 (EL 19*) 
   
  � Merchurion: hp 319; Appendix 1. 
   
  Augmented APL 14 (EL 21*) 
   
  � Merchurion (2): hp 319; Appendix 1. 
   
  * The EL of this encounter has been increased by 2 to 
  account for the number of sequential combats, the 
  possibility of losing equipment to the rust monster, and 
  the environment. 
   
  At APLs with one merchurion, when it reaches half 
  health, the skull is dislodged from the being and rests on 
  top of the lava in the middle of the merchurion’s current 
  squares. At APLs with two merchurions, the death of the 
  main guardian leaves a pool of liquid silver and the skull 
  resting on top of the lava in that merchurion’s current 
  squares. Neither the skull nor the liquid take damage 
  from the lava, but this gives the PCs a chance to alter 
  tactics and attempt to recover the skull without finishing 
  off the (other) merchurion, though they must still deal 
  with the (other) merchurion attempting to stop the PCs 
  from taking the skull. When a PC picks up the skull, even 
  if not touching it or if placing it in an extradimensional 
  space, read the following, modifying as appropriate to the 
  situation: 
   
  As you touch the crystal skull, you immediately hear 
  whispers of unspeakable acts. The skull seems to be 
  compelling you to do the most heinous acts 
  imaginable. When you do not immediately comply, 
  either through inability or lack of desire, you feel 
  yourself weaken substantially. It may be just your 
  imagination, but the skull seems to be laughing at 
  you. 
   
  Possessing the skull in any way bestows two negative 
  levels on any non-evil creature. This ability crosses 
  dimensional boundaries and cannot be overcome in any 
  way short of giving away, discarding, or destroying the 
  skull. 
   
  Tactics: The merchurion remains 15 ft into the lava, 
  forcing anyone with less than 15 ft. reach to enter the lava 
  to attack him. If the PCs find a way to avoid his reach at 
  that distance or are using Spring Attack, Dervish Dance, 
  or a similar ability, he begins using Spring Attack and/or 
  Power Attack for 3 points, making his longaxe function as 
  a reach weapon (Appendix 2). 
   
  If the merchurion’s attacks are not having significant 
  effects, or if he feels that he is substantially losing a battle 
  of attrition, he either disarm attackers (which could be 
  disastrous for the PCs’ weapons if above lava) or attempts 
  to grapple PCs and submerge them in the lava, inflicting 
  both lava damage and causing risk of drowning. If 
  attempting to grapple, he shifts his weapon to a size Large 
  (size Medium if grappling Small creatures, imposing an 
  additional -2 penalty to the attack roll) mancatcher (see 
  Appendix 2) and use its abilities to grapple the enemy and 
  move them where desired. The merchurion has 15 ft. 
  reach and a +5 bonus when grappling with the 
  mancatcher, due to enhancement bonus, Weapon Focus, 
  and Greater Weapon Focus. 
   
  Remember that the absorption of enchantments is 
  automatic until the merchurion absorbs +5 worth of 
  enchantments. The merchurion, of course, chooses to use 
  his immediate action to give up enchantments that do 
  little or no damage, such as flaming, and wants to absorb 
  any sonic enchantments above others. If one PC is doing 
  more weapon damage than others, the merchurion 
  attempts to absorb their enchantments above others. This 
  ability applies to both melee and ranged weapons. 
  However, to apply the enchantment to its own attacks, 
  the enchantment must be valid on the melee weapon he 
  is currently manifesting. The merchurion(s) neither ask 
  for nor grant quarter, but will not pursue fleeing enemies. 
   
  Lore 
  Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn 
  more about merchurions. When a character makes a 
  successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, 
  including the information from lower DCs. 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 13 
  • DC 27: This rare and reclusive creature is no giant, but 
  a merchurion—a powerful hulking menace of living 
  metal. This result reveals all living construct traits. 
  • DC 32: Merchurions have the ability to shape magic 
  weapons from their own bodies, but foes who engage 
  these creatures in melee do so at their peril. Magic 
  weapons that strike a merchurion have their properties 
  absorbed and utilized in the creature’s own attacks. 
  • DC 37: A slain merchurion immediately collapses to a 
  pool of silvery liquid that retains some of the creature’s 
  magical essence. Weapons dipped in this liquid 
  become silvered and strike as magic weapons against 
  the toughest creatures. 
   
  DEVELOPMENT 
  After defeating the merchurion guardian, the PCs may 
  recover the crystal skull of Keraptis and the other remains of 
  the merchurion; do not hesitate to hint to the players that 
  the pool of liquid silver is odd and may be of some value. 
  The PCs must now decide what to do with the skull. 
   
  If the PCs decide to return the skull to Gildor, use 
  Conclusion A. If the PCs decide that one of the PCs 
  should keep the skull, proceed to Conclusion B. If the 
  PCs did not recover the skull, proceed to Conclusion C. 
   
  CONCLUSION 
  CONCLUSION A 
  Gildor is ecstatic and profusely grateful that you 
  have succeeded in your mission and returned the 
  artifact to him. “Hopefully,” he says, “studying this 
  object will allow us to uncover exactly what 
  Dragotha is hoping to accomplish and get one step 
  ahead of him, rather than always being one step 
  behind, as we have been. I must thank you once 
  again for your outstanding service, and I hope we are 
  able to work together in the future.” 
   
  CONCLUSION B 
  Every 24 hours in possession of the skull bestows an 
  additional negative level, bestowing three negative levels 
  on the second day, four negative levels on the third day, 
  and so on. 
   
  The skull continually attempts to corrupt the 
  possessor; after every 24 hours in possession of the skull, 
  the PC must make a DC 34 Will save or become evil. A 
  PC that becomes evil immediately and permanently 
  becomes an NPC. 
   
  As these effects originate from an artifact, mortal 
  magic, non-Epic class abilities, Use Magic Device, and 
  similar abilities or effects are of no use. All effects of the 
  skull cross any distance and planar boundaries; the PC 
  must truly intend to discard or give away the item to rid 
  himself of the effects. 
   
  The effects continue until the skull is given away, 
  discarded, destroyed, or the character possessing the skull 
  becomes evil or dies. The PCs do not have the means or 
  knowledge to destroy the skull. If a character rids himself 
  of the skull, then regains the skull later, the negative 
  levels continue from where they left off. For example, if a 
  good character kept the skull for five days, gave the skull 
  away, then regained possession of the skull, he would 
  immediately suffer six negative levels. Read the following 
  after the first 24 hours in possession of the skull: 
   
  For the past day, the skull’s whispers have grown 
  louder and more forceful. Nothing you have done 
  has stopped or even mitigated the sounds. You have 
  also felt yourself weaken further. You are quite sure 
  now that the laughing is not imagined. 
   
  If the PC continues to keep the skull, embellish the 
  effects each day, require another Will save to avoid 
  becoming evil, and increment the negative level by one. 
  Continue this process until the PC dies from negative 
  levels, becomes evil, or rids himself of the skull. 
   
  If the PC dies from negative levels, he immediately 
  rises as a skull lord (MM V 154) with the crystal skull of 
  Keraptis as the central skull. The Skull Lord attempts to 
  flee any immediate combat, desiring to fulfill its mission 
  of returning Keraptis to the Prime Material Plane. 
   
  CONCLUSION C 
  Gildor is disappointed that you were unable to 
  recover the crystal skull of Keraptis, but appreciates 
  your efforts. “I hope that Dragotha’s minions will 
  have no more luck than you did. We can only pray 
  that the artifact remains hidden within White 
  Plume Mountain for many more years. Thank you 
  once again for your efforts, fruitless though they 
  were.” 
   
  The End. 
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 14 
  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. 
   
  2: Why Won’t You Die?! 
  Defeat the NPCs. 
  APL 10  
  390 XP 
  APL 12 
  450 XP 
  APL 14 
  540 XP 
   
  Story: Rescue Captives (per captive rescued) 
  APL 10  
   90 XP 
  APL 12 
  105 XP 
  APL 14 
  120 XP 
   
  3: Please Hold 
  Encounter the transfix trap. 
  All APLs  
  330 XP 
   
  Story: Knowingly avoid triggering the trap. 
  APL 10  
   90 XP 
  APL 12 
  105 XP 
  APL 14 
  120 XP 
   
  4: My Good Buddy, Imix 
  Defeat Xonxin and the Ember Guard(s) 
  APL 10  
  390 XP 
  APL 12 
  450 XP 
  APL 14 
  540 XP 
   
  5: That’s No Rust Monster 
  Defeat the “rust monster(s)” and the rust monster. 
  APL 10  
  390 XP 
  APL 12 
  450 XP 
  APL 14 
  540 XP 
   
  6: Liquid Hot Magma 
  Encounter the magma explosion. 
  APL 10  
  360 XP 
  APL 12 
  420 XP 
  APL 14 
  510 XP 
   
  Story: Using either cold damage or Disable Device to 
  bypass the trap (as listed in the Appendix) or a different, 
  particularly clever way of escaping or bypassing the trap. 
  APL 10  
   90 XP 
  APL 12 
  105 XP 
  APL 14 
  120 XP 
   
  7: Giant Metal Thing 
  Defeat the Merchurion(s) 
  APL 10  
  420 XP 
  APL 12 
  480 XP 
  APL 14 
  570 XP 
  Story: Recover the crystal skull of Keraptis 
  APL 10  
  180 XP 
  APL 12 
  210 XP 
  APL 14 
  240 XP 
   
  Discretionary Roleplaying Award 
  APL 10  
   90 XP 
  APL 12 
  105 XP 
  APL 14 
  120 XP 
   
  Total Possible Experience 
  APL 10  
  2,700 XP 
  APL 12 
   
  3,150 XP 
  APL 14 
  3,600 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.  
   
  Loot = Looted gear from enemy; Coin = Coin, Gems, 
  Jewelry, and other valuables; Magic = Magic Items. 
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 15 
  2: Why Won’t You Die?! 
  APL 10: Loot 5 gp; Coin 0 gp; Magic 5097 gp – Badge of 
  valor (116 gp), cloak of charisma +2 (167 gp), +1 blueshine 
  commander starmetal chain shirt (800 gp), +1 heavy mithral 
  shield (168 gp), +1 rapier (3 @ 194 gp), +1 chain shirt (2 @ 
  104 gp), cloak of resistance +1 (2 @ 83 gp), belt of battle (1000 
  gp), third eye clarity (250 gp), +1 keen everbright sizing dire 
  pick (1278 gp), +2 breastplate (362 gp); Total 5102 gp. 
   
  APL 12: Loot 5 gp; Coin 0 gp; Magic 7910 gp – Badge 
  of valor (116 gp), cloak of charisma +4 (1333 gp), +1 blueshine 
  commander starmetal chain shirt (800 gp), +1 heavy mithral 
  shield (168 gp), +1 rapier (3 @ 194 gp), 1 chain shirt (2 @ 104 
  gp), cloak of resistance +1 (2 @ 83 gp), belt of battle (1000 gp), 
  potion of cure serious wounds (63 gp), third eye clarity (250 gp), 
  +1 keen everbright sizing dire pick (1278 gp), +3 breastplate 
  (779 gp), cloak of resistance +2 (334 gp), greater augment 
  crystal of mind cloaking (833 gp); Total 7915 gp. 
   
  APL 14: Loot 5 gp; Coin 0 gp; Magic 15362 gp – 
  Badge of valor (116 gp), cloak of charisma +6 (3000 gp), +1 
  blueshine commander starmetal chain shirt (800 gp), +1 heavy 
  mithral shield (168 gp), +1 rapier (194 gp), runestaff of forced 
  happiness (1500 gp), helm of tactics (167 gp), horn of resilience 
  (416 gp), +2 mithral shirt (2 @ 425 gp), +2 impaling rapier (2 
  @ 1527 gp), cloak of charisma +2 (2 @ 167 gp), potion of haste 
  (2 @ 63 gp), potion of cure moderate wounds (2 @ 25 gp), 
  potion of shield of faith (+3) (2 @ 25 gp), belt of battle (1000 
  gp), potion of cure serious wounds (63 gp), third eye clarity 
  (250 gp), +1 keen everbright sizing dire pick (1278 gp), +3 
  breastplate (779 gp), cloak of resistance +2 (334 gp), greater 
  augment crystal of mind cloaking (833 gp); Total 15367 gp. 
   
  4: My Good Buddy, Imix 
  All APLs: Loot 0 gp; Coin 0 gp; Magic 833 gp – third eye 
  aware (833 gp); Total 833 gp. 
   
  5: That’s No Rust Monster 
  APL 10: Loot 0 gp; Coin 0 gp; Magic 2408 gp – fireflower 
  pendant (1083 gp), lore gem (625 gp), runestaff of fire (700 
  gp); Total 2408 gp. 
   
  APLs 12 & 14: Loot 0 gp; Coin 0 gp; Magic 3241 gp – 
  crystal mask of discernment (833 gp), fireflower pendant (1083 
  gp), lore gem (625 gp), runestaff of fire (700 gp); Total 3421 
  gp. 
   
  Total Possible Treasure 
  APL 10:  
  4,600 gp 
   
  APL 12: 
  6,600 gp 
   
  APL 14: 
  13,600 gp 
   
  ADVENTURE RECORD 
  If the PCs rescued Mithraldo Deepunder from the 
  Indoctrination Centre (Encounter 2), they gain “Forges of 
  Morakduum”. 
   
  If 
  they 
  rescued 
  Yalla 
  Thergan 
  from 
  the 
  Indoctrination Centre (Encounter 2), any PC that treated 
  her well gains “I Still Don’t Trust You”. 
   
  If the PCs recovered the starmetal chain shirt and/or 
  the crystal skull of Ceraptis from Ceraptis, they gain 
  “Salvaged Starmetal” and “Crystal Skull of Ceraptis”. 
   
  If the PCs defeated the merchurion guardian, they 
  gain “Quicksilver Remains” and “Quicksilver Weapon”. 
   
  If the PCs both rescued Mithraldo Deepunder and 
  defeated the merchurion guardian, they gain “Quicksilver 
  Repairs” and “Reforged of Quicksilver”. 
   
  If the PCs did not recover the crystal skull of Keraptis, 
  but did attempt the mission, they gain “(Lesser) Gratitude 
  of Gildor”. 
   
  If the PCs recovered the crystal skull of Keraptis, they 
  may either return it to Gilder, choose one PC at the table 
  to keep it, or do something else with it. If they return it to 
  Gildor, they gain “Lesser Gratitude of Gildor” and 
  “Greater Gratitude of Gildor”. 
   
  If they choose one PC to keep it, that PC gains 
  “Crystal Skull of Keraptis” and all PCs gain “Enmity of 
  Gildor”. (Only one PC at each table may keep the skull.) No 
  PCs receive “Lesser Gratitude of Gildor” or “Greater 
  Gratitude of Gildor”. 
   
  If they do anything else with the skull, they receive 
  none of the Gildor-related entries. 
   
  Attempts to fool Gildor do not work in the long run, 
  as repeated divinations and mundane gathering of 
  information will eventually reveal the true location of the 
  skull. 
   
  � I Still Don’t Trust You: Your friendly treatment of 
  Yalla has earned you her respect, if not her trust. You may 
  take Yalla Thergan, a female whisper gnome (Races of 
  Stone 94), as a cohort. Yalla is extremely suspicious, a bit 
  lacking in sanity, and will not voluntarily have an 
  alignment other than neutral good. Create Yalla using the 
  cohort rules found in the Living Greyhawk Sourcebook. 
   
  � Forges of Morakduum: As thanks for rescuing 
  Mithraldo 
  Deepunder, 
  the 
  nearby 
  dwarves 
  of 
  Morakduum offer to reforge any damaged metal items at 
  a cost of 10% of the item’s market value. This use of the 
  favor may also be used after future events by spending 4 
  TUs. 
   
   
  � Salvaged Starmetal: If you purchase and destroy the 
  starmetal chain shirt, you may salvage 12 lbs. of starmetal 
  for greenstar adept use or to forge into a new weapon or 
  suit of armor to which you have Open access, paying only 
  the cost for a steel version; the new item must weigh 12 
  or fewer lbs. 
   
  � (Lesser) or [Greater] Gratitude of Gildor: Choose 
  (1) or [2] Items Found to change to Core access. You may 
  join the Oathsworn Slayers from outside the IUZ 
  metaregion and gain (5) or [10] Affiliation Points with 
  them. 
   
  � Crystal Skull of Ceraptis: Recovered from the mad 
  whisper gnome, Ceraptis, this clear crystal, shaped like a 
  Small-sized skull, functions as a glowing orb, per the spell 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 16 
  (SpC p106). The eerie, turquoise light emanates from the 
  eye sockets. The skull has 8 hardness and 30 hit points. 
   
  � Enmity of Gildor: You lose all benefits of favors from 
  good-aligned dragons and do not gain future benefits of 
  favors from good-aligned dragons. You may not join the 
  Oathsworn Slayers and, if already a member, are banned 
  from the organization. Good-aligned dragons’ attitudes 
  towards you worsen by one category, while evil-aligned 
  dragons’ attitudes improve by one category (PH p72). 
   
  � Crystal Skull of Keraptis: Your prolonged contact 
  with the crystal skull of Keraptis has granted you a +4 
  Profane bonus to saving throws against necromancy and 
  death effects. If you are g00d-aligned, you must make a 
  DC 34 Will save at the beginning of each adventure; 
  failure means that your alignment shifts to neutral and 
  cannot voluntarily be changed for the duration of that 
  adventure. Both effects expire one year from the date on 
  this AR. 
   
  SPECIAL AR 
  � Quicksilver Remains: You have recovered the 
  quicksilver remains of the merchurion guardian. The 
  remains evaporate after 24 hours; all related entries or 
  uses expire after this AR. 
   
  � Quicksilver Weapon: Any weapon dipped in the 
  remains of a merchurion instantly and permanently 
  transforms. It looks to be made of liquid, flowing silver, 
  becomes silvered, and strikes as a magical weapon for the 
  purposes of overcoming DR. This works on all weapons, 
  standard or non-standard, no matter their base material 
  composition, but replaces that material as the base 
  composition. A cold iron weapon would forever count as 
  silver and magic, suffer a -1 penalty to damage rolls, and 
  would no longer count as cold iron. Note dipped weapons 
  in the Play Notes section of this AR. 
   
  � Quicksilver Repairs: Using the quicksilver liquid, 
  the dwarves of Morakduum are able to repair your items 
  more easily. All repairs made on this AR with the use of 
  the ‘Forges of Morakduum’ favor are free, but the items 
  have a permanent, silvery appearance. 
   
  � 
  Reforged 
  of 
  Quicksilver: 
  The 
  dwarves 
  of 
  Morakduum can infuse your metal items with the 
  recovered quicksilver, making the item appear to be made 
  of liquid, flowing silver and allowing these enchantments 
  from Magic Item Compendium to be purchased: blueshine, 
  commander, 
  mobility, 
  nimbleness, 
  quickness, 
  variable, 
  changeling, everbright, hideaway, morphing, and sizing. All 
  enchantments must be purchased on this AR. 
   
  ITEMS FOUND 
  APL 10: 
  • +1 blueshine commander starmetal chain shirt (Adventure; 
  MIC; 9,600 gp) 
  • +1 keen everbright sizing dire pick (Adventure; MIC/CW; 
  15,330 gp) 
  • +1 heavy mithral shield (Adventure; DMG; 2020 gp) 
  • Badge of valor (Adventure; MIC) 
  • Belt of battle (Adventure; MIC) 
  • Crystal skull of Ceraptis (Adventure; see above; 250 gp) 
  • Fireflower pendant (Adventure; MIC) 
  • Lore gem (empty) (Adventure; MIC) 
  • Runestaff of fire (Adventure; MIC) 
  • Third eye clarity (Adventure; MIC) 
   
  APL 12 (all of APL 10 plus the following): 
  • Crystal mask of discernment (Adventure; MIC) 
  • Greater augment crystal of mind cloaking (Adventure; 
  MIC) 
  • Third eye aware (Adventure; MIC) 
   
  APL 14 (all of APLs 10-12 plus the following): 
  • +2 impaling rapier (Adventure; MIC, 18,320 gp) 
  • +2 mithral chain shirt (Adventure; DMG, 5,100 gp) 
  • Horn of resilience (Adventure; MIC) 
  • Runestaff of forced happiness (Adventure; MIC) 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 17 
  APPENDIX 1: ALL APLS
  2: WHY WON’T YOU DIE?! 
  Revenance Trap: CR 6; Diminutive magic device; 
  visual trigger (true seeing); automatic reset; Atk +5 
  ranged touch; spell effect (Reach revenance; 7th-
  level cleric ); Search DC 29; Disable Device DC 29; 
  AC 7; hardness 8; hp 200. 
  The revenance trap begins in a deactivated state, 
  requiring a Search check to locate. It is located on 
  the ceiling in the middle of the room, mounted on 
  stone blocks. 
  As soon as the trap detects a dead creature of size 
  Small or larger within the room, it activates firing a 
  Reach revenance at the target.  
   
  3: PLEASE HOLD 
  Heightened Transfix Trap: CR 10; magic device; 
  proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset (1 day); 
  spell effect (transfix, subjects are paralyzed until 
  the phrase ‘Praise to Keraptis!’ is uttered within 60 
  ft. of the trigger point, DC 25 Will save negates); 
  Search DC 34; Disable Device DC 34. 
   
   Note: Nystul’s magic aura has been used in this 
  trap’s construction, preventing detect magic and 
  similar spells from noticing the trap’s location. 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 18 
  APPENDIX 1: APL 10 
  2: WHY WON’T YOU DIE?! 
  CERAPTIS 
   
   
   
  CR 9 
  Male half-vampire* whisper gnome** bard 8 
  *Libris Mortis 106 
  ** Races of Stone 94 
  CE Small humanoid (gnome) 
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; low-light vision; Listen 
  +10, Spot +4 
  Languages Common, Gnome, Ignan, Terran, Gnoll, 
  Orc 
  AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 21; +4 Dodge against giants 
   
  (+1 size, +4 Dex, +5 armor, +3 shield, +2 natural) 
  hp 44 (8 HD); fast healing 5*; DR 5/silver or magic; 1/- 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5 
  Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +5 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee rapier +7 (1d4+1 piercing) and 
   
  slam +1 (1d4 bludgeoning) 
  Base Atk +6; Grp +2 
  Atk Options +1 on attacks against goblins and kobolds 
  Special Actions Lyric Spell, bardic music 8/day 
  (countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +2, inspire 
  competence), charm gaze 
  Combat Gear badge of valor 
  Bard Spells Known (CL 8): 
   3rd (2/day)—love’s lament (DC 18), ray of dizziness, 
  see invisibility 
   2nd (4/day)—curse of impending blades, entice gift 
  (DC 17), glitterdust (DC 16), wave of grief (DC 17) 
   1st (5/day)—inspirational boost, ironthunder horn (DC 
  15), joyful noise, phantom threat (DC 15) 
   0 (3/day)—detect magic, mending, open/close, 
  prestidigitation, read magic, summon instrument 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8): 
   1/day—ghost sound (DC 14), mage hand, message, 
  silence (centered on self only) 
  Abilities Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 19 
  SQ barding knowledge +9 
  Feats Improved Initiative B, Lyric Spell, Melodic Casting, 
  Spell Focus (enchantment) 
  Skills Bluff +17, Disguise +15, Diplomacy +19, Hide 
  +11, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen 
  +10, Move Silently +10, Perform +15, Speak 
  Language 3, Spellcraft +7, Spot +4 
  Possessions combat gear plus cloak of charisma +2, 
  +1 blueshine commander starmetal chain shirt, +1 
  heavy mithral shield, +1 rapier, 2 spell component 
  pouches 
  Charm Gaze (Su) Ceraptis can charm humanoid or 
  monstrous humanoid opponents just by looking into 
  their eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that 
  he must use a standard action, and those merely 
  looking at him are not affected. Anyone he targets 
  must make a successful Will save (DC 18) or fall 
  under his influence as though affected by a charm 
  monster spell (CL 8). Any creature that successfully 
  saves against his charm gaze cannot be affected by 
  it for 24 hours. The ability has a range of 30 feet. 
  Fast Healing (Ex): Ceraptis heals 1 point of damage 
  each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point but 
  less than half its full normal hit points. As long as he 
  has more than half its full normal hit points, its fast 
  healing does not function (but other forms of healing 
  function normally). 
   
  BOLO AND LOBO 
  CR 6 
  Male whisper gnome* rogue 6 
  *Races of Stone 94 
  CE Small humanoid (gnome) 
  Init +4; Senses Listen +10, Spot +10; darkvision 60 ft., 
  low-light vision 
  Languages Common, Gnome  
  AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15; +2 against traps, 
  uncanny dodge 
   (+1 size, +4 Dex, +4 armor) 
  hp 33 (6 HD)  
  Resist evasion 
  Fort +5, Ref +10 (+12 against traps), Will +2 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee +1 rapier +11 (1d4+2/18-20)  
  Ranged light crossbow +9 (1d6) 
  Base Atk +4; Grp +1  
  Atk Options sneak attack +3d6 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st): 
   1/day— silence (must be centered on gnome) 
  Abilities Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 8 
  SQ trapfinding 
  Feats Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Weapon 
  Focus (rapier)  
  Skills Bluff+8, Disable Device +6,Escape Artist +9,Hide 
  +20, Jump +7, Listen +10, Move Silently +16, Search 
  +6, Sense Motive +0, Sleight of Hand +10, Spot +10, 
  Tumble +14, 
  Possessions +1 chain shirt, +1 rapier, cloak of 
  resistance +1, light crossbow with 20 bolts 
   
  BANAAR (ENLARGED AND RAGING)
   
  CR 11 
  Half-red dragon spriggan* barbarian 4/war hulk** 2 
  *Fiend Folio 182 
  **Miniature’s Handbook 23 
  CE Large dragon (augmented fey) 
  Init +8; Senses Listen +0, Spot +0; darkvision 60 ft., 
  low-light vision 
  Languages Common, Gnome  
  AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 18; +1 against traps, 
  uncanny dodge 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, -2 class, +7 armor, +4 natural) 
  hp 160 (11 HD) 
  Immune fire, paralysis, sleep 
  Fort +17, Ref +7 (+8 against traps), Will +9 
  Speed 30 ft. in breastplate (6 squares), base sped 40 ft. 
  Melee +1 keen dire pick +23/+18 (2d6+23/19-20/x4) or 
  Melee 2 claws +22 (1d6+15) and  
   
  bite +17 (1d8+7) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. 
  
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  Base Atk +8; Grp +27  
  Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack; breath weapon 
  1/day (6d8 fire, DC 21 half, 30 ft. cone), great swing, 
  rage 2/day (12 rounds) 
  Combat Gear belt of battle, third eye clarity 
  Abilities Str 40, Dex 14, Con 28, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 14 
  SQ ability boost, no time to think 
  Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power 
  Attack  
  Skills Climb +25, Disable Device +5, Hide +3, Intimidate 
  +16, Jump +21, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +14, 
  Sleight of Hand +11 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 keen everbright 
  sizing dire pick, +2 breastplate 
  Ability Boost (Ex) Banaar gains a bonus to his 
  Strength from the war hulk prestige class. 
  Great Swing (Ex) As a full-round action, Banaar can 
  make a single melee attack roll against three squares 
  adjacent to one another that he threatens and apply 
  that roll as an attack against each defender in those 
  squares. If he uses a special attack (such as trip, 
  disarm, or sunder), this special attack affects only the 
  first target; the other creatures are attacked normally. 
  Walls and similar obstacles can block a great swing. 
  Starting with one square, each successive square 
  chosen must be adjacent to the previous square and 
  have line of effect from that square. Banaar may skip 
  creatures, attacking only those he wants to. If he 
  drops a foe with a great swing, he may cleave 
  normally. However, he may do so only once for every 
  time he swings, even if he drops more than one foe. 
  No Time to Think (Ex) A war hulk is considered to have 
  0 ranks in all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma- 
  based skills (Whether or not they bought ranks in 
  them previously). The only exception is the Intimidate 
  skill, which works normally. 
  Size Change (Su) At will, Banaar can change his size in 
  a fashion similar to the enlarge person spell. The size 
  change from Small to Large gains +8 Strength, -4 
  Dexterity, +6 Constitution, and -2 to attack bonus and 
  Armor class. An enlarged spriggan is unable to make 
  a sneak attack or use its spell-like abilities. 
  Note While in his non-enlarged form, Banaar loses the 
  benefit of the class features of the war hulk class as 
  he does not meet the prerequisites (Large size). He 
  retains Hit Dice, saving throws, and base attack 
  bonuses gained from the class. 
  Physical Description Long, wild braids of flame red 
  hair tumble from the skull of a monstrous gnome. 
  Standing over a dozen feet tall, the creature tightens 
  its grip on a wicked looking pick with its grotesquely 
  proportioned arms, its veins bulging against scale-
  flecked skin. 
   
  Should Banaar be forced to his natural size (Small), he 
  gains -12 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -6 Constitution, +2 
  to attack bonus and Armor Class, and the following: 
  Atk Options breath weapon (DC 18), sneak attack 
  +3d6 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th): 
   At Will— produce flame, scare (DC 14), shatter (DC 
  14) 
  Skills Disable Device +13, Listen +10 
   
  4: MY GOOD BUDDY, IMIX 
  EMBER GUARD*  
   
   
  CR 13 
  *Monster Manual V 52 
  LE Huge outsider (evil, extraplanar, fire, lawful) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +20, Spot +20 
  (+10 for one ember guard) 
  Aura fire (30 ft.); see text 
  Languages Infernal, Ignan 
  AC 33, touch 10, flat-footed 31 
  (–2 size, +2 Dex, +23 natural) 
  hp 162 (13 HD); fast healing 5; DR 15/good; death 
  throes 
  Immune fire, poison 
  Resist acid 10, cold 10 critical hit or sneak attack 25%; 
  SR 23 
  Weakness vulnerability to cold 
  Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +12 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee 2 slams each +22 (1d8+10 plus 1d6 fire) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. 
  Base Atk +13; Grp +31 
  Atk Options aligned strike (evil, lawful) 
  Special Actions death throes, fire breath 
  Abilities Str 30, Dex 15, Con 26, Int 3, Wis 18, Cha 9 
  SA aligned strike, death throes, fire aura, fire breath 
  Feats Ability Focus (fire breath), Great Fortitude, 
  Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon 
  Focus (slam) 
  Skills Balance +18, Climb +26, Listen +20, Spot +20 
  Possessions third eye aware (1 ember guard) 
  Fire Aura (Su) If an ember guard is reduced to half of 
  its full normal hit points or fewer, it emits a fire aura 
  as flames start leaking from its body. Creatures take 
  1d6 points of fire damage at the end of each of the 
  ember guard’s turns if they are within 30 feet of it. 
  Creatures within range can attempt DC 24 Fortitude 
  saves for half damage. The save DC is Constitution-
  based. 
  Fortification (Ex) 25% chance to ignore the extra 
  damage dealt by a critical hit or sneak attack. 
  Death Throes (Su) When killed, an ember guard 
  explodes in a 60-foot-radius burst that deals 3d6 
  points of bludgeoning damage and 3d6 points of fire 
  damage to everything in the area (Reflex DC 24 half). 
  The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Fire Breath (Su) 30-foot cone, once every 4 rounds, 
  damage 6d6 fire plus slow, as the spell, for 4 rounds, 
  Reflex DC 26 half damage and negates slow. The 
  save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Physical Description A hulking mass of stone and 
  brass surges forward, puffs of acrid smoke leaking 
  from its maw. Intense heat radiates from its surface, 
  and smoke rises where it treads. 
   
  
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  5: THAT’S NO RUST MONSTER 
  IMMATURE GUULVORG* CR 8 
  *Monster Manual V 76 
  CE Large magical beast 
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, 
  scent; Listen +10, Spot +9 
  Languages Gnome, Worg 
  AC 24, touch 13, flat-footed 20 
  (–2 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural) 
  Immune cold 
  Resist fire 15 
  hp 126 (12 HD); boiling blood; DR 10/magic 
  Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +9 
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares) 
  Melee bite +16 (1d8+6/19-20 x4 plus trip) and  
   
  tail +14 (2d10+9) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with tail) 
  Base Atk +12; Grp +22 
  Atk Options magic strike, quick tail, trip 
  Abilities Str 22, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 16, Cha 12 
  Feats Alertness, Iron Will, Multiattack, Track 
  Skills Jump +19, Listen +10, Spot +109, Survival +9 
  Boiling Blood (Ex) A guulvorg’s blood runs steaming 
  hot. If an opponent adjacent to a guulvorg damages 
  the creature with a melee weapon that deals piercing 
  or slashing damage, that foe takes 1d10 points of fire 
  damage (Reflex DC 10 half) from a spray of hot 
  blood. The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Quick Tail (Ex) A guulvorg needs only a standard 
  action to make a bite attack and a tail attack. The tail 
  deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the 
  guulvorg’s Strength bonus despite it being a 
  secondary attack. 
  Trip (Ex) A guulvorg that hits with a bite can attempt to 
  trip the opponent (+10 check modifier) as a free 
  action without making a touch attack or provoking 
  attacks of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the 
  opponent cannot react to trip the guulvorg. 
  Physical Description The mouth of this gigantic black 
  wolf can’t contain the scythe-like fangs that emerge 
  from the top and bottom. Bony protrusions jut from its 
  spine, skull, and ribs, running down its serpentine tail, 
  which ends in a bulb of bone. The creature’s eyes 
  burn with a malevolent red glow. 
  HALF-FARSPAWN RUST MONSTERCR 12 
  Advanced half-farspawn* rust monster 
  *Lords of Madness 151 
  CE Large outsider (native, augmented aberration) 
  Init +5; Senses Listen +11, Spot +11; blindsight 60 ft., 
  darkvision, scent 
  AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 19 
   (-1 size, +5 Dex, +10 natural) 
  hp 188 (15 HD); DR 10/magic 
  Immune poison 
  Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 25 
  Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +13 
  Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) 
  Melee 2 tentacles +16 (1d6+6) and  
    antenna +14 touch (rust) and 
    bite +14 (1d3+3) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft., 15 ft. tentacles 
  Base Atk +11; Grp +21  
  Atk Options Combat Reflexes, Spectral Skirmisher, 
  true strike 1/day 
  Special Actions change shape 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15) 
   1/day – greater invisibility, scintillating pattern (DC 19), 
  stinking cloud (DC 14), telekinesis, touch of idiocy 
  (DC 13) 
   3/day – blink, blur, ethereal jaunt 
  Abilities Str 22, Dex 21, Con 26, Int 3, Wis 18, Cha 11 
  Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Extended Reach, 
  Multiattack, Spectral Skirmisher, Track 
  Skills Hide +10, Listen +24, Move Silently +14, Spot 
  +24 
  Possessions fireflower pendant 
  Rust (Ex) A rust monster that makes a successful touch 
  attack with its antenna causes the target metal to 
  corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless 
  immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot 
  cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, 
  and other magic items made of metal, must succeed 
  on a DC 29 Reflex save or be dissolved. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial 
  bonus. 
   A metal weapon that deals damage to a rust monster 
  corrodes immediately. Wooden, stone, and other 
  nonmetallic weapons are unaffected. 
  Change Shape (Su) As a standard action, a half-
  farspawn can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled 
  mass. The rust monster retains all of its attributes 
  and abilities except as noted below. 
  Amorphous Form 
  Melee 4 tentacles +16 (1d6+6)  
  SQ Amorphous (not subject to critical hits, cannot be 
  flanked), creatures from the Material Plane take a -1 
  penalty on attack rolls against the farspawn in 
  amorphous form 
  Note While in amorphous form, the rust monster loses 
  its rust ability. 
   
   
  
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  6: LIQUID HOT MAGMA 
  LESSER MAGMA EXPLOSION TRAP CR 12 
  Description As the PCs cross the magma chamber, the 
  persistent rumbling causes some of the ceiling to 
  collapse, blocking the exit on either end of the path 
  and possibly damaging the PCs. The cave-in also 
  causes the magma to become unstable, spewing 
  forth magma eruptions every round. To bypass the 
  trap, the PCs may destroy the rocks blocking either 
  exit, allowing escape, or deal enough cold damage to 
  the magma disruption area to solidify it. Disable 
  Device checks may be made to cause the rocks 
  blocking an exit to collapse further, allowing passage. 
  Search DC N/A; Type Mechanical 
  Trigger Location; Init +6 
  Effect Round 1: falling rocks (10d6 bludgeoning 
  damage, Reflex DC 20 half); targets who fail their 
  save are also knocked prone by the rocks. Each 
  round after the first: magma eruption (10d6 fire 
  damage plus 5d6 fire damage each of the next two 
  rounds, Reflex DC 20 half). 
  Duration 15 rounds 
  Destruction hp 180, hardness 8 (acid and sonic 
  damage ignore hardness and deal 1-1/2 x damage) 
  (each blocked exit) 
  Destruction AC 28; hp 54 (only cold or water damage 
  applies; fire damage ‘heals’ the disruption) (magma 
  disruption) 
  Disarm Disable Device DC 27 (each exit or ceiling area 
  above disruption) 
   
  7: GIANT METAL THING 
  DECAYED MERCHURION* 
   
  CR 12 
  *Monster Manual V 102 
  CE Huge construct (living construct) 
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen 
  +10,Spot +10 
  Languages Common, Giant, Terran 
  AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 18; Dodge, Mobility 
  (–2 size, +7 Dex, +10 natural) 
  hp 202 (15 HD); DR 5/magic and silver 
  Immune fire, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, 
  nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain 
  Weakness vulnerability to sonic 
  Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +7 
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares); Spring Attack 
  Melee +3 silvered longaxe +24/+19/+14 (4d6+14/x3) or 
  Melee +3 silvered mancatcher +22/+17/+12 (1d6+14 
  nonlethal plus grapple) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft., 30 ft. with reach weapon 
  Base Atk +11; Grp +27 
  Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack (longaxe), absorb 
  properties, magic strike 
  Special Actions generate weapon 
  Abilities Str 27, Dex 25, Con 27, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 17 
  SQ living construct traits 
  Feats 
  Cleave, 
  Dodge, 
  Greater 
  Weapon 
  Focus 
  (generated weapon)B, Iron Will, Mobility, Power 
  Attack, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (generated 
  weapon)B
   
  Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +10, Jump +24, Listen +10, 
  Spot +10, Survival +9 
  Absorb Properties (Ex) If a merchurion is successfully 
  struck by a magic weapon, all that weapon’s 
  properties are absorbed by the merchurion for 1 hour. 
  The weapon loses its properties during that time (or 
  until the merchurion is slain). A merchurion can 
  manifest any of these absorbed properties in its 
  generated weapon. 
   
   A merchurion can absorb and manifest weapon 
  properties totaling a +5 enhancement bonus (DMG 
  223) or a market value of up to 50,000 gp. Properties 
  beyond these limits are not absorbed. If a weapon 
  has properties in excess of these limits, the weakest 
  properties are absorbed first. 
   
   As an immediate action, a merchurion can choose 
  to give up absorbed properties to absorb new 
  properties. If it does so, the properties the merchurion 
  gives up are restored to the weapon they were 
  absorbed from. 
   
   Manifested weapon properties must be suitable for 
  the type of weapon a merchurion generates. 
  Unsuitable properties can be absorbed and count 
  toward the total limit of properties even if they cannot 
  be manifested. For example, a merchurion could 
  absorb the disruption property from a mace of 
  disruption, but could not manifest that property in a 
  battleaxe. 
   
   A merchurion does not absorb the enhancement 
  bonus from a weapon whose properties it absorbs. 
  So, weapons that lose properties continue to function 
  with their magical enhancement bonus as normal. 
  Generate 
  Weapon 
  (Su) 
  A 
  merchurion 
  can 
  spontaneously create a single weapon from its 
  flowing metal form. Such weapons have a +3 
  enhancement bonus and are treated as silvered 
  weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage 
  reduction. If a generated weapon ever leaves the 
  merchurion’s hand, that weapon immediately melts 
  into a pool of harmless silver liquid. 
   
   A merchurion is proficient with any weapon it 
  generates using this ability, even an exotic one. 
  Physical Description A metal colossus stands amidst 
  the magma, its form shifting and flowing like liquid. 
  The creature moves with a grace that belies its 
  powerful, humanlike form, and you see that its 
  metallic sheen is no suit of armor. Its eyes bear the 
  same gleam as the rivers of silver running down its 
  arms, which flow together to take the shape of a 
  vicious, over-large axe. 
   
   
  
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  APPENDIX 1: APL 12 
  2: WHY WON’T YOU DIE?! 
  CERAPTIS 
   
   
   
  CR 11 
  Male half-vampire* whisper gnome** bard 8/lyric 
  thaumaturge*** 2 
  *Libris Mortis 106 
  **Races of Stone 94 
  ***Complete Mage 67 
  CE Small humanoid (gnome) 
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; low-light vision; Listen 
  +11, Spot +4 
  Languages Common, Gnome, Ignan, Terran, Gnoll, 
  Orc 
  AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 21; +4 Dodge vs. Giants 
  (+1 size, +4 Dex, +5 armor, +3 shield, +2 natural) 
  hp 55 (10 HD); fast healing 5*; DR 5/silver or magic; 1/- 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5 
  Fort +4, Ref +13, Will +8 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee rapier +8 (1d4+1 piercing) and 
   
  slam +2 (1d4 bludgeoning) 
  Base Atk +7; Grp +3 
  Atk Options +1 on attacks against goblins and kobolds 
  Special Actions Captivating Melody, Lyric Spell, bardic 
  music 
  10/day 
  (countersong, 
  fascinate, 
  inspire 
  courage +2, inspire competence), charm gaze 
  Combat Gear badge of valor 
  Bard Spells Known (CL 10): 
   4th (1/day)—spell theft, suggestion (DC 20) 
   3rd (3/day)—dirge of discord (DC 19), love’s lament 
  (DC 19), ray of dizziness, see invisibility 
   2nd (5/day)—curse of impending blades, entice gift 
  (DC 18), glitterdust (DC 17), wave of grief (DC 18) 
   1st (6/day)—inspirational boost, ironthunder horn (DC 
  16), joyful noise, phantom threat (DC 16) 
   0 (3/day)—detect magic, mending, open/close, 
  prestidigitation, read magic, summon instrument 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10): 
   1/day—ghost sound (DC 15), mage hand, message, 
  silence (centered on self only) 
  Abilities Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 21 
  SA barding knowledge +9,  
  Feats 
  Improved 
  InitiativeB, 
  Captivating 
  MelodyB, 
  Lingering Song, Lyric Spell, Melodic Casting, Spell 
  Focus (enchantment) 
  Skills Bluff +20, Disguise +18, Diplomacy +22, Hide 
  +11, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Listen 
  +11, Move Silently +10, Perform +18, Speak 
  Language 3, Spellcraft +7, Spot +4 
  Possessions combat gear plus cloak of charisma +4, 
  +1 blueshine commander starmetal chain shirt, +1 
  heavy mithral shield, +1 rapier, 2 spell component 
  pouches 
  Charm Gaze (Su) Ceraptis can charm humanoid or 
  monstrous humanoid opponents just by looking into 
  their eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that 
  he must use a standard action, and those merely 
  looking at him are not affected. Anyone he targets 
  must make a successful Will save (DC 20) or fall 
  under his influence as though affected by a charm 
  monster spell (CL 10). Any creature that successfully 
  saves against his charm gaze cannot be affected by 
  it for 24 hours. The ability has a range of 30 feet. 
  Fast Healing (Ex) Ceraptis heals 1 point of damage 
  each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point but 
  less than half its full normal hit points. As long as he 
  has more than half its full normal hit points, its fast 
  healing does not function (but other forms of healing 
  still function normally). 
   
  BOLO AND LOBO 
  CR 6 
  Male whisper gnome* rogue 6 
  *Races of Stone 94 
  CE Small humanoid (gnome) 
  Init +4; Senses Listen +10, Spot +10; darkvision 60 ft., 
  low-light vision 
  Languages Common, Gnome  
  AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15; +2 against traps, 
  uncanny dodge 
   (+1 size, +4 Dex, +4 armor) 
  hp 33 (6 HD)  
  Resist evasion 
  Fort +5, Ref +10 (+12 against traps), Will +2 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee +1 rapier +11 (1d4+2/18-20)  
  Ranged light crossbow +9 (1d6) 
  Base Atk +4; Grp +1  
  Atk Options sneak attack +3d6 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st): 
   1/day— silence (must be centered on gnome) 
  Abilities Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 8 
  SQ trapfinding 
  Feats Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Weapon 
  Focus (rapier)  
  Skills Bluff+8, Disable Device +6,Escape Artist +9, Hide 
  +20, Jump +7, Listen +10, Move Silently +16, Search 
  +6, Sense Motive +0, Sleight of Hand +10, Spot +10, 
  Tumble +14, 
  Possessions +1 chain shirt, +1 rapier, cloak of 
  resistance +1, light crossbow with 20 bolts 
   
   
   
  
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  BANAAR (ENLARGED AND RAGING)  
  CR 14 
  Half-red dragon spriggan* barbarian 4/war hulk** 5 
  *Fiend Folio 162 
  **Miniatures Handbook 23 
  CE Large dragon (augmented fey) 
  Init +8; Senses Listen +0, Spot +0; darkvision 60 ft., 
  low-light vision 
  Languages Common, Gnome 
  AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 19; +1 against traps, 
  uncanny dodge 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, -2 class, +8 armor, +4 natural) 
  hp 208 (14 HD) 
  Immune fire, paralysis, sleep 
  Fort +20, Ref +10 (+1 against traps), Will +13 (+18 and 
  1/day immediate action reroll against mind-affecting 
  effect); Mad Foam Rager 
  Speed 30 ft. in breastplate (6 squares), base speed 40 
  ft. 
  Melee +1 keen everbright dire pick +29/+24/+19 
  (2d6+28/19-20/x4) or 
  Melee 2 claws +28 (1d6+18) and  
   
  bite +23 (1d8+9) 
  Ranged rock (2d8+18)  
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. 
  Base Atk +11; Grp +33  
  Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack; breath weapon 
  1/day (6d8 fire, DC 21 half, 30 ft. cone), great swing, 
  mighty rock throwing, mighty swing, rage 2/day (12 
  rounds) 
  Combat Gear belt of battle, potion of cure serious 
  wounds, third eye clarity 
  Abilities Str 46, Dex 14, Con 28, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14 
  SQ ability boost +10, no time to think 
  Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mad Foam 
  Rager, Power Attack  
  Skills Climb +31, Disable Device +5, Hide +3, Intimidate 
  +19, Jump +27, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +14, 
  Sleight of Hand +11 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 keen everbright 
  sizing dire pick, +3 breastplate, cloak of resistance 
  +2, greater augment crystal of mind cloaking 
  Ability Boost (Ex) Banaar gains a bonus to his 
  Strength from the War Hulk prestige class. 
  Great Swing (Ex) As a full-round action, Banaar can 
  make a single melee attack roll against three squares 
  adjacent to one another that he threatens and apply 
  that roll as an attack against each defender in those 
  squares. If he uses a special attack (such as trip, 
  disarm, or sunder), this special attack affects only the 
  first target; the other creatures are attacked normally. 
  Walls and similar obstacles can block a great swing. 
  Starting with one square, each successive square 
  chosen must be adjacent to the previous square and 
  have line of effect from that square. Banaar may skip 
  creatures, attacking only those he wants to. If he 
  drops a foe with a great swing, he may cleave 
  normally. However, he may do so only once for every 
  time he swings, even if he drops more than one foe. 
  No Time to Think (Ex) A war hulk is considered to have 
  0 ranks in all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma- 
  based skills (Whether or not they bought ranks in 
  them previously). The only exception is the Intimidate 
  skill, which works normally. 
  Mighty Rock Throwing (Ex) Banaar can throw rocks 
  that deal 2d8 points of damage with a range 
  increment of 50 feet. (Like all thrown weapons, they 
  have a maximum range of five range increments). 
  The war hulk uses his Strength modifier instead of his 
  Dexterity modifier on the attack roll. The rock must 
  weigh approximately 50 pounds. 
  Mighty Swing (Ex) A mighty swing is like a great swing, 
  except that it is a standard action rather than a full-
  round action. 
  Size Change (Su) At will, Banaae can change his size 
  in a fashion similar to the enlarge person spell. The 
  size change from Small to Large gains +8 Strength, -
  4 Dexterity, +6 Constitution, and -2 to attack bonus 
  and Armor class. An enlarged spriggan is unable to 
  make a sneak attack or use its spell-like abilities. 
  Note While in his non-enlarged form, Banaar loses the 
  benefit of the class features of the war hulk class as 
  he does not meet the prerequisites (Large size). He 
  retains Hit Dice, saving throws, and base attack 
  bonuses gained from the class. 
  Physical Description Long, wild braids of flame red 
  hair tumble from the skull of a monstrous gnome. 
  Standing over a dozen feet tall, the creature tightens 
  its grip on a wicked looking pick with its grotesquely 
  proportioned arms, its veins bulging against scale-
  flecked skin. 
   
  Should Banaar be forced to his natural size (Small), he 
  gains -18 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -6 Constitution, +2 
  to attack bonus and Armor Class, and the following: 
  Atk Options sneak attack +3d6 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th): 
   At Will— produce flame, scare (DC 14), shatter (DC 
  14) 
  Skills Disable Device +13, Listen +11 
   
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 24 
  4: MY GOOD BUDDY, IMIX 
  EMBER GUARD*  
   
   
  CR 13 
  *Monster Manual V 52 
  LE Huge outsider (evil, extraplanar, fire, lawful) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +20, Spot +20 
  (+10 for one ember guard) 
  Aura fire (30 ft.); see text 
  Languages Infernal, Ignan 
  AC 33, touch 10, flat-footed 31 
  (–2 size, +2 Dex, +23 natural) 
  hp 162 (13 HD); fast healing 5; DR 15/good; death 
  throes 
  Immune fire, poison 
  Resist acid 10, cold 10, critical hit or sneak attack 25%; 
  SR 23 
  Weakness vulnerability to cold 
  Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +12 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee 2 slams +22 each (1d8+10 plus 1d6 fire) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. 
  Base Atk +13; Grp +31 
  Atk Options aligned strike (evil, lawful) 
  Special Actions death throes, fire breath 
  Abilities Str 30, Dex 15, Con 26, Int 3, Wis 18, Cha 9 
  SA aligned strike, death throes, fire aura, fire breath 
  Feats Ability Focus (fire breath), Great Fortitude, 
  Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon 
  Focus (slam) 
  Skills Balance +18, Climb +26, Listen +20, Spot +20 
  Possessions third eye aware (1 ember guard) 
  Fire Aura (Su) If an ember guard is reduced to half of 
  its full normal hit points or fewer, it emits a fire aura 
  as flames start leaking from its body. Creatures take 
  1d6 points of fire damage at the end of each of the 
  ember guard’s turns if they are within 30 feet of it. 
  Creatures within range can attempt DC 24 Fortitude 
  saves for half damage. The save DC is Constitution-
  based. 
  Fortification (Ex) 25% chance to ignore the extra 
  damage dealt by a critical hit or sneak attack. 
  Death Throes (Su) When killed, an ember guard 
  explodes in a 60-foot-radius burst that deals 3d6 
  points of bludgeoning damage and 3d6 points of fire 
  damage to everything in the area (Reflex DC 24 half). 
  The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Fire Breath (Su) 30-foot cone, once every 4 rounds, 
  damage 6d6 fire plus slow, as the spell, for 4 rounds, 
  Reflex DC 26 half damage and negates slow. The 
  save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Physical Description A hulking mass of stone and 
  brass surges forward, puffs of acrid smoke leaking 
  from its maw. Intense heat radiates from its surface, 
  and smoke rises where it treads. 
   
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 25 
  5: THAT’S NO RUST MONSTER 
  IMMATURE GUULVORG* CR 8 
  *Monster Manual V 76 
  CE Large magical beast 
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, 
  scent; Listen +10, Spot +9 
  Languages Gnome, Worg 
  AC 24, touch 13, flat-footed 20 
  (–1 size, +4 Dex, +11 natural) 
  Immune cold 
  Resist fire 15 
  hp 126 (12 HD); boiling blood; DR 10/magic 
  Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +9 
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares) 
  Melee bite +16 (1d8+6/19-20x4 plus trip) and  
   
  tail +14 (2d10+9) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tail) 
  Base Atk +12; Grp +22 
  Atk Options magic strike, quick tail, trip 
  Abilities Str 22, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 16, Cha 12 
  Feats Alertness, Iron Will, Multiattack, Track 
  Skills Jump +19, Listen +10, Spot +10, Survival +9 
  Boiling Blood (Ex) A guulvorg’s blood runs steaming 
  hot. If an opponent adjacent to a guulvorg damages 
  the creature with a melee weapon that deals piercing 
  or slashing damage, that foe takes 1d10 points of fire 
  damage (Reflex DC 21 half) from a spray of hot 
  blood. The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Quick Tail (Ex) A guulvorg needs only a standard 
  action to make a bite attack and a tail attack. The tail 
  deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the 
  guulvorg’s Strength bonus despite it being a 
  secondary attack. 
  Trip (Ex) A guulvorg that hits with a bite can attempt to 
  trip the opponent (+10 check modifier) as a free 
  action without making a touch attack or provoking 
  attacks of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the 
  opponent cannot react to trip the guulvorg. 
  Physical Description The mouth of this gigantic black 
  wolf can’t contain the scythe-like fangs that emerge 
  from the top and bottom. Bony protrusions jut from its 
  spine, skull, and ribs, running down its serpentine tail, 
  which ends in a bulb of bone. The creature’s eyes 
  burn with a malevolent red glow. 
   
  RUST MONSTER OF LEGACY 
  CR 14 
  Advanced half-farspawn* rust monster of legacy** 
  *Lords of Madness 151 
  **Weapons of Legacy 215 
  CE Large outsider (native, augmented aberration) 
  Init +5; Senses Listen +11, Spot +11; blindsense 120 
  ft., blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., scent 
  AC 28, touch 14, flat-footed 23 
   (-1 size, +5 Dex, +4 armor, +10 natural) 
  hp 188 (15 HD); DR 10/magic 
  Immune poison 
  Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 25 
  Fort +16, Ref +13, Will +16 
  Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) 
  Melee 2 tentacles +16 (1d6+6) and  
   
  antenna +14 touch (rust) and 
   
  bite +14 (1d3+3) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft., 15 ft. tentacles 
  Base Atk +11; Grp +21  
  Atk Options Combat Reflexes, Spectral Skirmisher, 
  true strike 1/day 
  Special Actions change shape 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15) 
   1/day – greater invisibility, scintillating pattern (DC 23), 
  stinking cloud (DC 18), telekinesis, touch of idiocy 
  (DC 17) 
   3/day – blink, blur, ethereal jaunt 
  Abilities Str 22, Dex 21, Con 26, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 18 
  SQ legacy abilities, omen 
  Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Extended Reach, 
  Multiattack, Spectral Skirmisher, Track 
  Skills Hide +10, Listen +24, Move Silently +14, Spot 
  +24 
  Possessions fireflower pendant 
  Rust (Ex) A rust monster that makes a successful touch 
  attack with its antenna causes the target metal to 
  corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless 
  immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot 
  cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, 
  and other magic items made of metal, must succeed 
  on a DC 29 Reflex save or be dissolved. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial 
  bonus. A metal weapon that deals damage to a rust 
  monster corrodes immediately. Wooden, stone, and 
  other nonmetallic weapons are unaffected. 
  Legacy Abilities (Su) The rust monster enjoys a +3 
  resistance bonus to saves (1 List A, 2 List B choices), 
  is treated as a major intelligent item (1 List D choice), 
  and has a +4 enhancement bonus to armor (1 List F 
  choice). 
  Omen The monster’s carapace has mirrored fragments 
  that show unfathomable images of the Far Realms. 
  Change Shape (Su) As a standard action, a half-
  farspawn can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled 
  mass. The rust monster retains all of its attributes 
  and abilities except as noted below. 
  Amorphous Form 
  Melee 4 tentacles +16 (1d6+6)  
  SQ Amorphous (not subject to critical hits, cannot be 
  flanked), creatures from the Material Plane take a -1 
  penalty on attack rolls against the farspawn in 
  amorphous form; loses its rust ability. 
   
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 26 
  6: LIQUID HOT MAGMA 
  MAGMA EXPLOSION TRAP   
  CR 14 
  Description As the PCs cross the magma chamber, the 
  persistent rumbling causes some of the ceiling to 
  collapse, blocking the exit on either end of the path 
  and possibly damaging the PCs. The cave-in also 
  causes the magma to become unstable, spewing 
  forth magma eruptions every round. To bypass the 
  trap, the PCs may destroy the rocks blocking either 
  exit, allowing escape, or deal enough cold damage to 
  the magma disruption area to solidify it. Disable 
  Device checks may be made to cause the rocks 
  blocking an exit to collapse further, allowing passage. 
  Search DC N/A; Type Mechanical 
  Trigger Location; Init +7 
  Effect Round 1: falling rocks (12d6 bludgeoning 
  damage, Reflex DC 22 half); targets who fail their 
  save are also knocked prone by the rocks. Each 
  round after the first: magma eruption (12d6 fire 
  damage plus 6d6 fire damage each of the next two 
  rounds, Reflex DC 22 half). 
  Duration 17 rounds 
  Destruction hp 210, hardness 8 (acid and sonic 
  damage ignore hardness and deal 1-1/2 x damage) 
  (each blocked exit) 
  Destruction AC 30; hp 63 (only cold or water damage 
  applies; fire damage ‘heals’ the disruption) (magma 
  disruption) 
  Disarm Disable Device DC 29 (each exit or ceiling area 
  above disruption) 
   
  7: GIANT METAL THING 
  DECAYED MERCHURION* 
   
  CR 12 
  *Monster Manual V 102 
  CE Huge construct (living construct) 
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen 
  +10,Spot +10 
  Languages Common, Giant, Terran 
  AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 18; Dodge, Mobility 
  (–2 size, +7 Dex, +10 natural) 
  hp 202 (15 HD); DR 5/magic and silver 
  Immune fire, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, 
  nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain 
  Weakness vulnerability to sonic 
  Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +7 
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares); Spring Attack 
  Melee +3 silvered longaxe +24/+19/+14 (4d6+14/x3) or 
  Melee +3 silvered mancatcher +22/+17/+12 (1d6+14 
  nonlethal plus grapple) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft., 30 ft. with reach 
  Base Atk +11; Grp +27 
  Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack (longaxe), absorb 
  properties, magic strike 
  Special Actions generate weapon 
  Abilities Str 27, Dex 25, Con 27, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 17 
  SQ living construct traits 
  Feats 
  Cleave, 
  Dodge, 
  Greater 
  Weapon 
  Focus 
  (generated weapon)B, Iron Will, Mobility, Power 
  Attack, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (generated 
  weapon)B
   
  Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +10, Jump +24, Listen +10, 
  Spot +10, Survival +9 
  Absorb Properties (Ex) If a merchurion is successfully 
  struck by a magic weapon, all that weapon’s 
  properties are absorbed by the merchurion for 1 hour. 
  The weapon loses its properties during that time (or 
  until the merchurion is slain). A merchurion can 
  manifest any of these absorbed properties in its 
  generated weapon. 
   
   A merchurion can absorb and manifest weapon 
  properties totaling a +5 enhancement bonus (DMG 
  223) or a market value of up to 50,000 gp. Properties 
  beyond these limits are not absorbed. If a weapon 
  has properties in excess of these limits, the weakest 
  properties are absorbed first. 
   
   As an immediate action, a merchurion can choose 
  to give up absorbed properties to absorb new 
  properties. If it does so, the properties the merchurion 
  gives up are restored to the weapon they were 
  absorbed from. 
   
   Manifested weapon properties must be suitable for 
  the type of weapon a merchurion generates. 
  Unsuitable properties can be absorbed and count 
  toward the total limit of properties even if they cannot 
  be manifested. For example, a merchurion could 
  absorb the disruption property from a mace of 
  disruption, but could not manifest that property in a 
  battleaxe. 
   
   A merchurion does not absorb the enhancement 
  bonus from a weapon whose properties it absorbs. 
  So, weapons that lose properties continue to function 
  with their magical enhancement bonus as normal. 
  Generate 
  Weapon 
  (Su) 
  A 
  merchurion 
  can 
  spontaneously create a single weapon from its 
  flowing metal form. Such weapons have a +3 
  enhancement bonus and are treated as silvered 
  weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage 
  reduction. If a generated weapon ever leaves the 
  merchurion’s hand, that weapon immediately melts 
  into a pool of harmless silver liquid. 
   
   A merchurion is proficient with any weapon it 
  generates using this ability, even an exotic one. 
  Physical Description A metal colossus stands amidst 
  the magma, its form shifting and flowing like liquid. 
  The creature moves with a grace that belies its 
  powerful, humanlike form, and you see that its 
  metallic sheen is no suit of armor. Its eyes bear the 
  same gleam as the rivers of silver running down its 
  arms, which flow together to take the shape of a 
  vicious, over-large axe. 
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 27 
  APPENDIX 1: APL 14 
  2: WHY WON’T YOU DIE?! 
  CERAPTIS 
   
   
   
  CR 14 
  Male half-vampire* whisper gnome** bard 9/lyric 
  thaumaturge*** 4 
  *Libris Mortis 106 
  **Races of Stone 94 
  ***Complete Mage 67 
  CE Small humanoid (gnome) 
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; low-light vision; Listen 
  +13, Spot +4 
  Languages Common, Gnome, Ignan, Terran, Gnoll, 
  Orc 
  AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 21; +4 Dodge vs. Giants 
  (+1 size, +4 Dex, +5 armor, +3 shield, +2 natural) 
  hp 71 (13 HD); fast healing 5*; DR 5/silver or magic; 1/- 
  Resist cold 5, electricity 5 
  Fort +6, Ref +14, Will +9 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee rapier +10 (1d4+1 piercing) and 
   
  slam +4 (1d4 bludgeoning) 
  Base Atk +9; Grp +5 
  Atk Options +1 on attacks against goblins and kobolds 
  Special Actions Captivating Melody, Lyric Spell, bardic 
  music 
  13/day 
  (countersong, 
  fascinate, 
  inspire 
  courage +2, inspire competence, inspire greatness), 
  charm gaze,  
  Combat Gear badge of valor, helm of tactics, horn of 
  resilience, regalia of the hero runestaff of forced 
  happiness 
  Bard Spells Known (CL 13): 
   5th (1/day)—bolts of bedevilment (DC 24), endless 
  slumber (DC 24) 
   4th (4/day)—greater invisibility, greater mirror image, 
  spell theft, suggestion (DC 23) 
   3rd (5/day)—dirge of discord (DC 22), love’s lament 
  (DC 22), ray of dizziness, see invisibility 
   2nd (6/day)—curse of impending blades, entice gift 
  (DC 21), glitterdust (DC 19), wave of grief (DC 21), 
  shadow spray (DC 19) 
   1st (6/day)—inspirational boost, ironthunder horn (DC 
  18), joyful noise, phantom threat (DC 18), ray of 
  enfeeblement 
   0 (3/day)—detect magic, mending, open/close, 
  prestidigitation, read magic, summon instrument 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13): 
   1/day—ghost sound (DC 17), mage hand, message, 
  silence (centered on self only) 
  Abilities Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 24 
  SA barding knowledge +10,  
  Feats 
  Improved 
  InitiativeB, 
  Captivating 
  MelodyB, 
  Lingering Song, Lyric Spell, Melodic Casting, Spell 
  Focus 
  (enchantment), 
  Greater 
  Spell 
  Focus 
  (enchantment) 
  Skills Bluff +25, Disguise +19, Diplomacy +27, Hide 
  +11, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Listen 
  +13, Move Silently +10, Perform +23, Speak 
  Language 3, Spellcraft +15, Spot +4 
  Possessions combat gear plus cloak of charisma +6, 
  +1 blueshine commander starmetal chain shirt, +1 
  heavy mithral shield, +1 rapier, 2 spell component 
  pouches 
  Charm Gaze (Su): Ceraptis can charm humanoid or 
  monstrous humanoid opponents just by looking into 
  their eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that 
  he must use a standard action, and those merely 
  looking at him are not affected. Anyone he targets 
  must make a successful Will save (DC 23) or fall 
  under his influence as though affected by a charm 
  monster spell (CL 13). Any creature that successfully 
  saves against his charm gaze cannot be affected by 
  it for 24 hours. The ability has a range of 30 feet. 
  Fast Healing (Ex): Ceraptis heals 1 point of damage 
  each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point but 
  less than half its full normal hit points. As long as the 
  half-vampire has more than half its full normal hit 
  points, its fast healing does not function (but other 
  forms of healing still function normally). 
   
  BOLO AND LOBO 
  CR 14 
  Male whisper gnome* rogue 8 / blade bravo** 6 
  *Races of Stone 94 
  ** Races of Stone 99 
  CE Small humanoid (gnome) 
  Init +5; Senses Listen +10, Spot +10; darkvision 60 ft., 
  low-light vision 
  Languages Common, Gnome  
  AC 22, touch 16, flat-footed 17; Combat Expertise, 
  Dodge, Titan Fighting, +2 against traps, improved 
  uncanny dodge, mobile fighting, size advantage 
   (+1 size, +5 Dex, +6 armor) 
  hp 77 (14 HD)  
  Resist evasion 
  Fort +6, Ref +16 (+18 against traps), Will +3 
  Speed 30 ft. in chain shirt (6 squares), base speed 30 ft. 
  Melee +2 impaling rapier +21/+16/+11 (1d4+3/15-20) or 
  Ranged light crossbow +9 (1d6) 
  Base Atk +12; Grp +9  
  Atk Options flourish, melee sneak attack +1d6, sneak 
  attack +4d6 
  Special Abilities Goad (DC 19 Will), Combat Expertise, 
  Mobile Fighting 
  Combat Gear potion of haste, potion of cure moderate 
  wounds, potion of shield of faith (+3) 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1): 
   1/day— silence (must be centered on gnome) 
  Abilities Str 12, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 10 
  SQ trapfinding 
  Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Goad, Improved 
  Critical (rapier), Telling Blow, Weapon Finesse, Titan 
  Fighting, Weapon Focus (rapier)  
  Skills Balance +10, Bluff +17, Climb +4, Disable Device 
  +6, Escape Artist +15,Hide +25, Jump +14, Listen 
  +10, Move Silenty +20, Search +6, Sense Motive +5, 
  Sleight of Hand +11, Spot +10, Tumble +23, 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 28 
  Possessions combat gear plus +2 mithral shirt, +2 
  impaling rapier, cloak of charisma +2, light crossbow 
  with 20 bolts 
  Flourish (Ex) A blade bravo adds his class level to his 
  Bluff checks when feinting in combat. 
  Melee Sneak Attack (Ex) As normal sneak attack, but 
  may only be applied against a melee target. If the 
  blade bravo gets a sneak attack bonus from another 
  source, the bonuses on damage stack as long as the 
  target is in melee with the blade bravo. 
  Mobile Fighting (Ex) If the blade bravo moves at least 
  5 feet, he gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC until his 
  next turn. 
  Size Advantage (Ex) The blade bravo gains a +2 
  dodge bonus to AC per size category of difference 
  between him and his foe.  
   
  BANAAR (ENLARGED AND RAGING)
   
  CR 14 
  Half-red dragon spriggan* barbarian 4/war hulk** 5 
  *Fiend Folio 162 
  **Miniatures Handbook 23 
  CE Large dragon (augmented fey) 
  Init +8; Senses Listen +0, Spot +0; darkvision 60 ft., 
  low-light vision 
  Languages Common, Gnome  
  AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 19; +1 against traps, 
  uncanny dodge 
   (-1 size, +2 Dex, -2 class, +8 armor, +4 natural) 
  hp 208 (14 HD) 
  Immune fire, paralysis, sleep 
  Fort +20, Ref +10 +11 against traps), Will +13 (+18 and 
  1/day immediate action reroll against mind-affecting 
  effect); Mad Foam Rager 
  Speed 30 ft. in breastplate (6 squares), base speed 40 
  ft. 
  Melee +1 keen everbright dire pick +29/+24/+19 
  (2d6+28/19-20/x4) or 
  Melee 2 claws +28 (1d6+18) and Bite +23 (1d8+9) 
  Ranged rock (2d8+18)  
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. 
  Base Atk +11; Grp +33  
  Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack; breath weapon 
  1/day (6d8 fire, DC 21 half, 30 ft. cone), great swing, 
  mighty rock throwing, mighty swing, rage 2/day (12 
  rounds) 
  Combat Gear belt of battle, potion of cure serious 
  wounds, third eye clarity 
  Abilities Str 46, Dex 14, Con 28, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14 
  SQ ability boost +10, no time to think 
  Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mad Foam 
  Rager, Power Attack  
  Skills Climb +31, Disable Device +5, Hide +3, Intimidate 
  +19, Jump +27, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +14, 
  Sleight of Hand +11 
  Possessions combat gear plus +1 keen everbright 
  sizing dire pick, +3 breastplate, cloak of resistance 
  +2, greater augment crystal of mind cloaking 
  Ability Boost (Ex) Banaar gains a bonus to his 
  Strength from the War Hulk prestige class. 
  Great Swing (Ex) As a full-round action, Banaar can 
  make a single melee attack roll against three squares 
  adjacent to one another that he threatens and apply 
  that roll as an attack against each defender in those 
  squares. If he uses a special attack (such as trip, 
  disarm, or sunder), this special attack affects only the 
  first target; the other creatures are attacked normally. 
  Walls and similar obstacles can block a great swing. 
  Starting with one square, each successive square 
  chosen must be adjacent to the previous square and 
  have line of effect from that square. Banaar may skip 
  creatures, attacking only those he wants to. If he 
  drops a foe with a great swing, he may cleave 
  normally. However, he may do so only once for every 
  time he swings, even if he drops more than one foe. 
  No Time to Think (Ex) Banaar is considered to have 0 
  ranks in all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma- 
  based skills (Whether or not they bought ranks in 
  them previously). The only exception is the Intimidate 
  skill, which works normally. 
  Mighty Rock Throwing (Ex) Banaar can throw rocks 
  that deal 2d8 points of damage with a range 
  increment of 50 feet. (Like all thrown weapons, they 
  have a maximum range of five range increments). 
  The war hulk uses his Strength modifier instead of his 
  Dexterity modifier on the attack roll. The rock must 
  weigh approximately 50 pounds. 
  Mighty Swing (Ex) A mighty swing is like a great swing, 
  except that it is a standard action rather than a full-
  round action. 
  Size Change (Su) At will, Banaar can change his size in 
  a fashion similar to the enlarge spell. The size 
  change from Small to Large gains +8 Strength, -4 
  Dexterity, +6 Constitution, and -2 to attack bonus and 
  Armor class. An enlarged spriggan is unable to make 
  a sneak attack or use its spell-like abilities. 
  Note While in his non-enlarged form, Banaar loses the 
  benefit of the class features of the War Hulk class as 
  he does not meet the prerequisites (Large size). He 
  retains Hit Dice, saving throws, and base attack 
  bonuses gained from the class. 
  Physical Description Long, wild braids of flame red 
  hair tumble from the skull of a monstrous gnome. 
  Standing over a dozen feet tall, the creature tightens 
  its grip on a wicked looking pick with its grotesquely 
  proportioned arms, its veins bulging against scale-
  flecked skin. 
   
  Should Banaar be forced to his natural size (Small), he 
  gains -18 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -6 Constitution, +2 
  to attack bonus and Armor Class, and the following: 
  Atk Options sneak attack +3d6 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th): 
   At Will— produce flame, scare (DC 14), shatter (DC 
  14) 
  Skills Disable Device +13, Listen +11 
   
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 29 
  4: MY GOOD BUDDY, IMIX 
  GREATER EMBER GUARD*   
  CR 17 
  *Monster Manual V 52 
  LE Huge outsider (evil, extraplanar, fire, lawful) 
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +30, Spot +30 
  (+10 for one ember guard) 
  Aura fire (30 ft.); see text 
  Languages Infernal, Ignan 
  AC 33, touch 10, flat-footed 31 
  (–2 size, +2 Dex, +23 natural) 
  hp 225 (22 HD); fast healing 5; DR 15/good; death 
  throes 
  Immune fire, poison 
  Resist acid 10, cold 10 critical hit or sneak attack 25%; 
  SR 32 
  Weakness vulnerability to cold 
  Fort +23, Ref +17, Will +17 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) 
  Melee 2 slams +32 each (1d8+11/19-20 plus 1d6 fire) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. 
  Base Atk +22; Grp +41 
  Atk Options Large and in Charge, aligned strike (evil, 
  lawful) 
  Special Actions death throes, fire breath 
  Abilities Str 32, Dex 15, Con 26, Int 3, Wis 18, Cha 9 
  Feats Ability Focus (fire breath), Great Fortitude, 
  Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Large 
  and in Charge, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, 
  Weapon Focus (slam) 
  Skills Balance +21, Climb +31, Listen +30, Spot +30 
  Possessions third eye aware (1 ember guard) 
  Fire Aura (Su) If an ember guard is reduced to half of 
  its full normal hit points or fewer, it emits a fire aura 
  as flames start leaking from its body. Creatures take 
  2d6 points of fire damage at the end of each of the 
  ember guard’s turns if they are within 30 feet of it. 
  Creatures within range can attempt DC 29 Fortitude 
  saves for half damage. The save DC is Constitution-
  based. 
  Fortification (Ex) 25% chance to ignore the extra 
  damage dealt by a critical hit or sneak attack. 
  Death Throes (Su) When killed, an ember guard 
  explodes in a 60-foot-radius burst that deals 6d6 
  points of bludgeoning damage and 6d6 points of fire 
  damage to everything in the area (Reflex DC 29 half). 
  The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Fire Breath (Su) 30-foot cone, once every 4 rounds, 
  damage 11d6 fire plus slow, as the spell, for 4 
  rounds, Reflex DC 31 half damage and negates slow. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Physical Description A hulking mass of stone and 
  brass surges forward, puffs of acrid smoke leaking 
  from its maw. Intense heat radiates from its surface, 
  and smoke rises where it treads. 
   
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 30 
  5: THAT’S NO RUST MONSTER 
  GREATER GUULVORG* CR 14 
  *Monster Manual V 76 
  CE Huge magical beast 
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, 
  scent; Listen +11, Spot +10 
  Languages Gnome, Worg 
  AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 22 
  (–2 size, +4 Dex, +14 natural) 
  Immune cold 
  Resist fire 15 
  hp 212 (17 HD); boiling blood; DR 10/magic 
  Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +10 
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares) 
  Melee bite +21 (2d6+9/19–20/x4 plus trip) 
   
  and tail +19 (4d8+13) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with tail) 
  Base Atk +17; Grp +34 
  Atk Options magic strike, quick tail, trip 
  Abilities Str 29, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 16, Cha 12 
  Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical 
  (bite), Iron Will, Multiattack, Track 
  Skills Jump +21, Listen +11, Spot +10, Survival +10 
  Boiling Blood (Ex) A guulvorg’s blood runs steaming 
  hot. If an opponent adjacent to a guulvorg damages 
  the creature with a melee weapon that deals piercing 
  or slashing damage, that foe takes 1d10 points of fire 
  damage (Reflex DC 25 half) from a spray of hot 
  blood. The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Quick Tail (Ex) A guulvorg needs only a standard 
  action to make a bite attack and a tail attack. The tail 
  deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the 
  guulvorg’s Strength bonus despite it being a 
  secondary attack. 
  Trip (Ex) A guulvorg that hits with a bite can attempt to 
  trip the opponent (+17 check modifier) as a free 
  action without making a touch attack or provoking 
  attacks of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the 
  opponent cannot react to trip the guulvorg. 
  Physical Description The mouth of this gigantic black 
  wolf can’t contain the scythe-like fangs that emerge 
  from the top and bottom. Bony protrusions jut from its 
  spine, skull, and ribs, running down its serpentine tail, 
  which ends in a bulb of bone. The creature’s eyes 
  burn with a malevolent red glow. 
   
  RUST MONSTER OF LEGACY 
  CR 14 
  Advanced half-farspawn* rust monster of legacy** 
  *Lords of Madness 151 
  **Weapons of Legacy 215 
  CE Large outsider (native, augmented aberration) 
  Init +5; Senses Listen +11, Spot +11; blindsense 120 
  ft., blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., scent 
  AC 28, touch 14, flat-footed 23 
   (-1 size, +5 Dex, +4 armor, +10 natural) 
  hp 188 (15 HD); DR 10/magic 
  Immune poison 
  Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 25 
  Fort +16, Ref +13, Will +16 
  Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) 
  Melee 2 tentacles +16 (1d6+6) and  
   
  antenna +14 touch (rust) and 
   
  bite +14 (1d3+3) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft., 15 ft. tentacles 
  Base Atk +11; Grp +21  
  Atk Options Combat Reflexes, Spectral Skirmisher, 
  true strike 1/day 
  Special Actions change shape 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15) 
   1/day – greater invisibility, scintillating pattern (DC 23), 
  stinking cloud (DC 18), telekinesis, touch of idiocy 
  (DC 17) 
   3/day – blink, blur, ethereal jaunt 
  Abilities Str 22, Dex 21, Con 26, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 18 
  SQ legacy abilities, omen 
  Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Extended Reach, 
  Multiattack, Spectral Skirmisher, Track 
  Skills Hide +10, Listen +24, Move Silently +14, Spot 
  +24 
  Possessions fireflower pendant 
  Rust (Ex) A rust monster that makes a successful touch 
  attack with its antenna causes the target metal to 
  corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless 
  immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot 
  cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, 
  and other magic items made of metal, must succeed 
  on a DC 29 Reflex save or be dissolved. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial 
  bonus. A metal weapon that deals damage to a rust 
  monster corrodes immediately. Wooden, stone, and 
  other nonmetallic weapons are unaffected. 
  Legacy Abilities (Su) The rust monster enjoys a +3 
  resistance bonus to saves (1 List A, 2 List B choices), 
  is treated as a major intelligent item (1 List D choice), 
  and has a +4 Enhancement bonus to armor (1 List F 
  choice). 
  Omen The monster’s carapace has mirrored fragments 
  that show unfathomable images of the Far Realms. 
  Change Shape (Su) As a standard action, a half-
  farspawn can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled 
  mass. The rust monster retains all of its attributes 
  and abilities except as noted below. 
  Amorphous Form 
  Melee 4 tentacles +16 (1d6+6)  
  SQ Amorphous (not subject to critical hits, cannot be 
  flanked), creatures from the Material Plane take a -1 
  penalty on attack rolls against the farspawn in 
  amorphous form; loses its rust ability. 
   
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 31 
  6: LIQUID HOT MAGMA 
  GREATER MAGMA EXPLOSION TRAP 
   
  CR 17 
  Description As the PCs cross the magma chamber, the 
  persistent rumbling causes some of the ceiling to 
  collapse, blocking the exit on either end of the path 
  and possibly damaging the PCs. The cave-in also 
  causes the magma to become unstable, spewing 
  forth magma eruptions every round. To bypass the 
  trap, the PCs may destroy the rocks blocking either 
  exit, allowing escape, or deal enough cold damage to 
  the magma disruption area to solidify it. Disable 
  Device checks may be made to cause the rocks 
  blocking an exit to collapse further, allowing passage. 
  Search DC N/A; Type Mechanical 
  Trigger Location; Init +8 
  Effect Round 1: falling rocks (15d6 bludgeoning 
  damage, Reflex DC 25 half); targets who fail their 
  save are also knocked prone by the rocks. Each 
  round after the first: magma eruption (15d6 fire 
  damage plus 7d6 fire damage each of the next two 
  rounds, Reflex DC 25 half). 
  Duration 20 rounds 
  Destruction hp 255, hardness 8 (acid and sonic 
  damage ignore hardness and deal 1-1/2 x damage) 
  (each blocked exit) 
  Destruction AC 33; hp 76 (only cold or water damage 
  applies; fire damage ‘heals’ the disruption) (magma 
  disruption) 
  Disarm Disable Device DC 32 (each exit or ceiling area 
  above disruption) 
   
  7: GIANT METAL THING 
  MERCHURION* 
   
   
  CR 17 
  *Monster Manual V 102 
  CE Huge construct (living construct) 
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen 
  +10,Spot +10 
  Languages Common, Giant, Terran 
  AC 31, touch 15, flat-footed 24; Dodge, Mobility 
  (–2 size, +7 Dex, +16 natural) 
  hp 319 (22 HD); DR 10/magic and silver 
  Immune fire, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, 
  nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain 
  Weakness vulnerability to sonic 
  Fort +16, Ref +14, Will +11 
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares); Spring Attack 
  Melee 
  +3 
  silvered 
  longaxe 
  +30/+25/+20/+15 
  (4d6+15/x3) or 
  Melee 
  +3 
  silvered 
  mancatcher 
  +28/+23/+18/+13 
  (1d6+15 nonlethal plus grapple) 
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft., 30 ft. with reach 
  Base Atk +16; Grp +33 
  Atk Options Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull 
  Rush, Power Attack (longaxe), absorb properties, 
  magic strike 
  Special Actions generate weapon 
  Abilities Str 28, Dex 25, Con 28, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 17 
  SQ living construct traits 
  Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Dodge, Greater Weapon 
  Focus (generated weapon)B, Improved Bull Rush, 
  Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, 
  Weapon Focus (generated weapon)B
   
  Skills Climb +17, Intimidate +12, Jump +29, Listen +10, 
  Spot +10, Survival +11 
  Absorb Properties (Ex) If a merchurion is successfully 
  struck by a magic weapon, all that weapon’s 
  properties are absorbed by the merchurion for 1 hour. 
  The weapon loses its properties during that time (or 
  until the merchurion is slain). A merchurion can 
  manifest any of these absorbed properties in its 
  generated weapon. 
   
   A merchurion can absorb and manifest weapon 
  properties totaling a +5 enhancement bonus (DMG 
  223) or a market value of up to 50,000 gp. Properties 
  beyond these limits are not absorbed. If a weapon 
  has properties in excess of these limits, the weakest 
  properties are absorbed first. 
   
   As an immediate action, a merchurion can choose 
  to give up absorbed properties to absorb new 
  properties. If it does so, the properties the merchurion 
  gives up are restored to the weapon they were 
  absorbed from. 
   
   Manifested weapon properties must be suitable for 
  the type of weapon a merchurion generates. 
  Unsuitable properties can be absorbed and count 
  toward the total limit of properties even if they cannot 
  be manifested. For example, a merchurion could 
  absorb the disruption property from a mace of 
  disruption, but could not manifest that property in a 
  battleaxe. 
   
   A merchurion does not absorb the enhancement 
  bonus from a weapon whose properties it absorbs. 
  So, weapons that lose properties continue to function 
  with their magical enhancement bonus as normal. 
  Generate 
  Weapon 
  (Su) 
  A 
  merchurion 
  can 
  spontaneously create a single weapon from its 
  flowing metal form. Such weapons have a +3 
  enhancement bonus and are treated as silvered 
  weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage 
  reduction. If a generated weapon ever leaves the 
  merchurion’s hand, that weapon immediately melts 
  into a pool of harmless silver liquid. 
   
   A merchurion is proficient with any weapon it 
  generates using this ability, even an exotic one. 
  Physical Description A metal colossus stands amidst 
  the magma, its form shifting and flowing like liquid. 
  The creature moves with a grace that belies its 
  powerful, humanlike form, and you see that its 
  metallic sheen is no suit of armor. Its eyes bear the 
  same gleam as the rivers of silver running down its 
  arms, which flow together to take the shape of an 
  over-large axe. 
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 32 
  APPENDIX 2: NEW RULES OPTIONS
  FEATS 
  Captivating Melody 
  Prerequisite: Bardic music, ability to cast arcane 
  spells. 
   
  Benefit: As a swift action before casting a spell, 
  you can attempt a Perform check (DC 15 + the level of 
  the spell you intend to cast). If you succeed, you can 
  sacrifice one of your daily uses of bardic music to 
  increase the save DC of the next enchantment or 
  illusion spell you cast in the same round by 2. If the 
  Perform check fails, you still lose one daily use of 
  bardic music but gain no benefit. 
   
  You can apply Captivating Melody only to spells 
  cast by the same class that grants you your bardic music 
  ability. For instance if you are a multiclass bard/wizard, 
  you can apply this feat to bard spells, but not to spells 
  you cast as a wizard. 
   
  Source: Complete Mage 40. 
   
  Extended Reach [Monstrous] 
  Prerequisite: Small or larger size, nonrigid body or a 
  nonrigid attack form such as a tentacle, feeler, or 
  pseudopod. 
   
  Benefit: Your body or a part of your body with 
  which you can deliver a melee attack is boneless and 
  flexible, allowing you to threaten a larger than normal 
  area with melee attacks. Add +5 feet to your normal 
  reach. 
   
  Source: Savage Species 34. 
   
  Goad 
  Prerequisites: Cha 13, base attack bonus +1. 
   
  Benefit: As a move action, you can goad an 
  opponent that threatens you, has line of sight to you, 
  can hear you, and has an Intelligence of 3 or higher. 
  (The goad is a mind-affecting ability.) When the 
  goaded opponent starts its next turn, if it threatens you 
  and has line of sight to you, it must make a Will saving 
  throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Cha 
  modifier). If the opponent fails its save, you are the 
  only creature it can make melee attacks against during 
  this turn. (If it kills you, knocks you unconscious, loses 
  sight of you, or otherwise is unable to make melee 
  attacks against you, it may make any remaining melee 
  attacks against other foes, as normal.) A goaded 
  creature can still cast spells, make ranged attacks, 
  move, or perform other actions normally. The use of 
  this feat restricts only melee attacks. 
   
  Special: A fighter may select Goad as one of his 
  fighter bonus feats. 
   
  Source: Complete Adventurer 109. 
   
  Large and in Charge [General] 
  Prerequisites: Natural reach of 10 feet or more, size 
  Large or larger. 
   
  Benefit: When you make a successful attack of 
  opportunity against an opponent that is moving inside 
  your threatened area, you can force the opponent back 
  to the 5-foot space it was in before it provoked the 
  attack of opportunity. After you hit with your attack of 
  opportunity, make an opposed Strength check against 
  your opponent. You gain a +4 bonus for each size 
  category larger than your opponent you are, and an 
  additional +1 bonus for every 5 points of damage you 
  dealt with your attack of opportunity. If you win the 
  opposed check, your opponent is pushed back 5 feet 
  into the space it just left. An opponent you push cannot 
  move any farther in this round. 
   
  Source: Draconomicon 71. 
   
  Lingering Song 
  Prerequisite: Bardic music. 
   
  Benefit: If you use bardic music to inspire 
  courage, inspire greatness, or inspire heroics, the effect 
  lasts for 1 minute after an inspired ally stops hearing 
  you play. 
   
  Normal: Inspire courage, inspire greatness, and 
  inspire heroics last as long as an ally hears the bard sing 
  plus an additional 5 rounds thereafter. 
   
  Source: Complete Adventurer 111. 
   
  Lyric Spell [Bardic Music] 
  Prerequisites: Bardic music, Perform 9 ranks, ability 
  to spontaneously cast 2nd-level arcane spells. 
   
  Benefit: You can expend daily uses of your bardic 
  music to cast any arcane spell that you know and can 
  cast spontaneously. You must still use an action to cast 
  the spell (following the normal rules for casting time), 
  but using the Lyric Spell feat counts as part of the 
  spellcasting action. Casting a spell requires one use of 
  your bardic music ability, plus one additional use per 
  level of the spell. For example, casting a 3rd-level spell 
  requires four daily uses of your bardic music ability. 
   
  Special: Any spell that you cast using the Lyric 
  Spell feat gains your instrument as an additional arcane 
  focus, if you use one. You cannot use Lyric Spell to cast 
  a spell improved by the Silent Spell metamagic feat. 
   
  Source: Complete Adventurer 113. 
   
  Mad Foam Rager 
  Prerequisite: Rage or frenzy ability. 
   
  Benefit: When fighting, you can endure 
  tremendous blows with little visible effect. As an 
  immediate action, you can choose to delay the effect of 
  a single attack, spell, or ability used against you. The 
  damage or effect does not take hold until the end of 
  your next turn. You can only use this ability while 
  under the effect of your rage or frenzy ability. You can 
  activate it once every time you use your rage or frenzy 
  ability. 
   
  Source: Player’s Handbook II 80. 
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 33 
  Melodic Casting 
  Prerequisite: Perform 4 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, 
  bardic music class feature. 
   
  Benefit: Whenever a Concentration check would 
  be required to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability 
  (such as when you cast defensively or are distracted or 
  injured while casting), you can make a Perform check 
  instead. 
   
  In addition, you can cast spells and activate magic 
  items by command word or spell completion while 
  using a bardic music ability. Bardic music abilities that 
  require concentration still take a standard action to 
  perform. 
   
  Normal: A bard can’t cast spells or activate magic 
  items by command word or spell completion while 
  using bardic music. 
   
  Source: Complete Mage 44. 
   
  Reach Spell [Metamagic] 
  Benefit: You may cast a spell that normally has a range 
  of touch at any distance up to 30 feet. The spell 
  effectively becomes a ray, so you must succeed on a 
  ranged touch attack to bestow the spell upon the 
  recipient. A reach spell uses up a spell slot two levels 
  higher than the spell’s actual level. 
   
  Source: Complete Divine 84. 
   
  Spectral Skirmisher 
  Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6. 
   
  Benefit: While you are invisible, you gain 
  additional benefits. Creatures unable to see you due to 
  invisibility take a -5 penalty to Listen checks to detect 
  you. A creature using a melee attack against the square 
  you occupy provokes an attack of opportunity from 
  you. You must choose to make this attack before 
  checking to see if the creature finds you. If you attack 
  and hit, the creature automatically finds you in your 
  square. See page 152 of the Player’s Handbook and page 
  295 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for the effects of 
  invisibility on combat. 
   
  Special: A fighter can select Spectral Skirmisher 
  as one of his fighter bonus feats. 
   
  Source: Player’s Handbook II 83. 
   
  Telling Blow 
  Prerequisite: Skirmish or sneak attack ability. 
   
  Benefit: When you score a critical hit against a 
  target, you deal your skirmish or sneak attack damage 
  in addition to the damage from your critical hit. Your 
  critical multiplier applies only to your normal damage, 
  not your skirmish or sneak attack damage. This benefit 
  affects both melee and ranged attacks. 
   
  Source: Player’s Handbook II 83. 
   
  Titan Fighting [Racial] 
  Prerequisites: Dodge, racial dodge bonus to Armor 
  Class against monsters of the giant type. 
   
  Benefit: When you designate a creature at least 
  one size category larger than you as the target of your 
  Dodge feat, you apply your racial dodge bonus to 
  Armor Class against monsters of the giant type against 
  attacks from that opponent (regardless of its creature 
  type) instead of the +1 bonus granted by the Dodge 
  feat. 
   
  Special: A fighter may select Titan Fighting as one 
  of his fighter bonus feats. 
   
  Source: Races of Stone 115. 
   
  ITEMS 
  Belt of Battle  
  Price (Item Level): 12,000 gp (13th)  
  Body Slot: Waist  
  Caster Level: 9th  
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) transmutation  
  Activation: — and swift (mental)  
  Weight: —  
   
  This leather belt bears a platinum buckle set with three small 
  black pearls. 
   
  A belt of battle helps you avoid being caught off guard in 
  combat and allows occasional bursts of extra activity. 
  While worn, it grants you a +2 competence bonus on 
  initiative checks. This is a continuous effect and 
  requires no activation.  
   
  In addition, a belt of battle has 3 charges, which are 
  renewed each day at dawn. Each time you activate the 
  belt, one of the black pearls set into its buckle turns 
  white. The pearls return to normal when the ring’s 
  charges renew. Spending 1 or more charges grants you 
  an extra action, which must be taken immediately 
  (before you take any other action).  
   
  1 charge: 1 move action.  
   
  2 charges: 1 standard action.  
   
  3 charges: 1 full-round action.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, haste.  
   
  Cost to Create: 6,000 gp, 480 XP, 12 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 73. 
   
  Blueshine 
  Price: +1,500 gp 
  Property: Metal armor 
  Caster Level: 12th 
  Aura: Strong; (DC 21) abjuration 
  Activation: — 
   
  This armor glistens with a blue-black sheen, as if it were 
  covered in oily liquid sapphire. 
   
  A suit of armor imbued with this property never 
  tarnishes and is immune to acid damage and rusting 
  effects. While wearing blueshine armor, you gain a +2 
  competence bonus on Hide checks.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft 
  (alchemy) 5 ranks.  
   
  Cost to Create: 750 gp, 60 XP, 2 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 9. 
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
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  Commander 
  Price: +2,000 gp 
  Property: Armor or shield 
  Caster Level: 5th 
  Aura: Faint; (DC 17) transmutation 
  Activation: — 
   
  This item looks particularly clean and bright—in fact, it 
  almost seems to shine with its own light. 
   
  A suit of armor or shield that has this property always 
  appears brilliant and gleaming, even in filthy or squalid 
  conditions, though it doesn’t shed any useful light. 
  Attempts to paint over or obscure its finish do not 
  diminish its brightness.  
   
  While wearing commander armor or carrying a 
  commander shield, you gain a +2 competence bonus on 
  Diplomacy checks, and each ally within 30 feet of you 
  (not including yourself) gains a +1 morale bonus on 
  Will saves. However, the shiny finish makes you so 
  noticeable that you also take a –5 penalty on Hide 
  checks (in addition to the normal armor check 
  penalty).  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, eagle’s 
  splendor.  
   
  Cost to Create: 1,000 gp, 80 XP, 2 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 10. 
   
  Crystal of Mind Cloaking 
  Price (Item Level): 500 gp (3rd) (least), 4,000 gp (8th) 
  (lesser), or 10,000 gp (12th) (greater) 
  Body Slot: — (armor crystal) 
  Caster Level: 5th 
  Aura: Faint; (DC 17) abjuration 
  Activation: —; see text 
  Weight: — 
   
  This crystal is black as a clouded night sky. 
   
  A crystal of mind cloaking protects you against mental 
  infiltration. 
   
  Least: This augment crystal grants you a +1 
  competence bonus on saving throws against mind-
  affecting spells and abilities.  
   
  Lesser: As above, except the crystal grants a +3 
  competence bonus.  
   
  Greater: As above, except the crystal grants a +5 
  competence bonus. In addition, if you fail a save 
  against a mind-affecting spell or ability, you can choose 
  to reroll the save as an immediate (mental) action. This 
  ability functions once per day.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  resistance.  
   
  Cost to Create: 250 gp, 20 XP, 1 day (least); 2,000 gp, 
  160 XP, 4 days (lesser); 5,000 gp, 400 XP, 10 days 
  (greater). 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 25. 
   
  Everbright 
  Price: +2,000 gp 
  Property: Weapon 
  Caster Level: 12th 
  Aura: Strong; (DC 21) evocation 
  Activation: Standard (command) 
   
  Flecks of marble and pearl shimmer across this weapon, set 
  within images of bursting stars and beaming suns. 
   
  An everbright weapon can flash with a brilliant light 
  twice per day at your command. When it is activated, 
  all creatures within 20 feet of you are blinded for 1 
  round (Reflex DC 14 negates). 
   
  An everbright weapon is also immune to acid 
  damage and rusting effects.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, searing 
  light.  
   
  Cost to Create: Varies. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 34. 
   
  Fireflower Pendant 
  Price (Item Level): 13,000 gp (13th)  
  Body Slot: Throat  
  Caster Level: 13th  
  Aura: Strong; (DC 21) abjuration  
  Activation: — or immediate (command)  
  Weight: —  
   
  This fragile pendant is constructed from rose gold and shaped 
  into the form of a flower. It is set with many tiny fire opals.  
   
  A fireflower pendant provides you with resistance—or 
  even brief immunity—to fiery attacks. While it is 
  worn, you gain resistance to fire 10. This is a 
  continuous effect and requires no activation.  
   
  When you activate the pendant, you gain 
  immunity to fire until the start of your next turn. 
  However, doing this renders the pendant powerless for 
  1 hour thereafter.  
   
  Prerequisites: 
  Craft 
  Wondrous 
  Item, 
  energy 
  immunity, resist energy.  
   
  Cost to Create: 6,500 gp, 520 XP, 13 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 100. 
   
  Impaling 
  Price: +1 bonus 
  Property: Piercing melee weapon 
  Caster Level: 9th 
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) transmutation 
  Activation: Swift (command) 
   
  This weapon has a particularly sharp and slim point. 
   
  Three times per day, you can activate this weapon to 
  treat its next attack (if made before the end of your 
  turn) as a touch attack. You must declare that you are 
  using this property before making your attack roll. If 
  the attack misses, the use is wasted.  
  
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  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  find the gap (SpC 91).  
   
  Cost to Create: Varies. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 37. 
   
  Longaxe 
  A longaxe looks like a greataxe with an elongated haft. 
  This feature makes the weapon awkward to wield by 
  those unfamiliar with its use, but those proficient with 
  the weapon can use the haft’s extra length to attack foes 
  more than 5 feet away as long as they are willing to 
  forgo precision in favor of dealing extra damage. 
   
  If you are proficient with the longaxe, you can 
  treat it as a reach weapon any time you use the Power 
  Attack feat to shift 3 or more points of your attack 
  bonus from attack to damage. When you use a longaxe 
  in this manner, you can strike opponents 10 feet away 
  with it, but you cannot use it against an adjacent foe. 
  Because you determine the use of the Power Attack feat 
  for an entire turn, you must wield the longaxe as either 
  a reach weapon or a normal weapon until the 
  beginning of your next turn once you make the 
  decision. You cannot wield it as both a reach weapon 
  and a normal weapon in the same turn. 
   
  Characters proficient with the longaxe can treat it 
  as a greataxe for the purpose of any of the following 
  feats: Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon 
  Specialization, Improved Critical, Weapon Focus, and 
  Weapon Specialization. 
   
  Cost: 35 gp; Dmg (H): 4d6; Critical: x3; Range 
  Increment: - ; Weight: 15 lb.; Type: Slashing 
   
  Source: Complete Adventurer 116. 
   
  Mancatcher 
  City guards and others who prefer to capture their 
  opponents unharmed use the mancatcher. A wielder 
  who hits a target of its size or one size category smaller 
  than it with a mancatcher can immediately attempt to 
  grapple (as a free action) without provoking an attack 
  of opportunity. Any grapple check you make using a 
  mancatcher includes the mancatcher’s enhancement 
  bonus (if any) and any other bonuses you might have 
  on attack rolls with the weapon (such as from the 
  Weapon Focus feat). If you grapple a target with a 
  mancatcher, you are considered grappling, but unless 
  your target can reach you, he can’t attempt to attack 
  you, damage you, or pin you. You can escape the 
  grapple automatically by releasing the target as a 
  standard action. 
  In addition to the normal options available to a 
  grappler, the wielder of a mancatcher can attempt to 
  force his target to the ground (the equivalent of a trip 
  attack, though no attack roll is necessary). The 
  mancatcher is a reach weapon and cannot be used 
  against adjacent opponents. 
   
  Cost: 20 gp; Dmg (H): 1d8 nonlethal; Critical: x2; 
  Range Increment: - ; Weight: 8 lb.; Type: 
  Bludgeoning; Reach Weapon 
   
  Source: Complete Warrior 157. 
   
  Pick, Dire 
  A dire pick resembles a heavy pick, but with a longer 
  shaft and a more massive head. A dire pick is too large 
  to use in one hand without special training (the 
  appropriate Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat). A 
  character can use a dire pick two-handed as a martial 
  weapon. 
   
  Cost: 30 gp; Dmg (L): 2d6; Critical: x4; Range 
  Increment: - ; Weight: 12 lb.; Type: Piercing 
   
  Source: Complete Warrior 157. 
   
  Regalia of the Hero [Magic Item Set] 
  Collection Benefits 
   
  2 Pieces: You can grant a single ally within 30 feet 
  (other than yourself) a +5 insight bonus on a single 
  attack, save, or skill check as an immediate (command) 
  action. This ability functions once per day.  
   
  3 Pieces: You use a standard (command) action to 
  grant a single ally within 30 feet (other than you) an 
  extra move action, taken immediately. (If you have the 
  marshal’s grant move action class feature, this benefit 
  instead affects all allies within 30 feet of you.) This 
  ability functions once per day. 
   
  Badge of Valor  
  Price (Item Level): 1,400 gp (5th) 
  Body Slot: Throat  
  Caster Level: 5th  
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 17) abjuration  
  Activation: Immediate (mental)  
  Weight: —  
   
  This badge is stamped with the image of an impenetrable 
  fortress over which shines a golden sun.  
   
  When you activate a badge of valor, you and all allies 
  within 60 feet gain a +2 bonus on the next save you or 
  they make against a charm or fear effect before the start 
  of your next turn.  
   
  If you have the bardic music ability to inspire 
  courage, you can activate a badge of valor to increase the 
  bonus granted by that ability by 1 for the duration of its 
  effect.  
   
  A badge of valor functions three times per day.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, remove fear, 
  possession of a piece of the set.  
   
  Cost to Create: 700 gp, 56 XP, 2 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 208. 
   
  Helm of Tactics 
  Price (Item Level): 2,000 gp (6th)  
  Body Slot: Head  
  Caster Level: 7th  
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) transmutation  
  Activation: Swift (mental)  
  Weight: 1 lb.  
   
  
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  This metallic helm is forged of a gray, strangely swirled iron 
  alloy.  
   
  When you activate a helm of tactics, you and all allies 
  within 60 feet gain a +2 bonus on melee weapon 
  damage rolls against enemies that you or they are 
  flanking. This benefit lasts for 10 rounds, but allies who 
  move more than 60 feet from you lose the benefit until 
  they return within the area.  
   
  If you are a marshal, you can activate a helm of 
  tactics to increase the effect of your minor aura by 1. 
  This effect lasts for 10 rounds.  
   
  A helm of tactics functions three times per day.  
   
  Prerequisites: 
  Craft 
  Wondrous 
  Item, 
  fox’s 
  cunning, possession of a piece of the set.  
   
  Cost to Create: 1,000 gp, 80 XP, 2 days.  
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 208. 
   
  Horn of Resilience  
  Price (Item Level): 5,000 gp (9th)  
  Body Slot: — (held)  
  Caster Level: 8th  
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) enchantment  
  Activation: Standard (manipulated)  
  Weight: —  
   
  This bone horn is banded with a golden-hued iron alloy. The 
  image of an idealized fortress is scribed deeply in the horn’s 
  side.  
   
  When you activate a horn of resilience, you and all allies 
  within 30 feet gain damage reduction 5/—. This 
  benefit lasts for 5 rounds, but allies who move more 
  than 30 feet from you lose the benefit until they return 
  within the area.  
   
  If you are a marshal, you can activate a horn of 
  resilience to increase the effect of your major aura by 1. 
  This effect lasts for 5 rounds.  
   
  If you have the bardic music ability to inspire 
  greatness, you can activate a horn of resilience to grant 
  the target of that ability an extra 50 temporary hit 
  points. These hit points last until depleted or the 
  duration of your inspire greatness ability ends, and 
  they don’t stack with any other source of temporary hit 
  points.  
   
  A horn of resilience functions two times per day.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, heroism, 
  possession of a piece of the set.  
   
  Cost to Create: 2,500 gp, 200 XP, 5 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 208. 
   
  Runestaff of Forced Happiness 
  Price (Item Level): 18,000 gp (14th) 
  Body Slot: — (held) 
  Caster Level: 16th 
  Aura: Strong; (DC 23) enchantment 
  Activation: As spell used 
  Weight: 3 lb. 
   
  This smooth alabaster staff feels hollow, but doesn’t seem 
  fragile or easily chipped. 
   
  A runestaff of forced happiness allows you to cast any 
  of the following spells (each two times per day) by 
  expending a prepared arcane spell or arcane spell slot 
  of the same level or higher. 
  • celebration (SC 44) 
  • Otto’s irresistible dance 
  • Tasha’s hideous laughter  
  Prerequisites: Craft Staff, celebration, Otto’s 
  irresistible dance, Tasha’s hideous laughter.  
   
  Cost to Create: 9,000 gp, 720 XP, 18 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 180. 
   
  Sizing 
  Price: +5,000 gp 
  Property: Weapon 
  Caster Level: 9th 
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) transmutation 
  Activation: Swift (command) 
   
  This weapon features a series of decorative nubs on the hilt or 
  haft. 
   
  Activating a sizing weapon changes its size category to 
  any other that you desire.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shrink 
  item. 
   
  Cost to Create: 2,500 gp, 200 XP, 5 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 36. 
   
  Third Eye Aware  
  Price (Item Level): 10,000 gp (12th)  
  Body Slot: Face  
  Caster Level: 7th  
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) divination  
  Activation: —  
  Weight: —  
   
  This crystal glows with a pale, faint blue light.  
   
  This crystal continually grants you a +10 competence 
  bonus on Spot checks.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Spot 10 ranks.  
   
  Cost to Create: 5,000 gp, 400 XP, 10 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 140. 
   
  Third Eye Clarity 
  Price (Item Level): 3,000 gp (7th) 
  Body Slot: Face 
  Caster Level: 7th 
  Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) conjuration 
  Activation: Immediate (mental) 
  Weight: — 
   
  This crystal is so clear that it is difficult to see. 
   
  
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  You can activate this crystal to negate any one of the 
  following conditions affecting you: confused, dazed, 
  fascinated, or stunned.  
   
  You can activate the eye in response to an effect 
  that would impose one of these conditions (for 
  instance, after failing your save against a monk’s 
  Stunning Fist attack but before the stun takes effect).  
  This ability functions once per day.  
   
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, panacea (SC 
  152).  
   
  Cost to Create: 1,500 gp, 120 XP, 3 days. 
   
  Source: Magic Item Compendium 141. 
   
  SPELLS 
  Bolts of Bedevilment 
  Enchantment [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 5, Madness 5 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) 
  Effect: Ray 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  With a strangled peal of laughter to complete the spell, you 
  point your hand at your enemy and fire a black beam from 
  your finger. 
   
  This spell grants you the ability to make one ray attack 
  per round. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack 
  with the ray to strike a target. A living creature struck 
  by the ray is dazed for 1d3 rounds if it fails its save. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 37. 
   
  Celebration 
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting, Sonic] 
  Level: Bard 4 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Targets: All creatures in a 15-ft.-radius burst 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates; see text 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  With a few slurred words and fumbling motions, you 
  complete the spell and prepare to perform. 
   
  You cause any creatures in the area to feel increasingly 
  more intoxicated the longer you perform a drinking 
  song. In the round this spell is cast, all creatures that 
  fail their saving throws take a –2 penalty to Dexterity, 
  Intelligence, and Wisdom. 
   
  If you use a standard action to continue 
  performing in a second consecutive round, each 
  affected creature must succeed on a second Will saving 
  throw or become nauseated. Succeeding on this saving 
  throw prevents the nausea, and the creature is immune 
  to further effects of this spell. 
   
  If you use a standard action to continue 
  performing in a third consecutive round, any affected 
  creatures must succeed on a Will save or pass out, 
  becoming unconscious and helpless. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 44. 
   
  Curse of Impending Blades 
  Necromancy 
  Level: Bard 2, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 2 
  Components: V, S, M/DF 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) 
  Target: One creature 
  Duration: 1 minute/level 
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  You grip the nail-pierced hunk of leather and cast the spell. A 
  small black dagger jets from the tip of the nail and strikes 
  your opponent squarely in the chest. 
   
  The target of the spell has a hard time avoiding attacks, 
  sometimes even seeming to stumble into harm’s way. 
  The subject takes a –2 penalty to AC. 
   
  The curse cannot be dispelled, but it can be 
  removed with a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, 
  remove curse, or wish spell. 
   
  Arcane Material Component: A nail through a piece 
  of leather. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 56. 
   
  Dirge of Discord 
  Enchantment (Compulsion, Evil) [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 3 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Area: 20 ft.-radius spread 
  Duration: Concentration + 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  You create an unholy, cacophonous dirge that fills the 
  subjects’ minds with the screams of the dying, the 
  wailing of the damned, and the howling of the mad. 
  Affected creatures take a -4 penalty to attack rolls and 
  Concentration checks, a -4 penalty to Dexterity, and a 
  50% reduction in their speed (to a minimum of 5 feet). 
   
  Material Component: A pinch of ashes from a 
  destrachan. 
   
  Source: Complete Adventurer 145. 
   
  Endless Slumber 
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 5, sorcerer/wizard 6 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 full round 
  
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  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One living creature 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  As you utter the final syllable, your foe’s eye roll up in her 
  head. She falls, snoring softly even as she hits the ground. 
   
  You put a single subject into a magically induced 
  slumber that lasts indefinitely. Normal stimuli, such as 
  shouting or prodding, are insufficient to wake the 
  subject, but any damage dealt to the subject causes her 
  to rouse immediately. The subject can attempt a new 
  save every 24 hours to awaken early. The subject does 
  not need to eat or drink during this time. 
   
  Material Component: A pinch of black sand. 
   
  Source: Complete Mage 103. 
   
  Entice Gift 
  Enchantment [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 2, Greed 2, sorcerer/wizard 2 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One creature 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  You cast the spell and a purple glow appears in your mark’s 
  eyes. You hold out your hand and demand the object it holds 
  in a compelling voice. 
   
  You enchant a creature so that it feels suddenly 
  compelled to give you what it is holding when you cast 
  this spell. On the creature’s next action, it moves as 
  close to you as it can get in a single round and offers 
  you the object as a standard action. This spell allows 
  you to act out of turn and accept the “gift” if the 
  creature reaches you to hand you the object (assuming 
  you have a free hand and can accept it). The subject 
  defends itself normally and acts as it wishes on 
  subsequent rounds, including attempting to get the 
  object back if desired. If the subject is prevented from 
  doing as the spell compels, the spell has no effect. For 
  example, if the subject is paralyzed and cannot move or 
  drop the item, nothing happens. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 83. 
   
  Inspirational Boost 
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting, Sonic] 
  Level: Bard 1 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 swift action 
  Range: Personal 
  Target: You 
  Duration: 1 round or special; see text 
   
  You concentrate on assisting your friends as you begin the 
  short chant and simple hand chopping motion necessary to 
  cast the spell. As you finish, the spell’s chant allows you to 
  segue easily into bolstering your allies. 
   
  While this spell is in effect, the morale bonus granted 
  by your inspire courage bardic music increases by 1. 
  The effect lasts until your inspire courage effect ends. 
  If you don’t begin to use your inspire courage ability 
  before the beginning of your next turn, the spell’s 
  effect ends. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 124. 
   
  Ironthunder Horn 
  Transmutation [Sonic] 
  Level: Bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 2 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: 30 ft. 
  Area: Cone-shaped burst 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: Reflex negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  The last words of your spell boom out with a thundering roar, 
  knocking the foes in your path off their feet. 
   
  You create a deep resonant vibration that can shake 
  creatures off their feet. Creatures in the area must 
  succeed on a Reflex saving throw or fall prone. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 126. 
   
  Joyful Noise 
  Abjuration 
  Level: Bard 1 
  Components: S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: 10 ft. 
  Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation centered on you 
  Duration: Concentration; see text 
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: No 
   
  You stomp your foot on the ground, creating a ripple of noise 
  that unleashes suppressed sounds behind it. 
   
  You create sonic vibrations that negate any magical 
  silence effect in the area. This zone of negation moves 
  with you and lasts as long as you continue to 
  concentrate. The silence effect is not dispelled but 
  simply held in abeyance; it remains in effect outside 
  the area of the joyful noise effect. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 127. 
   
  Love’s Lament 
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 3 
  Components: V 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  
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  Range: 60 ft. 
  Area: Cone-shaped burst 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  Dirge-like music fills the area, reminding those in range of 
  lost loves and life’s disappointments. 
   
  Creatures within the area of this spell that fail their 
  saves take 1d6 points of Wisdom damage and are 
  nauseated for 1d4 rounds. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 134. 
   
  Mirror Image, Greater 
  Illusion (figment) 
  Level: Bard 4, beguiler 4, sorcerer/wizard 4 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 immediate action 
  Range: Personal, see text for mirror image (PH 254) 
  Target: You 
  Duration: 1 minute/level (D) 
   
  Several illusory duplicates of you pop into being. 
   
  This spell functions like mirror image, except that an 
  additional image is created in each round after the first, 
  up to a maximum of eight concurrent images. If all 
  images are destroyed, the spell ends. 
   
  This spell also differs from mirror image in that you 
  can cast this spell even when it’s not your turn. 
   
  Source: Player’s Handbook II 120. 
   
  Phantom Threat 
  Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 1 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One creature 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  Reaching out to your foe’s mind, you cause him to feel as 
  though a threat looms close behind no matter which way he 
  turns. 
   
  You create the sensation in the subject’s mind that it is 
  threatened by more foes than it actually faces. Though 
  the subject doesn’t actually perceive any additional 
  enemies (and thus doesn’t waste any attacks on the 
  phantasm), a creature affected by this spell is 
  considered flanked, even if not threatened by other 
  creatures. No amount of convincing by others can help 
  the subject of this spell avoid its effect—only a 
  successful saving throw against the spell when initially 
  cast can help the target. A creature that can’t be flanked 
  is immune to this spell. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium p157 
   
  Ray of Dizziness 
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 3, sorcerer/wizard 3 
  Components: V, S, F 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) 
  Effect: Ray 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  You release a drab violet ray from your palm. The ray shoots 
  toward your target in a spiraling corkscrew. 
   
  You strike out at your enemy with a ray that causes 
  intense feelings of vertigo. You must succeed on a 
  ranged touch attack with the ray to strike a target. A 
  struck subject experiences strong feelings of vertigo 
  and can take only a move action or a standard action 
  each round (but not both, and it cannot take a full-
  round action). 
   
  Focus: A small top. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 166. 
   
  Revenance 
  Conjuration (Healing) 
  Level: Bard 6, blackguard 4, cleric 4, paladin 4 
  Components: V, S, DF 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Touch 
  Target: Dead ally touched 
  Duration: 1 minute/level 
  Saving Throw: None; see text 
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) 
   
  You rush to your fallen companion amid the chaos of the 
  battle and cry out the words that will bring her back for one 
  last fight. 
   
  This spell brings a dead ally temporarily back to life. 
  The subject can have been dead for up to 1 round per 
  level. Your target functions as if a raise dead spell (PH 
  268) had been cast upon her, except that she does not 
  lose a level and has half of her full normal hit points. 
  She is alive (not undead) for the duration of the spell 
  and can be healed normally, but dies as soon as the 
  spell ends. While under the effect of this spell, the 
  subject is not affected by spells that raise the dead. 
  The subject gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, 
  damage rolls, saves, and checks against the creature 
  that killed her. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 175. 
   
  Shadow Spray 
  Illusion (Shadow) 
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 2 
  Components: V, S, M 
  
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  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) 
  Area: 5-ft.-radius burst 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Fortitude negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  As you finish casting this spell, ribbonlike shadows burst 
  outward from the midst of your foes. 
   
  You cause a multitude of ribbonlike shadows to 
  instantaneously explode outward from the point of 
  origin. Creatures in the area take 4 points of Strength 
  damage and are dazed for 1 round. 
   
  Material Component: A handful of black ribbons. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 186. 
   
  Spell Theft 
  Abjuration 
  Level: Bard 4, hexblade 4, sorcerer/wizard 5 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: Close (25 ft.+ 5 ft./2 levels) 
  Target: One creature 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: No 
  Winding your magical grip around the dweomers that 
  augment your opponent, you rip them away and feel 
  their energy rise around you. 
   
  You attempt to steal an opponent’s beneficial spell 
  effects for yourself.Upon casting this spell, you in-
  stantly discern all spells currently affecting the target 
  (including their effects).For each spell so discerned, 
  you can make a dispel check (1d20 + your caster level, 
  maximum +15) against a DC of 11 + the spell’s caster 
  level.If the check succeeds, you gain the effect of the 
  spell for the remainder of its duration, as if it had been 
  cast on you instead of the original target, and the 
  opponent loses that effect. 
   
  Only spells capable of being dispelled can be 
  affected by spell theft.In addition, if you are not a legal 
  target of the spell to be stolen, your dispel check 
  automatically fails.For example, if you cast spell theft 
  on a dire bear affected by bull’s strength and animal 
  growth, you could steal only the effect of the first spell 
  unless you were also of the animal type. 
   
  Source: CS p104 
   
  Transfix 
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 7 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 round 
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) 
  Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation centered on a point in 
  space 
  Duration: 1 hour/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates; see text 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  With a declaration, you finish your casting. Immediately, 
  beings in the affected area cease moving, standing as still as 
  statues. 
   
  This spell causes any Medium or smaller humanoids 
  within the area of the spell to become paralyzed. When 
  casting the spell, you must specify a condition that will 
  end it (“Wait here until the dragon arrives”), even if 
  that condition can never feasibly be met (“Stay here 
  until the sun shines at night”). Subjects in the area that 
  fail their saves immediately become aware of the 
  condition, but they cannot communicate it due to their 
  paralyzed state (although someone could use a spell 
  such as detect thoughts to ascertain the condition). For 
  every hour the creatures are transfixed before the 
  condition is met, they are allowed another saving 
  throw to break free of the spell’s effect. 
   
  As long as the spell operates, any Medium or 
  smaller humanoid that enters its area must make a 
  successful saving throw or become transfixed with the 
  same exit conditions (they too become aware of the exit 
  conditions on becoming transfixed). Likewise, any 
  creatures removed from the area are freed from the 
  spell’s effect. 
   
  An affected creature that is attacked gains a new 
  saving throw to break free of the enchantment. 
  Material Component: A drop of pine resin. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 222. 
   
  Wave of Grief 
  Enchantment [Evil, Mind-Affecting] 
  Level: Bard 2, blackguard 2, cleric 2 
  Components: V, S, M 
  Casting Time: 1 standard action 
  Range: 30 ft. 
  Area: Cone-shaped burst 
  Duration: 1 round/level 
  Saving Throw: Will negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
  Emitting a mournful wail, you send out a pulse of magic 
  imbued with sorrow and sadness. 
   
  All within the cone when the spell is cast take a –3 
  penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, 
  and skill checks. 
   
  Material Component: Three tears. 
   
  Source: Spell Compendium 236. 
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 41 
  DM MAPS 
  ENCOUNTER 2 
   
   
  ENCOUNTER 3 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 42 
   
  ENCOUNTER 4 
   
   
   
  ENCOUTNER 5 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 43 
  ENCOUNTER 6 
   
   
  ENCOUNTER 7 
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 44 
   
  APPENDIX 3: CAMPAIGN CONCEQUENCES 
  1. 
  List all NPCs that lived, escaped, and/or were captured. 
   
   
  2. 
  Did the PCs free the captives from White Plume Mountain? 
  3. 
  Did the PCs recover the crystal skull of Keraptis? 
  a. 
  What did the PCs do with the skull? 
   
   
  b. 
  If a PC kept the skull, what happened to him? 
   
   
   
   
  4. 
  Did the PCs defeat the merchurions? 
  5. 
  How many PCs died? 
  a. 
  How and where did they die? 
   
   
   
   
  6. 
  Please list any other notable events, actions, or results. 
   
   
   
  
  CORS7-03 Into White Plume (High Level) 
   
  Page 45 
  PLAYER HANDOUT 1 
  Dawn of the 21st of Goodmonth finds you in the city of Critwall, just south of 
  the Empire of Iuz and north of the Nyr Dyv. As you go about your routines, 
  preparing yourself for the day, you hear a knock at your door. After taking the 
  standard adventurer precautions against assassins and old enemies, you 
  discover a messenger boy in the hall. He wears a simple tabard displaying a 
  single star above a milky nebula. (Knowledge (religion) DC 15 or Knowledge 
  (arcana) DC 20 to recognize the holy symbol of Bahamut) The boy looks you up and 
  down, perhaps satisfying himself that you fit the description he was given, 
  then hands you a note and then leaves, without even asking for a tip. 
   
  Upon opening the note, your standard adventurer precautions against 
  trapped notes revealing no sinister indications, you find the following request 
  for aid: 
   
  Friend, 
   
  My name is Gildor Arcanix, and I have great and urgent 
  need of your assistance. If we have not previously met, I 
  hope that one of your colleagues or companions has heard 
  of me and can vouch for my Good cause. I am the leader 
  of a group dedicated to hunting the spawn of The 
  Chromatic Dragon and thwarting Her vile plans whenever 
  possible. Following clues recently discovered within White 
  Plume Mountain and based on the divinations of my most 
  trusted allies, I have come to the conclusion that Her 
  former consort, Dragotha, is seeking an artifact of potent 
  Evil with powers over life and death. This artifact, a large 
  crystal skull, was likely left by Keraptis within the bowels of 
  White Plume Mountain, the former demesne of Keraptis the 
  archmage. I need your help in recovering the crystal skull 
  of Keraptis before Dragotha’s minions can; I would like 
  you to leave this morning. Please meet me within the hour 
  at the local shrine to the Platinum Dragon to discuss 
  further details. 
   
  Gildor Arcanix 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Core Specials/597/CORS7-03 Into White Plume Mountain/CORS7-03 Into White Plume HL.pdf