TEXT: The Melford Murder
  by Stuart Marshall
  An AD&D® Mini-Adventure
  for 4–8 1st-Level Characters
  Design & Typesetting: Darren J. Bellisle
  Cover Art: Nicole Cadet © 2003; 
  www.nicolecadet.com
  Internal Artwork: Matthew R. Steward
  
  Melford and surrounding areas
  e village of Melford
  
  © Dragonsfoot 2005
  www.dragonsfoot.org
  
  e Melford Murder is a whodunnit, and therefore needs to be 
  handled with considerable care by the DM. I am aware that 
  not all groups of players have the same enthusiasm for obscure 
  clues and piecing together evidence. erefore, I have provided 
  two versions of e Melford Murder for the DM to choose 
  from to suit the players available.
  The Victim
  Gerrit Wkye, -level human male, and co-owner of the King’s 
  Head Inn (with his sister, Lena). 
  Gerrit may still be alive at the beginning of the adventure, 
  depending on whether or not the entire module series (e 
  Spider Farm, e Melford 
  Murder, and Shrine of 
  the Oracle) is used. If 
  all three are used, the 
  PCs will be in Melford 
  when a farm worker 
  (who escaped the 
  shadow goblin attack 
  at the spider farm: see 
  e Spider Farm, p. ) 
  arrives, begging for help. 
  is will give the PCs 
  time to meet some of the 
  characters in this module 
  before the murder takes 
  place, including Gerrit. If this module is played as a stand-
  alone adventure, Gerrit will already have been killed when 
  the PCs arrive in Melford. In either case, Lena Wyke, Gerrit’s 
  sister, claims to have discovered his body in the inn’s stable the 
  morning after his death.
  The Crime Scene
  e stables of the King’s Head Inn: Gerrit’s body is discovered 
  there, killed by a single blow from an edged weapon, most likely 
  a sword, although no weapon was found near the body.
  The Suspects
  Irena Yar
  First-level assassin, posing as a blacksmith: S I W D 
  C Ch, human female, age , AC  from leather jerkin and 
  dexterity, move ", hp , dam d (smithy hammer), AL LE.
  Irena Yar appears very competent and offers a variety of 
  weapons and armour as well as the usual village blacksmithing 
  services. On a good roll on the reactions table (cf. DMG, 
  p. , any result of “friendly” or higher), she might be persuaded 
  to divulge a rumour if she knows one (see “Melford Rumours 
  Table,” on page ).
  She can sometimes be found in the King’s Head Inn of an 
  evening, drinking mead and swapping tall tales. She lives with 
  her cat in an apartment over the smithy.
  Deborah Snaid
  Milliner, -level human: S I W D C Ch, human 
  female, age , AC , move ", hp , dam d (knife), AL LN.
  Her high-quality clothing establishment is successful 
  because of its famous silks. (If e Spider Farm module is being 
  used, then Deborah will be very friendly with Ulayah Reyn—
  so friendly, in fact, that they have arranged to be married this 
  summer.) 
  Deborah’s Price List
  Gents’ Clothing
  Ladies’ Clothing
  Britches, linen
  4 sp Gown, linen, plain
  3 gp
  Britches, silk
  6 sp Gown, linen, fancy
  8 gp
  Britches, woolen
  2 sp Gown, embroidered silk
  15 gp
  Tunic, linen
  5 sp Apron
  2 sp
  Tunic, woolen
  3 sp Shift, silk
  1 gp
  Tunic, embroidered silk
  2 gp Dress, linen
  3 gp
  Doublet, linen
  2 gp Dress, woolen, plain
  4 sp
  Hose, linen
  5 sp Cape/shawl, woolen
  5 sp
  Cloak, woolen
  5 sp Cape/shawl, silk-lined
  2 gp
  Cloak, silk-lined
  2 gp Wimple, linen
  3 sp
  Cap
  1 sp Wimple, silk
  2 gp
  Breechclout & socks, 
  linen
  1 sp Breechclout & hose, linen
  1 sp
  Turnshoes, leather
  1 gp
  Deborah is a widow. She might be persuaded to divulge a 
  rumour to anyone who buys something and takes the time to 
  indulge in small talk—no reaction roll is required, as she is 
  extremely gossipy and will say anything to anyone. She lives 
  alone in an apartment over her shop. Occasionally she dines in 
  The Melford Murder
  by Stuart Marshall
  Irena’s Price List
  Chain mail 
  hauberk
  75 gp Scale mail 
  hauberk
  50 gp Arrows, in 
  quiver, 12
  3 ep
  Helm, small
  12 gp Studded 
  leather
  16 gp Arrows, 12
  1 gp
  Padded 
  gambeson
  3 gp Shield, round
  12 gp Axe, hand
  1 gp
  Bow, short
  16 gp Bowstring, 
  spare
  1 gp Dagger & 
  sheath
  3 ep
  Hammer 
  1 ep Javelin
  1 ep Mace, flanged
  5 ep
  Mace, spiked
  5 gp Morning star
  5 gp Sling
  1 ep
  Sling bullets, 
  20
  1 ep Spear 
  1 ep Longsword
  20 gp
  Scabbard and 
  baldric
  3 gp Hanging 
  loop*
  1 sp Haft, ash*
  1 sp
  Haft, hickory*
  7 cp Haft, 
  softwood*
  3 cp Horseshoeing
  3 sp
  *For axe, mace, or hammer.
  
  © Dragonsfoot 2005
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  
  the King’s Head Inn, but she thinks of herself as far too refined 
  to drink into the evening with the hoi polloi.
  Brad Jennings
  Storekeeper, -level human: S I W D C Ch, 
  human male, age , AC , move ", hp , dam d (knife), 
  AL LN.
  Brad, owner of the general store, is a simple, honest man 
  with little time for the idle or the lazy, but he is cheerful 
  and respectful to those he thinks are working hard to better 
  themselves. He offers decent quality goods at fair prices:
  Brad’s Price List
  Knapsack, 
  leather
  2 gp Tent, basic
  6 sp Tent, pavilion
  25 gp
  Backpack, 
  framed
  3 gp Candle, tallow
  1 cp Candle, 
  beeswax
  5 cp
  Tentpegs & 
  tarpaulin
  5 gp Bedroll
  1 ep Grappling 
  hook
  5 gp
  Lantern, basic
  3 gp Lantern, 
  hooded
  6 gp Lantern, 
  bullseye
  8 gp
  Saddle
  10 gp Bit, bridle & 
  stirrups
  1 gp Saddlebags
  5 gp
  Pouch, 
  drawstring
  1 ep Cauldron & 
  tripod
  3 gp Rope, 50'
  2 sp
  Skillet
  2 gp Waterskin
  1 ep Charcoal, sack
  2 sp
  On a good roll on the reactions table (any result of “friendly” 
  or higher) he can be persuaded to divulge a rumour if he knows 
  one.
  If e Spider Farm module is used, then the ropes Brad sells 
  will be made of braided, treated spider silk that he buys from 
  Ulayah, making them exceptionally light and strong.
  Brad can often be found in the King’s Head Inn after dusk, 
  drinking dark beer and smoking his briar pipe. He is in love 
  with Deborah, but she has rejected his advances, believing him 
  too common and cloddish for a lady of her refinement.
  Reiner Vogg
  Livestock keeper, -level human (with orc ancestry): S I 
  W D C Ch, human male, age , AC , move ", hp , 
  dam d (club), AL NG.
  e proprietor of Melford Livestock, Reiner Vogg is a 
  slovenly, ugly-looking man (his mother was a half-orc) with 
  a sarcastic attitude, and he is unpopular with the villagers. 
  However, he knows his animals, and he cares for them well. On 
  a good roll on the reactions table (“friendly” or higher) he will 
  tell the players a rumour if he knows one. To simulate Reiner’s 
  care and the quality of his animals, roll each hit die for any 
  animal he sells twice, and retain the higher roll.
  Melford Rumours Table
  False rumours are denoted by italics. e DM will need to exercise caution and logic in revealing rumours. For example, Deborah is not 
  likely to express rumour – to the players, so some results may need to be rerolled. Only PCs with high Charisma who take time to 
  talk with the NPCs will generally be successful in obtaining rumours.
  % Roll
  Rumour
  01–06
  The local spider farm is a scary place. The proprietor is an evil man who would have you thrown into the spider pit as soon as look at 
  you.
  07–12
  To the north, there is a shrine to a monolith of some kind. It is secretly an evil blood cult.
  13–20
  A party of adventurers disappeared recently on an expedition to a local dungeon. Their bodies have yet to be recovered.
  21–26
  Weird creatures, like goblins but with blue-black skin, have been seen hereabouts of late.
  27–31
  One of the villagers is really a vampire but nobody knows who it is.
  32–40
  There are two tribes of orcs with encampments hereabouts. Their feuding could break out into open warfare at any moment. (DM 
  note: see page 7.)
  41–44
  The Darkshroud Peaks, several days’ journey to the north of here, contain a thriving dwarfish citadel called Morrikul Zane. (DM note: 
  This is partly false. Morrikul Zane is no longer thriving.)
  45–50
  One of the local orc tribes has joined forces with a human bandit village. If they attack Melford, the constabulary are too weak to 
  prevent them from destroying the town. (DM note: see page 7.)
  51–56
  Ulayah Reyn, owner of the spider farm, is one of the richest men in the area.
  57–61
  Maenae, High Priestess at the Shrine of the Oracle, is a very powerful cleric. She is said to have the power to raise dead people back 
  to life.
  62–69
  Felona Vedane, who runs the cosmetics and jewellers’ with her husband, is having an affair with another man, and her husband knows 
  all about it.
  70–71
  Lena and Gerrit, who run the King’s Head Inn, had a big argument recently about whether to sell a plot of land out the back to the 
  beekeeper. Lena wants to sell it, but Gerrit won’t hear of the idea.
  72–00
  Villager knows no rumours of interest or value.
  
  © Dragonsfoot 2005
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  
  Reiner’s Price List
  Mule
  20 gp Pony
  20 gp Donkey
  10 gp
  Horse, lady’s 
  palfrey
  30 gp Horse, riding
  30 gp Horse, draft
  20 gp
  Dog, hunting
  15 gp Dog, guard
  20 gp Cow
  10 gp
  Sheep
  3 gp Goat
  5 gp Chicken
  5 sp
  Reiner does not drink in the inn. He is a widower, though 
  still in his mid-thirties, and lives in a small house near his corral 
  with his daughter Savula. 
  Savula Vogg
  -level human (with orc ancestry): S I W D C Ch, 
  human female, age , AC , move " on crutches, hp , dam 
  d (crutch used as a club), AL CG.
  Savula is crippled, born with two club feet. She is also rather 
  unattractive, favouring her father’s side of the family. However, 
  she is an extremely intelligent and thoughtful child, and if the 
  Shrine of the Oracle adventure is used, then the High Priestess 
  of that religion (Maenae) will already have approached Reiner 
  about making Savula a future sibyl.
  Tom and Felona Vedane
  Tom Vedane, jeweller, -level human: S I W D C 
  Ch, human male, age , AC , move ", hp , dam d 
  (knife), AL LN.
  Felona Vedane, cosmeticist, -level human: S I W D 
  C Ch, human female, age , AC , move ", hp , dam 
  d (knife), AL LN.
   Tom Vedane and his wife Felona run a neatly kept cosmetics 
  and jewelry shop. ey are relative newcomers to Melford, 
  having lived here only half a dozen years, and they still feel 
  lonely and friendless. Each will disclose a rumour to anyone 
  Tom Vedane
  Felona Vedane
  Brad Jennings
  Deborah Snaid
  Ulayah Reyn (from
  The Spider Farm)
  Irena Yar
  Marieka
  Reiner Vogg
  Savula Vogg
  Maenae
  Gerrit Wyke
  Lena Wyke
  Magdalene 
  Colerre
  Married
  Tried to seduce
  Rejected her
  advances
  In love with
  Considers herself
  too good for him
  Business
  relationship/engaged
  Not interested
  in him
  Romantically
  interested
  Father/daughter
  Wants her as 
  sibyl (from Shrine
  of the Oracle)
  Brother/
  sister
  Co-conspirators
  in Gerrit’s
  murder
  Business
  relationship
  Diagram of various NPC interactions
  Tom and Felona’s Price List
  Soap, bar
  1 sp Needle, 
  copper
  1 cp Thread, 10'
  1 cp
  Soap, aged & 
  scented
  1 ep Needle, silver
  1 sp Ring, silver
  1 gp
  Comb, horn 
  or antler
  1 ep Comb, 
  wooden
  5 cp Pin, cloak, 
  bronze
  1 ep
  Brooch, cloak, 
  bronze
  1 ep Dice, pair, 
  bone
  3 cp Earrings, pair, 
  silver
  1 gp
  Brooch, cloak, 
  silver
  3 ep Vellum, sheet
  1 gp Parchment, 
  sheet
  1 ep
  
  © Dragonsfoot 2005
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  
  who buys something and makes the time to indulge in small 
  talk—no reaction roll is required. Tom and Felona sometimes 
  eat in the King’s Head Inn together. ey live in a small flat 
  over their shop.
  Magdalene Colerre
  is NPC is actually a monster in disguise, a pe˘nanggalan. In 
  her human form, her profession is beekeeping (“Busy Bees”), 
  and she is also a nd-level magic-user: S I W D C 
  Ch, AC , apparent human female, age , hp , dam d 
  (dagger), AL detects as LN; spells: sleep, languid lassitude (new 
  spell: see p. ). In her true pe˘nanggalan form, she is AC , 
  move ", HD , hp , #AT , dam d, AL LE; see Fiend 
  Folio, pp. –, for her various special attacks and powers. She 
  keeps her spellbook in her bedroom; it contains the following 
  spells:
  •   Read Magic
  •   Charm Person
  •   Affect Normal Fires
  •   Sleep
  •   Languid Lassitude
  “Magdalene Colerre” is a spinster in her mid-thirties. She 
  makes a reasonable living selling honey to the villagers and to 
  the King’s Head Inn (for mead) and beeswax to Brad Jennings 
  (for candles). She does not sell anything of likely interest to a 
  party of adventurers, unless they like honey (she charges  sp a 
  pot for it).
  On a good roll on the reactions table (any result of “friendly” 
  or higher) Magdalene will tell the players a rumour if she 
  knows one.
  ere is no reason why the players should suspect that 
  she is a pe˘nanggalan when they initially encounter her, and 
  the DM should not draw their attention to her true nature. 
  However, if a suspicious PC snoops around her house at night 
  for some reason, they will observe that there is a small barrel of 
  pickling vinegar kept open in the kitchen and that Magdalene 
  sleeps with a first-floor window open. A player who notices 
  these things and has an encyclopedic knowledge of obscure 
  AD&D® monsters might deduce Magdalene’s true nature. e 
  player should be encouraged to roleplay his or her character’s 
  ignorance, since a low-level character is unlikely to know 
  anything about pe˘nanggalans.
  Lena Wyke
  Innkeeper, -level human: S I W D C Ch, 
  human female, age , AC , move ", hp , dam d 
  (dagger), AL NE.
  Lena, co-owner of the King’s Head Inn with her brother, 
  Gerrit Wyke, is also his killer.
  e inn is the centre of village social life for many of the 
  inhabitants of Melford. On a good roll on the reactions table 
  (any result of “friendly” or higher), she might be persuaded to 
  divulge any rumours that she knows about. 
  Marieka
  Marieka is one of the members of the town constabulary. 
  ere are fifteen full-time constables, all -level humans. All 
  wear scale mail armour and carry halberds, truncheons (treat 
  as clubs), and slings. eir stats are: AC , move ", hp , #AT 
  , dam by weapon. Nine are male and six are female; the DM 
  should determine who has what weapon.
  (Over and above the full-time constables, in time of war, 
  every able-bodied adult in Melford would be called out to join 
  the fight. eoretically, over  combatants could take the 
  field if the town itself were threatened.)
  One Module, Two Versions
  e Minor Melford Murder should be used if the players 
  are not adept mystery solvers and want a pleasant evening’s 
  entertainment rather than a challenge to their powers of 
  deduction.
  In the Minor Melford Murder, the players need only talk to 
  everyone who was in the King’s Head Inn on the night of the 
  murder. If they follow up each person’s story, they are virtually 
  
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  
  % Roll
  Encounter
  Details
  01–14
  2d6+3 brigands from 
  the Goat Skull Clan  
  roster (see page 6)
  The brigands will not attack if paid off with at least 30 gp.
  15–26
  1d4 wild boars
  If one is encountered alone, it will be a rogue male, very ornery; if more than one, they will be a mated pair 
  (with or without piglets). Mated pairs will not attack if treated with proper respect, but a rogue male will 
  usually charge on sight.
  27–34
  2d6 wild dogs
  The pack will be rabid on a 1 on 1d8 (if rabid, attack is guaranteed, and the party will need a cure disease 
  afterwards); otherwise they can easily be distracted with food.
  35–36
  2d6 dwarves from the 
  hills to the north
  They are here to sell their mutton, wool, or tin. Enquiries about other matters will not usually be welcome.
  37–38
  2d6 elves from the 
  woodlands to the east
  They are here on a lark, and they will gently mock non-elves and be unhelpful with enquiries. (This will change 
  if the characters are in serious trouble; under these circumstances, the elves will help.)
  39–40
  2d6 gnomes from the 
  foothills
  They are here to sell their mead, wine, or pottery. Enquiries about other matters will not usually be welcome.
  41–42
  2d6 halflings from the 
  south
  They are here on a religious pilgrimage that they do not wish to discuss. They will seek to avoid contact if 
  possible.
  43–49
  2d4 jermalines
  They will seek to pilfer whatever they can. If attacked, they will scatter and hide but will attempt to return and 
  steal some more later; they will flee for good if the characters kill more than three of them.
  50–56
  1d4 lionesses
  They are after the party’s horses, ponies, or mules; a party with no riding animals is of no interest to them.
  57
  Special NPC
  Roll 1d4; see NPC subtable, p. 7.
  58–65
  2d6+2 orcs from the 
  Goat Skull Clan roster 
  (see page 6)
  The orcs will attack unless paid off with at least 30 gp
  66–73
  3d4 orcs from the Red 
  Tusk Clan roster (see 
  page 6)
  These orcs will attack on sight if there are elves or dwarves in the party; otherwise they can be bribed not to 
  attack with at least 50 gp.
  74–90
  2d6+3 patrolmen
  There is a 5% chance that they will be corrupt (“Show me your weapons licenses! You know there’s a 100 gp 
  fine for carrying one of those without a license?”). If not corrupt, they will be helpful, provided the party is not 
  on the run from the law locally.
  91–97
  Snake
  A poisonous snake creeps into a boot, backpack, or bedroll during a rest stop. It won’t bite if it’s spotted 
  before anyone treads on it and is subsequently handled correctly.
  98–99
  3d4 vultures
  They will attack only if the party is very weak (limping home wounded, etc.).
   00
  Werebear
  Yael, the werebear, looks like a pretty peasant girl in human form. She will react well to good-aligned PCs and 
  will render assistance if necessary. She will try not to reveal that she is a lycanthrope. She is here on business 
  of her own and cannot tarry long.
  guaranteed to solve the murder and identify the perpetrator. 
  e Minor Melford Murder is more of an excuse for some 
  roleplaying than a puzzle.
  e Major Melford Murder should be used if your players 
  prefer to get their teeth into a more challenging mystery that 
  will require some genuine thought in order to solve it. With the 
  Major Murder, there is a real risk that the players will not be 
  able to identify the murderer.
  Wilderness Encounters—Melford Area
  Roll for wandering monsters three times each day and once each night; a monster will appear  in 
  . If an encounter is indicated, roll percentile dice and consult the following table:
  
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  
  Orc Clans: Red Tusk vs. Goat Skull
  e Red Tusk Clan 
  e Red Tusk clan of the Rotting Eye tribe has its base in the hills to the north. ey are pure orcs, and so 
  they hold the other orcish clan (the Goat Skulls) in contempt because the latter consort with and interbreed 
  with humans. Both clans are part of the Rotting Eye tribe, so although they bully one another, they are not at 
  war. e Red Tusk clan lives in a stockaded village* with three catapults and three ballistae (these are manned 
  by the females so as not to reduce the fighting force.) ere are no ogres.
  e Goat Skull Clan
  e Goat Skull clan is much weaker than the Red Tusk clan but compensates by associating with human 
  brigands. e brigands and the Goat Skull clan have dwelt together for years, and there is considerable 
  interbreeding. For convenience’s sake they are described as if either human brigands or orcs, but in practise many 
  of these are half-orcs who favour one parent or the other.
  e Goat Skull clan lives in an informal camp like human brigands would. e location of this camp changes 
  frequently, since the leaders are very concerned about being tracked back to their lair and attacked.
  Red Tusk Clan Roster
  •    orcs with sword and flail—hp  each,   (shield)
  •    orcs with sword and spear—hp  each,   (shield)
  •    orcs with axe and spear—hp  each,   (shield)
  •    orcs with axe and halberd—hp  each,   (no 
  shield)
  •    orcs with axe and crossbow—hp  each,   (no 
  shield)
  •    orcs with axe and short bow—hp  each,   (no 
  shield)
  •    orcs with sword and battle axe—hp  each,   
  (shield)
  •    orcs with spears—hp  each,   (shield)
  •    orcs with axes—hp  each,   (shield)
  •    orcs with halberds—hp  each,   (no shield)
  •    “assistants” with sword and spear—hp  each,   
  (shield)
  •    leaders with sword and battle axe—hp  each,   
  (shield)
  •    subchief with axe and spear—hp ,  
  •    subchief guards with axe and spear—hp  each, 
   
  •    chieftain with sword and flail—hp ,  
  •    bodyguards with sword and flail—hp  each,  
  •    witch doctor with staff—hp ,  —th/th level 
  cleric/magic-user
  •    witch doctor’s assistant with staff—hp ,  —nd/
  nd level cleric/magic-user
  •    females—hp  each,  
  •    young—hp  each,  
  Goat Skull Clan Roster
  •    brigand cavalry with medium horse, chain/shield, and 
  sword—hp  each,  
  •    brigand cavalry with light horse, leather/shield, and 
  spear—hp  each,  
  •    brigand horse archers with light horse, leather 
  armour, and light crossbow—hp  each,  
  •    brigand infantry with leather/shield and sword—hp 
   each,  
  •    brigand infantry with leather and halberd—hp  
  each,  
  •    brigand archers with leather and light crossbow—hp 
   each,  
  •    brigand archers with leather and short bow—hp  
  each,  
  •    orcs with sword and flail—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with sword and spear—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with axe and spear—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with axe and halberd—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with axe and crossbow—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with axe and short bow—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with sword and battle axe—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with spear—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with axe—hp  each,  
  •    orcs with halberd—hp  each,  
  •    “assistants” with sword and spear—hp  each,  
  •    leaders with sword and battle axe—hp  each,  
  •    subchief with axe and spear—hp ,  
  •    subchief guards with axe and spear—hp  each,  
  •    chieftain with sword and flail—hp ,  
  •    bodyguards with sword and flail—hp  each,  
  •    female orcs—hp  each,  
  •    human women—hp  each,  
  •    assorted young—hp  each,  
  * No maps/treasure lists for the Red Tusk village and Goat Skull encampments 
  are provided, since it’s unlikely that the PCs will attack either location.
  
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  
  If in doubt, you should probably choose the Minor Melford 
  Murder. Both versions involve the killing of Gerrit Wyke, 
  co-owner of the King’s Head Inn. He is slain in the stables of 
  that inn by a single blow from a short sword. (NB: e stables 
  of the King’s Head Inn are different and separate from the 
  livestock stables owned and maintained by Reiner.)
  e constabulary is at a loss to find out who committed the 
  murder, so they have posted a reward for information about 
  who did it. is reward is  gp in the case of the Minor 
  Melford Murder, or  gp if the Major Melford Murder is 
  used.
  The Minor Melford Murder
  In this version, the players know that the murder must have 
  taken place at around  .. At that time, only a few people 
  were inside the inn:
  •   Irena Yar
  •   Deborah Snaid
  Wilderness Encounters—Special NPC Subtable
  1d4 Roll
  NPC
  Stats
  Details
  1
  Zhrukhu Glol
  Dwarf fighter, level 1
  S15 I17 W8 D11 C16 Ch8
  Chain mail, military pick, and 
  shield. AC4, HD 1d10+2, hp 
  9, #AT1, dam by weapon, AL 
  variable (see details)
  Zhrukhu is insane, suffering from schizophrenia. When first 
  encountered, and 50% of the time thereafter, he will be: AL LG 
  and virtually incapable of communicating intelligently (a serious 
  case of post–traumatic stress disorder). He spends most of his time 
  clenched in a fetal position, alternately whimpering or screaming 
  about “the doom that came to Morrikul Zane.”
   His other personality is: AL CE; psychopathic and cunning. Will 
  attack the party first chance he gets, crying, “Die, dwarf slayers!” 
  Given a choice of targets he will attack a PC dwarf first.
  2
  Azaelin N`Rek
  Drow male fighter/magic-user, 
  level 1/1
  S9 I17 W10 D16 C9 Ch7
  Chain mail and two 
  long swords. AC3, HD 
  (1d10+1d4)/2, hp 5, #AT2, 
  dam by weapon. Spell: sleep. 
  AL CN
  Azaelin is a survivor of one of the losing houses in a drow power 
  struggle, hence his exile to the surface. The magical properties 
  of his mail and swords have long since decayed. His spell book 
  contains: sleep, read magic, detect magic, and spider climb. He is 
  impoverished, and his belt pouch contains no more than a couple of 
  coppers.
   Azaelin is a potential henchman if approached correctly by a 
  chaotic character.
  3
  Cadellin the Yellow
  Human monk, level 1
  S15 I12 W15 D16 C14 Ch8
  Wields a Staff. AC10, HD 2d4, 
  hp 5, #AT1, dam by weapon + 
  1/2 (rounded to +1). AL LN
  Cadellin is returning to his monastery following a trip to the Old 
  Kingdoms to pay the monks’ taxes. He has no possessions other 
  than a staff, robe, sandals, and a couple of days’ rations. The player 
  characters are likely to mistake him for a magic-user when they first 
  meet him.
   Cadellin will delay his return to the monastery and become a 
  henchman if he can be convinced that this is a good way to serve 
  the cause of law. He will only become a henchman to a lawfully 
  aligned character.
  4
  Elizabeth (“Beth”) Tallienne
  Human female paladin, level 1
  S13 I9 W14 D14 C15 Ch17
  Plate mail, mace, and shield. 
  AC2, HD 1d10+1, hp 9, #AT1, 
  dam by weapon. AL LG.
  Beth will introduce herself as a knight seeking to win her spurs. She 
  talks like a seasoned adventuress, but following a recent encounter 
  with a group of goblins, she’s realized that she’s nowhere near 
  as tough or competent as she’d thought. She would gladly join a 
  predominantly good-aligned party. Although her pride will prevent 
  her from actually suggesting this, if asked, she’ll sign on like a shot.
   She has 53 gp in her saddlebags.
   Beth will keep quiet about the fact that she’s partly deaf. This is 
  no problem when she’s talking to people normally because she’s 
  proficient at reading lips, but in battle when she’s wearing her helm, 
  she will be unaware of changes of plan or shouted commands. She’ll 
  just do what she thinks she ought to be doing and hope nobody 
  notices.
  •   Brad Jennings
  •   Tom and Felona Vedane
  •   Lena Wyke
  •   Magdalene Colerre
  e only route which will be productive in the Minor 
  Melford Murder is to hear the statements of each of these 
  seven people. e inept investigations of the constabulary have 
  obliterated any clues that might be found at the site of the 
  murder.
  e following is what each NPC will say when questioned: 
  the DM should provide answers appropriate to the questions 
  posed by the PCs.
  Irena:
  •   Lena was in and out of the common room serving 
  dinner. 
  
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  
  •   At around seven, Brad was outside the inn, and she 
  thinks that Felona might have been outside as well. 
  Both had presumably gone to the privy.
  •   Brad and Tom were both fairly drunk that night.
  Deborah:
  •   She thinks that Lena was arguing with Magdalene 
  at the time of the murder. It seems that there was a 
  dispute over the split of money from the sale of mead 
  in the tavern, and Lena and Magdalene were discussing 
  this in the brewing cellar. She remembers hearing their 
  raised voices. 
  •   She thinks that Tom and Felona were having an 
  argument that night as well.
  Brad:
  •   He admits that he was as drunk as a lord.
  •   He was out at the privy when the murder must have 
  taken place.
  •   He saw Reiner, the animal breeder, hanging around 
  outside the inn.
  What Brad isn’t telling is that Felona was outside with him, 
  doing her level best to seduce him. Brad rejected her advances, 
  and he doesn’t want to cause a scandal or embarrass Tom, so he 
  doesn’t see it as anyone else’s business what she was doing.
  Tom:
  •   He was very drunk that night.
  •   He remembers that Lena was arguing with Magdalene 
  in the beer cellar at the time of the murder.
  He will also make much of the fact that Brad was outside the 
  inn at the time of the murder. Tom suspects that Brad was 
  trying to seduce his wife (which isn’t true; she was trying to 
  seduce him), and so he would love it if Brad were blamed for 
  the murder.
  Felona:
  •   She claims that she was outside, but she was just going 
  to the privy (this is not true).
  •   She remembers seeing Reiner hanging around the inn.
  What Felona isn’t telling is that she was trying to seduce Brad, 
  basically in order to spite her husband, but she will not admit 
  this if she can avoid it. 
  Lena:
  •   She claims that she was in the beer cellar arguing with 
  Magdalene about mead.
  is is a flat-out lie! She was murdering her brother in the 
  stables.
  Magdalene:
  •   Claims she was in the beer cellar arguing with Lena 
  about mead. 
  is is also a lie; she is covering for Lena. Magdalene is an 
  accessory to the murder.
  Taking all these accounts into consideration, the PCs will 
  want to talk to Reiner as well.
  Reiner:
  •   He was hanging around the inn because he had an 
  assignation with Marieka from the constabulary and 
  he was due to meet her there, but she stood him up. (If 
  asked directly, Marieka will rather shamefacedly admit 
  that this is true. She didn’t have the heart to tell Reiner 
  that she didn’t want to meet him, but she didn’t want to 
  turn up either.)
  •   He saw Felona kissing Brad outside the tavern.
  •   He saw that the hatch from the beer cellar on the side 
  of the inn was open.
  is should be sufficient for the PCs to deduce that either 
  Lena or Magdalene is the murderer, and the other is an 
  accessory to murder. If directly questioned, Lena will deny 
  everything, but Magdalene will point the finger at Lena in 
  order to save her own skin.
  At this point, the constabulary will order a search of the inn 
  and Magdalene’s home, which will reveal the sword used to 
  stab Gerrit in Lena’s quarters, along with a copy of Gerrit’s will, 
  which leaves his interest in the King’s Head Inn to his sister. In 
  Magdalene’s home, the searchers will find a letter of credit from 
  Lena to Magdalene for  gp.
  You should move to the section of the adventure entitled 
  “e Chase” from here.
  The Major Melford Murder
  In this version of the murder, the events are as described for the 
  Minor Melford Murder except that (a) Reiner failed to see the 
  open cellar door, and (b) the constabulary’s investigation hasn’t 
  destroyed any clues. e players will have to search the inn’s 
  stable for clues.
  Inside the stable, where Gerrit’s body was found, there are 
  two sets of tracks, Gerrit’s and the tracks of a largish man 
  leading into the stables, and the large man’s tracks are the only 
  ones leading out. Unfortunately, the man stepped out onto the 
  cobbled road, so it is impossible to identify which way he went.
  e DM should season this section of the adventure with 
  red herrings according to his or her taste and the mystery-
  solving ability of the players. For example: the PCs could find 
  a recently cleaned short sword concealed in the hayloft of the 
  stables and a marriage license showing that Gerrit had secretly 
  married Reiner’s fourteen-year-old daughter, Savula, and lied 
  about her age in order to marry her. (e sword is actually 
  Gerrit’s; he uses it to threaten customers who make trouble 
  when in their cups. e marriage license is a forgery planted by 
  
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  
  Lena to implicate Reiner.) e DM can add extra red herrings 
  if the players are super-sleuths.
  Please note that in the Major Melford Murder, the 
  incriminating documents from the Minor Melford Murder 
  (the will and the letter of credit) are not available to confirm the 
  PCs’ guesses.
  e key to solving the mystery is a detailed search of Gerrit’s 
  quarters. One of his pairs of shoes has mud on the inside as 
  well as on the outside. Gerrit’s shoes were always kept in his 
  quarters, which were always kept locked. e only other person 
  with a key to these quarters was Lena; examination of the lock 
  by any thief will show that it has not been picked.
  is should enable an intelligent party to deduce that 
  someone with small feet was wearing Gerrit’s shoes over their 
  own shoes in order to create false tracks. e only person who 
  could have done this was Lena, implicating her in the murder.
  As soon as the PCs have figured this out, move to the 
  section of the adventure entitled “e Chase.”
  The Chase
  When Lena believes that she has been (or is about to be) 
  accused of the murder, she flees the village. Lena is on a light 
  riding horse, moving north/northeast at maximum speed (").
  e characters will be hot on her heels if they depart 
  immediately and travel at this speed. If they can travel faster 
  than this, then they will catch her in the wilderness. If it takes 
  them time to gather up their horses and saddle up—or if they 
  don’t have horses—then the party will be forced to follow 
  Lena’s trail on foot. Use the Wilderness encounter tables on 
  pages  and  accordingly.
  Lena’s isn’t a hard trail to follow, since it is recently made, 
  runs along a dirt road, and she has made no effort to conceal 
  it. Use the Players Handbook rules for tracking if the party 
  has a barbarian or a ranger along with them; failing that, the 
  players will be able to locate a tracker from among the more 
  wilderness-wise NPC’s in Melford. (Reiner, for example, would 
  be able to track Lena with % accuracy if asked.)
  Some miles up the road is a former farmhouse built of 
  unmortared stone. Supposedly, this farmhouse has been 
  abandoned for a few years, ever since the previous owners died 
  of plague; the fear of disease has kept visitors away.
  In truth, there is no risk of disease. e farmhouse is Lena 
  Wyke’s hideout, and she has gone to ground in the cellars there. 
  e characters will need to explore the farmhouse, find the 
  cellar entrance, and flush her out!
  At the farmhouse is another sibling of Lena and Gerrit: their 
  brother Mipp, whom nobody knows about. ey don’t let him 
  out on account of his gross physical deformities and twisted, 
  evil nature. Mipp is an aspiring necromancer, and although he 
  isn’t very good yet, the cellars beneath the house do contain the 
  results of some of his “experiments.”
  Key to the Farmhouse
  : Mipp’s Necromantic Laboratory
  is room contains a largish number of deformed webs, and the 
  players might catch a glimpse of a scuttler (new monster, see 
  p. ).
  ere are  scuttlers in the room—all have  hp. ey 
  will not attack unless the players aggravate them in some way. 
  However, searching the room will certainly disturb the webs 
  and aggravate them; as a result of each round of searching, d 
  of the scuttlers will be annoyed and attack.
  If the room is successfully searched, the players will find a 
  flask of a thick, viscous, sky-blue, odourless liquid—a potion 
  of silence (new magic item, see p. ); a flask of a translucent, 
  effervescent, salty liquid—a potion of healing; and a glass-
  stoppered beaker containing a transparent, strongly acrid-
  smelling, slightly smoking liquid (which is fuming aqua regia, a 
  mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids that can dissolve gold 
  and platinum). e acid is nonmagical but might have a variety 
  of uses for clever characters . . . drinking it is not advised!
  : Mipp’s Larder
  is room contains four cave worms (new monster, see p. ), 
  with , , , and  hp, respectively. ese repulsive creatures 
  are basically nonaggressive, but they will certainly defend 
  themselves. ey are here because Mipp likes to eat them.
  : Mipp’s “Experiment” Room
  is is where the corpses that Mipp has successfully animated 
  suffer his experiments.
  Mipp is trying to find a way of severing undead limbs and 
  using them to replace his own malfunctioning organs as a kind 
  of prosthesis. us each of the corpses in this room is a crawling 
  corpse (new monster, see p. ). ere are seven of them in the 
  room (hp , , , , , , and ), and they will attack on sight. He 
  has  gp and  sp hidden inside an unremarkable-looking 
  skull that is on a shelf among various other body parts.
  e abandoned farmhouse, Lena’s hideout
  
  © Dragonsfoot 2005
  www.dragonsfoot.org
  
  Mipp will automatically respond to the noise of combat in 
  this room (unless the characters somehow battle the crawling 
  corpses in silence.) He will attempt to control any undead that 
  have been affected by any PC cleric’s turning.
  Mipp is a th-level cleric, human: S I W D C Ch, AC 
   from manskin armour (essentially leather armor made from 
  human skin) and Mipp’s shield + (new magic item, see 
  p. ), hp ,  #AT , dam d+ (mace). He is Gerrit and 
  Lena’s deformed younger brother. He suffers from serious 
  physical malformations and some psychological difficulties, 
  simulated in game terms by his low stats. Note that any spells 
  he casts have a % chance of failure (PHB, p. ).
  His spells are:
  •   First level: command ×, cure light wounds
  •   Second level: hold person ×, silence ' radius
  •   ird level: animate dead (already cast)
  : Mipp’s Shrine
  e DM should decide which deity Mipp worships based 
  on the campaign: Arawn (Celtic),  Surma (Finnish), or Hel 
  (Norse) are all good candidates. e DM should also decide 
  what the shrine looks like based on the deity chosen.
  Lena will be hiding in this room. If Mipp has been killed, 
  she will surrender and come quietly with the players if given 
  the opportunity, although some parties might execute her on 
  the spot instead.
  New Monsters, Spells, and Magic Items
  Cave Worm
  FREQUENCY: Common
  NO. APPEARING: – 
  (d)
  ARMOUR CLASS: 
  MOVE: "
  HIT DICE: d hp
  % IN LAIR: %
  TREASURE TYPE: Nil
  NO. OF ATTACKS: 
  DAMAGE/ATTACK: d
  SPECIAL ATTACKS: 
  None
  SPECIAL DEFENCES: 
  None
  MAGIC RESISTANCE: 
  Standard
  INTELLIGENCE: Non-
  ALIGNMENT: Neutral
  SIZE: S (')
  PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
  ATTACK/DEFENCE MODES: Nil
  LEVEL/XP VALUE: I/ + /hp
  Cave worms may be distantly related to purple worms. ey 
  resemble huge maggots with pinkish underbellies and yellowish 
  backs. eir mouths are sphincter toothed like a lamprey’s. 
  ey taste surprisingly good when cooked!
  It is a mystery why cave worms were never discovered by 
  the wizard-sages of the Condsec Toineid in their endless quest 
  to understand the ecology of dungeons, since these creatures 
  explain much about that subject. ey are extremely fecund 
  and are able to subsist on almost anything—from mosses and 
  lichens to kobold dung and stirge guano—and their larvae 
  form an important part of the diets of many dungeon-dwelling 
  creatures.
  Crawling Corpse
  FREQUENCY: Uncommon
  NO. APPEARING: – (d)
  ARMOUR CLASS: 
  MOVE: "
  HIT DICE: 
  % IN LAIR: %
  TREASURE TYPE: Nil
  NO. OF ATTACKS: 
  DAMAGE/ATTACK: d
  SPECIAL ATTACKS: None
  SPECIAL DEFENCES: None
  MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
  INTELLIGENCE: Non-
  ALIGNMENT: Neutral
  SIZE: M
  PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
  ATTACK/DEFENCE MODES: Nil
  LEVEL/XP VALUE: I/ + /hp
  Crawling corpses result when an animate dead spell is cast upon 
  a body that has significant pieces missing, such as one that has 
  
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  
  been dismembered or partially eaten. For those bodies that 
  can move normally, of course, this is not a problem; someone 
  who has been decapitated still makes a pretty good zombie. 
  However, some of these corpses cannot even walk normally. 
  ose that must pull themselves around with their forelimbs 
  become crawling corpses.
  Often rejected as unfit for their purpose and dismissed by 
  their masters—sometimes formally, more usually just through 
  being accidentally or deliberately left behind—these “failed” 
  skeletons and zombies are moved by some primitive, vestigial 
  instinct to band together and hide away from light and from 
  living things.
  ey can be turned as skeletons and count as undead for the 
  purposes of sleep, charm, hold, and similar magics.
  Scuttler
  FREQUENCY: Rare
  NO. APPEARING: –
  ARMOUR CLASS: 
  MOVE: "
  HIT DICE:  hp each
  % IN LAIR: %
  TREASURE TYPE: Nil
  NO. OF ATTACKS: 
  DAMAGE/ATTACK: Nil (poison only)
  SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison
  SPECIAL DEFENCES: None
  MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
  INTELLIGENCE: Non-
  ALIGNMENT: Chaotic neutral
  SIZE: S (")
  PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
  ATTACK/DEFENCE MODES: Nil
  LEVEL/XP VALUE: I/ xp
  Scuttlers result when spider eggs are affected by magical 
  emanations, seeping potion residues, alchemical experiments, 
  and other exposure to magical substances or effluences. ey 
  might have any number of legs, from four to thirteen (d + 
  ), and frequently suffer gross mutations in body shape (two 
  heads, nine eyes, one mouth part four times the size of the 
  other, and so on.). ey might be any colour of the rainbow, 
  and striped, spotted, and piebald varieties have also been 
  reported. Not all scuttlers build webs; those that do tend to 
  build irregular, crazily shaped structures. ey tend to be about 
  the size of a man’s fist.
  Scuttler poison can be weak or strong (save at –, , +, or 
  +, equal chance of each) but is rarely fatal (only if the victim 
  rolls a natural  on his/her saving throw vs. poison). Instead, 
  it has a very strong psychedelic effect on the nervous system. 
  ere is a % chance that someone failing his or her save will 
  be affected by confusion (as the th-level illusionist spell) and a 
  % chance he/she experiencing an emotion (again as the th-
  level illusionist spell—roll randomly for the type of emotion 
  experienced.)
  Scuttler ichor is a component in many recipes for potions of 
  delusion.
  Languid Lassitude (Alteration)
  Level: 
  Components: V, S
  Range: " + "/level
  Casting time:  segment
  Duration:  rounds +  round/level
  Saving row: Neg.
  Area of Effect:  creature
  Explanation/Description: A languid lassitude spell reduces the 
  number of attacks of the affected creature. If the target has  
  or more attacks per round, it loses one attack per round (so 
  / attacks would be reduced to /, / to /, etc.) If it has 
   attacks per round, its attacks are reduced to /. If it has / 
  or /, its attacks are reduced to /round. If it has  attack per 
  round, it is reduced to one attack every two rounds. e spell 
  does not reduce number of attacks below / rounds.
  Languid lassitude also counters (and is countered by) haste.
  
  © Dragonsfoot 2005
  www.dragonsfoot.org
  
  Mipp’s Shield +
  Mipp’s shield + is a large, round, bronze shield emblazoned 
  with the symbol of a fish. Inscribed on the inside of the shield 
  are three command words.
  e first command word causes the shield to shed light as 
  if it were a torch (' radius, see PHB, p. ). e second 
  command word causes it to shed light as if it were a bullseye 
  lantern (' directional beam, see PHB, p. ). e third shuts 
  off the shield’s light completely.
  Similar to a continual light spell, the light shed by the shield 
  gives off no heat and will continue indefinitely until a different 
  command word is spoken.
  Potion of Silence
  A potion of silence is similar to a potion of invisibility in all 
  respects save that it makes the drinker inaudible instead of 
  invisible. Any item that would be rendered invisible by a potion 
  of invisibility will be silenced (so it affects the drinker’s armour 
  and any equipment personally carried).
  Note that unlike invisibility, offensive moves do not cancel 
  the silence effect.
  If a potion of silence is used on an unknowing or unwilling 
  target—for example, if it were tipped in a wizard’s winecup 
  prior to an assassination attempt—then a saving throw vs. 
  spells is allowed to avoid the effects. 
  
  © Dragonsfoot 2005
  www.dragonsfoot.org
  
  Winding Up
  If the player characters summarily executed Lena, the village 
  council will pay them the promised reward for solving the 
  mystery ( gp in the case of the Minor Murder,  gp in the 
  case of the Major Murder). ey will also pay a bounty of 
   gp for Lena’s head.
  If the player characters captured her and brought her back 
  alive, the council will arrange for her to be tried and executed 
  for murder. e PCs will be called as witnesses in this trial, and 
  the council will pay them a further  gp in witness’ fees over 
  and above their reward for solving the murder.
  If Lena got away, the council will only pay the  gp/ gp 
  as appropriate.
  As for Magdalene Colerre, if at all possible, she will 
  have fled—taking her possessions if time was available, but 
  abandoning everything if necessary. (She will save her spellbook 
  if she can, but not at the risk of being captured.) e player 
  characters will not be able to locate her tracks.
  If You Are Running the Module as Part 
  of a Series
  If you intend to follow this adventure with the third in the 
  series, “e Shrine of the Oracle”, Lena’s trial represents an 
  excellent opportunity for the DM to introduce characters from 
  that adventure. In this case, Maenae herself will preside over 
  the trial—and she will make sure that the truth is told, through 
  the use of Detect Lie, Speak with Dead, or any other method she 
  thinks appropriate.
  “e Shrine of the Oracle” includes an opportunity for the 
  player characters to learn more about pe˘nanggalans, and a 
  clever party might well deduce more about Magdalene Colerre 
  at that stage.
  Changes to Melford
  Following the events described in this module, both the King’s 
  Head Inn and Busy Bees will become vacant lots. e King’s 
  Head Inn will be administered by the village council, and they 
  will sell a lease on the premises in order to cover the expenses 
  disbursed to the player characters in the matter and in order 
  to raise additional revenue. If play in the Melford area is to 
  continue, the DM may wish to design new NPCs to take over 
  the premises.
  Since no replacement beekeeper is available in the area, 
  Busy Bees will be offered to the player characters as a place 
  of residence (provided they haven’t annoyed the villagers, of 
  course). As a gesture of goodwill, the town council will offer 
  them a short-term lease on the house without charge.
  — HERE ENDS THE MELFORD MURDER —
  anks to Jerry Mapes and the posters on the Knights & Knaves 
  Alehouse Forum for much help and assistance with this module. 
  Visit the Knights & Knaves Alehouse Forums at http://
  knightsnknaves.proboards.com. 
  
  Copyright & Distribution Information
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  Death Strikes in the Night
  The people of the small village of Melford are 
  stunned when one of the most prominent 
  citizens is found dead one morning. Clues 
  are scarce, suspects are everywhere, and the 
  constabulary is stumped. A rich reward has been 
  offered to anyone who can help drag the killer 
  out of the web of shadow and intrigue they have 
  woven around themselves.
   The Melford Murder provides two levels of 
  challenge: as a standalone adventure, the PCs 
  will have to catch the killer and bring them to 
  justice. If played as the second module in the 
  trilogy (The Spider Farm, The Melford Murder, 
  Shrine of the Oracle), the risks and challenges are 
  greater, but so are the rewards. Are your players 
  willing to match their wits against a killer? 
  Particularly one who may be willing to kill again 
  to keep their secret . . .
  
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/1st Edition (ODD, D&D Basic, AD&D)/1st Edition/3rd Party/Dragonsfoot/Modules/AD&D Adventure - The Melford Murder.pdf